The Nguyễn Clan's face turned deathly pale. Old Lady Cheng glanced at her threateningly, as if she was deliberately reminding her, and said, "The biggest taboo in life is to be unclear. If you make a mistake, you'll be reprimanded by your elders, but it's fine if you change your ways. What I'm most afraid of is being unclear of your own status and harming others and yourself. Second Brother's wife, do you understand? "
The Nguyễn Clan understood the reminder behind Old Lady Cheng's back. Of course, she understood. When she gave birth to twins, the Nguyễn Clan's mother had chosen the stronger one to give to her sister-in-law. When she was weak after giving birth, she couldn't help but cry when she missed her children. When she secretly went to see Cheng Yujin, she was coldly mocked by Princess Qingfu's nanny. Cheng Yujin was born by her, but she didn't belong to her. Only Mo'er was completely devoted to her biological mother.
Later on, the two children gradually grew up. Mo'er slowly learned to sit, crawl, walk, and talk. The Nguyễn Clan's entire attention was attracted by Cheng Yumo, and it was difficult for her to spare any energy to think about her eldest daughter. After that, she had two sons, Cheng Enzi and Cheng Enbei, so the Nguyễn Clan was even more unable to take care of Cheng Yujin.
It was only when she paid her respects to Old Lady Cheng, and saw Cheng Yujin following Princess Qingfu, that the Nguyễn Clan was shocked. Ah, so Cheng Yujin had grown so much taller.
Unknowingly, this girl had grown into a completely unfamiliar face to the Nguyễn Clan. She was well-behaved, sensible, and didn't make a fuss. When she encountered something she didn't understand, she would quietly stare with her eyes wide open. She was completely different from the other children who cried and threw tantrums.
Later on, as the children grew up, the gap between Cheng Yujin and her peers became more and more obvious. The Nguyễn Clan often heard Old Lady Cheng praise Cheng Yujin in front of everyone, while Mo'er could only sit on the side and listen with a lonely expression. This scene deeply stimulated the Nguyễn Clan. Princess Qingfu's family background was higher than hers, and her words held more weight than hers. Could it be that even her children were better than hers?
The Nguyễn Clan's feelings towards Cheng Yujin were too complicated. There was pity, regret, remorse, indifference, anger, and jealousy. As a result, the Nguyễn Clan couldn't face the fact that Cheng Yujin had been adopted. Whenever she had the chance, she would mention it in front of Cheng Yujin. The Nguyễn Clan wanted Cheng Yujin to have a good life, but they were also afraid that Cheng Yujin would have a better life than Cheng Yumo. More importantly, Cheng Yujin shouldn't have forgotten her biological parents, and she shouldn't have been in love with Qingfu.
Every time the Nguyễn Clan saw Cheng Yujin, the changes in her feelings were subtle and complicated. However, she never thought that Cheng Yujin would resent her and refuse to acknowledge her as her biological mother. After all, it was the Nguyễn Clan who brought Cheng Yujin into this world. How could Cheng Yujin not be filial when she gave birth to her? Even if Cheng Yujin was raised by someone else, she should still be concerned about her biological parents. When she grew up, she should acknowledge her ancestors and return to her family, and repay her parents and brothers. How could she, how could she not be close to her biological family?
The Nguyễn Clan was shocked by the words just now. Old Lady Cheng reminded her that this was a common occurrence, but the Nguyễn Clan couldn't believe that Cheng Yujin thought the same. She looked at Cheng Yujin, hoping to see some embarrassment or depression on Cheng Yujin's face. However, there was none. Cheng Yujin's expression was very calm. She didn't even respond to the Nguyễn Clan's gaze.
Old Lady Cheng noticed the Nguyễn Clan's movements. She narrowed her eyes and reminded her again, "Second Brother's wife, did you hear what I said just now?"
Old Lady Cheng's tone was already very dangerous. The Nguyễn Clan was scared and shrank back. She stammered, "Yes."
Old Lady Cheng was so angry at this daughter-in-law of hers that her liver hurt. Adoption was changing the family line. Whether it was in terms of etiquette or feelings, Cheng Yujin was Princess Qingfu's biological daughter. However, the Nguyễn Clan didn't give up. From time to time, she would come forward to stir up trouble. Qingfu didn't like Cheng Yujin to begin with. With the Nguyễn Clan's interference, she couldn't get close to Cheng Yujin.
Old Lady Cheng thought that this wouldn't do. Her eldest daughter-in-law had a noble status and would become the Marchioness in the future. Old Lady Cheng would rely on Princess Qingfu for the rest of her life. No matter how much Old Lady Cheng loved her youngest son, she wouldn't publicly make her eldest daughter-in-law unhappy.
With this thought, Old Lady Cheng was even more determined to knock some sense into the Nguyễn Clan. She cleared her throat and said to the two people below, "My children and grandchildren are gradually growing up. Parents can't help much. Now that Old Marquis is gone, I think I'll be gone soon. Life is impermanent. No matter how much gold, silver, and jewelry you wear, no matter how many delicacies you eat, once you're in the afterlife, everything will be gone. As you get older, you become more indifferent to many things. Instead, it's better to have children and grandchildren and have a happy family. Mammy Chang, go get my precious Xuanluo black and red lacquer box from the bottom of my chest. "
Mammy Chang was startled. She asked tentatively, "Old Lady, you're talking about the lacquer box that was your dowry? This lacquer box has been with you for more than 30 years. You clearly said that you would take it with you when you're buried. "
"I know." Old Lady Cheng's expression was cold and indifferent. She said faintly, "I'm just a withered old woman. It's not easy to take something with me when I'm buried. It's better to leave it for the younger generation to protect themselves."
Nguyễn Clan's expression changed when she heard this. She knew that Old Lady Cheng had a pair of extremely precious jade bracelets. She would only wear them on her birthday. At other times, she would keep them securely. Nguyễn Clan and Princess Qingfu had been thinking about it for a long time. Hearing Old Lady Cheng's meaning, was she going to take it out as a reward?
Nguyễn Clan couldn't help but have some expectations. Since Old Lady Cheng said these words in front of her, there was no way she wouldn't give it to her. No matter what, Nguyễn Clan was the daughter-in-law. She was more dignified than Cheng Yujin, the granddaughter.
Nguyễn Clan stared blankly as Mammy Chang came out of the inner room holding a black lacquer box with red carvings. With every step Mammy Chang took, Nguyễn Clan's eyes lit up. When the box was delivered to Old Lady Cheng's hands, Old Lady Cheng opened the lid with practiced ease. Nguyễn Clan's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as they were glued to the box.
Not to mention the things inside, just the craftsmanship of this lacquer box was already worth a lot. Old Lady Cheng opened the wooden box and flipped it over on the table. Immediately, the jade shone brightly, filling the room with radiance. It turned out that the inside of the lacquer box was covered with brocade. On top of it was a pair of jade bracelets that reflected on the black and red lacquer box. Cheng Yujin had seen many pieces of jade, but none of them could compare to this pair in front of her. Cheng Yujin's eyes lit up with admiration.
Old Lady Cheng deliberately showed it to everyone. She took in the shock and greed in everyone's eyes. Then, she cleared her throat and said unhurriedly, "This pair of bracelets is a treasure that my mother passed down to me. Just this pair of bracelets is worth more than a thousand taels of gold. Jade nourishes people, but gold and silver harm people. I originally planned to keep this pair of bracelets so that when I was buried, it would be more dignified. But later on, Eldest Young Lady and Second Young Lady, this pair of sisters, grew prettier and prettier. When I saw this, I thought that it would be better to pass this pair of jade bracelets to Eldest Young Lady and Second Young Lady. One for each of the sisters, it would be a good omen. "
When the Nguyễn Clan heard this, they couldn't hide their excitement. Looking at the way she stared at the jade bracelets, it was as if she couldn't wait for Old Lady Cheng to finish speaking. She couldn't wait to immediately put the bracelets in her arms. However, Old Lady Cheng had accumulated a lot of power, so the Nguyễn Clan could only restrain their joy and wait for Old Lady Cheng to speak.
Cheng Yujin gave birth to an indescribable feeling. She had a premonition that she was going to be ordered around by Old Lady Cheng again. Sure enough, after Old Lady Cheng finished speaking about bestowing the bracelets to the sisters, she deliberately paused for a long time before unhurriedly continuing, "But the servant reminded me that the jade bracelets were originally a pair. Separating them would be inauspicious. I thought about it and agreed. Originally, I thought that since Second Young Lady was about to get married, I would give this pair to Second Young Lady first and wait for Eldest Young Lady to get married. But today's words reminded me that the most taboo thing for an elder is to give a bowl of water that is not completely equal. Even if they have good intentions, in the eyes of the younger generation, it's inevitable that they won't have other thoughts. After all, Eldest Young Lady is the legitimate daughter of the eldest branch. In terms of status, she should be the one to choose first. Eldest Young Lady is sensible and loves her younger brothers and sisters. What's especially rare is that she can distinguish between inside and outside and knows who she should be filial to. Of all the children, I love her the most, but she also has the most difficulties. Her marriage has been full of twists and turns. As your grandmother, I'm getting old and can't help you much. I can only give you a little more money. "
After Old Lady Cheng finished speaking, she gently closed the lid and said, "Eldest Young Lady, you can come and take these things away. The jade bracelets are delicate and can't be damaged. When you go back and put them away, you have to be careful. "
Cheng Yujin thought that as expected, Old Lady Cheng was always like this. When she beat people up, she didn't say anything. She always used the other person as a raft, praising and belittling, praising and trampling. In this way, the person who was beaten up wouldn't resent Old Lady Cheng. Instead, all of their hatred would be transferred to the person who was praised. Because Cheng Yujin's status and age were suitable, she had already been Old Lady Cheng's personal head for several years.
She sighed and thought that this time, the Nguyễn Clan would probably hate her to death. Even if she wanted to be filial to the second branch, she probably wouldn't be able to. Cheng Yujin's thoughts flashed through her mind. Her expression was calm and she didn't reveal any ecstasy or eagerness. Instead, she glanced at the Nguyễn Clan and declined, "Grandmother, I can't accept it. It's not appropriate."
"What's not appropriate?" Old Lady Cheng's tone was indifferent, "There's no need to pay attention to etiquette when we're family. I want to give my own dowry to my beloved granddaughter. Could it be that I can't?"
Well, Cheng Yujin knew that today was bound to not be a good day. In any case, the Nguyễn Clan's hatred was already full. Cheng Yujin had become the bad person for Old Lady Cheng, so she definitely wouldn't push away the benefits in her hands. This pair of bracelets was probably the most valuable item in Old Lady Cheng's dowry. It was priceless jade bracelets. It would be a waste if she didn't take them.
Cheng Yujin immediately responded awkwardly, "Then granddaughter will accept deferentially. I'll temporarily keep them for Grandmother."
The Nguyễn Clan's surprise turned to disbelief, and then to crazy expectations. In the end, she was hit in the head. She could only watch as the cooked duck entered Cheng Yujin's pocket. The Nguyễn Clan's disappointment could be imagined. Especially when Old Lady Cheng said that she originally intended to give them to Cheng Yumo.
The most hated thing in the world was "originally".
When the Nguyễn Clan left Old Lady Cheng's room, their faces were ashen. Cheng Yujin sighed in her heart, but her fingers that were resting on the lacquer box became more and more relaxed. Cheng Yujin stayed in Old Lady Cheng's room for a while. After listening to her say a lot of specious words, she was finally able to leave.
After Cheng Yujin came out, she secretly let out a sigh of relief. She had solved the problem of her reputation and had also received a pair of valuable jade bracelets. However, her heart couldn't relax at all. Cheng Yujin walked in the corridor with her maidservants. When she passed through a moon door, she was suddenly stopped by someone behind her.
"Eldest Young Lady."
Cheng Yujin's footsteps paused. Her eyes flashed with a dark light. However, she adjusted her expression in an instant. She turned around in surprise and pleasant surprise. She gently smiled at the Nguyễn Clan, "Second Aunt, so you haven't left yet."
The Nguyễn Clan walked closer and pulled the corners of her mouth into a fake smile. Her eyes first fell on the lacquer box in Cheng Yujin's arms. After staring at it for a moment, she slowly moved her eyes to Cheng Yujin's face, "Eldest Young Lady is really valued by the Old Lady. She even gave you the jade bracelets that the Old Lady intends to be buried with after a hundred years without frowning."
Cheng Yujin smiled and said, "It's nothing. I'm just temporarily safekeeping it for Grandmother. Besides, Grandmother's dowry is very rich. I only received a pair of jade bracelets. Grandmother's remaining things, aren't they all left for my younger brothers? "
When the Nguyễn Clan heard Cheng Yujin say that she wanted to become a sister-in-law, she was heartbroken. However, now that she had calmed down, the Nguyễn Clan felt that something was wrong. After today's disturbance, Cheng Yujin was able to peacefully observe her filial piety. She also received the honor of being compared to her eldest grandson. Presumably, this would be a heavy stroke on her reputation. However, this wasn't all. Cheng Yujin actually relied on Old Lady Cheng's pity to obtain a jade bracelet worth several thousand taels from the Old Lady. On the other hand, the Nguyễn Clan didn't gain anything other than being beaten up by Old Lady Cheng.
The winner was too obvious. It was so obvious that the Nguyễn Clan couldn't help but wonder if this was Cheng Yujin's trap. She had pretended to be weak, cried, and tried to commit suicide. It was all for this moment. Even the Nguyễn Clan had become her tool for profit.
The Nguyễn Clan revealed a look of suspicion. Cheng Yujin secretly sighed, but she still had to quickly resolve her current crisis. She smiled faintly. Her face was filled with the trust and sincerity of a young girl. She said, "Grandmother took pity on me, so she took good care of me. However, my marriage hasn't been set yet, and I don't know where my future will be. It's all because of Grandmother and Younger Brother that I can be where I am today. "
After saying this, Cheng Yujin very unintentionally said, "We're still granddaughters. Even if the elders take pity on us, they can only take out one item from a box. How can they surpass the legitimate grandchildren? Grandmother is the most fair, so the things after her death must be divided equally. Aunt has two sons, so she already has a lot. Moreover, Aunt, don't forget that Second Sister is going to be the Marchioness. Marquis Jingyong has received the Emperor's recognition and has a promising future. Second Sister will be able to enjoy a happy life after marrying him. Aunt, you have a good life. Who knows how many children and grandchildren you'll have in the future. How can you be interested in this little piece of meat in my hands? "
The Nguyễn Clan was moved by her words. That's right. Old Lady Cheng pitied Cheng Yujin for having no one to rely on for the rest of her life. That's why she wanted to give her more money. However, to put it bluntly, it was just a dead object. Cheng Yujin wouldn't be able to sell it, and in the future, she wouldn't have a husband to earn money for her. No matter how much money she took, it would just be sitting and eating.
Cheng Yujin's current net worth probably didn't add up to more than three to four thousand taels. This amount of money was more than Marquis Jingyong's monthly income. The Nguyễn Clan secretly laughed at herself. She actually wanted to compete with Cheng Yujin. Once Cheng Yumo married, she would be the Marchioness. In the future, she would be in charge of the family's ancestral business. In Cheng Yumo's eyes, three thousand taels wasn't even worth a splash of water. Using a pair of bracelets in exchange for Cheng Yumo's smooth marriage and the early birth of Marquis Jingyong's eldest son, of course, it was worth it.
Although Cheng Yujin casually smiled, her eyes were constantly paying attention to the Nguyễn Clan's subtle expressions. Seeing that the Nguyễn Clan was appeased by her and temporarily let go of her suspicions, Cheng Yujin's shoulders slightly relaxed. She let out a long sigh of relief in her heart.
Silently making a fortune was the way to go in the long run. Cheng Yujin's wings weren't fully grown yet. She really didn't want to be remembered by others and affect her future fortune. Fortunately, it wasn't difficult to deal with the Nguyễn Clan.
At the same time, Cheng Yujin secretly reminded herself that she had to keep a low profile in the future. She knew that there would be a day when she couldn't hide it anymore. However, Cheng Yujin hoped that this day could be delayed for as long as possible.
The Nguyễn Clan's mood was at ease. The corners of her eyes and the tips of her eyebrows were no longer full of aggression like before. After the Nguyễn Clan's suspicions and jealousy subsided, she realized that she had actually questioned her own daughter. She had even implicitly threatened her. The Nguyễn Clan suddenly felt a little ashamed. She had a guilty conscience, so she deliberately spoke in a warm tone. "Big girl, you're confused because you care too much. I was also speaking for your own good. That's why my tone was a little hurried. You didn't misunderstand, right? "
Cheng Yujin smiled and looked at her biological mother. She gently smiled and said, "No."
The Nguyễn Clan breathed a sigh of relief. However, looking at Cheng Yujin's clear eyes, she inexplicably didn't dare to raise her head. She avoided the topic and asked, "Then, do you still recognize me as your biological mother? You should know who your biological mother is, right? "
After saying that, the Nguyễn Clan cast her gaze and looked at Cheng Yujin earnestly. "It's a pity that you left your mother just a few days after you were born. When you were taken away, you were only this big. I didn't expect that in the blink of an eye, you would be discussing marriage. When you were taken away that year, I cried for a few days. I almost cried until I went blind. This matter has become a pit in my heart that I can't get over for the rest of my life. Every time I think about it, my heart aches. Yujin, can you call me mother? "
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