The madams looked at each other. They lived in the capital all year round and were well-informed. This matter was particularly complicated. These madams had long heard that Marquis Jingyong was first engaged to the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Yichun. Later, he suddenly said that he recognized the wrong person, broke off the engagement, and changed it to the second daughter.
Getting to know each other in the snow, saving their lives, breaking off the engagement, and swapping sisters. With so much gossip focused on this marriage, the Cheng Family's eldest daughter and Marquis Jingyong had long been spread like wildfire by the madams these days. The madams and madams talked about it in private. Now that they suddenly saw the real person, they were all surprised.
This was the eldest daughter of the Cheng Family? Her appearance was one of the best, her manners were outstanding, and her family background was passable. So why did the Huo family break off the engagement?
Since ancient times, gentlemen valued their promises. Everyone valued contracts very much, especially a marriage contract between two families. It was even more important to treat it as a joke. Breaking off an engagement had to be done with extreme caution. If there was really no other way, there was no other way.
If the eldest daughter of the Cheng Family was ugly, disabled, eccentric, unfilial, and unfilial, everyone could understand why the Huo family broke off the engagement. However, the eldest daughter of the Cheng Family had everything, talent, and family background. Such a lady with no shortcomings was the ideal daughter-in-law for many people. What kind of medicine did the Huxue Clan take to break off the engagement?
The madams who had daughters-in-law at home all cast doubtful glances at the Huxue Clan. If there was a daughter in a family, there would be hundreds of suitors. In addition, women could marry high, but men could marry low. So when these madams looked for daughters-in-law, they more or less lowered their standards. They wanted the eldest daughter and tolerated the younger one. If they wanted a beautiful daughter-in-law, they had to lower their standards. Sometimes, even their temperament was not considered. A marriage could affect three generations. For someone like Cheng Yujin, who was outstanding and sensible, after settling down, she only cared about going home and secretly being happy. Yet, Madam Huo was still not satisfied. She withdrew from the elder sister and replaced her with the younger sister?
In any case, these madams couldn't understand. They thought that perhaps the second daughter of the Cheng Family was particularly outstanding, and her ability far surpassed that of her elder sister. Therefore, the Huxue Clan threw away the good one in favor of a better one.
Otherwise, they really couldn't think of a reason.
The Nguyễn Clan did not expect Cheng Yujin to stand up and deny it. The Nguyễn Clan thought that Huo Changyuan was young, promising, and had a bright future ahead of him. It was an honor to be engaged to him. When Cheng Yujin's marriage was switched to Mo'er, Cheng Yujin must have been angry and ashamed. She must have been secretly brooding about it. She must have wanted everyone to misunderstand her. Why would she take the initiative to clarify that she was not Huo Changyuan's fiancée?
Not only was the Nguyễn Clan stunned, the Huxue Clan was also very surprised. Cheng Yujin's explanation was too fast, as if she couldn't wait to avoid it. This gave the Huxue Clan the absurd feeling that their son was being despised. The Huxue Clan was displeased. Previously, she had suffered losses when dealing with Cheng Yujin. Now that she saw this person again, the Huxue Clan was even more certain that she didn't like Cheng Yujin.
The Huxue Clan said coldly, "Didn't Miss Cheng say last time that after the engagement was annulled, they would have nothing to do with each other and go their separate ways? Why are you here again today? "
Cheng Yujin's smile didn't change as she said, "Lady Huo might be thinking too much. My grandmother is resting inside. I just saw the guest out for my grandmother, and now I'm back to report."
The Huxue Clan's face stiffened. The Nguyễn Clan saw this and hurriedly said, "Alright, alright. Lady Huo and I have other things to talk about. As a junior, you shouldn't interrupt when the adults are talking. "
"Yes, Second Aunt." Cheng Yujin smiled faintly and bowed to them before turning around and leaving. After she left, she stood by the window and ordered in a low voice, "Serve tea to the madams. The guests are here, yet you are neglecting them. Where is your etiquette? "
A young maidservant passing by said awkwardly, "But, this servant needs to wash the fruits."
Another maidservant said, "There are no more incense sticks in the front courtyard. This servant needs to send new ones."
Cheng Yujin said neither hurriedly nor slowly, "You're a waiter in the back hall, yet you're going to the front courtyard to send incense sticks. Another maidservant from the front courtyard is going to the kitchen to wash fruits. Running back and forth like this makes it seem like you're very busy, but how much effort are you wasting on the road? If the guests are here, the fruits have to be washed immediately, the tea has to be waited for a long time, and the guests have to ask questions. How can you not even see the waiter? Everyone has their own duties and responsibilities. Those who serve tea should only serve tea and ignore the incense sticks. Those who wash vegetables should only wash vegetables and don't entertain the guests. Those in the front courtyard should only be in charge of the front courtyard. Those in the back courtyard shouldn't run out either. This will save you from running back and forth and not being able to do anything. Who are you busy for? "
The maidservants all bowed their heads and listened to the lecture, nodding their heads in agreement. Cheng Yujin casually asked them what they used to do and assigned them other tasks. They spread out and wholeheartedly focused on the work in their hands. They were much faster than before.
Cheng Yujin was standing in the corridor when she lectured them. Her voice wasn't loud, so it couldn't be heard directly from the room. However, no one in the room spoke at this time. Cheng Yujin's words just now were transmitted to the madams' ears without missing a word.
The madams who came with the Huxue Clan had subtle expressions on their faces. The eldest daughter of the Cheng Family not only had good looks and etiquette, but she was also very good at managing the household. Just look at her lecture just now. It was clear and orderly, and her performance was even better than that of a daughter-in-law in her twenties.
Wasn't there a ready-made example in front of them? The Nguyễn Clan had already given birth to three children. In the same situation, the Nguyễn Clan would only sit there blankly. However, Cheng Yujin, a young girl, was able to discover the problem. After just a few words, the maidservants were all obedient and obedient.
The madams silently glanced at the Huxue Clan. They all raised their eyebrows and didn't say anything. The Huxue Clan's expression wasn't too good. Their former daughter-in-law had exposed them in front of everyone, and now she was showing off her ability in front of everyone. The Huxue Clan suspected that Cheng Yujin was doing it on purpose.
In fact, Cheng Yujin really was doing it on purpose. It only took her the time to finish a cup of tea to straighten out the messy inner courtyard. However, she could cause trouble for the Huxue Clan. Why wouldn't she do such a good deal?
She happily left the courtyard where she was resting and continued to entertain the women in the mourning hall. Not long after Cheng Yujin left, Cheng Yumo arrived.
When the Nguyễn Clan found out that the Huxue Clan had come, she secretly sent a message to Cheng Yumo, asking her to quickly come and curry favor with her future mother-in-law. She didn't expect that after Cheng Yujin had already shown off and left, Cheng Yumo, the person involved, only arrived late. The Nguyễn Clan felt like the eunuch was more anxious than the emperor. She understood the hardships of being a daughter-in-law and always planned for her daughter. However, Cheng Yumo was neither anxious nor slow. She even took her time to walk.
The Nguyễn Clan sighed inwardly.
The madams first saw Cheng Yujin and thought that even the Huxue Clan didn't like such a person. Perhaps the Cheng Family's second daughter was a goddess. Because they had high expectations, when Cheng Yumo arrived, the madams were greatly disappointed when they saw her in person. Instead, they gave her a lower rating than usual.
The Huxue Clan's attitude was so high and they boasted so much about their family. However, in reality, they only had this kind of taste?
The madams all felt disdainful. They wouldn't have said anything if it was just breaking off the engagement. However, breaking off the engagement and getting someone who was far inferior to them would be a joke. The madams all thought this in their hearts and their expressions couldn't help but show some of their disdain. The Huxue Clan had been widowed for many years and were very sensitive to other people's comments. She quickly realized that these madams were laughing at her. The Huxue Clan didn't want anything to happen to her. Instead, they thought hatefully that it was all Cheng Yumo's fault for embarrassing her.
The Nguyễn Clan specially came over to chat with the Huxue Clan. She didn't know why, but the Huxue Clan's expressions were getting uglier and uglier. The Nguyễn Clan didn't know what was going on. She thought that perhaps the Huxue Clan was anxious to have grandchildren and were dissatisfied with Cheng Yumo's one-year mourning period. Therefore, their expressions were getting uglier and uglier.
The more the Nguyễn Clan thought about it, the more she felt that her guess was right. She covered her mouth and coughed a few times. When the other madams saw this, they asked, "Second Madam Cheng, what's wrong with you?"
The Nguyễn Clan said, "It's an old illness. I cough for a period of time every year. Lady Huo left me some medicine last time and it's very effective. However, the servant girl was confused and actually forgot about a medicinal ingredient. Can I trouble Lady Huo to take a look at it for me? "
The Huxue Clan immediately understood that the Nguyễn Clan had something to say to her in private. The Huxue Clan had a bellyful of anger and wanted to take this opportunity to get some fresh air. Therefore, they nodded in agreement. Seeing that the Nguyễn Clan and the Huxue Clan were about to leave, Cheng Yumo, who still had some eyesight, also followed them out.
After they left, the other madams sat in the tea room and chatted casually, "The Huxue Clan seems to be shrewd and strong. After being widowed, they were very strong. Who knows how much effort they've put into their son over the years. She cares so much about her son, but when it comes to choosing a wife, she throws away a watermelon and picks up sesame seeds. "
The obedient madams shook their heads. One of them chuckled and covered her mouth with a handkerchief. She deliberately lowered her voice and said, "The Huo family has plenty of ways to break off the engagement. I'm afraid that this Second Miss isn't as innocent and harmless as we think. "
"What?" Another madam didn't believe her. "After all these years of experience, I thought I had discerning eyes. How could I be wrong?"
The madam who spoke moved her eyebrows slightly and smiled meaningfully. "The dragon has nine sons, and all nine sons are different. Even twin sisters may not be exactly the same. The eldest daughter has learned how to be a housekeeper, so why can't the younger sister learn other things? "
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you heard? It's said that Marquis Jingyong proposed marriage to the Cheng Family and then broke it off. It wasn't the Huxue Clan's idea, but little Marquis. According to Mrs. Zhou, when the Huxue Clan came to propose marriage to Second Miss, Miss Cheng rejected them on the spot. The Huo family didn't even dare to breathe loudly. A few days later, they even sent gifts to apologize. "
When the other madams heard that it was Mrs. Zhou who spread the rumor, they immediately believed her. Mrs. Zhou was used to being a matchmaker. When the Huxue Clan came to propose marriage, they did ask Mrs. Zhou to accompany them.
When the madam who spoke saw that the others didn't know, she became even more excited and shared the gossip that Mrs. Zhou had secretly told her. "According to Mrs. Zhou, it was indeed the eldest daughter of the Cheng Family who discovered Marquis Huo. She even asked the servants to rescue Marquis Huo. Unexpectedly, at Princess Qingfu's villa, Marquis Huo fell in love with his younger sister, who came to visit him. He thought that Miss Cheng was too dignified and boring, so he asked the family to change the eldest daughter to Second Miss. "
"Oh, I didn't know that!" When the other madams heard this, they were extremely shocked. It was the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. Which family's younger generation could be changed just because they liked it? They all had sons and husbands, so they knew what men were like. However, even if they took ten thousand steps back and thought that Huo Changyuan disliked his older sister for being like a Bodhisattva and not being lively enough, he still couldn't cancel his older sister and get engaged to his younger sister! What was this called?
The madam who shared the gossip shook her head and sighed. "Isn't that so? No wonder Miss Cheng was so cold when she saw the Huxue Clan today, while the Huxue Clan pulled long faces and didn't dare to say a word. It turned out that they were ashamed of Miss Cheng! It's just that I pity the eldest daughter of the Cheng Family. She was such a good daughter, but she got involved in the Huo family's affairs. Not only was her fiancé stolen by her younger sister, but her engagement was also broken off. It's hard to say whether she'll get married in the future. She's such a good daughter. She's beautiful, good at needlework, and has a good temperament. Although she's too dignified, she's the one who should take care of the family! Marrying a wife is not taking in a concubine. What's the point of having those seductive and coaxing women? Sigh, what a pity. "
The other madams felt the same way. The madams looked at women in a completely different way from the young Langjuns. The Langjuns liked lively and delicate women who cried and acted coquettishly. The mothers-in-law, on the other hand, liked dignified and magnanimous women who could teach their husbands to be better. Cheng Yujin was perfect.
The madams whispered to each other about the gossip. Cheng Yujin's appearance and temperament suited the madams' eyes. At this moment, she was the complete victim among the womenfolk. Huo Changyuan, on the other hand, had done what the madams were afraid that their sons would do. Naturally, he became the target of everyone's crusade.
Behind every man who had a change of heart, there was a shameless vixen. The madams couldn't say anything bad about the second daughter of the Cheng Family, so they all talked about Huo Changyuan.
"Marquis Jingyong looks tall and handsome. He has his own ideas and strategies. Why would he do such a thing?"
"Who knows? You can't judge a book by its cover. Sigh, men only care about themselves, but the womenfolk who are implicated by them suffer. Miss Cheng is such a good daughter. What will happen to her in the future? "
The madams' gossip was getting further and further away from the truth. Every time they passed by, they would add fuel to the fire. The scumbag became scumbag, and the pitiful became more and more pitiful. By now, Cheng Yujin had become a pitiful woman who was virtuous but not understood. She was very immersive. After the madams finished spreading the gossip, they looked at Cheng Yujin with eyes full of tenderness.
If Huo Changyuan heard these words, he would be so angry that he would vomit blood. Cheng Yujin was innocent and pitiful? When she waved her hand to hit someone, she directly hit their face. She didn't look innocent or pitiful at all.
The madams were all people who lived in the inner residence. When they were talking, there were servant girls watching over them. The Nguyễn Clan didn't know what other people were saying after they left. The Nguyễn Clan and the Huxue Clan brought up the idea of a hot mourning wedding. The Huxue Clan only thought about it for a while before agreeing.
In any case, they were in-laws. Cheng Yumo was anxious to marry into the family, so the Huxue Clan naturally didn't have any objections.
After the Nguyễn Clan and the Huxue Clan finished discussing, they went to the back to find Old Lady Cheng. Marquis Cheng had died of illness. Cheng Min, the daughter who had married into another family, rushed back to her maternal home early in the morning to help. When the Nguyễn Clan and the Huxue Clan came in, Cheng Min was sitting in the room and comforting Old Lady Cheng. She was the eldest aunt, so there was naturally no reason for her to avoid it. Cheng Min also heard the Nguyễn Clan's suggestion.
This was her maternal family's matter. Cheng Min didn't want to interfere. However, in her heart, she sighed and shook her head.
The most taboo thing for women was to rush. It wasn't like Cheng Yumo couldn't get married. Why was she so anxious? Originally, when a woman married into her husband's family, she had to bear children and take care of the house. Now that she showed her anxiety, her husband's family might look down on her.
However, the Nguyễn Clan's mother was willing. Old Lady Cheng also agreed. As her aunt, Cheng Min jumped out to oppose it. Cheng Min gently pursed her lips. In the end, she didn't say anything.
She didn't know why, but she thought of an idea that she had previously put aside. In fact, after she went back, she thought about it for a long time. Later, when she heard that Cheng Yujin had embroidered a double-sided embroidery for the Marquis Household and had even received the emperor's praise, Cheng Min gave up on this idea. Cheng Min knew what her son's level was. Cheng Yujin's ability was too great. Her family couldn't afford to raise her.
However, today, this idea popped up again. Any large family would marry their daughters according to the order of seniority. Perhaps the men could change, but the women couldn't change their seniority no matter what. If the younger sister was married and the elder sister was still at home, how would other people think of Cheng Yujin? Those who knew would understand that the Huo family was too deceitful. Cheng Yujin had to observe mourning. The Nguyễn Clan and the Huxue Clan were too impatient. However, how many people in the capital knew the inside story of the Cheng Family?
They wouldn't empathize with Cheng Yujin's difficulties. They would only think that Cheng Yujin had some hidden illness, so she couldn't get married.
Cheng Min sighed. When she saw that the Nguyễn Clan and Old Lady Cheng seemed to have something to say, she didn't want to stay as an annoying sister-in-law and took the initiative to leave. As soon as she walked outside, Cheng Min immediately asked, "Where's Second Young Master?"
"Second Young Master is helping to entertain the guests in the outer courtyard."
The Cheng Family didn't have a prosperous family. In the third generation, there were more females than males. The two sons of the second branch, Cheng Enzi and Cheng Enbei, were both teenagers. The legitimate grandson of the eldest branch, Cheng Enbao, was still a child. It was impossible for Cheng Yuan-hsien to entertain the young male guests, so Xu Zhixian also rushed back to his maternal grandfather's home early to help entertain the guests.
Cheng Min immediately set out to find Xu Zhixian. Xu Zhixian was busy outside when he suddenly heard a servant girl say that his mother was looking for him. Xu Zhixian rushed into the room and asked as soon as he pushed the door open, "Mother, why are you looking for me?"
Cheng Min was shocked by him and glared at Xu Zhixian reproachfully, "You child, why are you so careless?"
"Mother, why did you ask me to come here? I'm still busy outside. If you have something to say, say it quickly. "
Xu Zhixian's temperament was simple. Cheng Min knew her son's character, so she didn't care about his small offense. Cheng Min pulled Xu Zhixian to sit down and carefully looked at her son from top to bottom. Xu Zhixian felt his hair stand on end when he was looked at like this. He couldn't help but rub his arms and ask, "Mother, what do you want to say?"
Cheng Min smiled and asked, "Zhixian, tell mother the truth. What do you think of your cousin Yujin?"
"Sister Jin? Of course she's good at everything. "
This was the truth. Xu Zhixian grew up in Cheng Yujin's shadow and was used to Cheng Yujin's rules being better than his, her homework being better than his, her calligraphy being more diligent than his … She even knew the contents of the men's imperial examinations. One had to know that Xu Zhixian didn't know how to do it. As long as Cheng Yujin participated in a competition, there was no need to think about it. Cheng Yujin would definitely be the first. Over time, Xu Zhixian got used to it.
Because that was Cheng Yujin.
Xu Zhixian thought that his mother was going to use Cheng Yujin to educate him again. He didn't expect Cheng Min's next sentence to be, "Then what do you think of having Yujin as your wife?"
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