With Luo Gong helping to deal with Magistrate Zhen, Shen Xiu lived a quiet life.
Qiao Meier has not been favored by her parents since she was a child. Qiao Tiezhu and his wife only have a son in their hearts, and they only have two or three points of love for their daughter.
In this way, Qiao Meier has been very sensible since she was a child, but she has little self-confidence and is timid in doing things, for fear that she will not do well.
In order to change her temper, Shen Xiu corrected her habits bit by bit.
Under Shen Xiu's subtle influence, Qiao Meier's whole person has undergone great changes from the inside out.
When Huaihua came to see them, she was surprised by the changes in Qiao Meier.
On the one hand, Qiao Meier's skin became much whiter after applying those medicated powders every day. On the other hand, Qiao Meier's behavior became much more generous, and she had the temperament of Xiaojiabiyu.
When Qiao Meier went to pour tea for Sophora japonica, Shen Xiu said to Sophora japonica: "You are also cousins after all. There is something I want you to help ask."
"What's up?"
Shen Xiudao: "I think Qiao Meier's parents want her to marry high. I happen to have a marriage here, and the man is older, but has a high status. If she agrees, I can help
Pull the strings.”
"But one thing I can't guarantee is that because the man has a higher status, he may not marry her as his wife."
Shen Xiudao: "If she doesn't agree, then just pretend that I didn't say anything."
Huaihua listened and didn't speak for a long time. When she spoke again, she asked, "How high is the man you mentioned?"
Shen Xiudao: "I can't be too specific with you. In short, he is an official of the imperial court."
When she heard that she was a court official, Huaihua was obviously shocked, "Axiu, you must be kidding, right? Since you are a court official, even if you want to take a concubine, you won't like Mei'er!"
Shen Xiudao: "I can't tell you the details of the situation here. You just need to know that as long as Qiao Meier is willing to agree, I will have a way to make him fall in love with her."
Huaihua was a little confused by what she said, but she knew that Shen Xiu would never lie to her. Since she said she was sure, it must be true.
"Then I'll ask Meier."
Sophora came out of the room and happened to meet Qiao Meier carrying a hot water bottle.
"Meier, I have something to tell you." Huaihua pulled Qiao Meier to a side room, and then said exactly what Shen Xiu said.
"That's the way it is. Now it depends on what you want." Huaihua said, "If you agree, just nod. If you don't want to, just shake your head. We won't force you."
Qiao Meier grew up in an environment like the Qiao family, so she certainly knows that there is no free lunch in the world.
When Shen Xiu brought her here, she had guessed the other party's purpose. However, Shen Xiu had never told her through her mouth. Qiao Meier kept guessing but could never guess what she was thinking, so she had no choice but to give up.
Now that Huaihua directly stated Shen Xiu's intention, Qiao Meier lowered her head and thought for a while.
In fact, when she heard that the other party was an official of the imperial court, she was already a little moved. Later, when she learned that the other party did not have a real wife, she was somewhat willing.
However, she was not so faint that she felt that such a good thing would be her turn, so she asked.
"There won't be any shameful issues on the man's side, right?" Qiao Meier hesitated: "I mean, he is an official, it's hard to find any kind of person, so he would like me, a woman from the countryside."
Huaihua said: "I don't know very well, Axiu didn't tell me in detail. But with her personality, the man shouldn't have any big problems."
"If you are worried, I can help you ask."
Huaihua looked at Qiao Meier's intention. If the man didn't have any problems, then he would probably agree.
Shen Xiu understood Qiao Meier's worries, thought for a while and said: "Since she is worried, I can let her see the real person."
As soon as Qiao Meier heard that she could see a real person, half of her worries disappeared.
In the next few days, Qiao Meier became even more focused on her skin care. She would rub her whole body with milk every day without Shen Xiu's urging, and would even apply a layer of medicated powder on her face before going to bed at night.
Shen Xiu saw it in her eyes, and the guilt in her heart finally dissipated.
When she first asked Qiao Meier to be her substitute, Shen Xiu still had some complicated feelings, feeling that she was no different from Magistrate Zhen.
For this reason, she repeatedly comforted herself that Qiao Meier might not be able to live a good life in the future if she had such a pair of parents. And if she could follow Magistrate Zhen, given the depth of Magistrate Zhen's love for her first wife, even if Qiao Meier was just a
My concubine will definitely live a good life.
And if Magistrate Zhen is so infatuated that he never marries a first wife, then Qiao Meier may be able to live a better life than ordinary first wives.
It was out of such considerations that Shen Xiucai decided to recommend Qiao Meier to Magistrate Zhen.
Now that Qiao Meier was willing, Shen Xiucai let go of that entanglement.
Qiao Meier waited for several days, but she still didn't see Shen Xiu taking her to meet the man. She couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.
That day, Qiao Meier memorized books all morning. In order to reward her, Shen Xiu cooked a sumptuous meal. There were braised pork ribs, stir-fried chicken slices, and dry-roasted crucian carp, all of which Qiao Meier loved to eat.
But when Shen Xiu was halfway through the meal, she found that Qiao Meier was absentmindedly picking at the rice, not eating as sweetly as before.
"Are these dishes not to your liking?" Shen Xiu asked, "Or are you feeling a little unwell?"
Qiao Meier was thinking about something, but when she heard this, she hurriedly said: "I'm fine, I'm just a little full from breakfast."
Shen Xiu felt that Qiao Meier was not telling the truth, but she didn't want to go into details, so she didn't ask any more questions.
After Qiao Meier absentmindedly took a few more mouthfuls of food, she finally couldn't help but ask: "Ms. Shen, you said you could let me meet a real person that day. Is this true?"
Probably because Shen Xiu treated her very kindly on weekdays, Qiao Meier finally became bolder. Now that she had doubts in her heart, she mustered up the courage to ask.
After hearing this, Shen Xiu understood the reason for the other party's absent-mindedness.
She couldn't help laughing and said: "Of course it's true."
If it's true, then why haven't we seen the real person yet?
Qiao Meier wanted to ask in her heart, but she couldn't speak. The question she just asked had already consumed most of her courage.
Shen Xiu saw her thoughts and smiled lightly: "It's not difficult to meet a real person, but the time hasn't come yet?"
"What time?" Qiao Meier asked after seeing that Shen Xiu didn't blame herself.
Shen Xiudao: "You don't need to know this. Anyway, I won't harm you. I will tell you everything after you meet the real person."
"But before that, you have to take good care of your skin, and then practice your gait and etiquette as I told you. When you have the temperament of a lady, I will let you meet the real person."