She was weak at the time and didn't want to cause trouble for Rong Heng, so even when she later found out about it, she only verbally reprimanded the woman and drove her out of Yujing, but never did anything else.
Looking back now, it was really foolish.
Zhu Jiayu rubbed her temples, not wanting to dwell on the past, and said calmly to Madam Ji:
“Since Aunt is so keen to choose husbands for my two cousins, she should naturally choose a young man who is both virtuous and learned and handsome. But how could such a man lack admirers? Instead of racking her brains to find ways to marry my cousins into a high-class family, Aunt should think about how to teach my cousins to be a little more ruthless, so that they can at least retaliate decisively when faced with a threat to their lives.”
"Don't think I'm exaggerating. These kinds of things happen all the time in Yujing. You can easily find out by sending someone to inquire. How could I make up a story to scare you about something this big?"
Of course, Madam Ji would not send anyone to inquire. Although she was not good at reading people's expressions, she was still smart enough to know that Zhu Jiayu knew these things entirely because of Gu Zhongyi. After all, such things would be secrets that the mistress of any household would forbid from being spread. How could she possibly send someone to inquire about them so easily?
Furthermore, Zhu Jiayu spoke so earnestly and sincerely that even though she verbally refuted him, she had already believed him in her heart.
—It's such a big deal, Zhu Jiayu wouldn't lie to her.
The reason she was angry was more because she had already accepted the frustrating fact that her daughter could not marry into a wealthy family and could only live an ordinary life in Heling.
She wanted the prestige and dignity of Yujing, but she would never agree to sacrifice her two daughters for the sake of Yujing's prestige and dignity.
Thinking of this, Madam Ji sighed sadly. Her beautiful vision for her daughter's future had been shattered, which made her quite sad.
As she sighed, she didn't forget to steal a glance at Zhu Jiayu's expression. Seeing that she still looked indifferent, Madam Ji couldn't help but raise her hand to adjust the gold hairpin at her temple, and awkwardly smiled to make amends for her earlier words:
“Ah Yu is indeed kind-hearted. Actually, I was just thinking about it. After talking with you just now, I've come to terms with it. It's no use if it's just me being enthusiastic all by myself. The most important thing is the feelings of Bo Yan and Ming Yan. But they were born and raised in Heling, and I'm afraid they're familiar with the customs and traditions here and won't be used to the extravagance and prosperity of Yujing…”
Zhu Jiayu followed her lead and gave her a way out: "That's right, I think so too. As the saying goes, one's environment shapes one's character. This environment not only nourishes one's body, but also one's temperament. If one were to move to another place, it would be like breaking one's bones. Besides, in my opinion, the young talents in Heling are no less than those in Yujing."
“Yes, yes, I think so too.” Madam Ji nodded repeatedly, smiled and stood up to say to Zhu Jiayu, “I’ve been sitting here for too long. If I don’t go back soon, the servants will get worried. I’ll come and talk to you again next time.”
Zhu Jiayu nodded in agreement and then got up to see her out.
Back in the courtyard, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Madam Ji wasn't so clever and was easily swayed. If she were too shrewd and single-mindedly focused on using her two daughters to climb the social ladder, she would have been in for a lot of trouble.
Not to mention that she couldn't use the list the old lady gave her, Qiu Boyan and Qiu Mingyan were both kind-hearted people who were not suitable to marry into a high-ranking family and spend their days fighting with the women in the inner quarters.
She sat on the stone bench, resting her chin on her hand, gazing at the lush green vines covering the pinkish-white courtyard wall, and couldn't help but think of Wei Qinglou.
In her view, Wei Qinglou was also someone who was very unsuitable to get involved in the power struggles in the imperial court.
When they parted in Suiping, she only thought that he was arrogant and pure, a good person, and it would be a pity for him to die so easily, so she told him to live well.
Unexpectedly, when they met again, he was already the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who was deeply favored by the emperor. Even though he had become much more composed, his eyes still shone with vitality, unlike the rigid and inflexible courtiers she had seen in her previous life. Thinking about this, she felt somewhat gratified.
In May, Heling is still a beautiful place with clear skies and bright sunshine. Although the summer heat is gradually increasing, the lotus leaves in the pond have grown into a canopy. Amidst the layers of green, a pale pink bud wrapped in green leaves occasionally emerges gracefully. When the lotus leaves are joined together and a little gap is revealed, you can see colorful koi swimming in the pond, which is a cool and refreshing sight in the summer heat.
Yujing, however, is different; even in May, it is still cool.
Wei Qinglou, dressed in a long robe heavier than usual, sat with Song Baopu on a high floor, silently drinking wine.
After finishing one cup, Song Baopu pressed his hand down: "I heard that Lord Shaoqing is still seriously ill, so it's best to drink less."
They had been back in Yujing for almost half a month. The things Wei Qinglou had instructed before leaving had been taken care of by his subordinates. Now, the brothels and entertainment venues in the city had become his eyes and ears, and also his mouthpiece.
But he had someone keep an eye on Chang Beiqiu, and after half a month, he hadn't made any progress.
Wei Qinglou stared intently at Song Baopu across from him for a long time before asking, "Mr. Song, after returning to the capital, what are your plans for your old friends and acquaintances?"
Song Baopu also looked at him, finished his cup of wine, and asked in a deep voice, "What does Lord Shaoqing want me to do?"
The two had initially agreed that Song Baopu would not take sides with Wei Qinglou upon returning to the capital. However, since he returned because of Wei Qinglou, even without explicitly stating it, in the eyes of outsiders, he was already branded with Wei Qinglou's name, and even the Wei family's.
Song Baopu knew that from the moment he agreed to return to the capital with Wei Qinglou, he had no other choice. Therefore, when Wei Qinglou said he would find an opportunity to petition the Emperor for a position for him, he did not refuse but immediately agreed.
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