Old Madam Cheng was very satisfied seeing the harmony between Cheng Yujin and her younger brothers. The Old Madam coughed and said: “Well, eldest girl has just returned. She need to rest well. If you still have anything else to say, save it for later.”
Everyone in the room stood up and responded together: “Yes.”
Seeing that it was almost time, Old Madam Cheng sent away the first branch and second branch people. When Cheng Yujin saw that Old Madam Cheng only left her to stay, she basically knew what the Old Madam wanted to ask. Cheng Yujin took a sip of tea calmly. She was not in a hurry.
Sure enough, as soon as she put the teacup down, Old Madam Cheng opened her mouth: “Eldest girl, now there are no other people here, so you don’t need to pay attention to politeness. Just say anything that you need to say. His Highness the Crown Prince has been fostered in the Cheng family for more than ten years, and this is our Cheng family’s blessings. You are the one who got the thickest blessing and were appointed as the Crown Princess by the court. Do you know the reason?”
Cheng Yujin knew that Old Madam Cheng would come to inquire, so she was prepared. She took the teacup and shook her head gently, still with the face of a filial granddaughter: “I also don’t know.”
“The Crown Prince was brought back by little Xue-shi. Did your grandfather know something back then?”
Cheng Yujin shook her head again: “Grandfather’s matter, if even grandmother didn’t know, how could I know?”
Old lady Cheng was a little anxious. She subconsciously leaned forward her upper body and pressed further: “Cheng family didn’t know the identity of the Crown Prince and was negligent before. Does His Highness care about this matter?”
Cheng Yujin’s smile didn’t change: “It’s a taboo to speculate the mind of superiors. I don’t know what His Highness thinks.”
After asking three questions, Old Madam Cheng sighed and no longer held her hope. The Old Madam frowned and thought for a while. Seeing Cheng Yujin quietly drinking tea like a beautiful scene from a painting, she suddenly remembered something.
Old Madam Cheng coughed once and looked at Cheng Yujin thoughtfully: “Eldest girl, there is only you here and me. You can speak the truth to your grandmother. What kind of relationship do you have with the Crown Prince?”
Cheng Yujin’s eyes instantly turned cold, but the expression on her face remained unchanged: “What does grandmother mean?”
“I’m not blaming you.” Old Madam Cheng said slowly. But the tone of her voice changed: “Before, the whole family saw how close you and ninth boy were.”
Old Madam Cheng carefully observed Cheng Yujin’s expression, wanting to know the reason why the Crown Prince decided to marry Cheng Yujin.
Did the late Old Master make an agreement with him? Did the Crown Prince want to conspire using Cheng family? Or, did he simply fall in love with Cheng Yujin?
Old Madam Cheng certainly hoped for the last one. Because the first two reasons would only do them good for a moment, but the last one would give them steady and long-lasting profits. If Cheng Yujin gave birth to the eldest di son, their Cheng family might even soar to the sky and became the next imperial in-law.
The last thought gave Old Madam Cheng a fright. Before, she couldn’t even imagine this kind of luck to befall Cheng family. On the day Cheng Yuanjing just came back to the capital, he and Cheng Yujin came in, standing side by side. Old Madam Cheng had a strange impression at that time, feeling that the two looked a bit like a husband and wife. It wasn’t that they looked the same, but the impression they gave to people was too alike.
Both were beautiful, gentle, and polite. Yet they put a cold and long distance between themselves and other people.
Later, Old Madam Cheng found her thoughts to be ridiculous. The two were blood relatives, an uncle and his niece. But who could guess how fate worked its wonder? Truth well said, and Old Madam Cheng’s initial premonition had really come true.
During the days the Crown Prince stayed in Cheng family, it was Cheng Yujin who was closest to him. The two often walked together. On many occasions, they would come together, leave together, and sit next to each other even after eating.
Old Madam Cheng had also heard that Cheng Yujin often ran to Cheng Yuanjing’s yard, staying there all afternoon, reading or writing with just the two of them. Even as an uncle and a niece, their interaction was too intimate and had exceeded the typical relationship of a blood relative. When it later revealed that Cheng Yuanjing was not Cheng Yujin’s uncle and he originally didn’t even have the surname Cheng, Old Madam Cheng suddenly realized something after her initial surprise faded.
Yes, everything could be explained if one put aside the ‘uncle and niece’ frame and saw their interaction as between a young man and a young woman. Their interaction was not like an elder and a junior, but more like two people secretly in love!
Even if they didn’t have a relationship in secret, it was obvious that Cheng Yujin and the Crown Prince had been in love for a long time, or at least the Crown Prince harbored such a feeling towards Cheng Yujin.
Old Madam Cheng originally thought that Cheng Yuanjing was merely an illegitimate son of a mistress. He had just returned to the capital and had no foundation nor backing. There was nothing to gain by getting close to him. However, now it was clear that Cheng Yujin actually had great insight and saw the situation most clearly. Otherwise, why did she run to Cheng Yuanjing’s place over and over again? It was ridiculous that Old Madam Cheng once secretly sighed, thinking that Cheng Yujin was not smart enough by getting close to Cheng Yuanjing. But now it seemed that Old Madam Cheng was the fool one.
Cheng Yujin did the smart things and now became the final winner.
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