Chapter 27: The Confrontation Between the Brother-in-law and the Son-in-law

Chapter 27: The Confrontation Between the Brother-in-law and the Son-in-law

While waiting for Lu Xusheng, Cheng Yian was pulled by Cheng Yiqiao to the needlework room.

The master seamstress was working on Cheng Yian's cloud fox cloak, "We've been working on it for several days. If the third young lady leaves in the afternoon, she should be able to wear it."

Cheng Yian said, "The son-in-law is occupied and won't be able to come for a while. We'll probably leave in the afternoon."

Cheng Yiqiao, however, said, "What's the rush? No need to hurry, take your time. Finish one today, and ask the Madam to come back and pick it up. Make another one in a couple of days, and she can come back again..."

Cheng Yian glared at her, "Why don't you just move in?"

Cheng Yiqiao pulled her to sit down in the adjacent tea room, "Well, if you really stay, we'll all have a good life."

"What do you mean?" Cheng Yian chided her.

Cheng Yiqiao clicked her tongue, "You don't know how terrible father's mood was a few days ago. A young master from the clan was caught engaging in gambling and illicit activities. Father was furious and had the disciplinary council handle it. Second brother, who oversees the disciplinary council, was reprimanded, and I didn't get a good face either. I was too scared to leave the house for days. But as soon as you came back, father started smiling."

As they were chatting and laughing, suddenly one of Cheng Yiqiao's maids came looking for them. Seeing her anxious expression, it was clear something had happened.

"Second young lady, third young lady, you must go to the west courtyard. Second Master is making a fuss."

Hearing this, Cheng Yiqiao quickly pulled Cheng Yian out, asking as they walked,

"What happened?"

The maid led the way and answered,

"Wasn't there a profit-sharing last night? Second Master and second mistress took their share back. It should have been a happy occasion, but then they had a disagreement. This morning, the second young mistress is threatening to go back to her parents' house."

"I heard that..." The maid didn't dare to gossip about the master's private affairs, so she lowered her voice as much as possible,

"It's said that the young mistress is upset because the master and mistress didn't give any money to Young Master Yijun, and she cried."

Hearing this, Cheng Yiqiao looked at Cheng Yian and shrugged.

Cheng Yian had also heard about the reason.

The Second Master and second mistress of the main branch have only one son, Cheng Yijun, whom they cherish like their most precious possession. They cater to his every whim, and Cheng Yijun is very obedient, never associating with those playboy sons. He even succeeded in passing the imperial examination. But such an obedient son made a stubborn decision in his marriage. He fell head over heels for a girl at a flower-viewing banquet and insisted on marrying her. Second mistress sent someone to investigate and found out that the girl was the daughter of a minor official from the Court of Imperial Entertainments. The official rank was acceptable, but the Xu family was of modest background and not very wealthy.

Despite this, their son insisted on marrying her, and eventually, Second Master and second mistress had no choice but to arrange the marriage.

But this second young mistress, Xu Shi, has one flaw that people criticize.

She loves to support her family financially.

A day or two is fine, but over time, her in-laws grew increasingly dissatisfied.

To the west of the Chuihua Gate lies the courtyard of Second Master and second mistress. Following the winding corridor to the northwest is the courtyard of Cheng Yijun and his wife Xu Shi. The two courtyards are separated by a garden, in which a three-bay pavilion is built, surrounded by thick curtains in winter. Usually, guests of the second branch play here.

When Cheng Yiqiao and Cheng Yian arrived, they saw two maids peeking through the door curtain. They recognized the maids as those of Cheng Yiqian and Jiang Ruomei, indicating that the two were inside.

The sisters walked in and indeed saw Cheng Yiqian and Jiang Ruomei sitting by the carved window, listening to the commotion.

Cheng Yiqiao's face fell, "Oh, you two are hiding here, being all sneaky."

Jiang Ruomei and the other were startled, but then thought that Cheng Yiqiao had also come to watch the spectacle, so they didn't back down.

"Didn't Second Cousin Sister come as well?"

Cheng Yiqiao retorted confidently,

"I am who I am, and you are who you are. I know all about Second Master's household affairs, but it's not right for you, an outsider, to be here meddling."

Jiang Ruomei was stunned and glanced at Cheng Yian, thinking, isn't she an outsider too?

Cheng Yian was dressed to go out today, wearing a newly made long robe of purple and white fox fur, with a red feathered cloak lined with fox fur over it. Jiang Ruomei had heard that the seamstresses had put aside all other work to rush these outfits for the two sisters, showing them off.

Jiang Ruomei felt a twinge of envy but didn't dare to confront Cheng Yiqiao directly.

Cheng Yiqian, however, hushed them and pointed outside. The four of them then fell silent and listened carefully.

In the courtyard north of the carved window, Second Mistress Xu was indeed in a heated argument with Xu Shi and her husband.

Second Mistress Xu, clearly nursing long-held grudges, stood in the hallway pointing at the young couple in the courtyard,

"What kind of grave injustice have we, the Cheng family, suffered? Is money growing on trees? I tell you, this is the legacy built by our ancestors, passed down through generations, the family fortune painstakingly amassed by your uncle. Since you've entered the Cheng family, you are a Cheng family woman. How can you always think of favoring outsiders?"

"Haven't we provided you with enough? Don't we set aside for you two thousand taels every year? And you, it vanishes in less than half a month, relying only on the family stipend."

"The family stipend is enough for your living expenses. A couple receives a full fifty taels a month, which is more than what ordinary families get in a year. Yet, you still struggle to make ends meet. I can't stand it, so I give you a little more, and it's gone again? My poor son, the legitimate grandson of the main branch, living in poverty..."

Xu Shi had been sobbing for a long time without a word, but upon hearing the word "poverty," she couldn't help but turn her head and retort,

"You don't have to mince words to insult me. You're just insulting me! Our Xu family may be poor, but it was your Cheng family who sought us out!"

This was not the most humiliating part for Second Mistress Xu. She stomped her feet in anger, pointing at Cheng Yijun, "It's all your fault, look what you've done!"

Cheng Yijun, holding his tearful wife, looked at his furious mother, caught in the middle and at a loss. Seeing his wife crying even harder, he could only beg his mother,

"Please, keep it down. If grandmother finds out, it will be terrible."

Seeing her son not daring to scold his wife, Second Mistress Xu became even more furious,

"Terrible? You know it's terrible, our family's face has been completely lost by you!"

Unfortunately, what they feared came true. The matriarch, supported by her maid, arrived at the west courtyard with a grim face. Noticing several small heads peeking out from the pavilion, she glared at them but had no time to deal with the four girls, rushing inside.

Cheng Yiqiao, bold as ever, simply pulled Cheng Yian along to follow the matriarch inside. Seeing Cheng Yiqiao enter, Cheng Yiqian and the others quickly followed.

With the matriarch's arrival, no one dared to make a scene anymore. The couple knelt on the prayer mats in the east chamber, while Second Mistress Xu sat beside the matriarch, wiping her tears and complaining. Cheng Yiqiao and the others sat openly in the main hall, listening.

The matriarch did not avoid the girls, intending for them to learn and understand right from wrong, knowing what should and should not be done.

Second Mistress Xu did not stop them, deliberately showing Xu Shi that the more you rely on someone to throw a tantrum, the less I will be controlled by you. If you have the face to make a scene, then you shouldn't fear others knowing.

The matriarch scolded Second Mistress Xu, "Why make such a fuss? There are still guests here, aren't you making the main branch a laughingstock..."

Second Mistress Xu pointed unceremoniously at Xu Shi, "She's doing it on purpose, weighing the presence of others, deliberately making a scene to threaten me into agreeing to her demands. But I won't fall for her tricks this year, no matter how much I've endured and yielded in the past."

The matriarch, having managed the household for many years, saw through it all.

She had inquired about the Xu family's situation before, knowing they had an elder brother and a younger brother. The salary of the Guanglu Temple's minor official wasn't much, and the family didn't have many valuable assets. The brothers were unmarried, so they had to rely on Xu Shi, their daughter.

She had disagreed with this marriage, but Second Mistress Xu and Second Master had doted on their son too much at the time, not taking it seriously. Now they were reaping the bitter fruits.

"What exactly is going on?"

The second mistress laid out the whole story,

"Yesterday, we received the dividends, and I discussed with the Second Master about saving them to earn interest later. But then this rascal showed up demanding money, claiming that since he's married now, he should have a share of the dividends."

At this point, the second mistress snorted, "I told them, your food and clothing are all provided by the family, where do you need money for? It's just about wanting to send money to your mother's side of the family. No way, not a single cent of this year's dividends is going to you."

"And that's when the fight broke out. They didn't cause a fuss last night, but today, using An An's return and her husband's arrival as an excuse, they made a scene, claiming I'm too hard on my son and his wife." The second mistress cursed and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling,

"If I were tough on my son and his wife, there'd be no decent mother-in-law left in the world..."

Catching herself, since the matriarch was her mother-in-law too, she quickly bit her tongue and awkwardly added, "Of course, I can't compare to you..."

The second mistress was a blabbermouth, saying whatever came to mind.

The matriarch was at a loss with her.

Inside the west chamber, Cheng Yiqiao was doubled over with laughter, while Cheng Yiqian and Jiang Ruomei had rolled onto the daybed.

Only Cheng Yian, married and well-versed in life's messes, didn't find this amusing.

Indeed, every family has its own cross to bear, even the main branch, which looks glorious from the outside, when peeled open, has its own embarrassments.

This second aunt, who outsiders see as living in harmony, with a generous mother-in-law and a considerate and gentle husband, with only one son who has married and is waiting to have grandchildren, and from such a prestigious family as the Cheng family's main branch, not worrying about food or clothing, should be living the dream. Who would have thought there would be such grievances.

Xu Shi was still sobbing, breathless from crying, "I didn't make him ask, it was my husband who went to ask for it himself..."

The matriarch looked at Cheng Yijun and asked,

"Do you really need money? Your parents only have you, won't everything be yours in the future? Normally, the family provides for your food and clothing, I imagine it's enough for your needs."

Cheng Yijun, his face red, replied, "Grandmother, our food and clothing are sufficient, but there are also social obligations. Your grandson is interning at the Ministry of Rites, and there are social engagements."

Cheng Yijun had passed the imperial examination two years ago, and being Cheng Mingyu's nephew, the emperor gave him face by allowing him to intern at the Ministry of Rites. If he continues for a few years, he might directly stay at the Ministry of Rites.

Hearing this, the second mistress knew her son was covering for Xu Shi and angrily said, "Don't talk nonsense, every time you go out, it's your dad who's quietly covering for you. If you want to give money to your wife, just say it directly."

Cheng Yijun shamefully lowered his head.

The second mistress was loud and brash, a very good person at heart, but not very calculating, cornered by a daughter-in-law from a lesser family.

The matriarch first glared at the second mistress, signaling her to shut up, then asked Cheng Yijun,

"Is that so? As far as I know, last year and the year before, you received a total of four thousand taels in dividends. Then show your grandmother the breakdown, where did all your social engagements go?"

Cheng Yijun stammered and couldn't speak.

The second mistress, suddenly seeing the light thanks to the matriarch, immediately said, "Right, from now on, all spending should be itemized, and at the end of the year, we'll check your accounts, where did all the money go!"

Xu Shi, eyes red, was quick to respond,

"Last year, my husband bought a Chengni inkstone, which cost several hundred taels, and once when his classmate's mother passed away, he also gave several hundred taels as a gift..."

She rattled off over ten expenses, each sounding perfectly justified.

Cheng Yijun nodded eagerly, like a bobblehead, "Exactly, exactly..."

The second mistress was livid, seeing her son being played like a fiddle, even if she had a mouth full of words, she couldn't withstand the couple's double act.

The matriarch suddenly looked at Xu Shi and said,

"I suddenly recalled an old tale. In our Zhou family, there was once an aunt who always favored her nephew over her own son. Whatever she had at home, she would take it back for her nephew to use. Though she was married, her loyalty stayed with her birth family."

As she spoke, she turned to the second mistress, "Can you guess what happened next?"

The second mistress immediately responded, "What happened?"

The matriarch continued, "Later, her brother passed away, and her nephew came to her for money. She paid for his wedding dowry, and when he had a child but couldn't afford the banquet, he came to her again for money. By then, her family's financial situation had worsened, and she couldn't provide as much as before. She tearfully told him she couldn't afford to give any more money."

"Unfortunately, once someone gets used to handouts, it's hard to stop. The nephew held a grudge, thinking she was hoarding money and refusing to give it to him. One day, when she returned to her birth home, he held a knife to her neck. In a moment of recklessness, he hurt her, and as a result, he ended up in prison, and her birth family fell into ruin. As for her, because she had been constantly subsidizing her birth family, her own sons and daughters-in-law were dissatisfied. When she fell ill, no one cared for her. She deeply regretted her actions and was only discovered three days after her death. Her fate was truly pitiful."

Hearing this, Xu Shi instantly clammed up.

Cheng Yijun, who had been listening to the story, was also startled. "But grandmother, Ying Niang's mother is ill and waiting for her to send money for treatment."

This finally brought the truth to light.

The second mistress, quick to anger, lashed out, "What about her brothers? Aren't they responsible for their mother's well-being? Besides, wasn't there the dowry from your wedding? A hundred crates of dowry, and all you got in return was a showy facade? Who are you trying to fool? Not to mention the respect and care you've shown over the past three years, just the dowry alone should have been enough for the Xu family to live comfortably for a lifetime. It seems you're unwilling to dip into your own savings and come running to the Cheng family for money at the slightest hint of trouble."

Seeing that the second mistress had exposed the matter, Xu Shi was overwhelmed with shame and anger. She turned and ran, crying out,

"I can't live like this anymore..."

In the adjacent room, Cheng Yian and the others were drinking tea. Upon hearing this, they all hurriedly stood up, only to see Xu Shi rush out as if heading outside.

Cheng Yiqiao, worried that Xu Shi might do something drastic, was the first to drop her teacup and rush forward to stop her. Afraid she couldn't stop her alone, she called out to Jiang Ruomei, who was closest to her.

Jiang Ruomei followed closely behind.

Seeing that her direct path was blocked by Cheng Yiqiao, Xu Shi tried to go around Jiang Ruomei. However, Jiang Ruomei, quick on her feet, noticed that Cheng Yian was setting down her teacup and preparing to help. Taking advantage of Cheng Yian's unsteady stance, she reached out and pulled her.

Cheng Yian, caught off balance by the pull, stumbled to the south side, and Xu Shi happened to bump into her arm.

The bump itself wasn't serious, but Cheng Yian's right hand was still holding the teacup, and the burning hot tea spilled out, burning her little finger. The teacup fell from her hand and broke on the small table.

"Ouch!" She yelped in pain.

Seeing this, Cheng Yiqiao was alarmed and quickly pushed Jiang Ruomei aside to rush over. She held Cheng Yian's hand, asking, "An An, are you alright? Does it hurt?"

It did hurt a bit at first. Cheng Yian frowned and glanced at Jiang Ruomei.

The matriarch and others came out from the inner room, their faces pale with anger. Xu Shi, realizing she had caused trouble, dared not speak another word and leaned against the doorframe, tears streaming down her face.

Jiang Ruomei, though inwardly guilty, maintained a facade of concern and worry.

The second mistress, seeing that Cheng Yian's little finger was red, remembered how much Cheng Mingyu cherished her and exclaimed, "This is terrible, something big has happened..."

The matriarch, however, remained calm. She immediately ordered someone to fetch cold water, sent for a doctor, and instructed a maid to bring soothing jade ointment from the medicine cabinet to apply to the burn.

A young maid quickly brought cold water, and Cheng Yiqiao helped Cheng Yian soak her finger in it. The cold water eased the pain. Noticing the concern on everyone's faces, Cheng Yian quickly reassured them, "It's no big deal, just a small accident. Some ointment will fix it."

But things were not so simple.

The commotion had reached Cheng Mingyu.

He had left for court early in the morning and, upon hearing that Cheng Yian was planning to return home that day, intended to come back for lunch to see her off before returning to his office. However, he soon heard that she had been injured here and immediately turned grim, calling everyone to the main hall.

Cheng Mingyu and the matriarch sat at the head of the hall, while the second mistress and the third mistress, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, sat in the left circle chairs. Xu Shi and Cheng Yijun knelt on the ground, while the other young ladies and gentlemen stood still. Only Cheng Yian sat in the right circle chair, having her injury examined by the household physician.

The second mistress was wringing her hands and stomping her feet, lamenting her guilt,

"It's all my fault, for not managing the household strictly, causing such a scandal and even dragging An An into this..."

On any other day, it might have been overlooked, but today Cheng Yian was supposed to return home, and Lu Xusheng was coming to pick her up. With this incident happening, it made everyone look even worse.

Xu Shi, who had bumped into someone, had no defense and just lay sobbing on the ground.

Cheng Yiqiao racked her brains to recall the scene and suddenly unleashed a torrent of questions at Jiang Ruomei,

"I ask you, when I called you to stop her, why did you pull An An? Didn't you see she was holding tea? Did you do it on purpose?"

Jiang Ruomei, already guilty, had indeed acted out of a moment of jealousy and malice, but she hadn't expected to cause such a ruckus, even pulling Cheng Mingyu into the fray. Panicked, she quickly knelt down, kowtowing to Cheng Mingyu,

"Uncle, it wasn't intentional. I saw sister-in-law rushing out and was afraid I couldn't stop her by myself, so I thought to pull someone else to help, but I didn't expect this to happen..."

Cheng Mingyu, seeing his little daughter's finger red and swollen, had a heavy expression,

"So, you're claiming innocence?"

When Cheng Mingyu interrogated someone, his gaze was piercing, sharp as a blade.

"I..." Jiang Ruomei, rarely seeing this uncle, was terrified just by his presence. Her shifty eyes and stammering voice gave her away.

In fact, before calling everyone in, Cheng Mingyu had already gotten the truth from the watching matrons and maids.

Forcing a confession would only make the Jiang family think the Chengs were bullying her.

There was no need to interrogate at all.

Cheng Mingyu didn't want to waste another second on this niece. His eyes fixed on Cheng Yian, who was being treated nearby, he spoke coldly,

"Someone, fetch two matrons who handle external matters, send her back to the Jiang family, and inform Jiang Chengbin of the incident, letting them deal with it themselves."

As both in-laws and fellow officials, it was crucial to maintain each other's dignity. Cheng Mingyu knew all too well how to truly solve the problem.

If the Jiang family protected her, the family ties would undoubtedly be severed.

If the Jiang family handled it properly, there would be nothing more to say.

Hearing she was to be sent back, Jiang Ruomei's face fell, and she cried out,

"Uncle, I was wrong, please spare me. I don't want the dividends anymore; I'll return all the money to you. Just don't send me away; I'll leave on my own...."

Being sent back would surely be known by her cousins and siblings at home. How could she face them then?

Wasn't she just relying on the Cheng family's big tree to throw her weight around in the Jiang family?

Money couldn't compare to saving face.

Cheng Mingyu never allowed anyone to bargain with him, and he didn't even glance at Jiang Ruomei.

Jiang Ruomei, realizing the seriousness of the situation, crawled on her knees to the matriarch, "Grandmother, please help me. I was wrong; it was my fault. I shouldn't have targeted my third cousin; I shouldn't have been jealous of her. I was wrong..."

Isn't that an admission?

What more was there to interrogate?

The family matriarch looked at her with disappointment, tenderly stroked her forehead, partly in sorrow and partly in reproach, "I had already taught you, but you did not heed my teachings. Then, as your grandmother, I won't teach you anymore."

This was consent to send her back.

Jiang Ruomei fell to her knees, sobbing bitterly, overwhelmed with regret.

As for Xu Shi and Cheng Yijun.

Cheng Mingyu was even more displeased, "You and your husband will lose a year's allowance, Yijun will be given a serious demerit, and Xu Shi is confined to the house for half a year to reflect on her actions."

Without her monthly allowance, how could she support her own family?

This effectively cut off Xu Shi's financial support.

A serious demerit meant that next year's share of the family profits for the second branch would be reduced.

The second mistress, however, was completely unfazed. Did she need the money? No, she needed to vent her anger.

Today, she had turned a bad situation to her advantage, taking advantage of Cheng Mingyu's influence to deal with Xu Shi, and she felt nothing but satisfaction. She hummed softly, her joy barely concealed on her face.

Xu Shi's vision blurred, and she fainted. The steward gestured, and two sturdy matrons stepped forward to lead the couple away.

With the matter settled, the crowd turned their attention to Cheng Yian's injury.

Cheng Yiqiao hurried forward to apologize to Cheng Mingyu, "Father, it's my fault too. I shouldn't have taken my sister to see the commotion."

Cheng Yian, fearing her sister would be blamed, quickly said, "It's really nothing, I've been treated, and it doesn't hurt anymore..."

Though Jiang Ruomei was despicable, it was just a minor injury, not worth the fuss.

However, at that moment, a cold, stern voice echoed from the front hall,

"Father-in-law, brother-in-law, what happened? How did a perfectly fine person get hurt in your Cheng family?"

Here comes the one to demand answers.

This was giving Lu Xusheng leverage.

Cheng Yiyan immediately rubbed his forehead in frustration.

Cheng Mingyu's expression remained unchanged as he returned to his seat.

Cheng Yiyan stepped forward to greet Lu Xusheng at the steps,

"Brother-in-law, you're late..."

He was not one to easily admit defeat.

Lu Xusheng, dressed in a black robe, strode up the steps with a straight posture, unshakable. He first paid his respects to the matriarch and Cheng Mingyu, then his gaze fell on Cheng Yian, glancing over her injured finger, and said to Cheng Yiyan,

"Brother Yianning, you made a big show of bringing my wife here, only to have her injured. You owe me an explanation."

Look, among all the sons-in-law of the Cheng family, anyone else would have said it was a small matter, not daring to make an issue in front of Cheng Mingyu.

But Lu Xusheng dared.

He did not rely on the Cheng family for promotion. In the court, he was on equal footing with Cheng Mingyu. Why should he watch his wife suffer in silence?

Cheng Yian, seeing this, glared at him and came to his side, gently tugging at his sleeve, "Don't make a scene."

Her father had already made a scene, and those who needed to be dealt with had been dealt with. Lu Xusheng didn't need to press the issue further.

It made her look too fragile.

She had endured worse injuries before; she wasn't someone who couldn't endure hardship.

Seeing Lu Xusheng's aggressive approach, Second Uncle quickly stood up and bowed,

"Shen Zhi, this matter has nothing to do with An An. It was An An who got hurt while playing in our room. It was my fault as a host."

Lu Xusheng returned the bow, but his eyes darted towards Cheng Yiyan.

Clearly, he wasn't about to let Cheng Yiyan off the hook.

The brother-in-law, however, replied calmly,

"Shen Zhi is right to criticize. It was our Cheng family's oversight that caused my sister's injury. Why not let her stay with us a bit longer to recover before returning to the Lu family."

Stay longer?

Lu Xusheng gritted his teeth, but he smiled faintly,

"That won't be necessary. If another cousin or relative were to hurt my An An, what then? It's safer to take her home."

"Oh..." Cheng Yiyan had a retort, replying meaningfully,

"Shen Zhi is very considerate. However, I hope you take good care of my sister. Don't let some cousin or Wang Shi from your Lu family come and bully her."

Lu Xusheng: "..."

His mother, Wang Shi, favoring his cousin as a future daughter-in-law was no secret in the capital.

Cheng Yiyan used this opportunity to hint at him.

Lu Xusheng seldom found himself at a loss, but today he had to concede to his brother-in-law,

"Thank you for the reminder, Yan Ning. You worry too much; such a thing won't happen. As for your cousin, Jiang Ruomei..." He glanced at Jiang Ruomei kneeling before the matriarch and said,

"Why not let me deal with her?" He feared the Cheng family might hesitate due to familial ties.

Cheng Mingyu, however, shook his head, "No need. Our Cheng family will provide Shen Zhi with a proper explanation."

As expected, after Jiang Ruomei was sent back, Jiang Chengbin, the Governor-General of Two Rivers, was furious. He punished his daughter and sent his eldest son to the capital with lavish gifts to apologize. Cheng Mingyu naturally passed these gifts on to the Lu family, but that's a story for later.

Seeing that things were mostly resolved, the matriarch waved her hand,

"An An has been through quite a scare. It's already noon; why don't you and your husband stay for lunch before leaving."

The rest of the family left, while the matriarch instructed the matron to arrange Jiang Ruomei's departure to the south.

Only Cheng Mingyu's close family stayed to dine with Lu Xusheng and Cheng Yian.

After the meal, there was little conversation, and Lu Xusheng soon left with Cheng Yian.

Despite the minor incident, the joyous atmosphere of the homecoming remained intact. The Cheng family loaded five or six carriages with gifts to send the couple off.

As they boarded the carriage and left Cheng Family Lane, Cheng Yian glared at Lu Xusheng,

"Don't you dare act so high and mighty in the Cheng family again."

Lu Xusheng complained, "How did I show off? Can't I even ask a question?"

Cheng Yian replied, "My father and second brother have already made a big deal out of it, and now you want to make a scene, making me afraid to go back in the future."

No other girl from the Cheng family is as delicate as her, unable to handle even the slightest touch.

Lu Xusheng glanced at her, "Don't play favorites. You let your brother show off in front of me, but I can't call out the Cheng family, can't stop them from bullying you?"

Cheng Yian naturally defended her brother, "My second brother would never bully me."

"Then have I bullied you? Where have I bullied you?"

Lu Xusheng stared at her intently. After staying at the Cheng family for a few days, soaking in the hot springs every day, her face was so tender and delicate, it looked like it could be pinched and water would come out, like a ripe fruit in autumn, ready to burst with juice.

Cheng Yian, seeing his intense gaze, immediately understood what he meant by "bullying." Her cheeks turned red, and she pushed him away.

When they returned to the Lu family, it was already early afternoon. Lu Xusheng looked at the numerous boxes and felt overwhelmed.

"Did you bring the entire Cheng family's storeroom here?"

Cheng Yian glanced at him, "If I brought the Cheng family's storeroom, your entire Lu family wouldn't have enough room!"

With that, she elegantly entered Ningji Hall with Ru Hui and Ru Lan. Unfortunately, after a few days of absence, the room felt cold and empty, with a chill that was unbearable.

Not only Cheng Yian, but even Ru Hui and Ru Lan, who were used to the hot spring courtyard at the Cheng family, felt uncomfortable back at the Lu family.

The maids were busy unpacking the boxes, while Nanny Li hurried about managing the household chores.

Cheng Yian and Lu Xusheng sat in the east chamber and talked. Cheng Yian, unwilling to take off her cloak, took out a precious item and placed it on the table.

Lu Xusheng poured her tea and looked at the brocade box, "What's this?"

Cheng Yian whispered, "Banknotes my father gave me..."

Lu Xusheng frowned and straightened up, avoiding any suspicion, "I don't want it."

Cheng Yian rolled her eyes at him, "Dream on. It's not for you."

Lu Xusheng breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Cheng Yian was moving things from the Cheng family to subsidize him.

What kind of man would want a woman's dowry?

"How much is there?"

Lu Xusheng met her gaze and immediately understood, "I won't count. Don't worry, if even a single coin is missing, I'll take responsibility."

With so many strong and capable men around him, securing a courtyard was no problem.

For a man used to military campaigns, setting up defenses was routine. However, as he left, he thought about quickly reclaiming his family's assets and turning the Duke's residence into an impenetrable fortress. Otherwise, Cheng Yian wouldn't feel at ease in this courtyard.

Lu Xusheng had official duties and didn't return from the yamen until late. After changing clothes and entering the bed, he thought he could finally hold his delicate wife and sleep soundly. However, he found Cheng Yian shivering under the blankets, unable to sleep peacefully.

He leaned over her and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Cheng Yian, feeling aggrieved, clutched the blankets tightly, "It's cold. At the Cheng family's garden, there was a hot bath every day, and I slept soundly after soaking. Tonight, I can't sleep."

Everything was fine before, but after a trip to the Cheng family, she couldn't feel comfortable at the Lu family anymore.

Lu Xusheng silently cursed his father-in-law and resignedly slipped under the blankets, pulling her into his arms.

"You have a human furnace to keep you warm all night. Isn't that better than the Cheng family's hot bath?"

Cheng Yian blushed and elbowed him lightly.