Chapter 91: Reprimand: I am actually happy to see Bingzhi protecting you like this...
Soon, the imperial edict of reprimand arrived at Cen's mansion.
Everyone in the Cen Mansion opened the main gate to welcome the imperial edict. After listening to the purpose of the eunuch who delivered the order, Xue, who was kneeling in the yard, suddenly turned pale, swayed and almost fainted.
She lowered her head and listened to the lecture with a pale face. She did not recover until the reprimand was over and the eunuch left the Cen Mansion.
Old Master Cen stood up and looked at Madam Xue angrily, saying, "Just because the Jiang family broke off Qian's engagement, you're so desperate to ruin the reputation of the Duke of Wei. Not to mention there's no evidence, even if there was, would our Cen family still be able to fight Lu Bingzhi for justice? You foolish woman, have you forgotten that the Queen Mother and the Emperor are behind the Crown Prince?"
Old Master Cen shook off his son's arm and walked towards his yard with a sullen face.
Old Madam Mei was already unwell, and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Xue, had previously said insinuatingly that she, as the mother-in-law, had offended the Crown Prince for her married daughter, which led to this disaster. She even neglected her filial duty and did not come to take care of her when she was ill.
All these emotions mixed together, and Old Lady Mei felt even more disgusted with her daughter-in-law, whom she usually loved. She gave Xue a cold look and said, "The Empress Dowager has issued an imperial decree to reprimand you. Remember this well. If you do this again, the Cen family will not be able to support you as their daughter-in-law!"
As Mrs. Mei was speaking, she saw the old master's entourage coming over, followed by a few servants, and she didn't know where they were going.
"What is this for?" asked Mrs. Mei.
The attendant replied, "The old master ordered the servants to open his private vault and select some items for Prince Lu as an apology. We only hope that this matter can be resolved quickly, and that the prince will not bear a grudge against our Cen family because of the rumors in the capital."
When Mrs. Mei heard this, she felt a little aggrieved and a little disgusted, but after the reprimand just now, she naturally had some concerns in her heart, knowing that Lu Bingzhi's identity was not someone that their Cen family could afford to offend.
In the past, she had always thought that she was an elder because of her age, so she could always act like one. But now she realized that people were just giving her some respect. Once she really offended someone, they would not care at all about the relationship between the two families.
Old Madam Mei really regretted what she said to Cui that day in order to support her daughter, otherwise she would not have encountered this disaster.
If the news of this reprimand gets out, the Cen family will be criticized and laughed at again.
My grandson's marriage will be delayed, and even my granddaughter Cen Yuexi may be implicated in this matter.
Madam Mei's eyes showed a hint of regret, but she didn't want to bear the blame alone. She just looked coldly at her daughter-in-law Xue, who was kneeling on the ground, and said hatefully, "Are you satisfied now? Look at what you have done. How could you think that our Cen family was so capable that you dared to tarnish the reputation of Master Lu!"
"You don't know the rules. How could your mother-in-law not know her limits? Not only did she not try to persuade you, but she even accepted your instigation and started making up stories about the Crown Prince, intending to ruin his reputation. Otherwise, how could she have angered the Queen Mother and sent people out of the palace to reprimand her?"
As Mrs. Mei said this, she held the nanny's arm and left.
Xue was scolded by her father-in-law and mother-in-law one after another, and the empress dowager had sent someone to reprimand her before. Everyone in the mansion was watching, and her face was basically stepped on the ground. At this moment, she felt very wronged, her face turned red and white, and she was so angry that she could not speak.
"Mother, you should be more careful about what you say and do in the future. Although our Cen family has some reputation, it is still inferior to the Weiguo Mansion. Moreover, Prince Lu is the son of Princess Shuning, and he is favored by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in the palace. Even if you have suspicions in your heart, how can you tell all those words to Grandmother and ask her to spread them! My marriage is a small matter, but if the Cen family is disliked by the palace because of this incident, what good future can my son have in the future?"
The speaker was Cen Qian, the eldest son of the Cen family. After he finished speaking, he sighed softly and said to his sister, Cen Yuexi, "Help Mother go back to the house. I'll go to Grandfather and discuss how to turn this around. Perhaps, simply apologizing isn't enough. Lu Bingzhi is of noble status, so what good things has he not seen?"
After Cen Qian finished speaking, he went all the way to the courtyard where Old Master Cen lived.
Xue looked at the direction her son left, and the grievance in her heart became more and more unbearable, and tears finally fell.
Cen Yueying didn't want her mother to lose face in front of so many maids and servants, so she hurried forward to help Xue up and went to Wangheyuan where Xue lived.
After returning to the house, Xue, full of grievance, took her daughter's hand and cried, "It was clearly your grandmother who offended Cui, the Crown Prince's wife, because of your aunt. This angered the Crown Prince and made your grandfather's scandal with the young prostitute known to everyone, ruining our Cen family's reputation and causing your brother to be humiliated when the Jiang family came to cancel his engagement. Why are they all blaming me now? My own son has been implicated. Shouldn't I feel aggrieved?"
Cen Yuexi, favored from childhood due to her legitimate birth, the Cen family's in-laws with the Duke of Wei's mansion, and her aunt's fondness for her, hadn't encountered much trouble since childhood. The most she'd encountered was her brother's upcoming marriage to his future sister-in-law, Jiang. She worried that she wouldn't be able to adjust, unsure how to get along with her and fearing she'd dislike her. But in just a few days, so many things had happened to the Cen family: not only had her grandfather and a young prostitute gotten into a scandal, but her brother's engagement had been broken off by the Jiang family, and now the empress dowager had sent someone to reprimand her mother. With all these things happening, she felt lost, panicked, and terrified.
Hearing her mother's sobbing, Cen Yuexi's eyes reddened. With a choked sob, she tentatively asked, "How about you go to the Duke of Wei's mansion and apologize? Your daughter will accompany you. Since our two families are in-laws, Prince Lu won't hold a grudge if you personally apologize. If the news gets to the palace, the Empress Dowager will calm down, and the matter will be over."
Mrs. Xue never expected her daughter to say such a thing. Her face immediately flushed red as she angrily said, "I have to come here in person to apologize? Master Lu caused your brother's engagement to be broken off, and not only can I not get justice, but I have to come here to apologize? How can such bullying be tolerated in this world!"
Xue was really angry and extremely reluctant.
Cen Yueying hesitated and whispered, "But it can't be Grandpa or Grandma who comes to apologize, right? Mother heard what Grandpa and Grandma said just now, and they were just taking their anger out on me. The Cen family lost face, which is a small matter. In a few months, new things will happen in the capital, and we will forget about Grandpa's ridiculous deeds. Besides, what family doesn't have some things that people fabricate and criticize? The mistake is that Mother asked Grandma to spread those rumors. Regardless of whether they are true or not, they have affected Master Lu's reputation and caused the Empress Dowager to be unhappy in the palace. This is a big deal. If Mother doesn't come to apologize in person and let this matter go, I'm afraid Grandpa and Grandma will always remember it and blame me."
"Mother, what you did was truly inappropriate. After all, he was Prince Lu. Even if you were angry, how could you dare ask Grandmother to slander and frame him like this? I've been worried every day these past two days. Now that the Queen Mother has sent someone to reprimand us, it's clear that she doesn't want to give the Cen family any face. Without the Duke of Wei's marriage, our Cen family has no weight in the eyes of the Queen Mother. If we don't find a way to get over this, won't things be even more difficult in the future?"
Cen Yueying's few words made Xue's face change again and again, and her words touched Xue's heart. Even though Xue was reluctant, she knew she had to go.
She said with a hint of bitterness, "Okay, didn't your grandfather send someone to deliver an apology? If the Duke's Mansion accepts this apology, it must be because they are concerned about the relationship between the two families and don't want to completely break up. Then I will go to your house in person tomorrow morning to apologize to Old Madam Dou. The worst that can happen is that I will kneel down and kowtow. But I am asking for trouble. I overestimated our Cen family and thought that since we are relatives, we can always get along on equal terms. Who knew that in this world..."
Cen Yueying nodded and said, "Mother, you should change your clothes and get dressed. You look so disheveled that it's really embarrassing. Mother, please take a good rest today. I will go with you after breakfast tomorrow."
As Cen Yueying spoke, she ordered Nanny Gu, Xue's companion, to help her wash and change her clothes. By the time she came out, half an hour had passed.
Cen Yuexi also asked people to keep an eye on the servants of Old Master Cen to see whether the apology sent to the Duke's Mansion had been accepted.
When she returned to her own courtyard, Cen Yueying sat on the couch and sighed heavily.
My brother's marriage was canceled by the Jiang family, and now the Empress Dowager has sent someone to reprimand my mother. I think the news will spread quickly throughout the capital. If my brother were a boy, it would be fine, but as a girl with a mother who was reprimanded by the Empress Dowager, I am afraid that her future marriage will be even more difficult than her brother's.
Thinking of the day when she followed her grandmother, Old Lady Mei, to the Duke of Weiguo's Mansion, and what her grandmother said to the young lady Cui at Old Lady Dou's place, Cen Yueying felt a pang of regret. If she had known this would happen, she should have stopped her grandmother that day.
My grandmother thought Cui Lingyan was a soft persimmon that could be easily manipulated. Even if she was angry, she was afraid of being accused of being petty and dared not say anything. But my grandmother could never have expected that Prince Lu Bingzhi would be so protective of Cui, the new bride, and make such a big fuss over such a small matter, making the in-laws of the Cen family so embarrassed.
Cen Yueying really didn't understand. How could Lu Bingzhi, who was obviously such a cold and heartless person, be so concerned about his new bride, Cui?
......
At this time, the apology gift sent by Old Master Cen had already arrived at the Duke of Weiguo's Mansion.
Cui Lingyan was in Qingdeyuan at the time, and naturally heard that the empress dowager was angry and ordered people to leave the palace to reprimand Xue.
Now, seeing the apology gifts sent by Old Master Cen, she didn't know whether to accept them or not. After all, the old master said that the apology gifts were for the prince and her, his wife.
Madam Dou saw a box of South China Sea pearls, two ruyi (ruyi) inlaid with purple gemstones, a set of Ru kiln teacups in a rain-soaked azure hue, and several hairpins. After a moment's thought, she said to the visitor, "You're too polite, old master. Our two families are relatives, and the younger generation's mischief shouldn't have disturbed the palace. However, the Empress Dowager loves her grandson, the Crown Prince, so hearing someone slandering him made her furious. That's why she ordered someone out of the palace to reprimand them."
"I'll accept this apology on behalf of the prince. After all, our two families are relatives by marriage. We should not let these things alienate us."
The people below naturally agreed one after another. If he couldn't send out the apology, he didn't know how to explain to the old master when he returned.
Now that Old Madam Dou has agreed, it is natural that she is concerned about the relationship between the two families and the affection they have had for each other over the years.
After a few more flattering words, the visitor took his leave.
Madam Dou said with some emotion, "This Old Master Cen may be a bit eccentric, but he is also a man who knows how to judge the situation and can hold his head down. These apologies are quite generous. Have them sent to Wutong Courtyard."
Cui Lingyan knew that the scandal between Old Master Cen and the young waiter was accidentally witnessed by his colleagues and became known to everyone, and it was Lu Bingzhi who had ordered people to plot behind the scenes. Although she did not feel guilty and did not think there was anything wrong with Lu Bingzhi's behavior, she could not help but feel a little embarrassed to accept the apology in front of her grandmother, Old Madam Dou.
Madam Dou misunderstood her as being embarrassed to accept such apologies. She felt she was being too thin-skinned and couldn't help but smile. "Power is a good thing, and using it to pressure others has always been a common tactic used by the rich and powerful. Besides, isn't Bingzhi's reputation worth such an apology? You're still too young. With more experience, you won't be so thin-skinned."
"Besides, it was Old Madam Mei who bullied you back then. Your husband, Bingzhi, couldn't bear to see you suffer so much, so he taught the Cen family a lesson. Who dares to say Bingzhi was wrong? What's more, it wasn't Bingzhi who did it directly. Ultimately, it had nothing to do with him. I'm actually happy to see Bingzhi protecting you like this. At least since you, Yan'er, married into our family, Bingzhi has become more lively. Now that you've consummated your marriage, I only hope that everything goes smoothly for you and that you remain as close as ever."
"This is also a good thing. This time we've taught the Cen family a lesson, and we'll save them and the Cen family from any future trouble. After this incident, I think your mother-in-law has been more obedient lately."
Old Madam Dou did not keep Cui Lingyan for too long. She talked to her for a while and then asked a few maids to follow Cui Lingyan to Wutong Courtyard with gifts of apology.
What happened here quickly spread throughout the Duke of Wei's Mansion.
When Cen heard that the empress dowager was so angry that she ordered people to leave the palace to reprimand Xue, she felt relieved but also felt that her family had lost face so much, so how could she, a married lady, have any dignity?
"The Empress Dowager is truly protective of her grandson, Lu Bingzhi. It was clearly him who damaged the Cen family's reputation and caused Qian'er's engagement to be broken off by the Jiang family. Now the Empress Dowager is still relentless and wants to order people out of the palace to reprimand him. This will bring shame to the Cen family in the capital, leaving them unable to even raise their heads. This is truly using power to bully others!"
Lu Danruo had been feeling quite aggrieved these past two days because of the affairs of her maternal grandparents' family. She felt that Lu Bingzhi had completely disregarded the in-laws of the two families and had ruined her grandfather's reputation. As a result, she, the granddaughter, would also be the subject of gossip in the future.
She felt aggrieved, but her mother Cen tolerated the matter this time. She even punished the two gossipy maids and drove them out, acting as if she didn't believe the rumors outside at all.
Now, hearing that her aunt Xue had been reprimanded by the Empress Dowager, she felt even more ashamed and couldn't help but say, "Now, the Cen family has lost face. From now on, our situation in this Duke's Mansion will be even more difficult."
"Ever since Cui Lingyan came into our family, nothing good has happened. She's clearly here to bring bad luck to us, mother and daughter. Lu Bingzhi did this for her, even disregarding the relationship between our two families. He even demanded an apology from my grandfather. Cui was so embarrassed to accept it. Doesn't she feel guilty?"
"Grandmother, don't you think that Lu Bingzhi is taking Cui Lingyan too seriously? Do you think there's anything wrong with doing this for a woman?"
Mrs. Cen understood her daughter's thoughts. She wanted to use this incident to leave a bad impression on Cui Lingyan in Old Madam Dou's mind. After all, when a man makes such a big fuss for a woman, Cui Lingyan will inevitably be labeled as a seductress.
"They've just consummated their marriage, and your grandmother isn't satisfied with Cui. How could she think Cui's allure was so strong that she could have seduced even the Crown Prince Lu Bingzhi?"
"Now that things have come to this, we can't do anything to Lu Bingzhi and Cui. You better behave yourself and don't upset your grandmother. The Cen family's reputation has been damaged and we've offended the Empress Dowager. There are many people in the capital who flatter the powerful and bully the weak. We can't afford to make any mistakes."
Lu Danruo felt a little aggrieved, but could only obey. However, she couldn't help but complain, "My aunt is really something. If she wanted to ruin Lu Bingzhi's reputation, she could have just had someone secretly fabricate it. Why did she have to ask my family to intervene? She made such a direct move, angering the Empress Dowager and causing her to issue an imperial decree of reprimand. It was a complete loss of face. I really don't know what my aunt was thinking."
Mrs. Cen didn't say anything. Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Xue, had never been so stupid. It was probably because the Jiang family broke off the engagement with Cen Qian that Mrs. Xue lost her mind and did these stupid things in anger.
As for why the old lady of the Xue family did not try to persuade her, but instead listened to her daughter and framed Lu Bingzhi, it was probably because the old lady was old, a little confused, and a little bit relying on her seniority. She felt that she could use her reputation to control Lu Bingzhi so as to vent the anger of her daughter and grandson.
It was a pity that Lu Bingzhi was not only the prince of the Duke of Wei, but also the son of Princess Shu Ning and the grandson of the Empress Dowager. With the situation at this point, only the Cen family was being laughed at.
Cen sighed heavily, feeling extremely aggrieved. However, her family was in such a mess and she couldn't do anything to her stepson Lu Bingzhi.
The next morning after breakfast, Xue came to apologize. Her daughter Cen Yuexi felt sorry for her as a mother, so she accompanied Xue to the Duke of Weiguo's mansion.
Old Madam Dou was angry that Xue was making a fuss about her grandson Lu Bingzhi's reputation. She had accepted the apology sent by Old Master Cen yesterday out of consideration for the relationship between the two families. When she heard that Xue had come to her house, she sent someone to take Xue to Wutong Courtyard without any regard for Xue's dignity.
When Xue heard the message from the head maid, she felt very aggrieved. She thought that she could just admit her mistake and make amends to Old Madam Dou, but Old Madam Dou meant that she should apologize to the two younger generations, Lu Bingzhi and Cui Lingyan. This was really trampling on her face and not leaving her any dignity at all.
Xue's face flushed and paled, and Cen Yueying said to the maid who delivered the message, "Mother has come sincerely to apologize. Since the old lady has said so, mother and I will obey. Please, sister, take us to Wutong Courtyard."
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