Su Chengye had prepared a lot of words, waiting for Su Qingyu to continue arguing with him. But Su Qingyu suddenly changed the subject, which caught Su Chengye off guard.
Subconsciously, he asked, "Going to the hot spring village? Can't I take care of my pregnancy in the mansion?"
The hot spring farm Su Qingyu mentioned was part of Lin's dowry. Not only could one soak in the hot springs, but the farm also grew a wealth of fresh fruits and vegetables. Every year during the Lunar New Year, the Su family would give these fresh fruits and vegetables away, earning them considerable prestige.
The most important thing is that the people serving in the hot spring villa are all servants of the Lin family.
Mrs. Lin was sitting aside, still worried about her daughter's marriage. When she heard that she was going to go to the hot spring resort to take care of her pregnancy, she hesitated.
"Qingyu, mother can't just leave you alone in the mansion."
Su Qingyu whispered, "Mother, nothing is more important than your health. The hot spring villa is warmer than the mansion, and it has all the vegetables and fruits you like. You'll feel better if you go there, and it's the best thing for the child."
She turned to look at the old lady again, "Grandma, it wasn't easy for my mother to be pregnant with this child. If it's a boy, then he'll be the legitimate son. We should be careful."
The fact that the eldest branch of the Su family had no legitimate son had become the old lady's biggest worry in recent years. Now that Lin was pregnant, the old lady hoped more than anyone else that this child would be a safe birth.
After pondering for a moment, he said, "Qingyu has a point. Wanyin, you should go to the hot spring villa to take care of your pregnancy and don't worry about the affairs of the mansion."
"As for the affairs of the mansion..."
The old lady was not very reassured about handing it over to Su Qingyu.
Su Qingyu naturally understood what the old lady was thinking. She smiled and said, "Grandma, I'm just in charge of the overall situation. The detailed matters are handled by the stewards below. If I don't understand something, I will come and ask you."
"Besides, I'm going to marry into the Shen family, so I have to learn these things."
Lin and Su Chengye didn't know that Su Qingyu was going to marry Mr. Shen Sanye. When they heard Su Qingyu say this, they were both surprised.
Su Qingyu then told the details of what happened in the Shen family, including how Cheng Rujin climbed into Shen Zhao's bed and how she had no choice but to agree to marry Mr. Shen Sanye.
As Su Qingyu continued to speak, Lin's expression grew increasingly gloomy. She glared at Gu Ruoyun coldly, gritting her teeth and saying, "I took you in with such good intentions, yet you ended up raising such evil."
Su Qingyu was afraid that her mother would be angry, so she whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Mom, I have my own ideas. Don't be angry. Let's talk about it when we get back."
Lin stood up and looked at Su Chengye again, her tone filled with warning, "My Lord, please take care of this person of unknown origin in this mansion, or don't blame me, the mistress of the house, for being rude."
Although Lin came from a merchant family, the expenses of the Marquis' Mansion in recent years were supported by her dowry business, so even though some of her words were unpleasant to hear, Su Chengye had no choice but to listen.
If the second master of the Su family, Su Chengyan, had not lost hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in gambling and had not been impeached for embezzling a lot of silver, the Su family would not have proposed to marry Lin's daughter.
After the two families got married, the Su family borrowed 300,000 taels of silver from the Lin family to fill Su Chengyan's hole, and they also bribed people up and down to keep his official position.
The Lin family took their daughter and granddaughter into consideration and had no intention of taking the money. The account is still pending on the books of both families.
Su Chengye was not confident in front of Lin, so he rarely went to the main courtyard on weekdays. This time, Lin was pregnant because he had drunk alcohol last month and went to see Lin without thinking.
"Let's just leave it at that. I'll go back first. What happened today has given me a headache." After the old lady said this, she was supported by Nanny Yuan and got into the warm sedan chair and left.
Su Qingyu also accompanied Lin back to Ziwei Garden, and Cheng Ruijin returned to Qingyunxuan where she lived.
Su Chengye quietly went to Shaohua Hall where Gu Ruoyun lived.
Gu Ruoyun handed the child to the wet nurse and sent the servants away.
"Cousin, when can I stand by your side openly and honestly?"
"I'm tired of living under someone else's roof. And Yuan Che, he is the heir to the Marquisate."
Gu Ruoyun asked one question after another, as if only this could suppress the uneasiness in her heart.
Su Chengye was thirty-six years old this year, with a handsome face and a tall figure. He wore a light blue straight-sleeved casual suit, a narrow brocade belt, and a fine jade pendant with the inscription "longevity and happiness" on his waist.
He had his back to her at this moment, standing silently in front of the window.
After a long pause, he said, "I can tell my wife that I'll take you as my concubine. If you're worried about the children's marriages, you can register them under my wife's name. I also have some private property, which I'll give to Yuan Che and Ru Jin."
Gu Ruoyun's brows furrowed. This wasn't what she wanted to hear. If she wanted to be a concubine, she wouldn't have to wait until today. This was what Su Chengye had promised her, and it was what she deserved.
"If that's what my cousin says, then I'll go tell my wife that Yuan Che is my son, and Ru Jin is also my cousin's child. And back then..."
Su Chengye's brows darkened and he shouted sternly, "Don't talk nonsense." Seeing that Gu Ruoyun's eyes were moist and tearful, Su Chengye softened his tone again.
"Ruoyun, you have to give me some time. The Marquis' Mansion is now supported by Madam's assets. I need time to prepare."
Although it was an explanation, his tone already revealed impatience.
Gu Ruoyun has been by Su Chengye's side for so many years, so her ability to control people must be first-class.
Hearing this, she took two steps forward, put her arms around Su Chengye's waist, and put her face against his chest.
"Cousin, I was anxious for a moment. I will listen to you."
But there was a hint of cruelty in his lowered eyes.
After Su Chengye left, Gu Ruoyun called the head maid Yue Tao and asked in a low voice, "I remember your cousin is in charge of the carriages and horses in the outer courtyard..."
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In Ziwei Garden, Lin was sitting on the big kang by the window in the banquet room, with a bowl of warm chicken soup at her side.
Su Qingyu knew that the most difficult part of this marriage was her mother's. The old lady could still be persuaded by using benefits, but her mother was truly doing it for her own good.
Seeing that Lin hadn't spoken since she came in, Su Qingyu spoke cautiously.
“Mom, I really would rather marry Mr. Shen San than marry Mr. Shen Zhao.”
"And even if I marry someone else, how do I know it won't be the next Shen Zhao?"
"It would be better for me to stay in the backyard and fight with concubines, and curry favor with my mother-in-law. I'd rather marry that dead Mr. Shen Sanye."
"Besides, Third Master Shen died for his country this time, and the emperor posthumously conferred him a title. Although I am only Mrs. Shen in name, the court and the Shen family will also take good care of me."
"I guess the Shen family will give me an adopted child in a few years, so I won't be left alone in my old age. As for money, the dowry my mother gave me is enough for me to eat and wear for the rest of my life. Isn't this a good life?"
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