Chapter 95 Reunion (14) My wife, all you need to do is be yourself...
The matter of the mine was difficult to handle. Now that everyone was playing their cards openly, Yan Ning could no longer pretend not to know and ignore the problem as before. Therefore, the two did not stay in Jiankang for long. After the banquet, they prepared to set off for Jiangzuo.
Before leaving, Li Yunru received a letter from the Yan family. The messenger was a maidservant of Cui, Yan Ning's mother.
"If you don't want to go, you don't have to. I replied for you, so there's no need to force yourself."
She had a bad relationship with Cui Shi. After marrying Yan Ning, there was constant fighting and strife. Over the years, it's unclear who really benefited.
"She is your mother; you can't expect to never see her again."
Moreover, she needed to know the truth about the assassin; she wanted to verify her suspicions.
“Then I’ll go with you,” Yan Ning said.
"Alright."
Cui was his mother. When Yan Ning refused the marriage proposal, he swore in front of everyone in the hall that he would leave the Yan family and never set foot in the Yan family again. In the past few years, he had indeed been away from home and had never returned to Jiankang or the Yan family.
When Yan Erlang favored his concubine over his wife, causing Yan Langzhu to fall seriously ill and be bedridden, a great upheaval occurred in the Yan family. At that time, a relative from the clan wrote to him, asking him to return and take charge of the situation. However, he did not return; instead, he sent a lot of medicine as a sign of filial piety.
"Treason!"
The Yan family relatives were furious, cursing him for being unfilial. But they were all old and could only use this to intimidate others. Once the concept of "filial piety" was broken down, the person being criticized would not respond, and they would be helpless.
Yan Erlang's methods were even more ruthless than Yan Ning's. They had no way to control this concubine whom they had initially looked down upon. She had enjoyed a life of glory for most of her life, but in the end, she had to depend on others to start living.
Who could accept this?
But what can you do if you're unwilling to accept it?
The clan is a community where everyone prospers or suffers together. We missed the opportunity to seize power back then, so this is how things are now. Making a scene will not benefit anyone!
Is he really going to leave the family like Yan San?
Therefore, they accepted it all.
...
As agreed in the letter, Li Yunru arrived at a secluded courtyard and found that Cui had arrived early and was sitting on the veranda waiting for her.
She didn't bring many people with her, only Yan Sheng and an old nanny.
"Sister-in-law, brother."
Yan Sheng saw them first and called out.
Cui slowly turned around, and Li Yunru was suddenly surprised, her steps faltering.
No wonder she made a fuss.
Cui Shi had indeed changed a lot. She seemed to have aged more than ten years in an instant. No matter how dignified her demeanor or how good and expensive the face powder was, it couldn't hide it. Moreover, now she didn't even need face powder anymore.
He was dressed entirely in a plain blue robe, and his face was expressionless.
In the past, this was considered extremely impolite by Cui, and the two had clashed over it. Cui disliked her for her overly flamboyant makeup, which was not in line with the demeanor of a noble family. Later, when she changed to a lighter makeup, people said all sorts of things about her. In short, it is not easy to be a wife of a noble family. Every action, whether it is dressing, living, or doing something, is subject to strict rules. If you make a mistake, it will be magnified infinitely, as if it were something serious, and you will be ridiculed and even accused of making your husband lose face.
In reality, they can't see any difference at all; they're just imposing heavy shackles on themselves.
"You've arrived," Cui said gently, a smile on her face that was warm and friendly she had never seen before.
"lady."
"Mother."
The two walked over and bowed to Madam Cui. Madam Cui smiled faintly and had her maidservant help her up.
"Today is a private gathering, no need for formalities."
Someone invited her to sit down and asked Yan Sheng to take Yan Ning out for a walk.
Yan Ning hesitated, and Cui sighed, taking a deep breath and saying, "Don't worry, I won't do anything to Liyang again."
"It was my fault for being rude."
It is indeed impolite to doubt one's own mother!
In the past, Madam Cui would have used this as an excuse to give a severe lecture, but now she has come to terms with it and doesn't want to bother with such trivial matters anymore. She waved her hand to indicate that she didn't care and told the person to leave.
Although Yan Ning was reluctant, he did as she was told, holding Li Yunru's hand and saying, "I'll be in the outer room not far away."
Madam Cui frowned slightly upon hearing this, but said nothing. After leaving, she handed some tea and snacks from the red clay stove to Li Yunru and said with a smile, "This is the most fashionable way to eat at gatherings of young ladies in Jiankang these days."
The small red clay stove was filled with all sorts of little things, which were roasted by the charcoal fire until they sizzled and steamed, turning a charred color or cracking open. A fragrant aroma wafted out from inside, filling the room with fragrance. A few girls gathered together to eat and chat, which was quite enjoyable.
Li Yunru took the small fruit offered to her, but did not peel it or eat it, nor did she say anything.
She wondered why Cui had summoned her.
They weren't the kind of people who could sit together harmoniously, eating, drinking, and chatting.
"Don't be nervous." Cui seemed to see through her thoughts and said with a smile.
"Madam, please speak frankly."
Li Yunru is a straightforward person, and she felt very uncomfortable with this roundabout way of speaking.
Besides, her relationship with the Cui family was really just so-so, very so-so!
It's also because of the relationship with the elders that it's being suppressed...
"Alas," sighed Madam Cui, "I originally intended to say this to make the county magistrate feel more at ease, but it seems that it has backfired."
She looked up at Li Yunru, her expression serious and reserved.
Um.
This is the version of Li Yunru that she is familiar with.
Cui said, "Liyang, whether you believe it or not, I am happy that you are alive. I never thought of taking your life."
"Then that day... who was that assassin, and who ordered him?"
Cui pursed her lips and remained silent.
Li Yunru voiced her guess, "It's Cui Wan, isn't it?"
Madam Cui did not deny it, but she still said something in defense of Cui Wan, "Awan is too young, and it's inevitable that she will act impulsively."
She used to think Cui Wan was too ruthless, with a heart of a snake, but when she took off her fancy clothes, stopped interfering in affairs, and sincerely cultivated Buddhism, she realized a lot.
In fact, Cui Wan was no different from her past self, and even her final actions could be said to have their reasons.
The Cui and Yan families had a tacit understanding since childhood, and intentionally or unintentionally guided each other to believe that the two would definitely get married and that the two families would unite in marriage for a hundred years.
Daughters often live in their boudoirs and see very few men besides their fathers and brothers. Under such guidance, they naturally develop feelings even if they were not interested.
What should have been a straightforward matter became complicated as she reached a certain age, and both families tacitly chose to sacrifice her.
Time and time again.
When faced with self-interest, any promise is meaningless.
Daughters are often the victims of the family's profiteering. They have no right to inherit power and position, yet because they are supported, they are taught to give to the family. At home, they are expected to serve their fathers and brothers in everything, and after marriage, they are expected to serve their husbands...
“You once asked me if I had ever truly gotten what I wanted after all these years for the family. Now I can tell you, no.”
Cui said, "Never, and neither did Awan."
"Liyang, I know you've suffered a great injustice in this matter, and I dare not presume to ask for your forgiveness. But Awan has also suffered, and if that day truly comes..."
Her voice lowered and became weak.
"Give her a chance to make amends."
"hehe."
Li Yunru sneered, "If I give her a chance, then who will give me a chance?"
She really almost died.
It's true that he was on the verge of death, lying in bed for two or three months; the pain and injury were real!
Cui remained silent.
After a long while, she inexplicably said, "Changjun... loves you very much."
Li Yunru didn't really want to hear these words.
What's wrong with love?
He loves her, so should she give up this deadly revenge for him?
She had taken some of the usual ridicule, scheming, and humiliation to heart, and had let some go too far, but this was no small matter. She felt disgusted and took action!
Having received the answer she wanted, the man was unwilling to listen any further and got up to leave. Cui said, "Awan is now a member of the Wang family. Behind her are the Cui family and the Wang family. If this matter is blown up any further, it will not benefit Changjun."
Not only will it be of no benefit, it will also create a lot of trouble.
"It hasn't been easy for him to leave the Yan family for you these past few years, and it's been even more difficult for him to get to where he is today. I don't understand the affairs of the court, but I know my child well. If he knew about this, he would definitely do anything. Is that what you want, Liyang?"
“You escaped death, but Changjun wasn’t much better off. He also faced death several times and went through a period of mental breakdown. Before you returned to Jiankang, he lived like a walking corpse.”
He had left the family, but he was still her child. In recent years, Cui Shi had not been completely unaware of everything about him; she had simply let it go and believed that things would get better with time.
But Liyang didn't die. She came back, and her own child was even willing to plant the life-sharing Gu in her, sharing life and death with her.
well.
She didn't want to bring this up. She just wanted to see them one last time before they left, to tell Liyang that she had accepted this daughter-in-law, and that she wouldn't care what happened to them in the future, as long as they lived a good life together.
She truly didn't want to get involved anymore. In the past, she had done many things but ended up with nothing. All she got was her son, with red eyes, questioning her: "Mother, Liyang is my wife, my lawfully wedded wife! When you were hurting and humiliating her, did you ever think for a moment about how your son should conduct himself?"
But she forgot about Liyang's personality. How could she have forgotten what happened three years ago so easily?
She pointed it out bluntly, and I could only bite the bullet and accept it.
“Anger, ignorance, resentment and hatred are the causes of suffering in the world. Letting go is also a form of spiritual practice.”
"Tell me about Buddhist principles? Ha! I hate those fancy but impractical theories!"
Li Yunru was just being stubborn; she had actually taken it to heart. On the way back, she barely spoke, the image of Cui Shi's haggard and aged face, and her earnest advice, lingering in her mind.
"Life is but a hundred years, and it is not easy to meet someone like Changjun. Why get caught up in right and wrong and waste the present moment?"
Her older sister had advised her in the same way in the past.
But……
That concerns her life! Is her life so insignificant?
"But what did your mother say to you?"
He pulled Li Yunru into his arms, lowered his head to kiss her hair, and said gently, "Liyang, no matter what your mother says, you don't need to take it to heart. She has her own stance, and so do you. You don't have to do what she says."
When Li Yunru heard him say that, she felt a lump in her throat and her voice became hoarse, sounding both accusatory and aggrieved.
"Why don't you ask me to be more obedient and do as she wishes, like before?"
If that were the case, she would have a legitimate reason to make a fuss. But now that he's acting this way, it seems like she's being willful and doesn't consider anyone's feelings at all. That's terrible!
Yan Ning was unaware of her thoughts, and simply said according to her own wishes: "In the past, Yan Changjun was trapped by his family and by worldly etiquette, and needed a gentle and obedient wife to avoid trouble. Now, he is all alone and does not need anyone to do anything for him. He just needs to be himself."
-----------------------
Author's Note: We're about to move on to the next chapter, and once that's over, it'll probably be the ending!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
