Anran still had to attend Sixth Sister's homecoming banquet. After all, only after today would Sixth Sister's marriage be truly over.
However, there's no need to rush today; returning to the Marquis of Nan'an's residence closer to noon will suffice.
The Yu family mother and son decided to go home early this morning, and informed Anran, preparing to say goodbye to her.
Lu Mingxiu went to court early this morning, so only Anran brought Nian Ge'er to Tinglan Courtyard to see off the Yu family mother and son.
"Please don't worry, the Marquis has already had people investigate this matter." An Ran said to Yu's mother, "It just involves something that happened in Yangzhou seven or eight years ago, so it may take a while. Don't worry, the truth about what happened back then will definitely come to light."
Madam Yu hurriedly rose and bowed to Anran, saying, "I am already extremely grateful and uneasy that Madam and the Marquis are willing to help."
My family and the Pingyuan Marquis's family are not related, and the Marquis and his wife are kind-hearted, which is why they have gone to such lengths to help them. I can only be grateful; otherwise, it would be too ungrateful of them.
They no longer knew how to repay the Marquis of Pingyuan's family.
"Please don't say that." An Ran smiled and got up, helping Yu's mother to sit down beside her before saying, "You must take care of yourself when you go back. Brother Yu and Sili are worried about you."
With tears welling up in her eyes, Yu's mother nodded.
Her husband's fate was unknown, but she still had two children. Although Yu Zhou was capable, he was still unmarried and had not yet established a family. Looking at him, Yu's mother vaguely guessed what was on his mind; she feared that Yu Zhou secretly harbored feelings for Miss An Jiu and the Lady of Pingyuan Marquis.
She liked this beautiful, gentle, generous, and kind young girl, but her family was not worthy of a daughter of a marquis. Moreover, An Jiu was already married, so Yu Zhou dared not have any improper thoughts.
Yu's mother understood her son. He never showed the slightest sign of embarrassment to An Jiu, keeping it hidden in his heart and refusing to mention it to anyone.
It's a pity we weren't meant to be.
Before long, Yu Zhou had hired a carriage to pick up his mother and Yu Sili. He rarely accepted help from others and didn't want to trouble them, but coming to the Pingyuan Marquis's residence was a last resort. Therefore, when leaving, Yu Zhou hired a carriage himself, not wanting to trouble the Pingyuan Marquis's residence any further.
Yu Zhou didn't come empty-handed either; even though there was only so much he could do, he did his best to express his gratitude.
“Brother Yu, this—” An Ran looked at the two fine fox furs that Yu Zhou had brought. One was pure white and flawless, and the other was as black as ink. What they had in common was that there was not a single impurity, and they were glossy and shiny. They looked like the best of the best, one in a million.
It must have been quite difficult for Yu Zhou to obtain these two pelts while hunting!
An Ran hesitated for a moment between accepting and not accepting.
She accepted the items anyway, smiling and thanking him. "Thank you very much, Brother Yu."
Seeing that An Ran didn't refuse, Yu Zhou breathed a sigh of relief. Although he could only repay the Pingyuan Marquis's family in a limited way at this moment, he couldn't just accept their help without reciprocating.
Moreover, Marquis Pingyuan also promised to help them investigate what happened in Yangzhou back then.
Although he also liked An Jiu, making him a rival of Lu Mingxiu in love, the two admired each other's character and shared a mutual respect.
Therefore, no matter how much Yu Zhou liked him, he could only wish him and An Ran well.
Preventing 6 thefts of 6 chapters
Upon hearing the news that she was to be engaged to Liu Ren, Mingrong trembled with rage. She had still clung to a sliver of hope that if Aunt Xiao could persuade the Second Master to suppress the matter, perhaps she could escape her fate of marrying Liu Ren. But Aunt Xiao entered with a blank expression, delivering this devastating news that felt like a bolt from the blue.
"Auntie, what did you promise me!" Mingrong's eyes seemed to burn with two balls of fire. She said angrily in a trembling voice, "You said you would protect me with your life, you said you would stand up for me! It was all a lie. Auntie is just a coward who loves life and fears death!"
A flicker of pain crossed Aunt Xiao's lifeless eyes, before she regained her composure. Her hoarse voice carried a hint of weariness. "Third Miss, Fifth Master Ren is, after all, the only son of Madam's own brother. Marrying him as your principal wife is already the best choice you could have made."
Mingrong, upon hearing this, sensed a deeper meaning in Aunt Xiao's words. Her face grew even more ferocious, and she laughed angrily, "I am, after all, a daughter of the Marquis's mansion! Why is it that Mingwei, who is inferior to me, can win the old lady's favor and rise to become the eldest daughter of the main branch, while I have to fall to this state!"
"My aunt is willing to be someone's concubine, but I'm not willing to marry just anyone!"
Aunt Xiao's face turned ashen; Mingrong's words pierced her heart. Her lips trembled as she stared at Mingrong in anguish for a long time, but she couldn't utter a word.
So, in her eyes, her mother was actually so wretched...
"Am I wrong?" Perhaps it was Aunt Xiao's gaze that made Mingrong feel a pang of guilt, but in an instant, she thought that her life was ruined, and she blamed Aunt Xiao for not trying her best. "Perhaps it would be better if I didn't have an aunt! Wasn't it because Mingwei lost her aunt that she was taken in by the old lady?"
Mingrong didn't care how much time had passed since Mingwei lost her aunt and was taken in by the old lady to be raised. She only wanted to resent everyone she could, so as to free herself.
"Third Miss." Aunt Xiao was heartbroken, but she calmed down. She said calmly, "Madam has shown you two paths. If you don't want them, you can choose one yourself."
"Marry Liu Ren or wait." Aunt Xiao's eyes gradually turned cold. She was utterly disappointed in Ming Rong and thought it was better for Ming Rong to face reality sooner rather than later. "Wait until some young master doesn't care about your reputation and is willing to marry you—"
Mingrong was stunned.
Is the second wife threatening her, implying that if she doesn't marry Liu Ren, she'll be stuck at home as an old maid? And will the second wife continue to support her with her own money as she grows up?
At that time, she might end up worse off than Mingrui!
After all, Aunt Xiao was Mingrong's biological aunt, and the bond between mother and daughter could not be severed. She did not reveal the words the Second Madam had mocked, telling her to "hang herself," nor did she mention that she had kowtowed countless times, not only sacrificing her face but also almost risking her life to plead for Mingrong's chance to become the principal wife.
Mingrong deliberately ignored the horrifying bruise on Aunt Xiao's forehead.
Unbeknownst to her, blood was once again seeping through the white gauze covering Xiao Yiniang's tightly buttoned collar. Upon hearing the Second Madam's words about making Mingrong a concubine, Xiao Yiniang was filled with utter despair. Desperate, she could only pull out the hairpin from her hair and say that she was willing to die, only begging the Madam to stop being angry with the Third Miss and to allow the Third Miss to become Liu Ren's principal wife.
The second wife remained indifferent.
Aunt Xiao had no choice but to steel herself and actually use the hairpin to stab her own neck.
Seeing that things had gotten out of hand, the second master had no choice but to step in and calm things down. Originally, the second wife was largely responsible for the loss of face in front of the old lady. Now that the second master was angry, the second wife didn't dare to be too outrageous and reluctantly agreed.
Aunt Xiao would never forget the cold, disgusted look in the Second Master's eyes at that moment, and the resentment in the Second Madam's eyes terrified her even more.
"Why doesn't Aunt think more about me!" Mingrong turned away and threw herself onto the large bolster, sobbing. "If I really marry Liu Ren, my life will be ruined!"
"Does the young lady think I don't know? It's all the talk in the manor that this plan was devised by you, young lady?" Aunt Xiao said coldly. "If it had been Second Master Jun who saved you that day, would you still be so unwilling to die?"
She's still fantasizing about those unrealistic things! What Mingrong wants is too far out of reach; I can't help her!
In the end, Mingrong still blamed herself for being incompetent!