Chapter 120 Self-Respect
Two days after the imperial examination, it was the day of Prince An's wedding.
The carriages from the Marquis of Jin'an's Mansion and the Marquis of Changxing's Mansion arrived one after the other. After Qi Wuhan helped Jiang Lan get off the carriage, the carriage behind also came over. Gu Jincheng lifted the curtain and got off the carriage first. When he saw the two of them, he deliberately avoided their gaze, as if he was a little embarrassed.
After getting off the carriage, Madam Gu came over to greet Jiang Lan, and Gu Jincheng also followed.
Marquis Changxing has been unwell for the past two days, so his wife stayed at home to take care of him and did not let Gu Xuaner come with him.
Before the emperor granted the marriage, everyone thought that Gu Xuan'er was the only one who could become Princess An. Now that she has failed to become Princess An, if she comes, people will probably gossip about her again.
The four of them entered the mansion together. Gu Jincheng kept secretly watching Jiang Lan out of the corner of his eyes, as if he was afraid that she would say something unorthodox to Madam Gu again. When he was glanced at by Qi Wuhan, he turned his head and looked away.
This time, the Crown Prince, Prince Rui and Prince Fu also came in person to congratulate. The Emperor also had some rewards sent over by Eunuch Liu. Although there were no Ferghana horses, there were still the same amount of gold, silver and other treasures.
Cui Jingshu's face has not been good since she left the palace. Seeing Prince Fu's heartless happiness, she felt even more depressed and took Qiu Tong to the garden.
Seeing Cui Jingshu leave, Prince Fu became even happier and started to invite people to play drinking games.
Madam Gu Shao wanted to talk to Jiang Lan alone, so she also went to the garden.
Gu Jincheng wanted to go over and eavesdrop, but Qi Wuhan blocked his way.
"Why does the prince still like to do these sneaky things?"
“.…..”
Gu Jincheng couldn't argue with Qi Wuhan, nor could he beat him, so he thought he was unlucky and turned away.
Here, Jiang Lan and Madam Gu found a pavilion to sit and talk.
A month later, Jiang Lan saw that Madam Gu was in a more cheerful mood than the last time she saw her at Prince Fu's Mansion. She was not as depressed anymore. She seemed to have figured it out and made up her mind.
"I've thought it through these days. What's not mine cannot be forced. Instead of tying myself up in knots, it's better for us to live our own lives. I plan to go back to see my grandmother in a couple of days. She's old and hasn't been in good health in the past two years. A few days ago, my uncle wrote to say that my cousin is getting married, and it's a good opportunity for me to add some dowry to her." Madam Gu told Jiang Lan all her plans. Although she had made a decision, there was still a hint of hesitation in her expression. After all, it was a relationship that she had persisted for more than ten years. How could she let it go so easily? It would take time to gradually forget it.
Jiang Lan also supported her decision. If she changed her environment and relaxed her mind, she might think more thoroughly and see things more comprehensively about some people and things.
Yinghong and Qing'er saw someone coming from the path ahead. It was Cui Jingshu and Qiu Tong. They went into the pavilion to report. Jiang Lan and Madam Gu were about to leave, but as they were about to leave, Qiu Tong called out, "Stop."
"Why are you hiding when you see me? Have you done something wrong?" Cui Jingshu said sarcastically.
Madam Gu bowed to her. Jiang Lan wanted to pretend she didn't hear anything and just walk away, but she couldn't leave Madam Gu alone. She felt it was not very righteous, so she bowed to her as well.
"What were you whispering about in the pavilion just now?" Cui Jingshu asked.
Jiang Lan replied: "Nothing much, just some casual conversation."
Cui Jingshu mocked again, "I didn't know you were so good at winning people over. You made the young lady your own so quickly."
Jiang Lan didn't argue with her. She must be very angry today and was worried that no one would vent their anger on her. There was no need for her to share her anger.
"If Princess has nothing else to say, we will take our leave first." Madam Gu said.
"Wait, I haven't finished what I'm saying yet, why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Cui Jingshu sneered, "I heard that the young lady and the Crown Princess were good friends. Now that the Crown Princess is pregnant, why doesn't the young lady go to the palace to visit her?"
Madam Gu frowned, her face slightly unhappy, and her emotions were already quite restrained.
"The Crown Princess should rest and take care of her pregnancy. If someone visits her every day, it will cause her trouble." Jiang Lan came to the rescue.
"You're really sharp-tongued." Cui Jingshu sneered as she stepped forward. The moment she raised her hand, Jiang Lan anticipated her move and reached out to grab her hand. Qiu Tong was startled and immediately shouted, "How dare you!"
Mrs. Gu was also surprised. She didn't expect Jiang Lan to be so courageous.
Seeing Jiang Lan actually committing a crime, Cui Jingshu's eyes widened with anger. "You dare to hit me?"
"....." Jiang Lan shook off her hand and took Madam Gu away. Yinghong and Qing'er also hurriedly followed them away.
"Stop right there!" Cui Jingshu was so angry that her voice rose to an octave, and she chased after him with Qiu Tong.
Suddenly, a stone thrown from somewhere hit Qiu Tong's calf. Qiu Tong cried out and instinctively reached out to grab Cui Jingshu in front of her. The master and servant fell to the ground together.
Qiu Tong quickly helped Cui Jingshu up. She was slapped twice and covered her face with her hands in grievance, not daring to say a word. Cui Jingshu held Jiang Lan responsible for this and would make her pay double in the future!
After walking away, Jiang Lan looked back and saw that Cui Jingshu did not catch up with her. She felt relieved and exchanged a look with Madam Gu, and they both smiled.
When they were almost at the garden gate, they saw Qi Wuhan coming over. Madam Gu had left first. Jiang Lan walked over and asked him if the bride had arrived. He replied that the wedding procession had just left and probably hadn't walked out of the alley yet.
After Madam Gu returned with Yinghong, Gu Jincheng slowly approached her, his eyes occasionally searching her face as if observing if there was anything wrong. Seeing that she looked normal, he tentatively asked, "What did you talk about?"
"Nothing." Madam Gu replied simply.
Then Prince Fu sent someone to invite Gu Jincheng to play drinking games together. Gu Jincheng first looked at Madam Gu's expression and said he would go over to take a look. Madam Gu nodded.
Such an indifferent attitude made him lose interest in playing even more.
"Forget it, I won't go. There are only a few ways to play drinking games, and there's nothing new." Gu Jincheng asked someone to tell Prince Fu that he had caught a cold recently and should not drink.
Madam Gu glanced at him, as if she was a little surprised.
Normally, you would go whenever someone called you, but why are you suddenly so reserved today?
When Cui Jingshu came back and saw Prince Fu having a great time with a group of people, she coughed. Seeing that she looked unhappy, the group of young men tactfully said goodbye.
"Can't you learn from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and do more serious work? You just slack off all day and don't do any serious work at all."
When Prince Fu heard this, he felt a pain on the back of his head. He covered his ears and left before she could finish. Cui Jingshu was so angry that she grabbed the teacup and smashed it at him. With a clang, the teacup fell to the ground and broke into pieces. The clothes on Prince Fu's back were also wet with tea.
Prince Fu was so angry that he called her a shrew, which was heard by the Crown Prince and Prince Rui who happened to come over. They saw that there was a wet spot on Prince Fu's clothes on the back with two tea leaves stuck on it, and the teacup on the ground was broken into eight pieces.
"Crown Prince, Third Brother, you have to testify for me that she was the first to attack. I can't live like this anymore. Maybe one day she will kill me." Prince Fu said as he hid behind the two men.
The prince had heard before that the two did not get along very well, but he was a little surprised to see them so upset. The prince tried to reconcile them and asked them to talk it out. However, Prince Fu insisted that he could not live like this for another day. Cui Jingshu was not to be outdone and said that she must have been blind to marry him.
"I think it would be better if you all go and argue before the emperor to see who he thinks is right and who is wrong." King Rui said.
"Just go, I'm not afraid of her." Prince Fu said.
"Sixth brother, don't be impulsive. You shouldn't bring family matters to our father." The prince saw that Prince Fu's clothes were also wet, so he asked him to change his clothes first. Prince Fu left first, and asked someone to clean up the place. He then persuaded Cui Jingshu and left with Prince Rui.
After changing into clean clothes, Prince Fu saw a group of people playing tossing pots and went over to play. Jiang Lan and Qi Wuhan were also playing there. The latter taught the former step by step how to aim at the mouth of the pot. The close relationship between the two made Prince Fu feel jealous. After playing for a while, he felt bored and went to find new fun.
…
After the wedding procession returned, everyone came to the hall to watch the ceremony.
Prince Rui glanced in the direction of Jiang Lan and Qi Wuhan, a sneer on his lips, with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, and no one knew what he was thinking.
When Cui Jingshu saw the newlyweds walking in from outside, her eyes almost never left the groom.
She was stunned when she saw Prince An in his bright red wedding gown for the first time. Then, a wave of resentment and unwillingness surged over her. She felt that something that should have belonged to her had been snatched away from her. Moreover, her marriage was not satisfactory, and this resentment and unwillingness became even stronger.
As Zheng Qian'er walked forward, covering her face with a round fan, she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips. When she thought of Cui Jingshu's expression of being pissed off, she felt so happy.
When the two were getting married, there was a slight harsh sound on the chair where Cui Jingshu was sitting. It was her nails scratching on the armrest of the chair.
After the two entered the bridal chamber, Prince Fu took the Crown Prince and Prince Rui to make trouble in the bridal chamber, and ignored Cui Jingshu.
Everyone went to the bridal chamber, only Cui Jingshu took Qiu Tong and left quietly, which was noticed by Jiang Lan.
After that, Cui Jingshu did not show up either, as if she had gone back first.
When Prince An went to the bridal chamber, it was already dark.
He asked the servant to go down first, as he wanted to walk around alone to sober up.
Halfway through the journey, a figure suddenly rushed over from a small path nearby and hugged him. When he came to his senses, his first reaction was to push the other person away.
"I've liked you for a long time, ever since I saw you as a child." Cui Jingshu couldn't wait to express her love to him. She put her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe to kiss him, but he suddenly pushed her away with such force that she fell to the ground.
"Sister-in-law, please respect yourself." Prince An said coldly and left.
These four short words pierced her heart like a sharp blade. At this moment, a strong sense of humiliation swept over her, and all her love turned into hatred, an extremely strong hatred.
"I hate you!"
She swore in her heart that she would repay him a thousandfold for the humiliation she suffered today!
Prince An did not go to the bridal chamber, but went to the study instead. His face was covered with an extremely gloomy shadow. The scene that he once hated flashed through his mind again, and now it made him even more disgusted...
He stayed alone in the study for about an hour before opening the door and going to the bridal chamber.
Before entering the new house, he stood at the door for about a quarter of an hour, then raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Zheng Qianer immediately sat up straight and picked up a round fan to cover her face.
After Prince An came in, the maid gently closed the door.
Zheng Qian'er was so nervous that her face turned red and there seemed to be a buzzing sound in her ears. Then she heard Prince An's words and immediately calmed down.
"How about I sleep on the couch tonight?"
Zheng Qian'er quietly lowered her round fan and looked outside. Seeing that Prince An was really going to sleep on the couch, she felt a lot more relaxed. After all, they had only met once or twice and hadn't even exchanged a few words. Suddenly having to sleep in the same bed would definitely be psychologically stressful.
"How about I sleep on the couch?" Zheng Qian'er said shyly.
Prince An said in a gentle tone, "No need, I am used to sleeping well."
Zheng Qianer didn't insist.
The next day, when the maid came to help the two of them get up, Prince An had already gotten up. Zheng Qian'er was woken up by the maid. Seeing Prince An sitting by the window reading a book, as if he had woken up very early, she felt a little embarrassed, thinking that she had slept too late, and hurriedly got up to change clothes.
Prince An said it was still early and told her not to worry.
After breakfast, the two went to the palace.
The Emperor and Concubine Qing were both in the Queen's palace. After they paid their respects and offered tea, the Emperor asked them to stay in the palace for lunch before leaving. The Queen did not keep them in her own palace for lunch, but asked them to go to Concubine Qing's palace for lunch so that they could talk about personal matters.
After the two men left the palace in the afternoon, on their way back, they suddenly heard a clang and a teacup fell from the building next to them, scaring the horses. The accompanying guards quickly restrained the frightened horses.
Zheng Qianer's head hit the car wall and the skin was broken.
Prince An ordered him to return home first and send someone to call a doctor.
As the carriage left, a figure standing outside the second-floor window also left.
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