Chapter 58: Marquis Mansion Luncheon
Regardless of how much Zhao Lingyun was thinking at that moment, the proceedings continued. The wife of the Marquis of Wu'an personally took Zhao Lingyun's hand and introduced the wives of the elders to him. It was at this moment that Zhao Lingyun felt firsthand the difference between a legitimate daughter and a concubine's daughter.
It was also at this moment that Zhao Lingyun made up her mind to strive for the position of principal wife. She didn't know whether her future children would have their own opportunities if she was a concubine, and she didn't want her children to call someone else "mother".
Although he had met these ladies on various occasions before, he had never been familiar with them, not even knowing them. Now that he had changed his family tree, they had begun to look at him in the eye. Anyway, Zhao Lingyun walked around in a daze, receiving a bunch of gifts.
Finally, it was his turn to meet his peers. "Hello, sister-in-law!" Zhao Lingyun bowed and called out.
The Crown Prince's wife took a jewelry box from the maid and handed it to Zhao Lingyun, "Second sister, this is a gift from my sister-in-law. Don't be polite to me if you have anything to say in the future."
Zhao Lingmeng looked at the style of the box and guessed that it was a set of headwear given by her sister-in-law.
Zhao Lingyun took the gift with both hands and bowed again, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
"Lingyun, meet the second sister-in-law."
The Second Young Master's wife was a straightforward person. She immediately and enthusiastically took Zhao Lingyun's hand and helped her up. "Second sister, there's no need to be so polite. You can come to play with me more often in the future when you have nothing to do." After saying this, the Second Young Master's wife handed a box to Zhao Lingyun.
Seeing this, Zhao Lingmeng also handed over hers, "Second sister, this is mine, don't be polite to me. Congratulations, second sister."
"Thank you, Second Sister-in-law and Big Sister." Zhao Lingyun was also very happy. After all, these three legitimate descendants accepted him, and they would not cause him any trouble in the future. As for the rest, as long as they had common interests, nothing would be a problem.
By this point, they had already met nearly everyone, so many people, quite considerately, approached Zhao Lingyun to chat. After all, they had heard rumors that she had a chance to marry into the royal family. Getting to know her beforehand didn't cost much, so why not?
For a moment, the hall was bustling with activity. However, Zhao Lingmeng, the Crown Prince's wife, and the Second Young Master's wife were eating, drinking, and chatting nearby. They had no intention of stealing Zhao Lingyun's limelight.
"I feel like you've changed a lot, Ling Meng!" The Crown Prince's wife looked at the peaceful sister-in-law in front of her. It seemed that she had lost her former ethereal aura. In the past, she would never discuss such family matters with her.
"Not really! It's mainly because my eldest and second sisters-in-law weren't familiar with me before, so they must have thought I was a fairy. My father, on the other hand, always thought I was difficult to deal with, like a debt collector."
Although Zhao Lingmeng is not the original owner, she is not inferior in the slightest. The original owner is just a little bit arrogant, but she is kind at heart and has not done anything bad.
When the Second Young Master's wife heard Zhao Lingmeng say this, she covered her mouth and laughed, thinking that her sister-in-law was quite cute after getting to know her. No wonder her father-in-law doted on her sister-in-law the most out of all his children. If this were her own daughter, she would probably like her too.
The Crown Prince's wife poked Zhao Lingmeng's head in amusement and said, "If you have the guts to say that to father, he'll beat you up. During that time, when you got into trouble, father was furious at home and almost rushed out to kill that person."
"Hehe, children are a debt! Mother and father must worry more!" The two of them looked at their sister-in-law's funny look and were happy for her. At least after experiencing such a scary thing, she still did not change her temperament and still remained optimistic.
The wife of Marquis Wu'an took the time to look in the direction of her daughter and saw that her daughter was chatting happily with her two sisters-in-law. She wondered in her heart when this guy had such a good relationship with her two sisters-in-law.
Seeing that her daughter had adapted well, Lady Wu'an Marquis turned her gaze away and continued chatting with the people around her.
Everything seemed happy and cheerful over here at Zhao Lingmeng's place. But things were different over there at Sun Tu's. The person who had initially led the way had taken him directly to where the tribesmen were waiting. When he first entered, everyone greeted him politely and chatted briefly, but once they knew who he was, no one paid him any attention.
He could even see dissatisfaction and disdain in some people's eyes. But it was true that these people disliked him. Their clan leader's eldest daughter could have been a princess, but she chose him to avoid the emperor's suspicion and for the sake of the family's longevity.
It could be said that Zhao Lingmeng's marriage to a man of low status was a sacrifice for everyone. Furthermore, Zhao Lingmeng hadn't resisted at all, and the tribesmen had a very good impression of her. The fact that this gigolo didn't cherish her was a slap in their faces. It was a wonder they were even kind to him.
Sun Tu finally waited until Marquis Wu'an and his men came out of the ancestral hall. He stepped forward to pay his respects, but Marquis Wu'an simply said, "Get up!" and then took his five sons to chat with the clansmen. He ignored him the entire time and had no intention of introducing him.
Sun Tu's sense of humiliation continued to rise, but looking at the expressions of his father-in-law and his eldest brother-in-law, he didn't dare to say anything. No matter how he comforted himself, he knew what image he had in the eyes of Wu An Hou and the others.
It turned out that the Marquis of Wu'an and his companions had been so kind to him before, not because they believed he had any talent, but simply so he could be kind to his wife. It was ridiculous that, amidst his mother and sister's praise, he had actually believed he had some truly astonishing talent. The Marquis of Wu'an and his companions were investing in him in advance.
How arrogant must one be to think like that? Sun Tu's face was burning as he thought about his previous thoughts. But no matter what Sun Tu's mood was, Wu Anhou didn't want to pay attention to him. If beating someone wasn't so unbecoming, he really wanted to break this guy's legs.
Ignoring him was the last act of Wu An Hou's stubbornness. It also reflected his deep love for his daughter.
With Zhao Lingmeng feeling comfortable and Sun Tu feeling uneasy, it was finally time for dinner. Men and women sat at separate tables. Zhao Lingmeng sat at a table with the Crown Prince's wife and several wives of prominent young men of the same generation, and they all got to know each other.
Zhao Lingmeng had been a socialite in her previous life, and she had been trained from a young age to handle matters requiring emotional intelligence. So, it didn't take long for her and her sister-in-law to liven up the atmosphere at the table, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
As for Sun Tu, he was sitting at the same table with Zhao Lingmeng's second brother, three younger brothers, and some clansmen of the same generation. Everyone took turns pouring wine at him, and by the time the table was over, he could hardly stand.
Sun Qijing and his brother were also having a great time at the kids' table. Kids, after all, get familiar with each other quickly.
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