Chapter 104: Who is Cousin Yuchen? I have no idea.

Chapter 104: Who is Cousin Yuchen? I have no idea.

Although Madame Tang the Second had verbally agreed with the Senior Madame Tang to reconsider, deep down, she still found Xiao Yuchen a suitable match for her daughter.

Firstly, their families were well-matched in social status. Xiao Yuchen might be the heir apparent, but her daughter was the legitimate second daughter of a duke's house, and her own husband held a high official rank! Moreover, being first cousins, any disagreements they might have would be easily forgiven – just as it had been with her and her husband. Additionally, her daughter would not be bullied by her mother-in-law; she knew well that Tang Shuyi was a kind and generous person.

All in all, she found the prospective marriage agreeable in every aspect.

With these thoughts, she arrived at the courtyard of Miss Tang the Fifth, Tang Anle. Seeing her playing shuttlecock with two maidservants, she smiled and chided, "What kind of behavior is this for a young lady, always hopping and jumping around?"

Tang Anle caught the shuttlecock and linked arms with her mother, replying, "You know how I am, Mother. I can't sit still."

Madame Tang the Second took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her daughter's forehead, sighing inwardly. It was precisely because of her daughter's spirited and unconstrained nature that she thought of marrying her into the Yongning Marquisate – they were close relatives who would not be overly critical of her.

"You should also pay some attention to your needlework," began the motherly lecture. "No one expects you to excel at it, but you should at least be passable. Otherwise, you won't even be able to make a pair of socks for your husband."

"Oh, Mother, I am learning," Tang Anle said with a playful smile.

The mother and daughter settled inside the room, and after sending the maids and servants away, Madame Tang the Second asked Tang Anle, "My dear, what do you think of your Cousin Yuchen?"

"Think of him in what way?" As Tang Anle said this, she remembered something she had just heard, grabbed her mother's arm, and said with wide, fluttering eyes, "I heard that Miss Liu Biqin died. How is Cousin Yuchen? Did he cry?"

Madame Tang the Second was speechless... was that what we were talking about?

"Your aunt just came by and said he's doing quite well, obviously he wasn't too fond of that Liu girl." Turning to look into her daughter's eyes, she asked, "What I meant to ask was, how would you feel about marrying your Cousin Yuchen?"

Tang Anle was stunned for a moment after hearing her mother's words, then burst into laughter, saying while still laughing, "Mother, what are you thinking? With Cousin Yuchen’s temperament, he would surely scold me with a stern face every day..."

She straightened her back, put on a serious face, and imitated Xiao Yuchen, "Cousin, walk properly, without looking around. Cousin, a lady must not laugh so loudly, be dignified. Cousin, a girl cannot do this... Cousin, a girl cannot do that..."

Madame Tang the Second replied, "...It's precisely because of your temperament that I thought of marrying you into the Yongning Marquisate. As close relatives, they won't be too harsh on you."

"I don't want to," pouted Tang Anle, "He used to like Liu Biqin so much. I don't want a husband whose heart belongs to another woman, even if she is dead."

"His feelings for the Liu girl might not be as we imagine," Madame Tang the Second said soothingly. "You and your brother are different; as a man, he brings a wife into our family. But as a woman, you will have to live with another family after marriage. Adapting to an unfamiliar household with its master, mistress, and various relatives can be challenging. But marrying into your aunt's family is different. The Yongning Marquisate's inner court is uncomplicated, your aunt adores you, and you get along with Yuzhu; you will certainly have a good life there."

"I don't want to," Tang Anle shook her head again, "Mother, I've never thought about marrying Cousin Yuchen."

"How about this, you visit your aunt's home more often, spend more time with Yuchen."

"Mother!" Tang Anle was displeased, "Aren't you just pushing me at him?"

Lady Tang the Second hurriedly soothed, "Mother is not suggesting you to ingratiate yourself with your aunt and Yu Chen. I simply want you to meet Yu Chen more often, to understand him better. If you still refuse afterward, I will not force you."

Tang Anle puffed her cheeks in irritation, "In my next life, I'm definitely reincarnating as a man."

Lady Tang the Second: "Fine, reincarnate as a man in your next life, but in this one you're a woman, and you will have to marry. That settles it then; you’ll visit your aunt’s house tomorrow!"

With that, she stood up and walked towards the door, only to turn back and whisper to Tang Anle, "Mother is asking you to meet Yu Chen more, but it should be normal encounters, not clandestine meetings, understand?"

"I got it, I got it," Tang Anle said resignedly.

Lady Tang the Second left the room with a smile, reassured. She herself had married a cousin, and apart from a few concubines that Tang Shu Jie had, her life was extremely satisfying. Thus, she wished for her daughter to marry Xiao Yu Chen.

Of course, Tang Anle had more than one cousin, but Lady Tang the Second felt that Xiao Yu Chen was the best in terms of status, appearance, and family background. Naturally, she wanted her daughter to marry the best among her cousins.

Reassured, she was unaware that inside the room, Tang Anle was cracking walnuts with a small hammer, telling her maid, "Tomorrow we’ll visit the Marquis's estate and just play with Yu Zhu. Who is cousin Yu Chen anyway? I have no idea."

………

Lady Tang the First, of course, was unaware of the conversation between Lady Tang the Second and Tang Anle. As for the marriages of Xiao Yu Chen and Xiao Yu Ming, she hadn't given them much thought. After all, it wasn’t too late for men in the Daqian Dynasty to marry at twenty. She wanted to wait until her sons were more mature before considering their marriages.

Upon arriving at the marquis’s estate, she learned from Steward Zhao that Xiao Yu Chen had arranged for the collection of Liu Bi Qin and Hong Er's corpses. She nodded in understanding, having guessed as much. Xiao Yu Chen was a sensitive person, and despite Liu Bi Qin’s betrayal, he wouldn’t let her body be left in the wilderness.

However, she hadn't expected to see Xiao Yu Chen at dinner that evening. She thought he would need at least a few days alone to contemplate life, yet he appeared so soon. Nonetheless, she didn’t show much surprise and instead asked about Xiao Yu Chen's health as if nothing had happened, then chatted about family matters with her siblings.

"The head of Guan village, Guan Yi Nian, passed the imperial examinations for a scholar this spring and wants our estate to recommend a suitable teacher. I thought, since you're studying alone at home, it must be somewhat lonely. I was considering inviting him over to study with you."

Lady Tang the First mentioned Guan Yi Nian to Xiao Yu Chen, who nodded without hesitation, "Good, it will be beneficial for us to motivate each other."

Lady Tang the First hummed in agreement, "Then we'll have him come over in the next few days. The courtyard next to yours is vacant; he can stay there."

Xiao Yu Chen nodded again.

Lady Tang the First thought of the male protagonist in the original book and wondered whether he was already studying with the renowned scholar, Fang Da Ru, or if he hadn't yet arrived in the capital. She considered having someone investigate but then decided against it. Inquiring about someone rashly could stir up unnecessary trouble.

Let nature take its course, she mused, for she was prepared for whatever might come.