7. One is a punishment, two are beatings.
◎Her good father-in-law was quite prolific during those years.◎
Of course, only the Marquis's children could enter Jinghua Courtyard. As for the maids, servants, and young men, they could forget about it and would have to wait outside.
Four people came in together, but the little girl who had argued with Feng Ran that morning was not among them.
Feng Ran smiled. This little girl was probably frightened. That's fine, it saves trouble.
The first to speak was Duan Yuze, who, as the eldest son, addressed Duan Jingchuan directly, saying, "Second brother, now that you've married, my younger brothers and sisters and I have come to see you."
Duan Jingchuan remained immersed in his own world, his head bowed, ignoring Duan Yuze's gaze and words.
Duan Yuze didn't care. Over the years, he had come to know what kind of person Duan Jingchuan was. It would be abnormal to pay attention to him, so he turned his gaze directly to Feng Ran.
"So you're my second brother's wife? Now that you've married my second brother, you must fulfill your duties as a wife and take good care of him. My second brother sometimes has seizures, but don't worry, he won't easily hurt those around him."
Upon hearing Duan Yuze's words, Duan Jingchuan involuntarily clenched his hands. What would Feng Ran think of him?
Already socially awkward, he was finding it difficult to fulfill his responsibilities as a husband. Now, with a madman added to the mix, no one would be able to resist him. But what could he do? This world is truly terrible.
Feng Ran didn't quite understand what Duan Yuze meant. She hated people who spoke in riddles; it was really hard to understand. "Who are you?"
Duan Yuze's two younger sisters, Duan Yutang and Duan Yuxia, who were following behind him, couldn't help but recall the scene from that morning and couldn't help but shudder.
Duan Yuze showed no concern for his two younger sisters, and his expression towards Feng Ran held a hint of barely perceptible disgust. "I am Duan Yuze, the eldest son of the Marquis's family. You can just call me elder brother."
After that, he introduced the remaining brothers and sisters to Feng Ran.
Now Feng Ran knew that in addition to the legitimate sons Duan Jingchuan and Duan Jingyin, the Marquis's mansion also had two brothers, Duan Yuze and Duan Yuche, and two sisters, Duan Yutang and Duan Yuxia.
Feng Ran didn't really care whether he was older or younger than her brother; what she cared about was why he looked down on her.
Did I eat your rice? I clearly ate my husband's rice, so why do you look down on me?
Feng Ran's inner volcano was about to erupt again. "My husband is my husband, so you don't need to worry about him."
Duan Yuze was surprised that Feng Ran could speak so bluntly. He couldn't help but think to himself, "She's really vulgar. An imposter is an imposter. She doesn't have a bit of the demeanor of the Prime Minister's legitimate daughter."
Your Excellency is truly farsighted. If we were to let the legitimate daughter marry into this family, wouldn't it be like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung?
The two seem like a good match now.
Duan Yuche, who was standing to the side, immediately found an opportunity to speak, "Second sister-in-law and second brother are so loving, we siblings are very envious. Now that second brother is married, second sister-in-law can talk to us from time to time so she won't be bored."
Just as Feng Ran was defending Duan Jingchuan, his tightly clenched hands slowly loosened, and his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was relieved. It seemed that his wife did not dislike him, which was good.
Then he heard his good brother making veiled remarks, saying that he was dull and not good at socializing, and that his wife should find someone else to amuse him. Duan Jingchuan suddenly became a little unhappy. My wife, when did it become your place to care about her?
Feng Ran was somewhat puzzled and asked sincerely, "Are you two brothers usually very free? You actually have time to chat with me?"
Their puzzled expressions were so sincere that they startled the Duan brothers.
The two brothers then said, "If your sister-in-law needs anything, we certainly have the time."
Duan Yutang and Duan Yuxia also joined in the fun, saying, "Sister-in-law, we sisters also have time and can chat with you anytime."
Seeing that her two friends, who had been playing a supporting role, were speaking, Feng Ran immediately found a new topic.
"You two look about the same age. How old are you?"
Caught off guard by the question about their age, Duan Yutang and Duan Yuxia frowned slightly. What did Feng Ran mean? Did she think they were too old?
"Sister-in-law, my sister and I have just turned 16."
Seeing that Feng Ran's gaze had swept over Duan Yuze and Duan Yuche, the two brothers also voluntarily stated their ages.
Now, Duan Yuze is 20 years old, Duan Jingchuan is 19 years old, and Duan Yuche is 17 years old.
Good heavens, this Marquis of Dingbei, her good father-in-law was quite prolific in those years, he could even make candied hawthorns.
"So you don't have jobs? I mean, you don't have any regular work to do?"
Speaking of his job, Duan Yuze said with pride, "Sister-in-law, you may not know this, but my brother and I are now serving in the imperial court, through the imperial examination system."
"Since you hold an official position, you must be very busy. How could you have time to chat with me? Are you trying to trick me?"
Feng Ran was furious. She hated being lied to more than anything. Wasn't this blatant deception?
Even though he clearly didn't have time, he told her he had time to play with her. If she took that seriously, how heartbroken would she be?
The Duan brothers' faces were cracked; what a strange angle this was, why so tricky.
Duan Yutang and Duan Yuche were born to the same concubine, so she couldn't help but help her brother out, saying, "Sister-in-law, both of you brothers are indeed very busy with official duties. We sisters have a lot of free time, so you can chat with us anytime you want."
The two sisters never expected that Feng Ran's attacks would also be directed at them.
"If I remember correctly, if you're not married by sixteen, you'll be considered an old maid, right? Aren't you two engaged?"
There was a moment of silence, and the expressions on the faces of the four siblings were cracked to varying degrees.
Only Duan Jingchuan, who was sitting upright to the side, slightly curled the corner of his mouth, and his eyes also showed a bit more spirit.
The two sisters explained politely that they were not engaged at the moment and wanted to stay for two more years.
Duan Yuche was getting impatient. "Second sister-in-law, second brother doesn't have any official position either. If none of the four of us siblings are available, you might as well just chat with second brother."
The child was clearly speechless after being confronted by Feng Ran. He had forgotten that the initial topic of casual conversation was meant to mock Duan Jingchuan's poor communication skills, but now the mockery had become even stronger.
Feng Ran was even more furious. What kind of talk was this? Was this suggestion even human language? Could anyone listen to it?
"You little rascal, you have some really unique ideas. Why don't you talk to your second brother about it?"
Knowing full well that Duan Jingchuan is a bit socially awkward, she still asked her to chat with him. Isn't that like asking her until she's hoarse and not getting a single word in response? What are they up to?
Duan Yuxia found another opportunity to speak, "Second sister-in-law, how can you dislike your second brother so much? He is, after all, your husband."
Feng Ran disliked these words even more. She straightened her back immediately and slammed her small hand on the table, startling the teacup so much that it jumped a few times. Not to mention Duan Yuxia and Duan Yutang, who were still reeling from the morning's fright.
Both sisters involuntarily took a half step back, as the impression from that morning was too deep, and they were afraid that Feng Ran would resort to violence at the slightest provocation.
Feng Ran chattered on and on, “He’s still the heir apparent, this Marquis’s mansion should belong to the heir apparent. You’re all making a fuss here, and you’re all being supported by my husband. You keep calling him ‘second brother’ and ‘second sister-in-law’ but you never say a word to my husband, you don’t even greet him. How rude.”
"Impolite?" Duan Yuze said impatiently, but still patiently. Duan Jingchuan never paid any attention to them.
If it weren't for Aunt Xu's repeated admonitions and Feng Ran's status as the Crown Prince's consort, he would have almost turned and walked away. Arguing with such a shrew would have been a waste of time.
Feng Ran rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Is being rude an excuse for not greeting people? My husband provides me with food and clothing every day; he's practically my provider. So I always greet him whenever I see him. Whether I greet him or not is my business, and whether he responds is his business. You all have a problem with your attitude, and even more so with your thinking."
"Second sister-in-law," Duan Yuze frowned, as if he wanted to say something.
Unexpectedly, Feng Ran stopped him immediately, saying, "Don't call me 'Second,' it sounds awful."
At this moment, Duan Jingchuan, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. His voice wasn't loud, but it wasn't quiet either; the people present could hear it.
He only said three words: Crown Princess.
Although he didn't say much, everyone present understood his meaning. He was putting their status on the table. Even though he was the second son, he was the heir apparent, and Feng Ran was the heir apparent's wife.
Since Feng Ran doesn't like the title "Second," and she is the second child in her family, everyone can simply address her by her status and call her the Crown Prince's Consort.
It was precisely because they understood this principle that the four siblings looked constipated. This madman actually brought up his identity; who knows how many days he has left to live.
Duan Yuche, that blockhead, once again stepped in to take the blame, "Second sister-in-law, we're all family, calling her the Crown Princess is too formal?"
Feng Ran showed no mercy. Even the socially anxious girl was backing her up; it would be too much for her not to be an accomplice.
“Who’s family with you? It’s already not easy for my husband to support me. You’re all weaned now and it’s time for you to support yourselves. Those who should get married should get married, and those who should take wives should take wives. We should separate the family as soon as possible.”
Upon hearing the words "getting married" and "separating from the family," the expressions of the people present changed slightly.
The happiest person was Xiong Qi. He discovered that it was a good thing that the Crown Princess was uncultured, at least she could speak freely.
Looking at these people, who dared not speak out in anger, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction seeing them unable to utter a single word after being rebuked by the Princess Consort. In the past, they had openly bullied the young master, relying on their status as sons and daughters of the Marquis's family.
Duan Yuxia and Duan Yutang, however, looked completely stiff. Although they were daughters of a marquis, they were born out of wedlock, and it would be difficult for them to find good husbands.
After all, the Marquis of Dingbei has now retired, and as the daughter of a military family, her manners and demeanor are naturally inferior to those of noble families, making marriage a difficult matter.
The two brothers, Duan Yuze and Duan Yuche, were the most furious.
Duan Yuche was alright, after all, he did not regard the Marquis's mansion as his own. As the youngest illegitimate son, he knew that he would have to rely on the Marquis's mansion for his livelihood in the future, so he followed in Duan Yuze's footsteps. After all, he was not optimistic about Duan Jingchuan's future. What kind of heir was a Marquis's mansion heir who might die young?
The Marquis's mansion had always been Duan Yuze's possession, and now that he heard Feng Ran mention the idea of dividing the family property, he was immediately furious.
"Second sister-in-law, I treat you with extra courtesy because I respect you as the newlywed princess consort. But don't be too arrogant. This Marquis's mansion is not yet under your control."
Feng Ran recognized the words; she seemed to have heard them that morning.
Feng Ran was someone who couldn't keep a secret, and she asked whatever came to mind, "Is your stepmother Aunt Xu?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Ze frowned even more. He hadn't even settled accounts with Feng Ran about his concubine yet, and now Feng Ran had brought it up on her own initiative.
"Since we've come this far, I should, as the eldest brother, properly teach my younger brother and sister-in-law the importance of respecting elders and maintaining proper order. Your aunt is also your elder; how can you insult her so casually? I hope that after your return visit tomorrow, you will take the initiative to kowtow to your aunt and apologize. As you are a junior, your aunt will naturally not pursue the matter; otherwise, your father and stepmother will certainly not let you off the hook."
A threat, this was definitely a threat. The half-dead volcano in Feng Ran's heart finally began to blaze. She said seriously to Duan Yuze, "I wasn't satisfied with that kick this morning. Do you want to try again? Having too many lice doesn't make you feel itchy. One is punishment, two is beating, it's all the same." After saying that, she twisted her foot, eager to try it on Duan Yuze.
Duan Jingchuan, who had been quietly standing in the background, suddenly seemed to be triggered by these words. He immediately raised his head, staring intently at Feng Ran, seemingly forgetting his fear of contact with people. He grabbed a piece of Feng Ran's sleeve, his tone somewhat impatient.
"He knows martial arts."
Looking into Duan Jingchuan's anxious eyes, Feng Ran realized that their signals had strangely aligned, and she actually understood Duan Jingchuan's unspoken message.
Duan Yuze is a skilled martial artist, and he was afraid she would be bullied because she couldn't win.
Feng Ran was overjoyed. Her husband was wonderful; he not only provided food and lodging but also ensured her safety.
Seeing that Duan Jingchuan was tugging at her sleeve and didn't seem to have any adverse reaction, Feng Ran momentarily forgot to pursue the matter with Duan Yuze, and instead excitedly said, "Husband, husband, aren't you afraid anymore?" As she spoke, she shook the sleeve that Duan Jingchuan was holding.
Duan Jingchuan then seemed to have discovered something extraordinary. He quickly withdrew his hand, then silently examined his fingers, finding no abnormal reaction whatsoever.
Before, when I came into contact with strangers, I would get red rashes on my hands and break out in a cold sweat.
He was immediately overjoyed, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes sparkled as he looked at Feng Ran. In that instant, Feng Ran felt as if she were seeing a sky full of stars, gentle yet resolute.
The four siblings looked displeased as they watched Feng Ran and Duan Jingchuan flirting so brazenly. They all knew they couldn't make a scene, or it would benefit no one.
"Let's go." Without saying goodbye, he turned and left.
Feng Ran glanced at the four people as if they were clowns, and ignored them.
Her social anxiety has improved somewhat, which is commendable.
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