Chapter 170: Time to Use Your Brain

Chapter 170: Time to Use Your Brain

Madam Zheng opened her mouth, then sighed helplessly. "Ah! Indeed, that's the case."

An engagement couldn't be revoked; threatening the Lu family with breaking it off wouldn't work.

Then they had to focus on Lu Shen.

"Mother sees that Lu Shen truly likes you and wants to marry you. Take advantage of his feelings for you while they're still there. Force him to choose – does he want to take you as his wife or take Wang Fuzhen as his concubine?"

"R-Really? Can I do that?" Zheng Jinxiu asked anxiously.

"Why not? Young Master Lu isn't as cunning as his mother. Mother believes it can work."

"Well, t-then I'll give it a try," Zheng Jinxiu whispered, agreeing reluctantly.

"You can't just try, Jinxiu. You have to make this work."

Seeing the confusion on her daughter's face, Madam Zheng realized she didn't fully understand the gravity of the situation.

"Jinxiu, regardless of the motives behind the Lu family's intention to take Wang Fuzhen as a concubine, you must remember that you cannot consent to this."

"But aren't all men inclined to take concubines?"

"This isn't about whether a man takes concubines or not. It doesn't matter how many women he keeps, but Wang Fuzhen must not enter the Lu family as a concubine for Lu Shen."

Zheng Jinxiu looked puzzled. "Why?"

"You're being naive," Mrs. Zheng said, frustrated by her daughter's lack of understanding.

"What status does Wang Fuzhen hold? Now that she's being coerced into becoming Lu Shen's concubine, do you really think she would be content with that role for her entire life? Even if she is, do you believe her family—her parents, her sisters, and her brother—would allow her to be a concubine forever? Can they afford to lose that face?"

Zheng Jinxiu's heart skipped a beat. "Mother, are you saying... she might take my place as the wife?"

"It's not a possibility, it's a certainty. The Wang family can offer no less to the Lu family than we can."

"But Mister Lu is meant to marry me."

"He likes you now, so naturally, he wants to marry you. But what's the most worthless thing in this world? A man's affection. Look around, how many men remain devoted to their wives for a lifetime? Once his favor runs out and his interests shift, you, with your aged appearance, won't be able to compete with younger women. In terms of background and influence, you won't surpass Wang Fuzhen. How will you survive then?"

Zheng Jinxiu stood rooted to the spot.

Lady Zheng continued, "Let's not talk about distant examples. Let's just talk about your father. He's considered a good man, isn't he? Hmph, if it weren't for my skills, do you think those two concubines in our household would behave themselves? What's my advantage? It's my family background as a daughter of the Cui clan. Your father's two concubines don't have any family support, so they can't compare with me. If their backgrounds were better than mine, they might not be so obedient anymore."

Zheng Jinxiu nodded repeatedly after listening.

Only then did she realize how foolish she had been. She was no match for her mother at all.

Previously, she had only thought of making Wang Fuzhen a concubine to vent her anger but hadn't considered the long-term consequences.

With Wang Fuzhen's temperament, if she could endure for a while, could she endure for a lifetime?

If she truly humiliated her and she gained power in the future, wouldn't she seek revenge and kill her?

"Mother, I understand. I'll make sure she doesn't enter our home."

Lady Zheng heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Alright, I'll ask your second brother to invite Mister Lu over later."

As they spoke, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the Zheng residence. It stopped, and the two of them entered the gate together.

The coachman drove the carriage to the backyard and led the horse to the stable. Chunmei promptly arrived.

She slipped a small silver coin to the coachman, who in turn wrapped a handful of black beans for horses in a piece of paper for her. Taking this opportunity, he informed Chunmei about the conversation between Lady Zheng and Zheng Jinxiu in the carriage.

With the news in hand, Chunmei returned happily, nibbling on the beans as she walked.

She was not afraid of being seen. Servant girls in the inner courtyard were known for their cravings; it was nothing out of the ordinary for one to use her mistress's reward money to buy black beans for the horses.

The news eventually reached Zheng Jinyu, who felt relieved.

"So it seems Zheng Jinxiu is more than willing to marry into the Lu family?"

Chunmei replied, "She isn't foolish. She knows with her current reputation, if the Lus reject her, there won't be any better options. Miss, you can rest assured that the marriage between Miss Zheng and Young Master Lu cannot be canceled."

That was exactly what Zheng Jinyu wanted to hear. Lu Shen was no saint, nor was his mother. It would serve them right to be trapped in that marriage.

"However, Lady and Miss Zheng mentioned all the drawbacks of taking Wang Fuzhen as a concubine. Miss Zheng might cause a scene with Young Master Lu, and she probably won't allow Wang Fuzhen into the family. Do you think Young Master Lu would give up Wang Fuzhen for Miss Zheng?"

Zheng Jinyu pondered for a moment before saying, "Let's set aside whether or not she has the courage to make a fuss. If she does, we'll support her, ensuring that she marries into the Lu family."

Chunmei said joyfully, "Miss, if Lord Lu were to take both Miss Lu and Miss Wang as his consorts, wouldn't that be quite the lively occasion?"

Indeed, it was an unexpected delight.

"Keep watching closely. Don't let this excellent match slip away."

"Yes," Chunmei agreed, but then hesitated, as if she had something more to say.

Zheng Jinyu asked, "What is it?"

Chunmei replied, "It seems like Miss Lu hasn't given up on Mister Cui. Yesterday evening, when Mister Cui returned from the Imperial Academy, she went to the garden to intercept him and even asked him to critique her latest painting."

Zheng Jinyu was taken aback. "Did Cousin Cui not go to the Imperial Academy today?"

"No," Chunmei said with a hint of disdain. "Mister Cui isn't exactly diligent in his teaching duties. He's like a fisherman who fishes for two days and rests for three. The students are always waiting for him."

"So, was he at home today?"

"No, I heard he left early in the morning, probably to visit a friend."

From Xie Peiyu's tone, it seemed Cui Yongnian hadn't come to the capital solely for a casual visit at his aunt's invitation or to give a lecture at the Imperial Academy upon the request of the headmaster.

He had grander ambitions, seeking to establish a foothold in the capital and plot significant undertakings.

On the other hand, the Emperor appeared disinclined to see another talented individual rise from a noble family.

Yet, Cui Yongnian, a young noble, was merely enjoying himself, engaging in scholarly discussions with the students—nothing particularly out of bounds.

Attempting to confront him directly would be unwise, based on Zheng Jinyu's years of observing various dramas – she suspected that he would be more cunning in his actions.

"Does anyone know where he went?"

"I, your servant, am unaware."

Zheng Jinyu concluded that she might have been overthinking the situation. The Cui family must have had confidence in Cui Yongnian to send him on this mission; thus, he was likely not as straightforward as he appeared.

His capabilities were uncertain, but it was safe to assume that things wouldn't unfold without a challenge.

If he could die under mysterious circumstances, the person the Cui family would have sent wouldn't have been him.

...

The next day, Lu Shen paid a visit to smooth things over with Zheng Jinxiu regarding the concubine matter. However, after hearing what Lady Zheng had said the previous day, Zheng Jinxiu truly didn't dare to let Wang Fuzhen enter the household. No matter how much he pleaded, she refused to budge.

She even threatened that if he dared to bring Wang Fuzhen into the house, she, Zheng Jinxiu, would call off the engagement. She gave him a binary choice and left it up to him to decide.