Chapter 447 Thought It Wrongly
Although Qiu Yelan and the other two were happy to see Zhuang Man and her husband being embarra.s.sed, they were just making harmless jokes. Now the words deliberately stirred up troubles. They wouldn’t stand by idly.
“You’d better make it clear, Miss! It involves Man’er’s reputation!” Qiu Yelan squinted and pointed to the person who had just spoken in the crowd. In fact, the person shoved aside hurriedly, trying to muddle through. But Qiu Yelan had learned martial arts. She could see and hear more clearly than ordinary people. Qiu Yelan took aim at the girl as soon as she said the wrong words. How could the girl hide away?
At the moment, other people around her subconsciously gave way and immediately showed the girl in bright colors!
“Everyone knows that Princess Royal Maode and Earl of Jingchuan deeply love my brother. They wholeheartedly tried to choose a good and beloved wife for my brother. That was the reason why he didn’t get married until now.” Qiu Yelan stared at the girl and said calmly, “According to your words, do you doubt their love for my brother or the reputation of the Zhuang Family?”
Princess Royal Maode and Earl of Jingchuan must love Ling Zui. But as for the reputation of the Zhuang Family, men were alright but women… Who dared to give bad comments? Were they not afraid of Madame Zhuang? She could visit them personally and teach their whole family how to evaluate women of the Zhuang Family.
So, the girl just blushed with shame. She opened her mouth but didn’t say anything.
Jiang Qizheng sneered, “Is Man’er feisty and jealous? I’ve never heard of this! Who has heard of it? Tell us and open our eyes. When did these messy rumors spread in Jing City?”
When she spoke, her eyes were shining with hostility and swept back and forth at the crowd!
In fact, although the girl lied about Zhuang Man’s jealousy, Zhuang Man’s feisty manner was really recognized. But still, no one wanted to be taught by Madame Zhuang about how to evaluate women of the Zhuang Family.
So, they all agreed with Commandery Princess Lihui, “This is really a rumor! My father and mother choose Zhuang Man because she is gentle, virtuous, and considerate. How could my father and mother see mistakenly? Miss Lu, you are still young and ignorant. You may be cheated by villains. Your sister-in-law Zhuang Man is famous for her virtue in Jing City!”
After this, the bridal chamber couldn’t be exciting. Commandery Princess Lihui drove them away, “The banquet outside should be ready. You have teased my brother and sister-in-law for so long. Aren’t you hungry? Go out and take a seat.”
Ling Qu took the lead in responding, “If my eldest sister-in-law didn’t mention it, I almost forgot it. I’ve been busy for so long. I’m so hungry!” She asked several women that she knew, “Let’s go and see what my sister-in-law has prepared for us today!”
Most of the people didn’t want to get into trouble. so they followed the daughter of Princess Royal Maode and took the excuse to leave. Miss Lu wanted to go, but Qiu Yelan and Jiang Qizheng looked at her with mocking smiles. She really didn’t dare to move.
In a moment, only Ling Zui and his wife, Commandery Princess Lihui, Qiu Yelan, Jiang Qizheng, and Miss Lu stayed in the bridal chamber.
“Why are you still here, brother?” Commandery Princess Lihui looked at the situation and winked at Ling Zui, “It’s time for you to greet guests! Although your eldest brother can drink, he will have a headache if he drinks too much. Hurry up and have a look. Don’t wait for him to call you!”
It was an unwed girl that stirred up troubles. What was he doing here as a man?
After Ling Zui was sent away, Commandery Princess Lihui looked at the faces of Qiu Yelan and others. She sipped her mouth and said tentatively to Zhuang Man, “Today is your good day. It seems that Miss Lu doesn’t go out often. In my opinion, it’s better to let her apologize to you and the matter is over. What do you think?”
Zhuang Man’s face was gloomy. If Miss Lu dared to provoke her like this before, Zhuang Man would slap her face and kick her according to her temper! But today… Now it was her husband’s sister-in-law to mediate. After thinking that there would be ample time, she said lightly, “Just follow your words, my sister-in-law!”
Qiu Yelan and Jiang Qizheng kept silent. After Miss Lu felt relieved and apologized to Zhuang Man, they said calmly, “Everyone has gone to the table, Miss Lu will go too, right? Let’s go together!”
Miss Lu turned pale immediately when she heard the words. She looked at Commandery Princess Lihui for help.
Commandery Princess Lihui frowned slightly. To be honest, although she knew Miss Lu, they had a big age gap and little friendship. She didn’t want any big trouble in her brother-in-law’s marriage. After all, Commandery Princess Lihui basically arranged the marriage. If an accident disturbed the joy, it not only damaged the face of Princess Royal Maode and the Earl, but also showed the incompetence of Commandery Princess Lihui. Besides, Miss Lu was also well-connected. Commandery Princess Lihui didn’t want to offend her. So, she helped Miss Lu.
But now, after Miss Lu apologized, Qiu Yelan still made such a request. Obviously, she didn’t intend to end it simply. The fourth branch represented by Qiu Yelan couldn’t be ignored even in the Jiang Family. In particular, Commandery Princess Lihui just told Qiu Yelan about the Mi Family. After considering for a moment, Commandery Princess Lihui decided to give up Miss Lu. She behaved as if nothing had happened and said, “I’ll stay with my sister-in-law… You can go first.”
“We won’t regard you as an outsider, Commandery Princess! We’ll go!” Qiu Yelan and Jiang Qizheng smiled. They came forward to hold Miss Lu to forcibly drag her out!
“You choose today to make trouble for Man’er particularly. You are from our second sister-in-law’s maiden family, right?” After going out, Qiu Yelan and Jiang Qizheng naturally didn’t really go to the banquet. Instead, they dragged Miss Lu to a quiet place and asked, “Who ordered you to do this? Our second sister-in-law? Or someone in your family?”
Miss Lu and her servant were surrounded by a group of people. She looked fearful but she insisted, “I just wanted to make a joke. Unexpectedly, the joke was too serious. I have apologized to Man’er according to Commandery Princess Lihui’s advice. What else do you want?”
“When is it now? Are you still pretending to be ignorant?” Qiu Yelan sneered, “There is a wedding in Princess Royal Maode’s Mansion today. It’s improper to cause some bad matters. But there’s no one in the corner. If we do something to you, no one will know. Even if you ask our second sister-in-law for help, do you really think she can help you? I really don’t know what you’re doing… Be honest to us, or you’ll suffer for it!”
Miss Lu clenched her teeth and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about! But who hasn’t been young and ignorant? Why are you so aggressive? Can’t you give me a chance to correct my mistakes?”
“I’m just curious.” Qiu Yelan said lightly, “If you are really ignorant and not sensible, how can your family rest a.s.sured to let you go into the bridal chamber alone? Aren’t they afraid that you’ll say wrong words just like before and cause big trouble to your family?”
“My family probably won’t let me go anywhere alone later.” Miss Lu lowered her head and said in a regretful and pitiful voice.
Jiang Qizheng looked at Miss Lu and said suddenly, “My sister-in-law, why do you say so much to her? Now she doesn’t tell us the truth, just because we are outsiders to her. In that case, it’s alright to turn her into our family. The day before yesterday, my mother said with emotion that there are many fierce soldiers in the Northern Army. They fought on the battlefield. Although they have made great achievements and received rich rewards, they are difficult to marry as disabilities…”
Miss Lu’s face suddenly changed, “No!”
… Miss Lu was frightened to cry but still refused to tell the person who ordered her. After Miss Lu walked for a while, Qiu Yelan whispered to Jiang Qizheng, “There must be something wrong. Miss Lu seems to be delivered to us to punish her. How can the first branch be so stupid? I remember that Huizhi went to our fourth branch two days ago.”
At that time, Jiang Qizheng hadn’t come back, but she heard about it in the past few days. At the moment, she frowned, “You are right! I heard that Huizhi ran back to the first branch and became ill since that day.”
“And there was no complaint from the first branch. But after my grandfather heard about it, he still asked grandmother to warn our mother. Of course, my grandmother told our mother the story gently.” Qiu Yelan said, “Our fourth branch is wronged, but my grandfather preconceived about it…”
“Does the first branch want to drive my mother away?” Jiang Qi Zheng’s face was slightly cold, “Isn’t there something ready to deal with us?”
Qiu Yelan pursed her lips, “You just come back from Shazhou. Over there…”
“Xijiang is really going to war!” Since Jiang Qizheng became a schemer, the insight from her n.o.ble birth had been inspired. Now she considered with a long-term perspective. She immediately understood the meaning of Qiu Yelan, “If the Western Army is defeated, the first branch and the third branch will inevitably blame the incompetence of Han Jishan and General Qiu’s young age and shallow knowledge. They must try to seize the military power of the Western Army again!”
“If my mother stays in Jing City, it should be a deterrent to the two branches.” Qiu Yelan squinted, “After all, Jiang Yadan, Jiang Yashuang, and you are juniors compared to two uncles. There a is seniority gap. We’re inevitable to be limited! However, Xijiang hasn’t started a war yet. Even if the war starts, it won’t end in one day or two. I heard from my mother that she would go to Beijiang after autumn. At that time, the war in Xijiang will not necessarily come to an end.”
Jiang Qizheng changed her face, “The first branch and the third branch must believe that before our mother leaves, there will be a war in Xijiang. Its result will be bad for the Western Army, right?”
At the same time, they remembered the reason for the collapse of the Dou Family and the first branch’s in-laws, the Yue Family. They had colluded with the western savages!
It is said that they had only done business with the western savages. Since there was the connection, who knew if it could really become collusion?
“But before we returned to Jing City, the Western Army had been purged. All important positions had been taken by credible people. Mr. Ren also had countermeasures for the invasion of the western savages…” Jiang Qizheng mused, “Mr. Ren worked for the father and son of the Kuang Family for many years. He won deep trust. He is familiar with both the western savages and the Western Army!”
Ren Ziyong had been around Kuang Shihan and his son for many years. He aimed at revenge and the acc.u.mulation of resources for Qiu Jinglan to recapture the Western Army. Han Jishan and Qiu Jinglan would implement Ren Ziyong’s ideas. Under normal circ.u.mstances, there was unlikely to be a big defeat.
“Mr. Ren is not a secret to the first branch now!” Qiu Yelan pursed her lips, “If they really did so to drive our mother away, their arrangement in the Western Army… Either they believe that Mr. Ren can’t cope with it, or they aim at Mr. Ren himself!”
Jiang Qizheng was silent for a moment and suddenly said, “I suddenly remembered that Miss Lu’s words. Her words are not pleasant, but is it true? Man’er has married into our family, but my brother’s backyard hasn’t been cleaned up. How can this be?”
Zhuang Man didn’t have the reputation of being jealous before. That was because she didn’t get married. But Madame Zhuang personally admitted that Zhuang Man’s temper was like her when she was young. How could she be so generous as to tolerate concubines?
Princess Royal Maode restricted her youngest son before marriage in case that he would have a child because of his numerous romantic debts. Even if Zhuang Man could tolerate it, why Princess Royal Maode didn’t clean her son’s backyard before marriage to show her tacit understanding and respect for her daughter-in-law and the Zhuang Family?
Reminded by Jiang Qizheng, Qiu Yelan was also inexplicable, “Right! What’s going on?” There were many matters after finishing the mourning. Especially in these days, she was the only daughter-in-law who could deal with matters outside. How could she have time to inquire if Ling Zui’s backyard had been cleaned up in advance to welcome the bride?
They looked at each other and felt like falling into haze!