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"Mom, I heard that my sister and brother-in-law were having a scene together most of the night."

Du Sese mentioned it casually when she came to Aunt Liu's room to pay her respects.

Du Yaoyao came back in a simple carriage this time, bringing only two personal maids to serve her. The other maids and servants in the courtyard were originally from the Du family. Madam Liu was in charge of the household affairs, and Du Sese easily found out the situation in her elder sister's courtyard.

"She looks like a fairy, but she's actually quite flirtatious. No wonder Mr. Shen dotes on her so much."

Aunt Liu was born into a poor family and she often spoke without restraint in front of her daughter. She resented Chen Jie for humiliating her yesterday, and she and Du Yaoyao had an old grudge.

“Brother-in-law doesn’t seem like a person who values ​​beauty.” Du Sese defended Shen Jie in a low voice.

As a high-ranking official with outstanding appearance, he did not take a concubine for three years. In the mind of the fifteen-year-old girl, Chen Jie was a good man who kept himself clean.

"Whether a man values ​​beauty or not is decided by women." Aunt Liu thought of Cui Niang. Cui Niang is more beautiful than her, but unfortunately she is weak and naive, so Du Qing cannot love her for long.

Du Yaoyao has been childless for three years after her marriage, and her life might be even worse than her mother's in the future. Aunt Liu curled her lips and said, "After all, she is just a hen that doesn't lay eggs. There is nothing to envy about her. If you like that guy named Shen, I will think of a way for you in the future."

Du Sese's face was shy, and she hesitated and said, "Sisters share the same husband... It's inevitable that outsiders will laugh at us."

"Du Yaoyao is occupying the toilet without doing anything. In two years, let's see if Chen Jie will change his mind." Aunt Liu had a sarcastic look on her face. When she mentioned the change of heart, she tried to guess.

"Perhaps this time, the couple's harmony is for others to see. Du Yaoyao climbed into Song Xingkai's bed a few years ago and was caught by your aunt. Everyone in the capital knows about it. It's impossible to say that Chen Jie doesn't mind at all."

"Sister and cousin Song?" Du Yaoyao swallowed her saliva, surprised, "Why haven't I heard of it?"

"You are still unmarried, and I am afraid that your ears will be polluted, so don't learn bad things from her." Aunt Liu complained, "Last time on Brother Lin's birthday, Song Xingkai got drunk, and your sister came up with an idea and took off all her clothes and sneaked into someone's room."

"Ah? This is too..." Du Sese covered her mouth and sighed, "Brother-in-law has such a good temper."

"Can a person with a good temper control the Censorate?" Aunt Liu didn't believe it. "I guess she just hasn't gotten angry yet. There are still many dirty things that I'm embarrassed to tell you. In short, Du Yaoyao is not a quiet person. Sooner or later, she will cause trouble. Let's just watch the fire from the other side of the river and wait and see!"

What Aunt Liu didn't say was that Du Yaoyao had been a playboy, had kept concubines, and had seduced married men. No matter how the surface changes, the inside is a cheap thing, and sooner or later it will catch fire and burn itself.

——No man can tolerate such a dissolute wife.

Du Sese nodded as if she understood, and her mind drifted back to her handsome and romantic brother-in-law.

–

Du Yaoyao didn't have time to refuse Du Qing's proposal to arrange for Du Wenwu to be an official, as Chen Jie spoke first at the dinner table the next morning.

"Yaoyao also mentioned my elder brother's matter to me last night. After careful consideration, I decided to return to the capital and report to the Crown Prince first."

This was said tactfully. A minister of the first rank who held real power arranged for his wife's brother to be a minor official and had to report this to the crown prince.

Du Qing was not involved in officialdom, so he could tell that this was a euphemism for shirking responsibility.

He immediately laughed awkwardly, "Okay, okay."

Shen Jie added, "The current political situation is unstable, with Prince Chen and the Crown Prince fighting each other. I am on good terms with the Crown Prince, so I have to be cautious in my words and actions. I hope you and my mother-in-law will understand."

Cui Niang whispered, "Please be considerate."

Du Qing said pretentiously: "My dear son-in-law is right. We must put the overall situation first."

Du Wenwu did not come for breakfast because he was too embarrassed to face Du Yaoyao because of asking for an official position. His sister married a man who was the top scholar in the imperial examination, but he failed repeatedly and was not even qualified to go to Beijing to take the imperial examination.

Du Yaoyao put a fresh meat soup dumpling into Cui Niang's bowl and comforted her, "Mother, please let my brother study hard at home. No matter what method is used to enter the officialdom, one must have real ability. When my husband has made arrangements in the capital, he will send news to Qingzhou. Don't worry."

"Okay, I'm not in a hurry." Cui Niang knew Du Yaoyao's situation and said with concern, "As long as you and your son-in-law live well."

Du Yaoyao said obediently, "Mom, eat quickly, the buns will get cold soon."

Du Qing couldn't bear to see the affection between mother and daughter, so he drank a bowl of porridge hastily and left quickly.

In the evening he went to Cui Niang's room and had a rage.

"Look at your beautiful daughter. She thinks that a man in the government needs to be really capable. She seems to be looking down on her brother for being incompetent, isn't she?"

Cui Niang argued, "My son-in-law said that Yaoyao mentioned the civil and military affairs to him last night. It's obvious that my son-in-law is a man with big ideas. How can Yaoyao be his boss?"

Cui Niang did not tell Du Qing about Yaoyao's situation. After all, as a father, he only cared about benefits and didn't care about his daughter's hardships.

Du Qing spat fiercely on the ground, "What a waste of a pretty face. You can't even persuade a man with pillow talk. You are like water spilled after a daughter is married off. You are useless!"

Cui Niang hid in the darkness of the lights and wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

At 10 p.m. in the evening, Du Yaoyao came to accompany Cui Niang as agreed, and happened to see this scene.

Du Qing angrily accused Cui Niang, and Cui Niang lowered her head and cried sadly.