Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

It's not that Cui Zeyu is vain and, knowing he has a powerful father, he eagerly went to acknowledge him as his father.

When he was young, he saw his older sister struggling to make ends meet, and he thought that money was the most important thing, and that having money would allow his sister to live a better life.

After experiencing so much, Cui Zeyu realized that power was more important than money.

With power comes wealth.

He waved his hand, indicating that the Duke of Dingguo could leave.

"Peng'er, I..."

"Remember, don't call me Peng'er anymore. My name is Cui Zeyu now." Cui Zeyu turned his back. Seeing this man reminded him of his deceased mother.

He couldn't accept the pie with a clear conscience.

After hearing the footsteps leaving, Cui Zeyu turned around after a while and saw Xie Yunting leaning against the door frame yawning.

"Have you finished talking?" Xie Yunting looked over lazily. He had a pair of very beautiful peach blossom eyes, and when he smiled, it was always difficult to figure out his true emotions.

Cui Zeyu said that his thoughts were similar, "Do you think my sister won't understand me?"

"I don't know, you'll have to ask her yourself." Xie Yunting's head ached from the hangover, and he leaned back. "Speaking of which, I have to thank your sister yesterday, otherwise, if I had been drugged, I don't know who would have plotted against me. Now that you've explained things clearly to the Duke of Dingguo, shouldn't you go back?"

It wasn't that Xie Yunting was kicking him out, but he felt that Cui Zeyu wouldn't have anything to do if he stayed with him.

Cui Zeyu said to wait a little longer, "I'll leave you only when Lu Zhong brings everyone to me and when Qin Shi is furious. After all, your place is the only safe place in Bianjing."

The Qin family can send people in to other places.

During this period, the Duke of Dingguo came over every few days, and Qin Shi knew with a little thought that Cui Zeyu was with Xie Yunting.

However, all the servants in the Xie household knew martial arts, and Xie Yunting himself was someone she couldn't shake off, so Qin Shi didn't dare to barge in rashly.

In particular, the Qin family of today is not the same as the Qin family of the past.

"Suit yourself. Speaking of which, you should thank me once. That old man Qin Shaoyuan has been demoted and doesn't have that much power anymore. If the Qin family gets into trouble in the future, she'll have to take responsibility herself." Xie Yunting shook his head. "Alright, I'm going to the military camp. If you need anything, have Shuanzi handle it."

Xie Yunting changed into a brown casual outfit and rode out of the mansion.

But he didn't go to the military camp; instead, he went to the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence.

He knew he couldn't tell anyone about what happened yesterday, so he came to deliver the birth charts for Shuanzi's marriage.

Upon seeing Cui Lingrong, Xie Yunting greeted her with a smile, "Sister Cui, I'm a roughneck and can't handle wedding arrangements. You have experience, so please help me prepare everything that Shuanzi needs, and put it all on my tab."

Cui Lingrong had no reason to refuse. She had already returned Caixia's indenture to her. "Caixia is my most capable maid. I will definitely make sure she has a grand occasion."

"Alright, then I'll have to trouble you." Xie Yunting smiled, her eyes sparkling. "By the way, there's something I need to tell you. Yesterday, that old man from the Qin family drugged me, and I cried all the way to the officials. Now, I've cancelled the engagement with the Qin family. Thank you so much, Sister Cui, for helping me with the selection process."

He called her "Sister Cui" repeatedly, in a very intimate way, as if he were Cui Lingrong's younger brother.

When Cui Lingrong saw Xie Yunting, she couldn't help but think of what happened yesterday, and she kept avoiding his gaze, not daring to look him in the eye.

After talking for a while, Xie Yunting tactfully took his leave.

Cui Lingrong returned to Qiushuangzhai to arrange Caixia's marriage.

Logically speaking, Caixia was her maid, so she could arrange things for Caixia herself without informing anyone else in the household.

However, when she went to Shou'an Hall to pay her respects the next day, Old Madam Song still brought up this matter specifically.

"I heard you prepared an eight-bearer dowry for Caixia. How extravagant! She's just a maid, yet you're giving her such a grand dowry?" Old Mrs. Song felt uneasy. "With this spare money, you should leave more for Yu'er and Xuan'er. Yu'er will be of marriageable age next year, but there's still no sign of marriage. You're supposed to be her mother, yet you don't care at all."

Jiang and Li, among others, were present, and Old Mrs. Song deliberately spoke to the others.

Since Cui Lingrong withheld the household expenses, Old Madam Song even went out to receive guests less often, because she had no new clothes.

Not to mention hosting a banquet.

Originally, Xuan-ge'er was doing well in the imperial examination, and Old Madam Song wanted to hold a banquet and invite people to perform, but Cui Lingrong refused. In the end, she said that she would only invite close relatives such as the Su family, but Cui Lingrong still refused.

Cui Lingrong didn't want to put too much pressure on Xuan Ge'er. He hadn't even passed the provincial examination and wasn't even a Xiucai yet. If she were to throw a big banquet now, Xuan Ge'er would feel guilty.

"Yu'er is still young. She is my only daughter, so there's no rush for her to get married." Cui Lingrong smiled faintly, the old lady's words having no effect on her.

At this moment, Madam Jiang asked, "I heard that General Xie went to ask the Emperor to annul the engagement. Speaking of which, General Xie and my sister-in-law have a good relationship. Does Yu'er have a chance?"

Jiang was not trying to trap Cui Lingrong with these words. Since becoming pregnant, she had not targeted Cui Lingrong again.

Even if she wanted the power to manage the household, she knew that the child in her womb only existed because of Cui Lingrong's help.

Before Cui Lingrong could speak, Old Madam Song mocked, "Our Marquis's family is a scholarly family. Xie Yunting, that peasant, may look rich now, but his foundation is unstable. Who knows when he will fall from his high position? He is not worthy of Yu'er."

Grandma Song watched her grandchildren grow up. She didn't like Cui Lingrong, but she hoped that her grandchildren could find a good home.

She looked down on military officers from the bottom of her heart, and disliked Xie Yunting even more.

Just then, Princess Rongjia arrived. "I'm late today. I didn't expect everyone to be here. What were you all talking about earlier? It was so lively!"

"She didn't say anything." Old Mrs. Song wasn't particularly happy to see Princess Rongjia, but considering the princess's monthly allowance, she forced a smile. "Why are you late today, Princess?"

"Reporting to Madam, your daughter-in-law is not feeling well and was afraid of passing on her illness to you, so I had a doctor examine her before daring to come over." Princess Rongjia sat at the head of the Jiang family, opposite Cui Lingrong.

Grandma Song asked instinctively, "Are you pregnant?"

Princess Rongjia paused for a moment, then said that she had gone to You Shuyi for acupuncture several times, which made her period feel better, but there was still no good news.

When the old lady asked this question and everyone was looking at her, Princess Rongjia shook her head, not wanting to talk about it anymore, and changed the subject, "I think I heard that Cui Zeyu's caravan was robbed by bandits. Sister Cui, is there still no news about Cui Zeyu?"

Princess Rongjia was overjoyed upon hearing the news, marveling that Heaven had been kind to her.

Seeing that Cui Lingrong was about to speak, Princess Rongjia said impatiently, "Oh dear, could something have happened? He's just unlucky to have encountered such a thing. Oh well, he's just an outsider, don't be too sad, sister."

Her tone was filled with undisguised schadenfreude, and to hide her smile, she raised her teacup and took a sip.