Chapter 77 An Ancestor Arrives

Wei, who was standing to the side, chuckled and said, "We should kowtow to Second Aunt properly. My niece-in-law has been married into our family for some time now, and the elders in the clan may not even know her yet."

Second Uncle and Second Aunt are the oldest and most respected elders in our Lu clan. Today, Second Aunt has come to our house as a guest to see the new bride. Nephew's wife, come here quickly and let Second Aunt take a good look at you.

Yu Qingci walked closer, and a maidservant had already placed a prayer mat on the ground. Yu Qingci knelt down and kowtowed.

My second aunt sat upright and properly as she received her greeting.

After Yu Qingci finished kowtowing and stood up, her second aunt opened her eyes and took a closer look.

The woman before him was about sixteen years old, with porcelain-white and delicate skin, eyes as clear as water and autumn in the sky, graceful and elegant demeanor, and a slender and graceful figure. Although she was wearing a brocade jacket, it could not hide her exquisite figure.

The third aunt's gaze darkened slightly; this young daughter-in-law was far too beautiful.

If a woman like this enters the family and remains a widow, she might eventually develop feelings for love. If she can't bear the loneliness and gets into some scandalous affair, it would bring shame to the Lu family.

Thinking this to himself, the corners of his mouth curved into a cruel smile, and his displeasure became increasingly apparent.

Watching from the side, Madam Wei was secretly pleased, knowing that her niece-in-law's appearance wouldn't please him.

Yu Qingci kowtowed and stood up. Her second aunt, maintaining her airs, scrutinized her for a moment before speaking:

"So you're the young widow who's been widowed by Yunqi?"

Yu Qingci nodded slightly without speaking, her posture respectful.

Second Aunt, putting on airs, lectured: "Now that you've married into this family, you must uphold the virtues of a wife, be careful in your words and deeds, serve your mother-in-law well at home, avoid meeting guests outside if possible, and don't casually step out of the courtyard. Just concentrate on copying scriptures and chanting Buddhist prayers in your own courtyard, and don't neglect burning incense three times a day for your husband's memorial tablet."

If even the slightest rumor of your indiscretion spreads, as an elder of the clan, I will absolutely not forgive you!

Madam Ning frowned, finding her second aunt's words unpleasant, and opened her mouth to try and defend her daughter-in-law.

Remembering her temper, I held back. If I talked back to her now, she would only say something even more outrageous later.

Yu Qingci's face showed no embarrassment or impatience. In her previous life, she had seen many elders like her second aunt, who loved to put on airs in front of their juniors. Even if a junior said one more word or made one more expression, they would lecture them for half a day.

However, she wasn't intimidated. After all, they weren't her own elders, so she could simply show them respect as a junior.

She said calmly, "Thank you for your guidance, Third Aunt."

Seeing that the woman in front of her remained respectful and subservient despite her words, Auntie was slightly pleased.

Wei chuckled and said to Yu Qingci, "Second Aunt and Second Uncle are the most respected elders in our clan. It is your good fortune to receive a few words of advice from Second Aunt today, so please listen carefully."

Madam Ning glanced at Madam Wei, assuming she didn't know that it was this second daughter-in-law who had brought her here today. As for why she had invited her second aunt, Madam Ning could guess in her heart.

However, this second aunt is really difficult to deal with. If she insists on interfering in my family affairs later, it will be hard to handle.

Despite feeling a headache, Madam Ning kept a calm expression and explained to her second aunt in a gentle tone:

"You flatter me, sir. Qingci is a very well-behaved child. She is knowledgeable, reasonable, gentle, and considerate. She is very filial to the elders in the household. These days, she is learning how to manage the household affairs from me and she is doing a great job. With this child by my side, I can feel much more at ease."

Second Aunt nodded: "That's good. I heard from the second son's wife that this child has been living outside with her mother and only recently returned to the capital. I was worried that since this child didn't grow up in the Nanping Marquis's mansion, she might not be dignified and steady enough in terms of manners."

"Noble families place great importance on rules and etiquette. I wonder if her mother taught her the proper manners. Now that you've told me, I feel a little more at ease."

These words made even the gentlest Madam Ning lose her temper and her face darken. Not knowing what to say to her second aunt, she could only turn her head and glare fiercely at Wei, who was stirring up trouble.

Yu Qingci sneered inwardly, her gaze calmly fixed on the Wei family.

Seeing that both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were looking at her, Wei felt extremely uncomfortable and quickly stood up to interject:

"Please don't worry, sir. My niece-in-law is indeed a very good person. Everyone saw the ten-mile-long red bridal procession that day. The Nanping Marquis's family is so generous, which shows how much they value this child. She must be a well-mannered and polite girl. Hehehe."

Hearing Wei mention the grand occasion when the dowry arrived, Second Aunt felt a pang of bitterness welling up in her heart again.

At that time, she was so envious that she wished it were her son getting married, so that such a generous dowry would come into her family.

Swallowing the sour taste in her mouth, Auntie nodded in satisfaction.

"That's good. Now that Yunqi's wife has entered the family, we should quickly establish an heir so that the title of General's Mansion can be officially established as soon as possible, which will save everyone trouble. Otherwise, if it is delayed for too long, the court may not recognize it."

Hearing this, Granny Wang secretly frowned. No wonder she often heard people say that this second aunt was a muddle-headed person who talked nonsense all day long, pointing fingers at the younger generation and interfering in other people's family affairs just because of her seniority.

Now that they've come to the General's Mansion, they're spouting nonsense about the court. It's truly absurd. This is within the clan; if this happened outside, who knows what trouble it would bring upon the family.

He was born into a humble family and was not knowledgeable enough. He was just an elder in the clan, which was several levels of distance from the General's Mansion. Yet he dared to talk so much and think he was the master of the General's Mansion. He really thought he was something special.

Madam Ning was also startled and quickly said, "The imperial court is a trustworthy entity and will not go back on its word. Second Aunt, you can rest assured about that."

They reiterated their previous explanation, saying that since the new bride had just entered the family, there was no rush to establish an heir.

This time, Second Aunt didn't refute. Instead, she went along with Old Madam Ning's words:

"That's true. Yunqi's wife is still so young, she's really not suitable to raise children. It would be most appropriate and safest to establish an adult heir under your name. In my opinion, Yunzhang from your second branch is quite good."

Yunzhang is the legitimate son of your second son and his wife. We've watched him grow up, and we know him inside and out. His character and integrity are impeccable. Now that he's married and established himself, he can support the family and save you trouble in the future.

"If Yunzhang were adopted into your family, he could inherit the title of General Ningyuan sooner. That way, the General could rest in peace in the afterlife, and your second uncle and I wouldn't have to worry about the lack of a successor for the General's mansion."