Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

Song Shulan certainly didn't want to marry Xie Yunting. He hated Xie Yunting to the core, not to mention that he would have to see Xie Yunting at any time after the marriage.

"Mother, rest assured, I will definitely look for a high-ranking family for Yu'er's marriage. As for the Qin family, Cui is right. Qin Shaoyuan has been demoted. Who knows if the Emperor will take his anger out on the rest of the Qin family? We have the Rong Prince's Mansion as a strong support, so there is no need to take any more risks," Song Shulan said.

Song Shulan's thought was that if he couldn't arrange a marriage with the Rong Prince's family, he would wait until he was promoted again. Anyway, Yu Jie'er hadn't come of age yet, so he wasn't in a hurry to find a husband for his daughter.

He was determined to find a family through marriage that could help his career.

Hearing that her son had a premonition, Old Madam Song suggested, "Mrs. Cui gave Yu'er a beautiful face. In Bianjing, there's absolutely no one whose daughter is more beautiful. You should have Mrs. Cui take Yu'er out more often. Young men all love pretty girls. Didn't you fall for Mrs. Cui's looks at first sight back then?"

Speaking of this, Old Mrs. Song snorted, "If I had known she was so powerful now, I would never have agreed back then, no matter what she said."

Song Shulan was indeed captivated by Cui Lingrong's beauty at first glance. In her youth, Cui Lingrong was radiant and beautiful; no matter how many noble ladies were in the crowd, Cui Lingrong was always the one who could amaze him at first sight.

With the passage of time, Cui Lingrong's appearance has gained more charm, a mature elegance that she lacked in her youth.

To be honest, Song Shulan was very satisfied with Cui Lingrong's appearance and figure, which were exquisite and well-proportioned. However, she lacked interest and was far less uninhibited than Princess Rongjia and the others, who never allowed him to fully enjoy himself.

"Mother, don't worry. Just wait a little longer. When Qin Shaoyuan retires, someone new will be promoted, and my opportunity will come. Once my official position is higher, Yu'er will be able to find a good marriage." Song Shulan hoped that her daughter would marry into a wealthy and prestigious family, and that she would not marry down.

After speaking with the old lady, Song Shulan returned to her study, only to find Qingshan looking away. She asked him what was wrong.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, someone just went to Qiushuangzhai to deliver good news, saying that Young Master Yu has found his biological parents." Qingshan went to inquire specifically, "They said... they are from a collateral branch of the Lu family."

"Which Lu family?"

"The Lu family of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion."

Song Shulan paused for a moment, then said, "It's just a side branch, nothing special. Every family has a few side branches, and they're not exactly successful."

"I also heard that the Duke of Dingguo summoned Young Master Yu and several of his collateral relatives to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, saying that he wanted to choose one to be adopted." When Qingshan heard this, his eyebrows twitched. If Young Master Yu was chosen, wouldn't the Marquis be furious?

"What?" Song Shulan frowned as expected. "Has the Duke of Dingguo become senile? Everyone else adopts children, but he's sending Cui Zeyu to live with him. Cui Zeyu is already in his twenties, how can he be expected to be filial to him?"

Song Shulan looked completely puzzled.

He thought that the Duke of Dingguo and his wife had lost their minds. No matter what, it was not Cui Zeyu's place to do this kind of thing!

Even if Song Shulan were beaten to death, he would never have imagined that Cui Zeyu could find his biological parents and have the opportunity to become the son of the Duke of Dingguo.

If Cui Zeyu is indeed adopted by the Duke of Dingguo, then when he sees Cui Zeyu in the future, he will have to bow and greet him.

Just thinking about it made Song Shulan furious.

"No, the Duchess of Dingguo would agree to that? Are they all out of their minds?" Song Shulan asked again.

Qingshan said he didn't know.

But the fact that the news reached Qiushuangzhai and their ears proves it's true.

Song Shulan was almost out of breath. She sat in the chair, panting heavily, and cursed God in her heart for being blind.

On the other side, Princess Rongjia learned that Cui Zeyu was not only alive but had also found his parents, and she also did not understand the decision of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

"That Cui Zeyu is just a money-grubbing businessman, how could she possibly be interested in him?" Princess Rongjia frowned deeply. "No, I can't let Cui Zeyu be adopted by the Duke of Dingguo's family, otherwise wouldn't Cui Lingrong be even more powerful in the future?"

Upon learning that Song Shulan was in the study, Princess Rongjia hurriedly went to find him.

This time, Princess Rongjia was smarter. Instead of taking action herself, she encouraged Song Shulan, saying, "Cui Zeyu has never gotten along with us, and he has no respect for the Marquis. If we really let him be adopted into the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, he will be even more arrogant in front of us!"

Song Shulan remained silent and frowned.

"I think it's because the Duke and Duchess of Dingguo don't understand Cui Zeyu's true nature. Why don't you, Marquis, go and tell them? Anyway, the Lu family has so many children in the collateral branches. Pick one of the younger ones to raise from a young age. They'll be more filial to you." Princess Rongjia kept urging them on.

"But I'm not familiar with the Duke of Dingguo's mansion." Song Shulan wasn't that stupid to come here rashly and say some random things.

Princess Rongjia agreed, "Then why not find a middleman?"

Song Shulan thought about it and felt that Princess Rongjia made sense. Cui Zeyu had already gone to the Duke of Dingguo's residence. He hoped that the Duke of Dingguo wouldn't be in such a hurry to settle things.

After much deliberation, he decided that the Qin family was the most suitable. Upon learning that Qin Shaoyuan's youngest son was drinking at Fanlou, he went there specifically to find him.

When Qin Shuyang learned that his uncle was going to adopt a son who was not much younger than him and was a merchant, he had already drunk a few cups of wine and immediately rushed to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.