Qin didn't believe that the old lady was thinking about the prince. She clearly couldn't stand Wanru and didn't want her to marry into the family, so she found ways to make things difficult for and humiliate Wanru.
Damn old woman, how vicious must she be to come up with such a wicked trick? Wanru is my only niece, such a gentle, considerate and affectionate child, why should she suffer such humiliation
No, absolutely not. As long as I am alive, I will never let such a thing happen. I must let Wanru marry into my family in a grand manner, and live a happy life with Ping'er, fulfilling my unfulfilled wish and making up for the regrets of my half-life through them.
As long as they can be happy, I would be willing to die.
But even if she thought this way, facing her mother-in-law who had a tough attitude and was older than her, she couldn't hit her or scold her. She was really at a loss as to what to do except yelling a few words to express her indignation.
"Mother!" Although she was so angry that her heart, liver, spleen and lungs ached, she still had to lower her noble head, bent her knees and knelt down at the old lady's feet, and said earnestly: "Mother, I was not good in the past and offended you a lot. You can punish me in any way you want, but I just ask you to be a little more lenient on the child's marriage and not be too harsh, okay?"
The old lady glanced at her with a smile on her face. This was the Marquis's wife, her noble and arrogant daughter-in-law. Even when she was asking for help, she sounded overbearing.
It seems that she has suffered too few setbacks.
"Don't blame me for being too lenient. I made this decision entirely for Ping'er's sake." The old lady showed unprecedented patience and said gently, "According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a husband must mourn his wife for a year after her death. When the Crown Prince's wife passed away, the General's Mansion came to your door. In order to appease your in-laws, you took the initiative to ask Ping'er to mourn for his wife for three years. Now, only half a year has passed, and Ping'er is going to remarry. If this matter gets out, how are you going to explain to the General's Mansion?"
"..." Qin was only thinking about marrying Wanru as soon as possible before she became pregnant. She didn't think about anything else, let alone mourning.
Yes, in order to appease the General's Mansion, she did say that Ping'er should mourn for his wife for three years, but that was just a temporary measure, a casual remark. Could the General's Mansion really take it seriously
But it's hard to say. Sheng Qingluan is not someone who is easy to get along with. That father and son are even more irritable than the other. If they really keep holding on to this matter and come to cause trouble, it will be difficult for her to deal with them since she is in the wrong.
Not to mention her, even the Marquis might not be able to do anything about them. If that hot-tempered Xie Zhanting goes to the Emperor to appeal for justice, the matter will be even more hopeless.
Thinking of Xie Zhanting, she felt mixed emotions, angry, hateful and aggrieved.
And there is Ping'er. She has always been afraid of the father and son of the Xie family. She is like a mouse seeing a cat when she sees them. She has finally eased the relationship with them with the help of the young master. If she falls out again over the marriage, won't she be beaten every time they see her
Ping'er is in charge of the Five Cities Military Department, so she has to go out all the time. How can she face people if she is beaten every time she meets someone
But then again, Wanru's belly can't wait any longer. If she really has to wait for Ping'er to wait for three years before getting married, the baby will be all over the place.
This, what should I do
The old lady looked at her quietly, and seeing her eyes rolling around and her brows getting tighter and tighter, she knew that she had accurately grasped her weak spot. She did not rush her to make a decision, but picked up the tea and sipped it slowly.
Qin was completely out of ideas. She had no choice but to lower herself to the ground, holding the old lady's knees and begging, "Mother, as the saying goes, an old man in the family is like a treasure. You are knowledgeable and experienced, please give me some advice!"
"Haha, my old lady has become a treasure again?" The old lady laughed twice, put down the teacup and said, "Daughter-in-law, you have to know that our family is the one in the wrong in front of the general's mansion. Apart from letting Wanru marry in quietly, I have no other good way. Otherwise, you can go and beg the general and his wife in person to see if they can forgive Ping'er."
"I'm not going!" Qin's face changed and she blurted out, then she realized that her tone was too harsh and lowered her head in embarrassment.
The old lady smiled knowingly: "Then I really have no choice."
"No, mother, you have a way, you definitely have a way." Qin begged her again, holding her knees tightly.
The old lady was so annoyed by her that she sighed and said, "If it really doesn't work, ask Ping'er to go. If I remember correctly, his mother-in-law's birthday is the day after tomorrow. Ask him to prepare generous gifts and take the children to celebrate his mother-in-law's birthday. While the general and his son are still in the enclosure, ask his mother-in-law for mercy. Marrying a wife is his own business. He can't just sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor without doing anything, right?"
"Ask Ping'er to go?" Qin was afraid that her son would be bullied if he went, so she hesitated and asked, "Will that work?"
"Even at this point, you are still hesitating. He is a man, and he will be the head of the family in the future. If he can't even stand this little grievance, you'd better not sit on the throne of the prince!" The old lady said in a deep voice with a dark face.
Qin was afraid that someone would question her son's position as the crown prince, so she quickly responded, "Don't be angry, mother. I'll let Ping'er go. Even if this didn't happen, he should go to celebrate mother-in-law's birthday."
"It's great that you think so." The old lady said, "I'm tired, you can go back now. You and your son should discuss what to say and do. Don't bother me anymore!"
"Yes, mother, please have a rest. I, the daughter-in-law, will take my leave!" Qin nodded in agreement, then smiled and carefully retreated.
Even though Nanny Cao was eloquent in Yixin Courtyard, she dared not say a word in front of the old lady. She and Yunyan each supported the lady as she left.
Zhao Lanzhi and Xie Nanjia were just at the door. As soon as Qin stepped out, they bowed and saluted.
Qin didn't expect to run into Xie Nanjia here. Remembering the frustration she felt last night, she glared at her angrily. But because she couldn't get angry in front of the old lady, she gritted her teeth and whispered, "Wait until I get to my place. I have something to ask you."
"Yes!" Xie Nanjia agreed and saw her off respectfully.
Zhao Lanzhi asked worriedly, "What does Madam want to see you about?"
Xie Nanjia shook her head: "I don't know either."
"You two, why don't you come in? What are you whispering about?" the old lady called out in a very cheerful tone.
The two looked at each other, walked into the house together, and before they could greet each other, the old lady stopped them: "I'm in a good mood today, so I won't greet you. Come up and sit down!"
"Thank you, grandma." Zhao Lanzhi thanked her and walked over to sit on the left side of the old lady.
"You come too." The old lady patted the empty seat on the right and asked Xie Nanjia to sit over there.
Everyone in the room was surprised.
Except for the second young master and the fourth young lady, the old lady never asked other youngsters to sit on the couch, let alone a little girl.
It seems that winning the game in front of the lady today really made her feel better.
Xie Nanjia refused: "I dare not overstep my bounds, just stand there."
The old lady pretended to be angry and said, "Why, do you look down on me, an old lady?"
"I dare not!" Xie Nanjia hurriedly climbed onto the couch and carefully sat beside her, with her hands folded neatly on her knees.
The old lady smiled and patted her hands: "You are very much to my liking, girl. Tell me, what reward do you want?"
"Anything is fine?" Xie Nanjia asked cautiously.
"Of course you can, but don't ask for too much." The old lady made a rare witty remark: "Anyway, there are no stars or moons."
Everyone laughed.
"Who wants stars? I have them here!" a voice said from outside, and then a bright red robe flashed by, accompanied by a faint scent of ambergris, and Zhao Jingyu rolled in like a gust of wind.
"Oh, my dear grandson is here!" said the old lady happily.
"Greetings, Second Young Master!" Everyone saluted him.
Zhao Jingyu waved his hand nonchalantly, and walked to the old lady in two or three steps, his eyes full of smiles: "Grandma, your grandson is here to see you!"
"Okay, okay, is the wound on your head healed?" The old lady's face was full of smiles.
"Okay, I'll come to see grandma as soon as I get better. I missed her so much that I couldn't sleep." Zhao Jingyu said.
The old lady laughed, took his hand and said, "Sit down quickly and let grandma take a good look."
After he said this, he remembered that there were people sitting on both sides of him, so he asked the maid to bring some stools.
Zhao Jingyu glanced at Xie Nanjia nonchalantly: "Why did you take my seat?"
As soon as Xie Nanjia saw him, she remembered what happened last night, her face flushed, and she stood up to give him her seat.
The old lady held her back and said, "Sit down. You are a great hero today."
Xie Nanjia: “…”
Zhao Jingyu knew that she was injured, so he didn't insist on asking her to give up her seat. He sat down on the stool and asked, "Who asked for the stars just now?"
The old lady laughed and said, "You are a naive person. No one wants stars. Xiu'er has done a great deed today. I want to reward her and let her ask for anything except stars and the moon."
"Oh?" Zhao Jingyu looked at Xie Nanjia with eyes as bright as water. "To make the old lady so happy, the stars and the moon are nothing but praise. Do you want some? I'll pick some for you."
Xie Nanjia couldn't stand his look, her heart was pounding, and she forced herself to be calm and said, "Thank you, Second Young Master. I don't want the stars or the moon, I just hope that the old lady can live a long life, be healthy and happy, and be a carefree old birthday star."
The old lady was delighted to hear this: "You are such a clever girl."
Zhao Jingyu followed up, "Isn't it? He can't do anything else, but he's good at coaxing people."
Xie Nanjia: “…”
The old lady suddenly remembered something that happened a few days ago and said with a smile, "I haven't asked you yet. I heard that you boasted in the paddock that you were the most favored grandson in front of grandma. You ranked first and no one dared to be second. Is this true?"
Xie Nanjia's heart skipped a beat.
Zhao Jingyu was slightly startled and looked at her with narrowed eyes.
Xie Nanjia bit her lip subconsciously.
Zhao Jingyu raised her eyebrows slightly: "Girl, why do you say everything to others? If the brothers and sisters in the East and West Mansions knew about this, they would be jealous to death."
The old lady laughed so hard that her eyes narrowed into slits. She pinched his cheeks and laughed and scolded him for being shameless.
Xie Nanjia secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After laughing and joking for a while, the old lady was indeed tired, so the three of them took their leave together and left Ci'an Residence.
Although Xie Nanjia did not ask for a reward, the old lady still ordered Nanny Hua to reward her with two silver ingots.
After walking out of the yard, Zhao Jingyu offered to take the two girls home.
Xie Nanjia said that he was going to his wife's place and would not go back with them.
Zhao Jingyu frowned when he heard this and asked, "Why are you going there again?"
Xie Nanjia said, "Madam specifically told me before she left just now that she had something to ask me."
Zhao Jingyu thought for a moment and said, "I'll go with you."
"I dare not trouble the Second Young Master." As Zhao Lanzhi was there, Xie Nanjia was afraid that it would be bad if he said too much, so he hurried away alone.
Zhao Jingyu looked at her back thoughtfully.
Zhao Lanzhi had long felt that something was not right between the two of them. Seeing Zhao Jingyu's reluctance to leave, she jokingly asked, "Second brother, are you attracted to Xiu'er?"
Zhao Jingyu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yes, how about you give her to your second brother?"
"..." Zhao Lanzhi didn't expect him to admit it so generously, and she felt embarrassed for a moment, "Xiu'er is a girl with her own opinions. I have to ask her opinion before I can answer you."
Zhao Jingyu's face fell: "Forget it, she won't agree."
"Impossible." Zhao Lanzhi said, "Second brother, you are so handsome, which girl would be willing to reject you?"
Zhao Jingyu said depressedly: "There are those who are blind and don't know the value of things."
…
In Yixin Courtyard, as soon as Qin came back, she angrily smashed several teacups, scaring the maids and servants in the room so much that they dared not even breathe.
Nanny Cao knew that she would complain incessantly after losing her temper, so she sent everyone away and only left Yunyan and Yunying to guard the door, to prevent her from saying anything private in anger that might be overheard by others.
After Qin smashed the things, she began to mutter. She hated herself for promising her son to observe a three-year mourning period in order to keep the peace. She hated the Marquis for not supporting her and that she, as the Marquis's wife, could not be the head of the household. She hated God for being unfair and against her everywhere, first ruining her marriage and now wanting to ruin her niece's happiness.
After complaining about the world for a while, Yunyan came to the door and said Xiu'er was here.
Qin was immediately furious and kept telling her to get in.
Everyone in Yixin Courtyard treated Xie Nanjia as an enemy because she was fined for her monthly salary. Madam Cao was fined for three months' monthly salary and was severely scolded by the Marquis. The look in his eyes when he looked at Xie Nanjia was like a freshly sharpened knife.
Xie Nanjia walked calmly to Qin and knelt down to greet her. Before she could even say hello, Qin grabbed the tea at hand and splashed it on her face.
Xie Nanjia seemed to have expected this and dodged it. The tea brushed past her shoulder and fell to the ground, only splashing the hem of her skirt.
Qin was stunned. She had splashed water on countless servants, but this was the first time she had seen one dare to dodge.
"Madam, this slut clearly doesn't take you seriously. Let me teach her a lesson for you!" Madam Cao was worried that she couldn't find an opportunity to vent her anger. Seeing this, she rolled up her sleeves and was about to slap Xie Nanjia in the face.
(End of this chapter)