Chapter 100 The Wedding
Meng Yutong winced in pain and raised her hand to rub her forehead.
Based on her past life experiences, she had long suspected something. Jin'an's actions against her were undoubtedly because of Ji Yun. Even though Ji Yun insisted that he had no romantic relationship with Jin'an, the princess probably didn't think so; she may have already regarded her as a thorn in her side.
Jin'an appears gentle and harmless, but inside she is a person with deep obsessions and extreme behavior.
Although she had broken off her engagement with Ji Yun in this life, she had been in frequent contact with him for various reasons these days. Perhaps it was this that made Jin An misunderstand her even more, so he simply took this opportunity to get rid of her as soon as possible.
Fortunately, Jin'an's plan failed this time. Jingfu was not dead, and her scheme to poison him, then plot to "rescue" him and seize power had failed.
Jin'an is still that neglected and powerless princess, and it is not easy to touch her again.
However, there was one crucial point that she still couldn't figure out.
That was Consort Xian.
When Gyeongbok was poisoned, it was the Dowager Empress who ordered the sealing of the Chiao Yu Hall. After Gyeongbok regained consciousness, he wanted to hold Geum-an accountable, but it was the Dowager Empress who intervened and suppressed the matter.
The relationship between Consort Xian and Jin'an was anything but ordinary.
Then what about Consort Xian and herself? If they had no connection, why would she go to such lengths to help Jin'an deal with a mere insignificant female physician like herself?
“There is indeed something I don’t understand,” she said, looking at Old Madam Meng, and asked the question that had been lingering in her mind for a long time. “Does Grandmother know about the Consort Xian? It seems that this Consort Xian was secretly helping the medical clinic to suffer this disaster. But I have never had any dealings with her before, and I really can’t figure out why she would want to harm me.”
She recalled the stories that Granny Gui had told her in the past, and a shocking guess had been brewing in her mind. Now, that guess became clearer and clearer.
Upon hearing the words "Virtuous Consort," Old Madam Meng's face darkened abruptly, and a deep-seated disgust and hatred flashed across her cloudy eyes.
Her hand, which was injured in her early years and covered in wrinkles, unconsciously pressed against her knee, her fingertips trembling slightly uncontrollably, the trembling becoming more and more violent.
Seeing this, Granny Wu quickly stuffed the hot tea that Bai Zhi had just brewed into the old lady's hand, and held the old lady's trembling hand tightly with her own, her eyes full of heartache: "Madam, please calm down. Or... or let Lao Gui speak."
Seeing the drastic change in the expressions of the others, Meng Yutong's vague guess instantly became a reality.
She looked at Granny Gui and asked herself, "Is it related to the stories you told me before, about my grandmother's youth?"
She was so perceptive that once the words were spoken, the group knew they could no longer hide it from her.
Grandma Meng slowly closed her eyes, exhaling a long, heavy breath from deep within her chest, as if she had exhausted all her strength. She raised her hand towards Granny Gui, her voice filled with endless weariness: "Tell her everything... just tell her."
Granny Gui then stepped forward and said in a deep voice, following Meng Yutong's words, "Yes. Miss guessed correctly. This old servant did mention to you before that when the old lady was young, she saved a noble young man from danger. That young man... is the current Prince Rong. And his birth mother is the current Empress Dowager Xian."
With tears welling up in her eyes, Granny Wu added, "Originally, the old lady was determined to take these old grudges to her grave and would never let you, young lady, be involved in them. But when she heard that Zhaoyutang had been sealed off the other day, the old lady knew that if she kept this from you, it might... harm you instead."
Meng Yutong stared at the hideous, twisted old scar on her grandmother's face. Even after so many years, the scar was still clearly visible, silently telling the story of the tragedy that happened back then.
Bringing up such painful memories in front of her grandmother now would be like rubbing salt into her already bleeding wounds.
A bittersweet feeling welled up inside her. She stepped forward and gently took the old woman's still slightly trembling hands, softly but firmly uttering the words that had been stuck in her throat for so long:
"Grandmother, you have suffered so much these years."
When Grandma Meng opened her eyes, her gaze towards Meng Yutong revealed deep satisfaction and an undisguised weariness.
"I'm an old man, and I've lived to this age. I have nothing left to ask for."
Her voice was low and hoarse, tinged with a sense of vicissitude, "In this world, the only thing I can't let go of is you. I had long anticipated that that old hag might use you against me in the future, which is why I arranged your marriage so early. I chose the Ji family, firstly because Ji Huaijin owes me a favor, and secondly... only a family like theirs might be able to protect you in the future."
She gently patted Meng Yutong's hand and sighed, "I just didn't expect that you would grow up and have your own ideas. I've been tough my whole life, and this was a rare time when I softened and agreed to your request to break off the engagement, allowing you to open this clinic. Now it seems... the thing I feared most has finally happened."
“That old hag was terrifyingly controlling. Back then, my relationship with her son was completely innocent, and I never wanted to get involved with the imperial family. If I hadn’t been invited by Ji Huaijin to come to Lin’an to consult on a difficult case, I would never have met them, much less…” Her words trailed off, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes, and she didn’t continue.
She looked at Meng Yutong, her tone turning serious: "I heard that you have some dealings with her grandson. Listen to your grandmother, stay away from him. Now that the old woman's son is no longer by her side, she has no control over him, and all her attention is probably focused on that grandson. The fuse that caused your trouble this time probably comes from this."
Meng Yutong was shocked; so this was how it was.
Before she died in her previous life, she still harbored many grievances against her grandmother, believing herself to be nothing more than a pawn in maintaining family relationships. Little did she know that such a complex secret was hidden behind the scenes.
Her grandmother had thought so far ahead for her, taking every step carefully, just to find a possible shelter for her when she was still young and vulnerable.
Tears welled up uncontrollably and dripped onto the wrinkled back of Grandma Meng's hands.
The old lady's expression was serious and left no room for argument.
Upon hearing this, Meng Yutong's heart sank. The marriage in her past life, filled with neglect, scheming, and eventual death, was etched into the depths of her soul like a nightmare.
She fought with all her might to break free of the cage and win this world where she can breathe freely, because she firmly believes that only by taking her destiny into her own hands can she survive.
Marriage? That would be tantamount to handing over the peace of mind she had finally managed to grasp. How could she be willing to do that?
She almost blurted out a refusal, but looking at her grandmother's worried yet determined eyes, the words stuck in her throat.
Grandma Meng seemed to see through her thoughts, and her tone softened a bit, but remained firm: "Do you have someone you like by your side? I heard from Granny Gui that you've met quite a few people since you opened your clinic, including many good young men of pure character."
“Grandmother knows that the situation is urgent now, and you can no longer do as you please. I also know that you are very capable, and your medical skills have surpassed mine back then. This clinic has been opened without any trouble.”
Her gaze was kind yet sharp, looking into the depths of Meng Yutong's eyes: "I know what you're worried about. You're afraid of repeating the same mistakes, afraid that once you get married, you'll lose yourself, hand your fate over to someone else, and be manipulated by them, isn't that right?"
Meng Yutong's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she acquiesced.
Grandma Meng grasped her hand, squeezing it tighter, her voice steady and powerful: "Silly child, Grandma wants to tell you that a woman's true strength is not just about keeping everyone at arm's length and fighting alone. Even after marriage, you will still be you!"
"Your miraculous medical skills will not disappear, and the reputation of Zhaoyutang will not fall. You can still compete for the selection of the Medical Academy next year! Now you have the ability to make a living and the confidence to stand on your own two feet."
"Grandma believed that no matter how you choose to live, you have the ability to protect yourself and get everything you want. Marriage can be a shackle, but if you meet a good person and manage it properly, it can also become a suit of armor."
She gently patted her granddaughter's hand, her tone becoming urgent: "That old woman will never let this go. We need to prepare before she makes a move, or it will be too late."
She turned to Bai Zhi, who was standing to the side, and asked, "Bai Zhi, tell me, which men have been associating with A Ying the most? What are their family backgrounds and character like? Are they trustworthy?"
Meng Yutong frowned, about to speak, "Grandmother..."
Grandma Meng raised her hand to stop her from speaking, and her gaze fell on Bai Zhi.
Bai Zhi slowly moved forward, and seeing four pairs of eyes staring at her in the courtyard, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "There are several gentlemen who have been in frequent contact with you, young lady. One of them is Liu Sijun, the young master from Qinzhou. His family runs a caravan business and travels all over the country doing business. He is generous and righteous, and often comes to the clinic to help out. I think... he seems to have some affection for you, young lady."
Meng Yutong glanced at her, her eyes slightly cold.
Bai Zhi immediately fell silent, lowered her head, and pretended to twist the hem of her clothes in her hands.
Grandma Meng cleared her throat, her eyes showing some understanding: "I know this boy. In fact, he is your blood relative."
She looked at Meng Yutong, who looked puzzled, and slowly said, "When you were young, you didn't know much about the people on your maternal grandparents' side. This Liu Sijun, no, I should say Liu Sijun, is your uncle's only son."
"Shortly after your mother passed away, the father and son made a special trip to Lin'an, intending to bring you back to Qinzhou to take care of you. However, seeing that you were doing well and living a stable life here, they gave up the idea. Although they returned to Qinzhou, they continued to correspond with me and inquire about your situation."
Meng Yutong could not hide her surprise: "There is such a thing? My mother has never mentioned it to me."
"Back then, your father did something outrageous." The old lady sighed, a trace of regret and helplessness flashing in her eyes. "He secretly obtained a batch of poisonous herbs, intending to use your mother's connections to transport them out under the guise of your maternal grandfather's caravan."
“Your mother was very understanding and told me about this. Although I severely punished your father, he and I, as well as your mother, became estranged. Your mother was worried that he would cause trouble in the future and implicate her family in Qinzhou, so she took the initiative to write back home and cut off all contact. At that time, you were still young, so it was inconvenient for her to tell you these things in detail.”
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