When Cheng Yujin heard this, her footsteps only paused for a moment before she walked into the central room without any hesitation.
A maidservant stood outside the screen window and reported, "Old Madam, Eldest Miss is here."
When the Nguyễn Clan heard Cheng Yujin's name, her expression stiffened. These days, the Marquis Household had been busy with Marquis Cheng's funeral. Everyone was thrown off their feet. But no matter how busy they were, Old Lady Cheng and Princess Qingfu were in charge of everything. Nothing slipped into the hands of the Nguyễn Clan. With nothing to do, the Nguyễn Clan couldn't help but worry about her daughter's marriage. In her opinion, after Marquis Cheng's death, the first branch received a large amount of family property and made a lot of money. The only one who was hurt was her youngest daughter, Mo'er.
The Nguyễn Clan had been worried for several days. She was afraid that Cheng Yumo would marry late and other women would take advantage of the situation. Today, the Nguyễn Clan finally found an opportunity to talk to Old Lady Cheng about this matter. As soon as she finished speaking, Old Lady Cheng was silent. When she heard that Cheng Yujin had arrived, the two of them stopped talking.
Cheng Yujin pretended that she didn't hear anything and walked into the room with a smile. She gracefully bowed to the two: "Yujin pays respect to Grandmother and Second Aunt. Last night, it was windy and there was a lot of movement in the middle of the night. Grandmother didn't catch a cold, did she? "
Old Lady Cheng's expression was indifferent as she said, "I'm fine. I'm old and don't like to be cold. You juniors need to be careful. Don't sleep with the windows open at night. Make sure to let the maidservants check on you. "
"Granddaughter understands. Thank you for the reminder, Grandmother." Cheng Yujin smiled in response. Her expression was too calm. She talked and laughed as if she didn't care at all. Cheng Yujin's behavior made Old Lady Cheng and the Nguyễn Clan uncomfortable.
When the Nguyễn Clan saw Old Lady Cheng and Cheng Yujin exchanging pleasantries, she couldn't help but feel a little anxious. She didn't care how Old Lady Cheng and Cheng Yujin pretended, but Mo 'er's matter couldn't be delayed any longer. The hot mourning period had to be carried out during the day. Now, half of the mourning period had passed. It was not easy to get started today. If it was not settled, Cheng Yumo would have to wait for a year.
The Nguyễn Clan was anxious. She couldn't help but interrupt Old Lady Cheng, "Mother, what did I say just now …"
Old Lady Cheng secretly glared at the Nguyễn Clan, disdaining her for not being observant enough. Look at her impatient appearance. She was not presentable at all.
Cheng Yujin laughed in her heart. Her expression was normal as she deliberately said, "So it was me who interrupted Second Aunt's words. It's my fault. Yujin apologizes to Second Aunt. If Second Aunt wants to say something, just say it. You don't have to worry about me. "
The Nguyễn Clan hesitated. It was rare for her to feel a little guilty. She and Old Lady Cheng secretly discussed the matter of Cheng Yumo's marriage during the mourning period. Old Lady Cheng did not object. She only said that they would discuss it in detail after Old Marquis passed. Old Lady Cheng agreed. Cheng Yumo's marriage in advance was basically set in stone. However, although this matter had become a consensus, it had not been officially announced. In other words, Cheng Yujin still did not know about it.
The Nguyễn Clan did not know that Cheng Yujin had heard her discussion with Cheng Yuanhan early in the morning. Old Lady Cheng also did not know that Cheng Min had told Xu Zhixian about this matter. Coincidentally, Cheng Yujin had bumped into it. In short, on the surface, Cheng Yujin should not know about this matter.
The Nguyễn Clan had always been self-confident. She was doing this for the good of her daughter. Birth, old age, illness, and death were things that could not be helped. However, was marriage and children not important? The flowering period of a girl's family was short. If she delayed it for a year, who knew how much she would miss. If she had a concubine or a concubine's eldest son during this time, it would affect the girl's life.
Therefore, what was wrong with her doing this? The Nguyễn Clan had always believed in this. However, at this moment, facing Cheng Yujin's clear and bright eyes, the Nguyễn Clan's lips opened and closed several times. However, she was unable to say anything.
Cheng Yumo's marriage in advance was of course not a problem for the second branch. However, what about Cheng Yumo, who was ahead of Cheng Yujin? As the older sister, she was skipped by the younger sister. What would outsiders think of Cheng Yujin?
It was not that the Nguyễn Clan had not thought about this problem. However, every time this idea popped up, she pretended as if nothing had happened and changed the topic. The Nguyễn Clan's self-deception was almost laughable. In any case, Cheng Yujin still did not know about it. There was no need to think about it. When the time came, let nature take its course. There would definitely be a way.
However, Old Lady Cheng and the Nguyễn Clan both knew that there would be no way. They wanted to rope in Huo Changyuan, a hidden dragon with a limitless future. They wanted Cheng Yumo to give birth to Marquis Jingyong's eldest son. Therefore, they had to sacrifice Cheng Yujin. After all, Cheng Yujin's engagement had been broken off. Her future was uncertain. However, Marquis Jingyong was a ready-made benefit that could be seen and touched. It was completely predictable who Old Lady Cheng would choose.
Cheng Yujin was not surprised at all. She was not sad at all. However, she did not want to let Old Lady Cheng and the Nguyễn Clan off so easily. They stepped on a granddaughter's lifelong tragedy to climb up the social ladder. They even had the delusion that the granddaughter would not complain and continue to be filial to the Cheng Family. There was no such good thing in the world. Cheng Yujin smiled and asked softly, "Second Aunt, why are you in a daze? What did you say to Grandmother just now? Now that there are no outsiders, you can continue to talk. I won't disturb you. "
Sure enough, after Cheng Yujin's voice fell, the Nguyễn Clan's eyes evaded Cheng Yujin's gaze even more. She was so embarrassed that she did not dare to look at Cheng Yujin. Cheng Yujin made a sound of surprise. She looked back and forth between Old Lady Cheng and the Nguyễn Clan. She asked curiously, "Grandmother, Second Aunt, what's wrong with the two of you? Could it be that I can't listen to what you're saying? "
Ruan shi felt so guilty that she could not speak. Both of them were her own flesh and blood. Cheng Yu Jin was also her daughter. Although she did not grow up by her side, she was still the flesh and blood that she had carried for ten months. How could she not care? The Nguyễn Clan also felt sorry for Cheng Yujin, but what could the Nguyễn Clan do? Mo 'er had been weak since she was young. All these years, she had to give Cheng Yujin everything good. Could it be that she had to sacrifice her marriage for Cheng Yujin? Cheng Yujin's engagement was broken off, and it was not Mo 'er's fault.
In the end, Old Lady Cheng sighed and said, "Forget it. Now that things have come to this, it would be cruel to her to continue to hide it from her. Second Brother's wife, tell First Miss what you said to me before. "
When the Nguyễn Clan heard this, they immediately scolded Old Lady Cheng for being a good-for-nothing. Old Lady Cheng wanted both sides to be reconciled, but she let the Nguyễn Clan be the bad guy! No matter what, Old Lady Cheng was a kind grandmother. If Cheng Yujin could still talk about a good marriage in the future, Old Lady Cheng would still stand up and ask Cheng Yujin to be filial to her.
The Nguyễn Clan cursed in her heart, but she did not dare to disobey Old Lady Cheng. She could only smile stiffly and say, "Actually, it's not a big deal … Your younger sister is already engaged. Seeing that Marquis Huo is not young anymore, Lady Huo is anxious to have a grandchild, so she wants Mo 'er to marry him early. Although this is not in line with the etiquette, the Huxue Clan is still Mo 'er's mother-in-law. If we don't give her face, I'm afraid she'll make things difficult for Mo' er in the future. So your grandmother and I discussed it for a while. We want to let Mo 'er get married while she's still in mourning. If your grandfather sees it, he'll be able to leave in peace … However, we're just discussing it. We haven't come to a conclusion yet … "
The Nguyễn Clan added a few more sentences at the end, as if she was trying to cover her ears while stealing a bell. However, these words revealed her guilty conscience. Cheng Yujin had already expected this. When she heard these words, her heart did not ripple at all.
However, this did not prevent her from taking the opportunity to extort a sum of money.
Cheng Yujin stared blankly at the Nguyễn Clan. Her pair of beautiful eyes widened in surprise. Finally, as if she finally reacted, a layer of mist suddenly appeared in her eyes. She hurriedly blinked her eyes back down. Cheng Yujin lowered her head so that no one could see her expression clearly. However, there was an unconcealable tremor in her voice. "Second Aunt, what do you mean by this? You want to let Second Sister get married first? "
Cheng Yujin had always been dignified and magnanimous. When she suddenly revealed her weak state, Old Lady Cheng and the Nguyễn Clan were caught unprepared. If Cheng Yumo had cried, Old Lady Cheng would not have felt pity. However, this person was Cheng Yujin. Even the hard-hearted Old Lady Cheng felt a rare sense of guilt.
In the end, as the elders, they had let Cheng Yujin down. It was originally Cheng Yujin's marriage, but in the end, it was changed to Cheng Yumo. Now, for the sake of Cheng Yumo's smoothness for the rest of Cheng Yujin's life, they put Cheng Yujin in a dilemma.
Speaking of which, Cheng Yujin's luck was really not good. Originally, they were born as auspicious twins. However, after they were born, they were adopted. When they were young, they saved someone on the snowy mountain. After they were engaged, they were told that Huo Changyuan had mistaken her for someone else. After they finally broke off the engagement, Huo Changyuan fulfilled his wish to marry his beloved. Cheng Yujin also received the saint's personal praise. Seeing that the situation was about to improve, Cheng Yujin took advantage of this opportunity to find a good husband. However, at this critical juncture, Marquis Cheng died.
Cheng Yumo could take advantage of the mourning period to get married. However, Cheng Yujin was bound to stay single for a year. How forgetful were people? After a year, the golden embroidery tools bestowed by the emperor had long been forgotten. However, Cheng Yujin had to bear the burden of breaking off the engagement, growing older, and her younger sister getting married before her. Moreover, finding a good marriage was easier said than done.
Moreover, many of these consequences were single-handedly facilitated by Old Lady Cheng.
Cheng Yujin still lowered her head. She did not want others to see her face. However, her trembling shoulders could not deceive anyone. Old Lady Cheng sighed and said, "Young Lady, don't cry. Your younger sister's matter cannot be delayed. You are the older sister, so you should be more considerate of them."
Cheng Yujin did not know how many times she had heard these words since she was young. You are the older sister, so you have to give in to your younger siblings. You are the older sister, so if your younger siblings make a mistake, it is your dereliction of duty. You are the older sister, so it is natural for parents to favor your younger siblings. It is normal for them to take care of the younger ones first.
Cheng Yujin said in her heart, "Okay, now I really don't care." She did not care for her parents' attention, nor did she care for her family's love. However, she wanted more money and benefits.
Cheng Yujin reached into her sleeves and took out a light purple handkerchief. She gently pressed it to the sides of her eyes to wipe away her tears. Unexpectedly, her tears increased. Cheng Yujin raised her head. Old Lady Cheng and Nguyễn Clan only saw that Cheng Yujin's eyes were red and filled with tears.
Old Lady Cheng and Nguyễn Clan were suddenly speechless. Cheng Yujin wiped away more and more tears as she said sensibly, "I know. After all, I am the older sister, so I have to give in to my younger siblings. Anyway, this is how my life will be. However, Second Sister's future is just right. It doesn't matter if I sacrifice a little to fulfill Second Sister's happy marriage. However, although this is our family's matter, we still pay attention to the order of seniority. If the older sister is not married and the younger sister gets married during the mourning period, outsiders will inevitably talk. In my opinion, it would be better for me to become a monk and make way for Second Sister. This way, outsiders won't be able to say anything. "
Nguyễn Clan was shocked and cried out, "What are you saying!"
Cheng Yujin continued without blinking, "It seems that Second Aunt is not satisfied? That's right. If I become a sister-in-law, I'm afraid that others will speculate whether or not she was forced. It will not be good for Second Sister's reputation. Also, Second Sister is going to be a Marchioness. How can she have a sister who is a monk? Then I'll have to trouble Grandmother to give me a piece of white silk. When Grandfather's seventh day is over, I'll choose a quiet day to quietly end it. I won't cause trouble for everyone so that Second Aunt can send Second Sister off with peace of mind. "
When the Nguyễn Clan heard these heart-wrenching words, her eyelashes fluttered and tears rolled down her face. She covered her face with her handkerchief and choked out, "Child, what are you saying! You and Mo'er are my flesh and blood. When you were born, your bodies were weak. The doctor said that you might not be able to survive. I wished that I could take your place. Now that you and your sister have reached marriageable age, you're saying things like seeking death. How do you want me to live? You're deliberately stabbing me in the heart! "
The Nguyễn Clan was almost screaming towards the end. When Cheng Yujin heard this, she knelt down and silently shed tears. She was wearing a white dress. Her slender chin was almost whiter than her clothes. Kneeling on the ground, her sleeves were stacked, making her look even more delicate and fragile. Cheng Yujin's eyes were bright from being washed by water. Two lines of clear tears slowly fell from her cheeks. She was quiet and helpless.
Cheng Yujin was not like the Nguyễn Clan's emotional outbursts. However, she deliberately suppressed her voice, making it even more heart-wrenching to hear, "Then Second Aunt, what do you want me to do? You don't want me to become a nun. You don't want me to fulfill your wish even if I die. What else do you want me to do? "
The Nguyễn Clan covered her mouth with her handkerchief and cried until she was out of breath. Cheng Yujin knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face. She didn't make a sound, but it was more heartbreaking than the Nguyễn Clan's hoarse cries. Old Lady Cheng's heart was stifled by the crying of the two. She couldn't stand it any longer and slammed the table, saying, "That's enough. Don't cry."
The Nguyễn Clan's voice gradually weakened, while Cheng Yujin was still kneeling on the ground. From time to time, she would use her handkerchief to wipe her eyes. Her output was steady, and there was a long lasting effect. Old Lady Cheng sighed deeply and said, "Marriage is a joyous occasion. Why do you have to exchange one for the other? Second Young Lady's matter can't be delayed. It's also good to leave early. Eldest Young Lady can peacefully stay at home and observe mourning. When the mourning period is over, we can have a lively discussion about marriage and choose a husband. "
Cheng Yujin didn't want to use empty words to dismiss her. Old Lady Cheng's words were pleasant to hear now, but a year later, who knew if she would accept it. Cheng Yujin's eyes were filled with tears as she asked, "Grandmother, it's a fact that my engagement was broken off. It's also a fact that Second Younger Sister married before me. Even if the family has the intention to make plans for me, after a year, things will change. Who knows what outsiders will say about me. Under these circumstances, how will the family arrange a marriage for me? Rather than making things difficult for the elders, it's better for me to end my own life now. Come quietly, leave quietly, and avoid being gossiped about. "
"Nonsense!" Old Lady Cheng scolded with a sullen face, "Your body, hair, and skin were all given to you by your parents. It wasn't easy for the family to raise you to this age. No matter how big the matter is, the family should discuss it. There's always a solution. How can you easily seek death?"
The Nguyễn Clan was frightened by Old Lady Cheng's imposing manner. She lowered her head and said, "Yes, Mother's scolding is right."
After Old Lady Cheng finished scolding, her expression softened and she said, "Your grandfather left in a hurry. Before he died, he specially prepared a dowry for you two sisters. I think he also hoped to see you two get married and have children. Unfortunately, in the end, he didn't manage to wait until this step. In my opinion, it's better to fulfill your grandfather's last wish. Before he died, the people around his sickbed were all family members. I don't know what outsiders said, but they simply said that this was your grandfather's last wish. He watched his eldest granddaughter grow up, so in his heart, she was no different from his eldest granddaughter. Thus, he wanted her to stay at home and observe filial piety. As for his youngest granddaughter, she was spoiled since childhood, so he wanted her to quickly get married and give birth to a great-grandson as soon as possible to report the good news to the old man. "
The Nguyễn Clan's crying had unknowingly stopped. Cheng Yujin was quite satisfied with this explanation. She lowered her eyes and asked, "But, do outsiders believe this explanation?"
"On the seventh day of your grandfather's seventh birthday, I'll personally speak to the guests. Your grandfather's last wish is reasonable to me. They may not believe others, but they won't doubt me. I've lived for so long, so I'm bound to have this bit of face. "
Cheng Yujin was finally satisfied after receiving the confirmation. She stopped pressing the handkerchief in front of her eyes and her tears gradually stopped. Heaven, Earth, Monarch, and Master. The only way to suppress the etiquette between men and women was by a stronger class, such as filial piety and the concept of monarch and minister. Cheng Yujin's younger sister had snatched her marriage away, so outsiders would definitely talk about it. Cheng Yujin hadn't kept a low profile all these years. Many people had been suppressed by her and had suppressed a lot of resentment in their hearts. Once Cheng Yujin was in trouble, who knew how many people would pounce on her and trample on her. When the time came, the situation would be out of control. Who knew how many unpleasant words would spread? Perhaps some black-hearted people with long mouths would spread rumors that she had a hidden illness, which was why Marquis Jingyong broke off the engagement. Marquis of Yichun knew the inside story and gave up on the idea of letting Cheng Yujin get married. Therefore, he directly let his younger sister get married.
When that time came, Cheng Yujin wouldn't be able to defend herself and it would be difficult for her to make a comeback. After all, how could she prove to others that she had a hidden illness? If she didn't have a hidden illness, why would her family give up on her?
However, if she was ordered to observe filial piety, then it was completely different. When the word filial piety was put down, marriage, funerals, and marriage ethics all had to be pushed back. Moreover, Cheng Yujin had been personally named by Marquis Cheng to observe filial piety. He had raised her and treated her as his eldest grandson. This honor was no small matter. After a daughter-in-law observed filial piety for her parents-in-law, she wouldn't go out for three days. Even if she violated the rule of seven, her husband couldn't easily abandon her. This showed how important filial piety was. The eldest granddaughter observed filial piety according to the eldest grandson's ritual. This was a great merit and dignity.
Since ancient times, women had never entered the ancestral hall. For thousands of years, the sacrificial ceremony was the world of men. There were very few positions for women. However, Cheng Yujin could be one of them, and she was even comparable to the eldest grandson. The eldest grandson was the heir, and his status in the family was higher than the second son's. Cheng Yujin's honor was unparalleled. Even her daughter, Cheng Min, couldn't be compared to her. When the mourning period was over, Cheng Yujin could casually throw out this merit to suppress a group of people and make them speechless. At that time, she could add a heavy bargaining chip in the marriage market.
Cheng Yujin was very satisfied. It was even better than she had originally expected. Moreover, Old Lady Cheng had personally come forward to say it. This was even better. Twice the result with half the effort. Cheng Yujin was very satisfied with today's harvest.
Cheng Yujin stopped crying. Dugeaux saw the opportunity and went forward to say, "Miss, the ground is cold. Please get up and say it. Don't disappoint the Old Lady's kindness."
The other maidservants seemed to wake up from a dream and quickly came forward to help Cheng Yujin get up. Cheng Yujin stood up half-heartedly. Old Lady Cheng saw that Cheng Yujin's face was pale and couldn't bear it. She said, "Bring an embroidered stool and a cup of hot tea for Eldest Miss. She shouldn't catch a cold. She has been kneeling on the ground for so long. Be careful not to catch a cold. "
Cheng Yujin pretended to decline a few words, then sat down on the embroidered stool with the help of a servant girl. Nguyễn Clan had also cried for a long time and was still standing to the side. Nguyễn Clan's makeup was all washed off and her eyes were red and swollen. She looked at Cheng Yujin, who was still beautiful and elegant despite crying, and then looked at herself. She didn't know why she felt awkward in her heart.
Nguyễn Clan thought that she had also cried for a long time. She also couldn't catch a cold. Why did the Old Lady give Cheng Yujin tea and a seat, but ignore her?
Cheng Yujin lifted the cup and slowly drank the hot tea. Old Lady Cheng saw that everyone's emotions had calmed down and said, "This matter is settled. In a few days, I will tell everyone that this is Old Marquis's last wish. He left Eldest Miss here to observe mourning and let Second Miss go out to get married. The most important thing for a family was harmony. Only when everyone in the family was united, twisting into a rope, exerting their strength in one direction, would they not be bullied by outsiders. Otherwise, before others can do anything, we will become scattered sand. "
Old Lady Cheng wanted to gloss over peace and harmony. Cheng Yujin nodded in agreement and took it as a joke. Old Lady Cheng saw that her daughter-in-law and Cheng Yujin both looked like they had learned something. She thought that her words were effective, so she continued with satisfaction, "The mourning and marriage matters are settled. You are not allowed to make wild guesses in the future. You are also not allowed to mention what Eldest Miss said before. "
Cheng Yujin stood up and obediently replied, "Yes. Just now, Granddaughter thought wrongly. Fortunately, Grandmother was sensible and enlightened Granddaughter in time. Otherwise, Granddaughter would have made a big mistake. "
After speaking, Cheng Yujin turned to the Nguyễn Clan and solemnly bowed in apology, "Niece was bewitched just now and made a mistake in her words and actions. Please forgive me, Second Aunt. I also hope Second Aunt won't take those words to heart. "
Cheng Yujin apologized and apologized. She had said all that she could, but it made the Nguyễn Clan seem less sensible than a little girl. Nguyễn Clan said embarrassedly, "It's nothing. We are a family to begin with. If there is a knot in your heart, it will be fine."
"It's good that Second Aunt doesn't blame me." After speaking, Cheng Yujin's expression didn't change. She lightly added, "It's just that Second Aunt shouldn't say some words that can easily cause misunderstandings. My mother is Princess Qingfu. My father is the head of the Cheng Family. Although Second Sister and I are like sisters, we are still cousins and can't be considered biological. I thank Second Aunt for doting on me, but my parents are someone else. Second Aunt shouldn't say things like having the same mother again in the future. "
When the Nguyễn Clan heard this, her face stiffened and her throat choked up. She couldn't even speak. Of course, she knew that Cheng Yujin was her biological daughter. Qingfu was only a title. Everyone in the fu was well aware of this. All these years, the Nguyễn Clan had always considered themselves her biological mother. However, Cheng Yujin said in front of her that her mother was someone else and that the Nguyễn Clan was only her aunt.
This was like a ruthless stab to the Nguyễn Clan's heart. It was even more heart-wrenching than when Cheng Yujin said that she wanted to commit suicide. The Nguyễn Clan's face was deathly pale. However, Old Lady Cheng was very satisfied with Cheng Yujin's sensibility. She nodded her head in praise and said, "Eldest Miss is right. Second Daughter-In-Law said something wrong in a moment of desperation. You can't be so careless in the future."
The Nguyễn Clan's lips trembled and the last trace of blood drained from her face.
Cheng Yujin didn't recognize her? She was clearly Cheng Yujin's biological mother!
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