Chapter 372: The Cuis Have Arrived

Chapter 372: The Cuis Have Arrived

Zheng Jinyu really wanted to curse.

Matchmakers who took money only guaranteed a successful marriage, not after-sales service.

She hadn't taken a single coin and had even spent some of her own money. Did she have to handle after-sales service too?

"Has Lu Shen reconciled with Fang Jinxiu?"

Fang Erya shook her head. "No, they've completely fallen out. Now, Lu Shen doesn't even want to see her. When he wants to see the child, he asks Lady Lu to bring the child out."

"Then what's the problem?"

Fang Erya frowned. "Fang Jinxiu has the child as leverage. Even if she loses favor, she won't be afraid. I, on the other hand, have nothing. If I lose favor, it's over for me."

Zheng Jinyu asked, "Has he taken another favorite concubine?"

Fang Erya shook her head again. "I've observed the household, but there isn't one here. I don't know about outside, though."

"There isn't." Zheng Jinyu had been keeping an eye on Lu Shen and knew his recent activities well.

Fine, she'd help her one more time.

"Lu Shen has fertility issues. He hasn't been moderating himself in bed, so it's likely gotten worse recently."

Fang Erya looked at her in shock.

Zheng Jinyu continued, "He only has one son, born by Fang Jinxiu, which makes him feel insecure. Now, he's cooperating with the doctors to treat his condition. He needs to take medicine and abstain from sex, which is why he's been neglecting you."

Hearing this, Fang Erya suddenly understood. "No wonder I always smell medicine on him. No wonder none of the other women have conceived. Fang Jinxiu must be lucky to have gotten pregnant."

It was called having a special aura. There was no way around it. She was originally set up to be fertile and gain favor through childbirth.

You, as a minor character, shouldn't think about it.

"When a man is sick, he's vulnerable. Don't keep asking about his condition; it's embarrassing for him. You'll make him unhappy. Be smarter and stop being paranoid. This is all the help I can give you. We aren't close, and I won't help you win his favor. Don't come to me with these matters anymore," Zheng Jinyu said indifferently.

Fang Erya sighed and nodded slightly. "I understand. My parents..."

Zheng Jinyu's face darkened. "Everyone must pay for their mistakes. They chose to commit crimes, knowing the consequences. I won't let them off."

Fang Erya whispered, "I understand. Actually... I don't like them either."

If her family hadn't come to the capital, she would have been sold to Magistrate Ma when she turned fifteen.

Magistrate Ma offered a high price—twenty taels for a fifteen-year-old girl—and was quite famous locally.

Especially for someone like her, who was somewhat attractive, the price might be even higher.

Those who didn't value girls as people hoped to sell them to Magistrate Ma when they turned fifteen.

But... they were still her parents.

...

That day, a group of people arrived at the Zheng residence, each riding a tall horse.

They dismounted, and one of them approached the gatekeeper to explain their purpose.

They were the Cuis from Qinghe, seeking an audience with the master of the Zheng household.

The two gatekeepers exchanged glances, unsure of what to do.

"Please wait a moment. We'll ask."

The visitor frowned slightly.

They still needed to ask?

"Fifth Brother, what's wrong?"

Cui Huai replied, "I don't know. They said they need to ask."

Cui Tai handed the reins to a servant and walked over. "They still need to ask? Didn't you tell them who we are?"

"I did."

Soon, the gatekeeper came out and told them, "You've come to the wrong door if you're looking for Lady Cui. You need to go out this way, walk forward a bit, turn into an alley, then left, and you'll see another Zheng residence. Ask there."

The two men looked confused. "There are two Zheng residences, right?"

The gatekeeper awkwardly nodded. "Yes, two Zheng residences."

They found it strange but didn't ask further.

They remembered coming to this door years ago.

"Two Zheng residences? There are two Zheng families in the capital now?"

"I don't know. It sounds like that. Let's ask Eighth Sister later."

"Alright."

Cui Yongnian wrote home, mentioning the conflict and Zheng Jiyang's threat to divorce his wife, urging the family to intervene.

He aimed to lure them over without providing specific details about the extent of the conflict.

Thus, the two didn't know that Zheng Jiyang and Cui Qingqing had already separated.

They turned right according to the servant's reminder, then entered an alley. After exiting the alley and turning left, they encountered the Zheng family's main gate as the first large door.

Another Zheng family main gate? And it looks newly built?

Both of them wore puzzled expressions.

Instead of knocking on the door themselves, they sent their attendant to do so.

Soon, the attendant returned with clear information and reported to them, "Fifth Master, Sixth Master, this is indeed the place."

"Really here? This gate clearly looks newly built."

"This is indeed the place, sirs, please proceed."

Did they move?

Inside, Lady Zheng also heard the news and hurried out to greet them.

As soon as they entered the main gate, they saw Lady Zheng rushing out to welcome them.

"Is it Fifth Brother and Sixth Brother?"

Though she was older, one could still see traces of her youth.

Excitedly, they called out, "Eighth Sister."

"Eighth Sister, it's us."

"Really, Fifth Brother and Sixth Brother, you've finally come. Please come in quickly, let's talk in the hall."

Lady Zheng happily led them into the house and instructed the servants to serve tea and snacks, treating them well.

Remembering Cui Yongnian's words, she did not immediately bring up the matter of adding Fang Jinxiu to the Cui family genealogy. Instead, she spoke about her conflict with Zheng Ji.

"He resents me for hiding the news of my mother-in-law's death to ensure my daughter's smooth marriage. I admit I was wrong, but given the circumstances at the time, what else could I do? The guests were invited, everything was prepared, and if we postponed it due to my mother-in-law's sudden death, it would have caused much trouble. It was just one night; we only needed to hide it for one night until our daughter left, and then announce it afterward, wouldn't that be fine?"

The two exchanged glances.

How to say this? He has his reasons, and she has hers.

It can be a big deal or a small matter, depending on how one looks at it.

"The late matriarch of the Zheng family was your mother-in-law. Perhaps to you, taking care of the living and slightly neglecting the deceased seemed acceptable. But to your brother-in-law, she was his own mother. I don't know how deep his feelings were for her, but since he holds this against you, it shows he really cares."

Lady Zheng nodded, her tone tinged with some resentment and sarcasm, "Yes, he didn't seem to care much when she was alive. He was always busy with his work while I took care of his mother. Only after her death did he show how much he cared."

The two were somewhat speechless.

"Your brother-in-law is a government official with many duties to attend to. He has to support the whole family, so naturally, he cannot be like women who stay at home."

This comment did not sit well with Lady Zheng, "Fifth Brother, why do you always take the side of others?"