Chapter 162 I Heard You Became a Mistress

The two looked up and saw several women walking towards them. The noblewoman in the middle was about thirty years old, dressed in gorgeous clothes and wearing a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin. She was being helped by a maid and stopped in front of them.

Yu Qingyan did not recognize this person, but Su Chengniang immediately recognized this noblewoman as Wan Fangfei, the daughter of Wan, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, who had married the eldest son of Huang, the Minister of Rites.

Wan Fangfei's smile seemed sarcastic. Her sharp almond-shaped eyes swept over Su Chengniang and her daughter, and she spoke:

"Oh, it really is Sister Su. I thought I was seeing things."

Wan Fangfei swayed forward a step, her eyes revealing an ambiguous emotion as she looked at Su Chengniang—disdain, but mostly jealousy.

"It's been many years since we last met. I didn't expect Sister Su to still be so young and beautiful, her charm undiminished. No wonder the esteemed Earl of Nanping has neglected his wife for so many years because of you. I heard you had returned to the capital from the countryside, but I didn't expect to meet you here today. What brings you to the temple to burn incense today, Sister Su?"

Su Chengniang also sized up Wan Fangfei, and seeing that she still spoke with the same sharp tongue as before, she had no intention of reminiscing with her, and simply said:

"Well, I didn't expect to run into Sister Wan. My daughter and I just finished offering incense to the Bodhisattva and are about to head back. We won't disturb you any longer as you kowtow and make your wish. Farewell."

Wan Fangfei, however, seemed to be still enjoying herself. Seeing them about to leave, she stepped aside to block Su Chengniang's path, laughing wildly and unrestrainedly.

"Since we've finally met, Sister Su, why don't you talk to me a bit more? I heard that you've been someone's mistress all these years, is that true? Hehe, no wonder I heard that even though you've returned to the capital, you still can't get into the Nanping Marquis's mansion."

"you!"

Su Cheng's mother's face fell with anger, and she was about to reprimand her when Yu Qingci, seeing her mother's change in expression, quickly tugged at her sleeve. Then, she looked up at Wan Fangfei's unrestrainedly smiling face and said:

"Madam, please be careful with your words. You are only speaking based on hearsay. Even Buddha would be displeased if he heard this. This is a sacred place of Buddha, and we cannot tolerate unfounded rumors."

My mother was not a mistress; she was my father's first wife, the Lady of Nanping. This cannot be distorted by a few dubious words from anyone!

Wan Fangfei scoffed, her gaze falling on Yu Qingci, her tone even more cutting:

"Is this the daughter of Sister Su who married into the General's Mansion and became a widow? She's quite pretty and has the same charm as Sister Su back then. It's a pity that such a delicate beauty has to remain a widow for the rest of her life."

"Tsk tsk tsk, Sister Su is really getting worse with age. To please a man, she actually heartlessly sent her own daughter to a hellish place. It's truly pitiful."

Seeing the other party making fun of her daughter without any restraint, Su Chengniang clenched her fists. Given her temper, she really wanted to slap the other party, but she held back.

She sneered, "Sister Wan, you've come to Taijue Temple to pray for a child, haven't you? I heard that you've been married into the Huang family for so many years and haven't been able to give birth to a son or daughter. Your husband and mother-in-law must be very worried, right? Now that you're getting old, even if you come to pray to Guanyin for a child, I don't know if it will be effective."

"You!" This time it was Wan Fangfei's turn to be embarrassed.

Wasn't she here today to pray for a child? The inability to conceive for so many years had weighed heavily on her, making her feel ashamed in her husband's family. But it was none of Su Cheng's place to interfere in her affairs.

Just as she was about to retort, Su Chengniang continued, "By the way, when I returned to the capital, I heard that Wan's husband had taken a new concubine, a famous singer from Yuanyang Tower. If I count, over the years your husband must have taken at least a dozen or more concubines, right? I imagine Wan's days must be quite lively."

Wan Fangfei didn't want to continue the conversation. She glared at Su Chengniang, about to retort, but Su Chengniang beat her to it:

"Oh, by the way, guess how I found out that your husband took a concubine at the Mandarin Duck Tower?"

A few days ago, my husband mentioned to me that when your husband, Huang Dianyi, redeemed that famous singer, he didn't have enough money and had to borrow money from many people. He also borrowed five hundred taels of silver from my husband, which he still hasn't paid back. Does Sister Wan know about this?

Why don't you go back and remind your husband to pay back the money as soon as possible? As the saying goes, "A loan repaid makes it easy to borrow again," right?

"You, you bitch!"

Wan Fangfei was furious that Su Chengniang had shown her no respect in front of all the servants, revealing all the secrets of her household affairs. She reached out to hit her, but Su Chengniang grabbed her arm.

"Sister Wan, don't you know what kind of occasion this is? You can't just act so presumptuously in front of so many people. You should save some face for yourself."

After saying that, he shook off Wan Fangfei's wrist and left with his daughter.

Wan Fangfei was furious that her provocation had backfired so badly.

"Hmph, I'll see how long you can be so smug. The Earl of Nanping will abandon you, his abandoned wife, sooner or later!"

Su Chengniang didn't want to pay attention to the voice behind her anymore. She knew why this close friend was acting so strangely after not seeing her for many years. It was because Wan Fangfei had taken a liking to the young Earl of Nanping, Yu Jingsheng, but Yu Jingsheng fell in love with Su Chengniang at first sight and asked the official matchmaker to propose marriage on their second meeting.

Later, Wan Fangfei married the eldest son of Lord Huang, who worked in the Ministry of Rites. Unfortunately, this eldest son was of mediocre ability and had only been a sixth-rank official for many years.

That's not all. This man also liked to philander. Within a few years of their marriage, he had taken several concubines. In total, Wan Fangfei had so many sisters that she could hardly count them all.

Then look at Yu Jingsheng, whom Su Chengniang married. He was a high-ranking official and close minister of the emperor, the Earl of Nanping. For Su Chengniang, he even gave up the wealth and glory of the capital and was willing to serve in a remote place for several years.

Now that the two have met, it's no wonder Wan Fangfei can't stand Su Chengniang.

The mother and daughter turned and left, ignoring the shrewish curses behind them.

Back in the courtyard, Su Chengniang couldn't help but have tears welling up in her eyes.

She doesn't care what others say about her, but they can't say those things about their own daughter.

Ultimately, it was I who agreed to let my daughter marry into the general's mansion. Although my daughter had assured me more than once that the young general was still alive and would definitely come back in the future, what would happen to my daughter for the rest of her life if he didn't come back? Would she really have to remain a widow for the rest of her life?

Seeing her mother's furrowed brows and sullen expression, Yu Qingci knew what her mother was worried about. She gently tugged at her mother's sleeve and softly comforted her:

"Mother, don't be sad. People can say whatever they want, we can't control them. We just need to close the door and live our own lives."

By the way, how has Father been treating Mother these days? Has he been visiting her more often?