Old Master Chen also felt Old Madam Chen was being somewhat unreasonable and turned back to ask her with some incomprehension, “How would this not work?”
That was his biological granddaughter. Old Madam Chen suddenly coughed several times. “The age doesn’t match at all, and how would the generational hierarchy work? He’s a full twenty-two years older than Mingxin! Mingxin, an unmarried young lady from the Elder’s household, marrying a commoner widower with no official position? When people bring this up in the future, who knows how they’ll laugh at you, laugh at our Chen family. Even if others don’t laugh, how would this place His Highness the Prince then? Would His Highness really be brothers-in-law with a commoner? Even eating family banquets together would look unseemly!”
Old Madam Chen grew angrier as she spoke, feeling as if her heart and lungs were being torn out in pain. She thought it would be better to choose Chen Mingqing instead. What a pity that girl had been distant toward them ever since Third Master Chen and Third Madam Chen died. Every time she raised her eyes to look at them, the cold light in her eyes made people’s hearts panic. Moreover, she had to observe three years of mourning, so she really wasn’t suitable. Old Madam Chen did want to send her, but feared that once sent over, Yang Qing would feel the Chen family was slapping his face.
She looked at Old Master Chen as tears streamed down her cloudy eyes. “Mingxin is the second daughter-in-law’s precious treasure. If she marries such a mere commoner, wouldn’t all these years of upbringing be wasted?”
Old Master Chen rebuked her, “In the past you were always open-minded about important matters. How is it that now in your old age you’ve become increasingly muddled? If I still had other suitable granddaughters, naturally I would give them. But don’t we lack them? Moreover, Yang Qing is no ordinary man—his future circumstances will absolutely not stop here. He already has a Recommended Man degree—how can you call him a commoner? Once this matter is accomplished, I’ll arrange for him to report to the Ministry of Personnel for assignment. With my care and Prince Dongping’s support, no matter what, obtaining a rank of Junior Seventh Rank won’t be difficult. Even if he wants to take the examinations again, that’s acceptable. With our support, what’s there to worry about him not succeeding in the future? I tell you, with that brain of his, he’s destined not to suffer losses. If Mingxin marries him, first it can reassure me, letting me use him without any misgivings, and second it can bind him even tighter. United through marriage, in the future for his own good, he’ll have to help me all the way, help the Chen family stand firm and make a comeback. You must give to gain—don’t you understand this principle?”
Once Old Master Chen started lecturing her with such grand principles, she knew there was no avoiding it. Back when she was still Old Master Chen’s equal, Old Madam Chen still couldn’t sway him on such important matters, let alone now. Old Madam Chen wiped her tears, not daring to cry anymore, though her heart remained unwilling. “It’s just unknown whether the second daughter-in-law and Mingxin will be willing.”
Old Master Chen sneered coldly, “Since she’s a daughter of my Chen family, what is there to say about willing or unwilling? Having taken our surname and been raised by us with such difficulty, moreover, in the great matter of marriage it’s by parental decree—what grounds do they have to be unwilling?”
The matter was thus settled. Second Madam Chen cried bitterly before Second Master Chen, pushing and hitting him, hoping he would persuade Old Master Chen to abandon this harmful notion. Second Master Chen timidly went to find his father, but was soundly scolded and came out, no longer willing to interfere. Instead he privately advised her, “You don’t only have this one daughter—you still have sons. If our Chen family can truly rise again, and you marry Xin’er off to bind Father to this Yang Qing whom he values so highly and even wants to make his adopted son, won’t Father remember our kindness then?”
Second Madam Chen still couldn’t bear it, but didn’t dare confront her father-in-law either—her mother-in-law was already dissatisfied with her background, and Chen Mingxin didn’t enjoy being raised by Old Madam Chen from childhood like Chen Mingyu had after losing her father. She cried for half the day, then had to gather her spirits to personally coax and persuade her daughter.
None of the Chen family’s turmoil reached Song Chuyi. She watched Nanny Xu direct the servants to pack the luggage in proper categories, then looked back at the Yanshang Studio that had been arranged almost identically to her Guanju Courtyard in the capital, slowly sighing.
Linglong was waiting outside for her. Seeing her emerge, she hurried forward with a smile to greet her, then said, “Old Madam has repeatedly asked whether you’ve risen yet. She still hasn’t had breakfast at this hour.”
The day of parting was right before them. Old Madam Cui normally clung to Song Chuyi very tightly, and even more so now. She was old, and once the only blood descendant left by her only daughter departed, perhaps there would be no chance of meeting again. Her heart grew increasingly unable to let go.
Song Chuyi nodded and sighed softly. Old Madam Cui had truly been so good to her. She thought of the thick stack of bank notes and the box of exquisite and magnificent jewelry that Old Madam Cui had given her last night, and her heart felt somewhat heavy.
Old Madam Cui’s age was truly advanced—only a few years younger than Old Madam Song, and she often had poor health. Once Song Chuyi left like this, with mountains high and waters long between them, perhaps there would never be another day when they’d meet again.
Old Madam Cui was very happy to see her, smiling like a small child. She pulled her to sit beside her and asked after her well-being for a while. Hearing that things were almost all packed, a trace of reluctance appeared between her brows, though it quickly disappeared. She touched Song Chuyi’s head and nodded. “This is good—you can’t stay in Jinzhong for a lifetime.”
Sometimes Old Madam Cui actually hoped the Song family elders would be a bit more muddle-headed, a bit more muddle-headed about Cui Shi’s death. Then their Cui family could openly demand these two children back. But the Song family elders weren’t muddle-headed. Their handling was quite fair, and they were truly very good to Song Chuyi. She sighed deeply and asked Song Chuyi, “What do you want to eat tonight? Last time you said the Water Gazing at Moon dish from Peach Blossom Tower was quite good. I’ve already had the chef invited to the house—I’ll have him make one for you tonight.”
The Cui family had truly taken painstaking efforts for her. Song Chuyi quickly shook her head. “There’s no need to go to such trouble. These past few days, Jinzhong’s famous chefs have probably all been invited to our house already.”
Old Madam Cui laughed, “What does that matter?” Then she immediately grew sad again. “What does this amount to? Grandmother doesn’t know how much longer she can live. While still alive, still together with you, no matter how troublesome it is, it’s all sweet as honey to me.”
Song Chuyi had heard from Second Uncle yesterday that the day before, Taixu Temple sent word down saying they would only see the Grand Prince and nothing else. Old Madam Cui personally took a sedan chair and went out, waiting at the mountain gate for two or three days before Master Taibai finally relented and agreed to meet her once. Her eyes reddened somewhat as she rested her head against Old Madam Cui’s bosom.
Old Madam Cui could truly be said to have devoted her utmost efforts to her. She sighed deeply.