Princess Royal Maode was not optimistic about Zhuang Man and Ling Zui, but she had always spoiled her young son. Ling Zui pestered her and acted like a spoiled child for a while, and then she relented, “It’s rare for you to be so obsessed with a person. How can I not help you? It’s just… You have to get along well with Miss Zhuang of the Zhuang Family after she marries you!”

Ling Zui’s goal was achieved. Of course, he promised Princess Royal Maode and made her words go in one ear and out the other.

Princess Royal Maode accepted the marriage on behalf of her son. Considering that the marriage was first put forward by Madame Zhuang, Zhuang Man’s biological aunt, she needed to take the initiative on behalf of the male side. So, Princess Royal Maode especially took a hairpin she wore when she was young and wrote back, “This is a hairpin I especially treasured in the early years and prepared to leave it to the wife of Ling Zui!”

Madame Zhuang was very pleased to know it. She told Mrs. Chang to put away the hairpin properly and sent a servant to invite her sister-in-law Madame Wen and her niece Zhuang Man to her home. This time, her task was to persuade Madame Wen.

Concerning the youngest daughter’s whole life, although Madame Wen didn’t want to offend her sister-in-law, she didn’t intend to ignore her casually. Finding out the reason for inviting them from the servant who came to her, she felt very vexatious. After thinking, she found an excuse for not being able to visit and tried to find a solution through temporizing on it.

Madame Zhuang guessed her sister-in-law’s mind and said disapprovingly, “Zui’er is actually a good child. Even if he is a little naughty, is Man’er so vulnerable to be bullied?”

Qiu Yelan smiled to make mediation, “Isn’t the news about Commandery Princess Lihui reported? It’s the same to deal with the matter of Jiang Yadan first.”

“Right.” Madame Zhuang thought of the unsolved matter about her eldest son’s step-wife and nodded slightly, “Call the man in!”

Chu Yitong had never been out of home in the past two years because she observed mourning for her mother. So, she was very quiet. The person that Madame Zhuang sent to check her temperament and conduct was a trusted subordinate of Madame Zhuang brought back from Beijiang and was reliable enough. But it was difficult to spy on the inner chambers of the Prince’s Mansion in just a few days.

The conclusion reported at this moment was basically the comments when the Princess of Huainan had still lived, “… She is an adorable girl among her family sisters!”

She was good-looking, lively, and loved to laugh with honey-lipped… This was the impression Commandery Princess Lihui left to outsiders when her mother Princess of Huainan had lived. She had a noble status and never bred enmity with anyone. Naturally, most people praised her.

Madame Zhuang was somewhat satisfied after hearing this, “Dan’er should like her. Her mother is a virtuous woman. I think her family education should be pretty good.”

Mrs. Chang also agreed, “She has stayed at home for observing mourning for the past two years so that she is almost forgotten by outsiders. It can show her filial piety!”

A filial daughter could always score points in front of elderly people.

“Go and call Dan’er over. If nothing unexpected happens, it’s settled!” Madame Zhuang calculated the date silently. It had been a long time since she left Beijiang. The original intention was to seek justice for her daughter. Later, when she knew that her daughter was fine, it turned to be a reunion with her children. But now Jiang Qizheng and her husband stayed in Shazhou. In order to stay away from troubles, they might not come back in a year or so, but she couldn’t wait so long.

“Go back to Beijiang after the Emperor’s wedding!” Madame Zhuang had made up her mind two days ago. Although Jiang Tianchi was not young like her, his identity as Great General of North meant that he would not lack the temptation of youthful and beautiful women even in his seventies and eighties. Madame Zhuang didn’t want to be negligent about it, or it would add a brother or a sister of a concubine to her children.

In this case, she didn’t say it, but she was determined to deal with all important matters quickly!

Of course, matters about the step-wife of her eldest son and the marriage of her niece were the two most important ones.

Jiang Yadan, like Ling Zui, agreed immediately when he came to his mother and knew the name.

It was no surprise for Qiu Yelan that he would agree. Her eldest brother-in-law would never refuse any beautiful girls!

Moreover, he was badly scolded by Madame Zhuang these days. How dared he disobey his mother?

Even now, after agreeing to accept the step-wife recommended by Madame Zhuang, he still couldn’t escape from being rebuked. “At your age, the marriage of the eldest son of concubines should be discussed in two years. I really shouldn’t embarrass you anymore! But look at what you’ve done…”

When Madame Zhuang only picked up a small part of the absurd things that Jiang Yadan had done before, it was getting dark already. Madame Zhuang hummed coldly, “Since you know that you were wrong before, you can’t do it again later!”

She warned him, “Your dead wife was a good person. You’ve been sorry for her. Now she’s gone and I won’t say anything. But your step-wife is also good according to the information inquired. If you degrade your second legal wife licentiously again, don’t let me know for the rest of your life! Otherwise, even if I can’t come back by myself, I’ll send Mrs. Chang back to deal with you!”

Mrs. Chang was a stranger to Jiang Yashuang and his wife, but Jiang Yadan was not strange to her. He still remembered that Mrs. Chang often took him in arms when he was a child. Although Jiang Yadan had barely moral integrity, he still had a sort of respect for the old servant who had brought him up. At the moment, he said with a bitter smile, “Mother, you said these words before, and I have never forgotten!”

“You’d better remember it!” Madame Zhuang sneered and said some tough words. And then she ordered to serve dishes and asked Jiang Yadan to eat with her.

… After the news that Commandery Princess Lihui would be the step-wife of Jiang Yadan came out, even when the Emperor’s wedding was approaching, it raised a lot of discussions.

“The dignified princess should be a step-wife. It is even Jiang Yadan that is going to marry her. Who doesn’t know Jiang Yadan’s personality in the whole Jing City?”

“It is said that it was put forward first by Duke of Huainan!”

“It’s really… they can do anything for power and influence… Ah!”

In all kinds of discussions, half of the people thought that the Jiang Family abused its power and was bullying others. They thought the princess was forced to marry into the Jiang Family. Another half of them despised Duke of Huainan in that he didn’t hesitate to marry the beautiful trueborn daughter to a prodigal for the purpose of pleasing the booming Jiang Family. Anyway, both sides were shameless.

These shameless comments naturally didn’t trouble the whole Jiang Family at all. They had suffered these kinds of comments for a long time. They had been used to being scolded for so many years.

But Duke of Huainan was different.

Chu Weixian, the unsophisticated young prince, was congratulated deliberately face to face by someone in the court. He pleaded illness after returning home. Chu Sitong, a daughter of concubine and the County Princess Lixian, also especially went back to her maiden family to remind her father, “Everyone outside is talking about us…”

Chu Xiao understated to hush her up, “Since you have been married, don’t worry about the matters of your maiden family!”

Chu Sitong failed to persuade her father and flushed with shame. She just wanted to leave. But after deliberations, she gritted her teeth and went to the backyard. When her biological mother and Chu Yitong’s biological mother died at the same time, the two sisters supported each other at the beginning. Therefore, although they had different mothers and she was a few years older than Chu Yitong, they were really close.

“Yi’er, why are you still so haggard?” Chu Sitong began to sigh when she entered Chu Yitong’s yard, “Is it for your marriage?”

The pale Chu Yitong just smiled, “I’ve been like this for the past two years. Didn’t you know that?”

As for the marriage that has been widely discussed outside, she behaved with no interest and expectation, but she did not resist, “Parents are in charge of children’s marriage. Besides, how could there be so many perfect men in the world? Just rub along with each other.”

Chu Sitong was a little angry, “This is really humiliating you!”

“There are also princesses to be Jiang Yadan’s sisters-in-law!” Chu Yitong was calm, “If he wants to marry someone with noble birth, those princesses will be absolutely delighted!”

It was true.

Chu Sitong sighed, “They… seek a living under the Empress Dowager. Naturally, they want to please the Empress Dowager.”

“Don’t say that. Anyway, my father has made up his mind.” Chu Yitong said faintly, “Besides, Madame Tao Junior could live for so many years, why can’t I? The Tao Family is gone now, but it was also a famous family that everyone admired in those days… And Madame Tao Junior died of dystocia, not abuse!”

She was not directly abused to death, but if Jiang Yadan had had a conscience, why would he have got her pregnant in her thirties for the first time? If not, she might not die!

Chu Sitong muttered inwardly, but she understood Chu Yitong’s meaning. Whether she agreed or not, their father would surely marry her to the Jiang Family anyway! It was no use to cry. It was better to be broad-minded!

The courtyard of the Mansion of Duke of Huainan was filled with pessimism about this marriage. However, all families in Jing City who coveted the position of Jiang Yadan’s step-wife were gnashing their teeth, hoping that Chu Yitong would die immediately!

Just because Empress Dowager Jiang acted as the go-between in the marriage and Madame Zhuang agreed first, even Marquess Qin and Madame Tao didn’t say a word. Other people didn’t dare to do anything though they had different opinions. They just prayed that Madame Zhuang could leave here quickly to give them the courage and opportunity to place obstacles.

Time flew and it was June in the twinkling of an eye.

Of course, the biggest thing in June was Emperor’s wedding.

However, at the beginning of June, something that was neither big nor small happened to the fourth branch of the Jiang Family and the servants didn’t dare to make up their minds. Qiu Yelan, who heard the report first, also didn’t dare to make a decision. So, she had to ask Madame Zhuang, “Duan gave birth to twins some time ago! Mother, didn’t you tell her something before? But now the backyard of Jiang Yadan is empty and the date of marrying Commandery Princess Lihui is at the end of the year… Duan wanted to beg you to let her raise her children by that time. What do you think then, mother?”

Madame Zhuang didn’t even think about it and said, “She thought that I wouldn’t stay in Jing City until then and she could stay alive as long as she got through these months, right?”

Qiu Yelan thought so, but her identity was different. It was improper for her to say these words while Madame Zhuang could say casually. She just truthfully said, “If we deal with her, I’m afraid there will be no suitable person to raise her children in the backyard.”

“And then let the nursing mother raise them.” Madame Zhuang said coldly, “Is there only Duan who can raise children in the world?”

This result was expected by Qiu Yelan. Because of Jiang Yazhu’s biological mother, Madame Zhuang thought that all concubines deserved to die even the ones that were robbed or bought, not to mention someone like Duan who seduced a married husband actively.

But Qiu Yelan reminded, “Mother, of course, it’s good to let the nursing mother keep them. But Commandery Princess Lihui is young and Jiang Yadan is still in his prime. These two children are Jiang Yadan’s own flesh and blood. We can’t always let the nursing mother raise them… When Commandery Princess Lihui moves into our family, will she keep them?”

“This…” Madame Zhuang frowned when she heard this. Right, neither Jiang Yadan nor Chu Yitong is not too old to bear children! Jiang Yadan’s backyard was cleaned up again before. After Chu Yitong moved into the family, if she didn’t bring up the twins, she must be judged as unkind!

Not only the twins, but also other children of Jiang Yadan that had not yet reached the age of 15. These children, either big or small, had to be taken care of by the legal mother or their biological mothers. But Madame Zhuang cleaned up their biological mothers. These children lived with their nursing mothers at present. Would the legal mother ignore them after she moved into the family?

Anyway, it was too flattering for the children of concubines to be raised by the legal mother!

Moreover, if Chu Yitong had children later, how would she treat these children of concubines who were raised by her as before? After all, with many children, there must be no way to achieve the absolute even-handedness. If she treated one of them unfairly, he or she might become ungrateful for the legal mother’s laborious upbringing!

Therefore, Madame Zhuang cleaned the eldest son’s backyard by tracking down Madame Tao Junior’s dowry. Although she gave enough respect to her daughter-in-law, she didn’t expect to raise problems for her.

Madame Zhuang had always been determined to be a good mother-in-law because of her mother’s experience. Chu Yitong was her daughter-in-law chosen by herself and she wouldn’t harm her. After thinking for a moment, she hummed, “Even so, it’s not the reason that she can live!”

She asked her attendants, “Are there anyone with some discretion among Dan’er’s concubines?”

Mrs. Chang pondered and said, “Although the previous Princess Zhou is a remaining member of Gu, she is very well-advised!”

Qiu Yelan’s lips twitched slightly, “She immediately betrayed her husband and her maiden family when she realized the unfavorable circumstance and just wanted to live alone… Can’t she be called well-advised?”

Madame Zhuang asked the reason and gave the same comment on her, but she thought it didn’t matter, “As long as she has a normal brain, she should know that it’s an honor to be able to enter our family. If she thought that she could fight against the legal wife for raising some children of concubines, she was fearful of living too long. Tell her what I said!”

So, half a day later, Madame Duan was carried out of the mansion in a roll of the straw mat. The previous Princess Zhou Gu E’nuo, as Mistress Gu, was carried into the mansion from the side door in a small sedan and acted as the adoptive mother of Jiang Yadan’s many children of concubines.