41 Chapter 41◇
Want to eat crab? Dream on!
Half a year into their marriage, this was the first time Feng Ran and Duan Jingchuan had ever eaten at the Prime Minister's residence, demonstrating just how superficial their marriage was.
Ever since Wu Fengqing was caught in the act of adultery with the Crown Prince, she has rarely left the mansion and has become extremely gloomy.
She had thought that His Highness the Crown Prince would go along with it and marry her, but to her surprise, His Highness the Crown Prince delayed in showing up. After that incident, His Highness the Crown Prince went to the north to provide disaster relief.
She usually didn't like receiving guests and preferred to stay in her room to avoid trouble. However, upon hearing that Wu Fengran had returned today, her thoughts began to stir. After all, she still remembered the grudge from the Duke of Lu's mansion and wanted to see Wu Fengran unhappy.
Wearing the exquisite hairpin made a few months ago, paired with a begonia-colored floral floor-length skirt, and after carefully adjusting her makeup, she nodded to the mirror with considerable satisfaction.
She couldn't help but feel satisfied. "A man as elegant and refined as Prince Duan deserves a beautiful wife. I want to show Prince Duan that our Prime Minister's mansion isn't full of those withered and thin yellow-haired girls."
The maidservant beside her chimed in, “What Miss says is true. Miss is a beauty of unparalleled grace and fragrance, unmatched in the entire capital. Not just anyone can compare to Miss.”
Wu Fengqing felt comforted by these words and for a moment forgot the troubles of the past few months. She strode confidently toward the front yard.
For some reason, the Prime Minister's wife, Lady Liu, felt a sense of dread when she saw Feng Ran and subconsciously did not want to have a conflict with her.
After the Duke of Lu's family said those words, Feng Ran became quite the sensation in the capital. However, she was too reserved and never left the Marquis of Dingbei's residence again.
Whether it's an invitation to a banquet or a small tea party for his wife, he won't come out no matter who invites him.
Adding to the recent trouble caused by Wu Fengqing, all the women in the Prime Minister's residence are living in fear and staying indoors. Upon closer inspection, it's clear that Lady Liu hasn't seen Fengran for a very long time.
This sight was quite alarming; Lady Liu's brow twitched.
Wu Fengran has changed so much.
Previously, Wu Fengran was unremarkable in the Prime Minister's residence, withered and thin, and had a very low profile. In just over half a year, she had grown taller and her appearance was even more beautiful than before.
Unlike Wu Fengqing's noble and graceful demeanor, Feng Ran's beauty is more romantic and unrestrained, like an ordinary wild grass that has grown into a towering tree, as if she has been reborn.
When he last came, Prince Duan was at the height of his beauty, and Feng Ran was more like his follower, not showing any signs of favor. If it weren't for Prince Duan's protective words and actions, her reputation as an unfavored person would have spread throughout the capital long ago.
This time, the two sat side by side, their intimacy evident in their glances. Prince Duan's gaze was fixed on Feng Ran's face, a doting smile playing on his lips, and Feng Ran's joy was genuine.
I must have been very well taken care of during this period; my whole energy and spirit are completely different now.
Liu calmed herself down and took her seat, waiting for Feng Ran to greet her.
To everyone's surprise, Feng Ran and Duan Jingchuan remained completely calm and composed, sitting there without showing any emotion, sipping their tea as if it were some kind of delicacy.
After finishing a cup of tea, she didn't wait for the maid to refill it. She ate and drank as if she had never been there. This made Liu feel awkward. She didn't know whether to speak or not, so she could only cough lightly.
This sound indeed attracted the attention of Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran.
Duan Jingchuan glanced at Feng Ran out of the corner of his eye and saw that she looked indifferent and somewhat resistant. He understood what was going on, so he didn't take the initiative to greet Liu Shi. He just smiled slightly, pretended to be shy, and lowered his head to drink tea.
Feng Ran was even more direct, not even bothering to make a show of it. She quickly raised her eyes, then turned her head towards the door, as if she had seen something unclean.
She shouldn't have come!
Liu's face was filled with uncontrollable resentment.
"Ran'er, it's been so long, you don't even know how to greet me anymore?" Madam Liu's tone was full of sarcasm as she glanced at Feng Ran and the other woman.
Feng Ran tugged at Duan Jingchuan's sleeve, stopping him from replying. She shook her head, acting completely unserious, and said, "My husband is not good with words, and I have no manners. Isn't this all your fault?"
Madam Liu narrowed her eyes slightly, and in the blink of an eye, she said in a tone that seemed to say, "You child, you really know how to joke, aren't you? Are you upset that your mother has neglected you all the time? Why are you acting all cute in front of the young master?"
Feng Ran pursed her lips, not daring to utter too many boastful words; she needed to get down to business first.
“Father, I have already conveyed my father-in-law’s message. My husband has come to visit in person, which shows our sincerity. Your wife doesn’t seem to welcome us very much. Why don’t you give us the old clothes first? We won’t delay your New Year celebrations.”
...
Prime Minister Wu's hand tightened around the cup, his pale fingers a testament to his inner turmoil. He didn't dwell on Feng Ran's disrespect towards Lady Liu, but instead expressed his distress, saying, "Ran'er, you're putting your father in a difficult position. We dare not disobey the orders of our ancestors, how can we forget our roots? You know the Prime Minister's residence doesn't have many new clothes, and even fewer old ones. Why don't you go and look at other wealthy families?"
The ancestral command cannot be obeyed? If it cannot be done, then why not give her clothes? Feng Ran's forehead almost bore a huge question mark.
Duan Jingchuan had been observing Feng Ran's expression. When he saw her puzzled look, he knew that she hadn't understood the Prime Minister's pedantic remarks, so he took the initiative to speak to her.
“Father-in-law, are you sure you want to have a serious talk with me about the status of the lady in the Prime Minister’s residence? The lady’s dowry is still locked in the Marquis’s residence’s storeroom. If the Prime Minister’s residence is really in trouble, I can return it to her intact.”
To be honest, Prime Minister Wu didn't know what Feng Ran's dowry was. But after glancing at Liu's unnatural expression, he had a pretty good idea and cursed the stupid woman in his heart.
Duan Jingchuan's purpose was not the dowry, nor did he dwell on the matter. "Father-in-law may not know, but I am the owner behind Baihualou. It is also because I don't quite trust the manager of Baihualou that I keep very detailed accounts every year."
It was a seemingly off-topic remark, but it was something that Prime Minister Wu found hard to swallow.
Wu Fengqing, who was eavesdropping behind the door, became even more erratic in her breathing.
The commotion alerted the people inside the room, so Wu Fengqing pretended to have just arrived and chuckled blankly, "I heard from the maid that you and your husband have returned. I've been missing you so much since I haven't seen you, so I came to pay my respects. I hope you and your husband won't be unwelcoming."
Feng Ran looked up at the sky speechlessly. Did they even have any friendship? More like they were enemies.
Wu Fengqing didn't receive any different treatment either. Like Liu Shi, after she finished speaking, there was silence for a long time, and the smile on her face almost disappeared.
Seeing that Wu Fengqing's smile was becoming increasingly stiff, Madam Liu quickly stood up and took Wu Fengqing's hand, "Qing'er has been feeling better lately. It's just in time for you to come here. I was thinking of asking you to come out and meet Ran'er."
"Alright, let's eat first." Prime Minister Wu looked extremely depressed. Seeing that Feng Ran and the other two were completely unmoved by his words, the veins on his head throbbed, and a storm was brewing in his eyes.
Feng Ran pouted and looked at Duan Jingchuan, who nodded almost imperceptibly.
If the meals at the Marquis of Dingbei's residence were novel and plentiful, then those at the Prime Minister's residence were luxurious.
Good heavens, they've got everything from land, sea, and air! It's only for five people, yet the table is overflowing with food. Feng Ran glanced at it and saw over thirty dishes, not even counting the soups and desserts served before and after the meal.
A hint of sarcasm flashed in Feng Ran's eyes, but when she looked up, her face was full of emotion. "It seems that Father really loves his daughter. The Prime Minister's mansion is so poor that it can't even afford clothes, yet it still managed to prepare such a large table of dishes from all over the country. However, there are too many dishes, so Father and Madam will have to eat the leftovers for the next few days."
When did I say that the Prime Minister's residence couldn't afford clothes? Who wants to eat leftovers?
"What you say is true, madam. I'm sorry to have troubled you with your expense, father-in-law. I will certainly make sure to spread the word about your thrift and frugality in the future." Duan Jingchuan, undeterred by the prospect of trouble, wholeheartedly agreed.
"Heh, that's excellent. Marquis Dingbei is indeed better at teaching his son than I am. After you finish your meal, take the things with you and tell Marquis Dingbei that this is a one-time thing, and some things are not always useful." Prime Minister Wu seemed to have resigned himself to his fate and stopped making things difficult for Duan Jingchuan and the other man, agreeing directly.
Madam Liu was somewhat unwilling, "Master, this is against etiquette."
Prime Minister Wu said in a deep voice, "There's no need to mention this matter again."
Wu Fengqing sat facing Duan Jingchuan. When she looked up, she could see that Duan Jingchuan's thick eyelashes added a striking touch to his long eyes. His entire gaze was focused on Feng Ran. He would occasionally add soup and dishes to Feng Ran's bowl, and even condescended to peel crabs for her!
This scene stung Wu Fengqing's eyes, and even the food in her mouth lost its flavor. Her thoughts shifted, and she smiled sweetly at Duan Jingchuan, "Brother-in-law, your method of dismantling crabs is truly unique. Qing'er is getting hungry just looking at it. I wonder if you would be so kind as to give me a taste of these crabs?"
As he spoke, he didn't forget to secretly provoke Feng Ran with an air of confidence, as if he really could get his hands on the crab from Duan Jingchuan.
Feng Ran saw and understood the provocative gaze. Instead of immediately observing Duan Jingchuan's reaction, she glared back fiercely, fiercely protecting her food.
To be honest, if it were someone else, they might have been too embarrassed to refuse her because of the "brother-in-law" title and the reasonable request, and would have given her the crab in their hand. But this person is Duan Jingchuan, and apart from Feng Ran, there are very few people who can make him do something on his own initiative.
Duan Jingchuan finally spoke to Wu Fengqing, his voice as clear and gentle as he had imagined, as if it could penetrate to one's very bones, though the content was open to interpretation.
Duan Jingchuan calmly dipped the crab meat he had prepared in sauce and placed it on the small plate in front of Feng Ran. He then took the handkerchief Feng Ran handed him and wiped his fingers one by one, his smile remaining unchanged. His words were clear and crisp, like jade falling on a plate, “The women of the Dingbei Marquis’s family all receive this treatment. I’m afraid the Second Miss is not fortunate enough to enjoy what I have. However, I have a few brothers. Why don’t you marry into the family?”
Seeing Wu Fengqing's face darken, Duan Jingchuan did not let her off the hook despite the anger and tears in the girl's eyes. "Oh, right, I'm afraid it won't work. After all, our Dingbei Marquis's mansion is not worthy of His Highness the Crown Prince's people. Second Miss, I misspoke."
A note from the author:
Shocking! My husband is actually a sharp-tongued and vicious person!
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