When the others left, Old Madam Song didn"t let Madam Song rub her shoulders. She took Madam Song"s hands away, and said in a grave tone, "Yuwei, just now a letter was sent from the capital. It was written stealthily by Zhengyin, referring to Changying"s marriage specially!"
Pei could detect that Old Madam Song was not in good mood, and so did Madam Song.
Originally, she thought that it was Wei Huan or Wei Shengnian who had gone to Fengqi mountain to suppress bandits had trouble, but she didn"t expect that it was related to her beloved daughter. Madam Song couldn"t help but startled and asked, "What"s wrong? Isn"t that Shen Cangfeng good?"
Old Madam Song had a dark expression and said, "Shen Cangfeng is good." After a pause, she said coldly, "He is so good that it makes someone has an idea he shouldn"t have!"
Madam Song stood up with a changed face, and asked angrily, "Who is it?"
Madam Song showed an indecisive and soft-hearted look to her daughter. There was nothing she could do but tolerate everywhere. That was for her own child. Before she got married, she grew up with a lot of love from the elders and was self-willed. And she married her cousin. Old Madam Song was extremely protective of her niece who married to her family for she valued the only eldest son and was guilty of Wei Zhenghong"s frailty. So, Madam Song had always been extremely powerful among the sisters-in-law. Probably Old Madam Song was not a pushover when she was young!
Madam Song once thought that she had no hope of having a child in this life because Wei Zhenghong was in poor health. She had been sad and cried silently for many times. So, after the birth of Wei Changying, Madam Song was not disappointed at all for she was not a son who could inherit. After all, Madam Song had had no children for nine years. She was so happy and appreciated the G.o.d that she could have a healthy daughter. Until Wei Changying was one year old, as long as she left Madam Song for a while, Madam Song would miss her so much.
If Old Madam Song had regarded Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng as her treasure, Madam Song would have regarded them as her life.
Now she heard that someone would destroy Wei Changying"s marriage. How could she bear it?
The simple word "who" has brought out her homicidal intent!
At this moment, Old Madam Song was as indignant as Madam Song. She said slowly with homicidal intent, "Sit down and listen to me. Zhengyin finds out that it relates to Marquis Jingcheng. But I guess the second branch also involves. Otherwise, Changying loves martial arts and hates needlework... Even Duck Jingping is not clear about it, how does Marquis Jingcheng know?"
"Zhiben Hall?" Madam Song"s face was ghastly pale, "If it wasn"t father, it would be unknown who could get the position of vice-premier! How could they be ungrateful since father is still alive? Or do they think that our Ruiyu Hall is afraid of them?"
Nowadays, in addition to the position of vice-premier, which was recommended by Wei Huan when he retired, Marquis Jingcheng also held the post of minister in Yanzhou. Due to the decline of the Vi Royal Family, northern tribes and western tribes were bubbling away. Yanzhou bordered northern tribes to the north, Eastern Hu to the east and Hanhai to the west. These three places bordered the northern tribes. Among the three places, Yanzhou had the most significant topography and was used to establish supreme headquarters for generations. The army provisions were all from Yanzhou.
Over the years Vi had been constantly attacked by the northern tribes. So, the country gathered 200,000 elite soldiers to guard the frontier. Although these 200,000 soldiers did not listen to Marquis Jingcheng alone, whether it was Ruiyu Hall or Zhiben Hall, every generation of the Wei Family was the civil official. However, Marquis Jingcheng was appointed as the minister in Yanzhou. Even if there was a reason for the emperor to prevent the military generals from too many soldiers and control them by civil officials, it showed his trust and appreciation to Marquis Jingcheng.
After retirement, Wei Huan still retained the t.i.tle of the senior commander and Duke Changshan granted by the emperor. In terms of the rank of n.o.bility, he was as same as Marquis Jingcheng. Besides, there was Duck Jingping in Ruiyu Hall. But Duck Jingping inherited the t.i.tle instead of being an official. Marquis Jingcheng was nearly ten years younger than Wei Huan. And Wei Huan retired early. Not only were there not many children, but Wei Shengyi was the only one who was capable.
Although Wei Shengyi inherited his father"s official position, he got the third official rank as the Censor before the age of 30. But now he had only improved by one rank as the vice-minister. Although there were many grandchildren, they had not yet grown up. Therefore, judging from his status in the court, it was natural that Ruiyu Hall was worse than Zhiben Hall.
Madam Song would certainly suspect Marquis Jingcheng of bullying the Ruiyu Hall for lacking in talent. She was quite mad, "Although my husband can"t be an official and my father is now in Fengzhou, my elder brother, Song Yuw.a.n.g, is the minister of the public which is the highest official rank. How could he ignore his niece being bullied? In addition, this marriage was engaged by Grand Preceptor! How dare Wei Qi bully our family! Mother, we must not have mercy on him."
"I think I get Changying into trouble," Old Madam Song calmed down and said slowly, "Marquis Jingcheng"s wife, Song Mianhe, is also your aunt. She is my half-sister. Her mother is good at vying for husband"s favor. I used to reprimand her a lot before we married. Unfortunately, your legal aunt died early. And Marquis Jingcheng took a fancy to her. Otherwise, it was not her turn to marry him... I"m afraid she did it to get back at me for Shen Cangfeng has risen to fame in the capital…."
Madam Song showed her aversion and said, "Wei Qi is not a good guy for he would love the daughter of a concubine. If mother had known that she was acting like this today, you should have dealt with her before you got married."
The Song Family in Jiangnan, which is tied with the Wei Family in Fengzhou, was quite special among the gentlefolks, because there were lots of affectionate person in this family.
Old Madam Song"s maiden name was Song Xinrou. She was the Eldest Young Miss in the Jiangnan Hall of the Song Family before she married. And her father, Song Dan, was one of the affectionate people. Fortunately, Song Dan never forgot Song Xinrou"s deceased mother. But unfortunately, Song Xinrou was not like her mother. Song Dan later met a civilian woman, Song Mianhe"s mother Mrs. Lan, who looked like his first wife. So, Song Dan left her by his side to miss his first wife.
Song Mianhe, who was born later, looked more like Song Dan"s first wife than Mrs. Lan. It was conceivable that Song Dan, who was thinking of his wife, loved this daughter of concubine even more than his trueborn eldest daughter, Song Xinrou.
Although Song Xinrou also missed her mother who died early, she hated Mrs. Lan and her daughter who were swaggering and attempted to bully her for looking like her deceased mother. Song Xinrou was slightly older. Before she got married, she tortured them with the love of her grandmother and Song Dan"s promise to his deceased wife that he would surely protect their only daughter from suffering any grievance.
Because Song Dan had no son, Jiangnan Hall was now in the charge of Song Xinping, who was Song Xinrou"s cousin and Song Yuwei"s father. Over time, Song Dan and Mrs. Lan also died more than ten years. But the enmity between Song Xinrou and Song Mianhe was not over.
Before Wei Huan retired, the biggest problem for gentlefolks in the capital was how to arrange them during the banquet. Regardless of the family background or husband, Song Xinrou was always better than Song Mianhe. Unexpectedly, Song Mianhe aimed at Wei Changying since she had endured for so many years.
The more they thought about it, the more irritated they became!
Old Madam Song calmed down for a long time before she remembered to tell her daughter-in-law what had happened, "Madam Su celebrated her birthday last month and Zhengyin took Yuli and Yuwu to congratulate."
The eighteen-year-old Su Yuli and the seventeen-year-old Su Yuwu, who were the siblings as same as Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng, were Wei Zhengyin"s children. Su Yuwu was Wei Changying"s cousin who was twenty days younger than her.
"At the banquet, Madam Su kept complimenting a trueborn girl called Wei Lingyue born of Marquis Jingcheng"s second son and also gave her a string of Agarwood Bead Bracelet worn on her wrist for many years." Old Madam Song said with a grave expression, "Shen Cangfeng has a 15-year-old lineal brother, Shen Cangji. So Zhengyin didn"t think much at that time, and just thought that Madam Su wanted to introduce Wei Lingyue to Shen Cangji."
"Unexpectedly, Yuwu quietly told Zhengyin after returning. He said he was impatient to be polite to people at the banquet, so he ran out quietly and hid himself when no one was looking. Because he was afraid of being found by the servants around him, he deliberately chose a quiet place. It was a coincidence that he heard someone"s whisper lying among the flowers!"
Madam Song"s face was ghastly pale, and she asked, "Mother, what did Yuwu hear?"
"Look at your own!" The distraught Old Madam Song pulled her daughter"s letter from her sleeve and handed it to Madam Song.
Madam Song took the letter and glanced at it. Her face became even darker.
Su Yuwu hid among the flowers to avoid the noise that day. It was unexpected that some people also noticed his hiding place. Because they didn"t know that someone was hiding in the flowers, they talked about the gossip beside the flowers. And it was heard by Su Yuwu.
These two seemed to be womenfolk of the Shen Family and her cousin, saying that Madam Su gave the Agarwood Bead Bracelet to Wei Lingyue... Madam Su was deliberately done this to Wei Zhengyin!
The reason was that she heard that her future daughter-in-law, Wei Changying, practiced martial arts diligently every day, preparing to beat her husband Shen Cangfeng after marriage! Although the Su Family in Qingzhou was a martial arts family like the Shen Family in Western Liang, Madam Su herself was raised in accordance with the standard of a well-bred lady, and most valued the virtue and tameness of women.
Not to mention the daughter-in-law, In Madam Su"s view, it was never heard such a fierce prospective daughter-in-law wanted to hit her husband before getting married. How could she not be annoyed?
And Wei Lingyue was famous for virtue and tameness in the capital.
Madam Su showed her att.i.tude by giving Wei Lingyue the Agarwood Bead Bracelet that she had carried with her for many years and repeatedly praised her in front of Wei Lingyue"s aunt.
Wei Zhengyin said in the letter that she later inquired that several womenfolk of Marquis Jingcheng had gone to the Shen Family a few times before Madam Su"s birthday. So, the shrewd Old Madam Song knew it was Marquis Jingcheng who was not well intentioned. However, even the people of Duck Jingping"s family in Fengzhou were not very clear about these childish words of Wei Changying who did not go out. How did Madam Su in the capital know?
It of course had something to do with the second branch!
It was expected that the second branch dare not speak to Madam Su for Wei Huan and Old Madam Song were still alive, lest Old Madam Song took revenge for her granddaughter. Therefore, they turned to Zhiben Hall for support.
She said grimly, "At that time, Zhengsheng had just pa.s.sed away, and Madam Lu died of dystocia. I saw the baby crying hysterically and made me think of Zhengsheng. So, I felt compa.s.sion... I didn"t think I raised an ungrateful person! I shouldn"t be nice to the child of the concubine!"
Zheng Sheng was the second son of Old Madam Song, who died less than a month after he was born. And Madam Lu was Wei Shengyi"s biological mother.
"Mother, according to the meaning of the second sister"s letter, Madam Su just wants to remind Changying rather than breaking off the engagement...." Madam Song thought for a long time and said.
She was interrupted by Old Madam Song, "The marriage was engaged by Shen Xuan himself. He hates the talkative women very much. Even if Madam Su didn"t like Changying, she had no ability to break the marriage." She was sullen, "But now Changying has not married, her mother-in-law starts reprimanding her with preconception. What should she do with her life since she was coddled up? The Zhiben Hall and the second branch don"t want Changying to live a relax life on purpose! Those evil-minded people! They are getting stupid when growing upper and upper. How dare they aim at an innocent child!"
Old Madam Song said slowly and hatefully, "Do you think they have no offspring?"
Madam Song raised her eyebrows and said, "Mother, I"m not speaking for Zhiben Hall and the second branch. I mean, Madam Su was provoked to do so. Now we should reply to the second sister immediately and ask her to help clarify the matter with Madam Su."
Madam Song felt aggrieved when she said so. When did she bow her head to others in her life? Nevertheless, in order to prevent her daughter from being embarra.s.sed by her mother-in-law after marriage, she had to put away her temper and was ready to explain it to Madam Su.
"We need to explain of course," Old Madam Song said slowly, "Let"s discuss the matter of Zhiben Hall after your father comes back, but as for the second branch... How dare they think I have died?!"