Chapter 58: Returning Home When I Can’t See Cui Lingyan Is Still a Perfect Woman…
As they were talking, a smiling maid came in and reported, "Madam, the carriage from the Duke of Wei's mansion has arrived at the Marquis's residence. The Crown Prince has returned home with our Third Young Lady. I saw with my own eyes that the Crown Prince personally helped our Third Young Lady down from the carriage, so I hurried over to report this to you, Madam."
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhai felt a sense of relief. Originally, this marriage was meant for Miss Hui, but because Lu Bingzhi had been poisoned, she had refused to marry into the Duke of Wei's mansion, so the marriage fell to Miss Yan, who had just returned. Later, Miss Yin, out of jealousy, had Madam Wen spread rumors about Miss Yan and Qi Shaozhang, sparking another round of discussion. Even though Lu Bingzhi seemed protective of his fiancée, Miss Yan, she felt a certain unease, fearing that Lu Bingzhi was harboring his anger and would anger her once she married. Even if he didn't show it to her face, if he, the Crown Prince, didn't treat Miss Yan with respect, her situation in the Duke of Wei's mansion would be difficult.
She hadn't slept well the whole night before, as she was worried about the return visit today. She was really afraid that Yan would return alone, or that the couple would become distant and cold towards each other at first sight. After hearing the nanny's report, Mrs. Zhai's heart finally settled down.
"Okay, okay, I said our girl Yan is a lucky girl." Old Lady Zhai said repeatedly.
Bian also followed suit and flattered her, making the old lady smile even more.
Qi, the wife of the Marquis of Ningshou and Cui Lingyan's biological mother, was reluctant to interrupt. She held the teacup in her hand, wondering what she was thinking about.
Cui Linghui, the older girl sitting nearby, showed some resentment in her eyes, and she held the teacup so tightly that she almost broke it.
Why? In her previous life, she had only shown a hint of fear on her wedding night because she was uneasy, and Lu Bingzhi had disliked her for that, leaving the wedding night in a daze, without a care for her dignity as a bride.
When the news spread, she, the newly married young lady, was talked about and ridiculed. When she met the elders, her grandmother, Madam Dou, treated her indifferently, and there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes when she looked at her.
Later, no matter how much she regretted or how hard she tried, Lu Bingzhi could not show any mercy to her and leave her a way out in the Duke's Mansion. If she had not been resentful and hated Lu Bingzhi's indifference to her, how could she have had an affair with the Second Prince Xiao Ze, ruining her reputation and being caught red-handed at a banquet in the palace, losing her life in vain.
She ended up like that because Lu Bingzhi had no sympathy for her at all.
Why could Cui Lingyan, who also had a bad reputation, was raised in the Qi family since childhood, and was inferior to her in every way, get Lu Bingzhi's sympathy? He protected her before they got married, and now that they were married, he really treated her like his wife, giving her the dignity and respect that a wife should have?
A man of Lu Bingzhi's temperament, why would he help Cui Lingyan get off the carriage in public if he didn't do it on purpose today to show it to the people in Ningshou Marquis' Mansion and to give Cui Lingyan face?
Jealousy and hatred quickly grew in Cui Linghui's heart. It was not until she heard footsteps outside and the voice of a maid greeting her that she came to her senses and subconsciously looked towards the door.
"This servant greets the uncle and the third young lady."
The curtain was drawn, and Lu Bingzhi and Cui Lingyan walked in side by side. Both of them were very outstanding in appearance. Cui Lingyan grew up in the Qi family and had not received the kind of education and nurturing that the noble ladies in the capital had. Outsiders thought that she would always look out of place in front of Lu Bingzhi, and a bit petty.
But Cui Lingyan did not have that kind of awkwardness and caution. She was very beautiful. Standing next to Lu Bingzhi, the prince of Weiguo, they were truly a perfect match. Anyone who saw them would say in their hearts that they were a match made in heaven.
When Cui Linghui saw Cui Lingyan's smiling eyes, rosy complexion, and calmness and nobility in her every move, his heart tightened. He held the teacup in his hand too tightly and accidentally dropped it on the hem of her skirt, making a crisp sound.
Everyone's eyes fell on Cui Linghui. Seeing Cui Linghui's pale face, Madam Zhai was furious, but she couldn't lose her temper immediately. She suppressed her anger and ordered the maid in the room, "Miss Hui accidentally broke the teacup. Why don't you help her clean it up?"
Even though Mrs. Zhai came to the rescue, the atmosphere was still a bit awkward.
After all, Cui Linghui was Lu Bingzhi's fiancée before. It was Cui Linghui who didn't want to marry Lu Bingzhi, so she asked her stepsister Cui Lingyan to marry him. Now the two of them have returned home for the third time, and she broke the teacup. I don't know what she feels in her heart. Is she regretting it or is she just sick of seeing Lu Bingzhi, who should have been her husband, being nice to her stepsister?
It's a pity that they are just newlyweds. Cui Linghui has no regrets in his heart. Showing up here will only make people laugh at him.
Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Bian quickly spoke up to ease it. She walked over and took Cui Lingyan in her arms, smiling and saying, "Knowing that Miss Yan and the Prince would be returning home today, the old lady has been waiting for them since early morning. She even ordered the kitchen to prepare a number of dishes, hoping to have a lively family gathering."
Cui Lingyan smiled and bowed to Old Madam Zhai: "Yan'er greets Grandmother."
As he spoke, he bowed to Qi and Bian and the others.
Lu Bingzhi was very polite and called out according to the rules, then sat down.
The atmosphere finally eased a bit, and Cui Linghui was helped out of the room by the maid. Madam Zhai pretended she didn't exist, and greeted Cui Lingyan and Lu Bingzhi with a smile.
Cui Lingyan answered each question, neither appearing overly familiar nor distant. Lu Bingzhi was the son of Princess Shuning, a noble family, and had been cherished and cherished by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager since childhood. He himself had always been aloof, and even when Old Lady Zhai heard him call her "Grandma," she didn't really consider him an ordinary grandson-in-law. After asking a few questions, fearing he might feel uncomfortable, she turned to the Second Young Master, Cui Shenbo, and said, "You should accompany your brother-in-law to your father's study."
Cui Shenbo responded with "yes". Lu Bingzhi also put down the teacup in his hand, stood up, nodded slightly to Cui Lingyan, and then followed Cui Shenbo out.
This small gesture of his was noticed by Old Lady Zhai, who was somewhat surprised. After Lu Bingzhi left, she beckoned Cui Lingyan to sit down next to her and asked lovingly, "I noticed that the prince was quite affectionate towards you. Did you consummate your marriage?"
As Madam Zhai spoke, she carefully examined Cui Lingyan's features. Having lived so long, she could still tell whether a woman had consummated her marriage or not.
However, she thought Yan Yatou was still a virgin, but the prince was so close to Yan Yatou. If there was no physical contact, could it be that he was just concerned about the dignity of Yan Yatou as his wife, thinking that husband and wife should prosper and suffer together, and didn't want Yan Yatou to be looked down upon and talked about?
At this time, only female family members were left in the room. As Mrs. Zhai finished speaking, Qi, Bian and Gao all looked at Cui Lingyan.
Cui Lingyan showed a hint of shyness, but shook her head and replied, "We haven't consummated the marriage yet. The prince was poisoned not long ago, and the remaining poison in his body has not yet been cleared."
With just these words, Mrs. Zhai understood.
Madam Zhai sighed inwardly, feeling somewhat disappointed. She glanced at Cui Lingyan and said comfortingly, "Good child, the prince treats you so well even before the marriage is consummated. If the marriage is consummated in the future, he will definitely treat you even better. Don't take this matter to heart. Take good care of the prince. Being filial to your parents-in-law and elders is the right thing to do."
Cui Lingyan had guessed some of Madam Zhai's thoughts. Listening to her instructions, she nodded and said obediently, "Yan'er knows. Before she got married, she knew about the prince's poisoning. Since she was prepared, why would she feel uncomfortable or concerned?"
What she said really made Cui Linghui, who was so desperate to fall into the water and use a cold as an excuse to break off the engagement, appear to have no character and responsibility.
Old Madam Zhai thought she was angry about Cui Linghui accidentally breaking the teacup, which had caused an awkward atmosphere. She sighed softly and said gently, "Grandmother knows that all this is your eldest sister's fault. She used to be so well-mannered, but now, for some reason, she keeps making mistakes and making a fool of herself. She's nowhere near the proper etiquette and respect she once was, or the dignity of a legitimate daughter of a marquisate."
"Now you are the wife of the prince of Weiguo. Don't worry about other things. Just get along well with the prince and consolidate your position in the Duke's Mansion."
"As for Hui, your grandmother and your father will take care of her."
Although there was a hint of disappointment in Mrs. Zhai's words, she still had some intention of protecting the two sisters. She didn't want the two sisters to become too awkward and become a laughing stock in front of outsiders.
Cui Lingyan nodded. "Of course I know my limits. I just hope Big Sister won't get stuck in a rut. It's fine now in private, but if she breaks the teacup in public again like she did today, I don't know how much gossip it will cause."
After she finished speaking, the air became quiet.
No one could have imagined that Cui Lingyan, who was always gentle and obedient, would say such words.
Qi's face changed slightly, and she was about to open her mouth to scold him, but before she could say anything, Madam Zhai said, "Don't worry, Yan girl, grandma will remind your elder sister. The reputation of the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion and the Weiguo Duke's Mansion can't stand her repeatedly doing this."
After saying this, Madam Zhai asked about the affairs of the Duke of Weiguo's Mansion.
Cui Lingyan replied to the old lady with a smile, looking like a close grandmother and granddaughter, as if the momentary stagnation and embarrassment had never appeared.
Qi sat there, feeling uncomfortable all over, and felt that her daughter Cui Lingyan was becoming more and more unrecognizable to her.
Bian tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Congratulations, sister-in-law. With Yan's temperament, I think she can also gain a foothold in the Duke's Mansion. To be honest, she is much better than I was when I was young. How could I be so calm and composed when I first married into the mansion?"
Qi didn't know whether Bian's sister-in-law was joking or sincere. She glanced at Cui Lingyan and said with a hint of blame, "She's so presumptuous because she married Lu Bingzhi and became the Crown Prince's wife. Otherwise, why would the old lady be so accommodating to a junior like her?"
Bian smiled but said nothing, but she was secretly happy. As a mother herself, how could she not know why Qi was feeling so awkward? Cui Lingyan had married well, and was favored by the prince, Lu Bingzhi. Today should have been a time for Qi, the mother-in-law, to be dignified and admired.
But unfortunately, Qi favored her son and sent Cui Lingyan to the Qi family when she was six years old. As a result, Cui Lingyan returned to the capital after so many years. The mother and daughter were alienated, and she, as a mother, was afraid that she had no confidence to take advantage of her daughter.
Cui Lingyan has been indifferent to her mother Qi since she entered the house. She is polite but not friendly.
I don’t know if Qi would regret it in her heart, regretting her bias, pushing away her daughter who should have been a little cotton-padded jacket, and the mother and daughter’s relationship is even worse than that of outsiders.
The third wife, Mrs. Gao, saw this lawsuit and had a lot of thoughts in her mind.
Inside the wing
Cui Linghui changed her skirt, but did not return to the main house immediately.
She stood in front of the window, looking towards the main house with a gloomy expression.
The maid Yulan stood cautiously behind her. After hesitating for a long time, she mustered up the courage to say, "Miss, Master Lu and the Second Young Master are out. Why don't we go back to the main house so that the old lady won't think you've gone out?"
Cui Linghui listened to her words, a look of embarrassment barely concealed on his face. He whispered, "What am I going back for? Am I going back to be laughed at by others? Or am I going back to see how my grandmother and the others flatter Cui Lingyan, the wife of the Duke of Wei?"
"Most of all, the rumors about her and Qi Shaozhang were public knowledge. Isn't Lu Bingzhi a real man? He didn't mind at all, didn't take it to heart, and was still so nice to Cui Lingyan?"
"Why? I was his fiancée before, and he never showed me any affection or care? If he had been kind to me and made me fall in love with him, why would I..."
Cui Linghui stopped talking and didn't continue, but her eyes couldn't help but turn red, and her eyes were full of jealousy and hatred.
"I just don't believe that Lu Bingzhi's poisoning is bad for his offspring. How can they continue to live in harmony without having children? Do you think I can't see that Cui Lingyan is still a virgin?"
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