Birthday banquet controversy

To be honest, even though Cheng Yayin was not willing to get married, she had no complaints about Pei Songsheng himself.

Pei Songsheng stood out among the many powerful and influential children of Shengjing in both appearance and talent. Not only did he have a distinguished family background, but he was also highly motivated. At only twenty-two, he had already risen to the rank of Zhongcheng in the Imperial Censorate, demonstrating a promising future. He was also his father's student, and his family background and character were well known. Even without the unexpected incident, his father would have been hard-pressed to find a better candidate for a son-in-law in Shengjing.

But who could have thought that she would get that inexplicable strange disease three years ago, and who could have thought that her father, who had always been averse to supernatural things, would actually believe in the method of getting married and dispelling bad luck, and take the initiative to come to her house to propose marriage?

There are countless marriages in the world, and countless kinds of fate. Cheng Yayin felt that her fate with Pei Songsheng must be the most bizarre. When he was a child studying at her house, she only knew him, but never paid any attention to him. But one day, she woke up and became his wife, spending her life with someone she had never spoken to.

What's even more bizarre is that her illness actually healed after getting married. Now this man is not only her husband, but also her savior. Even if she wanted to divorce, she didn't have the face to bring it up.

Married life was dull, otherwise Cheng Yayin wouldn't have been writing to pass the time. But even if she and Pei Songsheng grew estranged, they still had to act like a normal couple in front of their elders during festive occasions.

Cheng Yayin walked down the steps in front of the door and felt that it was necessary to apologize for her rudeness today.

"I read too late last night, so I took a longer nap today. I'm really sorry to have kept you waiting."

Pei Songsheng stretched out his arm as if to help her into the carriage, and replied lightly: "It's okay, it's still early."

Before getting on the car, Cheng Yayin glanced at the increasingly clear moon in the sky, and once again sighed that Pei Songsheng was such a good person.

He never questioned her, never commented on her, and no matter what she did, he seemed to not care. Sometimes, Cheng Yayin even felt more comfortable in the Pei Mansion than before she got married. His kindness was never wrong, but it was also dull and meaningless. Living with this man could only be a dull and boring night, a far cry from Cheng Yayin's dream of a boudoir.

The two sat separately in the carriage, and there was no conversation along the way. When they arrived at the Taifu Mansion, the gate was already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The housekeeper was waiting at the door, saying that the birthday banquet was ready and they were waiting for the two of them to come.

Cheng Yayin quickly ordered the servants to carry the prepared birthday gifts into the mansion. She had specifically asked Xia Changhuan to help her find these. Imperial Tutor Pei held a high position of authority, so even the most expensive pearls and silks would not be appreciated by Madam Pei. She had no choice but to find another way.

Xia Changhuan was knowledgeable and ingenious, and she knew exactly what was valuable and novel. Sure enough, none of her selections were vulgar, and everything caught Mrs. Pei's eye, earning her endless praise. Cheng Yayin breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

But she had been worried about her mother-in-law's birthday a few months ago, and she was not just worried about this.

The mother-in-law has always been easy to get along with, and it is not difficult to make her happy. What Cheng Yayin is afraid of is Pei Songsheng's father.

Although Pei Songsheng took Cheng Yayin to live in a separate residence after their marriage, he was still her elder, and she had to pay her respects during the holidays. She dreaded meeting her father-in-law the most. This was because her father-in-law had held a high position for many years, and he had an aura of authority that was intimidating without even getting angry. Cheng Yayin had never seen him smile. Every time she was stared at by his serious expression, she immediately felt like a prisoner on trial. Even if she had done nothing wrong, she still felt guilty. Moreover, she could not say that she had a clear conscience as the daughter-in-law of the Pei family.

Moreover, her marriage with Pei Songsheng might seem like a good match to outsiders, but Cheng Yayin knew in her heart that the Pei family was a prestigious family with a history of hundreds of years and many capable ministers who governed the country and assisted in the administration of the government. In terms of family background, the Cheng family was undoubtedly marrying up. So even though she had studied in the Cheng mansion before, Taifu Pei had never looked down upon her as his daughter-in-law and would always give her some warnings in various ways whenever they met.

As expected, Cheng Yayin, supporting Madam Pei, walked towards the hall, chatting and laughing. As soon as she entered, she met the solemn gaze of Master Pei, and a thin layer of sweat instantly broke out on her back. She restrained her smile and decided to keep her words to herself during the meal, saying nothing more than auspicious words of birthday congratulations, so as to avoid making too many mistakes.

Although it was a birthday banquet, it was not a full birthday banquet. Master Pei and his wife never liked extravagance, so it was just a family dinner.

The birthday girl was in high spirits today. It was a rare occasion since her son's wedding when the family had gathered together, so naturally she was happy. But Cheng Yayin stole glances at Master Pei several times. His face remained sullen, and she wondered what he was thinking. She knew, even if he tried to play dumb, this meal wouldn't be so easy to fool.

As expected, after the two juniors took turns toasting Madam Pei, Imperial Tutor Pei picked up the wine pot beside him and personally poured a shallow cup for Madam Pei. He then raised his own cup to her and said, "Today is Madam's birthday, and I, your husband, would like to toast you as well. First, I want to thank you for your hard work and contributions in raising our children and managing the household over the years. Second, I also want to thank you for preparing this family dinner today. If it weren't for Madam's birthday, I wouldn't have been able to see my wife for three to five months."

Mrs. Pei's wine cup froze in mid-air before it even touched Master Pei's. No one had anticipated his sudden attack. Cheng Yayin sighed, dropped her chopsticks, and said with lowered brows, "It's my fault for being naive. I'll come back often to pay my respects."

"If you don't correct your mistakes, paying respects will only cause trouble for the elders."

Pei Songsheng frowned beside him: "Why is father dissatisfied? She has never done anything wrong."

Cheng Yayin gave him a grateful glance. This was another good thing about Pei Songsheng. He always gave her enough respect and face in public, and also protected her in front of his family.

However, Imperial Tutor Pei clearly wasn't going to let it go easily today. He sneered, "Nothing wrong? All the chores in your house are still being managed by Housekeeper Cui. Has she, as the mistress of the house, fulfilled even a fraction of her responsibilities?"

Cheng Yayin's heart skipped a beat. Whenever her father-in-law scolded her before, he never mentioned this matter. Today's anger was indeed unusual.

Pei Songsheng was also slightly surprised, but then his face quickly darkened and he said, "My son has already started a family, so I hope he can make his own decisions on how to arrange the affairs of the mansion. Besides, father knows that Yayin had a serious illness three years ago and her vitality has been greatly damaged. She deserves to rest and recuperate."

Imperial Tutor Pei, however, refused to accept his words. He snorted, "I told you to expand the Pei family as soon as possible, and you said so too. Nutritious food and medicine are constantly being sent to your house, and she has always been so carefree and unconcerned with worldly affairs. How is it that after three years of raising her, she still has no children? Is she just lazy and idle all the time?"

Cheng Yayin's head drooped lower and lower, her face burning. Under the table, she grabbed Pei Songsheng, who was about to retort, and signaled him to stop.

At this moment, whatever he said would only add fuel to the fire. It was not the first time she was scolded, so she could just swallow it. Why should he hurt the father-son relationship because of her?

Pei Songsheng's sleeve was tugged, and he looked at Cheng Yayin, only to see her red ears. Imperial Tutor Pei seized the opportunity to turn his attention to Cheng Yayin, "I thought you, though of a lesser descent, were at least the daughter of a scholarly family, and would surely be well-educated and well-mannered. I never imagined you would not only neglect your duties as mistress, but also instigate your husband to blindly protect her, even disregarding the prospect of having children. You truly are not a good match."

Doesn't this mean that they still don't have children because Cheng Yayin is only concerned about her own leisure time and is whispering in her husband's ear?

Cheng Yayin cried out in injustice, but she couldn't defend herself. She and Pei Songsheng hadn't even taken the necessary steps to have a child, so how could they discuss such a thing?

Pei Songsheng couldn't sit idly by and watch her suffer such an injustice, so he immediately started to argue. However, the usually good-tempered Madam Pei couldn't sit still anymore. She slammed her wine cup down on the table and said to her husband, "Well, it's my birthday today, and you can't just let me be in peace? You have to show off your power at this time. Do you think this is your official place?"

Master Pei was silent for a moment. Just as Cheng Yayin took a breath, he spoke again:

"I have always respected your father's talent and learning, otherwise I wouldn't have sent Moxing to the Cheng Mansion to study when he was young, which led to our becoming in-laws. But now I have to say, your father's ability in teaching and educating people is truly unmatched, and his two sons are also very promising, but he lost his sense of propriety in raising his daughter. Did he think that all his daughters needed was outstanding looks and some pretentious poetry and prose to attract the attention of young men from aristocratic families with limited horizons and quickly achieve success? Little did he know that if his daughters lacked moral integrity, they would still damage the family's reputation!"

These words were extremely harsh, practically pointing at the Cheng family's door and cursing. Cheng Yayin looked up in surprise, her eyes immediately red. Madam Pei was so shocked that she almost smashed the bowl. Pei Songsheng suddenly stood up, his usually handsome and self-possessed face stained with anger, and shouted to his father, "Father, be careful with your words!"

Master Pei never expected that his son, who had always respected him, would actually be angry, and he was stunned.

"I originally came here to celebrate my mother's birthday. If my father insists on making things difficult for me, I won't stay here."

He bowed deeply to Madam Pei and said, "It is not my duty to spoil your birthday, mother. However, now that I have my own family, I should take care of you in everything. Since my father has no interest in a harmonious family, my wife and I will not be a nuisance to him. I will take you home now. I beg you to forgive me for my unfilial behavior."

After saying that, he took Cheng Yayin's wrist and left with her without looking back. A family dinner that should have been joyful ended in such a bad mood.

Pei Songsheng led Cheng Yayin all the way to the carriage. When he was about to get in, Mrs. Pei's mother called him away. The father and son had such a quarrel tonight, and Mrs. Pei must have had to comfort them.

This is fine. Cheng Yayin sat alone in the carriage. When the curtain closed, the tears she had been holding back for a long time finally flowed unrestrainedly.

The attendant Lan Yue Yi Xing listened to the whole process tonight, and he only regretted that he had little influence and could not say a few words to defend his master. At this moment, the two of them stood by the carriage wall, the night wind blew gently, and the faint sound of breathing and sobbing came from the carriage, making him feel even more wronged and heartbroken.

Yixing was a straightforward and impatient person, so he couldn't help but complain quietly, "This old Master Pei is too rude. He puts all the blame on the young lady. Even at home, the young lady has never been scolded like this by the master and mistress."

Still at the gate of the Pei Mansion, Lan Yue was afraid that if someone heard her, it would cause trouble again. She quickly bumped her arm, signaling her to be quiet. She approached the carriage window and gently comforted her, "Miss, don't be sad. If you keep crying like this, your eyes will probably be swollen. You must not have eaten well at the banquet earlier. When we get back, I will make you some sweet bean soup, okay?"

There was no response from the car, and no more crying sounds were heard.

After Pei Songsheng finished talking to his mother, he quickly walked to the front of the carriage. When the curtain was lifted, the tears on Cheng Yayin's face were only half wiped away. Her pair of almond-shaped eyes were filled with water, and she looked so pitiful.

Seeing someone approaching, Cheng Yayin quickly turned aside to wipe her tears, not wanting him to see her disheveled face. Pei Songsheng paused, then got into the carriage, sitting closer than when he came. He didn't look at her, but instead looked at the curtains that swayed slightly as the carriage moved, and said, "I'm sorry."

Cheng Yayin was stunned for a moment, then shook her head and said, "It's not your fault. It's my fault. I didn't do it well. My mother didn't live a good life. She must be very angry, right?"

Pei Songsheng shook his head. "Mother isn't angry with you. She called me over just now so that I could comfort you. I don't know who made Father unhappy today. Don't worry about it."

Cheng Yayin felt a lump in her throat again when she thought of the scene just now.

It was true that she had not fulfilled her responsibilities as a wife, but thinking about the accusations made by Master Pei tonight, she felt wronged. It was as if this marriage was all a conspiracy by her family. Cheng Yayin was blamed for everything, but she also had to implicate her parents and suffer an unjust accusation. The more she thought about it, the more wronged and angry she felt.

It wasn't her own plan for this marriage. Three years ago, she'd been so ill she'd been unconscious, she didn't even know how she'd gotten into the bridal sedan. Upon waking, she'd learned she'd become a Pei family member, and she'd nearly fainted from shock. Her parents hadn't intended for her to be married off at sixteen, and they hadn't taught her the ways of the household. Furthermore, her serious illness had left her family terrified. Immediately after the wedding, her mother had gone to Ganye Temple in the south of the city to practice Buddhism and pray for the family's well-being. For three years, not even her family had been allowed to visit her, let alone return home.

When Cheng Yayin was in a panic, she didn't even have an elder to help her solve her problems, so of course she didn't know what to do.

Cheng Yayin was lost in her own disappointment. She returned to the Pei Mansion in a gloomy mood, not even having an appetite for the sweet bean soup Lanyue had made. Just as she was about to wash up and rest, Yixing rushed in and said to her and Lanyue, "Oh no! I saw my son-in-law scolding someone!"