Chapter 1677: Chapter 1677: Live a Little Longer
In the Marquis Zhou Residence’s carriage, Ming Hui rested his chin on his hand, "Sister, you’re really straightforward."
Yu Wen smiled lightly, "Being direct with someone like Zhuo Guyu saves trouble."
Ming Hui was speechless, "You just said you offended him but didn’t explain."
"Anyway, the third sister’s coming-of-age ceremony will let him know why."
Recently, the matter of headpieces has spread among the young ladies in the capital. Ye Ying didn’t dare to mention it proactively, and Zhuo Guyu, being a man, wouldn’t be aware.
Ming Hui shivered, "Don’t offend anyone, at least not women. No wonder they say a woman’s heart is as small as the tip of a needle."
Yu Wen couldn’t be bothered with Ming Hui and closed her eyes to rest.
Zhulan followed in the back, arriving home together, Ming Hui and Yu Wen were stunned. Zhulan waved her hands at her grandchildren and walked past them into the yard.
Yu Wen blinked, Grandma knows everything.
In the Duke of Yongan Residence, Zhuo Guyu lost face today. For someone who cares deeply about reputation, he couldn’t help but vent his anger when he returned home.
Ye Ying was startled, "You left happily today, did Young Master Wu make things difficult for you?"
Zhuo Guyu was pleased with his wife and recounted today’s events, "They deliberately targeted me."
Ye Ying spilled the tea she was holding. She hadn’t been feeling well these past few days, fearing the matter she was involved in would reach her mother-in-law’s ears. Fortunately, her mother-in-law was ill and hadn’t gone out. She hoped that after a few days, the matter would fade and no one would mention it.
Zhuo Guyu asked concernedly, "Did you get burned?"
Ye Ying wiped the tea off her hand with a cloth, "No."
"You’re lying, your hand is red."
"The tea soaked for a while and wasn’t hot. I really didn’t get burned."
Zhuo Guyu checked thoroughly before he relaxed, "Be more careful."
Ye Ying moved her lips but ultimately said nothing. She regretted crafting the headpiece, never expecting the magistrate wouldn’t target her, but would target her husband instead. If she had known earlier, she wouldn’t have been jealous of the magistrate.
She also recalled what her mother-in-law had inadvertently revealed after the engagement and clenched her cloth.
There are too many people in the capital who look down on Zhuo Guyu. His high-profile behavior in the past turned him into someone else’s child they wished to compete with. Countless young men harbored resentment, annoyed by Zhuo Guyu’s ostentatiousness. Today’s scandal would be mocked for a long time.
Time flew by to Yu Die’s coming-of-age ceremony, and the Marquis Zhou Residence invited many guests to witness it.
Many ladies from the capital arrived, and Lady Gu, the future mother-in-law, was the earliest. Zhulan saw Lady Gu’s joyful demeanor and said, "I intend to keep Yu Die for a few more years."
Lady Gu replied, "Grandmatron, I’m looking forward to marrying my daughter-in-law early!"
Zhulan smiled without speaking, and Lady Gu really feared that the Marquis Zhou Residence would keep Yu Die for several more years, "Please don’t scare me. Keeping Yu Die longer will mean my son Yuan Bo will get beaten up many times!"
Zhulan laughed aloud, "Even if they really get married, Yuan Bo’s beatings won’t lessen."
Lady Gu laughed, "Marriage will be different; whatever trouble he causes will be on him."
Being unmarried, she had to assist with arrangements. After marriage, her son has to be filial to her and rely on himself!
The ladies arrived one after another, the room was bustling, and the Zhou family unconsciously had built a large network of connections.
The young ladies gathered to chat, and Zhuo Ya came with her sister-in-law, puzzled, "Sister-in-law, why are they looking at us and laughing?"
Ye Ying’s smile became somewhat stiff, she really didn’t want to come today, "Don’t mind them."
Zhuo Ya filled in the blanks on her own, "They must be jealous of my brother following the Crown Prince, jealous that I might become a concubine."
Ye Ying, "..."
The time for Yu Die’s coming-of-age ceremony arrived, Yu Die appeared escorted by Zhao, the women’s ceremony is very important; Zhao had experience, but Yu Die was exceptionally nervous.
Once it concluded, Yu Die went to change clothes, Zhao personally helped her daughter with the headpiece, "Yu Die has grown up."
Yu Die looked at herself in the mirror, "I will always be my mother’s little cotton-padded jacket."
Zhao took her daughter’s hand, "Go ahead, today is your special day."
Yu Die touched the headpiece on her head, her eyes gleaming, "Okay."
Yu Die changed and came out, the ladies noticed her headpiece, the Li family lady remarked, "It’s really beautiful."
The Qie family lady, with intentions to enter the Crown Prince’s harem, understood the ambitions of the Duke of Yongan Residence, and gladly stepped on them, "A fake is a fake, some people’s methods are especially disgusting."
Today, quite a few people shared the Qie family lady’s sentiment, and with each comment, Zhuo Ya understood. She turned her head towards her sister-in-law only to find her sister-in-law’s face pale.
Zhuo Ya felt a jolt in her heart, her sister-in-law indeed did it on purpose.
Ye Ying gripped her cloth tightly, staring intently at Zhou Yudie’s headpiece. She thought Zhou Yudie would keep this headpiece hidden away but instead wore it openly on such an important day. Her fleeting hope vanished.
Seeing Ye Ying’s reaction, Yu Yi smirked slightly, she hadn’t mocked Ye Ying, seeming aggressive. The day’s impact was sufficient.
The coming-of-age ceremony for Yu Die ended successfully, guests gradually departed, Yu Jiao was the happiest, gesturing about Ye Ying’s facial expression.
At the Duke of Yongan Residence, upon returning home, Zhuo Ya vented her anger, Ye Ying was criticized, Zhuo Guyu heard what happened, and he understood everything.
With controlled anger, Zhuo Guyu asked, "Why?"
Ye Ying wept, "Why? You’re not the daughter-in-law my mother envisioned for me, I."
Zhuo Guyu pursed his lips, the anger in his heart turned into a sigh. He knew what his wife hadn’t voiced, ultimately it was the Duke of Yongan Residence that sowed the seed.
The next day during court, Zhou Shuren noticed Earl Ye glancing at him several times. After court, Wong Ju noticed it too, clicking his tongue twice, "Ancestors of the Earl heard about yesterday’s commotion."
Zhou Shuren, "If they still didn’t know, they would be idiots."
Wong Ju, "The education of children is very important."
This time, the Count Residence was miserably tricked by their own lady.
Zhou Shuren ignored Wong Ju’s continued reflection, instead asking, "Is the old man’s health improved?"
Wong Ju’s face was troubled, "It’s been fluctuating, not thoroughly healed."
Zhou Shuren, "Pay extra attention when the seasons change, the old man is getting on in age."
Wong Ju sighed, "I will take care."
Leaving the palace, Zhou Shuren saw Prince Qi’s guards saying something as Prince Qi didn’t seat his carriage but mounted his horse and departed, confused and not knowing what happened at the Qi Prince Residence.
Zhou Shuren hadn’t been at the Ministry of Revenue for long when the news spread, it seemed Mr. Chen of the Chen family succumbed to illness and passed away.
Zhou Shuren quite respected Mr. Chen, as Prince Qi owes much of his current stature to Mr. Chen.
After Mr. Chen’s passing, Zhou Shuren personally attended the funeral. At the Chen Residence, they met Prince Qi who was deeply affected.
The funeral ceremonies were grand, and the Chen family remained steadfast, attracting many to pay respects aside from their clan members.
Mr. Chen’s death stirred many feelings in the Retired Emperor, he visited Zhou Shuren at the Ministry of Revenue, "I wanted to catch his mistakes but couldn’t, the Chen family was fortunate to have him."
Zhou Shuren thought, it wasn’t just fortunate, seeing Prince Chu and Prince Liang’s maternal clans compared to the Chen family.
Retired Emperor sighed, "Everyone’s leaving, those familiar to me are departing one after another."
Zhou Shuren was silent, he too had bid farewell to many over the years, "Everyone faces that day eventually."
Retired Emperor looked sideways, "You need to live long."
Even if Zhou Shuren steps back, with him alive, the Retired Emperor has peace of mind. He admitted to waking up from nightmares several times, increasingly superstitious about such things!
In the afternoon, at the Marquis Zhou Residence, Zhulan saw the thin Ming Rui and felt immense pity, "You’ve suffered."