Chapter 140 Fighting for You Do you think you will one day be with Cui Linghui...
Peony Courtyard
"Madam, just now the Second Madam invited the Young Madam to the courtyard for tea. They chatted for a long time before the Young Madam excused herself and left."
Cen's eyes widened when she heard this. "You said He and Cui talked for a long time? Cui, the daughter-in-law of the eldest son, is close to the aunt of the second son. What a traitor!"
Cen frowned, and said with some worry, "I'm not worried about her getting close to He. After all, as her mother-in-law, I've lost so much face since she came into the family that I don't care about the gossip in the mansion. I'm just worried that He has also set her sights on the status of the Duke of Dingguo's family and wants to instigate Cui to help Yan's daughter snatch this good marriage from Danruo."
Nanny Qi reported the matter to her own wife, fearing that the young lady would interfere and favor Lu Danyan from the second house.
After all, there is not much affection between my wife, the second young lady and the young lady. In comparison, the young lady actually interacts more with the second wife.
Although she was worried, seeing her wife's worried expression, Madam Qi couldn't help but comfort her, "Don't worry too much, Madam. Although the young mistress isn't close to our Mudan Court, she is still the daughter-in-law of the eldest house. How could she do something like helping the second house snatch our daughter's marriage?"
"Besides, the young lady doesn't look like someone who would be so soft-hearted as to interfere in the second young lady's marriage just because of He's instigation."
Mrs. Cen still frowned and was about to say something when she heard hurried footsteps outside. In the blink of an eye, she saw her daughter Lu Danruo walking in from outside with a grim expression.
Seeing her expression and thinking about the speculations in the mansion, Cen realized that her daughter also knew the real purpose of attending the flower viewing banquet.
When Lu Danruo saw Cen, her eyes couldn't help but turn red. She asked with a choked voice, "Mother, do you really want your daughter to marry Pei An as those people outside say? Don't forget, Pei An's two fiancées both met with accidents before the wedding. One died of illness, and the other ruined her reputation and ruined her appearance, leading to a miserable life. Many people in the capital say that Pei An is unlucky in marriage. Do you still want your daughter to take the risk of marrying such a man? Not to mention, Pei An has a concubine who gave birth to a daughter for him. If I marry him, I won't have any children myself and will become his stepmother. I don't know how bad it will sound if the news gets out."
Lu Danruo felt indescribably aggrieved and a little afraid, fearing that the two families would really discuss marriage, and she would end up like Pei An's previous two fiancées.
She felt her mother had lost her mind. There were many high-ranking young men of her status in the capital, and how could they be so tempted by the thought of marriage from the old lady of the Duke of Dingguo, making her, a legitimate daughter of the Duke of Weiguo, seem cheap and unwanted? She was clearly just trying to be someone's stepmother. Thinking of her mother even ordering the embroidery department to make her a dress for the flower viewing banquet, Lu Danruo felt mortified. Now that word had spread throughout the mansion, countless people would secretly laugh at her. Especially her sister-in-law, Cui Lingyan, who had always disliked her, was probably just enjoying the show, looking down on her even more.
Thinking of this, Lu Danruo's tears began to fall.
Nanny Qi looked on and waved her hand for all the maids in the room to retreat. She was about to step forward to comfort her daughter when she heard Cen say, "Think carefully. If you don't like this marriage, there are many people vying for it. Not to mention the distant future, I'm afraid your aunt is tempted and wants to make plans for your cousin and snatch this marriage away from you."
"She specially invited your sister-in-law over for tea and a chat today. I don't know what she said to your sister-in-law, but it was probably about Pei An. Do you want your cousin to marry into the Duke of Dingguo's mansion? Princess Chun'an has been pregnant for a long time. If your cousin's child is adopted by the eldest son, your cousin will be superior to you for the rest of her life. You will only be envious and regretful."
Lu Danruo had thought her mother would carefully analyze the pros and cons with her and half-persuade, half-coax her into accepting the marriage. She had never expected her mother to say these words, leaving her stunned.
Although she and Lu Danyan grew up in the Duke's Mansion, one was the eldest daughter of the eldest house and the other was the second daughter of the second house. Her mother was only a concubine, and her father's original wife was the late Princess Shuning. Due to these reasons and different personalities, she and her cousin Lu Danyan were harmonious on the surface, but in fact, they couldn't stand each other.
Her cousin thought she was spoiled, willful and out of control, but she felt that her cousin thought she looked down on her because she had read a few more books, and that she pretended to be a talented woman, which was really unpleasant.
She had originally looked down on this marriage and was a little worried about Pei Anke's wife. If the two families married, she would also be in danger. But when she thought about how she would feel if the marriage was snatched away by her cousin and if her cousin became famous in the future, she hesitated again.
For a moment, Lu Danruo stopped crying, and there was a look of confusion and helplessness in her eyes.
She felt that marrying Pei An would be dangerous and would make her a laughing stock, but she also didn't want Lu Danyan to marry Pei An. She was in a dilemma and subconsciously looked at Cen who was sitting on the couch.
The daughter came out of her belly, and Mrs. Cen knew what she was thinking just by looking at her expression.
She sighed softly, called Lu Danruo to her side, and said earnestly: "You are my only daughter. Whatever I do, I will think of you and your future."
"If this marriage was really so bad, why would mother have thought of you? Why would your aunt also be thinking of it, thinking of asking your cousin to snatch this marriage away from you? Your aunt is more calculating and thoughtful than mother, and she has already chosen someone for your cousin. Are you still so picky and give this marriage to Yan girl for nothing?"
After saying this, Cen added with some worry, "If your sister-in-law remembers that you offended her and doesn't consider your interests but instead sides with outsiders, there might be more twists and turns in this marriage. How could you possibly have the chance to object then?"
Mrs. Cen understood her daughter's temperament, and sure enough, after she finished speaking, Lu Danruo said with disdain, "How can my daughter be inferior to my cousin? My father is the Duke of Wei, and I am the most honored legitimate daughter of our Duke's Mansion. This is because my grandmother still has the two branches of the family and hasn't separated. Otherwise, how could my cousin have the honor of our Duke's Mansion?"
"It's bad enough that the Second Branch isn't grateful, but they're actually thinking of competing for us. How despicable! If Cui is plotting for the Second Branch, she's not worthy of being the daughter-in-law of our First Branch. If Grandmother knew she was involved, she would definitely not give her face!"
After Lu Danruo finished speaking, she added with a hint of uneasiness, "But if Pei An is really unlucky with his wife, my daughter is really scared. Besides, marrying him would mean becoming someone's stepmother, which would be disgraceful if word got out. Not to mention there's a sister-in-law like Princess Chun'an. If I marry her, wouldn't I have to obey her in everything and live my life at her mercy? My daughter has heard that Princess Chun'an is spoiled and willful, and she's really overbearing and unforgiving in her dealings with others, and doesn't care about other people's opinions at all."
Although Lu Danruo and Princess Chun'an had little personal connection, she was a noblewoman in the capital, and the public often discussed Princess Chun'an, now the wife of Duke Dingguo. They all said that Princess Chun'an, relying on the emperor's favor, was unrestrained, too jealous as a wife and unvirtuous, and unfilial as a daughter-in-law, disregarding her mother-in-law. Yet, despite all their talk, they envied Princess Chun'an's unfettered freedom, believing that if they were also a princess, they would surely be able to live a life as carefree as this, free from all the rules.
Lu Danruo envied Princess Chun'an, but she didn't expect to have a sister-in-law like Princess Chun'an, who always gave way to the princess.
After hearing her concerns, Cen didn't immediately offer comfort. Instead, she remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Think about Cui Linghui. What kind of life is she leading now? And what about your sister-in-law? Do you think you'll one day regret it like Cui Linghui, regretting being too picky and giving up a good marriage to your cousin, who then stole the spotlight?"
Cen's words were indeed a bit harsh, but they touched Lu Danruo's heart. Lu Danruo's face changed again and again, and after a while, he softened and said, "Let's go to the flower viewing banquet first. Who knows, maybe the old lady of the Duke of Dingguo is just thinking about it, and she's attracted to another girl at the flower viewing banquet?"
"Besides, my daughter is going to get married, so I have to see what kind of person Pei An is and whether he is worthy of her."
She said this without objection, and Cen's face finally showed a hint of smile. She stroked Lu Danruo's hair and said with a smile, "How could the old lady look down on our Danruo? No matter how scheming your aunt is, no matter how much she wants to consider your cousin, the old lady of the Duke of Dingguo still values the girls of our eldest house. Although your cousin is virtuous and gentle, her status is inferior to yours. As long as the old lady of the Duke of Dingguo is not senile, she will know who to choose to enter their Dingguo Mansion."
Lu Danruo blushed slightly after being praised by her mother, and felt a little proud. She wondered how her cousin Ren could think that she was a talented woman, when her background alone was not as good as her, the daughter of the eldest son in the family.
Just as her mother said, no matter how good she is, the old lady of Duke Dingguo would not like her to be her daughter-in-law.
Lu Danruo chatted with Cen for a while before coming out of the Peony Courtyard.
Dingguo Gongfu
Nanny Qin entered the upper room and approached Old Madam Yin, reporting, "Old Madam, the princess said she has been feeling unwell these past few days, so she won't be attending the flower viewing banquet, lest she pass her illness on to you, Madam."
After hearing Nanny Qin's report, Yin put the teacup in her hand down on the table with a sullen face. She said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Why did she get sick at this time when she didn't get sick earlier or later? I think she's just making excuses to put me off!"
"Although she is a princess, the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother. She, the sister-in-law, didn't even show her face when the second brother was choosing a wife. Those who didn't know her would think she was really dissatisfied with this Duke's Mansion. Otherwise, why did she finally return to the capital from Huang'en Temple, but only stayed in the mansion for a few days before moving to the Princess' Mansion? And the eldest brother still indulged her and actually followed her there! The princess is so unfilial, I think it's all because of the eldest brother's indulgence!"
"I sent you to ask her, and she actually found such an excuse. She's clearly treating me, her mother-in-law, like a fool!"
Seeing the old lady so angry, Nanny Qin asked hesitantly, "How about I go to the princess's mansion tomorrow and try to persuade her. Maybe when the princess feels better, she'll change her mind and agree to it?"
Old Madam Yin frowned and said, "She's still holding a grudge against me because I arranged for a concubine for the eldest son. That's why she's deliberately going against me, her mother-in-law, and won't give me even a shred of face."
"Forget it. If she doesn't want to attend the flower viewing party, then let her go. It's not like a mother-in-law to send people to invite her several times in a row. If this gets out, I don't know how many people will laugh at me!"
"I said at the beginning that marrying a princess is like welcoming a bodhisattva into your family. Look at what's happened now. She's been married for years and there's not even a hint of pregnancy. She even stopped me, her mother-in-law, from sending someone to the eldest son. She's so jealous. If she wasn't a daughter of the royal family, which family would tolerate such a daughter-in-law?"
Old Lady Yin grew increasingly angry as she spoke, but she had been complaining about these things every now and then since Princess Chun'an had married into the family. After so many years, she wasn't tired of hearing them, and the maids and servants in the house were also tired of hearing them.
There was really no point complaining. Princess Chun'an was the most beloved by the current emperor, and she was the legitimate daughter of the previous empress, so her status was the most noble. As long as the emperor was alive and could protect the princess, even if the old lady was dissatisfied, she could not do anything to the princess. She even had to act kind and loving in front of the princess. Even when the Duke of Guo moved in with the princess, the old lady only complained privately and did not dare to confront the princess and completely break up with her.
Madam Yin was furious for a long time before she slowly calmed down. After thinking for a while, she instructed Nanny Qin, "Go tell Aunt Wei to keep a close eye on Yi Jie'er these few days. Don't let her run around. It would be bad if the little girl accidentally fell or got hurt."
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