After weighing the options, Xiao Jingzhao looked at the Right Chancellor and said, "Since Minister Cui has suggested persuading the nuns to return home and get married, this matter will be handled by Minister Cui. If it fails, then, as Minister Su suggested, relief funds will be distributed to all the nunneries in Wanling."
"Your Majesty, this..."
The Right Chancellor was dumbfounded, never expecting that the Emperor would send him, the dignified Right Chancellor, to do such a trivial matter.
Su Huai-ren almost burst out laughing. The Emperor was too wise. If the Right Chancellor went to persuade him, he would at best be rebuffed, and at worst be scolded and kicked out.
Seeing the Right Chancellor standing there in a daze, Xiao Jingzhao added, "He must be persuaded with kind words, and must not be carried out roughly in order to arouse public resentment."
"Your humble servant will obey Your Majesty's command."
The other ministers breathed a sigh of relief when the matter was settled.
Everyone secretly grumbled to themselves, thankful they hadn't gotten involved, otherwise they would have been the ones going to the nunnery to persuade the nuns to go home and get married.
The Right Chancellor returned home feeling extremely depressed.
Persuading a nun to marry is like persuading a nun to return to secular life—it's truly a difficult task.
The thought of bringing the person he had been longing for home filled him with joy, like a withered tree blossoming in spring.
His daughter had not yet told him about the people and events in the nunnery after returning from the Peach Blossom Nunnery. The Right Chancellor changed out of his official robes and walked out.
In the study, Cui Yudie rested her elbows on the desk, her snow-white hands supporting her rosy cheeks as she stared blankly, looking listless, like a flower petal about to wither on a branch.
"Miss, don't keep it to yourself, just tell Madam the truth."
Liu Xu couldn't bear to watch any longer. The young lady had been back for several days, and she was depressed every day, constantly trying to guess what her aunt had said.
Liu Zhi chimed in, "Yes, go and talk to Madam. Auntie wants to break off this marriage. Let Madam know so that she won't have to try to win her favor in the future."
"Mother will definitely blame me for not handling things properly and angering my aunt," Cui Yudie frowned worriedly.
Since her marriage was arranged, her father rarely visited her mother's courtyard, which made Cui Yudie feel very guilty.
She felt useless, that she had failed to bring benefits to the family through marriage, and that she had disappointed her father.
"Never mind, Mother will find out about this eventually anyway."
After thinking it over for a while, Cui Yudie got up and walked towards the east courtyard.
The Right Chancellor saw his daughter walking towards the main courtyard from afar, and he quickly followed her.
When Meng saw her daughter arrive, she asked with concern, "Die'er, have you felt any better after resting for a few days?"
"Thank you for your concern, Mother. I'm just tired from playing. I'll recover after a few days of rest."
Cui Yudie sat down and stared intently at Madam Meng. "Mother, there seems to be a problem with the tonic you asked me to bring to Aunt."
"Clang!"
Meng's hand trembled, and the teacup slipped from his grasp.
"Huh! What's the problem?"
Concealing the panic in her eyes, Madam Meng quickly picked up the teacup that had fallen on the table and waved to the maids beside her, signaling them to leave.
The maidservant withdrew and saw the master walking to the door. Just as she was about to report, the Right Chancellor raised his hand to stop her.
Inside the room, Madam Meng asked, feigning composure, "Did she say anything to you?"
"No, when I went there this time, my aunt happened to catch a cold, so I added the tonics I brought to my aunt's medicine according to the doctor's instructions."
"but……"
"But what?" Meng asked, a glint in her eyes.
Cui Yudie said with regret, "My aunt's condition did not improve after taking the medicine; in fact, it got worse. She said that my mother and she are incompatible, and that we should not visit her anymore, and that we should just pretend that she is not a relative."
"My aunt said such heartless things, and I am very sad. She wants to sever ties with us. If this gets out, it will be bad for our reputation. Mother, think back, is it possible that my aunt has misunderstood something?"
"Heh! Misunderstanding! There has never been a misunderstanding between her and me, only hatred." Meng's face suddenly turned cold, and a fierce glint appeared in her eyes.
"Mother! What do you mean?"
Cui Yudie was startled by Meng's words and made many guesses in her mind. She never expected that her mother and aunt had a grudge against each other.
Just as the Right Chancellor was about to step into the house, he heard Meng's words and withdrew his foot.
Then Meng said bitterly, "Severing ties is fine, who cares! She's just a dying person, but her ghost is haunting me and ruined my happiness. I've already been very merciful to let her live to this day."
"Mother! Aunt, she..."
"What aunt? She's a vixen. Even your mother is ashamed to talk about her. Your father's soul has been bewitched by her. He still calls out her maiden name in his sleep."
Cui Yudie never expected that her aunt and her father had a past relationship. Seeing her mother getting angrier and angrier as she spoke, her voice grew louder and louder.
She quickly stopped her, saying, "Mother, let's talk this out. We shouldn't air our dirty laundry in public. My aunt has already decided not to remarry, and Father hasn't gone to the Peach Blossom Nunnery. Let's not bring this up again."
Cui Yudie paused and said, "My aunt has indeed improved a lot since I stopped giving her the tonics. With Doctor Jiang helping her, she will recover soon. There is no such thing as someone who is about to die. Mother, please be careful with your words."
"Jiang Shuyue is at Peach Blossom Nunnery?" Meng asked in astonishment.
"Yes, it was also because she found out that the tonic my mother had asked me to send was not the right one that she stopped giving the medicine."
"Butterfly, are you saying she won't die?"
Seeing her mother's pale face, Cui Yudie shook her head. "She should be fine. The day I left, I went to pay my respects to her, and I noticed that her complexion was much rosier."
"Impossible, impossible, she should have died long ago. She must have become wary of me and didn't take all the tonics."
Meng appeared to be insane, shaking his head and becoming agitated.
"Mother!"
Cui Yudie whispered.
At that moment, the beaded curtain snapped shut, and the Right Chancellor stormed in, his face contorted with rage.
With a loud "smack!", five finger marks were immediately left on Meng's face.
"father!"
It was too late for Cui Yudie to stop it.
"You wicked woman! I was blind to marry such a vicious woman like you. What poison did you give her? Bring out the antidote!" The Right Chancellor spoke sharply, his eyes bloodshot with extreme anger.
Meng was dazed and confused after being slapped by the Right Chancellor, her ears ringing.
Cui Yudie was so frightened that she didn't know what to do. Only when she saw that her father didn't make any more moves did she turn around and go out to call someone to go to the ice cellar to get ice.
A moment later, Meng covered her swollen cheeks and tearfully accused him.
"Am I heartless? You're the heartless one. You pretended to be a loving couple with me while you were eyeing that vixen."
"Want the antidote? No, your precious one is doomed, hahahaha..."
Meng laughed loudly, tears streaming down her fingertips.
"Meng, you should know that I knew her first. If it weren't for my mother... I would never have married you!"
"Cui Jing, I've had enough of this marriage in name only. I've borne you children, yet you still have her in your heart. Is this fair to me?"
"A madman! This is irrational!"
The Right Chancellor angrily flung his sleeves and left.
After leaving the courtyard, I called a driver and headed straight for Peach Blossom Temple.
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