Chapter 332: Growth in Maternal Family’s Prestige

Chapter 332: Growth in Maternal Family's Prestige

After Lu Kuan became the top scorer in the imperial exam, Cheng Yunshuo rarely visited Lu Lingyun's courtyard that evening to ask a few questions.

Lu Kuan is now at the height of his fame; he studied at Tianfu Academy and became a disciple of the current Grand Tutor. He achieved first place in the imperial exam, earning the title of top scholar. Cheng Yunshuo's colleagues all know this person.

Today, after the results were announced, everyone approached Cheng Yunshuo and said that he had an extraordinary younger brother-in-law.

His future is promising.

There were even some astute individuals who approached Cheng Yunshuo to inquire about Lu Kuan's marital status, with many families wanting to marry their daughters to him.

In earlier years, Cheng Yunshuo dismissed such compliments, but now, as he has grown older, he himself has achieved little, increasingly seeing the ordinary life of people who find it hard to achieve greatness.

He will be just an average noble-born son; working his entire life might not even make him the commander of the imperial guard, let alone the emperor's personal guard.

He doesn’t have that opportunity or sufficient background.

Which of the emperor's personal guards isn't connected to him through family ties? Their families either have sisters or aunts who are concubines in the palace. In private discussions of family hierarchy, they address the emperor as brother-in-law, uncle, or father-in-law.

After all, those top-tier close-proximity jobs must be done by the most trustworthy people.

Cheng Yunshuo acknowledged his family lacked such a strong foundation, and he himself didn't possess outstanding talents enough for the emperor to remember him and specially promote him.

Most likely, his life would be spent as an ordinary commander of the guards, and then he would inherit his father's title of Marquis, which would be the end.

Suddenly, there emerged a remarkable younger brother-in-law in his own family—first place in the regional examination, first place in the imperial exam, and soon to face the palace examination, radiating success. His colleagues all approached to congratulate him, making Cheng Yunshuo proud.

After returning, he asked Lu Lingyun about Lu Kuan.

"Did Little Kuan become the top scholar?"

"Yes, has the Young Master heard?"

"Little Kuan is truly remarkable." Cheng Yunshuo repeatedly praised Lu Kuan. "Your family is indeed better, no wonder you're from a scholarly family, each one of you is talented."

Listening to Cheng Yunshuo's praise, Lu Lingyun smiled faintly. She chatted casually with him, but Cheng Yunshuo grew more and more interested in the conversation. Every word was praising Lu Lingyun, Lu Kuan, and the Lu family, looking pleased as if he had married a good wife.

The longer the days passed in tranquility, the more one could see the influence brought by the other party's family background.

Passion and excitement have short shelf lives, but deep family roots and personal abilities consistently show their worth.

As Lu Lingyun's maternal family gained strength and became increasingly powerful, Cheng Yunshuo also began to look up to her more.

As dinner time approached, Lu Lingyun asked, "Will the Young Master stay here for dinner tonight?"

"Of course," Cheng Yunshuo agreed without hesitation.

He briefly thought of Li Bihan, but it quickly disappeared.

Li Bihan pales in comparison to Lu Lingyun.

Li Bihan's family lacks notable figures; if there are, they are ordinary people. She has no foundation or background, only herself, using her beauty to enter the Marquis's Mansion.

But now, she is aging and fading, her face no longer resembling what Cheng Yunshuo wants to see, even repelling him to some extent.

These past few days, he has seen Qiu Ling and Ling Long. Neither of them has aged like Li Bihan.

After the comparison, he felt even more disheartened, preferring to spend the night with these familiar women rather than stay with Li Bihan.

Of course, he'd never compare Lu Lingyun to anyone else, since Lu Lingyun was his main wife and she didn't need her looks to secure her place in Cheng Yunshuo's heart.

At this moment, when Lu Lingyun invited him to stay for dinner, he agreed without hesitation.

Cheng Suying, standing nearby, saw her father staying and felt a strange sensation.

After Cheng Yunshuo finished his dinner and returned to the Yaoguang Pavilion to rest, Cheng Suying couldn't help but rush into Lu Lingyun's arms. "Mom, you were right."

"What's right or wrong?"

"If we're strong, Dad won't underestimate us. No concubine can outdo us," Cheng Suying said.

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingyun chuckled and stroked Cheng Suying's hair. "What you said isn't entirely correct. We work on our own strength so we can live more easily and freely. Relying only on men for everything is bound to cause endless suffering."

Hearing these words, Cheng Suying fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, at the Bi Shui Garden.

Cheng Lanying, seeing that Cheng Yunshuo hadn't come yet, was more anxious than her mother.

"Where has my father gone again! To which fox-faced woman!"

"Second Miss, Dad had dinner with Mommy Lu."

Upon hearing that Cheng Yunshuo went to Lu Lingyun, Cheng Lanying cooled off a bit.

If her father was with Qiu Ling or Ling Long, she would dare to get angry, but in the courtyard of the main wife, she wouldn't dare say a word.

Cheng Lanying huffed and turned back into the room. As soon as she entered, she saw her mother worriedly sitting at the table.

"Mom, if Dad doesn't come, we'll eat."

Li Bihan looked at her. "Eat eat eat, all you think about is food!"

"If Dad doesn't come, are we going to starve to death?"

Li Bihan was extremely anxious. She looked at her still carefree daughter and scolded, "Why don't you figure out a way to keep your father here!"

"The father went to that person's yard! How can I possibly drag him back? Mom, if you have the ability, you go!"

Li Bihan was infuriated by her daughter's response. How could it be that she was so meticulous, yet gave birth to a daughter who seemed to lack common sense?

After pondering for a while, Li Bihan sighed. "Lan Ying, Mom only has you and your brother. In this house, we're the only family."

Upon hearing her mother's weak and powerless words, Cheng Lanying immediately said, "Alright alright, when Dad comes out from Mommy Lu's place later, I'll stop him."

Li Bihan's eyes lit up. "Lan Ying, you truly are Mom's good daughter. Remember, men are what keep us alive. You must hold onto your father's favor. Do whatever he wants. Don't make him mad."

Cheng Lanying sneered disdainfully. "Please! Dad loves me no matter what."

"Are you even listening to me?"

Cheng Lanying found her annoying, so she directly got off the dining table. "I'll go stop Dad. You eat alone, Mom."

On Cheng Yunshuo's side, after leaving Mommy Lu's place, he was stopped midway.

"Father!"

In the entire Marquis's Mansion, only Cheng Suying called him father, not dad.

Sure enough, he turned around and saw Cheng Suying. "What is it?"

"You left this behind." Cheng Suying nodded to Cai He, who passed him his helmet. "You'll need it tomorrow at work."