The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

"If you want the Lu family girl to take over the Su family, and Su Shihang is also surnamed Su, why not let the good stuff go to outsiders? Why don't you two, aunt and niece, go into the Su family together to serve Su Shihang? Anyway, Su Shihang has done even more shameless things than this. He's got so many lice he's not afraid of itching. Doing one more thing won't hurt."

Su Shihang was furious when he heard this.

His mother-in-law's insults became increasingly outrageous, yet the emperor did nothing to stop her.

He was, after all, an important official of the court, yet the emperor tolerated Old Madam Min humiliating him like this.

Upon hearing this, Lady Lu was so angry that she almost choked.

Lu Yin'er's eyes were filled with tears.

She was forced by her aunt to seduce Su Chengmin. Her aunt said that if she could not become Su Chengmin's wife, she would be given to an old man in the officialdom as a concubine.

She dared not disobey her aunt, so she took a handkerchief to seduce Su Chengmin.

She felt extremely embarrassed when Grandma Min exposed her in public.

After giving a scathing scolding, Old Madam Min apologized to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, Baozhen only has one son. The feud between Baozhen and the Lu family cannot be resolved. Even if you punish me, I will still stop this marriage."

When Madam Min mentioned Min Baozhen, the Emperor felt quite guilty towards her.

The marriage between Su Shihang and Min Baozhen was personally arranged by Su Shihang himself. Who would have thought that Su Shihang already had a first wife?

When the truth came out, the emperor felt that it was just a matter of marriage, which was not a big deal for a man. Therefore, he did not punish Su Shihang, but only asked Su Shihang to handle his family affairs and make sure that Min Baozhen became his legal wife.

The old emperor said gently to Madam Min, "Madam, you are too kind. After all, this marriage involves Cheng Min, so it would be better to listen to Cheng Min's opinion. If they are both willing, I would be happy to see them become a couple. If they are not willing, wouldn't it be like forcing a melon to ripen? I don't want to give a marriage that results in a unhappy couple."

Upon hearing this, Madam Lu and Lu Yin'er felt a chill in their hearts, and their eyes churned with resentment.

Su Chengmin would never be willing to marry Lu Yin'er.

Su Chengmin replied, "Your Majesty, I already have someone I admire."

This is how he rejected Lu Yin'er.

Even though she already knew that Su Chengmin had no feelings for her, Lu Yin'er still felt like she was being pricked by needles when she was rejected in public, and she cried in front of everyone.

Grandma Min showed a look of disdain.

That scoundrel dares to dream of having a grandson.

Madam Lu's face was extremely ugly, especially Lu Yin'er's crying, which made her feel that she had lost face.

Su Shihang's eyes were dark and unreadable.

"Grandfather, didn't you promise me you'd prepare a shadow puppet show? Why isn't it happening yet?" The Crown Prince yawned, clearly uninterested in the Su family's proposal for a marriage.

The emperor patted his grandson's head.

Soon the shadow puppet show began.

The banquet returned to a state of harmony and peace.

Su Shih-hang's request for a marriage for his son was like a minor, insignificant episode.

Lu Yin'er lowered her head and cried incessantly. Madam Lu pinched her angrily and whispered, "You shameless thing, why are you crying? Su Chengmin having a girl he likes is just an excuse. If he really had a girl he liked, why didn't the emperor grant him a marriage? The fact that the emperor didn't grant him a marriage to another girl means that we still have a chance."

Lu Yin'er wiped away her tears and said, "What opportunity? Should I ambush him or drug him?"

Her aunt always told her that extreme measures should be used when necessary, but she found the methods her aunt taught her somewhat distasteful.

Madam Lu stared at Lu Yin'er, making Lu Yin'er feel uneasy.

"Stop your tears," Madam Lu said softly. "You look down on the methods I taught you, but how could you become the wife of the Imperial Guard leader without those methods? Once you marry Su Chengmin, who will care what methods you used? If your aunt hadn't humbled herself and knelt down to beg Min Baozhen to come into the mansion, would I be a Lady of the Imperial Decree now, and would you be sitting at the palace banquet?"

Lu Yin'er seemed to be deep in thought after hearing these words.

Lu Yin'er grew up in the countryside.

After she came of age, her aunt took her to Shengjing, intending to marry her off to Su Chengmin. She knew that her aunt, as Su Shihang's first wife from the countryside, had always been a figurehead, and even after Min Baozhen's death, people still referred to Madam Su as Min Baozhen.

Aunt hates Min Baozhen and Su Chengmin.

After the Crown Prince was executed, news of Su Chengmin's "death" arrived, and the aunt laughed heartily.

Her aunt and uncle had other plans for her marriage: either she would marry an old widower as his second wife, or she would be sent to a dead family as a concubine. She was just a pawn used by her aunt to please her uncle.

She was naturally unwilling, but if she didn't do this, she would have to go back to the countryside and live a life of hunger and cold.

She didn't want to live that kind of life even for a single day.

So when she learned that Su Chengmin was still alive, she was overjoyed and dreamed of marrying him.

Of course, she didn't completely listen to her aunt. Her current submissive behavior was all for the sake of marrying Su Chengmin smoothly.

After she marries Su Chengmin, her aunt will no longer be able to control her, and she will stand with Su Chengmin to turn the tables on her aunt.

Lu Yin'er clenched her fists. Her aunt was right. Once she became the wife of the leader of the Imperial Guard, who would remember her humiliation today?

Doesn't Su Chengmin already have someone he likes?
No matter who the person she loves is, she will not let Su Chengmin succeed.

Lu Yin'er glanced at Su Chengmin secretly, and once again resolved to follow in her aunt's footsteps.

Grandma Min's eyes never left Lu Yin'er and Madam Lu. She couldn't hear the two aunt and niece whispering to each other, but being an old woman, she could guess what they were talking about.

What are you muttering about?

He was muttering to himself about how to scheme against Su Chengmin.

Grandma Min's eyes turned cold.

"Has your daughter Taohua been betrothed at home yet?" Old Mrs. Min asked Tong Huaqiong about Gu Taohua's marriage prospects.

Tong Huaqiong said, "No."

She understood what Old Madam Min meant: at this crucial juncture, arranging a marriage for Gu Taohua was clearly a way of finding a spouse for Su Chengmin.

Previously, she was happy to pair Gu Taohua and Su Chengmin together, but after seeing the Su family's scandalous affairs today, Tong Huaqiong had changed her mind.

Even if Su Chengmin didn't live with Su Shihang in this era, as the son of the Su family, he still couldn't escape Su Shihang's shadow.

She wasn't worried that Gu Taohua would suffer a loss against the Lu family, but it was still unpleasant to be bothered like a fly.

There are so many talented young people in Shengjing, why hang yourself on a tree with complicated family backgrounds?

"Your Taohua and Jingzhe are twins, a boy and a girl. Jingzhe is about to become a father, so Taohua's marriage should be settled soon. Have you taken a fancy to any potential suitors?" Old Madam Min inquired.

Su Chengmin's marriage can no longer be delayed.

Tong Huaqiong's smile faded, and she said, "I haven't found a suitable husband. However, I will only oversee the child's marriage without interfering. If she takes a liking to someone, I will respect her opinion. If she has no intention of getting married, I can simply let her live on for the rest of her life."

Having lived to this age, Old Mrs. Min could tell at a glance that Tong Huaqiong wasn't very enthusiastic about this matter.

If Tong Huaqiong were truly interested, she would have already discussed her daughter's marriage with her.

Old Mrs. Min gritted her teeth inwardly and cursed Su Shihang and Madam Lu to death.

These two are seriously affecting my grandson's chances of finding a good marriage.

However, Tong Huaqiong did not rule out the possibility of anything, and Old Madam Min still held onto hope.

Since it depends on Gu Taohua's wishes, Tong Huaqiong will accept it as long as Gu Taohua is willing.

Then let's see if my grandson has the ability to marry Gu Taohua. (End of Chapter)