"You want the Lu family’s girl to monopolize the Su man so much, but Su Shihang also has the surname Su. Why not have you two aunts and nieces both enter the Su Mansion to serve Su Shihang? After all, Su Shihang has done things even more shameless than this. The more lice one has, the less itchy it feels, doing one more thing doesn’t matter."
Su Shihang was infuriated upon hearing these words.
His old mother-in-law’s insults were getting more and more excessive, yet the emperor did not stop her.
After all, he was a high official of the court, yet the emperor tolerated Mrs. Min shaming him like this.
Lu Family’s anger almost made her choke.
Lu Yiner, on the other hand, had tears in her eyes.
She was forced by her aunt to seduce Su Chengmin. Her aunt said if she couldn’t become Su Chengmin’s wife, she would be sent to an older official as a concubine.
She didn’t dare disobey her aunt, which is why she took a handkerchief to lure Su Chengmin.
Being publicly exposed by Mrs. Min made her feel extremely embarrassed.
After Mrs. Min finished scolding with vigor, she apologized to the emperor: "Your Majesty, Baozhen has only one son. The enmity between Baozhen and the Lu family cannot be resolved. Even if you punish this old woman, I must stop this marriage."
Upon mention of Min Baozhen, the emperor felt quite guilty towards Mrs. Min.
Back then, the marriage between Su Shihang and Min Baozhen was decreed by him. Who would have thought there was already a wife in Su Shihang’s family?
When the matter was uncovered, the emperor felt that it was just a marriage and not a big deal for a man. Therefore, he did not punish Su Shihang, but merely asked him to handle his family affairs and ensure Min Baozhen became the main wife.
The old emperor said warmly to Mrs. Min: "Madam, your words are too severe. After all, this marriage concerns Chengmin. It’s better to hear Chengmin’s opinion. If they have feelings for each other, I am glad to see lovers become family. But if there are no such feelings, isn’t it true that a forced union lacks sweetness? I do not wish to grant a marriage that results in a resentful couple."
Upon hearing this, both the Lu family and Lu Yiner felt a chill in their hearts, and their eyes were filled with reluctant emotions.
Su Chengmin would absolutely not want to marry Lu Yiner.
Su Chengmin said: "To Your Majesty, this minister already has someone he admires."
This was his rejection of Lu Yiner.
Although Lu Yiner had long known Su Chengmin had no interest in her, being publicly rejected still felt like a needle prick, making her cry in front of everyone.
Mrs. Min showed a look of disdain.
An insignificant person dared to aspire to her grandson.
The Lu family’s face was extremely dark, especially with Lu Yiner’s crying making her feel even more embarrassed.
Su Shihang’s expression was unclear.
"Grandfather Emperor, didn’t you promise to prepare a shadow puppet show for your grandson? Why isn’t it starting?" The Crown Prince yawned, clearly uninterested in the Su family’s marriage request.
The emperor patted the Crown Prince’s head.
Soon, the shadow puppet show began to play.
The banquet returned to a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
The matter of Su Shihang requesting a marriage for his son was just an insignificant episode.
Lu Yiner kept crying with her head lowered, and the Lu family pinched her, whispering: "What’s the use of crying? Do you think Su Chengmin’s admiration for another girl is anything more than an excuse? If it were true, why hasn’t the emperor granted the marriage? The fact that the emperor didn’t grant the marriage means we still have a chance."
Lu Yiner wiped away her tears and said: "What chance? Should I corner him or drug him with a sedative?"
Her aunt always told her to use extreme measures if necessary, yet she found her aunt’s methods a bit despicable.
Lu Family scrutinized Lu Yiner, making her feel uneasy.
"Stop your tears," Lu Family whispered, "You disdain the methods I taught you, but without them, how would you become the Commander of the Imperial Guard’s wife? When you marry Su Chengmin, no one will care what methods you used. As for me, if I hadn’t humbled myself crying and begging Min Baozhen to enter the mansion, could I have become the Wife by Imperial Decree, or could you be sitting at a palace banquet?"
These words made Lu Yiner ponder deeply.
Lu Yiner grew up in the countryside.
After reaching marriageable age, her aunt brought her to Shengjing, intending to marry her to Su Chengmin.
She knew that her aunt, as Su Shihang’s original wife from the countryside, was always kept in the dark. Even after Min Baozhen’s death, people outside still referred to Mrs. Su as Min Baozhen.
Her aunt hated Min Baozhen and hated Su Chengmin.
After the Crown Prince was executed, news of Su Chengmin’s "death" arrived, causing her aunt to laugh to the sky.
Her marriage was arranged by her aunt and uncle, either to be remarried as a widow to an old widower or sent to a noble family as a concubine. She was a pawn her aunt used to please her uncle.
She wasn’t willing, but if not for this, she would have to return to the countryside and live a life without adequate food and clothing.
She didn’t want to live such a life even for a day.
So when she learned that Su Chengmin was still alive, she didn’t know how happy she was, dreaming of marrying Su Chengmin.
Of course, she wasn’t completely following her aunt’s words. Her current humility and submission were for the sake of smoothly marrying Su Chengmin.
Once she married Su Chengmin, her aunt could no longer manipulate her, and she wanted to stand with Su Chengmin to fight back against her aunt.
Lu Yiner clenched her fists. Her aunt was right; once she became the Commander’s wife, who would remember her current embarrassment?
Doesn’t Su Chengmin have someone he admires?
No matter who that person is, she won’t let Su Chengmin succeed.
Lu Yiner secretly glanced at Su Chengmin, once again determined to follow her aunt’s path.
Mrs. Min’s eyes never left Lu Yiner and Lu Family. Although she couldn’t hear what the two murmured, she could guess due to her experience.
Murmuring about what?
Murmuring about how to scheme against Su Chengmin, of course.
Mrs. Min’s eyes turned cold.
"Has Taohua’s marriage been arranged at home?" Mrs. Min inquired about Gu Taohua’s marriage from Tong Huaqiong.
Tong Huaqiong replied: "No."
She understood Mrs. Min’s intention. By discussing Gu Taohua’s marriage at this point, it was clearly to propose a marriage to Su Chengmin.
Previously, she was willing to match Gu Taohua with Su Chengmin. But seeing the Su family’s sordid affairs today, Tong Huaqiong was somewhat reluctant.
In this era, even though Su Chengmin might not live with Su Shihang, as a son of the Su family, he couldn’t escape Su Shihang’s shadow.
She wasn’t worried about Gu Taohua suffering losses against Lu Family, but being pestered like flies was also miserable.
With so many young talents in Shengjing, why hang oneself on a tree with a complicated family?
"Your Taohua and Jingzhe are twins; Jingzhe’s already becoming a father, so Taohua’s marriage should be settled as well. Has she found a suitable gentleman?" Mrs. Min probed.
Su Chengmin’s marriage could not be delayed any longer.
Tong Huaqiong’s smile faded as she replied: "Haven’t found a suitable gentleman. But regarding the children’s marriage, I only supervise without interfering. If she takes interest in someone, I will respect her choice. If she has no intention of marrying, I’ll keep her with me for a lifetime."
Having lived to this age, Mrs. Min keenly noticed Tong Huaqiong’s lackluster enthusiasm on the matter.
If Tong Huaqiong were keen, she would have already discussed her daughter’s marriage with Mrs. Min.
Mrs. Min internally gritted her teeth, cursing Su Shihang and Lu Family a thousand times.
These two seriously hindered her grandson’s good marriage prospects.
However, since Tong Huaqiong didn’t outright refuse, Mrs. Min held on to hope.
Since it depended on Gu Taohua’s wish, as long as Gu Taohua was willing, Tong Huaqiong would accept.
It all depended on whether her grandson had the ability to marry Gu Taohua.