Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Returning Home

Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Returning Home

The Mid-Autumn Festival has just passed, and the wind is getting cooler when I get up early.

Cheng Yian stroked her piercing nose, put on the crimson satin cloak prepared for her by Nanny Li, and went out.

Madam Li escorted her to the Moon Cave Gate and said, "Grandma sent someone to tell me early in the morning that the carriage is ready at the main gate. The old lady got up late in the morning, so she didn't ask you to go and pay your respects. She asked you to go directly to the Cheng family."

Having said that, Cheng Yian might be too careless, so he gently reminded her, "You're not going to the old lady's place. You still have to pay your respects to the old lady before you leave."

Cheng Yian nodded, "That's right, by the way, what about the Second Master?"

For some unknown reason, Lu Xusheng disappeared early this morning.

Matron Li smiled bitterly and said, "He said he went to practice martial arts."

We had just arrived and the staff were not properly arranged, so we were unable to clearly capture the whereabouts of the male host.

Cheng Yian nodded and took Rulan to the Second Madam's Mingxi Hall. At the fork in the corridor, they met Lu Xusheng who was waiting there. The cool wind blew on Cheng Yian's cheeks, and her cheeks were as red as fruits, which made her look more delicate and lovely. Lu Xusheng glanced at her and said in a muffled voice,

"Empress Xiwu changed her clothes in the study."

This explains why I didn't accompany her.

Cheng Yian didn't care. He greeted the second wife with him, then walked out of the Chuihua Gate and got in the car to the Cheng Mansion.

Cheng Yian saw at a glance the capable woman waiting outside the car. She was wearing a light red long coat with a dark red bodice over it, and had a big smile on her face. It was none other than Fang Ming's wife.

"Second Master, Second Madam!" Mrs. Ming hurried forward to greet them.

Even the voice is refreshing and light.

Cheng Yian likes Sister Ming very much.

Sister-in-law Ming was willing to sacrifice everything for her. After being framed in her previous life, it was Sister-in-law Ming who rushed to the main room of the Cheng family and reported the case to the ancestor. The head of the Cheng family personally stepped in to handle the matter.

In his previous life, Cheng Yian trusted his wet nurse Li Ma more, but the truth was that Li Ma was his grandmother's informant, while Sister Ming was absolutely loyal to her.

Mrs. Ming helped Cheng Yian into the car, while Lu Xusheng asked the steward to check the return gift outside.

Shaoyin's carriage started and drove slowly out of the alley in front of Lu's house. Cheng Yian told Rulan to get off the car to find some scented oil and candles. She had a good idea. The curtain was suddenly opened and Lu came in again.

Cheng Yian looked at the tall man who came in with his back bent, and was a little dazed.

In his previous life, Lu Xusheng had never ridden with her. When they were newly married, he was not satisfied with the marriage and did not like the fourth branch of the Cheng family. He just gave her face and never got close to her in private.

Why did you get into her carriage today?

When Rulan saw the male host coming in, she hurried out.

Lu Xusheng sat down on Cheng Yian's left side. Seeing Cheng Yian looking him up and down, he asked sideways,

"What's wrong?"

Cheng Yian felt that Lu Xusheng was a little strange.

If not letting her get involved in the kitchen chores was to distance herself from the matter, then sending Madam Xu out last night and riding with her openly today was a bit strange.

As if I were going to live with her.

Cheng Yian couldn't help but test it.

"Why don't you ride a horse?"

Lu Xusheng paused slightly. In his previous life, he disliked the slowness of carriages and rode in them only a few times. He didn't know how he got in like this today. The man put his hands on his knees, avoided her cold gaze, and replied in a low voice, "Didn't you ride enough in your previous life? You even died on horseback."

Oh, I see.

Be careful.

Cheng Yian didn't think much about it.

The couple, one looking straight ahead and the other glancing toward the window, resting their minds by listening to the sound of traffic outside.

Cheng Yian was thinking about what he was going to do next, and turned to Lu Xusheng and said,

"I will probably stay at Cheng's house a little later today, so you can leave after lunch."

In his previous life, Lu Xusheng felt extremely uncomfortable staying at the Cheng family and left as soon as the banquet was over.

When Lu Xusheng heard this, his face turned ugly and he sneered,

"You want to see Fan Yulin?"

The Fan family lived next door to the Cheng family, and the two grew up together as childhood sweethearts. Lu Xusheng knew it.

Cheng Yian was stunned. Meeting Lu Xusheng's mocking eyes, he said unhappily, "No." After thinking for a moment, he said, "He is not in the capital right now."

In his previous life, after the emperor granted him a marriage, Fan Yulin returned to Yizhou heartbroken and did not return to Beijing until half a year later.

Of course, Cheng Yian had no idea how real and fake this sadness was.

Seeing that Cheng Yian remembered Fan Yulin's affairs so clearly, Lu Xusheng felt inexplicably irritated.

Should he do something, such as sending someone to Yizhou to kill that pretty boy, so as to cut off Cheng Yian's retreat?

Lu Xusheng rubbed the cocoon in his palm, stared at Cheng Yian sideways, and said half seriously and half tentatively,

"How was your last life?"

Cheng Yian raised his eyes and met his deep gaze, and suddenly a feeling of sadness, grievance and even unwillingness surged in his heart.

Of course she knew what Lu Xusheng meant.

In her previous life, she was far away in Yizhou and often heard rumors about the capital. They all talked about how prominent the Duke Lu's mansion was and how harmonious Lu Xusheng and his beloved wife were. She would never give in easily and could not give him the opportunity to laugh at her.

She avoided his gaze and replied lazily, "Not bad."

really.

Lu Xusheng's heart skipped a beat. He snorted coldly and said nothing more.

We all went in silence to Cheng's house.

The Cheng family is a more powerful family than the Lu family. The Lu family's mansion was awarded by the emperor, so the Cheng family's main house has been passed down from generation to generation. The country has changed hands several times, but the Cheng family is always the Cheng family.

The Cheng Mansion is located in the Chengjiayuan area northeast of Huanghuafang.

Built against the mountain, it is surrounded by lush greenery. From a distance, several pavilions and terraces are hidden among the verdant mountain trees, creating a lush and green atmosphere. Compared with the towering eaves nearby, it has a quiet and peaceful feel like a paradise.

Although the house is far from the imperial city, it covers a large area and has its own defense system. The entire Cheng Family Garden is square and built with high walls. There is a corner shop in every arrow's distance, and servants patrol here every night.

A long street runs through the middle of Chengjiayuan, which is the only way for the Cheng family to go in and out.

Along this long street, the Cheng family was divided into the South House and the North House. The Cheng family tree recorded a total of fifteen branches, most of whom lived in their hometown Hongnong, and only four or five stayed in the capital. The entire block of houses in the north of the street was occupied by the eldest branch of the family, and the rest of the side branches lived in the South House. In fact, these side branches in the South House depended on the North House for survival.

The fourth branch of the Cheng family is a branch of the Nan Mansion.

The Cheng family has many descendants and many daughters. Other families may think that there are too many daughters, but every daughter of the Cheng family is a treasure. Why? With the Cheng family's status being so high, even daughters from side branches have an endless stream of marriage proposals, as if as long as they marry a daughter of the Cheng family, their future will be guaranteed.

Because of this, for the Cheng family, the return of the aunt or the visit of the grandmother is a very common scene.

But Cheng Yian and Lu Xusheng are exceptions.

Today, the gate of Cheng's residence is still heavily guarded, but countless eyes are watching it secretly.

Second wife Wang was unhappy with this marriage, and some people in the Cheng family were also unhappy.

Lu Xusheng was the chief of the new nobles in the court. How could such a noble son-in-law become the rightful choice for Cheng Yian?

It is not Cheng Yian's turn to follow the order of seniority, and there are people who are more talented and have better family background than her.

"It can only be appearance. Look, there are so many girls in the Cheng family. As for the eldest daughter, who is as beautiful as An Ansheng?"

The bride wore a deep red long jacket with a front opening, her hair in a lily bun with beads, and a peach red heavy coat with scattered flowers on the outside. A string of eight-treasure necklaces dangled in front of her chest, and under the necklaces she wore a jade bracelet. The jade was of very good quality and bright in color. It was obviously top quality. Her face was a bright oval face, as if it had just been peeled off. Her eyes were clear and her figure was tall. She had a very bright and dignified appearance.

When it comes to looks, those girls lying under the windows have to admit defeat even if they don't want to.

The carriage stopped in front of the main gate of the Nan Mansion. The servants serving at the gate came forward to pay their respects in an orderly manner. Some led the horses, some led people in, and some reported news. People were in a hurry, but there was no noise. Everyone held their breath and concentrated.

Cheng Yian got off the car and unconsciously became distracted.

Lu Xusheng's identity was not ordinary, so the fourth branch of the Cheng family sent the third elder Cheng Ming and a group of young masters to greet him.

For the fourth branch, this marriage was a marriage of high status. The Cheng brothers did not dare to call Lu Xusheng by his given name, but politely called him by his official title, "Assistant." There was respect between their brows.

The third elder Cheng Mingtong walked in with a smile,

"Come on, Xusheng, let's go into the mansion for tea."

When the South Palace was bustling with activity, a loud voice suddenly came from the steps of the North Palace.

"Be careful."

"Shenzhi" is Lu Xusheng's name. Lu Xusheng and Cheng Yian looked back at the same time.

This man quickly swooped down the steps and came in front of Lu Xusheng and his wife. He had a handsome face, long eyebrows and a broad face, and an air of heroism. He was none other than Cheng Yiyan, the eldest son of Cheng Mingyu, the head of the Beifu. If nothing unexpected happened, this man would become the patriarch of the Cheng family and the new generation leader in the future.

Cheng Yiyan bowed to the two of them and said, "Shenzhi and Sister An are coming back today, and I'm here to congratulate them."

The reason why Cheng Yiyan showed up is very simple.

This marriage was granted by the Emperor, and Cheng Yiyan's move was to give face to the Emperor and the Lu family.

Even when he's not smiling, he still looks quite smiling, which makes him very likable.

Lu Xusheng often dealt with him in the court. Compared with the rest of the Cheng family, he was more familiar with Cheng Yiyan. He calmly returned the gift.

"Thank you, Brother Yan Ning."

Cheng Yiyan nodded and smiled, then moved his gaze to Cheng Yian, only to see that his sister's eyes suddenly turned red.

Cheng Yian saw that Cheng Yiyan was somewhat out of control.

In her previous life, she and Li remarried in Yizhou, which undoubtedly ruined the marriage plan between Cheng and Lu. No one in the fourth house treated her well. It was this future clan leader who sympathized with her for being wronged in the Lu family and made sacrifices for the clan. He went against all odds and sent someone to send her the Cheng family's share every month to support her and let her have no worries about food and clothing in Yizhou. After she was reborn and returned, how could she not be moved when she saw this unfamiliar clan brother again?

The reason why the Cheng family has been prosperous for hundreds of years is inseparable from the vision, breadth of mind and responsibility passed down from generation to generation by the head of the family.

So, when the judgment was made in the previous life, did something happen to this cousin?

In this life, she could never watch him get into trouble. She could never watch the Cheng family fall.

Cheng Yian gritted his teeth.

Cheng Yiyan saw Cheng Yian's eyes turn red, and was surprised for a moment before asking, "Sister, why are you crying with joy?"

Although he was asking Cheng Yian, his eyes were clearly looking at Lu Xusheng, questioning whether Lu Xusheng had wronged Cheng Yian.

Look, this is the intimidation of the eldest branch of the family. None of the brothers from the fourth branch would dare to do that.

Cheng Yian was afraid that he would think too much, so he immediately burst into laughter and knelt down to greet him.

"I'm sorry to make you laugh, but I'm just happy..."

After saying this, she looked at Lu Xusheng shyly on purpose.

Lu Xusheng looked at her calmly, somewhat speechless, but still cooperated and leaned towards her.

Cheng Yiyan felt relieved, bowed again, and watched Lu Xusheng and Cheng Yian enter the gate of Nan Mansion.

There are also alleys inside the Nan Mansion, and each mansion is locked independently. There is a large hall with five rooms at the entrance, with the three words "Zhongxian Hall" inscribed on it. This is the meeting room of the Nan Mansion. Usually, this place is locked when there is nothing going on. Going around the meeting room and walking along a path in the southwest direction, you will reach the door of the fourth room.

Crowds of people greeted the newlyweds as they crossed the threshold. A scent of autumn chrysanthemums filled the air. Once they entered their home, the place became much more lively, with bursts of laughter that sounded like the long-lost accent from their hometown.

In his previous life, Cheng Yian went to Yizhou and had not returned to Beijing for five years. Now that he has returned to his hometown, he finds it difficult to control himself.

While sighing, he saw two old men waiting in the main hall. The older one was Cheng Yian's great uncle. His face was filled with excitement, and he couldn't take his eyes off Lu Xusheng.

And the other one...is Cheng Yian's father, the second old man of the fourth room, Cheng Mingyou. He is tall and thin, standing on the steps with his hands behind his back, with a cold pale face, thin skin covering his high cheekbones, and a cold expression without a smile.

Meeting those emotionless eyes, Cheng Yian felt a slight pain in his heart.

When Cheng Yian was still an infant, his mother passed away. Later, his father remarried and had a son and a daughter.

In Cheng Yian's impression, the four of them were a family, and she was the superfluous one.

Fortunately, her grandmother took pity on her and raised her, so she was not wronged.

Throughout her previous life, she had never received any mercy or love from her father. He even didn't want to see her. Whenever he saw her face, he would be stunned for a moment and then look away.

The same is true today.

She never understood why her father disliked her.

The newlyweds stepped forward and saluted the two elders.

My eldest uncle was very enthusiastic, my third uncle was very polite, but my father-in-law was very cold.

Lu Xusheng glanced at Cheng Mingyou calmly. In his previous life, he had never noticed anything strange about this father-in-law. After all, he was even colder than others. But in this life, he found something wrong. How could he dislike his own daughter so much?

Lu Xusheng expressed his dissatisfaction on behalf of Cheng Yian.

After drinking tea and socializing, Lu Xusheng took the initiative to talk to his uncle,

"I will first follow Yi'an to pay my respects to the old lady, and then drink with the elders."

Logically, Cheng Mingyou should accompany his daughter and son-in-law to pay respects to the old lady, but Cheng Mingyou ignored them and sat there motionless.

The eldest master Cheng Mingze was so angry that he winked at the third master, and then the third master Cheng Mingtong led the two to the back house again.

After the newcomers left, the eldest master waved his servants away and acted like a brother to Cheng Mingyou.

"Why don't you go?"

Cheng Mingyou sat in the armchair, lazily holding the wine bottle, looked at him coldly, and said sarcastically,

"Why don't I go? Don't you know it?"

Seeing his questioning eyes, the eldest master's face flushed, and then he angrily threw his sleeves and scolded,

"You are simply confused. He is the most popular person in front of the emperor. With this son-in-law, you can walk around the capital with your head held high. Even Cheng Mingyu of the Northern Palace has to give you some face."

Cheng Mingyou's ears were obviously irritated by these words. He turned away, impatient to listen.

The eldest master became even angrier and paced back and forth in front of him anxiously.

"I'm warning you, put away your bad temper and give me a smile. The future of our fourth room depends on this."

Cheng Mingyou remained indifferent.

Finally, the boss took out his trump card.

"If you don't obey me, I will stop supporting Xia tomorrow."

Xia is Cheng Yian's mother. Cheng Mingyou offers a memorial tablet for her in Chang'an Temple, which costs a lot of money every year, while the financial power of the mansion is in the hands of the eldest master.

These words really hit Cheng Mingyou's soft spot. He stood up suddenly, glared at the eldest master fiercely, and went to the backyard in a huff.

The eldest master looked at his depressed figure and stroked his chest deeply.

There were many women in the backyard, so Cheng Mingyou did not go to the old lady's yard, but waited in the flower hall. After Lu Xusheng paid his respects to the elders, he would return here for the feast.

But Lu Xusheng didn't come.

"Why don't you go?"

Lu Xusheng

After Cheng Yian met the old lady and others, he sat in the small hall outside the old lady's yard and refused to leave.

Lu Xusheng held the small blue and white porcelain cup in his hand and looked at Cheng Yian expressionlessly.

"He doesn't like you, why should I give him face?"

Fragmented sunlight shone through the branches onto his face, with shadows covering his eyebrows, depicting a careless sharpness.

Lu Xusheng has this bad temper and doesn't get used to anyone.

Cheng Yian choked and glared at him, "Stop making trouble."

That rosy face, with thick eyelashes and watery almond eyes, was reflected in the autumn light with a bit of coquettishness.

Lu Xusheng's heart seemed to be touched. He put down the teacup and stared at her with narrow eyes, which clearly said two words: make trouble.

Cheng Yian's face suddenly turned red.

This guy is losing his temper with her.

No one can stop him from doing what he doesn't want to do.

Cheng Yian had no choice but to invite a few of his brothers to drink tea with him, and then he went into the house to talk to his grandmother.

The eldest master and others waited for a long time but did not see Lu Xusheng. When they found out that he was sitting in the pavilion, they realized that there was a rift between them.

The eldest master gave Cheng Mingyou a stern look.

"Who do you think he is to act like a father-in-law in front of him? He can even stroke the emperor's dragon whiskers, so who do you think you are?"

The eldest master gave a look and together with the third master Cheng Ming, carried Cheng Mingyou over.

Lu Xusheng saw several old men coming towards him from afar, and he could not lose his status, so he went to greet them.