Greetings, Ninth Uncle

The dowry mama knelt on the side. Seeing Qingfu Junzhu’s emotion slowly calmed down, she asked: “Madam, what is it that makes you so angry?”

“An outside tailor sent a few brocades today, and I took a fancy at the fabric with a golden phoenix on the peony branch motif. No matter what, in status, I should be the first one to choose the fabric. As a result, before I could speak, she hurriedly asked for the phoenix on the peony branch brocade. I couldn’t bear it and said a few words to her. Yet, she dared to talk back and rebut me!”

Recalling the scene, Qingfu was furious again. When the dowry mama saw this, she quickly brought a cup of tea to Qingfu and said: “Madam, please don’t be angry. That kind of person is not worth being angry of.”

Qingfu Junzhu took the cup, then lowered her head to sip the tea, suppressing the anger in her heart. After putting down the teacup, she raised her eyes again and said with a sneer: “When I was still in my natal family, how many good things have I seen? Even after getting married, I own a special fabric workshop under my name. Why should I care about a few brocades? They are nothing but small sesame seeds in my eyes. Yet she rushed to snatch it from my hand. Doesn’t she know shame? In the end, it is just because her son-in-law is gaining power, and she cannot wait to be rampant.”

Qingfu Junzhu snorted coldly: “Isn’t it just being called by the Emperor? Just getting a few words, and there was no sign of definite promotion. Huo family is still nothing, yet she cannot wait to show her might. When a lowly person turns proud, it is truly unsightly.”

Qingfu’s dowry mama didn’t respond. In fact, how could the mama don’t see? Although Ruan-shi became arrogant, Qingfu was not less domineering either. Qingfu probably said mean words to Ruan-shi when choosing the brocades earlier, so the other party refused to back off.

However, as an indentured servant, the mama could never say that her master was wrong. What the master said was correct, regardless of reason and truth. Qingfu Junzhu was never wrong, and all the fault was on that bitch.

The mama listened to Qingfu’s scolding for a while. Seeing that Qingfu’s anger gradually lessened, she said with a low voice: “Madam, although you may don’t like to hear it, there is some bitter truth in this. After all, Huo family is remembered by the Emperor, and it is only a matter of time before they develop further. Second Miss snatched eldest Miss’ marriage and now is Huo family’s young madam. As Marquis Jingyong’s direct in-law, the second branch will definitely bask in the glory. This servant afraid that this is just the beginning.”

How could Qingfu not understand this truth? She scolded loudly, but in fact, was out of jealousy. This marriage was originally Cheng Yujin’s, but now the tide was rising, all the benefits fell into the second branch. The one who was recommended to the Imperial Academy was supposed to be her son.

Qingfu Junzhu hated the second branch’s shamelessness in robbing Cheng Yujin’s marriage. She also hated Cheng Yujin’s unwillingness to fight back and unable to win over Huo Changyuan, letting him break off the marriage contract. Qingfu’s fingers on the teacup tightened. After a while, she slowly calmed down.

Sometimes, disaster was a blessing in disguise. Now Cheng Yujin had another chance for remedy.

Qingfu Junzhu had fully calmed down. She put the teacup down, and ordered: “Go and invite the eldest miss over.”

These few days, Cheng Yujin was staying in her room. When she heard Qingfu was sending people to invite her over, she had a hunch that this was not a good thing. When she walked into the room, her suspicion became stronger.

Concealing her thoughts, Cheng Yujin greeted Qingfu calmly, as if nothing could affect her. After the initial greeting, she smiled and stood aside, asking: “I was about to go to pay respect to mother, but by coincidence, mother called me before I went out. Mother, what are you calling me for?”

Qingfu Junzhu carefully sized up the girl who was standing before her eyes. Although Cheng Yujin nominally was her daughter, Qingfu had rarely paid attention to this girl before. Naturally, she never took a good look at what Cheng Yujin had grown up to. Today, for the first time, Qingfu realized that Cheng Yujin had grown into a true beauty that mesmerized everyone.

Moreover, it was not the kind of fragile and delicate beauty, which aroused the pity and love from the men but wouldn’t receive a good impression from fellow women. If delicate beauty was flowing water, then Cheng Yujin’s beauty was an elegant painting. It was upright and perfect to the dot, and no one could find a single fault. It was beautiful, and it was cold, even inhuman.

Even the most malicious enemy would find it hard to say that Cheng Yujin wasn’t beautiful.

Qingfu didn’t know whether men would like this type of beauty, but she knew for sure that she liked it herself. Such a quiet and dignified beauty with no fault. What a perfect gift.

No wonder that even after Jingyong Marquis Manor, another high-ranking family still came to seek. Qingfu’s smile deepened. She took Cheng Yujin’s hand into hers, pulled the girl closer to her side, and asked in a gentle voice she never used before: “Mother was too busy recently, and didn’t have time to take care of your birthday. You won’t be angry, right?”

The moment Qingfu’s hands touched hers, Cheng Yujin resisted the urge to take it back. She replied with a smile: “Mother, why do you think so? Of course I’m not angry. I’m your daughter, and I understand your hardship the best. How can I feel angry at you?”

“It’s fine if you understand.” Qingfu Junzhu smiled even more satisfied. She took off an agate bracelet from her wrist and slid it directly on Cheng Yujin’s wrist. “Although I didn’t have time to celebrate your birthday grandly, I always remember it in my heart. This is my compensation for you. I’m preparing another thing for your birthday gift.”

If she truly remembered, even if there was no time to set up a birthday banquet, how could she not even have the time to send a gift on the day? But Cheng Yujin didn’t reveal the slightest emotion, and followed along with Qingfu’s act: “Thank you, mother. Mother treats me so well, and I don’t know how to repay your kindness.”

Qingfu Junzhu smiled. Her gaze at Cheng Yujin was as if she was looking at a newly-found gold mine. Qingfu had never paid attention before, but now she discovered that this adopted daughter of hers was actually a piece of raw jade ore. After years of silence, it was only discovered now, giving endless rewards.

Pretending to be nonchalant, Qingfu Junzhu said: “Eldest girl, I don’t want much. I just ask that after you marry into a good family, you will not forget where did you come from. Although Cai Duke Manor is a military family, it has been inherited for generations. They have a very rich accumulation. In the future, you only need to remember your natal family in front of the Duke and beg him to support Bao’er, and I will be satisfied.”

Cheng Yujin followed along with this affectionate mother and daughter’s act, simply to dig out Qingfu’s real purpose. All of Qingfu’s superfluous words, no matter how nice, just passed by Cheng Yujin’s ears.

But she didn’t expect to hear such sentences.

Cheng Yujin’s smile faded: “Mother, what do you mean by this?”

“You still pretend to be embarrassed!” Qingfu Junzhu smiled at Cheng Yujin with a teasing look. Her smile, in Cheng Yujin’s eyes, was extremely dislikable. “I know that little girls like you are thin-skinned and too embarrassed to admit it aloud. But mother has told me that Duke Cai’s family intends to make a marriage proposal to you. After the New Year, they will come formally. We just need to wait until your mourning period is over, and you will become the new Duchess Cai.”

The smile on Cheng Yujin’s face disappeared completely. Zhai Yanlin wanted to marry her? She thought that she had made it clear with Zhai Yanlin at Xiangji Temple that day. Zhai Yanlin knew Cheng Yujin’s thoughts, but he still had the face to jump directly to Old Madam Cheng and proposed marriage!

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