Cheng Yumo bit her lip slightly, and finally said in a firm tone: “Marquis is very good to me.”
Ruan-shi was relieved by her daughter’s answer. She then said again, this time with a meaningful tone: “Which mother-in-law is not difficult to deal with? However, as long as the man’s heart is firmly on you, the day can go on. If the man’s heart is gone, no matter how powerful your natal family is or how partial your mother-in-law is to you, it’s useless. After all, you can’t give birth to a son with your mother-in-law.”
As Ruan-shi spoke, the corner of her eyes glanced pointedly towards the main hall. Cheng Yumo understood. Ruan-shi was obviously referring to Qingfu Junzhu. No matter how Old Madam Cheng was like, she was indeed a generous mother-in-law to Qingfu. The right to manage the household was given, and a child was also given. However, Qingfu couldn’t win over Cheng Yuanxian’s heart and was childless for many years. It was not until she was in middle age that she finally gave birth to a son after much effort.
Qingfu Junzhu always served as a negative example Ruan-shi used to teach her daughter. Over the years, every time she talked about the way of managing a household, Ruan-shi always brought up Qingfu Junzhu to warn her daughter about the importance of winning her husband’s heart. This was a woman’s root in her married life. Without the husband’s love, money, subordinates, household management right, and even mother-in-law’s support were all useless.
After Ruan-shi finished her usual preaching, she called her daughter: “Mo’er, do you remember?”
Ruan-shi was too immersed in her joy of belittling Qingfu Junzhu and didn’t notice that her daughter had been silent all the time. Cheng Yumo’s expression was in a daze, as if being reminded of a painful memory. It seemed that she was in a trance.
Ruan-shi’s call returned Cheng Yumo to her senses. She quickly hid the emotions that leaked on her face. She then lowered her head and said: “Mother, of course I remember. Don’t worry. My relationship with the Marquis is very good, and there is no third party between us.”
As soon as the words fell, Cheng Yumo felt a numb pain in her heart. In fact, there was a third party. But that person couldn’t be seen or touched, because she was just a shadow from a previous life.
Cheng Yumo recently discovered that just like her, Huo Changyuan also seemed to slowly remember their previous life. However, Huo Changyuan kept it silent from her, and most of her time was taken by Huo Xue-shi. Cheng Yumo spent too little time with Huo Changyuan at night and didn’t know how much he had remembered.
The more Ruan-shi emphasized the importance of seizing a man’s heart, the more painful Cheng Yumo became. How could she tell her mother that she might also be walking on the same path as Qingfu Junzhu?
Cheng Yumo could only maintain her last pride and do not say anything.
Ruan-shi was relieved. She looked at her daughter carefully. This girl had a weak and delicate appearance that aroused pity from others. Although Cheng Yumo didn’t have a stunning face, she was practically the type of weak and gentle woman that men loved the most. Compared to Cheng Yujin, who was very beautiful but with a rigid personality, it was obvious that Cheng Yumo was more likely to inspire a man’s desire to protect.
To be honest, Cheng Yujin looked like an honorable but unloved main wife, the kind who maintained a relationship based on respectful distance with her husband. In contrast, Cheng Yumo was to live happily with a husband who loved her.
Ruan-shi was so trusting of Cheng Yumo that she never thought of the possibility that her little girl might be lying to her.
Cheng Yumo was upset and didn’t want to talk about her relationship with Huo Changyuan. She changed the subject and asked, “Mother, do you know why she became the Crown Princess? Did grandfather make any agreement with the Crown Prince?”
Not to mention Cheng Yumo, the whole Cheng family would like to know too. Ruan-shi sighed and said, “Mother doesn’t know. Your grandmother tentatively asked her before, but she told us to be content with our blessing and to not inquire about things we shouldn’t know. Your grandmother has failed to ask, so of course I didn’t go and let myself get insulted.”
Ruan-shi then snorted, “Sure enough, she wasn’t raised by our family and isn’t close to us. Even before marrying, she already turns her back on her own family. I merely asked her for a small favor, and there is even no need for her to do anything. She only needs to speak one or two words to the Crown Prince for your brothers’ sake, yet she refused. I gave birth to her with much difficulty, but in the end, she became someone else’s daughter and grew up into such an ingrate.”
Cheng Yumo sighed. It seemed that Ruan-shi didn’t have any useful information. Cheng Yumo suddenly remembered the rumors she heard in private. Some people speculated that the late Old Master Cheng used his life-saving grace on the Crown Prince and forced him to promise to marry a Cheng family’s daughter.
Otherwise, it was impossible to explain why the Crown Prince chose Cheng Yujin as his main wife.
Yichun Marquis Manor had no power and couldn’t give the Crown Prince any help in court, and Cheng Yujin herself had her reputation damaged by a broken engagement. If Cheng family had another daughter and the Crown Prince had another choice, the position of the crown princess would not fall into Cheng Yujin’s lap.
This statement was made by people randomly speculated during small talks. It was totally baseless and unfounded, and thus quickly dissipated. However, for Cheng Yumo, this statement was like a devil’s whisper that she couldn’t forget.
If there was another unmarried daughter in Cheng family, if the Crown Prince had another choice…did it mean that if Cheng Yumo did not marry Huo Changyuan, the crown princess position should be hers?
Translator’s note:
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