The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 152 - Lesson

Chen Mingyu finally lost control and cried out loudly. Fortunately, there were only the two of them in the carriage, so she wasn't afraid of being overheard.

In her twelve years of life, she had always been the center of attention in the Chen family. With her good upbringing, outstanding appearance, and perfect background, she had received countless admirers. The only setback was in Tongzhou.

That nine-year-old girl in Tongzhou calmly directed the farmers to settle them in a different manor and even had time to cooperate with Ye Jingchuan to eliminate the Tatar soldiers that would scare any girl who heard their name.

For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of crisis from a girl younger than herself, especially given the close relationship she had with the Crown Prince's son, Zhou Weizhao.

Although Song Chuyi was still young and her figure had not yet matured, whenever she occasionally glanced over, she often found herself lost in the depths of her eyes.

A person who was not only extremely intelligent and of noble birth but also understood how to interact with Zhou Weizhao better than she did could hardly become a friend; it would be best if she weren't even an enemy.

Her tears soaked the handkerchief, and Old Lady Chen allowed her to cry while she closed her eyes and leaned against the soft pillow, pretending to doze off.

When the crying finally stopped, she opened her eyes and looked at her granddaughter, who had always been favored. Her originally beautiful apricot-shaped eyes were now swollen and red from crying, and the vermilion mole between her brows appeared even more vibrant, resembling a lotus flower that had just weathered a storm.

Old Lady Chen looked at her granddaughter's features, which were strikingly similar to her son's. Remembering their years of living together, her previously hardened heart couldn't help but soften.

"Put that ugly face away!" She scolded Chen Mingyu sternly but didn't forget to throw the handkerchief over to her. "You lost your father at a young age, and with your mother being like that, you've been raised by me since you were little. But you have truly disappointed me!"

Chen Mingyu dared not cry any longer. With her watery, slightly swollen eyes, she looked at Old Lady Chen and mustered the courage to hug her arm.

"Grandmother..." She called out softly, finally regaining the calm and steady demeanor she usually had. "I was wrong."

"You are wrong." Although Old Lady Chen's tone remained heavy, she did not push Chen Mingyu away. She cast a sidelong glance at her, feeling a bit of a sweet and bitter taste rising at the roots of her teeth. "My twelve years of nurturing and teaching you are actually not as good as a few words from your mother!"

Hearing this, Chen Mingyu felt even more uneasy, lowering her head and remaining silent.

Her father died when she was four years old. Although her mother did not remarry, she was never able to successfully raise her - because her mother was so selfish that even her grandparents looked at her mother with disdain.

When her father was seriously ill, she began to collect all kinds of antiques and utensils from his father. In order to achieve her goal, she even kept inserting beautiful women into her father's side in exchange for the title deed of the villa and his savings.

After her father died, she kept quarreling with the aunts in the mansion over the monthly salary and even the number of maids. She even didn't let go of her aunt who rarely came home, and often made up all kinds of reasons to ask for money from her...

"You know what kind of person your mother is, no need for me to say. Think about all the jewelry I crafted for you but eventually ended up in her own hands. Remember when your father died, she didn't cry for him, but was worried about the money she had just collected. Do you dare to learn from such a person?" Old Lady Chen scoffed, her expression filled with disdain. "If you truly want to make something of yourself in the future, don't learn her petty tricks. One must have schemes and means, but this is not how you use them!"

Chen Mingyu's face alternated between green and white as she buried her head in Old Lady Chen's arm, not daring to lift it again.

"You are a well-bred young lady from a family of scholars. Some things are yours by right; those that aren't are just fate," Old Lady Chen sighed. "Although your grandfather and I have hinted at that, it doesn't necessarily mean it will come to pass. Why do you think I don't know why you're chasing after Sixth Miss Song so relentlessly?"

Chen Mingyu blushed deeply and abruptly lifted her head, turning her face away awkwardly.

"I advise you to give up on these thoughts," Old Lady Chen patted her hand. "And let's not even talk about her age. Even if the family really has such intentions, what does it matter?! Even without Sixth Miss Song, there might be Sixth Miss Chen, Sixth Miss Chu, or even Sixth Miss Wei in the future. Are you prepared to offend them all?"

_____

First Lady Cui was also scolding Song Chuyi, rarely adopting a serious demeanor as she reprimanded her: "Since you realized Hongyu made a mistake, you should have sent her away at that moment or had someone come and take her. Why keep her around? Look at the trouble this has caused!"

Song Chuyi slowly leaned her head against First Lady Cui's embrace, her tone somewhat dejected. "I never thought that she would betray me... She has always been soft-hearted. When she saw Lianyi in Tongzhou, she cried for two or three days... Such a person, who has been with me since childhood and accompanied me through hardships and sufferings, and suffered from Nanny Wang's anger, I truly couldn't suspect her. But now it seems her kindness toward me was only because I was in a vulnerable position."

First Lady Cui stroked her head and remained silent for a moment before slowly sighing. "I've sent her away to the countryside to marry someone. That village is in my fief in Yunnan. She'll never return in this lifetime."

Song Chuyi was not surprised by First Lady Cui's decision. Her aunt was never just a soft-hearted noblewoman; after all, she had grown up in the palace, possessing plenty of cunning and means.

Reluctant to continue discussing Hongyu, First Lady Cui turned to a more cheerful topic: "The last time I entered the palace, the Empress was worried that I wouldn't have enough hands upon my return, so she specially granted me two palace maids. Since you're short a person, I'll assign one to you."

Song Chuyi hurriedly shook her head. "Since they come from the palace, how can I just transfer them casually?"

"They've been sent to me, so of course, I will arrange it," First Lady Cui said with a hint of pride. "Moreover, it's likely that you will enter the palace soon, and having someone who has come from there will make things more convenient."

Enter the palace?! Song Chuyi was startled by this remark, momentarily losing her composure. A flurry of thoughts raced through her mind, all vaguely foreboding.

First Lady Cui helped her smooth her hair, adjusted her slightly crooked hairpin, and didn't forget to remind her: "In the future, you must pay more attention to the servants around you. Remember, water can carry a boat but can also capsize it. If another Hongyu appears, you won't be able to handle it."