Chapter 53: Marrying on Behalf
Madam Ye thought for a moment and said, "The Pei family is so powerful, your father probably wouldn't be able to bring himself to refuse. Besides, Madam Pei has been looking for a wife for Pei Song for years, but to no avail. Now that she has an opportunity, how could she give up so easily?"
Ye Qingshang thought it made sense. With a turn of his eyes, he whispered, "Why don't we just kill him? Just like we did to Qin Shi. Pei Song is just an idiot anyway. It wouldn't be surprising if he fell into the river or fell off the mountain."
"Absolutely not!" Madam Ye glanced out the window in horror. She lowered her voice, afraid of being overheard, and continued, "Pei Yuanzhong is the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. If something happens to his family, will the Dali Temple and the Nine Gates let it go? The Qin family incident was at most a struggle within the inner court, but if the government was involved, it would be a huge trouble. Besides, Madam Pei had just proposed marriage to our family, and then Pei Song died. People will definitely suspect us."
After hearing what her mother had to say, Ye Qingshang realized that she had been so overwhelmed by the grievances that she hadn't even thought of this. But now that the Pei family's marriage proposal had arrived, what else could she do? She curled her lips and asked, "There's no other way, mother. If I have to marry that fool, then I'd rather die."
Madam Ye patted her shoulder and gently scolded her, "Don't keep talking about death or life. Besides, what's the problem? Your mother and I faced much more difficult problems back then."
"What method?"
Madam Ye smiled and said, "Lao Wu is seventeen this year, right? Her brother just passed the imperial examination this year. If I tell her that Master Pei is willing to take care of his daughter-in-law's family, do you think Lao Wu will go?"
These words enlightened Ye Qingshang. Her lost eyes immediately lit up. She took her mother's hand and said joyfully, "Mother, there is a way!"
Madam Ye smiled with satisfaction, and she had already started planning in her mind how to throw the hot potato of Pei Song into the hands of the fifth brother Ye Anyun.
The fifth daughter, Ye Anyun, and the third daughter, Ye Anheng, were both born from the concubine Deng. Although they were illegitimate children, it was not difficult to push them out. Just like what was done to Ye Wang at that time, they were fostered under their own name and given the status of legitimate daughters. It would be acceptable to save face.
She went to find Deng and persuaded her to place her daughter under her name, saying that she would enjoy a good life after marrying into the Pei Mansion. Even if Pei Song was not the one in charge of the Pei Mansion in the future, he was still the eldest son of the Pei Mansion. Could the mansion still treat him unfairly?
But Mrs. Deng remained unmoved and only said vaguely, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam. Anyun is still young. As for marriage, I still want her to make her own decision in the future."
Madam Ye looked as if she had heard some ridiculous joke. She revealed a mocking expression and said, "You and Qin Nanfeng are so alike, even your words are the same. Back then, I said I wanted to foster Ye Wang under my name, but she wouldn't listen, saying she wanted her daughter to decide her own marriage. But look at her now? How is she doing? She's carrying the late emperor's child in her belly. So many people hold her in high esteem, and now that she's back in the Ye Mansion, everyone treats her like an ancestor. If she had listened to Qin Nanfeng back then, would she still be so successful?"
Every word she said made sense, and after hearing it, Mrs. Deng gradually lowered her head. However, she did not feel guilty, but was thinking about how to refuse the lady's "kindness".
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