Chapter 79 – Feeling of Reading

Liu Miantang could see clearly on one side, but she felt that there was nothing wrong with the Old Princess Consort’s attitude. Any mother who sees her son who brings back an inexplicable daughter-in-law suddenly will be angry.

 

Although Old Princess Consort Chu is soft with her son, she is also a Lady who is well-fed. Her weakness towards her husband and son does not mean that she is also soft with her daughter-in-law.

 

On the surface, the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is harmonious, but in fact, the undercurrent is surging everywhere. Miantang felt that it was inappropriate for her to live in the Residence before marriage.

 

So after dinner, she told Cui Xingzhou that she wanted to return to Lingquan Town.

 

Prince Huaiyang frowned and said, “Now that you have arrived at my Residence, there is no reason to go back. Your house is not here. Even according to the rules of far-away marriage, there is no need to parade around the streets. The Lady side can just stay at her to-be husband’s house and wait for their marriage. What will it be like if you return back to North Street? Don’t let anyone really thinks that you are my Mistress!”

 

But Liu Miantang insisted, “What kind of distant marriage is it? I’m a self-supporting female. Everywhere I go, it’s my own home… Your mother just knows my presence and you brought me back, so she has to adapt slowly!”

 

Prince Huaiyang did not want Miantang to leave, but on second thought, if his mother was around, he would always have to avoid her and if he wanted to stick around with Miantang before they became legalized, it will be hard. Miantang would be freer if she lived outside.

 

On this thought, he agreed. Anyway, the Steward of the Prince’s Residence has already started to buy the ritual items according to his instructions. In a few days, Miantang will be the Princess Consort of Cui’s Residence, and he won’t not afraid of her running away again.

 

So Miantang went to say goodbye to the Old Princess Consort that day and returned to North Street first.

 

Although the Old Princess Consort was angry, she didn’t expect that the woman didn’t want to stay in the Residence, so she said, “Since you signed the marriage certificate with Xingzhou, you will finish the ceremony soon. What are you going to do if you don’t stay in the Residence? Do you know what the people say about the north street courtyard?”

 

Miantang said meekly, “I’m not going back to North Street. I’ll go to live in the Prince’s other courtyard in the suburb of the State of Zhen. When the time for the marriage ceremony comes, it’s easier to walk from there.”

 

The Old Princess Consort was really upset when she saw that she had her own thoughts. She could not help saying, “My son is really used to making his own decisions. But as a woman, you should know that being the daughter-in-law of someone else’s family is not as simple as catching a man’s heart! Being the Princess Consort of the Royal Residence is not a small woman’s way of becoming a phoenix at random! Let me ask you, did you ever manage a family before?”

 

Miantang thought for a moment and said, “I have never managed a family as big as the Prince Residence…”

 

The Old Princess Consort said clearly, “Of course, you have never been in charge of it. Even those royal daughters are also learning and cultivating themselves in front of their mothers who are in charge of the family. With that, they can then understand the ways of managing only after they teach them step by step. You haven’t learned anything and just marry in like this. If I have a headache, you need to be in charge of all these things. By then, are you going to take care of the chores in the Royal Residence in a bad way? Xingzhou is busy with official duties every day, and if you ask him to take charge of the matters in the Royal Residence… How can he stand it? “

 

Speaking of the end, the Old Princess Consort was really worried. As a mother, even if she was too soft and useless, her heart for her son is generally the same.

 

It was not necessary for her to find a daughter-in-law of the nobles or royal Residence. If such a woman was arrogant to her, she could not stand it! Therefore, if Lian Binglan, her niece, marries her son, it would be better as she knew everything about her.

 

But now, looking at the appearance of the County Mayor brought back by her son, Old Princess Consort Chu knew that her son would never look at Lian Binglan again.

 

She also knew that the Lian family had their own plans, and she was not as single-minded about her son as Lian-Chu said. However, it is not easy to ask especially when they are close relatives.

 

So far, the Old Princess Consort also tried to persuade herself to accept this daughter-in-law, but how could her family background lead to the common affairs of the royal residence? To tell the truth, the name of the County Mayor was awarded by the Emperor in Prince Huaiyang’s honor. It was just a matter of putting a few phoenix hairs on the tail of pheasants to decorate the appearance.

 

Since she was about to go through the door, the Old Princess Consort could not stop her son, so she wanted to teach the girl. If she’s a person who is willing to learn, she will not lose The Prince Residence’s face outside. If she only has a good appearance but is dull, she will also take time to find some decent concubines for her son in the future, so as to prevent the Prince Residence from being controlled by a woman of small family background.

 

In the end, Miantang’s idea of leaving the Residence was rejected by the Old Princess Consort, who only asked someone to clean up the Fuling courtyard for Miantang in the Residence and let her live there temporarily.

 

Miantang didn’t let Servant Li follow her when she came in.

 

Before she came, she saw that there was no sign of Mo Ru around the Prince, so she asked him. Only then did she know that Mo Ru had been trial and beaten.

 

Miantang thought that Servant Li was the old servant who was about to retire from the residence. She has worked hard all her life and made great achievements. She has accumulated some achievements in front of the Old Princess Consort. If the Old Princess Consort complains that why didn’t she report her matter to her, wouldn’t it hurt the relationship between the master and servant for decades?

 

So she discussed with Cui Xingzhou when she comes to the Residence, she would let Servant Li go back to her hometown to see her children and grandchildren and have a rest for a while so that she could not suffer the anger of the Old Princess Consort and overcome this situation. Cui Xingzhou also agreed.

 

Servant Li naturally knew what Miantang meant by this arrangement, and she was grateful to the future Princess Consort. Otherwise, if she were to return to the Royal Residence with the County Mayor. As an old slave of the Royal Residence, she really has no face to meet the Old Princess Consort who has been kept in the dark.

 

Because Servant Li has returned to the countryside for the time being, the maid beside Miantang is simple. In addition to Fang Xie and Bi Cao, there are also two servant girls in charge of the rough work.

 

When she entered the Fuling Courtyard, the Residence sent two other big servant girls to Miantang. These two servant girls are Huanxue and Yanrong.

 

It is said that they all have served the Old Princess Consort before. They said that they were big maids. If they walked out of the Residence, their aura is equivalent to that of the daughters of nobles. The appearance of the two girls is much better than that of ordinary maids. The Old Princess Consort carefully selected such beautiful maids and sent them to her, which also means that they will be the maid in name, concubines in reality for her son in the future.

 

The people in the Residence all know the rules. Although the two servant girls despise the future Princess Consort in their hearts for her improper way of coming, they will never let anyone find fault with them offering tea as the etiquette on the surface.

 

However, it is gratifying to know that Fang Xie and Bi Cao were also scolded one by one by Servant Li. Although their appearance is not better than that of Huanxue and Yanrong, if they keep up their spirits, their service manners are also impeccable.

 

As a result, Huanxue and Yanrong could not get in front of the County Mayor.

 

They had to leave the inner room of the County Mayor and find work in the outer room.

 

After handling his official duties for a while, Prince Huaiyang slipped into his fiancee’s yard to see how she was doing. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Miantang lying on the soft couch reading.

 

He was afraid that Miantang would be bored when she came to the Residence, so he told her to go to the study to get some books. Just now, he was busy handling official documents and didn’t see what books Miantang had taken from his study to read.

 

Now he saw the cover of the book. It turned out to be the “Eight Deceptions” written by General Shen of the previous dynasty. This is a book on military tactics. It contains the experience of General Shen’s many years of war and more examples of how to use terrain to arrange arrays and use troops flexibly.

 

He thought she would take some leisure books to read, but now he looks at some of the books around her. Except for a few local differences, most of them are military books that are not very interesting for women.

 

Cui Xingzhou raised his eyebrows and asked her, “Are the books not boring?”

 

Miantang stretched and said, “It’s interesting. I heard the story about General Shen’s march and battle in the teahouse when I was a child. Unfortunately, The Emperor banned him from writing a book for the former general, and I never heard of it in the teahouse again. Now it’s in this book on the art of war… You have this book in your study, isn’t it a crime?”

 

Cui Xingzhou smiled and lay down on the soft couch with her. He took the book of the military from her hand and threw it aside, He said, “Not only do I have it but the Imperial study of the Imperial Palace too. The Emperor forbids people to speak, just to prevent people from thinking about the past dynasty and causing trouble. However, General Shen is a military genius, so naturally, he wants to learn from others… I also have Wu Long’s book with illustrations on my bookshelf, his book “Under the Red Wall Flowers” it’s hard to get a copy. Many young ladies can’t buy it even if they want to see it. Someone just gave me the whole set. You can take it. “

 

Miantang looked at him with eyebrows raised, “It’s the Wu Long scholar who wrote about a rich childe and the depressed scholar on how to steal and hook up with the women as well as the top prostitute? Is it not enough for me to be deceived by others that I have to read his writing about the men who are eager to cheat to sleep with women?”

 

Miantang firmly believes that the Prince’s proposal is absolutely ill-intentioned.

 

The pen and ink of the Wulong Scholar were beautiful, and the set he collected was still a limited editor masterpiece with illustrations! Most people who read this book are dissolute people. Ordinary people can’t get these fragrant and gorgeous things that are popular among the powerful people in the Royal Residences.

 

However, Prince Huaiyang, who is usually cold and serious, even has this collection of the dissolute, which shows that the nickname of “Sai Xiahui” is not real, and he is very immanent inside!

 

Cui Xingzhou loved to tease her, he smiled and kissed her on the cheek, and said, “It’s not good to look at it by myself. I don’t usually look at it. But we can look at it together, so that we can act in a similar way and not cause an internal fire within ourselves and lose our minds, right?”

 

Miantang pushed him with a red face, “What time is it now that I’m still stuck with you? You are ignoring your mother’s words today, aren’t you? Before we got married, we should never live in the same room. There are so many people in the Residence. You don’t care about trifles, but you should pity my reputation. Go out quickly. You have been in the yard too long.”

 

Cui Xingzhou also knew that he could not continue to stay in the same room with her before marriage. It’s just that he wanted to have a short time entangle with her to satisfy his cravings when he is away from his busy business. It’s a pity that Miantang won’t agree with her tight face.

 

He also knew that he needed to leave face for Miantang in front of his mother at this time, so he just hugged again and got up and left.

 

At night, Miantang slept alone. Her yard is a little far from Cui Xingzhou’s study. But fortunately, there is a lake in the middle, and there is no barrier. Looking out of the half-opened window, she can see that the candlelight on the opposite bank window lit up most of the night.

 

The next day, the Old Princess Consort sent a message to Miantang to have a meal together and asked her to stay to learn how to check the accounts.

 

During the meal, Old Princess Consort Chu was constantly observing Miantang’s demeanor and found that her demeanor was flowing and elegant. Old Princess Consort Chu felt a little comforted. She thought that although the lady had a bad family background, she should have learned etiquette well when her family was not in decline.

 

But when she asked Miantang to copy the gift list, she could not help frowning and saying, “Your character… Is not very beautiful!”

 

Miantang smiled and said honestly, “Report to the Old Princess Consort, this is the result of my hard work. My original handwriting is even worse.”