She lay down for a while, regained her composure, and returned to the anteroom again. This time, she paid attention to Cui Xingzhou’s brother-in-law, Guo Yi.
Although the young master of this aristocratic family was not as handsome as Cui Xingzhou, as a crane was to a flock of chickens, after all, he was born into a wealthy family and has a casual demeanor.
At this moment, he smiled and toasted with a table of people who were said to be relatives of his mother’s, the Gai family side, while a young woman sat beside her.
Miantang’s eyes were sharp. She saw Cui Fu was looking at them with extra light.
When she saw her husband sitting beside the woman, her face suddenly became ugly.
Servant Li looked at the smiling woman and whispered to Miantang, “That’s the new concubine, named Gai Yurao.'”
Miantang glanced at her and couldn’t say how beautiful she was. Compared to Cui Fu, Gai Yurao’s facial features were slightly inferior, but at the young age of seventeen, she had a vibrant and lovable freshness without rouge.
Miantang looked at Cui Fu and wanted to say something comforting, but when the words came to her mouth, she swallowed them back. Her sister was a person who needed a face, and now was really not the time to speak.
However, before she left, she made an appointment with Cui Fu to come to visit Prince Huaiyang’s Residence when she was free these two days.
“Now that sister and we are both in the capital, it’s not like we are separated by mountains and rivers. It’s easy to come and go. I’m carrying my first child, and our mother is not around. I also have no experience with it. With you, I can just ask for advice to avoid confusion.”
Miantang put it mildly, only saying that she couldn’t leave Cui Fu. Sure enough, Cui Fu immediately replied, “Even if you never ask, I’ll head over too. I’ve asked the nanny next to me to prepare double gifts of those baby clothes and small items, as well as some clothes that are used by Jin’er… Don’t think that these are not new and refuse to use them, it’s for the sake of achieving a smooth delivery and monthsary.”
Miantang smiled, thanking her sister for her kindness. Although Cui Fu doesn’t have much respect for her origins, she was also a person which was soft-hearted.
Otherwise, when she was in the State of Zhen, she would not have taken over the marriage matters of the fifth master. In addition to worrying about Miantang’s management, she was also afraid that Miantang would be tired.
Miantang didn’t know that Cui Fu was also pregnant at that time. Now, seeing her pregnancy reaction being so intense, she felt very guilty. Thinking about Guo’s family affairs, Miantang intended to let her sister stay in the residence for a few more days.
When she returned to the residence, Miantang spoke to Cui Xingzhou about it. Unexpectedly, although Cui Xingzhou had a gloomy face, he did not look shocked.
He said slowly, “I knew this early on. Before our sister returned, I hinted her.'”
Miantang didn’t expect him to know it long ago, so she asked, “So what do you think?”
Cui Xingzhou took off his shoes and said, “The Guo family wants a concubine, so our Cui family naturally can’t control it. But whether the Cui family’s daughter wants to continue living with him, his family can’t control it either! What I meant at the time was to have our sister issue a letter of divorce, and break off with the Guo family, so as not to let that pestilent mother-in-law move women into the residence like a mouse.”
Miantang didn’t expect Cui Xingzhou, who would stare at her every time she initiate a breakoff with him, to be so open-minded and magnanimous in her sister’s marriage, with a strong momentum of cutting through the chaos with a sharp knife.
In this way, Liu Miantang couldn’t help but have a sense of a completely new appraisal of Cui.
For a moment, the way she looked at him was somewhat different.
After Cui Xingzhou finished speaking, he realized that he had made a bad demonstration, but he immediately made up for it, “Even if my sister is pregnant, she doesn’t have to worry about remarriage when she comes home with a divorce. I couldn’t have a saying in her marriage at first, and she married into such a boring family. If she were to find another man again in the future, I will naturally guard her and find a good one. However, some women from small families need to be careful. They shouldn’t have the mindset of having a higher marriage than their previous ones. Let alone talking about divorcing at that time, even leaving the residence will be empty talk!”
Miantang felt the tone of his voice was irritating, so she quickly climbed up and glared at him, saying, “Who are you talking about? Point out her name! Let me see if she can leave the residence by then!”
Cui Xingzhou felt that her explosive appearance was also very weak, so he walked over and held her cheeks with both hands, saying, “Weren’t we talking about the family affairs of our sister? Why are you so agitated? Are you really harboring any misguided thoughts? Why not say it out and be open…'”
Liu Miantang had a few secrets in her heart. When he said this, she suddenly felt a little guilty, and her big round eyes narrowed. She leaned against his arms and whispered, “You were the one who make fun of me first… By the way, since you said that, what does our sister mean?”
Cui Xingzhou was obviously not satisfied with her sister’s reply, and said lightly, “She just couldn’t bear it. She just said that she didn’t really give birth to many and only has 1 son. She couldn’t blame her mother-in-law for taking a concubine for her husband. She also said that Guo Yi promised that he would never spoil the concubine and destroy her.”
Miantang sounds a bit unpleasant. “But this is indeed our sister’s family affair. If she can bear it, even you cannot be involved.”.
Although Cui Fu doesn’t admire her mother-in-law, she still has all kinds of relationships with her husband, and naturally won’t agree to her brother’s suggestion.
“So are we just going to let the matter away?” Miantang felt that it wasn’t like Cui Xingzhou’s way of acting.
Cui Xingzhou glanced at her and sneered slightly, “Since ancient times, there has been no such thing that has the best of both worlds. Since his brother-in-law’s inner courtyard has a strong atmosphere, his officialdom will have to go through a cold winter. If there is a sensible person in his family who has figured out what happened, he should know what to do.”
“What does this mean?” Miantang asked again, but Cui Jiu didn’t want to say anything more. He only told her that if her sister came back to live in the residence, just keep her for a few more days.
After a few days of waiting, Cui Fu really led Jin’er to her door.
Cui Fu was really planning to stay longer when she comes back this time.
The last time she was pregnant with Jin’er, there were some difficulties, coupled with her mother-in-law’s love for rules, which she endured unbearably.
This time, she became pregnant again, and her pulse was a little unstable. She didn’t want to stay with the Guo family to watch her husband and the new concubine being lovey-dovey.
So when Miantang confided and hoped that she would stay with her often, Cui Fu immediately agreed.
Some time ago, Cui Fu always quarreled with Guo Yi. Behind her doors, she felt a torrent of grievances pouring out of her heart. She could not speak to others, and she could only vent a stream of resentment at Guo Yi.
If she encountered a man who understands the hardships of a pregnant wife, it is natural to be careful to explain to her.
But now that Guo Yi has a new concubine, comparisons naturally arise in his mind. On the one hand, there are the ups and downs of youth, completely unaware of the taste of daily life, and on the other hand, there are years of frustrations and grievances.
Thus, he never wanted to go to Cui Fu’s yard again, so he proudly claimed that Cui Fu was pregnant and needed to rest. Under the excuses that she was not suitable for cohabitation, he naturally lived in Yurao’s yard for a long time.”.
Although her mother-in-law used to have brought in many servants in name, concubines in reality, how dare those little concubines so brazenly take over the hostess? For the first time, Cui Fu felt that her husband was no longer her own.
While Yu Rao, supported by the Gai family, was confident and didn’t even give a damn about her, the main hostess. She was depressed and doesn’t want to return ever again.
When she proposed to accompany her siblings in Prince Huaiyang’s Residence, Guo Yi also agreed to let her stay at her younger brother’s house for a few more days. In fact, he secretly comforted himself from not having to be dragged into the room by Cui Fu every day to argue anymore.
Cui Fu felt another burst of anger in her heart when she saw that he didn’t even ask about her return date.
As soon as she left the Guo family, she covered her mouth in the carriage and cried.
Jin’er was under three years old now, but he has already started to understand the ways of the world. Seeing his mother crying, he helplessly touches Cui Fu’s knee.
However, when Cui Fu got off the carriage, she wiped away her tears and didn’t want Liu Miantang to see any flaws.
It’s a pity that the powder she hastily applied didn’t hide away her sorrows. It was exposing her lies.
Miantang just pretended not to see it and greeted Jin’er warmly to have some Dim sum first.
Jin’er loved this aunt, who was as beautiful as summer flowers, and nestled snugly in her arms, eating jujube paste cakes. While her mother was not paying attention, he attached himself to Miantang’s ear and secretly told her that his mother had just cried on the carriage.
Miantang touched Jin’er’s chubby face and smiled, saying, “Your mother misses your uncle too much. Now that you’re here, it’s all right. You also have to be good, don’t make your mother angry.”
Nowadays, Cui Fu and Miantang have a lot of common topics, and their entry-level relationship has increased.
After leaving the State of Zhen, Miantang, her sister-in-law, looked friendlier than the ladies in other mansions. Cui Fu also understood Miantang’s temperament, which was refreshing and generous. She was not tired to get along with her at all, and her words were much kinder, becoming more like a family.
It’s like when she first came, everyone with a clear eye could see that she was crying. But Miantang didn’t even ask. The next day, a stage was set up in the residence, and famous actors were invited to join the residence’s choir.
Cui Fu couldn’t bring herself up to decide on a show, so she let Miantang take the lead, so the play was all like “Chopping on Chen Shimei” and “Wang Kui being Unfaithful to Gui Ying“.
Although the ending of the play looked exciting and refreshing, after watching too much, she also understood the means and stared at Liu Miantang.
“Are you making me ashamed, or are you showing me the way? I can’t chop up Chen Shimei in our family like Bao Qingtian, nor can I have the courage to make up my mind like Gui Ying. After committing suicide and turned into a ghost and takes revenge. What’s the use of seeing these?”
Miantang was mesmerized by the sight. In Gui Ying’s angry monologue, she couldn’t help wiping her tears. Hearing Cui Fu reprimanded her, her eyes turned red, and said in a nasal tone, “You are not the poor Qin Xianglian, let alone a geisha Gui Ying. You are the legitimate daughter of the royal residence of Huaiyang. How can you commit suicide? Screw the damn way to sue officials to death? If you really learn from the play, wouldn’t you be a joke among the people?”
Over the past few days, Cui Fu has been in a state of self-pity and self-love, unable to resolve it. But now, after watching the heartless man for most of the day, the sadness and indignation in her heart have been somewhat relieved. After listening to Miantang’s unregulated banter, her heart was also somewhat open now.
That’s right!
She was not a poor woman who had no place to go after leaving the Guo family. Why should she hide behind people and cry all day like those entertainers on the stage?
Ruth Ibale On TSFLIP Chapter 1133