Marrying the Sweet Story’s Melodramatic Villainess [Transmigration] - Chapter 39

A minor interlude could not dampen the bustling atmosphere of the Prince of Jin’s manor. Pei Mingjiao whispered into Cui Yi’s ear, “I remember that Lady Liu possesses great talent and learning.”

Cui Yi had heard rumors of this as well. Liu Yun’s situation could only be attributed to fate and timing. In this era, the constraints on women were not overly restrictive; observing Liu Yun’s temperament, Cui Yi felt she might yet carve out a world for herself in the future.

Several noble ladies, seeing Liu Yun remain unruffled in the face of provocation, sighed inwardly, thinking she truly lived up to the standards of a consort personally selected by the Imperial Family. However, once they recalled her current awkward status, those thoughts faded—save for the Marchioness of Huaiyin. The more the Marchioness calculated, the more she felt Liu Yun was perfectly suited to be her daughter-in-law.

The Marchioness of Huaiyin had two sons and three daughters. Among her circle of noblewomen, she prided herself on having the most offspring. Four of her children were already married, leaving only her youngest son’s nuptials unsettled. Seeing Liu Yun now, she grew increasingly satisfied. She turned to her sister-in-law and asked, “What do you think of this Lady Liu becoming my daughter-in-law?”

Lady Yang’s smile stiffened. She stared at the Marchioness with a look one might give a toad dreaming of swan meat. With a dignified smile still on her face, she whispered softly into her ear: “You certainly have a bold imagination.”

The Marchioness’s face darkened instantly. Since they were in public, she didn’t make a scene, but she harbored a deep resentment toward Lady Yang. She believed that as the primary wife of the main branch of the Cheng family, Yang Jinrong was repeatedly disrespectful to her. She had branched out the Cheng family line with many children, whereas Yang Jinrong had only produced one daughter and lacked the poise of a Great Wife. In her view, Yang Jinrong should have been divorced long ago; it was just that her brother-in-law indulged her, showing no concern for the Cheng family’s ancestral flame.

Yang Jinrong didn’t care for the Marchioness in the slightest. Her sister-in-law was both stupid and malicious. Years ago, after giving birth to three daughters in a row, the Marchioness felt everyone was mocking her and ignored the girls entirely. Lacking any skill in managing a household, she let the inner courtyard become a mess, and the three daughters grew up sickly. Had Yang Jinrong not looked after them, those nieces might not have survived. Later, when Yang Jinrong gave birth to a daughter, the Marchioness claimed it was “retribution” for meddling in others’ business. Enraged, Yang Jinrong slapped her, and the feud was sealed. Later, when the Marchioness had two sons in succession, she felt her spine had straightened and began to dance over Yang Jinrong’s head again; Yang Jinrong gave her absolutely no face.

As the saying goes, “People who share a blanket are of the same kind.” The Marquis of Huaiyin was no good man either. If not for the fact that the second brother, Cheng Erlang, was truly capable, living with such distressing relatives would be unbearable.

The Marchioness, however, was determined to pit herself against Yang Jinrong. She insisted on proposing a marriage to Liu Yun for her son.

This matter caused quite a stir.

Pei Mingjiao spoke to Cui Yi with great disdain: “That youngest son of the Marquis of Huaiyin is a man of ‘five poisons’ and zero virtues. What girl from a good family wouldn’t loathe him? He wants to marry Lady Liu? He’s dreaming of the impossible.”

Cui Yi was quite calm. “Hasn’t the proposal already been rejected?”

Pei Mingjiao nodded and stopped thinking about it. However, at the full-moon banquet for the daughter of the Duke of Lu, Pei Mingjiao and the Marchioness of Huaiyin had a confrontation.

It began when the Marchioness, seeing the Duke’s wife throw such a grand celebration for a mere daughter, made several sour remarks. These happened to be overheard by Pei Mingjiao, who rebuked her directly. Losing face before a junior, the Marchioness made several snide, passive-aggressive comments: “As the saying goes, ‘flowers bloom before the fruit.’ I only hope the Princess will have such ‘good fortune’ in the future.”

Hearing this, Pei Mingjiao exploded. Everyone knew her spouse was a woman. She immediately sneered, her expression haughty: “Madam Cheng, I call you ‘Madam’ out of respect for your seniority as an elder. Do you truly think yourself a person of consequence? By rank, you are but a third-grade lady. Have you forgotten the etiquette required when meeting this Princess?”

The Marchioness’s face turned various shades of blue and white.

Bai Ying stepped forward at the right moment to demonstrate the proper ceremonial greeting.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the Marchioness was humiliated to the extreme. Her eyes welled with tears. Another lady, unable to watch, spoke up to mediate: “Princess, one should be forgiving where possible. Today is a joyous day for the Duke of Lu. For the sake of this auspicious occasion, please forgive the Marchioness this once.”

Pei Mingjiao turned her gaze toward her, her expression sharp: “And who are you?”

The lady who stood up stiffened and introduced herself.

Prompted by Bai Ying, Pei Mingjiao realized the woman was the wife of a fifth-grade Xianjun. Lifting her chin, her expression was contemptuous: “You, too—perform the greeting.”

The Fifth-Grade Lady: “…”

The surrounding crowd stood in silence. Several younger wives could not hide the amusement in their eyes at this scene.

When Cui Yi arrived, she saw this standoff. She said nothing, but moved to stand silently by Pei Mingjiao’s side. However, Pei Mingjiao misunderstood her presence, giving Cui Yi a look that said, You don’t need to help; I can handle this myself.

Cui Yi: “…”

Seeing no way out, the Marchioness of Huaiyin hurriedly performed a salute and fled, covering her face.

Pei Mingjiao let out a mocking huff. “What a disgrace.”

Once they were alone, Cui Yi asked what had happened. Pei Mingjiao recounted the events from start to finish.

Cui Yi remained silent after listening.

Pei Mingjiao misunderstood her silence and quickly explained, “Yi-niang, don’t overthink it. I hate children the most; I don’t want them at all.”

In these times, affairs among the nobility were common. As a Princess, Pei Mingjiao’s future children could inherit her title. It was widely assumed she would eventually have a child to prevent the title from lapsing, perhaps by taking a male consort.

Cui Yi was still inwardly marveling that her wife truly lived up to her role as a “vicious female supporting character”—her combat effectiveness was indeed high. Hearing Pei Mingjiao’s words, her eyelashes fluttered, her brow tinged with a quiet stillness: “Who can say for sure what the future holds?”

Pei Mingjiao grabbed Cui Yi’s hand, pleading for her to believe her. “I only want yours. Please don’t doubt me.”

Cui Yi looked at her. Those young, still somewhat immature features clearly betrayed a sense of frantic anxiety. Cui Yi firmly squeezed Pei Mingjiao’s hand back and whispered a response: “I believe you.”

Yang Jinrong only learned of the farce at the Duke of Lu’s manor afterward. Her chest ached with anger. She issued a final ultimatum to Cheng Erlang: “Separate the households. If we don’t separate from them, then you and I are through.”

Cheng Erlang never expected his sister-in-law to be so unreliable. In one banquet, she had managed to offend both the Duke of Lu and the Princess Royal’s family. How could someone be so stupid? He immediately went to the Marquis of Huaiyin’s courtyard.

The Marquis, seeing his successful younger brother arrive, said timidly, “Second Brother, I haven’t left the manor lately.”

Looking at this elder brother who had inherited the title, Cheng Erlang suddenly sighed. “Brother, let’s separate the households.”

The Marquis was not so foolish as to not realize that the family had been supported by his younger brother all these years. He asked anxiously, “Has something happened?”

Cheng Erlang recounted the day’s events. The Marquis was furious upon hearing it. “That wretched woman! I shall divorce her at once!”

The Marchioness had, after all, borne him five children. The offense was significant but not beyond repair; to speak of divorce so casually showed his cold-hearted nature. Cheng Erlang’s last bit of hesitation vanished. He gave the Marquis one final warning: “If you don’t want to become a laughingstock, live properly with my sister-in-law.”

Afterward, both the Duke of Lu and Pei Mingjiao received apology gifts from the Marquis of Huaiyin’s manor.

Pei Mingjiao was somewhat surprised. “Has that Marchioness finally found her wits?”

To be described as “finding one’s wits” by the most famous “straw bag” (idiot) in Chang’an speaks volumes about the Marchioness’s intellect.

Bai Ying, having an inkling of the truth, voiced her suspicion.

Pei Mingjiao’s mind whirled for a moment before she remembered that Cheng Erlang served in the Ministry of Works and was technically Gu Yue’s superior. She nodded, and the matter passed.

Cheng Erlang was a discerning man; because of this, Gu Yue—the “connected” official—was actually entrusted with important responsibilities.