Chapter 93 – The Original Male Lead

Chapter 93 - The Original Male Lead

Cui Yongnian fell silent for a moment before agreeing, "It would indeed be regretful not to have the chance to meet the literary giants in the capital."

"Aunt, will you be going then?"

Zheng Jinyu pondered, "Assuming there are no unforeseen circumstances, I should be attending."

"Will Prince Chen be going as well?"

"If I go, he'll likely join me."

Upon hearing this, he felt even more disappointed, repeatedly pounding his fist into his palm.

Staring at Zheng Jinyu, he hesitated several times before speaking.

Seemingly sensing his intentions, Zheng Jinyu ventured a suggestion, "Shall I copy down some of the excellent poems and bring them back for you?"

Fine poetry would eventually circulate in the market; what was the point in that?

By now, he seemed to have made up his mind, speaking with an air of resolution, "No need, thank you for your kind intentions, little cousin."

Zheng Jinyu's objective had been achieved, and she left with a smile.

As soon as she was gone, Cui Yongnian eagerly took out his instrument to try the melody.

He played it on a zither, but the piece could only truly capture its essence when performed on a pipa.

...

Three days later, Zheng Jinyu saw Lu Shen attending to Zheng Jinxiu with great concern at the poetry appreciation banquet.

Their boldness indicated that they probably believed the crisis to be over.

"You must be Second Miss Zheng, right?"

Zheng Jinyu had been calmly leaning against the railing, watching Zheng Jinxiu below, when she was interrupted by an unfamiliar woman. She turned to face her, puzzled. "May I ask who you are?"

The woman chuckled and introduced herself. "My surname is Yang, and my husband's family is the Xie family. My husband is Prince Chen Xie Peiyu's cousin." Zheng Jinyu suddenly understood that this was Lady Xie, the wife of Xie Peiyu's cousin. "I see, it's Lady Xie. Nice to meet you, Lady Xie." Lady Yang hurriedly helped her up, smiling. "Second Miss is too polite. We'll be sisters-in-law in the future, so there's no need to be formal." Although Xie Peiyu had no biological brothers, he had quite a few cousins. Zheng Jinyu wasn't sure which one it was, but since this lady seemed friendly, she decided to ask directly. "May I ask which cousin is your husband?" Lady Yang chuckled lightly. "My husband's name is Xie Peichen. I wonder if Second Miss has heard of him." Clang!

Xie Peichen?

It was actually Madam Xie Peichen?

Isn't this the cousin who is set to become the head of the Xie family?

Naturally, his name, Zheng Jinyu, rings like thunder in her ears, not because he is destined to become the head of the main branch of the Xie family, but because he is the male lead of the original story.

His first wife tragically lost her life in childbirth.

The Xie family regretted the failed union with the Zheng family's legitimate daughter and now had intentions of matchmaking him with Zheng Jinxiu.

There were numerous reasons, too intricate to be explained in just a few words. In short, Zheng Jinxiu eventually married into the Xie family as his second wife and became the beloved of the entire household.

After Xie Peichen gained his new beloved wife, he chose to resign from his official position and retreated from the political arena, returning to his hometown with her.

Husband and wife in harmonious matrimony, daughter affectionate, son filial.

She gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, in her first pregnancy, followed by several more successful deliveries, ultimately bearing nine children in total. Each birth, be it single or multiple, proceeded smoothly, with both mother and offspring remaining in excellent health. Compared to the male lead's former, frail wife, the ancient society, which revered fertility, considered her blessed and fertile - a source of great joy for the entire family. No one could challenge her position as the matriarch of their esteemed lineage.

Inheritance, well, how do you put it?

The Zheng family had been farmers for generations, and those who survived were the fittest to live.

For instance, her own grandmother had given birth to eight children, with only three making it to adulthood.

Her maternal grandmother had six, and again, only three survived, not counting miscarriages.

In the countryside, weak embryos were naturally weeded out in the womb; there were no resources for preserving pregnancies. Weak children didn't survive long either. Those who reached adulthood were all robust.

Zheng Jinxiu was no exception. It was said that she had never fallen ill despite her mother's care. While other women risked their lives giving birth, it seemed effortless for her. In terms of fertility, noble ladies couldn't hold a candle to her.

Zheng Jinyu took a deep breath and smiled. "So you're Lady Xie, the wife of Young Master Xie. I've heard so much about you. May I ask what brings you to seek me?"

Lady Yang smiled and replied, "Nothing much, just wanted to say hello since we'll be sisters-in-law soon."

Xie Peiyu did not reside in the main family residence; he lived in his mother's princess manor.

As sisters-in-law, they wouldn't actually live under the same roof in the future.

So Zheng Jinyu guessed that Yang was here for some other matter.

But since she didn't bring it up, Zheng Jinyu didn't feel it appropriate to inquire further.

She engaged in small talk to maintain politeness, nothing more.

After standing by the railing and chatting idly for just a while, Yang seemed unable to stand any longer and gestured for them to sit on a nearby bench to continue their conversation.

From her appearance, Zheng Jinyu could tell that Yang's health was indeed frail. No wonder she had suffered such severe damage during childbirth, resulting in a stillbirth and ultimately her own demise.

Feeling bored after sitting for a while, Zheng Jinyu realized there was little to discuss with someone she barely knew, especially if they weren't going to address the real reason for this meeting.

"Ice Lady," Zheng Jinyu suggested, "why don't we take a stroll up front? Look, it seems like the poetry appreciation event has started."

From their vantage point in the pavilion, the crowd gathered for the event seemed far away, and quite noisy.

Yang hesitated, shook her head, and politely declined with a smile, "I'll pass, Second Miss Zheng. You go ahead and enjoy it."

"Very well, Lady Yang. Let us part ways here."

"Indeed." Yang Shi smiled as she watched her depart. Not long after, her maid approached.

"Lady."

Yang Shi said, "Little Tao, what do you think of Second Miss compared to First Miss?"

The maid named Little Tao replied, "Second Miss appears more humble and refined than First Miss."

"In that case, what if we were to arrange for Second Miss to be with Chen Wang?"

Little Tao was taken aback, her face clouded with concern.

She knelt by Lady Yang's feet and whispered, "Why are you still thinking about this, Lady? Eldest Young Master has made it clear that he wants no one but you."

Lady Yang shook her head. "But my health is failing, I know I won't live long. If I don't make arrangements now, they will surely send my venomous sister as his second wife after I'm gone. I wish nothing but the best for my husband, and I cannot let him marry a woman with a heart as poisonous as a scorpion."

"But Second Miss's marriage to Prince Chen is already settled. How could she possibly end up with our Eldest Young Master?"

"Prince Chen and the Imperial Princess are departing. Their match won't come to fruition, but the alliance between the Xie and Zheng families must continue."

Little Tao had no idea where she heard about Prince Chen and the Imperial Princess leaving the capital, but she found it hard to accept that her mistress was already considering a second wife for her late husband while she herself was still alive.

At the same time, she felt great sympathy for her.

To be seeking a new spouse for her husband, Zheng Jinyu must be suffering deeply inside.

...

Reaching the edge of the crowd, Zheng Jinyu didn't push further in. Instead, she climbed onto a nearby artificial rock formation to get a better view.

From her elevated position, the perspiring Chunmei, who had been frantically searching for her, finally spotted her standing out from the crowd like a crane among chickens.

"Miss, Miss, you gave me such a scare. Oh my, why have you climbed so high? Come down quickly."

Zheng Jinyu was pulled down rather forcefully by Chunmei.