69 I'm angry
◎After all, she is the general's wife now◎
The atmosphere in the pavilion suddenly became stagnant, and everyone looked back in unison.
Standing beneath a crabapple tree not far from the pavilion was a woman in her thirties, dressed in green. She had willow-shaped eyes and thin lips. She was leisurely waving a round fan, her chin slightly raised as she glanced at everyone, a sneer playing at the corner of her lips as she stared intently at Chu Yufu.
Xie Ruoruo frowned and whispered, "It's Mrs. Luo's eldest daughter-in-law, Xue Shutong."
This person and her mother-in-law, Madam Luo, seem to be two extremes. Madam Luo is quite popular in Beijing, but her daughter-in-law is notoriously sharp-tongued. How did Chu Yufu offend her?
Fang Fei looked at Chu Yufu uneasily, then at her sister, and retracted her wrist awkwardly.
Chu Yufu looked back at Xue Shutong intently, as if thinking about something.
She had some impression of this person.
Around the New Year's holiday, she passed by Yunxi Hall and caught a glimpse of this woman chatting and laughing with Wu in the corridor. They looked quite intimate. Could it be that she had come here today specifically to bring bad luck to Wu? With Wu's character, it was surprising that someone was on good terms with her.
Before Chu Yufu could speak, Fang Ying's face turned cold. She slammed her fan on the stone table and shouted, "What are you talking about, Madam Xue? What do you mean by flattering or not? My sister is unwell, and Madam Chu is a skilled doctor. I asked her to help take her pulse, but now you're making it her fault!"
When Zhao Hanyun heard the words "raised by my aunt," her face darkened as she recalled what happened at the chrysanthemum viewing banquet. Her eyes flicked to Chu Yufu's delicate, smileless face, and she spoke coldly, "Madam Xue, please be careful with your words!"
Although lanterns hung at the corners of the open pavilion, the light was dim and not as clear as in the daylight. When Mrs. Xue saw who was speaking, she paused fanning herself, and the corners of her mouth twitched stiffly.
She had only recognized Chu Yufu and Xie Ruoruo beside her. Xie Ruoruo's father was only a sixth-rank cabinet tutor, so she naturally didn't take him seriously. But when everyone in the pavilion turned to look, she realized that the two people she had spoken up for were the daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Guards and the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Mingxuan!
Fang Ying's voice was clear, and it had already attracted the attention of the ladies who were feeding the fish by the lake and enjoying the scenery among the flowers, and they all looked towards Changxuan curiously.
Madam Xue curled her lips and deliberately ignored what the two of them said. She stared at Chu Yufu with malice in her eyes. "What's wrong with what I said? Since you've picked up your sister's marriage, you should be a good general's wife. Don't do such low-class things here and embarrass your mother!"
She and this Madam Xue had nothing to do with each other, but now she was becoming more and more excessive. Chu Yufu's face darkened little by little and she said in a cold voice.
"Madam Xue, may I ask, who are you to comment on my actions? As for the absurd claim of 'picking up my sister's marriage', where did it come from? Is this marriage for me or for my sister? Madam Xue, why don't you ask my father yourself, or ask Minister Pei? Otherwise, ask Madam Huang, who should be with Madam Luo right now."
"Besides."
Her eyes swept calmly over the ladies who were listening attentively around her, and her voice suddenly rose. "I don't know how my Chu family has offended Madam, but you, with just a few words, have trampled my reputation and that of my elder sister into the mud. What is your intention?"
As soon as these words came out, the ladies watching the excitement all frowned and looked at Madam Xue. Indeed, her words not only scolded Chu Yufu, but also accused the Chu family elders of lax management of the family, which led to the chaos in the inner house and the quarrels between the sisters.
"You!" Madam Xue looked around, raised her fan and pointed at the woman in the pavilion, angrily saying, "I'm slandering you? Your mother told me..."
"Mrs. Xue! Are you really going to be so disrespectful at the night party hosted by your mother-in-law?" Wu Yueyun suddenly stood up, with a burning gaze, and interrupted her loudly.
Mrs. Xue was speechless for a moment.
She could ignore what others said, but Wu Yueyun was the current queen's most beloved cousin, someone she couldn't afford to offend! She forced a smile, glared at Chu Yufu, and muttered, "Humph! I don't know what kind of magic potion she's fed you all to make you all so protective of her! Forget it, I won't say anything!"
After saying that, she snorted coldly, her face turned green, and she left angrily with her maid.
Inside the open pavilion, the girls looked at each other in bewilderment. The atmosphere was a bit tense for a moment. After a while, they all took Chu Yufu's hands and whispered words of comfort.
"Sister Fu, ignore that crazy woman! She's been so careless with her mouth, and it's not the first time. Last year at this time, she even provoked Miss Lin."
"Yeah, don't take it to heart. There's no need to be angry for her."
Fang Ying apologized: "Yu Fu, I'm sorry, I was not thoughtful enough."
Chu Yufu took a deep breath, suppressed her surging emotions, and forced a smile. She turned to Fang Ying and gently comforted her, "What's wrong, sister? Judging from the posture, it's clearly coming for me." She turned to Fang Fei and softened her voice, "Sister Fei'er, come here, let me show you again."
Fang Fei looked at her sister, then hesitantly extended her wrist again. Chu Yufu once again concentrated on taking her pulse.
When the onlookers saw Xue Shutong leave, although they withdrew their gazes, they couldn't help but frequently drift towards Changxuan from the corner of their eyes. They were all surprised in their hearts, thinking that this new general's wife was really extraordinary. She was low-key in normal times, but when she was in trouble, the girls from other families actually defended her so much.
On the other side, Madam Xue left angrily. She walked a long way in one breath until she found a deserted corner. She raised her foot and crushed a rose in full bloom. The pink petals turned into a puddle of mud under her shoe. She gritted her teeth and said, "Little bitch!"
She was best friends with Wu in the capital. She hadn't seen Wu out for a long time, so she went to visit her yesterday and learned how miserable Wu's current situation was! And all of this was thanks to that little concubine! Thinking of those restless concubines and concubines in her own mansion, she felt even more upset.
When I ran into Chu Yufu tonight, I couldn't hold back my anger. I had thought she was just a bastard, so I could just scold her, but who would have thought I'd hit a wall, humiliated her in public, and ended up getting into trouble!
The maid holding the lantern beside her observed her expression and said cautiously, "Madam, are we really okay like this? She, she is the general's wife now, after all..."
Xue Shutong turned around abruptly, glared at the maidservant, and said sternly, "So what if I'm the General's wife? I'm still the wife of a minister! We're both the wives of fourth-rank officials, so why should I be afraid?"
The maid lowered her head silently and dared not say anything more.
The moon was at its zenith, but the atmosphere in the open pavilion remained somewhat gloomy. Chu Yufu was the first to leave, and the others did not press her to stay, simply urging her to go back and get some rest.
On the way out of the house, Lanzhu led the way with a lantern, and the orange light sprinkled on the bluestone slabs.
She couldn't help but whisper, "Madam, there were so many people around just now, why didn't you just say it directly? It was clearly the eldest girl who stole your marriage first! How could you pick her up?"
Chu Yufu pursed her lips, her eyes cold and her tone calm, "If I tear it apart right then and there, the Chu family will become a huge joke. Even if I don't care about myself, I have to consider my grandmother's face. Besides, my fourth sister will also be discussing marriage in a year or two. If these rumors get out, won't it ruin her?"
Lan Zhu looked unwilling, but after seeing her expression, she swallowed her words.
Isn’t Chu Yufu angry?
She was almost furious!
It was a nice gathering, and out of nowhere, a madwoman showed up, pointing fingers and cursing at everyone! Yet, she had to maintain her status and not act like a shrew. She won the hearts of the people, and everyone onlookers knew that it was Madam Xue who was being unreasonable, but that didn't change the fact that she had been publicly humiliated and was filled with anger!
Practicing medicine and saving lives, a legitimate and virtuous act, had become something shameful and unworthy in that woman's eyes. Good thing, I hope she stays healthy and free from disasters throughout her life, and never has to come to her aid!
And that sentence: "I picked up my sister's marriage"! Picked up? Is Pei Yue a poor guy that no one wants?
As they reached the second gate, Yunsui, who had gone to say goodbye to Madam Huang, also caught up. The master and his servants boarded the carriage and headed back together.
After returning to Pei Mansion and stepping into Anle Garden, Chu Yufu kept a stern face.
As soon as she entered the room, she walked straight to the table, picked up the ice-cold teapot, poured herself a large cup of cold tea, tilted her head back and drank it all, then with a crisp sound, she slammed the empty cup on the table.
Pei Yue had just finished washing up and was lazily leaning on the low couch by the window, waiting for her. Seeing Chu Yufu's almond-shaped eyes filled with anger and her pretty face frosted, her expression was exactly the same as when they had confronted each other at the drugstore on Yuan Xiaoye, he couldn't help but frown. He stood up and walked over to her, holding her shoulders with both hands, and asked in a deep voice, "What's wrong?"
The man's handsome features were outlined by the candlelight, half hidden in the shadows. His deep peach blossom eyes appeared particularly gentle in the warm light, and he looked inexplicably reassuring.
For some reason, Chu Yufu's anger and grievance that she had suppressed all night suddenly rushed to her heart. She took a step forward and for the first time took the initiative to put her arms around the man's waist, buried her head in the man's arms, and shook her head vigorously.
Pei Yue was slightly startled by this sudden embrace. He raised his hands and cupped Chu Yufu's face. In the firelight, he could clearly see the girl's slightly red eyes, and the unwavering frustration and anger twisted between her delicate brows.
His fingertips gently stroked the corners of her red eyes, his voice softer than ever before, yet tinged with icy coldness: "Who bullied you?"
Chu Yufu broke free from his hand and buried her head in his arms again, her voice muffled and nasal: "...I wasn't bullied." She really didn't let Madam Xue take any real advantage, but this tone was really depressing.
Seeing that she was unwilling to elaborate, Pei Yue did not force her. He just called someone in to help her wash and go to bed.
It was late at night, the red gauze curtains were drawn low, and the person beside him had already fallen into a deep sleep. Pei Yue stood up, put on a coat, walked into the west wing, and ordered someone to call Lan Zhu, who was guarding the side room.
"What happened at the night party tonight?" Pei Yue sat on the chair, his voice sounding particularly low in the quiet room.
Lan Zhu hesitated for a moment, lowered her head, and said, "General, at the night party, Madam was checking the pulse of the second daughter of the Fang family when suddenly a woman named Xue showed up. She scolded Madam in public, saying that she was 'raised by a concubine' and that she only knew how to curry favor with others with her inferior medical skills and…"
Lan Zhu quickly raised her eyes and glanced at the general's profile hidden in the shadows.
"What else?"
Pei Yue's slender fingers tapped lightly twice on the armrest of the wooden chair. There was no emotion in his voice, but Lan Zhu felt an inexplicable chill on her back.
"And they said that the lady's marriage was to pick up an older girl..."
Pei Yue's fingers that were tapping the armrest suddenly stopped, and he almost laughed out of anger.
【Author’s words】
[Pitiful]
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