Hearing Mrs. Xiao singing her own praises and trying to put her down in the process, Shen Yuning took a while to realize that Mrs. Xiao had come today to propose a marriage.
She found it rather amusing. Even in the small village where she used to live, a place not overly particular about formalities, people knew that when proposing marriage, one should find a matchmaker. How could Mrs. Xiao be so unconventional, coming here on her own without talking to her elder sister - in - law, but instead talking to her, an unmarried young lady?
Did Mrs. Xiao think she was an inexperienced girl who would fall head - over - heels in love with that so - called former cousin after just a few meetings simply because Mrs. Xiao said that a successful candidate in the imperial examination was a good match?
Just then, Weirui beside her suddenly burst out laughing.
Mrs. Xiao looked displeased. She frowned, glanced at Shen Yuning and then at Weirui. After holding back for a while, she finally couldn't help but say, "Yuning, don't blame your aunt for speaking bluntly. This is tough love. The upbringing in your Lady - of - the - Township Mansion is really a bit lacking."
Shen Yuning looked at her with a half - smile. "Actually, Mrs. Xiao, I've been tolerating you for so long because I've always remembered our past relationship. After all, you were my aunt before, but now you're not even that. How can an outsider come to the host's place and dictate things? Am I right?"
Mrs. Xiao stared at her in disbelief, never expecting that the gentle Shen Yuning would suddenly change her attitude.
Weirui chimed in, "I often go to Princess Jiayang's mansion. The princess always says I have a good personality and tells me not to be too reserved. So I never thought I'd be accused of lacking in upbringing."
Shen Yuning smiled at her. "Princess Jiayang likes you, and she's right. With the princess around, no one can criticize your upbringing."
Mrs. Xiao was left speechless, her face flushing red with anger.
Seeing that she was silent, Shen Yuning turned to Weirui and asked, "What were you laughing at just now?"
Weirui smiled sweetly. "It's funny. I was reminded that Princess Jiayang loves to talk about the young masters and ladies in the capital. I often hear her say that some young man is just a successful candidate in the imperial examination, and that even if one passes the provincial examination, it's useless if they don't even get the qualification of a Jinshi. I used to think that being a successful candidate wasn't a big deal. But today, after hearing Mrs. Xiao talk about her son, I realized that just the possibility of passing the provincial examination is already such a remarkable thing."
Mrs. Xiao's face turned as red as a pig's liver from Weirui's sarcasm. Moreover, Weirui kept referring to what Princess Jiayang said, leaving her completely speechless.
Shen Yuning then looked at Mrs. Xiao seriously. "Mrs. Xiao, we both know very well about our past relationship. There's no need to pretend to mend the torn relationship just for the sake of face. I'm a merchant's daughter, but I've never felt inferior. As for how prominent and wealthy your Xiao family is, I've never given it a single thought. I won't see you off today. I just wish you can find a daughter - in - law to your liking. There's no need to waste your time on someone you look down upon like me."
Mrs. Xiao was practically chased out of the mansion. She was extremely angry. She was jealous that even after falling into such a difficult situation, Shen Yuning could still come back and become a Lady of the Township. She was also angry that Shen Yuning didn't show any consideration and looked down on her proud son.
After leaving the Lady - of - the - Township Mansion, when she was finally alone with her personal maid, she spat on the ground viciously. "Who do you think you are? Just because the emperor has granted you the title of Lady of the Township, do you think you're superior to others? I'd like to see who you can marry if you even look down on my son. You'll probably end up marrying a penniless family and have to support them. Let's see how arrogant you can still be then!"
However, when she got into the carriage on her way home, she had another headache. It wasn't that she thought so highly of Shen Yuning. It was just that the Xiao family had fallen into such a decline that it was difficult to marry a good girl from a decent family. She originally planned to wait until her son passed the provincial examination and then carefully choose a well - behaved girl from a family with a lower social status. But her younger sister was pressing so hard that she couldn't wait to stuff Xue Yujiao into the Xiao family.
Although Mrs. Xiao was usually snobbish and overbearing, she could still see some things clearly. Shen Yuning had a humble family background and was a merchant's daughter, but she was personally raised by the old master of the Xue family and had connections with both the Xue and Chen families. She was a generous and capable girl, and marrying her wouldn't let her son suffer. But Xue Yujiao, just carrying the name of the second young lady of the Xue family, had neither good upbringing nor any real abilities. If Xue Yujiao really married into the Xiao family, the Xiao family would only continue to decline.
As the saying goes, "You fear something, and it comes." As soon as Mrs. Xiao got home and got out of the carriage, she saw the wet - nurse beside her eldest daughter - in - law coming towards her. "Madam, you're finally back. Mrs. Xue has been waiting for you since early morning. The eldest young mistress has been accompanying her for a long time."
Mrs. Xiao's legs went weak. She wished she could faint right away and avoid seeing her. But she also knew that her eldest daughter - in - law couldn't handle her younger sister's ruckus. As long as she was well enough to get up, she had to deal with it.
When the two sisters - in - law, who had never had a deep relationship, met, there was naturally nothing good to say. One insisted on marrying her daughter into the family, while the other refused to accept her at all costs. Mrs. Xiao of the Xue family cried and rolled on the ground, saying that over the years, the Xiao family had benefited a lot from her marriage into the Marquis's Mansion, and now they were trying to force her and her daughter to death and leaving no way out for Yujiao.
Mrs. Xiao of the Xiao family also changed her usual kind - looking appearance. She simply tore off the hairpins on her head, loosened her outer robe, and lay on the ground howling, saying that she had suffered so much. Her well - raised son was about to have a bright future, but was he really supposed to marry a girl without any upbringing?
The two were making such a big ruckus, but the master of the Xiao family didn't even show up. He clearly didn't want to get involved in the matter between his wife and his sister.
In the end, since the Xiao family firmly refused to marry Xue Yujiao, Mrs. Xiao of the Xue family had no choice but to go back to her mansion resentfully, planning to find another way.
Xue Yujiao was sitting at the table sulking. When she saw her mother walking in angrily, a look of impatience flashed in her eyes. She snorted, "Rejected by the Xiao family again? I think Aunt Xiao is not a good person. If she doesn't want me to marry into her family, I don't want to marry there either."
These words made Mrs. Xiao of the Xue family jump with anger. She stepped forward and almost twisted her daughter's ear. "You're really so naive! Now that the Xue Mansion has been divided, your father is so useless. Without the support of the Marquis's Mansion, what kind of family can you marry into? You don't even need to think about a high - ranking family. As for a poor scholar's family, would you be willing to go there and endure hardships, serve your in - laws, and raise your younger siblings?"
Xue Yujiao shook her head repeatedly and said somewhat defiantly, "I'd rather not get married for the rest of my life! Mother, you don't know how partial father is. He's completely focused on that bastard son now. I'm his legitimate daughter, but he still says that as a girl, I'll have to rely on my brother in the future. There's only one younger brother in the family, and he wants me to please him more! Why?"
Hearing this, Mrs. Xiao of the Xue family was also extremely annoyed. Xue Yuxi was a bastard son. Usually, Mrs. Bai was quite sensible, so she just turned a blind eye. Anyway, the master was a philanderer, and he had many mistresses outside. He didn't value Mrs. Bai in the house very much either.
But her tolerance was based on the fact that Mrs. Bai's children would only help Yujiao. If the siblings Xue Yuhan and Xue Yuxi became obstacles to Yujiao, she couldn't tolerate it.
After all, if she hadn't tried so hard to give birth to a son for the master, she wouldn't have fallen ill, and she wouldn't have promoted Mrs. Bai to a concubine either.
Now, let's talk about Xue Yuxi, the bastard son of the Xue family. He was already fifteen years old. Although he was a bastard, there were few sons in the family, and his uncle and cousin had tried their best to plan for his future. Especially in the past two years, seeing so many changes in the family, he was no longer the naive boy he used to be. Now he studied hard and didn't dare to slack off at all.
Previously, Xue Yuxi had been studying in the mansion of Minister Li, who lived next to the Marquis's Mansion. Minister Li had invited a famous tutor to teach in his mansion, and his uncle had asked Minister Li to let him study there too.
After the family was divided, it was just a longer journey to school, but he wasn't afraid of hardships. He would get up before dawn and rush to Minister Li's mansion. However, he always felt a sense of desolation. Although the Marquis's Mansion was right next door, it no longer belonged to him. Sometimes when the weather was bad, there was no one to bring him warm clothes or an umbrella.
That was okay. He thought he could endure it. He couldn't be as mediocre as his father for the rest of his life.
Who would have thought that some time ago, his father didn't know what he had done and had a big argument with Minister Li. Minister Li was a stubborn and inflexible person. After arguing with his father, when he saw his son still studying in his mansion, he was naturally unhappy. He thought that the father and son were in the same boat and deliberately trying to annoy him, so he drove Xue Yuxi out of his mansion and didn't allow him to study there anymore.
Xue Yuxi didn't dare to make a fuss. He looked dejected at home for several days. Mrs. Bai thought it wasn't a good situation, so she took out her own savings and tried to find someone to smooth things over. She finally managed to get to the Marquis's wife, Mrs. Shao.
Mrs. Shao felt sorry for this bastard nephew, so she nodded and talked to her natal family. Then she arranged for Xue Yuxi to continue studying in the Shao family's mansion.
At least he had a place to study.
Xue Yuxi didn't dare to slack off at all. These days, his father often called him in for a lecture, mostly scolding him for being useless and not working hard. He also said that it was because of his poor academic performance that he was driven out of the Li family's mansion.
He felt very sad. How wonderful it would be if he were in the main branch of the family like his elder cousin! Even if he were born into the Chen family, which had a good relationship with the Xue family, it would be much better. The mistress of the Chen family was very kind to the bastard sons in the family. The fourth young master of the Chen family was well - known for his excellent scholarship in the capital.
Xue Yuxi was standing under the eaves. It was time to go home, but he really didn't want to.
Shen Yuning knew nothing about these things in the Xue family. She was living a peaceful life in the Lady - of - the - Township Mansion. Occasionally, she would go to the shop, but because she was well - known, she was often recognized, and many people would come to talk to her and ask questions. So now she rarely went to the shop. For the time being, besides checking the accounts, she had nothing much to do.
One day, she was at home reading a book. Weirui had bought this book for her from a bookstore some time ago, and she quite liked it. Maybe she was too engrossed in the book. When she heard the noisy sounds outside, she was even startled herself.
Shen Yuning quickly closed the book and went out. As soon as she left the small courtyard, Zhang Rong rushed over.
"Yuning, Yuning! The ladies of the Xue family are crying and making a ruckus at the door. We can't drive them away!"
Shen Yuning was a bit confused. The only ones in the Xue family who would cause a ruckus were Mrs. Xiao and Xue Yujiao. She hadn't offended them these days, had she?
When she went out, she heard Mrs. Xiao's shrill voice. "You heartless bitch! You've occupied my son's position for fifteen years, and I didn't hold it against you. But now you're so malicious. My son finally managed to arrange a good marriage, and you came in and messed it up... Do you have any shame? You're really a girl born to a low - class woman, always scheming!"
The Lady - of - the - Township Mansion bestowed by the emperor wasn't located in the best place. It was too close to the bustling city area. Just across a small alley, there lived many ordinary people.
Shen Yuning usually didn't care about this, but today, with Mrs. Xiao's ruckus, curious onlookers had surrounded the place in layers. Everyone was pointing fingers and talking.
In this world, women really had a hard time. In everyone's eyes, Mrs. Xiao's behavior made her look like a poor mother who had been driven to desperation and had no choice but to act like a shrew. And the Lady of the Township who was said to have snatched someone else's fiancé became a despicable seductress.