Chapter 51 Dowry
After Gu Huan returned to Yayun Pavilion, she took Donghua and hurried to Xiangrui Hall.
The maid outside the door saw her coming and informed the inside, who then heard her invite her in.
The maid lifted the bamboo curtain and led them in.
When Gu Huan entered the room and walked around the eight-treasure magnolia and magpie screen, she saw an old lady with a kind and gentle face sitting cross-legged on a soft couch by the window. She didn't look like she had dementia at all.
Donghua asked the maid for a futon to put on the ground.
Gu Huan walked forward lightly, knelt down politely, and kowtowed respectfully.
"Gu Huan greets the old lady. I wish her a long and healthy life."
The girl's voice is sweet and pleasant to listen to.
Yi Niang was surprised.
Many people who came to pay their respects thought that the old lady was unconscious and was only doing it for the master's sake because she suffered from dementia.
Even the young lady was perfunctory when she came to serve tea for the first time, so she was slapped by the old lady.
I didn't expect that the young lady's half-sister would perform the ceremony so seriously.
The old lady said cheerfully: "Hurry up, where did you get this fairy woman made of flour? Come here and let me have a look."
Gu Huan smiled sweetly, stood up, took small steps forward, and stood obediently in front of the old lady.
The old lady took her hand, squeezed her palm, and touched her skin, feeling very touched.
Gu Huan was also looking at the old lady.
The legendary female general who was said to be so heroic now had an innocent smile on her wrinkled face and her slightly cloudy eyes were filled with longing.
What did she go through to become like this?
Gu Huan has never had any warmth since she was a child. Her grandmother worshipped Buddha all year round and never left the house. She also did not allow the younger generations to pay their respects to her. They could only see each other during the New Year and other festivals.
She was a little unknown person who was deliberately hidden by Aunt Pei and was not at all worthy of her grandmother's attention.
The little hands were kneaded by the old man's warm hands, and a kind of warmth flowed into the heart.
"Oh my god, this little hand is so tender and soft, and looks more beautiful than a fairy. My child, are you married? If you are not married, please consider me, Yan'er."
Unexpectedly, the old lady said this. Gu Huan blushed and was at a loss for a moment.
Yi Niang was happy: "Old Madam, Miss Huan'er is the biological sister of your grandson's wife."
The old lady's expression suddenly changed and she slammed the table, scaring Gu Huan so much that she looked at Yi Niang in panic.
Yi Niang smiled at her and gave her a comforting look.
The old lady sternly said, "What a bullshit grandson! My son hasn't even got married yet, so how can there be a grandson? I beat back the person who pretended to be my grandson's wife last time."
Gu Huan was surprised.
So this is how my eldest sister was beaten?
The old lady stared at Gu Huan with her eyes fixed on him: "If you had met him, you would definitely like him."
Gu Huan didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Yi Niang hurriedly smiled and said, "Don't take it to heart, Miss Huan. The old lady has the same nature as a child."
"You will like my son when you see him."
The old lady stubbornly held Gu Huan's hand, and became more and more delighted the more she looked.
Gu Huan's heart moved, she squatted down, raised her pretty face, and said with a smile: "Madam, the Duke is heroic, chivalrous, and handsome. He is as handsome as a jade tree in the wind. He is unique and there is no other in the world. Many girls like him."
The old lady smiled brightly and clapped her hands excitedly: "Yi Niang, look, I said that my Yan'er would never be unable to find a wife, he is so good."
Yi Niang nodded obediently: "The old lady is right."
"The wedding will be held tomorrow, you guys hurry up..."
Give birth to a fat grandson. ”
The old lady pulled Gu Huan up, took off the jade bracelet on her wrist and put it directly on Gu Huan's wrist.
"This is a gift from the Empress Dowager to me, an old woman. It can be regarded as a betrothal gift to my son Yan'er."
Gu Huan was so frightened that she quickly pulled down her bracelet: "Old Madam, you can't do that."
"If you dare to take it off, I will be angry." The old lady looked stern.
Yi Niang was also puzzled as to why the old lady was so nice to Miss Huan.
But the little girl is indeed cute.
When Gu Huan was at a loss as to what to do, a voice of "Mom" broke the deadlock.
"Yan'er, you better let the fairy accept the betrothal gift, otherwise she will fly away."
The old lady grabbed Gu Huan with one hand and stretched out the other hand towards Mu Junyan, her eyes red with anxiety.
Gu Huan quickly stood up and tried to move away, but her hand was still held by the old lady, making her position very awkward.
Mu Junyan walked closer and said with a smile: "Mother, you can't give betrothal gifts carelessly."
"You're not listening!" The old lady was angry, but she didn't let go of her hand.
Mu Junyan glanced at Gu Huan and said, "Just accept what the old lady gave you."
Gu Huan's face turned red, and she murmured, "It's not appropriate..."
How dare she accept the betrothal gift?
"You just praised my son for being as handsome as a jade tree in the wind, and said he was unique and there was no one like him in the world. You also said that you liked him."
Gu Huan’s eyes widened.
This memory, this ability to misinterpret words, dementia?
Who believes it?
Gu Huan blushed and said in a whisper, "I mean, many girls like the Duke."
Mu Junyan glanced at Gu Huan meaningfully.
"It's rare for the old lady to be happy. Miss Huan, please come and accompany her more often when you are free in the future."
What else could Gu Huan say? She had to agree.
Knowing that the mother and son had something to say, Gu Huan took her leave, walked out of the door, and raised her wrist to look.
The bracelet is made of rare purple jade.
Too expensive, feels hot.
Donghua leaned forward with a smile: "The old lady really likes Miss Huan. In the past, the old lady has always been very repulsive to strangers."
Gu Huan sighed and lowered her voice: "The old lady is confused. You should quietly give it to Yi Niang tomorrow."
"Ah? The old lady will be unhappy if she finds out."
"Isn't the old lady suffering from dementia? She will forget things after a while. It would be bad if she had to look for such a valuable item someday."
Gu Huan and Dong Hua talked in low voices as they walked.
"Do you know how the old lady got dementia?"
Gu Huan was very confused. With Mu Junyan's status, what kind of good doctor could he not find?
Donghua's eyes turned red before she could say anything: "The government has strictly prohibited you from mentioning this."
There is a reason for that.
Since she was not allowed to ask, she naturally didn't want to ask again.
…
Auspicious Hall.
Yi Niang closed the door and stood five steps away from it to guard it.
Only Mu Junyan and the old lady were left in the house.
"Mother." Mu Junyan sighed softly, "You have suffered so much."
The old lady swept away the old childish expression, sat up straight, and smiled faintly: "I'm used to it."
His eyes fell on Mu Junyan's court robes, which he had not yet changed out of: "She is going to force another woman from the Jiang family on you?"
Mu Junyan felt annoyed just thinking about it: "She won't give up."
The old lady's eyes darkened, and she was filled with anger: "You and I have already given in so much! But she still won't let you go!"
"As long as the military power is in the hands of her son, the Queen Mother will keep an eye on me. Who caused the mother and son to be alienated? The pro-peace faction in the court is gaining more and more power, and the emperor is wavering. The Queen Mother thinks this is a good opportunity."
The old lady snorted coldly: "Your father and your brothers all died in battle to protect their kingdom. But they are using you for the sake of imperial power! They even don't let go of your marriage. It's not enough to give you Jiang Ruoyun, they also want to give you a sister!
What is the Jiang family? Live like a coward all your life and just enjoy wealth and glory. If the peace faction had not been backed by the Jiang family, how would they have dared to make slanderous remarks before the emperor? Jiang's daughter is not worthy of being my daughter-in-law! ”
"Don't be angry, mother. Your son will find a way to solve it. No one can force your son to marry anyone."
The old lady looked at him with eyes full of heartache, and after a long while she slowed down her tone: "The girl is good, and your mother will feel more at ease with someone you like by your side."
Mu Junyan's ears rarely turned red: "Who did you listen to? She is your granddaughter-in-law's concubine sister."
The old lady glanced at him.
"Do you really think I'm stupid and blind? Forget about Mu An and his wife. The Duke's Mansion has been messed up by them. You have no time to take care of the backyard, and I'm pretending to be stupid and can't take care of it. Are you going to let them ruin your reputation?"
Mu Junyan didn't say anything.
"You should have a woman by your side. Find an opportunity to show Old Lady Jiang the bracelet on her hand, and she won't dare to let the Jiang family's daughter bother you again. If she keeps nagging, I will take the dragon-headed cane bestowed by the late emperor and go into the palace to beat her with a few sticks!"
Mu Junyan said in a muffled voice: "She doesn't deserve to wear that bracelet."
The little girl just wanted something from him, but she didn't really like him.
The betrothal gift sent by the old lady of the Mu family?
She can't afford it.
Pop.
The old lady slapped him hard on the arm and said, "This girl has clear eyes, is kind and polite, how can she not be worthy of you? In order to reassure the Zhao family, I have pretended to be crazy and stupid for more than ten years. I don't ask you to leave me a grandson, but at least don't let me worry about you!"
Mu Junyan was a little sad: "My son is unfilial."
The old lady glared at him with bloodshot eyes: “Your father’s head was chopped off and hung on the city wall, and I single-handedly retrieved your father’s body and beheaded their five generals.
From that day on, I understood that a military general should not sacrifice only for the Zhao family's country, but should also fulfill the unfulfilled wishes for the people of the world, for your father, and for the millions of soldiers who died in the battle!
Don't just think about dying in battle. You have to stay alive so that you can firmly control the power of 500,000 troops. There will be unrest in the southern border and the military power will not be given up! ”
"Don't worry, mother. Your son will firmly grasp the military power."
The mother and son looked at each other in silence, but their silence was worth more than a thousand words.
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