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It is not known whether it is because the nanny taught her well, or because Shen Zi has grown up, or because Shen Qi has married, but Shen Zi has become the most dazzling one in the mansion, and her relationship with Shen Jin has eased a little. However, Shen Jin feels that it is more likely that Princess Rui has treated her better and better, and Concubine Xu has instructed Shen Zi not to bully her again.
Especially during this period, a major event happened in the capital, which gave the sisters more topics to talk about.
Shen Zi held the round fan and saw that the family school teacher had not arrived yet, so he lowered his voice and said, "Have you heard? I heard that Earl Yongning won a victory and is returning to Beijing this time."
"Oh my God." Shen Rong screamed and quickly covered her mouth, her face turned pale with fear.
Shen Jing was older and shuddered as well. "It's terrible. I heard that Earl Yongning not only likes to eat raw meat, but also drinks several bowls of his enemies' blood every day."
"How disgusting." Shen Rong said quickly, "Fourth sister, stop talking. It's too scary. What is he doing back here?"
Shen Zi heard the news from Concubine Xu and said, "The emperor summoned him back and said that he was going to grant him a marriage as a reward for this victory."
"Arranged marriage?" Shen Jing's eyes widened. "What girl who doesn't want to live would be willing to marry him? He has killed so many fiancées."
Even Shen Jin felt like swallowing her saliva. Earl Yongning was really too famous. Just when she was about to ask a question, she saw the master coming. They quickly sat down and didn't dare to say anything more.
Concubine Chen had thought about her daughter's marriage countless times, but she had never thought it would be so soon. She looked palely at Prince Rui, Princess Rui, and Concubine Xu who was sitting beside them gloating over their misfortune, "Prince... who do you think Jinniang should marry?"
Prince Rui felt somewhat embarrassed. Although he did not like Xu as much as before in recent years, compared with Chen, Xu pleased him more. So when he saw Xu's tears and his second daughter's pitiful appearance, he agreed.
Princess Rui secretly hated Shen Jin. Although her intentions towards her were not pure, she had kept him by her side for several years. After Shen Qi got married, Shen Jin stayed with her all the time. She made a lot of handkerchiefs, sachets, headbands, and shoes for her. She also waited on her bed when she was not feeling well. Princess Rui also had feelings for her. She even prepared a room in the main courtyard for Shen Jin to rest in the afternoon. However, she took advantage of the fact that she caught a cold in the winter and felt a little unwell to let Xu coax Prince Rui into making such a decision...
"Cough cough..." Princess Rui couldn't help but cover her mouth with a handkerchief and started coughing. Looking at the frail Princess Rui, Prince Rui felt guilty and embarrassed. Yesterday, after his royal brother gave him instructions, he went to rest with Concubine Xu because he came back late. His three daughters and one son were there at the time. Prince Rui looked at his sensible children and told them about his royal brother's arranged marriage. After Concubine Xu asked about it clearly, she started to make a fuss. Her three daughters and one son also cried non-stop, which made Prince Rui soften his heart and agreed.
"Sister Chen, since the prince has made the decision, you should not embarrass him." Xu said leisurely, "It is better to prepare the dowry for the third lady as soon as possible."
Concubine Chen glared at Xu, wondering how someone could be so cruel. Just as she was about to speak, she was stopped by Princess Rui, who said, "Chen, bring me a glass of water."
"Princess..." Concubine Chen looked at Princess Rui with pleading eyes.
Princess Rui said, "Go." She knew Prince Rui best. Prince Rui was feeling guilty at the moment, but if Chen and Xu started quarreling, Prince Rui would lose his patience.
Concubine Chen lowered her head to pour water for Princess Rui, and then waited for her to drink. Princess Rui then said, "My Lord, has the second girl found a husband? Why did it go straight to the third girl?"
Prince Rui coughed a few times and was not sure about the answer. Xu said, "The prince is also worried about the third lady. General Chu is so young but he has made great achievements in the war. The Chu family is even more famous for his achievements..."
Princess Rui looked at Xu and interrupted her, "Xu, do you also need to hire a nanny to teach you what a concubine is?"
Xu's face changed again and again, but when she thought that the marriage would not go to her daughter, she became happy again.
Chen now wanted to strangle Xu to death. The Chu family was awarded the title for their military achievements, and Chu Xiuming inherited the title of Earl of Yongning at a young age. But he was unlucky in marriage. He had been engaged three times, and the girls died of illness or accidents all three times. The last time, not long after they exchanged tokens, the girl from that family went out to burn incense when her carriage had an accident, and not even a complete body was left.
Not only Chu Xiuming, many of the Chu family's wives died young. It was said that this was retribution because the Chu family had killed too many people.
After Chu Xiuming defeated Li Xi and returned victoriously, he was about to return to the capital to offer his captives. The emperor decided to arrange a marriage for him. After all, he was still too young, and the emperor wanted to use him, so it was not appropriate to reward him with a title.
But the current emperor has no daughter of marriageable age, so he turns his attention to his younger brother, Prince Rui. Since Prince Rui has many daughters, the emperor asks Prince Rui to go home and decide which daughter to marry off, and then come and tell him so that he can issue an edict.
Regardless of age or ranking, Shen Zi, the second daughter of the Xu family, was the most suitable. At first, Prince Rui also decided to choose her, but he accidentally let it slip, and was softened by the tears of the Xu family. In addition, his heart became biased because of his youngest son...
"Xu, since you think the Chu family is good, why don't you let your daughter marry into it?" Chen couldn't hold back her tears any longer, "Jinniang is not even fourteen yet."
Upon hearing this, Prince Rui frowned and felt that Chen was indeed not a likable person. Could it be that she was saying this out of resentment towards him?
Princess Rui felt disgusted that Xu had interfered in the marriage of her daughter, and said, "Chen, I know you only have one daughter, and I feel sorry for you." Prince Rui had already submitted the memorial, so there was no room for change. What she had to do now was to use Prince Rui's guilt to get more dowry for Jin. "Forget it, you guys go down first, I'll talk to the prince."
Xu left contentedly. Chen looked ashen. When she reached the entrance of the courtyard, Xu smiled and said, "Congratulations, sister Chen. General Chu is young and promising. The third lady will soon become the wife of an earl."
Chen looked at Xu fiercely and said, "God is watching what you do, Xu, don't be so complacent." After that, she left.
Xu was not angry. She snorted, "Don't be complacent. We don't know if you can get married safely." Thanks to the King Rui's slip of the tongue, Xu was terrified when she thought that her daughter almost married that killer. After returning to the yard, she saw Shen Zi waiting for her at the door. When he saw Xu, he asked, "Mother, how is it?"
Looking at her beautiful daughter, Mrs. Xu smiled proudly and said, "Don't worry."
Shen Zi heaved a sigh of relief, stepped forward and took Xu's arm and said, "I am so scared. I heard that the Earl of Yongning looks scary, kills people without blinking an eye, and is vicious and evil."
Shen Jing also breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes, my daughter also heard about it. It was said that his third fiancée's death was not an accident at all. He was not satisfied with her appearance, so he killed her directly."
"Yes, yes." Shen Rong also said, "I heard that he wants to kill people when he gets angry."
"It's fine as long as I'm not the one getting married." Shen Zi said with a smile, "I don't know if Third Sister can make it to the day of her wedding."
Compared with the laughter and joy in Concubine Xu's courtyard, Concubine Chen felt like the sky was falling. She hugged her daughter and cried sadly. She had endured and tolerated for so long, all for her daughter, but now even this little hope was gone. The Xu family was going too far.
"Mother." Shen Jin didn't know what had happened. After paying her respects to Princess Rui today, she went straight to the family school for classes. When she came back, she found that Concubine Chen had been invited to the main courtyard by Cui Xi. She finally got her mother back, but she was crying like this, leaving Shen Jin confused.
"My poor daughter." Concubine Chen cried bitterly. Even Mother Li beside her lost her usual composure and kept crying.
"Mother, what happened?" Shen Jin was extremely anxious and asked repeatedly.
"Your cruel father wants you to marry that evil star. They want to kill us mother and me." Concubine Chen had also heard about the Chu family. People outside even said that Chu Xiuming was like Zhong Kui, who was moody and loved killing people. Even the enemies would be scared when they saw him.
The most important thing is that Chu Xiuming had been guarding the border in his early years and had not received any education at all. He was such a terrible person... Thinking of her own daughter, Concubine Chen felt even more miserable.
"The star of destiny?" Shen Jin didn't understand what Concubine Chen meant. "Mother, I want to get married? My second sister hasn't even got engaged yet, so it's impossible for me to get married."
"They are such black-hearted people. Your father is so biased that he wants to force my mother and me to death. You are my only treasure." Although Concubine Chen thinks it is impossible, she still hopes that Princess Rui can stop Prince Rui.
"Mother..." Shen Jin asked, "What happened?"
Mother Li finally calmed down first. Seeing that Concubine Chen was crying so hard that she couldn't speak, she quickly brought some water to feed Concubine Chen, and then slowly told her what had happened.
"Earl Yongning?" Even a boudoir girl like Shen Jin had heard of the reputation of Earl Yongning. Earl Yongning Chu Xiuming was a name that could stop children from crying in the capital. It was said that he had killed countless people on the battlefield since he was a child. Because he grew up in the frontier, he had a bad temper and would kill people to vent his anger when things didn't go his way. No one even dared to serve him.
The girl from the Li family who was initially engaged to Earl Yongning died of depression not long after seeing Earl Yongning's portrait. There were rumors that she was frightened.
Shen Jin's face was not looking good at this time, "Has father made a decision?"
"The prince said that the memorial has been sent in." Aunt Li lowered her head, unable to bear to look at Shen Jin's expression.
Shen Jin felt her whole body go limp and her vision went dark. "Why me..." Her usually pink lips had lost their color.
Concubine Chen stopped crying when she saw her daughter's appearance. "Don't be afraid, Jinniang. If they dare to force you, your mother will die in front of the palace."
Shen Jin looked at her mother, tears streaming down her face, "Mother, I'm scared." After all, Shen Jin was not even fourteen yet, and no matter how sensible she was, she was still a child.
Concubine Chen hugged Shen Jin, and both mother and daughter burst into tears.
"Your Highness, since you have already promised Jin girl out, then you should settle the second girl's marriage before the emperor issues an order." Princess Rui said softly, "Otherwise, how will outsiders view our palace?"
King Rui only then thought of this, sighed and said, "I was wrong about this matter."
"Xu gave birth to Brother Hao, so the prince should take more care of her." Princess Rui said, "But poor Chen, she only has one daughter. Has the prince ever met the Earl of Yongning?"
"I did see him when he was little, but he followed the old Earl of Yongning to the border and hasn't been back to Beijing for more than ten years." Prince Rui thought of the rumors about Earl of Yongning and said, "Some of these rumors are groundless."
"Your Highness, this matter has wronged Jin girl. And how should Jin girl's dowry be calculated?" Princess Rui said, "Originally, it was said that the four of them would get 30,000 taels each, but now... no matter what Earl Yongning does, the emperor is obviously going to use him. It's wrong for our family to marry off only a concubine's daughter. Isn't 30,000 taels a bit too little for a dowry?"
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