The Nguyễn Clan looked at Cheng Yujin eagerly, the anticipation in her eyes undisguised. Cheng Yujin was a little absent-minded. She remembered the New Year's Eve when she was three years old. She wore new red clothes, and her whole body was bright like a doll in a New Year's picture. Everyone in the Marquis Household stayed in Old Lady Cheng's room to celebrate the New Year. Cheng Yujin and Cheng Yumo were put on the arhat bed to play. Cheng Yujin couldn't remember what she played at that time. She only remembered that the Nguyễn Clan brought a piece of cake to her and asked her if she knew who her mother was.
Cheng Yujin couldn't remember what happened after that, but it wasn't very good. Qingfu had always disliked her. It was pardonable that Qingfu didn't want to raise other people's children, but Cheng Yujin couldn't understand why the Nguyễn Clan did this.
Perhaps the Nguyễn Clan didn't want her to live well from the bottom of her heart. Perhaps, what the Nguyễn Clan wanted was a "filial daughter" who was in Cao Cao's camp but in Cao Cao's heart. She was selfless to her biological family and constantly took money from her adoptive mother to subsidize her biological parents.
The Nguyễn Clan always secretly came to see Cheng Yujin when she was young. But when Cheng Yujin became sensible, she stopped coming, probably because she thought it was ugly.
Cheng Yujin's thoughts flashed through her mind. She looked at the Nguyễn Clan with a smile. This time, she looked directly at her and sized her up.
The Nguyễn Clan was flustered by such a gaze. She stiffly gripped her handkerchief and forced herself to be calm. "First Young Lady, I'm asking you a question. Why are you looking at me like that?"
Cheng Yujin smiled gently. Her eyes curved, and her tone was as gentle as ever. "I'm wondering why Second Aunt would say something like that."
"What?"
"Second Aunt, you didn't sleep well last night, right? You've been talking in your sleep all morning. My mother is the First Madam. Why does Second Aunt keep calling me Mother? Everyone knows that I'm the daughter of First Madam Princess Qingfu and First Master. Why should I call you mother? " Cheng Yujin smiled and gently patted the Nguyễn Clan's hand. "Second Aunt, although it's summer, you still can't be too cold when you sleep at night. If you don't catch wind, you'll feel dizzy and muddle-headed and say something silly. I won't tell anyone what I said today. Second Aunt, you can rest assured. But Second Aunt, you mustn't tell anyone else about it. After all, I can hide it here. If Second Aunt goes to Bao 'er and tells him that he's my son and he should call me Mother, I'm afraid Mother won't be kind. "
The Nguyễn Clan member was stunned. She looked at Cheng Yujin in disbelief. She wasn't speaking nonsense. In her opinion, the one who was speaking nonsense was clearly Cheng Yujin! The Nguyễn Clan member was Cheng Yujin's biological mother. This was something that everyone in the fu knew. How could Cheng Yujin smile and tell her not to go crazy?
The Nguyễn Clan member's mouth couldn't close. She asked in disbelief, "You don't believe me? No, there are so many mouths in the fu. It's impossible that you don't know. That means, you don't want to acknowledge your biological parents? "
"What biological parents?" Although Cheng Yujin was smiling, her eyes were cold and clear. A cold warning flashed through her eyes. "My parents are the First Master and First Madam. I was raised by them and their names are recorded in the family tree. I only have one set of parents. What biological and non-biological are you talking about? Second Aunt, please have some self-respect. Don't say such strange things again. Otherwise, if it reaches Mother's ears, she might misunderstand that Second Aunt is trying to sow discord between us. "
After Cheng Yujin finished speaking, she pulled away the Nguyễn Clan member's hand. She gave a junior's greeting and said, "Mother still has matters to attend to. I'll go back first. Forgive me for not accompanying you."
After Cheng Yujin finished speaking, she really turned around and left without any reluctance. The Nguyễn Clan member stood in place in a daze. She muttered to herself, "She actually doesn't acknowledge me? I gave birth to her. When I was brought to the first branch, I had no choice but to do so. How could she hurt my heart like this? "
When Cheng Yujin returned to the courtyard, her face was still cold. Lian Qiao heard her voice and happily ran out of the room. She bumped into Cheng Yujin and the others. Her voice was immediately caught in her throat, "Miss, you're back … … Miss?"
Cheng Yujin took a deep breath and reached out to cover her face. After a while, she put down her hand. Her expression had completely returned to normal, "I'm fine."
Lian Qiao didn't dare to say more. Cheng Yujin knew when to yield and when to stand tall. She was very tolerant. There was only one person who could cause her to have such clear emotional fluctuations that she couldn't control it from showing on her face.
The second branch's Mrs. Ruan.
Lian Qiao retreated to the side and silently poured tea for Cheng Yujin. The Dugeaux followed behind and silently fanned Cheng Yujin. Cheng Yujin sat quietly for a long time. Suddenly, she said, "Bring the Old Madame's lacquer box over."
The Dugeaux had been keeping this box and had never left her sight. Hearing this, she gently placed the box in front of Cheng Yujin and then silently retreated.
Cheng Yujin looked at the exquisite carvings on the lacquer box. The four walls were also decorated with pearls, gems, jade pieces, and other things. The red and green colors looked very luxurious. Cheng Yujin's fingers brushed over the lacquer carvings. Finally, she gently opened the lid.
Suddenly, the jade shone brightly. Even if one looked at it closely, they couldn't find a single flaw on the jade bracelet. It was condensed but not scattered, warm but not cold, clear but not transparent. It was an excellent jade.
Cheng Yujin casually took one and put it on her wrist. Gold and silver bracelets would age, but jade would never go out of style. With such a water-colored jade bracelet on her wrist, it really made her arm look much fairer. No matter what clothes she wore, it wouldn't look out of place.
The Dugeaux saw Cheng Yujin fiddling with this pair of jade bracelets and thought that Cheng Yujin didn't like it. After all, it was because of them that Cheng Yujin and the Nguyễn Clan quarreled. The Dugeaux asked softly, "Miss, you don't like it?"
"Don't like it? How could that be? " Cheng Yujin took off the bracelets and put them back into the wooden box, "It's worth at least five thousand taels. Why wouldn't I like it?"
"But Old Madame …"
Cheng Yujin lightly sneered, "What kind of person is my grandmother? Others don't know, but how could I not know? Second Madame has never been friendly to me. Offending the Nguyễn Clan in exchange for a pair of priceless jade bracelets is a good deal. "
"Miss …"
"I'm fine." Cheng Yujin closed the lacquer box again and said, "What's wrong with me recently? I always get unexpected windfalls. Grandfather's box of gold was one, and so was Grandmother's pair of jade bracelets. "
After saying this, Cheng Yujin thought of something and added, "Ninth Uncle's one thousand taels of land deed can barely be counted. It seems that I have to find time to pray to the God of Wealth and ask him to help me suppress that villain. Otherwise, I can't protect my wealth. "
The Dugeaux heard this and asked, "Miss, do you want to go out and pray?"
Cheng Yujin laughed and said meaningfully, "Praying to God and Buddha doesn't necessarily have to go out. Which Buddha can be bigger than the one in our family?"
The Dugeaux didn't understand. Cheng Yujin smiled but didn't say anything and didn't explain anymore. The Dugeaux was very open-minded. She didn't understand and quickly let go. She asked Cheng Yujin, "Miss, what about this lacquer box?"
"Put it away." Speaking of this, Cheng Yujin had a headache. Presumably, in less than a day, the whole residence would know that Old Madame Cheng gave her the treasure. Cheng Yujin wanted to make a fortune in secret, but she didn't know how long she could hide it. But no matter what, she needed to keep a low profile for a long time.
Cheng Yujin's eyes fell on the lacquer box. The peony carved with red paint was luxurious and mysterious. Cheng Yujin was born to like beautiful jewelry, but she couldn't wear such a beautiful pair of bracelets. At least not now.
Sure enough, marrying a rich and powerful husband was very important. With the support of her husband, she wanted to see who could control her!
The news that Old Madame Cheng gave the treasure to Cheng Yujin caused a big disturbance. However, Marquis Cheng's seventh day of the seventh lunar month was coming soon. Everyone was busy preparing for the ceremony, so they didn't say anything and temporarily maintained the calm on the surface. Since Cheng Yujin received the promise of Old Madame Cheng, she treated Marquis Cheng's funeral more seriously. It was not a joke to be left at home as the eldest grandson to observe mourning. Many people might be dissatisfied and secretly stare at her mistakes. This matter was very important for Cheng Yujin's marriage in the future. Cheng Yujin would never allow herself to make mistakes in this kind of thing.
Cheng Yujin's nerves were tense. She tried her best to observe the funeral ceremony perfectly. When the guests heard that Cheng Yujin followed Marquis Cheng's will to observe mourning at home as the eldest grandson for a year, they immediately looked at Cheng Yujin with new eyes. When they saw Cheng Yujin's performance at the ceremony, their attitude became more solemn.
The Cheng Family burned incense and kowtowed to Marquis Cheng in front of everyone. Then, they returned to the house to take off their mourning clothes and change into their ordinary clothes. Although they could wear ordinary clothes, they still had to avoid bright red and green. During the mourning period, they had to wear light colors. As time passed, the colors could gradually become richer, indicating that the grief was gradually disappearing. Cheng Yujin was worried about her reputation, so she was more cautious when changing clothes.
She changed into a plain white long gown. It was slender and close-fitting, with a slit at the knees. There was a faint light pink plum blossom pattern on the gown. Other than the pattern of the fabric itself, there were no other decorations. The skirt below was also silver-gray. The folds were neat and dense. When she walked, she looked like a peacock spreading its tail, elegant and dignified.
Cheng Yujin's frame was slender and slim. Because she was raised well since she was young, she was not too thin and weak. Instead, she was curvaceous, slender, and elegant. After changing into the long gown, it showed off her beautiful curves and exquisite waist. Cheng Yujin walked in neither fast nor slow. Her clothes were plain and light. She was like a person in a painting who had come alive. Along the way, people couldn't help but look back.
Cheng Yujin went straight to Old Lady Cheng's courtyard. At the moment, Old Lady Cheng's courtyard was full of people. Cheng Yujin walked around the veranda. Many people quietly pointed at her. "This is the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Yichun."
Cheng Yujin was calm under the scrutiny of the people. She lifted the curtain and entered the house. She found that there were many madams and madams in the house. Unlike the previous seven days, those who came today were all close relatives. Most of them were related to the Marquis of Yichun. Cheng Yujin did not have stage fright. First, she bowed to Old Lady Cheng. Then, she turned around and greeted the madams. "Greetings, madams. Yujin pays her respects to all of you."
The madams smiled and pulled Cheng Yujin up. One of them pulled Cheng Yujin to her side and pointed at her to a madam wearing a black and gold vest. "Madame Zhai, this is Miss Cheng."
The madam who was being introduced raised her eyes and looked at Cheng Yujin. She smiled politely. "So this is the one. She is indeed beautiful."
The person next to her smiled and said to Cheng Yujin, "This is the second madam of the Duke House of Cai. Madame Duke passed away last year. Now, the second madam is in charge of the residence."
So, she was from the Duke House of Cai. No wonder she was so arrogant. Cheng Yujin smiled faintly. She gracefully bowed to Madame Zhai. "Greetings, second madam."
Madame Zhai nodded. She was too lazy to say anything. Her status was the highest among them. Everyone was flattering her. In fact, they were flattering Madame Zhai. Everyone was giving face to the Duke Of Cai behind her, Zhai Yanlin. Old Lady Cheng asked Madame Zhai. "Second madam, you have to manage the affairs of the residence. You are the busiest. Today, you have to make a personal trip. This old woman feels uneasy."
Madame Zhai looked proud, but she was still modest. "Not at all. The Duke House was supposed to be in charge of it. However, my eldest sister-in-law passed away last year. Eldest Brother-in-law was busy with court affairs. He also had to take care of Brother Qing. He was really unhappy. That was why my mother-in-law handed over the affairs of the residence to me. It was all thanks to Eldest Brother-in-law and mother-in-law's trust that I could take care of it for two days. When my new eldest sister-in-law marries into the family, I will definitely hand it over to my eldest sister-in-law. I am a stupid person. I really can't manage such a delicate matter. "
Cheng Yujin vaguely knew the situation of the Duke House of Cai. Last year, the Duke Of Cai lost his wife. He only had a five-year-old son, Zhai Qing. The Duke Of Cai was busy with court affairs. The old madam of the Duke House of Cai favored her grandson. She spoiled Zhai Qing to the point that he was out of control. He was even more of a prodigal than Cheng Enbao. A few days ago, Cheng Enbao made a fuss about wanting to raise a dog. After seeing Zhai Qing, he also wanted to follow suit.
The only difference was that Cheng Enbao had a sister, Cheng Yujin, while Zhai Qing didn't. Cheng Enbao bumped into Cheng Yujin and was taught a lesson. However, judging from Madame Zhai's tone, it was likely that the Duke House of Cai followed Zhai Qing everywhere. No one could control this little devil.
The reason why Madame Zhai appeared here was to take care of their family's lifeblood, their precious heir, Zhai Qing.
Cheng Yujin didn't have a good impression of naughty children. She politely declined the Duke House of Cai's attitude. On the contrary, Old Lady Cheng raised her eyebrows when she heard this.
The Duke Of Cai had lost his wife for a year. There was no news of him being engaged to any girl. Old Lady Cheng leaned on the couch and squinted her eyes. She seemed to be resting, but also seemed to be thinking about something. After a while, Old Lady Cheng casually asked, "The heir is five years old. He needs to pay attention to his basic necessities. Why doesn't the Duke Of Cai take a second wife? Instead, he worries about these trivial matters."
Old Lady Cheng's tone was very casual, as if she was casually mentioning something common. However, Cheng Yujin knew Old Lady Cheng very well. She almost immediately realized that Old Lady Cheng had an ulterior motive.
After this incident, Cheng Yujin also re-examined the conversation just now. The Duke Of Cai was in the prime of his life. As the Duke, he had an important position. Moreover, his wife had just passed away and he only had a five-year-old son. In the eyes of these elders, the Duke Of Cai really needed a virtuous wife.
Cheng Yujin frowned. Could it be that Old Lady Cheng liked her?
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
