"Oh my God, you need to know who that is. That's Duke Dingguo, our Prime Minister."
“Yeah, after what happened to the Xu family, do you still dare to take advantage of Qiao?”
"Yes, if there is a butler going, they will be happy."
"Tell me, how did the Xu family raise their daughter? How could she do such a thing?"
"Who would have known this? He's from a scholarly family, and he's the Minister of Rites."
"What can the Xu family do with so many daughters?"
"She's already married into the Pei family, what can we do? No matter what, there will be people who will give face to the Xu family because of the Pei family's power."
…
Xu Ying's reputation was completely ruined. After leaving the palace, she never left the house again.
I can’t go out either, after all, my leg injury hasn’t healed yet.
"That's what people say outside now, right?" She was half lying on the bed in her bedroom, listening to the girl's stumbling retelling, her hands clutching the quilt, her fingertips turning white.
The girl knocked her head to the ground and replied tremblingly, "Miss, that's all..."
"Good, really good..." She stared at her calf, "Tu Qingyu, you are really good. You actually hurt me to such an extent."
Her reputation, her legs, she didn't believe that this matter had nothing to do with Tu Qingyu.
Thinking carefully about what happened before, she pushed Tu Qingyu, and Tu Qingyu turned around and pushed her back, the same place, the same injury.
This time too, no matter what method she wanted to use to deal with Tu Qingyu, in the end, everything happened to her.
Even her niece, who worked as a court lady in the palace, was expelled from the palace for a random fault.
Is the power of the Minister of Revenue so much greater than that of her, the Minister of Rites?
It took her so long to arrange those things in collaboration with the palace ladies, and Tu Qingyu...it seemed like she could kill her so easily.
The only thing that doesn't make sense is that she ended up with Pei Kangsheng...
Why is it Pei Kangsheng?
Isn’t this Tu Qingyu’s own fiancé?
Doesn't she like this fiancé?
After much thought, the only explanation for this matter is that Tu Qingyu no longer wants Pei Kangsheng, so he did not put her together with the illegitimate son of the Earl's Mansion.
At this moment, she didn't even feel a trace of joy that she had achieved her wish and was finally going to marry into the Pei Mansion.
Whenever she thought that this was something Tu Qingyu didn't want and she didn't snatch it away by herself, she became so jealous that she almost lost her mind.
"You, what's wrong with you?" At this time, Mrs. Xu came in and saw her gloomy face. She was so scared that she almost stepped on her skirt.
Xu Ying's expression immediately changed. "It's okay, Mom. Why are you here?"
"Why am I here?" Seeing her return to her normal self, Xu's mother's expression changed. "Why else would I be here?"
The blame and disgust in her eyes were undisguised. "Do you know what people are saying about you and our Xu family?!"
"Mom, I told you, I was plotted against, and I don't want those things to happen."
"I won't pursue the details of what happened. You still have six months before you get married. I just hope that after you get married, you can quickly gain a foothold in the Pei family and create a good future for your brothers and sisters.
Whenever you have something good, think more about your mother’s home.
Only in this way will the Xu family forgive your previous mistakes."
Facing what Xu's mother said, there was no emotion in Xu Ying's eyes. She was almost numb.
During this period, even though she was still recovering from her injuries, Xu's mother would come often.
Whenever she heard something unpleasant outside, or was laughed at at a banquet, she would come and scold her.
She didn't scold him these days, but just kept telling him how she should be nice to her parents' home when she got married.
"I'm talking to you, do you hear me?" Seeing that she didn't listen, Xu's mother stretched out her finger and poked her forehead.
When her fingers left her body, a red mark immediately appeared on her forehead, which showed how strong the force was.
Xu Ying kept her head down. She replied softly, "I heard it."
"I'm glad to hear that." Mother Xu nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Your brother has been in poor health since he was young. It will be difficult for him to go to school on his own. His future depends on you."
"The Pei family is so wealthy and powerful, even if they reveal anything, it would be enough for our family to live a life of wealth and glory."
"Your father is also a useless man. He is a minister of rites, but he doesn't even dare to arrange a position for the men in his family. In the future, you will rely on the Pei family.
Although you have a bad reputation now, your parents are not such pedantic people.
Reputation only looks good to outsiders, as long as you live a good life, that's enough.
There is no mistress in the Duke's Mansion, so you will be the mistress once you marry in.
You don't have a mother-in-law over you, and Duke Pei is busy with state affairs all day long. You just need to serve your husband well and coax Pei Kangsheng, and your future life will be much easier."
"Oh." After saying that, she sighed deeply, "Girl, although your reputation is ruined, it can be said that you stumbled upon this by accident."
"Your father is no longer angry with you. When your leg gets better, go and give him a gift and apologize. In the future, the Xu family will still be your support."
…
She kept on talking a lot, and Xu Ying just listened quietly, almost nothing going in one ear and out the other.
After Madam Xu finished speaking and paused for a long time, she spoke softly, "Mother, what about my dowry?"
For ordinary ladies from wealthy families, their families start preparing dowries for them from the moment they are born.
Those who don't have that kind of family background should start preparing in advance when the girl reaches her teens.
Their family was not well off. Their father kept so many concubines and was also very honest, so there was not much money in the family.
She remembered that when her sisters got married, they didn't have much dowry. Even the betrothal gifts sent by the men were secretly withheld by her mother.
But she was marrying into the Pei family. How could she enter the Pei family without a dowry?
She stared at Mrs. Xu, and sure enough, she saw her mother's face fall when she heard the word "dowry".
"Mother." Her eyes were red and her voice was hoarse. "I am marrying into the Pei family. That is the Pei family. If my daughter goes there empty-handed, wouldn't it be a joke? Would Master Pei respect me?"
"Of course I won't let you go empty-handed." Madam Xu looked a little embarrassed. She stood up and said, "I will discuss this matter with your father. Don't worry about it."
Xu Ying looked at her hurriedly leaving back and just felt ridiculous.
She sat there blankly for several hours, until the night fell, and then she asked, "Today is the Lantern Festival, right?"
"Yes, young lady, today is the Lantern Festival."
"Has anything been delivered to the Pei Mansion?"
The girl was silent for a while and replied: "No."
At this time, the two men of the Pei family were on the boat in the moat, looking at the same person in fascination.
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