Chapter 231 Loosen the reins only to grasp them better

It is really hard to talk to someone who is suspecting everyone and who was delusional.

If it wasn't because the matter they were discussion concerned Gu Xihe's lifelong happiness, Shu Huan would've long turned and left; how would she had the patience to wear out the skin of her teeth with Lin shi? However, since Lin shi opposed her in every way and threw dirt on her, she also didn't have to be patient and endure anymore!

• Wear out the skin of her teeth: pointless blather

Shu Huan stood up and smiled slightly, "Naturally, it is not sure that Shang Xin may be willing. With her current qualifications, she could even marry an official. Why should she choose a merchant family that looks down on her?"

Having said that, not only was Lin shi so shocked that she took two steps backwards, even old madam who was lying on the bed and pretending to be asleep, quickly opened her ears, wanting to listen carefully.

"What…what nonsense are you sprouting…?" After the initial shock, Lin shi felt that Shu Huan had become a fool. She immediately got agitated and began to stutter. "That maid of yours, even if you sent her over to an official to be his concubine, he would disdain to take her in. Marriage…keep dreaming!"

Shu Huan said coldly, "Isn't that right? Is it not like a dream? Shang Xin knows how to write and how to do accounting. Now, that I have given birth, I don't have so much time. That everything in the house could be done properly was thanks to this maid who helped manage them. Even the wife of the prefectural magistrate knows about her and had praised her many times in front of people. A few days ago, when I went over as a guest, the wife of the prefectural said that after so many years, she only gave birth to sons and didn't have a daughter. The more she saw Shang Xin, the more she liked her and wanted to adopt her (SX) as her daughter! In a few days, she will adopt her officially. She will be the official daughter of the prefectural magistrate. Even if her status isn't better than a daughter from the legitimate line, but it wouldn't be a problem for her to marry a small official!"

After these words fell, Lin shi was dumbstruck. Old madam also couldn't care about pretending anymore. She turned her face and asked anxiously, "Really? Why haven't I heard you mention it?"

Pretend! Keep pretending!

After living together for so many years, how could Shu Huan not know the temperament of old madam, this fox?! She naturally didn't want Gu Xihe to marry a maid. However, because she had an argument with Gu Xiran in the past about marriage, she was afraid of repeating the history and have a fall out with Gu Xihe. So, she pretended to be foolish and muddleheaded. She didn't question the matter, threw this hot potato at Lin shi and let Lin shi go cause trouble and have a fall out with Gu Xihe. If Lin shi succeeded, she will naturally be happy. If it didn't work out, she would still be Gu Xihe's beloved grandmother. It wouldn't hurt the feelings between the grandmother and grandchild!

Although, Shu Huan had caught old madam's fox's tail, taking into consideration that she (OM) had taken her side these years, she wasn't willing to go pinch that tail too hard. So, she pretended to be a fool although she saw through all of this and said, "How could I lie to old madam about this matter? I didn't mention it because the matter had just been settled. The other side didn't sent people to bring gifts yet. Shang Xin is shy and didn't want me to make a big thing out of it."

It was Lin shi's turn to gasp and she was at loss about what to do. She said, "This…this really caught people by surprise…"

"Mm," Shu Huan didn't spoke too much and only answered indifferently. She lowered her head and drank tea.

The room was silent again. Old madam had her eyes opened and was moving her lips silently. No one knew what she was thinking. Lin shi sat back on the chair. She repeatedly twisted the handkerchief in her hand and was lost in thoughts. Although, Fang shi's mind became much clearer in recent years, but she was someone with few words. It was like she didn't existed at all in the room. She sat there and watched the three of them in silence.

Shu Huan also ignored them and slowly drank all the tea. She stood up, tidied her skirt and said, "Madam, rest assured. Since this matter was put out in the open, I will immediately go back and tell Shang Xin to behave more properly and don't think about climbing higher in social status. If Xihe goes look for her in the future, I will tell her to ignore him lest to let Xihe misunderstand and delay his good fate! However, in this case, if someone report at old madam's and madam's about how I teach my maids, please be more pardonable."

As she talked, she bowed slightly and said, "Old madam, please have rest. I will take my leave first."

Lin shi was restless. She opened her mouth, wanting to stop Shu Huan. It happened that she couldn't put down her pride and didn't know how to talk with Shu Huan. Shu Huan already went out during this moment of hesitation.

Old madam couldn't hold it anymore and scolded, "Fool!"

Lin shi was not reconciled, but she didn't dare to rebut. She could only lower her head and twisted the handkerchief more vigorously.

Old madam continued to scold, "Why are you still sitting? Quickly go stop her!"

Lin shi was unwilling and stubbornly said, "A sparrow can't become a phoenix. Even if that Shang Xin became the prefectural magistrate's adopted daughter, it is only in name. Deep in her bones, she is still a maid. How much of a lady can she become? She is absolutely not worthy of our Xihe!"

Old madam glared so much at her that her eyes almost rolled and muttered, "How can there be someone who became more foolish the older she gets?!"

Lin shi was almost made crying by her. She couldn't help but refute, "Old madam, don't blame me for speaking up. An adopted daughter of the prefectural magistrate is even of lower status than a daughter from the illegitimate line. It is already lucky that she could marry a poor low-ranked official. Could it be that our family would envy that? Moreover, that prefectural magistrate is no fool. How will he be willing to pay a large amount of dowry? When she marries, she is still poor. It is better to pick someone with a large dowry…"

"Shut up!" Old madam truly couldn't listen to her anymore and yelled at her. "Shut up!"

As she talked, she saw that Fang shi's face paled after seeing them argue so fiercely. She quickly called a maid to take Fang shi back to her own place. Then, she scolded Lin shi, "You don't have a long-term vision. You only care about the small benefit in front of you!"

Since there was no one else present, being scolded was not an issue. After all, no matter what she (L) says, it is wrong. Lin shi had already lost hope, bit her lips and said nothing more.

Old madam gasped twice before she continued scolding, "After talking for so long, you still didn't understand the most important point and you resent me for calling you stupid?"

Lin shi refused to accept and said, "This daughter-in-law is slow-witted. Old madam, please speak clearer!"

Old madam had given up on her IQ and said dejectedly, "Xihe! The most important thing is that he wants to marry that maid. Do you have the ability to convince him to not marry her?"

Lin shi thought for a moment and said, "I'm his mother. He will listen to me nevertheless."

Although, she said that, she also wasn't sure. When Gu Xihe begged her last night, he chopped the nail and slice the iron with unswerving determination as if there was no room to change his mind. That was why she got anxious.

• Chopped the nail and slice the iron: resolute and decisive

Old madam humphed, "Did you see what had happened after I had forcibly forced little Huan to divorce that year? Xihe is a stubborn one. Having followed Xiran these years, he became more and more able to make his own decision. I think you absolutely won't be able to change his mind. Even if you force him to marry another, he will resent you and ignore you in the future!"

Lin shi was agape and tongue-tied. She was at loss for words.

"Since he is deadset on wanting to marry Shang Xin, the identity of the prefectural adoptive daughter is naturally more presentable than Gu household's maid. Just agree. There is nothing to be unwilling about. Others will also not laugh at our family and it will also let your mother-child relationship become stronger," Having spoken till here, old madam looked at her. "Moreover, didn't you see that the sudden change of Shang Xin's identity is fishy?"

Fishy? Of course, it was fishy! Who knew what kind of trick that maid used to confuse people's hearts?! If she was the wife of the prefectural magistrate, she would not want to adopt a daughter of such low status! However, Lin shi hasn't spoken these words when she me old madam's deep gaze. Her heart burst and she intuitively realized that things were by no means as simple as she thought. If she spoke her thoughts, she would certainly be scolded for being stupid. She could only swallow her spit and the words that she was about to say, and shook her head fiercely.