Chapter 70

Chapter 70

“What nonsense are you talking? Your marriage to Xiaoyu is set in stone—ironclad. There’s absolutely no possibility of it being called off,” Yu Changan declared firmly. “Or are you saying your eyes are wandering elsewhere?”

“I absolutely haven’t! Xiaoyu is the only one for me.”

“You’d better mean that.”

“We’ve been together for so long now—don’t you know my character by now, Fifth Brother?” Lu Maomao, who wasn’t even fully human, strained to convince him he was a good person.

“You can know a person’s face, but not their heart.”

When someone has nothing, they naturally seem simple and honest. But if they suddenly soar to great heights—a sparrow turning into a phoenix—it’s hard to predict what they might become.

“You’re accusing me without cause!”

Being convicted on mere speculation made Lu Maomao fume. He’d come here to demand answers, yet Yu Changan had nearly derailed him again. He steered the conversation back on track. “Of course I trust you and the Old Master. I’m talking about my father-in-law.”

“What has Father done to you?”

“Before, he couldn’t be bothered with me—he wouldn’t summon me for inquiries unless something was up. But these past couple of days, he’s suddenly become extremely concerned about me. He’s increased my allowances, thoughtfully asked my mother-in-law to arrange new clothes for me, and even said that once Second Brother has some free time, he should take me out to meet people and make connections.”

Was such thorough consideration something a traditional patriarch would normally think of? Alright, fine—maybe that was his own stereotype. But his father-in-law’s change was too drastic, too sudden—completely without warning.

Yu Changan’s mouth twitched. “Isn’t that a good thing? Father has realized you’re a fine young man and wants to treat you well. Your life is better than before.”

Lu Maomao stared at Yu Changan, speechless.

What dream are you living in?

Did he think this was some opera or TV drama—where the live-in son-in-law toils like an ox, gives his all, finally wins over the entire family, and the father-in-law at last sees his worth and starts making it up to him, treating him well?

If this script played out for someone else, he might watch it for amusement. But happening to himself? It just felt awkward—and suspicious. Facing his father-in-law, Lu Maomao not only felt awkward but also couldn’t help secretly suspecting whether the man harbored ill intentions.

It wasn’t that he wanted to think so poorly of his father-in-law—it was simply too bizarre. Believing Fifth Brother’s claim that his father-in-law was merely being kind to him was less credible than believing this was a last meal before execution—benefits bestowed just before calling off the engagement.

Yu Changan knew his explanation was a bit far-fetched. The truth was, his father was a careerist official. Though, to be somewhat fair, his father was obsessed with doing practical work and achieving merit.

The possibility that Lu Maomao might be Prince Chu’s son had made his father start to worry. He feared that if he hadn’t shown enough care for Lu Maomao, that madman Prince Chu—who had finally produced a son—might think Lu Maomao had been mistreated in their household. What if he came knocking on their door—or caused trouble for him in official circles? If Lu Maomao were the child of any other family, as long as they were somewhat reasonable, seeing that they had brought Lu Maomao to the capital and were teaching him to study, they would only feel gratitude. But Prince Chu—who didn’t play by the usual rules—was a different story.

His father’s kindness toward Lu Maomao wasn’t just about improving their relationship. He also worried that if Lu Maomao’s status changed in the future, he might resent having been a live-in son-in-law—and repay kindness with enmity.

If it weren’t for Lu Maomao’s wholehearted desire to marry into their family, he wouldn’t even want Lu Maomao to see Xiaoyu now.

Huh—viewed from that angle, his father wanting to break off the engagement wouldn’t be wrong either.

Mao’er was quite perceptive.

Yu Changan could only try to smooth things over for his old father. “You’re being too sensitive. You’re suspicious of every little bit of kindness from an elder. In the future, if someone flatters you, will you immediately blow up at them?”

“That’s not the same thing at all. Don’t mix the two up.”

“Fifth Brother, tell me—have my father-in-law and mother-in-law been influenced by that eldest male cousin from the main branch? Do they want to choose a better family for Xiaoyu? He’s overreaching—not only does he want to arrange a marriage for Sister Zhilan, he’s also set his sights on Xiaoyu.”

Yu Changan narrowed his eyes. “I had no idea Brother Heng wanted to arrange a marriage for Zhilan. Where did you hear that?”

“You’re preparing for the exams, Fifth Brother. Everyone avoids bothering you with trivial matters. Let me tell you—cousin Heng is really going too far. He not only wants to arrange a marriage for Sister Zhilan, he also wants to make connections for Xiaoyu. It’s utterly shameless.”

Lu Maomao rattled off a long list of complaints about Yu Heng.

“The affairs of the second branch are not for him to decide.”

“But he can persuade Auntie. Could Auntie persuade my mother-in-law?”

“Any matter concerning Xiaoyu ultimately requires Old Master Yu’s approval.”

“Then if I don’t pass the imperial exams, you and the Old Master won’t think I’m useless, will you?” Lu Maomao even began to suspect Yu Changan and Old Master Yu.

Taking advantage of the fact he could still hit Lu Maomao, Yu Changan rapped him on the head. “Stop being so jumpy all the time—jumping at rumors and taking them as fact. None of what you’re imagining will happen.” Then he added, “Father just wants to make it up to you.”

“Make up for what?” Compensation for breaking off the engagement?

“Make up for ignoring you for the past two years,” Yu Changan said, rolling his eyes.

“Can people really change their nature so suddenly?” Lu Maomao asked suspiciously.

“Anything’s possible”—especially when faced with huge potential gains and risks—“If Father is good to you, just accept it. It’ll probably only last for a while.”

“Just for a while?”

“Mhm.”

“And it’ll be fine after this period?”

“Right.”

“You won’t break your promise, will you?”

By now, Yu Changan was so annoyed with Lu Maomao he wanted to hit him. If they were still in Anping County, he would have given Lu Maomao a good thrashing. He struggled to maintain his composure. “No, we won’t. Enough of this now—hurry back and do your homework.”

Once the noisy Mao’er left, Yu Changan’s ears finally knew peace—and he had time to think about the matter concerning Yu Heng.

Yu Heng had been returning home frequently lately, probably because of Zhilan’s marriage prospects. Having seen Xiaoyu’s appearance, he had developed the idea of having Xiaoyu marry into a powerful family. Somehow, Lu Maomao had found out about this scheme. No wonder Lu Maomao had reacted so strongly today—he thought Yu Heng could persuade his parents.

Why did Lu Maomao think a junior like Yu Heng could influence the elders? Had Auntie been persuaded—or was the proposed family exceptionally prestigious?

Whichever it was, Yu Heng had been overstepping his bounds lately. He should tell Zhilan, have her find a way to persuade their mother to tell Yu Heng not to come back to the family home for a while—lest he provoke Lu Maomao. Even though he still hadn’t fully grasped Lu Maomao’s true capabilities, just the fact that he could command cats meant that, if truly angered, getting revenge on Brother Heng would be simple.

“Mother, what does Second Aunt think about Zhilan’s marriage prospects?” Yu Heng asked upon returning to the Yu residence another day.

“Your Second Aunt refused.”

“Why did Second Aunt refuse? The prospect I lined up for Zhilan is the heir to the Earl of Feng’an. Once the heir inherits the title, Zhilan would be a first-rank Countess.”

“The daughter of the maternal cousin of the Earl of Feng’an… her eldest daughter-in-law’s maternal aunt serves as a concubine in the Third Prince’s residence.”

Yu Heng was dismissive. “That’s such a distant connection—what does it matter? Among the major families in the capital, which one doesn’t have some imperial relative?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. Other imperial clan members can’t be compared to the Third Prince. Has the Changping Earl’s household gotten involved?”

“I’m not sure.”

Under his mother’s piercing gaze, Yu Heng said quietly, “Mother, even if my father-in-law or husband had such intentions, they wouldn’t tell me.”

“Then why are you so eager to arrange a match for Zhilan?”

“I just want to give my natal sisters a leg up now that my own situation is good.”

“Your Second Aunt and Second Uncle have their own plans for Zhilan’s marriage. Don’t concern yourself with it.”

Yu Heng was unwilling to give up. "Mother, is Second Uncle really not considering it? Our family only achieved its current status because Father backed the right person back then. Now, my brothers all have bright futures ahead."

"Your second uncle wouldn’t dare. The Patriarch wouldn’t allow it."

"Father got the meat, but he won’t even let Second Uncle have a sip of the broth. Isn’t the Patriarch afraid Second Uncle might resent it?"

At this point, the Eldest Aunt’s expression turned stern. "Hold your tongue. Don’t speak of the Patriarch that way."

"The Patriarch is truly stubborn. He invested so much effort in Xiaoyu, only to marry him off to a hunter from the countryside."

"If you don’t want to sever ties with the family, don’t even think about meddling with Xiaoyu."

Her mother’s sudden harsh words startled Yu Heng. "Is it that serious?"

"Even more serious than that." Lu Maomao’s parentage was still unverified, and the Eldest Aunt couldn’t easily reveal it. She only warned Yu Heng with a grave expression, "These days, the family has important matters to handle. We don’t have time for your nonsense. Focus on taking care of your two children and don’t come back to cause trouble."

Yu Heng wore an expression of disbelief. "Mother?"

"The weather is getting cold, and children are prone to falling ill. Pay more attention to Yanjie and your son. Don’t let them catch a chill again."

"Mother, the way you are now, you don’t act like a county princess at all."

"What should a county princess be like? Whatever I am, that’s what a royal county princess is like," the Eldest Aunt declared with authority.

"You’re nothing like Grandmother."

"If you want to emulate your grandmother, neither the Patriarch nor your father will back you up."

Yu Heng returned home seething with anger. The Eldest Aunt, having spoken these words to her child, was also in low spirits. Heng-ge was becoming more and more like her mother, Princess Anyang. Back then, her father had met the Emperor, who was still a prince, at the princess’s estate. Grandmother Consort Li came from a humble background—she had been sold into the palace as a maid, caught the late Emperor’s eye, and was granted the title of consort only after giving birth to her mother. With no maternal clan to rely on, her mother had always been an inconspicuous figure among the princesses and could have avoided the struggle for the throne. However, years of being overlooked fueled her ambition, leading her to secretly side with the Emperor. Even her marriage to Huaien bore traces of her mother’s influence. In the years that followed, Huaien worked for the Emperor, got implicated in a crime, and dragged the Patriarch into the mess. Those days were filled with tension and fear, and she worried every day that their grand mansion would be raided the next morning.

They had won the last gamble, but what about this time? Did they have the luck to keep winning?

"Go inform the Second Wife that I’ve dealt with Heng-ge’s matter," the Eldest Aunt instructed her head maid, Taohong.

"Yes," Taohong replied and headed toward the second household.

Upon receiving the message, Xiaoyu’s mother dismissed Taohong and said to Zhi Lan, who was learning to manage household affairs beside her, "Heng-ge is truly misguided. Why can’t he just live his peaceful life as the eldest son of the earl’s household? Why must he meddle in other matters?"

Zhi Lan, however, remarked, "If the earl’s household gets involved, I’m afraid Heng-ge won’t be able to stay out of it."

"That’s why choosing the right marriage is so important. Back then, your uncle wanted him to marry the grandson of a great scholar, but he refused, insisting on pursuing the wealth and status of the Changping Earl’s household. Wealth and status never come without effort."

"Don’t worry, my dear Zhi Lan. Mother will definitely find you a good match."

Zhi Lan’s face flushed slightly as she changed the subject. "Mother should also pay more attention to Brother Xiaoyu. Father has been quite intimidated by Brother-in-Law lately."

Mentioning Yu Huaiqing’s recent efforts to please his son-in-law, Xiaoyu’s mother couldn’t help but chuckle. "If it turns out in a few days that your brother-in-law isn’t Prince Chu’s son, your father might die of shame."

"Daoist Priest Huaizhen has already secretly left the capital. Even if Brother-in-Law isn’t Prince Chu’s son, his background must still be extraordinary."

"I hope so. Your father took the time to write some annotations for your brother-in-law. I’ll have someone deliver them right away."

The cold treatment toward Feifan was something she and Huaiqing had agreed upon. It was only natural for Feifan to resent them, and they could only try to make amends little by little. As for Huaiqing’s worry that Feifan might seek revenge in the future, she wasn’t too concerned. Given how devoted Feifan was to Xiaoyu, he wouldn’t do such things. If Prince Chu was Feifan’s father and Feifan was his only heir, wouldn’t he have to consider Feifan’s feelings? At most, Huaiqing might face some exclusion at the yamen, but she wouldn’t have to witness it anyway.

Zhi Lan couldn’t hold back a laugh. Prince Chu’s influence was truly immense. Father had really frightened Brother-in-Law these past few days.