Storm
"Boss, what are you doing?"
Yu Yuelan screamed and stood up from her seat. Seeing this, the servants who had come to obey her orders did not dare to approach easily. Cui Yu turned around and threw the note away, angrily saying, "What are you doing? I want to ask you what you are doing! Look for yourself what is written on it——"
Yu Yuelan picked up the note in front of her upon hearing this, but threw it down after flipping it open. "Let me take a look. I don't understand it either."
Disasters and chaos arose.
Those who were watching the excitement, listening to the rumors, and sweating were all mixed together in Xiangrong Hall.
Zhang had been proud for half her life, her path smooth sailing. Now, faced with something like this, she was trembling with panic. Meanwhile, Cui Zhijun rose from the turmoil, approached Yu Yuelan, and calmly flipped through the draft.
But I heard that the post was generally like this:
"Respected Earl Pingkang, Lady Yu, Mr. Cui, and many, many others. I am Taishi Zheng, the eldest daughter of the Huainan Jiedushi family. Thank you very much for your kindness in sending two matchmakers to propose my marriage to you. I am very happy, but I have something to say, and I'm not sure if I should say it or not. This matchmaker Zhang! Not only did she mistake me for a maid, she was also extremely disrespectful to me. Everyone has the right to be treated well, and whether I'm a maid or a member of the Taishi family, I shouldn't be treated like this. Zhang's actions are truly disgraceful to both families! I hope you all understand. And here is the poem I wrote down to make up the words... Don't blame me! As for the final decision on the marriage, I'll leave it to Matchmaker Qian to reveal when she returns~"
After reading the post, Cui Zhijun smiled unexpectedly as the powerful handwriting caught his eyes and the sharp words remained in his mind.
This Taishi Zheng,
What a bold and interesting person.
Yu Yuelan looked at Cui Zhijun's expression, confused, and reached out to pull her son up. "I'm just reading a post, what are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing." Cui Zhijun held the invitation tightly in his palm. "Mother, there's nothing wrong with what father did. Matchmaker Zhang's words were rude and her words were insincere. She's truly unworthy of being used. Tell the accountant to pay her the money for her hard work today and not to use her again in the future."
Yu Yuelan doesn't trust her husband, but she trusts her son.
Whatever my son says, that's what it is. It seems that the historian wrote some exquisite words in the post.
Without further ado, she immediately changed her expression and ordered Zhang to be driven out. "The master and the mistress have spoken, what are you still standing there for!"
"Alas." The servant then dared to step forward.
However, Zhang still didn't know what "crime" she had committed, and she kept crying out in injustice, "Master and Master, why do you say this? I was only doing what the master ordered! How could you treat me like this? Isn't this like killing the donkey after it has done its work?"
Unexpectedly, just before the servant was about to escort them out of the house, Zhang broke free again and climbed onto Chu Fanghua, "Second Madam, Second Madam. You asked me to come here for this mission, can you please say something? Wasn't it you who asked me to specially place the invitation from the historian among these wives of fourth and fifth rank officials—"
When Chu Fanghua heard this, he immediately shook Zhang off and said, "Stop talking nonsense."
"You damned old woman! I only called you here because I was worried about my nephew's marriage, purely out of kindness. And it's because of your boasting that I was deceived by you. Who would have thought that now, instead of blaming you for your disgrace, you would falsely accuse me? Besides, even if I asked you to put up a letter from the Taishi family, it was for Erlang's own good. Don't be so desperate."
"Go, go, get her out of here."
Chu Fanghua felt a little guilty, and her second wife saw it clearly. But the others in the hall, either blind to it or too lazy to care, ignored her. They just watched as the servants led the noisy Zhang out.
Keren is asked to leave,
What should I do about this marriage?
Yu Yuelan was displeased and slammed the table, cursing, "What kind of person do you think we are? You're teasing me like this? You're from the second house, and this is the matchmaker you found? You really have bad intentions and don't wish me any good!"
Chu Fanghua was so angry that she retorted, "Huh? Sister-in-law, please don't wrongly accuse a good person!"
What's the point of this noise?
During the day, he listened to the quarrels of the guys from the Censorate in front of the emperor. When he returned home, he had to listen to the quarrels of the women in the inner courtyard. Cui Yu felt that he was overwhelmed. "Enough, quarrel, quarrel, quarrel. Is there any peace in this family anymore——"
The master became angry, and the noisy atmosphere was instantly suppressed.
But in just a moment, her "beloved wife" fell over the table again and complained, "Oh my God, is there any justice in this world? I thought my son Erlang would finally be able to find a marriage, but I didn't expect it to be such a joke. It's really unfair that my son was born into such a family."
"Yu Yuelan, you!" Cui Yu was so angry at Yu Yuelan that his eyes turned black.
Cui Zhijun stood aside indifferently, but he was not indifferent, he just felt that he was used to it.
But after all, these were his parents, so Cui Zhijun could only do his best to offer some persuasion. "Father, calm down. I was just anxious for you and said something harsh in the heat of the moment. I hope you'll forgive me. Don't cry, mother. It's all my fault for being so stupid. I've made you worry. But, didn't I send two matchmakers today? Why did I only see this one?"
When Yu Yuelan heard her son say this, she immediately put away her crying face and said, "Yes, where is Qian? Fu Qile, have you seen her?"
Nanny Fu shook her head. Yu Yuelan was even more puzzled. "That's strange. Whether it succeeds or not, she should come back and report the news."
But just as he finished speaking, a maid came running in from outside the door and announced that the matchmaker had arrived.
Everyone was surprised, and Cui Zhijun looked outside the door.
"Let her in." Yu Yuelan said, and the maid turned around and led the person in.
Qian walked quickly to the front of the hall, but was frightened by the Cui family's scene. However, she had no time to think about it and walked forward breathlessly.
Yu Yuelan saw her and a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart. "Qian, where have you been for so long? What do you mean by today's incident?"
"Madam...Madam..."
Qian arrived in such a hurry that she was panting as she stood before Yu Yuelan. Yu Yuelan was also out of breath. Everyone waited anxiously for a long time, but all Qian managed to say was, "Madam, could you give me a cup of tea first?"
"Here, here, Fu Qile, give it to her quickly." Yu Yuelan was impatient, and Nanny Fu hurried to the side and poured a cup of tea and handed it to Qian.
Qian took the tea and drank it in one gulp, regardless of whether it was hot or cold.
In this way, you can drink the tea and feel better.
Can you finally speak?
Everyone turned their eyes to him, even Cui Yu glanced sideways.
Just look, in the expectation of everyone, Qian slowly put down the teacup, took out the genuine draft from her sleeve, placed it on the table and said loudly: "Congratulations, my lord, congratulations, my lady. The marriage between our master and Miss Zheng - the Taishi family has agreed!"
"Yes, yes?" Yu Yuelan was dumbfounded.
She picked up the note in disbelief. It read, clearly written in elegant handwriting: "My ancestral home is Pingjin County, Bingzhou. I currently live in Huaiqingfang, east of the inner city of Bianjing. My great-grandfather, Taishi Qunyang, was a farmer. My grandfather, Taishi Muniu, was the Sixth Commander of the Tiger and Swift Army. My father, Taishi Zhengjiang, was the Jiedushi of Huainan. My eldest aunt, Taishi Zheng, was born on January 27th. My mother, Xu Ling, is deceased. I own 180 hectares of fertile land outside the capital and 15 shops in Baohefang, south of Bianjing. This note was written on September 11th."
"The Taishi family... really agreed." Yu Yuelan put down the note in a daze. "Master, am I dreaming?"
This worry, which had troubled Choi Shik-kyung since he was sixteen, was unexpectedly resolved overnight. She felt a sense of emptiness within her, yet even more so, it felt like a dream, a bubble of illusion. She had completely forgotten how to be happy. The people present also fell silent.
Cui Zhijun's face was full of confusion.
Qian, however, looked around; she had never seen such a family before. But in this atmosphere, someone had to speak up, so she bowed before the crowd and said loudly, "Mr. Cui is about to get married. With that, the Master and the Madam can finally put their worries to rest. Everyone, please share in the joy and offer your congratulations—"
Qian's words broke the silence, and congratulations filled the room.
Cui Zhijun, however, lowered his eyes to look at the post he hadn't dropped, and said in a daze...
Me, I have a wife?
-
Afterwards, everyone parted at the beginning of the Xu hour, when it was already dark.
The show was over. Chu Fanghua and Zou Shuangtong, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were the first to leave. They crossed the corridor and headed for the main entrance to the second room. But Zou Shuangtong, who had been following Chu Fanghua all the way, seemed to have something to say.
Seeing this, Chu Fanghua glanced behind him and said, "Idiot. Don't hold it in. Say what you want to say quickly. If you don't say it now, you'll catch up with me soon."
Upon hearing this, Zou Shuangtong stopped and no longer followed her mother-in-law forward.
Chu Fanghua was also puzzled, "Why are you stopping? You don't have to wait on your sister-in-law for dinner tonight? Go away."
Serve sister-in-law?
Do you really think I'm a servant in your main house?
Zou Shuangtong was so enraged that everything she said next was just thoughtless angry talk.
"I thought yesterday that despite all my efforts, my mother-in-law wouldn't include my sister's invitation! It turns out she had her own agenda. Now, it seems the wedding has been arranged for both families. Even if it wasn't Zhang's doing, you're practically grinning from ear to ear. It's truly remarkable! I wonder who gave her so much to make her work so hard? She won't even help her own family."
"Family? Who is family? You? Bah. It's as if Yu Yuelan would choose you if she didn't choose them."
Chu Fanghua cursed the fool in front of him who overestimated his own abilities.
She really didn't expect that Zou Shuangtong was still dreaming of helping her sister climb up the social ladder.
"Zou Shuangtong, you bribed the matchmaker and shamefully placed your inferior invitation here. I haven't even had time to settle accounts with you, and now you're slandering me? Have I been too kind to you? Have you forgotten your illegitimate status? You're from a humble family and don't know how to behave. Get out of here and go back to your Lanchun Garden. Stop getting in my way."
Chu Fanghua was so furious, and Zou Shuangtong's words must have hit the nail on the head.
The two, once birds of a feather, parted ways due to a conflict of interest. Zou Shuangtong turned away in anger, and Chu Fanghua stormed off. Presumably, Zou Shuangtong wouldn't bother currying favor with the first wife's family for a while.
But it’s better this way. At least before Zheng gets married, the Earl’s Mansion will have some peace.
But Chu Fanghua had just taken two steps when he suddenly stopped.
Standing in the long corridor dotted with bright lamps, she addressed the maidservant beside her, "She really pissed me off and nearly delayed our important work. Yinxiang, it's too late today. Tomorrow, you will send a message to the palace and inform the Empress Dowager and Chu Zhaoyuan that the task they instructed has been completed. Please rest assured, my dear ladies, and I will also give my regards to you both."
"Yes." The maid named Yinxiang bowed and responded to Chu Fanghua's words.
The two of them then left and disappeared out of the corridor. However, with their departure, the night in the Earl's Mansion returned to peace.
-
At that time, in the back kitchen of the Taishi residence several miles away.
Tai Shi Zheng was blowing away the steam from the bowl of the "get out of here soup" his father had made when he was hit by a flying potato. He couldn't help but complain, "Oh, Dad, what are you doing? The soup is going to spill."
"You little bitch, this is already your fifth bowl. With the appetite you have, marrying into the Cui family will be terrifying." Taishi Zhengjiang teased as he stood in front of the stove.
Tai Shi Zheng, protecting the bowl of soup, retorted, "What are you trying to scare! How can a family like that be frightened by a few bowls of rice? That's too scary."
"You little girl." Taishi Zhengjiang was really amused by her rogue look.
But he was relieved, at least Zheng was not the one who suffered. Throwing away the washed rice spoon, Taishi Zhengjiang came to sit next to his daughter and breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, if you want to get married, then get married. When you get married, your mother and I will have our worries put to rest. When the time comes, Dad, then -"
"Stop, Dad! Don't be sentimental."
Tai Shi Zheng privately thought that his father should be in tears at this moment, telling him about his sad past with tears and snot.
Who would have thought that General Taishi Zhengjiang would say, "What are you trying to stir up? Dad heard that Huixianlou hired a cooking chef from Jiangnan, and he's planning to spend money to get him trained. It would be even better if some of your filial sons and daughters were willing to sponsor Dad to stay in Jiangnan for a while and experience the atmosphere there."
So, you were waiting here?
Tai Shi Zheng knew that when his father spoke, it would not be that simple.
She answered in her own way: "Dad, don't worry. If you become rich, don't forget me. If I have a piece of meat, I will have a piece of soup. Jiangnan Road is so far that we may not be able to go, but Henan Road is close. Let's go to Henan Road, Dad, what do you think?"
"No." Taishi Zhengjiang pretended to be angry in response to Zheng's joke.
But after the father and daughter looked at each other, they couldn't help but burst into laughter. "You, you're just trying to fool your father. Let's see if that kid from the Cui family can control you in the future."
"Who else can control someone who even my father can't control?" Tai Shi Zheng smiled and picked up the soup bowl.
After the joke, Taishi Zhengjiang looked toward the moonlight obscured by floating clouds and subconsciously asked what had been pent up in his heart, "Zheng, Daddy is asking you seriously. Did you agree to the Cui family's marriage now because of the Empress's selection? Are you afraid that the woman will insist on having you enter the palace? If you really rush into this marriage, Daddy is afraid you'll regret it."
Tai Shi Zheng understood his concerns and knew his sorrow.
But after she finished the bowl of hot soup, she felt relieved that Taishi Zhengjiang had asked these questions. "Dad, if I said there was no reason for this, I would be lying. But if I weren't interested in this marriage with the Cui family, I would never have wronged myself for it. I can only say that it was fate. Cui Erlang's appearance was just the right time, and I find everything about him interesting."
Taishi Zheng's words were not meant to comfort anyone. Taishi Zhengjiang knew everything.
He stopped talking.
Later, the evening breeze blew through the hall, and the autumn sky grew cooler. In silence, Zheng put down her soup bowl and gazed at the impenetrable moonlight with her father. She said, "So, Dad, do you think I should go meet Cui Erlang tomorrow?"
Taishi Zhengjiang replied, "Dark clouds are covering the moon. It will rain in Bianjing tomorrow. Ladies, don't forget to bring an umbrella when you go out."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
