72 Protecting Shortcomings
◎Please be kind and don't bother with me◎
After dressing and changing into a pale green dress with a lotus pattern, suitable for meeting guests, Chu Yufu slowly entered the flower hall. As soon as she entered, she glanced around the hall and, as expected, saw another figure: Xue Shutong.
She frowned almost imperceptibly.
"Mrs. Chu."
Mrs. Luo had been sitting there for a long time, drinking three cups of tea, but there was no trace of anger on her face. When she saw Chu Yufu appear, she hurriedly stood up and walked forward with an eager smile on her face.
Chu Yufu looked at her, her lips curled up slightly, a perfect smile on her face. She didn't even glance at Xue Shutong, just treating her as air. Her attitude was distant and straightforward: "Mrs. Luo, how come you have time to come and sit with me today?"
She had no intention of making small talk, and her tone was polite yet cold, getting straight to the point.
Mrs. Luo's smile froze, appearing somewhat forced. "I've made the insolent move to visit you this time because... it's because of the matter concerning my worthless daughter-in-law, Shutong."
She glanced at Xue Shutong with a hint of anger in her eyes.
Chu Yufu sat down in the main seat, took the tea served by the maid, twisted the cup lid with her fingertips and gently glanced at the foam, then slowly raised her eyes, as if she had just noticed Xue Shutong's presence, and cast her eyes on her.
Xue Shutong was completely different from the arrogant and domineering Mrs. Xue at the night party the day before. At this moment, she looked like grass hit by frost, with a pale and haggard face, and slightly swollen eyelids, as if she had just cried. She sat below her mother-in-law with her head lowered and her arrogance gone.
Chu Yufu couldn't help but wonder, how could this person change so much in just three days?
She tilted her head slightly, the tassels on her bun swaying softly, making a small rustling sound. She said calmly, "Oh? It seems that Madam knows how Madam Xue 'instructed' me in front of so many officials and their wives that night at the night party?"
As soon as the words fell, Xue Shutong's face paled even further. Her fingers, hidden in her wide sleeves, clenched the hem of her skirt tightly, her knuckles turning white. Mrs. Luo's smile faded completely, and she glared at her daughter-in-law fiercely, her voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Exactly! I only just learned about what happened that day! That's why I was so anxious that I didn't even have time to deliver my visiting card. I brought this foolish woman to your house to apologize. I hope Madam Chu will be magnanimous and not bother with this foolish woman!"
Xue Shutong was six or seven years younger than Mrs. Wu. If you calculated carefully, Mrs. Luo was already in her forties and was the wife of a minister. Yet, she actually used the word "you" when addressing Chu Yufu, who was less than 20 years old. Her attitude was extremely humble.
Chu Yufu frowned and couldn't help but soften her heart a little, but her gaze drifted back to Xue Shutong. Thinking of the words she scolded her that night, she still felt disgusted. She pursed her lips and said nothing.
When Mrs. Luo learned about this, she was about to have lunch. After listening to what her son said, she threw the bowl and chopsticks on the spot. She was so angry that her heart was blocked and she couldn't eat a single bite.
If it weren't for her son's pleading, how could she have willingly sacrificed her dignity and personally visited the Pei residence? She knew that Xue Shutong coming alone wouldn't even be able to enter the Pei residence. But now, it seemed that even if she came in person, the situation wouldn't be much better. She had almost been blocked from entering by the words, "Madam is taking a nap."
She was extremely annoyed with this daughter-in-law who had always behaved inappropriately and caused trouble. She felt that she had done her utmost to help her. Seeing Chu Yufu's silence and aloof attitude, her heart sank and she stopped talking.
The mother-in-law stopped talking. Xue Shutong had no choice but to bite the bullet and lower his head with a dry voice towards the young girl who was more than ten years younger than him sitting in the main seat.
"Madam Chu, I'm completely at fault! I was blinded by greed, and I was so unhappy that I took my anger out on you... I was so rude and offended! I beg you to be magnanimous and forgive me, and not hold it against me!"
Chu Yufu was a little confused. What did she mean by "show mercy"? She had done nothing but feel sullen these past few days!
Her silence and hesitation seemed cold and unforgiving to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law opposite her.
Thinking of Lu Minzhong's words: "If they don't forgive you, there's no need to come back." Xue Shutong couldn't help but tear up. If she was really divorced, where would she put her face? The whole capital would regard her as a huge joke!
She had never hated herself so much before. Why did she have to meddle in other people's affairs?
She shed two tears, knowing that now was not the time to save face, and said in a sobbing voice: "A thousand faults are all my fault! Madam Chu, I will accept any beatings or scoldings! I only ask you to calm down..."
"Click." The crisp knocking sound interrupted her crying.
Chu Yufu gently placed the teacup on the table, picked up the embroidered handkerchief and wiped the corner of her lips. Her brows knitted slightly, and she was genuinely puzzled. "I don't understand what you mean. Why raise your hand? How have I ever been against you? From the beginning to the end, wasn't it you, Madam Xue, who was against me?"
Xue Shutong suddenly looked up, tears streaming down her face and filled with surprise. She thought the other party was deliberately making things difficult for her and refused to give in. Her tears flowed even harder, and she stood up excitedly: "It's all my fault for being blind and offending you! If you blame me or hate me, just go after me! I just ask that you don't bring trouble to my husband's family!"
At noon, in front of her mother-in-law, Lu Minzhong spilled the beans about everything that had happened over the past two days. Only then did she truly realize how much trouble her scolding had caused, and she could no longer hold her nerve. Who could have imagined that a seemingly unconnected daughter of a minor official could possess such great power?
Chu Yufu's brows furrowed even tighter: "Mrs. Xue, I really don't know what you are talking about." She was really surprised that the wife of a minister suddenly brought her daughter-in-law to apologize and cried so unbecomingly.
Madam Luo carefully observed Chu Yufu's expression. Seeing that the confusion between her brows did not seem fake, she sighed and said, "Madam Chu, ever since that night outing, when Shutong offended you..."
She paused. "My son's winery, which used to have a relationship with your husband's restaurant, has suddenly lost business. That's not a big deal. But before the morning court today, he was interrogated very carefully at the palace gate and almost missed the court. Also, an important memorial he submitted to the Ministry of Revenue was suppressed by Lord Zhao and refused to be approved. Even Lord Fang of the Imperial Guards..."
With each story, Xue Shutong's shoulders slumped. Mrs. Luo's voice was bitter. "Thankfully, the Duke of Xin's Mansion hadn't taken any action yet. Otherwise, if there were a huge uproar, it would be truly humiliating."
Pei Yue was only in his early twenties, and his future was limitless. If he couldn't resolve the feud now, it would only become more difficult later on, and he might even resort to divorcing his wife. However, the Lu family wasn't willing to divorce him, as that would mean antagonizing the Xue family.
besides……
Madam Luo looked up at the young mistress in the main seat, her features beautiful and calm. Everyone said the Second Miss Chu was gentle and docile, and she had assumed that by bringing her daughter-in-law to her house today and humbly apologizing, the matter would be over. She had never imagined that this seemingly docile general's wife was actually a woman of strong opinions and a temper, not so easy to handle.
Chu Yufu was completely stunned after hearing Mrs. Luo's words. Her hand, clutching the handkerchief, rested on her knees. A chorus of emotions washed over her: shock, bewilderment... Finally, an indescribable warmth surged from the depths of her heart, instantly flowing through her limbs and bones, until her fingertips felt slightly warm.
She...had been silently protected by so many people without even realizing it? Since when did so many people willingly support her stand behind her?
A huge sense of happiness called "being cherished" rushed over like a warm tide, instantly drowning all the previous depression.
Xue Shutong then uttered some words of repentance and pleading, tears streaming down his face, but she could no longer hear them clearly. Looking at that face, no longer arrogant, the pent-up anger in her chest dissipated for the most part.
She casually responded with some polite words like "it's okay", "it's a misunderstanding", "don't worry", etc., and politely sent the person out the door while the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law still looked worried and skeptical.
After the two men disappeared outside the courtyard gate, Chu Yufu paced around the hall several times. She had so much to ask that she desperately wanted to get to the bottom of things. But Pei Yue hadn't returned yet. After a moment's hesitation, she immediately ordered a carriage and headed straight for the Marquis of Mingxuan's residence.
Inside the Marquis's residence, Zhao Hanyun was surprised to hear that Madam Luo had personally brought her daughter-in-law to apologize. She turned to look at Lu Jiaan, who was leisurely eating grapes. "I didn't do anything... I just told my sister-in-law about this when I got back."
Lu Jiaan happened to bite into a particularly sour one, so sour that her nose and eyes wrinkled. When the sourness wore off, she waved her hand nonchalantly, mumbling, "Well, she deserved it! I didn't do anything, I was just really pissed! And then I told Brother Chunheng everything!"
Chu Yufu couldn't help but burst out laughing. What else could it be? Prince Zhao must have turned around and told the old marquis! This long and winding road of "protecting the short" is really tortuous!
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