Chapter Nineteen: Climbing the Social Ladder
Meng Jinyao and Gu Jingxi did not stay for lunch. Meng Dongyuan only made a token attempt to persuade them to stay before letting them go. He only breathed a sigh of relief after seeing them to the gate.
Although Gu Jingxi was the son-in-law, his status and position were what they were. The Meng family, which had already declined, could not compare with the Gu family, which was currently enjoying the emperor's favor. So, he had to endure the grievances.
For this reason, Meng Dongyuan couldn't help but blame his eldest daughter for causing trouble. Gu Jingxi, who was originally supposed to be his in-law, became his son-in-law and put invisible pressure on him. Their Meng family was also ridiculed by others.
Even if Gu Xiuming elopes, the Gu family will still hold the wedding as scheduled. If the eldest daughter doesn't insist on changing the groom, then the Gu family will be letting the Meng family down and owing them something. This debt can even be used to make some profit.
Rongfutang.
Madam Meng was furious and scolded, "What a wretched child! He's forgotten who he is now that he's climbed the social ladder!"
How could Sun not be angry?
Today's events made her feel humiliated like never before, and she was also subtly criticized by this cheap son-in-law. Gu Jingxi said that Meng Jinyao was gentle, virtuous, dignified, and generous, and that she handled things with the same grace as her birth mother. Wasn't that a roundabout way of saying that she was not gentle, virtuous, dignified, or generous, and that she was petty and narrow-minded?
Seeing her mother-in-law's face turn ashen with anger, she glanced at her and gently soothed her, "Mother, please calm down. Perhaps A-Yao is resentful that we forced her into the bridal sedan chair on our wedding day even though we knew Gu Xiuming wasn't there to personally fetch her. Alas, how were we supposed to know that Gu Xiuming had run away from the wedding?"
Her attempt to appease her only fueled Old Madam Meng's anger: "We forced her into the bridal sedan chair for her own good. Such a good marriage with the Gu family is hard to find even with a lantern; if we miss this opportunity, we'll never have another chance. This ungrateful wretch has gained power and is now going back to her parents' home to act arrogantly. If we had known this would happen, we would have helped her call off the wedding on the day itself!"
After another round of reassurance, Madam Sun finally calmed Old Madam Meng down. She left Rongfu Hall and returned to her own courtyard. Once inside, her face immediately fell.
Seeing this, Meng Jinyu felt even more sorry for her mother and said angrily, "Mother, my eldest sister has gone too far! You are her mother, and you held her when she was little. How could she treat you like this?"
Madam Sun sighed with resentment: "People are different when they climb the social ladder. Marquis Changxing is powerful and influential. Now that she is the wife of Marquis Changxing, even I, as her mother, am inferior to her."
After she finished speaking, she looked at her beautiful daughter, who was only two years younger than Meng Jinyao. If her father-in-law hadn't kept a secret, this marriage would have been limited to the eldest daughter of the Meng family. If she wasn't the eldest daughter of the Meng family, the marriage would have been canceled. She had a way to make her daughter take her place and become the Crown Prince's wife.
Ultimately, her father-in-law wanted to protect himself from her, which is why he kept a backup plan. Even on his deathbed, he wanted to arrange a good marriage for Meng Jinyao. With this marriage, Meng Jinyao would have some value, and even if they didn't like her, they would have to consider it.
Meng Jinyu was furious: "She must have fabricated rumors in front of Marquis Changxing, which is why Marquis Changxing had such an attitude. Even Grandmother was very angry."
Sun gave a cold smile and said confidently, "Let her be smug for a while, but she won't be so proud for long."
Meng Jinyu asked, "Mother, how do you know?"
Madam Sun lowered her eyes slightly and said slowly, "The Marquis of Changxing has a hidden illness, so Meng Jinyao will have to live a life of widowhood and remain a virgin until death. She will also be unable to have any children of her own. A woman without children will be in a miserable situation once her husband dies or she loses favor."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyu revealed a long-lost smile, a gloating one, and said, "Her former fiancé is the heir of the Marquis of Changxing. She married her former fiancé's father, causing her former fiancé to lose face. The heir must hate her and probably won't let her off easily."
Madam Sun nodded and smiled disdainfully: "To marry Gu Jingxi just for a moment of anger, I think she's being too clever for her own good. Even choosing from among Gu Xiuming's brothers would be better than marrying Gu Jingxi."
After she finished speaking, she looked at her daughter again, her tone immediately softening, her mind racing: "However, her marriage to the Marquis of Changxing will also benefit our Ayu. Your elder sister is the wife of the Marquis of Changxing. With this connection, it will be much easier for you to find a husband. Our Ayu is the apple of the Meng family's eye and deserves the best husband. She won't marry anyone worse than her."
Meng Jinyu blushed, lowered her head shyly, and said coquettishly, "Mother, I'm still young, I don't want to get married."
Madam Sun affectionately patted her daughter's head, her smile gentle and loving: "Ayu is not in a hurry to get married, but we still need to find a good husband and settle the marriage first."
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