To Be A Virtuous Wife

43

Wei Ran Shuang sat inside a blue cloth-covered carriage, holding a bag in a daze. The shaking as the carriage moved forward did nothing to clear her head.

After the carriage moved forward for a period of time, it suddenly stopped. She sat in a daze for a beat before asking: "What's happening?"

"Guniang, Duan Wang Fu's carriage is coming over, we have to clear the road." The person outside answered.

Duan Wang Fu? Wei Ran Shuang's expression changed and she pushed aside the curtain covering the window. She saw up ahead that there were guards clearing the road, protecting an Ashtamangala carriage pulled by four horses. From a glance, it could be seen that it was a carriage specifically for Duan Wang Fu's womenfolk. Behind the large carriage, there were a few small yet finely made carriages. They most likely were used by the personal servant girls of Duan Wang Fei.

Wei Ran Shuang bit her lower lip, her heart uncomfortable. Even Duan Wang Fei's personal attendants were riding in a carriage that was better than the one she had. She let the curtain down. As she listened to the people outside use astonished and admiring voices to talk about Duan Wang Fu's carriage, her stare gradually became resolute.

After Duan Wang Fei's procession had passed, the green cloth covered carriage that Wei Ran Shuang sat in started to sway as it made its way forward again. When she came out of the carriage, Wei Ran Shuang looked at the relatively bare door of her family's fu. There weren't any sedans. She held her yahuan's hand as she walked in. Her family home was just this big, there were no high-ranking officials and basically no space to stand on protocol.

Wei Qin shi saw her daughter return and a crowd of people carrying gifts. She smiled and remarked: "You seem heavier. Guifei niangniang is very good at raising people."

Wei Ran Shuang forced a smile and let her mother put away the objects that Jing guifei had bestowed down. Then she said: "Aunt said you probably were missing me, so she let me return."

Hearing this, Wei Qin shi's face slightly changed. After she motioned for the others in the room to leave, she said with some worry: "Did guifei niangniang not like you?"

Wei Ran Shuang shook her head, her voice carrying full of distress: "Guifei niangniang said Duan wang fei was very good."

"What does that mean, does she spurn you to become her son's ce shi?" Wei Qin shi's voice was full of indignation as she ranted, "She's our Wei family's daughter. Now that she's become guifei niangniang, has she forgotten her maternal family." No matter what, her father-in-law and Jing guifei's father had been full brothers. Now that their branch was declining, Jing guifei hadn't done anything to help and even looked down on her daughter. It was somewhat upsetting.

But remembering that her own husband was only a minor fifth-grade provincial governor before transferring back to Jing and that both husband and her children needed to rely on Jing guifei in the future, she could only suppress her dissatisfaction and sighed: "Niangniang has bestowed down so many things, it can be seen she is still looking after you. As to Duan Wang ... ... I'll try to think of a way for you."

Wei Ran Shuang's face reddened and she whispered: "His Highness Duan Wang is a good person."

Wei Qin shi looked at her daughter's bashful expression and decided to meet that Duan Wang Fei before making a decision. Her maternal father and brothers might not have great abilities but they were a branch of the Qin Clan, and could find someone who could speak out.

If her daughter went into Duan Wang Fu, it was a good road. At least there still was Jing guifei niangniang so Duan wang fei wouldn't harshly treat her daughter. Duan Wang and her daughter also were cousins and would care a bit more based on the relationship. Going into the wang fu, it was better than marrying a minor official who was never going to come into the light.