“My granddaughter is getting married next year, why don’t you design one for her too!”
Second Madam Li immediately laughed, "Oh dear, Old Madam Lin and I are thinking the same thing! My daughter Han'er is also getting married next year. I had already entrusted her wedding dress to my eldest daughter, but I never expected that the painter on the back would be Youran! Youran, you'll have to put in a lot of effort now that your fourth sister is getting married!"
"Oh, Second Aunt, I'm already painting Fourth Sister's wedding dress! You can ask Eldest Sister if you don't believe me!" Su Youran giggled.
Everyone chimed in with their own opinions: some wanted to place orders, some wanted to go to the embroidery shop to look at patterns, and others wanted to congratulate the two Yun family daughters who were about to get married.
Yun Manyan and Su Youran both smiled and agreed, while Yun Manying also accepted everyone's congratulations with a beaming smile.
At this moment, Madam Guo, who had been silent all along, nudged Yun Manqian, the fifth daughter who was serving beside her, and said, "Qian'er, why aren't you going with such a good opportunity?"
Yun Manqian was pushed in front of Old Madam Yun, her face filled with panic, her hands twisting her handkerchief tightly.
Madam Su immediately pulled her over, "What's wrong with Qian'er?"
Yun Manqian lowered her head even further, not daring to speak.
Madam Guo smiled and said, "Qian'er will be of marriageable age at the end of this year. Her aunt came to ask me yesterday to find her a good marriage! Since all the elders are here today, why don't we make some arrangements for her?"
Madam Yun's expression immediately turned sour.
Guo had caused a lot of trouble over the marriage of her biological daughter, Yun Manyin. She finally found a suitable husband, the governor of Jiangzhou. He had power, but he was a bit old. Her daughter had also gone to Jiangzhou to take up her post and was not by her side. Guo became more and more depressed every year.
What's even more frustrating is that Yun Manyin has been married for five or six years but still can't get pregnant.
Her husband was nearly forty and was extremely anxious. He had mentioned taking a concubine several times, but due to the power of the Yun family, he did not dare to force the issue without Yun Manyin's consent.
In addition, with Aunt Lin and Yun Manqian constantly around her, she was always in a bad mood and would take it out on Yun Manqian.
Fortunately, Yun Zheng has been managing the affairs outside the capital for many years, and the Yun family business is thriving under his arrangement. As a result, Guo Shi felt that the third branch of the family was gradually surpassing the first branch in the status of the Yun family in the capital, and she often became more impolite in her speech.
Normally, Madam Su wouldn't care about these things. She had to manage the household affairs of the Yun family and also had many shops to run. The Yun family had three branches outside supporting some business matters, so she was happy to let go.
But what kind of occasion is this? As soon as Madam Guo spoke up, the ladies all felt that their expressions were not very pleasant.
Yun Manqian was the illegitimate daughter of the third branch of the family, and as the legal mother, Madam Guo should have made plans for her from the beginning. However, not only did she not do so, she also pushed Yun Manqian forward at the old lady's birthday banquet, letting the elders arrange a marriage for her. Wasn't this a clear case of the legal mother mistreating her illegitimate daughter?
Even if it's necessary for elders to arrange the matchmaking, it should be done privately; that's the proper way to do so.
Why just push Yun Manqian out like that? What do you take her for?
Even if someone were to propose to her, once they knew, would they still think highly of Yun Manqian?
Madam Su nudged Yun Manqian toward Su Youran, smiling as she tried to smooth things over, "What are you saying, Third Sister-in-law? Our Yun family will take care of Qian'er's marriage. How can we trouble Old Madam Lin and Old Madam Xue?"
After saying that, she said to You Ran, "You Ran, take your fifth sister to meet the Lin family cousins."
In fact, the Lin family and the Yun family have had many interactions over the years, and the Lin family's cousins and the Yun family's sisters are all familiar with each other, so there is no need for You Ran to introduce them.
However, You Ran also knew that it was extremely improper to talk about her marriage in front of her fifth sister.
So he curtsied and pulled her and her older sister to sit together with the Lin family cousins, where they chatted and laughed.
Madam Yun gave Guo a silent glare, then gestured for Madam Xue and Madam Lin to sit down.
Just then, an old woman led a servant in carrying a tray.
The servant knelt before Madam Yun and said, "Young Master ordered me to deliver a birthday gift to Madam Yun, wishing her boundless happiness and longevity."
Madam Yun smiled broadly, "You're so kind, Eldest Brother."
With a smile, Madam Su took the contents of the tray and presented them to Old Madam Yun.
Madam Yun unveiled the red silk and immediately beamed with joy.
Then they carefully took the contents out.
Old Madam Xue took a closer look and exclaimed, "Oh my, what a beautiful rabbit!"
Madam Lin also said, "Such a large ruby must be priceless!"
Madam Xue was overjoyed. "Who exactly is this young master living in your house? Could he be some wealthy merchant?"
You Ran, who was standing to the side, was taken aback. Young Master?
Wasn't it supposed to be Chu Heng?
She recognized the servant; he was a eunuch serving the Crown Prince!
She tugged at Yun Manyan's sleeve, "Big sister, what young master?"
Yun Manyan asked in surprise, "How come you didn't know?"
You Ran shrugged and looked at Yun Manqian, "Fifth Sister, do you know?"
Yun Manqian nodded, "They say he's a cousin of ours, but nobody knows for sure whose cousin he is. Sixth Sister, don't you know?"
She countered with a question.
You Ran was taken aback. "I...I really don't know..."
She thought to herself, "This Chu Heng is the son of Consort Zhou, and the Zhou family is related to the Yun family by marriage. It's not a lie to say that he's the Yun family's cousin..."
Just then, a woman rushed in, crying, "Grandmother, Mother... please, please help me..."
Everyone was startled, and their eyes were drawn to the woman.
Su Youran also looked over and saw a woman with disheveled hair lying on the ground, rushing towards her grandmother and mother.
Yun Manqian exclaimed, "It's...it's...big!"
Yun Manying quickly covered her mouth, preventing her from saying the complete words "sister-in-law".
At this moment, Su realized that it was Wu Xinxin, whom she had rejected two days ago.
She said coldly, "You and my eldest son have long been divorced. We absolutely cannot bear to be called 'grandmother' or 'mother' by that name. Guards, why haven't you escorted her out of here yet?!"
An old woman came forward to pull her away.
Suddenly, Wu Xinxin pulled something out of her sleeve and threw it on the ground. "Wait! You should recognize this, right?"
Su stepped forward and frowned.
Wu Xinxin laughed loudly, "These belong to Zhuqing Courtyard!"
The expressions on the faces of Madam Su and Old Madam Yun changed simultaneously.
You Ran asked softly, "Who lives in Zhuqing Courtyard?"
The name was too bland. In her memory, none of the courtyards where her brothers lived in the front yard of the Yun family had this name.
She was much more familiar with the backyards, and she was certain that they didn't have that name.
Yun Manyan was a married-out daughter, so she naturally didn't know either, and looked at the two sisters, Yun Manyin and Yun Manyian.
Yun Manyin's expression also changed, and she whispered, "It's... that young master!"
Su Youran's heart skipped a beat. Was this the courtyard where Chu Heng lived?
That day, after Wu Xinxin was driven away, she secretly sneaked into the courtyard where Chu Heng lived.
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