Chapter 34: Why Should She Remain Calm and Collected?

Chapter 34: Why Should She Remain Calm and Collected?

Lady Tang's words came from the heart; although she spoke of herself, her advice was intended for Wu Jingyun.

Deep down, she didn't want to stand against Wu Jingyun. It wasn't out of fear of the protagonist's halo; after all, one carves their own path, and with effort, success is attainable despite others' fortunes. She simply didn't want another enemy.

Truthfully, if Wu Jingyun wanted revenge, even if it meant stabbing Xiao Yuchen a few times, Lady Tang wouldn't intervene. But it seemed Wu Jingyun had no such intentions. She wanted to ruin the entire marquisate, and indeed, in the book, she succeeded, leaving none of the Xiao siblings unscathed.

Thus, for her own sake, as well as for Xiao Yuming and Xiao Yuzhu, she felt compelled to intervene.

Upon hearing her words, Wu Jingyun was momentarily stunned, discerning that Lady Tang was consoling her. She wondered if Lady Tang's references to the past concerned her previous life. If so, was Lady Tang also reborn?

Or perhaps Lady Tang was moved by her own experiences, considering everyone spoke of her profound love for the late Marquis of Yongning.

Madame Wu, on the other hand, believed that Lady Tang had overcome the grief of the Marquis's passing, which explained her radiant appearance today. Smiling, she agreed, "You're right; one must always look forward."

Lady Tang smiled back, although her eyes betrayed her true feelings. She could tell that Madame Wu's earlier remarks about Wu Jingyun's frail health were intentional, aimed at ensuring her stepdaughter's life would not be too comfortable.

After all, which family would willingly welcome a sickly bride?

Lady Tang now felt a tinge of sympathy for Wu Jingyun; with such a stepmother, her life must be difficult. But her sympathy was limited; should Wu Jingyun choose not to back down, they would inevitably remain adversaries.

After some conversation, it was time for lunch. Everyone moved to the dining room for the meal. Following the meal, Lady Tang suggested, "There are several maple trees in the rear garden of the residence. They are particularly beautiful at this time. I'll take you to see them."

Madame Wu, smiling, rose to her feet, "It's said that the scenery behind Chongguang Temple is splendid this season. Perhaps we should find a time for the youngsters to have some fun."

Lady Tang wasn't sure of Madame Wu's intentions but agreed nonetheless; after all, the sooner the engagement was settled, the better.

"Let's also invite the eldest young master," Madame Wu proposed, glancing at Wu Jingyun, her intent for the engaged couple to cultivate their relationship was clear, but her true motives remained known only to her.

In the Great Qian Dynasty, interactions between engaged men and women were not strictly forbidden. Under the supervision of elders, betrothed couples could indeed meet.

"Alright, we'll let him relax a bit too," Tang Shuyi said.

But relaxing is certainly not an option, being extra cautious on that day is the truth of the matter.

As they talked, they reached the back garden of the Marquis's residence, where they could see from afar four or five fiery red maple trees standing along the path, strikingly beautiful against the blue sky of a sunny day.

Mrs. Wu glanced at Wu Jingya, who, taking Wu Jingyun’s arm, excitedly suggested they go pick some red leaves, and Wu Jingyun compliantly followed her.

On the other hand, Wu Jingshu, somewhat shyly, brought out a hand warmer cover she had prepared earlier and handed it to Tang Shuyi, "Madam, I made this by hand, thinking that it's getting cold and it would fit perfectly on your hand warmer."

Tang Shuyi carefully admired the hand warmer cover and then looked at Wu Jingshu. The girl was around fourteen or fifteen years old, delicately pretty, a genuinely beautiful young lady. But what did it mean for her to present a gift to her sister's future mother-in-law behind her back? And what was Mrs. Wu's intention?

She sneered inwardly, having heard that stepmothers are often unkind, but today she had witnessed the truth of that saying. To covet the marital arrangement meant for her stepdaughter for her own biological child was not only despicable but also excessively presumptuous.

But did Wu Jingyun know of Mrs. Wu's plans?

She probably did, and it's likely she might turn the tables and call off the engagement. Tang Shuyi felt a surge of anger within her. The various schemes of the Wu family, what did they take their Marquis's residence for?

Although she thought of many things in an instant, her face didn't reveal a thing.

"Such a clever and skillful girl, what do you usually do at home?" Tang Shuyi asked Wu Jingshu with a smile.

Seeing her smile so kindly, Mrs. Wu thought she liked Wu Jingshu and the smile on her face grew even wider. Wu Jingshu answered with a shy face: "I usually do some needlework at home, helping mother with some chores."

"This child is quite astute in household management," Mrs. Wu said with a laugh: "She's learning to manage the household with me now."

"You are someone who knows how to teach a child," Tang Shuyi looked at Mrs. Wu and said.

"It’s also because the child is intelligent. She catches on quickly to household management and social etiquette, and is also very filial. Almost all my handkerchiefs, shoes, and socks are made by her."

Mrs. Wu went to great lengths to praise Wu Jingshu, while Tang Shuyi wondered inwardly whether she should also turn the tables. Otherwise, how could this marriage be called off? Of course, it would be best if both families could sit down and amicably discuss calling off the marriage, but was that possible?

It all depended on Wu Jingyun’s wishes now.

Thinking this, she said to Mrs. Wu, "Let's go over there and have a look too."

Mrs. Wu naturally agreed, and the three of them walked towards the red maple trees.

Underneath the maple tree, Wu Jingshu and Wu Jingya stood two meters apart without any interaction. Tang Shuyi approached Wu Jingyun and said, "Jingyun, accompany me for a walk by the pond."

"Okay," Wu Jingyun replied, also wanting to confirm if Madame Hou shared her experience of rebirth.

Seeing this, Wu Jingshu's face showed urgency, and she wanted to follow but was gently held back by Madam Wu, stopping her from following them.

As Tang Shuyi walked with Wu Jingyun toward the pond, she mentioned, "The old Madame Hou often spoke fondly of her youth with your maternal grandmother."

The marriage between Wu Jingyun and Xiao Yuchen was arranged by the old Madame Hou, who was quite satisfied with Wu Jingyun back then. Tang Shuyi's mention of Wu Jingyun's grandmother was an attempt to appeal to their emotional bond.

It would be best if the marriage could be annulled harmoniously.

"My grandmother often mentioned the old Madame Hou as well," Wu Jingyun said.

As they reached the pond, they stopped walking. Tang Shuyi, looking at the lotus flowers in the pond, remarked, "The Hou household has undergone many changes these past years, but I've come to terms with many things now."

After saying this, she turned around, looked earnestly at Wu Jingyun, and said, "Some matters may seem difficult, but in practice, they may not be so hard to resolve. If both parties could sit down, talk calmly and rationally, perhaps a mutually satisfactory solution could be found, don't you think?"

Tang Shuyi's words were cryptic, but Wu Jingyun had a sense of what she meant. Her heart was somewhat flustered; she couldn't be sure whether Madame Hou, like her, had been reborn.

Regardless of whether Madame Hou was reborn or not, these words left Wu Jingyun feeling wronged and angry. How could Madame Hou, who never experienced the struggles of her darkest days, expect her to remain calm and composed?

A win-win situation?

If a win-win solution was possible, why couldn't Xiao Yuchen have given her some love in her previous life? Why did she have to live in such distress?