Transmigration into a Book: My Lord, Your Wife Has Taken Another Concubine for You

When Lin Yanran woke up from her afternoon nap, she heard Wenmei report, "While you were asleep, Madam, Ruyue, the maidservant of the Old Madam, came to inform you that you do not need to pay your respects tonight."

"Your Highness can have dinner alone."

Lin Yanran was not only surprised that she didn't have to go, but also that her mother-in-law didn't have to send Heng'er.

Lin Yanran frowned and asked Mei:

"Didn't you call him Heng'er?"

Wenmei shook her head truthfully and added, "I inquired and found out that only the second son of the family and our young master were summoned."

Lin Yanran felt that she should take back what she thought her mother-in-law was somewhat smart. The Marquis's mansion only had three grandsons, and she still insisted on liking or disliking them.

Lin Yanran felt that Old Madam Hou was getting more and more senile with age. Feeling sorry for her youngest son, she instructed the servants beside her:

"Then have the kitchen prepare a few more dishes that Heng'er likes for dinner."

Lin Yanran never considered having her youngest son come along. If others didn't welcome him, he would be neglected anyway, so why bother the child?

While waiting for dinner, Chu Yunheng saw the table full of his favorite dishes, and he was indeed very happy. However, he still sensibly asked:

"Why didn't Mother have someone make some of my eldest brother's favorite dishes? If he knew Mother favored her sons, he would be upset."

"Your older brother had dinner at your grandmother's, so it was just the two of us. Since your older brother couldn't see us, he naturally wouldn't think much of it."

Chu Yunheng's eyes narrowed with laughter upon hearing this. "Then eldest brother is out of luck. Mother, let's eat!"

After Chu Yunheng finished speaking, he had already obediently sat down at the table.

Seeing that Chu Yunheng didn't mind that his grandmother hadn't called him "elder brother," Lin Yanran didn't say anything more.

Lin Yanran smiled as she dined with her youngest son. The two didn't follow any rules about not talking while eating and chatted casually as they ate.

The whole house was filled with the laughter of the mother and son.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the table with Madam Xie, the matriarch of the Hou family, was quite awkward.

The main reason was that Old Madam Hou kept praising Chu Yunyu from the second branch of the family, and Chu Yunxuan would occasionally chime in with a word of agreement. Chu Yunyu, however, disdained to flatter Chu Yunxuan and kept his head down, eating diligently.

Only Old Madam Hou kept talking, while the two younger ones ignored each other.

After the three finished their dinner, Chu Yunyu looked at Chu Yunxuan, who was dressed in expensive clothes, and was very jealous. He directly asked for it, "Big brother, I like the jade pendant on your waist."

"Oh." Chu Yunxuan held the digestive tea in his hands, showing no other reaction.

Old Madam Hou couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up to help, saying, "If Yu'er likes it, Xuan'er, just let your brother have it."

Chu Yunxuan toyed with the jade pendant at his waist and said jokingly:

"People still need to learn to control their desires. This jade pendant was a gift from my maternal grandmother to her grandson. Who wouldn't like something from the current princess?"

When Lady Hou heard her eldest grandson say this, the smile in her eyes disappeared. She only pretended to scold Chu Yunyu, "Yu'er, be good. You can't just take your elder brother's good things."

Chu Yunyu was pampered by the old lady of the Marquis's mansion and Madam Zhou, which made him too domineering. There was nothing he couldn't get if he wanted it.

He originally just wanted the jade pendant because he thought it was a good thing, but now that his elder brother wouldn't give it to him, he was determined to get it.

Chu Yunyu immediately looked at Chu Yunxuan's jade pendant, making a longing expression.

Madam Hou felt a pang of heartache and gently advised Chu Yunxuan, "If your brother really likes it, just give it to him! Grandmother will compensate you with another one from her private treasury."

Chu Yunxuan would never give his good things to someone he didn't like. "Oh, no."

"Grandmother..." Chu Yunyu cried out and immediately pounced on Chu Yunxuan, trying to snatch it directly.

Chu Yunxuan responded to Chu Yunyu with a powerful kick, knocking Chu Yunyu to the ground.

Chu Yunyu fell to the ground and burst into tears, crying loudly, "Grandma, he kicked me, Grandma..."

Madam Xie, the matriarch of the Hou family, immediately rushed over and hugged Chu Yunyu, "Yu'er, what's wrong? Yu'er?"

Seeing that Chu Yunyu looked like he was about to faint, Chu Yunxuan explained, "Alright, I kicked his thigh. Even if his leg is broken, he won't die. Besides, I didn't use much force."

At this moment, Old Madam Hou's eyes were red with heartache. "Chu Yunxuan, what are you saying? Yu'er is your own brother. How could you be so cruel?"

"Grandmother, not to be rude, but Chu Yunyu is the eldest son of the second branch of the family. How can you raise him to be like a bandit? What future can he have? Do you have a grudge against Second Uncle? Is Second Uncle not your biological son?"

With each additional word Chu Yunxuan uttered, Old Madam Hou felt she was one step closer to being driven to her death by anger.

Old Madam Hou pointed at Chu Yunxuan for a long time, but she didn't faint.

Seeing this, Chu Yunxuan felt that he was no longer welcome to stay, so he bowed and said, "Grandmother, please think it over. Your grandson will take his leave."

As she watched her eldest grandson leave without stopping, Madam Hou cursed Lin Yanran in her heart again, blaming her for raising her perfectly good grandson astray.

Seeing Chu Yunxuan swagger away like that, Chu Yunyu was very dissatisfied. He immediately gave a look to the servants next to him, signaling them to go and inform his mother, Zhou Shi.

When Zhou arrived, the family physician had already examined Chu Yunyu; he only had a large bruise on his thigh, but there was no problem with his bone.

After all, Chu Yunyu was only a few months younger than Chu Yunxuan and was also chubby. It was already quite good that Chu Yunxuan's kick could cause such a result.

At first, Mrs. Zhou thought her son had been bullied, which is why she was so aggressive.

After Zhou understood the whole story, she slapped Chu Yunyu again.

Not only was Chu Yunyu stunned and unable to react for a moment, but even Old Madam Hou was taken aback, since Zhou Shi usually doted on Chu Yunyu and granted his every wish.

After Chu Yunyu came to his senses, his first reaction was to burst into tears.

Zhou immediately raised her hand again, threatening, "Shut up!"

Old Madam Hou realized what was happening and quickly defended her son, "Second son's wife, what are you doing?"

Madam Zhou was quite angry at this moment. Just because Chu Yunxuan had royal blood flowing in his veins, this title could only belong to him. Even if something happened to him, it would still belong to his younger brother, and there was no way it could fall to the second branch of the family.

Not only does the mother-in-law forbid Yu'er from getting along with her, but she also allows Yu'er to directly reach out and snatch things. She's simply senile.

"Mother, I understand that you dote on Yu'er, but you can't let him steal the prince's jade pendant, can you?"

What is a heir apparent? He's the future master of the Marquis's mansion. If we don't cultivate our relationship now, when we're all gone, if anything happens to Yu'er, he won't even have anyone to protect him.

If you love him, you should think about his future, not just spoil him.

After finishing her speech, Zhou bowed swiftly, grabbed Chu Yunyu's clothes, and left.

Looking at the suddenly empty room, Old Madam Hou was filled with a myriad of emotions—anger, resentment, regret…