sjar Chapter 113 The Position of the First Wife
Chapter 113 The Position of the First Wife
The concubine immediately turned around and looked at the old lady to comfort her, "Mother, Ning'er is being a little disobedient these days, please don't get angry."
The old lady snorted coldly, "Why should I blame my granddaughter? The blame should lie with the person who failed to teach her properly."
The old lady's first words relieved the concubine, but her next words left her at a loss for words.
Ning'er clearly developed this personality because she was around her, and now she's blaming herself?
The concubine was in a bad mood, and her expression turned ugly.
The old lady noticed her displeasure but ignored it, as important matters were still at hand.
"You must be aware of Hua'er's marriage. Lan'er is, after all, a young lady from the General's Mansion. It would be improper for her to be a concubine."
The old woman immediately sensed something was wrong.
The concubine simply stood aside and listened.
The old lady's next words were like a knife twisting in her throat.
"Lan'er, what their household wants is the position of the principal wife."
Upon hearing this, the concubine was immediately overwhelmed. She placed her hand on the table, but dared not exert any force, only using it to support her body.
She took a deep breath and said to the old lady, "I entered the family first and gave birth to Ning'er, so the position of the principal wife should be mine."
The old lady ignored her, picked up her teacup, skimmed off the foam, took a sip, and put it down again.
Her gaze was sharp as a knife as she looked at the concubine. "Ning'er has no manners, and you've lost yours too?"
The concubine felt a chill run through her body and dared not look into her eyes again.
"mother……"
She hesitated, then knelt down before the old lady.
“Madam, you once said that as long as I could safely give birth to the child in my womb, the position of the master’s legal wife would be mine. I have never forgotten your words.”
Can past promises be so easily overturned?
The old lady naturally remembered, but, "Yun'er."
She called out the name of the concubine who had once been a maid.
"The child you gave birth to is not the eldest son who can inherit the Zheng family."
He had neither an eldest son nor a distinguished family background.
"If others were to find out that Hua'er's legal wife is merely the daughter of a concubine's maid, would you really want your husband to be subject to their gossip?"
The concubine was naturally unwilling, but she couldn't just hand over the position of the principal wife to someone else.
She still held onto a sliver of hope, "Madam, I've met that girl. She has absolutely no sincerity towards you, sir. Even if someone like that marries into the household, she won't do anything for the sake of Courtyard Zheng or for your sake."
The old lady was naturally aware of this, which is why she was saying these things to her concubine here.
"She entered the family later, so others thought she was the legal wife, but Hua'er's only true legal wife is you."
The concubine looked up, but was puzzled.
The old lady spoke slowly and deliberately, “Those were just for show. Yun’er, the only person who is good to the master is naturally you. Over the years, you have been with him and even gave birth to Ning’er. I have seen it all.”
The concubine couldn't stop her tears instantly.
The old lady waved to her.
"come here."
The nanny immediately stepped forward to help the concubine toward the old lady.
The old lady grabbed her hand and slipped the bracelet from her own wrist onto the concubine's wrist.
"This was passed down from the manor and has been in my hands for almost forty years. Now that I'm old, I can only feel at ease if you take care of the affairs of the courtyard."
She stared into the concubine's eyes.
"Why are you still crying? The mistress of the Zheng family can't be so fragile."
The old woman wiped away her tears.
The concubine sobbed softly, "I'll cry this once, but I promise I won't cry again, and I won't let you down, Madam."
The old lady smiled, her shrewd eyes landing on the nanny.
"Don't call me 'old lady,' you should call me 'mother.'"
"Yes, mother."
After the concubine and the nanny left the main hall.
Granny Zhu stood to the side, adding tea.
The old lady touched her somewhat empty wrist, feeling a little uncomfortable. "I wonder if this silly girl can understand what I mean?"
Granny Zhu has not yet responded.
The old lady looked at Zhu Mama and instructed, "Go find the family heirloom that my master gave me. I need to wear it to feel at ease."
It's good that Ning'er hasn't said anything, as she's passed the concubine test.
"Have the things we brought been delivered to Miss's courtyard?"
"It's already been sent."
"What about the Lu residence?"
"I sent it too."
The concubine was completely ignorant, and only he could keep these things to himself.
The old lady looked at the courtyard, which was almost identical to the Zheng residence. Although it felt somewhat unfamiliar, she knew that it belonged to Zheng Jihua and to her as well.
"Let's wander around and wait for Lu Yan to come back."
When Yan Yun returned to the courtyard, the maids stared at him with fear and apprehension, their attention heightened by their anxiety.
Yan Yun could feel those gazes with every step he took.
She looked around and found that the person she was thinking of, the stone, was staring at Yan Yun.
Because the old lady arrived.
Zheng Jihua returned home early that night and gathered everyone in the mansion together.
The Lu family sent someone to say that Lu Yan would no longer come to Zheng Yuan.
The old lady was somewhat displeased. After all, such an obedient child was hard to find, but now that Zheng Jihua was going to marry Lu Lan, he naturally shouldn't be coming to the mansion.
"I really like that child."
Zheng Jihua didn't mind, "If Mother likes it, we can bring it to your residence later."
His casual remark went unnoticed by anyone present, not even Yan Yun.
After careful consideration, the old lady realized that without the engagement with Ning'er, he would naturally no longer stay in Zheng Courtyard, since it was Zheng Courtyard that had broken the agreement.
The old lady pulled her thoughts away from Lu Yan.
She looked at her concubine and asked, "Your belly hasn't budged all these years?"
The concubine's mention of this matter touched upon painful memories, and she lowered her head, not daring to respond.
The old lady instructed her, "As the legal wife, you need to be more magnanimous. It is your duty to bear children for the master."
The implication was that since she couldn't have children, she would have to take a concubine for Zheng Jihua.
The topic of taking a concubine came up again at the dinner table.
This scene is just like it has been before.
Yan Yun was standing aside at that time and was also blamed for not having any offspring.
Even now, even though the concubine gave birth to him, he still has to endure all of this.
Zheng Jihua, who was already waiting for Lu Lan to marry into the family, did not utter a single word in defense of his concubine, taking everything for granted.
He was busy serving food to Yan Yun. He asked Yan Yun what he thought of Mr. Han. If he was not satisfied, he would invite another highly respected gentleman.
Yan Yun shook his head, dipped his finger in the water from the teacup, and wrote on the table, refusing to change it.
Mr. No Change
After much deliberation, Zheng Jihua felt that only Mr. Han was suitable, as only someone of Han Shu's high moral standing could bring her daughter closer to him in the future.
"If that gentleman makes you unhappy, you can write a letter to your father and tell him."
When the old lady heard Zheng Jihua mention a tutor, she asked, "Have you hired another tutor for Ning'er?"
"Yes, Han Shu, who is as famous as Mr. Shu."
The old lady did know Han Shu's name. Speaking of Mr. Shu, she said, "What talk of equal fame? He's just a guy who was banished to Changgu City. He's no match for Han Shu at all."
Yan Yun became interested upon hearing about Mr. Shu's affairs, and she looked up to listen attentively.
Zheng Jihua said, "Any teacher who can teach Ning'er is useful."
He handed the soup to Yan Yun.
"Ning'er, try this."
Yan Yun took the bowl, wanting to hear more about Mr. Shu, but the two of them didn't say anything more.
After dinner.
Yan Yun was sent back to the courtyard and wandered around outside the courtyard.
Qing'er saw her standing outside the courtyard and asked, "Miss, are you waiting for the sister from earlier today?"
Yan Yun was waiting for Ru Qing, but there was no news at all, and she was also worried.
Night had fallen, and after thinking it over, she decided to leave the mansion.
She went to Zheng Jihua and handed him the words she had written.
Zheng Jihua disagreed after reading it, saying, "She's just a maid. If Ning'er cares, I'll have the servants look for her."
Zheng Jihua ordered a servant to come in.
Yan Yun held Zheng Jihua's hand for the first time, and she held up her finger, just once.
Seeing the pleading face, Zheng Jihua covered her face with her hands. "Go ahead, but I'll send someone to accompany you."
He couldn't get away from his own affairs for the time being, otherwise he would definitely have gone with Yan Yun.
Yan Yun immediately left the mansion with Qing'er, followed by dozens of people.
She walked straight towards the South Courtyard.
We arrived at the courtyard of Nan Yunjing.
Yan Yun didn't rush in rashly. She had asked Xiao Tuanzi for help, so nothing should go wrong.
The only worry is that the timing won't match.
If Nan Yunjing wasn't in the courtyard, Ru Qing and Xiao Tuanzi should have found their sister long ago.
If Ru Qing found her sister, she should come back to find him too, but there's been no news at all, which is why Yan Yun is a little worried.
Yan Yun looked at Qing'er.
Qing'er stepped forward and knocked on the open door. She patted the door, but no one answered or came out to greet her. Moreover, there wasn't even a lantern hanging on the gate, making the courtyard look like a haunted house.
"Miss, it seems no one is here?"
There should be a need for talent.
Ru Qing should be inside, since the main gate is still open.
Qing'er guessed why Yan Yun had been worried all night. She looked into the courtyard and kept calling out, "Is anyone home?"
She strode inside.
Yan Yun raised his hand to stop him.
Qing'er turned around and said, "Miss, please wait for me outside. I'll go in and see if there's anyone there. I'll explain why I'm here so as not to cause you any trouble."