Chapter 66: Even if you become Xiao Ze's concubine, otherwise in the future...

Second Madam He and eldest daughter Lu Danyan happened to be paying their respects to Madam Dou and learned of this matter. Hearing Madam Dou's words, He's expression changed slightly. She echoed Madam Dou's mother-in-law, saying, "The Crown Prince has always been a soft-hearted person, and Cui's personality perfectly suits his wishes. They naturally get along well, and this is Cui's good fortune."

Madam Dou nodded with a smile and said, "That's right. Cui has a good personality, which is why Bingzhi treated her differently and handed over the private treasury to her so quickly. Cui should practice with the private treasury first. Once she gets the hang of it, she can also learn how to manage the household from your eldest sister-in-law. After all, she is the granddaughter-in-law of the eldest son. Although she is young, we still have to give her the respect she deserves. Otherwise, people outside will say that our family looks down on her, a girl from a marquisate who was raised outside. If Cui Linghui is compared to her again, I don't know how much gossip will arise and cause trouble."

He was surprised at her mother-in-law's fondness for her granddaughter-in-law Cui Lingyan, but she had been in the mansion for many years and had always known that her mother-in-law loved her grandson Lu Bingzhi the most. It was understandable that she took special care of Cui out of love for her grandson.

But Cui is really lucky. Which new bride would be valued so much by her husband and grandmother right after getting married?

Thinking back to when she first married into the Duke of Weiguo's mansion, her sister-in-law was the distinguished Princess Shu Ning. Although the princess didn't necessarily look down on the power of the housekeeper and mostly left it to the nanny around her, she was envious at that time. She even thought that it would be more appropriate to let her, the wife of the second wife, do the things that the princess looked down upon. Then both of them could get what they wanted.

But she kept this secret in her heart, not daring to say a word. Later, when Princess Shuning passed away, she thought she would be able to take over the household duties. But when Cen, the second wife, came into the family, Madam Dou, always a stickler for rules, didn't let her, the second wife, get involved, and the power of housekeeping went straight to Cen. Now, seeing Cui, the grandson's daughter-in-law, receive such honors right after entering the mansion, she couldn't express how she felt.

Cui had just entered the family and was already overshadowing the second wife, even overshadowing her mother-in-law, Cen. To put it bluntly, besides the old lady and the Duke, only Lu Bingzhi, the Crown Prince, and Cui Lingyan, the young lady, were the most respected in the Marquisate.

Others, even she and Cen, the elder, were not so respectable.

She glanced at her daughter, Lu Danyan, who was sitting there. Seeing her daughter's face smiling and not saying anything inappropriate, she smiled and said, "Mother, you are so considerate of Cui's granddaughter-in-law. It is Cui's blessing. I would like to ask my mother-in-law for a favor. If Cui helps with the housework, why not let Danyan learn from her sister-in-law? That way, she will be more considerate after she gets married."

Old Madam Dou knew what He was thinking. He had always been smarter than her second wife, Cen, and she was also more measured in her words. When she spoke like this, Old Madam Dou, as her mother-in-law, felt it was difficult to offend her.

"Since you've asked me, when Cui takes charge of the household affairs in the future, I'll ask Yan to learn from her."

"Cui has just married into our family, and Danruo is always willful and spoiled. Girl Yan, you should go to Wutong Courtyard more often to accompany your sister-in-law, so that she won't get bored alone and feel that the girls in our Duke's Mansion are all alienating her."

Madam Dou's words meant she had agreed.

A smile appeared on He's face, and Lu Danyan also stood up and thanked Madam Dou, her grandmother, with a smile.

"Grandma, I feel relieved with your words. These days, I've been thinking about visiting my sister-in-law at Wutong Courtyard and spending more time with her. But my sister-in-law just got married, and I'm afraid of disturbing her by visiting her."

Madam Dou smiled and said, "Since we're family, why do we need to be so cautious? Too much caution will only make us seem distant and distant. Although Cui didn't grow up in the capital, she has a very good temper. It would be a pleasure for me, as an elder, to see you two get along well."

He chatted with Old Madam Dou for a while before saying goodbye with her daughter Lu Danyan.

After leaving Qingde Courtyard, the smile on He's face faded a little, and she said with some emotion, "The old lady has always loved the prince the most, but I never thought she could be so partial to him. Cui has been married for less than two weeks, and the old lady is already thinking of asking her to interfere in the household affairs. I have been the second wife for so many years, but I have never seen the old lady give me such a respect as to ask me to meddle in the affairs of the Duke's Mansion."

"The eldest princess is gone, but our Second Branch is still dependent on others and lives under the control of the eldest branch. It would be fine if the Crown Prince was healthy and not poisoned, but I see that the Crown Prince and his new bride, Cui, have not yet consummated their marriage, so his health is probably not well. The old lady is now praising Cui as her granddaughter-in-law, but she doesn't think that if Cui had always been a virgin, even if she got involved in the household now, wouldn't she be criticized in the future?"

Lu Danyan had known from a young age the grievances her mother felt as the second wife. She sighed softly and lowered her voice, "What can we do? Grandmother's partiality hasn't been going on for a day or two. Besides, if Cui doesn't get involved in the household chores, it won't be our turn. At least mother just spoke up, so I can learn from Cui, my sister-in-law. At least it will make me look respectable if it gets out. Unlike now, I can only follow mother around and look at our second wife's account books. But there are so many people in our second wife's family, how much wealth do we have?"

A hint of sadness and grievance appeared in He's eyes. After a moment's hesitation, she spoke casually, "Danyan, if you weren't from the Duke of Wei's mansion, you might have had a chance when the Second Prince was choosing a concubine. It's a pity, alas, that we can't even get a glimpse of the glory that Princess Shuning and the Crown Prince enjoy. On the contrary, because of this relationship, some opportunities are denied to us."

Lu Danyan's expression changed slightly as she supported He and walked forward. "Mother, please don't say these words. Princess Shuning was close to the late Queen. Our Duke of Wei's Mansion was destined to be on different sides with the Imperial Concubine and the Second Prince. Moreover, the Crown Prince's poisoning was related to the Second Prince. Others might dream of the position of Second Prince's Concubine, but I, your daughter, would never dare to think about it."

"I just hope that it's not Second Prince Xiao Ze who ascends the throne. Otherwise, I don't know what will happen to our Duke's Mansion."

There was also some uneasiness in He's eyes. Fortunately, the whole capital knew that because of the late queen, the emperor no longer had any favor for Concubine Shu, and he was also mediocre in favor of the second prince Xiao Ze, born to Concubine Shu. He was even a little picky about him. In terms of favor, he was not as good as his nephew Lu Bingzhi. So even though He felt a little uneasy, she felt that it would not be the second prince Xiao Ze who would ascend to the throne in the end, and she did not feel much regret that her daughter would not be able to catch the eyes of Concubine Shu and the second prince.

He sighed softly and took her daughter to her residence.

Ningshou Marquis Mansion

The news that the second prince Xiao Ze was going to choose a princess spread, and the empress dowager held a flower-viewing banquet, perhaps out of consideration for the reputation of the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion, and even sent an invitation to the Marquis' Mansion.

When Mrs. Zhai received the invitation, she sent someone to call the older girl Cui Linghui over and talked to her about the matter.

Cui Linghui was delighted to hear that she could attend the flower-viewing banquet. She couldn't help but think that in her previous life, she had moved the Second Prince Xiao Ze, and even promised that if he ascended the throne in the future, he would depose the Second Prince's wife Zheng and make her the queen. She became even more moved.

In this life, she was reborn after being poisoned by Lu Bingzhi. In order to avoid Lu Bingzhi, she did those things that ruined her reputation. She was probably not qualified to be the second prince's consort. This time when she entered the palace to participate in the flower viewing banquet, no one thought that she would catch the eyes of Xiao Ze and Shu Guifei.

But what she wanted to do was not to be the Second Prince's consort, but to catch Xiao Ze's eye and marry Xiao Ze, the Second Prince.

Even if she was to be Xiao Ze's concubine, the prince's concubine was of noble status, even higher than the mistress of a noble family.

At least she became Xiao Ze's person. When she met Cui Lingyan, the young lady of the Duke of Weiguo's mansion in the future, she would not have to feel inferior to her, and she would not have to be ridiculed for the fact that she had used all kinds of means to break off the engagement even at the cost of ruining her reputation.

Moreover, she understood Xiao Ze's personality. Xiao Ze always cared a lot about his reputation. If she could become his concubine and make Lu Bingzhi lose all face, Xiao Ze would definitely be tempted.

"Girl Hui, you received this invitation because the Empress Dowager is concerned about the reputation of our Ningshou Marquisate. Ultimately, she is also concerned about the dignity of the Crown Prince and Yan, his wife. Just treat your visit to the palace to attend the flower viewing banquet as an ordinary banquet. Don't think too much about it. Always think about the dignity of our Marquisate. When you come back, Grandmother will allow you to go out and relax, or stay with your grandmother for a while."

"We have lived together for many years, so naturally, Grandma loves you. After a year, I will find a good marriage for you."

Cui Linghui's hand holding the teacup paused slightly, thinking of how she was not liked by Lu Bingzhi in her previous life, and had a hard time in the Duke's Mansion. When she returned to the Marquis' Mansion, her grandmother blamed her for being too arrogant and not knowing how to humble herself to please her husband Lu Bingzhi. At that time, she had no family to rely on, and it was so difficult in her husband's family. She didn't know how much resentment she had in her heart.

Hearing her grandmother, Madam Zhai, say this, she felt only irony and ridiculous. Her grandmother only cared about profit and had never truly loved her. Moreover, she was in such an embarrassing situation now. Her grandmother must have trampled her into the mud in her heart.

Saying this now clearly means he is treating her like a fool.

Thinking of this, Cui Linghui wanted more and more to get close to Xiao Ze, even if it was just to become Xiao Ze's concubine, otherwise there would be no place for her in the Ningshou Marquis Mansion in the future.

"Yes, my granddaughter knows the seriousness of the matter. My granddaughter is not in good health right now, so naturally she can only serve as a foil and won't have any delusional thoughts."

"Moreover, Prince Lu's poisoning is related to the Second Prince. Naturally, the Second Prince's choice of a wife will not fall on the shoulders of our Ningshou Marquis Mansion."

Hearing her say this, Madam Zhai felt that she was a little confused for actually giving such instructions.

She put down the teacup in her hand and said to Cui Linghui, "Alright, Hui, you don't have to stay here with me anymore. Go back to your courtyard. Take good care of yourself these few days. Don't look bad during the flower viewing banquet, otherwise people will make up stories and criticize you, ruining the reputation of our Ningshou Marquis Mansion."

Madam Zhai said this and instructed the head maid Daimao, "Go get some blood swallows for Hui girl to take back and tell her to take good care of herself."

After Cui Linghui left, Old Lady Zhai said with a hint of disappointment and regret, "A legitimate daughter of the Marquis's eldest son is now worried about her marriage. She'd be laughed at if she went out. In my opinion, the Empress Dowager shouldn't give the Marquis's mansion this respect. I'd rather Miss Hui stay at the Marquis' mansion, rather than being pointed at and tarnishing the reputation of our Ningshou Marquisate."

Daimao smiled softly and said soothingly, "The Queen Mother gave the Marquisate honor because of the Crown Prince and the Third Young Lady. Ultimately, it's a good thing. Besides, the Young Lady can't just stay away from banquets all the time. If she goes out more often, those people's gossip will fade a bit, and it might even be better for our Marquisate and the Young Lady."