The Survival Rules of a Concubine's Daughter 79 Chicken Ribs

  Like a beautiful wedding gift, Ru Mei returned to the Fang Mansion with her husband Yang Qi Tai in grand style. All the female relatives of the Fang family came to celebrate, and Ru Mei wore a bright red embroidered silk dress with a phoenix pattern, her hair styled in a high bun adorned with golden hairpins, earrings, and a small hairpin on the back of her head. She looked radiant and lovely, like a happy little bride basking in the joy of her new marriage.

  Yang Qitai was tall and imposing, wearing a red silk robe with a pearl crown on his head, a piece of sheep fat jade at his waist, looking like a jade tree in the wind. His demeanor was majestic, compared to his elder brother-in-law Zhong Jin, he had less of an air of maturity and more of a carefree and elegant atmosphere, compared to his second brother-in-law Li Lüe, he had less of a refined and gentle elegance, but more of a strong and overbearing aura. Standing next to Rumei, they made a decent match.

  Mr. Li looked at his son-in-law, very satisfied and couldn't close his mouth, being very polite and friendly to Yang Qitai, "My daughter Rumei is still satisfactory to you, Master Guniang?"

  Fang Jinglan measured with her eyes, displeased in her heart. Which mother-in-law speaks to her son-in-law like this?

  Yang Qitai replied: "If Mei is lively and interesting, filial to her elders, and gentle and lovely, then Mother has nothing to criticize."

  Ru Mei looked at him with a mixture of surprise and shyness, her face flashing with a hint of embarrassment. Yang Qitai pretended not to notice and turned his head to chat with Zhong Jin, "Now that's good, you and I have become in-laws."

  Zhong Jin laughed loudly, "In terms of rank, you are higher than me. But in terms of generation, you still have to call me brother-in-law, haha." A look of satisfaction as if he had gained the upper hand.

  Everyone covered their mouths and smiled, and Fang Jinglan also stroked his beard with a relieved expression. Then the men all moved outside to drink, and the women in the house sat together in a row. Li Shi pulled Rumei over, looked her up and down, and exclaimed excitedly, "My child, it's only been three days since we last saw each other, but it feels like years have passed for me! Is your husband treating you well? Has your mother-in-law been giving you a hard time?"

  Her face stiffened for a moment before she replied in a low voice, "Don't worry, Mother, I'm fine. My husband is good to me, and although my mother-in-law is strict, she's not bad."

  Ruoshan couldn't help but curve the corners of his lips as he listened, sipping tea and smiling leisurely: "I've long heard that Yang Lao Furen is dignified and noble, a first-class lady with a reputation in the capital. Having such a mother-in-law is also your good fortune, sister."

  Ru Mei heard this and got very angry, "My mother-in-law may be strict to the point of finding fault with an egg, but at least she's better than some people's mothers-in-law who look at them with disgust."

  Li's face changed color, and he said nervously: "What are you talking about? Your wife is picking bones from eggs for you?"

  Ru Mei bit her lip, feeling very regretful. Family scandals shouldn't be made public, especially in front of Ru Shan and Ru Qing.

  Ru Shanzhen's expression changed, and she suddenly said in a soft voice: "There is no mother-in-law who is not good, only daughters-in-law who are not doing their job well. I couldn't make my mother-in-law satisfied, it's my fault. But you, little sister, mustn't learn from me. After all, the husband's family is not the same as one's own family, and one can't be willful anymore."

  "Is sister talking about herself?" Ru Mei sneered. When Ru Shan was at home, she was spoiled and pampered. Now that she's in her husband's household, isn't she just trying to make a good impression? The Yang family and the Yu Guo Wang Fu are not far apart, only two streets and an alley away. "I heard that the Yu Guo Wang Fei scolds you every day before she'll let up. From big things like speaking and acting, to small things like dressing and eating, everything needs to be criticized. You've been well-read in poetry and books since childhood, quick-witted and talented, with a reputation as a talented woman. How can you still endure such hardship?" She also heard that Ru Shan had always been submissive and obedient, thinking about her previous behavior at home, Ru Mei felt relieved.

  Everyone looked at the faint wrinkles on Ruxin's eyebrows, and without guessing, they could guess three points. However, Ruxin remained expressionless and said: "The Wangfu of Yu Prefecture is a high-ranking door, I am just a small concubine daughter, but I have to take on the heavy responsibility of being the wife of the heir, it's indeed a bit difficult. Mother-in-law's teachings are also justified." Then, looking at Rumei's face which was blue with anger, she said enviously: "Third sister's husband is not the eldest son and does not need to inherit the title, I suppose the burden on my sister's shoulders should be light. Yang Furen should not be as strict as she demands from Qingchang Hou Furen. My sister really has good fortune. Madam really has a unique eye for finding such a good mother-in-law for my sister."

  Li was so angry that she almost turned upside down, and Mei was also furious, glaring at her with a shrill voice: "You...!"

  As soon as the words were spoken, he pulled her forward and said: "Second sister is absolutely right. Third sister, your husband is a second son, with an enviable job, from now on, even if you separate and live alone, there's no one above to serve, no mother-in-law to disturb you below, just the two of you living together in harmony, others will envy but won't have time to. You should be content." In a noble family, the second son cannot inherit the title, but generally speaking, the mother-in-law has lower expectations for the second daughter-in-law and will not be as strict as with the main daughter-in-law of the clan.

  As Ru Xian said, it was reasonable. Ru Mei turned her anger into joy and pushed Ru Xian with a smile, saying: "You're the lucky one, brother-in-law only dotes on you now. To be honest, sister, your life is actually the best."

  Like a true face, a soft smile flashed across her face, and she also pinched Rumei's hand, "Isn't your life bad enough? You still come to envy me, don't you have the heart to be scolded?" The two sisters laughed again, and everyone followed suit, and for a while, it was a harmonious atmosphere.

  ……

  After lunch, some of the women left, and Ru Xiang also left Fang's house with Li Sao. However, Ru Mei was kept behind, and Li Sao angrily tapped Ru Mei's head, saying: "You, you, that is your legitimate mother-in-law, how could you be so heartless? No wonder others scold you, and now they're setting rules for you." Li Sao was truly angry, both at her daughter's lack of understanding and at the Yang family's elderly matriarch being too severe. Ru Mei was still young, after all, and had just entered their household when she was already given a warning. But despite feeling heartache, Li Sao couldn't say a word - this was the sorrow of a high-ranking marriage.

  Ru Mei bit her lip, not quite satisfied with the situation. "Can you blame me? All these years, Mother, you've been treating Grandmother with a mixture of respect and defiance. I thought...I thought that all mothers-in-law were as broad-minded as Grandmother, not petty and quarrelsome with their daughters-in-law."

  Mrs. Li was furious, scolding: "That's not the same, your grandmother is just a stepmother, of course she wouldn't dare to put on airs in front of me. You, you stupid girl... actually took this set from home to your husband's house, you, you're really infuriating me." How did she give birth to such an idiotic daughter?

  Rumei also knew she was wrong, but she stubbornly said: "That old lady is really difficult to serve. She has to be served three meals a day, and if I'm slightly slow, she'll sarcastically criticize me. Is this how the Fang family teaches their daughters? Mother, I'm really fed up! What right does she have to scold me like that?" And another thing, her little sister is also so ungrateful, actually putting on airs in front of her, and Rumei has to serve both her parents-in-law and her. Just thinking about it makes her want to vomit.

  Mr. Li looked at his daughter's wronged face and felt a pang in his heart, suddenly filled with regret, could it be that this was what they called retribution?

  ……

  After Ruoshen got married, the Fang family was left with only one unmarried daughter, Ruoqing. Fang Jinglan breathed a sigh of relief on one hand, but on the other hand, he was secretly worried that Ruoqing would be coming of age next year and if she still hadn't gotten married by then, she would become the subject of gossip.

  However, the girl's marriage is not something that can be rushed. Although he was anxious in his heart, based on his guilt towards Yu Xing, Fang Jinglan did not immediately make a move when facing Eldest Sister's second son Qiao Chen. He only declared that Yu Xing was his youngest daughter and that her lifelong matters needed to be carefully considered.

  Fang Huaxiang didn't urge him, but just smiled and said: "I knew you'd be fond of your niece. I really like her too. Sincerely hope she can become my daughter-in-law. Of course, if you really can't bear to part with her and have her marry far away, then I won't force it."

  Fang Jinglan later looked for other households that were pleasing to the eye and had a good reputation, but unfortunately, after spreading the news, either no one responded or they were politely declined. Fang Jinglan was disheartened and ultimately hesitated between Chen Jia's son and Qiao Chen.

  Since being demoted, Fang Jinglan has been more cautious in his actions. Based on his guilt towards Ruqing, he wants to find her a good husband's family that is satisfactory in all aspects. This time, there are two options: the Chen family, which has achieved success but comes from a humble background, and his nephew's family, which lacks official status but is wealthy. Fang Jinglan is indecisive, so he discusses it with Old Lady again.

  The old lady held the Buddhist beads in her hand and said slowly, "Qiao Chen is a good child, but Hai Ning is too far away. If our daughter-in-law gets married there, when can we see her again? As for the Chen family, although their family background is not very good, they have made some achievements. If Zhi Li is taught properly, he will be able to make something of himself. Moreover, the eldest son of the Chen family has also achieved some merit in the military."

  Fang Jinglan nodded slightly, according to the ranking of scholars, farmers, workers and merchants, Chen Jia's second son was indeed a good candidate. Although Qiao's family was rich enough to rival a country, they were still considered a lower-class merchant family. If she married into their family, wouldn't it be a shame for the Fang family who valued wealth above all else?

  However, thinking of his elder sister's help to their family and her fondness for Ruoxi, Fang Jinglan couldn't help but compare her with the old lady of the Chen family, and he became indecisive again. That night, after Zhili returned from the yamen, the father and son went to the outer study room to discuss it further.

  "Compared to the Xiang family, the Chen family is even more humble. However, the eldest son of the Chen family and my sister's husband have a good relationship, aside from Old Lady Chen... The second son of the Chen family also seems decent.

  Know-Yi munched on some peanuts with sauce for a while before swallowing and continuing: "The elder sister-in-law is very kind-hearted and impressive. However, her husband is somewhat unsuitable. Recently, the Emperor has been planning to reform the salt tax, if the brother-in-law insists on his own way, he might get into deep trouble. If Father has time, it would be best to advise him a bit.

  Moreover, the sister-in-law of the Chen family has a reputation for being fierce, while my younger sister is gentle and kind, they might not get along well. The eldest son of the Chen family and my sister's husband have a good relationship, and the wife of the Chen family's eldest son also gets along with my sister. If Father truly cares about my younger sister, he should make up his mind."

  After Fang Jinglan's analysis of Zhi Li, he felt that it made a lot of sense and his mind gradually cleared up.

  Fang Huaxiang was politely declined, although somewhat disappointed, but did not insist, and still chatted with the Fang family members. However, Qiao Chen had been depressed for a day or two, and later was pulled out by Zhi Li to drink a few cups of wine, which barely restored his mood.

  After several more days, Fang Jingchao and Fang Huaxiang, the cousins, prepared to set off back to Haining. The three married sisters, Ruzhen, also returned to their maternal home with their husbands and children to bid farewell.

  Among the three sisters who got married, Ruzhen was bright and calm in appearance, elegant in manner, straightforward and humorous in speech, and made the elders present feel overwhelmed. Rushan had a dignified and noble expression, rarely spoke during the meal, and maintained a polite smile all the time. In fact, it wasn't that she didn't want to speak, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Rumei would immediately take over the conversation and make her speechless.

  For example...

  "... The road to Haining is quite far, Uncle and Auntie should be extra careful on the way. If you encounter any bandits, don't be polite..."

  "Killing a chicken with a bull knife? Anyway, taking the water route from Beijing to Haining is under Brother-in-law's jurisdiction. Who would dare to mess with him? So Second Sister can rest assured."

  He glanced at her sideways, his eyes rolling, and said: "There are many delicious foods in the capital, Uncle and Auntie can bring back a lot. I'm afraid of the weather spoiling them, so I've already ordered people to prepare a lot of ice. With the ice blocks keeping them cool, they should be able to transport safely to Haining..."

  "Ha! What kind of weather is this? Do we still need to use ice? Just put a bowl of water outside and it'll freeze into an icicle in no time. Second sister, you might as well keep the ice at the Wang estate for your own use."

  Like a good air getting on the forehead, shaking down the southern pearl, she glared at her fiercely, as if nothing had happened, calling out to Fang Jingtao and others to eat, like a beautiful woman who had glanced at Ruyi, secretly turning away, but He Shi was always smiling and standing in front of the table, serving everyone's meal, busy as a spinning wheel.

  Yu Ru felt a bit unbearable and hastily said: "Sister-in-law, don't be busy anymore, let's all sit down and have dinner together."

  Fang Huaxiang looked at He Shi with a smile and said, "Our family doesn't follow these rules either. Niece-in-law, please sit down and have dinner together. Don't let yourself go hungry."

  He smiled and said: "Serving seniors is what a daughter-in-law should do, why mention being wronged?"

  Mr. Li was about to scold a few words, but suddenly thought of his daughter serving the Yang family in the same way, and felt a pang of sadness, so he didn't say anything.

  Rumei gazed at He Shi with a complex expression, her lips pursed in silence.

  After the departure of He Fang Jing and He Fang Hua, Ru Zhen called out to Ru Qing again, saying that her elder brother missed this aunt very much, so she might as well go to her house to play for a couple of days.

  Like a romantic looking at that one person who is having the time of their life, this kid misses her but it's fake, like truly wanting to be a matchmaker for her is real.

  Suddenly she felt very indignant: could it be that all the men in the entire capital had died out, and only the young master of the Chen family was suitable for her?

  ……

  The house is located outside the "Fifth Ring" of Beijing, but the location is not bad. The house is neither big nor small, just right. With Ruzhen's encouragement and her own dowry, they could have afforded a better and bigger house in a more prosperous area, but Ruzhen had her own reasons.

  "The Zhong family may have their fiefdom in Tianjin, but they also have many relatives in the capital. What's the point of buying a big one? It'll just give them an excuse to move in for free! You don't know that the Zhong family has some shameless people who are good at taking advantage of others, and there are also those who love to fill up their houses with concubines. My place is small, if I let them move in, it'll be cramped."

  In ancient times, what was emphasized was the power of the family. The power of the family brought advantages and unity to the clan, but also had many drawbacks. For example, when one person succeeded, even if others couldn't ascend to heaven, they still had to help them ascend - when someone came to your door seeking help, you had to take responsibility for their food, drink, and everything else, and you couldn't even complain about it. Otherwise, you would be considered disloyal, unfilial, inhumane, and unjust, and would suffer from illness and misfortune in official circles, and your reputation would also be ruined.

  There are advantages to having a small place, at least the relatives of the Zhong family who like to visit and freeload in Beijing will be too embarrassed to come over for an extended period with such a small house and such shabby equipment.

  Here is the translation:

  "Moreover, Big Sister's husband has such prestige, and by her side, apart from Ruzhen and a newly appointed auntie, there isn't even half a personal maid. Ru Xin admires this big sister with emotion, who at just twenty-five years old already has such far-sighted vision, truly rare indeed."

  "What about Aunt Hu now?"

  She sipped her tea lightly and said calmly, "It's a person with no good fortune. She secretly poured away the cleansing soup her mother brought over, got pregnant in secret, and relied on the flesh in her belly to show off. She thought she could rival me, but unfortunately, she was short-sighted. Because of the few oranges your brother-in-law gave, she complained that it was too little, cried and made a fuss with your brother-in-law, and even quarreled with Aunt Zhou. In the end, she lost the child. It's really pitiful, a seven-month-old fetus just disappeared like that. She wailed and cried every day, didn't sit out her month well, and died of illness."

  It's all silent and unspoken, but I'm sure there are still many unsung heroes here.

  Ru Yu looked at her and suddenly sneered, "You guessed it right, I did do something. Is this sister accusing me of being ruthless?"

  Yu Qing shook her head, "That Hu Niang, she deserved to die. She didn't let her sister live a good life, and her sister didn't need to make things easy for her either. Now that she's dead, I'm sure Clock House's Old Lady won't be coming over to stir up trouble from time to time anymore."

  "You think I don't know? She comes to my door every three to five days, crying about her poor granddaughter's miserable life, and then I have no choice but to hand over Lady Zhou to her, letting her deal with it as she pleases. Anyway, it was Lady Hu who colluded with Lady Zhou to get rid of the child, how can you blame me for this?"

  That Mrs. Zhong, the old lady, had never seen her before, but she could brazenly push her granddaughter into her nephew's room, so she must be a ruthless and ignorant person, and that Aunt Zhou would certainly not have a good ending.

  And then asked again about the new aunt in her brother-in-law's house, how sacred she is.

  Ruren smiled expressionlessly, "I bought it outside. With your sister's husband's current official position, if there aren't one or two people in the house, it wouldn't be convincing."

  The newly appointed aunt had lost both parents, and there were no other relatives in the family. There was only a gambler uncle who originally wanted to sell her at a high price to a brothel, but unfortunately, they didn't want to take her. In the end, she was hastily sold to a servant for less than two taels of silver, and finally bought by Ruzhen.

  That aunt had no fixed property and no power, the contract of selling herself was still in Ruzhen's hands, apart from being content with her fate and having a way to survive, she really couldn't find a second way out.

  It's hard to tell whether to pity the new aunt for being manipulated and controlled, or to admire her for being thoughtful and thorough in her actions, or to feel sorry for her for sacrificing herself for the greater good.

  Found a look of pity on her face, like the real nose was sour, gently patted her shoulder and smiled: "You don't have to feel sorry for me, every woman has gone through this. I'm still considered lucky... It's just that high-born girls in their husband's family really have no power, being manipulated at will, fortunately, there is Qin mom who often reminds me and advises me, if not for gritting my teeth and enduring all the way, it's likely that I would have been driven to death or disgusted to death. So, I truly don't hope you follow in my footsteps."

  "Yu Zhen brought up the Chen family again, 'That Second Master Chen seems like a decent person to me, at least he has his own opinions and won't be controlled by his mother. However, if a mother-in-law wants to make things difficult for her daughter-in-law, she doesn't need any excuses. According to what Madame Chen said, her mother-in-law wasn't easy to get along with either, looking honest but actually being stingy, selfish, and cruel. She had been married for only a few years, but hadn't hesitated to calculate her dowry. Fortunately, she became more cunning later on and wore old clothes that were no longer wearable when visiting her natal family, which made the old lady dare not act rashly.'"

  A daughter from a higher family background can't get along with her natal family, but a girl who marries down is relatively better off. As long as her father and brothers are reliable, even the most difficult mother-in-law will have to give way three parts of the road, this principle is still understandable.

  Auntie Fang Jingxuan was married to the Zhao family, a third-class official in the Ministry of Revenue, but she had been bullied by Old Lady Zhao and the first wife of the Zhao family. However, after the Zhao family fell out of favor, they now have to rely on the Fang family for support. Fang Jingxuan is no longer the timid person she was when she was at her husband's home. She can stand up straight in front of her strong-willed and cunning mother-in-law. Although Fang Jinglan has lost his official position, their nephews and nieces are all prominent figures, and even if they were to visit the He family, Old Lady Zhao wouldn't dare to cross Fang Jingxuan anymore.

  It makes sense in theory, but it's a bit difficult when put into practice.

  In front of the elaborately dressed Mrs. Chen, he was very quiet and reserved, maintaining a gentle and shy demeanor. Mrs. Chen looked him up and down, her wrinkled face finally breaking into a smile. Last time she hadn't taken a close look, thinking he was weak and frail, but this time she took a good look and thought he didn't look bad at all - his round face indeed had the makings of a prosperous husband. The only regret was that his status wasn't quite respectable, being born out of wedlock. And to make matters worse, he had been rejected by someone before.

  Madam Chen saw her own daughter-in-law facing Ruzhen with a respectful and enthusiastic expression, very dignified. Ruzhen sat casually on the spacious imperial couch, chatting and laughing freely, looking quite at ease. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at Ruzhen: "Mrs. Zhong is indeed born well, not only is her character good, but she's also born with a beautiful appearance. The fourth young lady isn't inferior in any way, and even before being born into the belly of a proper madam, she already has such beauty. Hehe, whoever marries the fourth young lady will truly have accumulated virtue from their ancestors."

  At this moment, the three women in the house all looked at Mrs. Chen, and Mrs. Chen frowned, seeing Ru's face was not good, hurriedly smiled: "Mother, fourth sister's temperament, her manners, are unmatched by even the legitimate ones. Moreover, fourth sister is a gentle and kind person, whoever marries her in the future will be blessed."

  "Ah, yes indeed... Hehe..."

  As soon as the two sisters exchanged a glance, Ru Zhen pressed down her uneasy heart and smiled: "Old lady, this younger sister of mine has been considered my own sister since she was young, and is also registered under my mother's name. What Chen Jia said makes sense - this younger sister of mine has been skilled in needlework since childhood, and is kind-hearted and gentle. She has a face that foretells a good marriage, and whoever marries her will be blessed with good fortune. However, my grandmother and father have always doted on this younger sister of mine, and the previous incident at our house had angered them so much that they would rather let the Fang family bear the infamy than let Ru Qing marry into their household and suffer. Now that all my sisters are married off, only this younger sister of mine remains unmarried, and as her older sister, I am worried sick. But my father and brother remain calm, saying that when choosing a son-in-law, not only must one consider his character, but also the attitude of his family. If they are already nitpicking before the marriage, even if their household is filled with gold and silver, it would still be out of the question."

  Madam Chen was stunned, seeing that although Ru Xian's face was smiling, her tone was cold and unfamiliar. She panicked and stuttered: "Men fear entering the wrong profession, women fear marrying the wrong husband, marriage is something to be carefully considered, your esteemed lady and sir are making such arrangements for our daughter, it's also Four Miss's good fortune..."

  Like didn't want to care about her, she just said to Like Zhen: "Sister, I'm a bit uncomfortable, I'll go out for a while."

  "Alright, go ahead. You must be hungry by now. Don't come back later, the kitchen has made you some glutinous rice red date porridge, it should be done soon. I know you like this."

  As soon as she finished speaking, Ruhua smiled and said: "I knew sister would be kind to me." Then she bowed to Old Lady Chen and Madame Chen, and calmly withdrew.

  After Zhen's emotional departure, Zhen said to Madame Chen with a smile: "Hehe, the other day my second brother brought back several boxes of sable fur from Shanxi for me. I alone can't wear them all out, sister, if you don't mind, take a few pieces back and make some clothes as a reward."

  Madam Chen's eyes flashed and she hastily smiled: "How can this be? That is your brother's heartfelt gift to his sister..."

  "Whatever his intention was, he had been infatuated with her for two years before that. What he sent over then was even more lavish than this time. I only got a few ugly pieces and complained about them, but this time it's considered good. He brought back a whole trunk of fur coats, unfortunately, I alone can't wear them all out, so if you're not disgusted, sister, just pick some to take back."

  Old Mrs. Chen was taken aback and asked: "Did Fourth Miss stay in Shanxi for another two years?"

  She glanced at her and said lightly, "Yes, I was originally only going to stay for half a year, but my second brother kept me here for another year and a half. When I came back, the gifts he sent were enough to fill three large carts. It made me so jealous as an older sister that I wrote to scold him a few times. Look... " She pointed at the several boxes of fur that the maids had brought in, "He even sent these and complained that I was still his older sister, yet he was competing with my younger sister for attention. It's really infuriating... Alas, having such a brother is truly a misfortune for eight lifetimes."

  The two women exchanged a glance, and Madame Chen's eyes sparkled with excitement, while Madame Chen was worried and secretly blamed her mother-in-law. This foolish old country bumpkin only had eyes for the rich resources of the other family's daughter, yet she despised the fact that their daughter had been jilted multiple times. But why didn't she think about it? If they married into the Yu family, then her son would have two marquisates and a prince's manor as in-laws, as well as several increasingly prominent maternal uncles. Yet she was narrow-minded and short-sighted, only focusing on the other family's background and dowry. If their daughter were a legitimate, proper young lady, would they still look down on our family?

  It's really a case of misplacing the root and the end, and it's extremely ridiculous. Now, from Mrs. Zhong's mouth, I heard that this girl was unusually spoiled by her father and brother, and also gave her an active mind. Little did she know, they were just scolding her and mocking her shortsightedness.

  "Good heavens! I've been talking for half the day and I'd almost forgotten the main thing. The tangerines in our orchard are ripe now, and I heard that Mrs. Zhong and Fourth Miss love to eat them, so I picked a few boxes and brought them over. They're still on the carriage right now. Daughter-in-law, would you please have someone bring them in? And while you're at it, also send some over to the Fang family's elderly masters and mistresses."

  Madam Chen thought that this old woman was not too excessive, knowing when to stop and turn with the wind. However, she glanced at Ruzhen's calm expression and Ruqing's already vanished figure, and sighed silently. The old woman's first move had probably backfired.

  ……

  After sending off Chen Jia's daughter-in-law, Ruzhen immediately came to Ruxiang's room. Xiangling was busy packing her trunk, and Ruxiang was also folding her clothes and putting them into boxes separately. Seeing this, Ruzhen stepped forward, snatched the box from Ruxiang's hands, and scolded: "What's going on? You just arrived at my place and you're already making a fuss about leaving? Are you dissatisfied with your sister's hospitality?"

  As if putting down the work in her hands, she smiled and said: "What are you talking about, sister? I just think this dress is a bit wrinkled, I was thinking of folding it well and putting it in the box to flatten it out. What were you thinking?"

  With a relaxed tone, she sat down and said, "I thought you were annoyed with Chen's wife, that ignorant old woman."

  "As if smiling lightly, 'All mothers-in-law under the sky are the same. No matter how good a daughter-in-law is, she will always be the woman who steals her son.' It's rare to find someone who really gets along with their daughter-in-law, from ancient times to the present. If it weren't for that exceptionally wise and virtuous daughter-in-law, or if this mother-in-law didn't have such good character, then the problem of mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law getting along wouldn't be one of the most notorious thresholds in Chinese history."

  "Ugh, that old woman Chen is really something else. She actually dares to look down on your background like this, she's really muddled."

  Her attitude and behavior, like a faint smile without words, are actually not much different from those of rural mothers-in-law. She has always believed that once a daughter-in-law enters her own home's gate, she can be molded and shaped at will.

  However, it's not difficult to deal with someone who can't hide their thoughts. Since she doesn't have any expectations for her future husband or his family, she can let things go easily. Old Lady Chen isn't actually looking down on her because of her birth status, probably just wants to give her a warning. Hehe, it's not hard to understand the complicated and conflicted thoughts of a weak mother-in-law when facing a high-born daughter-in-law.

  After barely passing two days, the old lady of the Chen family sent another box of sweet potatoes, but this time she didn't come in person, instead letting Mrs. Chen come over.

  Ru Yu still warmly entertained her, but when Madame Chen was about to leave, she insisted on giving her a basket of oranges produced in Shu.

  Plump and huge oranges, each wrapped in soft straw, one by one. Cut open a slice, sweet to the heart, Mrs. Chen had never eaten such delicious Sichuan oranges before, extremely grateful, thanked her profusely, and happily took the oranges back to the Chen family, delightedly sharing them with her husband, and said: "Yesterday, Mother-in-law was so polite, I thought Mrs. Zhong would be angry with us, but today when I went, she still treated me with good tea and seats, and even gave me such a valuable gift. It seems that Mrs. Zhong is still very satisfied with my second brother."

  Chen Da Gongzi Chen Zhong furrowed his brow and shook his head, "You've got it backwards. You send a basket of worthless pumpkins over there, but they return with such precious Sichuan specialties - that's not satisfaction, that's taking advantage of us." After years of navigating the officialdom, how could Chen Zhong not understand the intricacies at play? Just talking about gift-giving is a complex matter.

  When you give someone a valuable gift, if they return something inexpensive, it means they consider you as one of their own; if they return something equally valuable, it means they have no intention of befriending you. If the other party returns an even more valuable gift, then it means they didn't take you seriously at all.

  Mrs. Zhong returned the gift with a valuable local specialty from Shu, which already made her intentions clear. The other family has already regretted it, so your Chen family should be sensible and stop interacting with them.

  Madam Chen, although also a rich family's daughter, her father was only a small seventh-rank county magistrate in a poor mountainous area. How could he understand the intricacies of this matter? Hearing her husband say so, she was greatly shocked and hastily asked: "Is it really like that? Won't Fang's daughter's marriage to my second brother be ruined?"

  Chen Zhong sighed, "In general, that's right. But it's not the final step yet, and we can't give up easily. The ones who really decide on Fang's daughter's marriage are still Old Lady Fang and Old Master Fang. Clock Madame is already disgusted with our family, and there's no hope of getting anything from her."

  Madam Chen was like a deflated leather ball, suddenly gritting her teeth in silent resentment: it was all because of that extremely foolish old woman's meddling. If Second Brother's marriage fell through, so be it; after all, she had done her best. But if this were to drag down her and her husband's future prospects and official career, she would hate her to death.

  ……

  The fluttering goose feather-like snow ushered in the cold New Year's Eve, and the Fang family spent a very quiet evening. Fang Zhi and his wife had gone to their posts and would not return for at least two years. Ruxiu and Ru Mei were married off, leaving only one son, Fang Jinglan, who always looked like he was carrying a coffin on his face. Fang Jinglan felt extremely depressed. This son did not love drinking, talking, reciting poetry, or even pretending to be elegant. Unlike Zhi, he would praise Wang Xizhi's "Lantingji Xu" as flowing clouds and water, one breath after another. Zhi would immediately follow up with "Father is indeed extraordinary in learning", but Li would say "Everyone praises him, so it must be good", leaving him speechless for a long time.

  Facing his wife Li's constant nagging, Fang Jinglan couldn't muster up any enthusiasm. Fortunately, Zhu Yiniang could still offer him some comfort. However, Zhu Yiniang also pitied her daughter Rourou's miserable experience and was tearfully saying that she had implicated her, making it difficult for her to find a good husband.

  Fang Jinglan felt guilty, thinking of Zhu Niang's hard work and dedication over the years, as well as her own sacrifices. This time, she made a firm promise to herself and vowed to find a good husband for Ruo Xin in all aspects.

  However, finding a satisfactory family in all aspects is not easy. On the third day of the third month of Qingyuan's sixth year, Old Lady Li and Mrs. Li jointly held the hairpinning ceremony for Rujin. The Fang family also invited women from their social circle to attend the ceremony.

  The one who personally replaced Ruqiong's mansion was the aunt of He Shi's family, the wife of He Shouye, the supervising censor, and He Shouye was ranked third. This lady was also called Mrs. He San.

  Madam He personally helped Ruqing with her hair, and inserted a silver-gilt jade-inlaid hairpin that shone brightly among her locks. As she did so, she spoke words of good fortune, and Ruqing's capping ceremony was considered complete.

  After dinner, the three sisters came to Ruxiang's writing residence together. Ruxian's yard had already been vacated and was preparing to be cleared out for Wenge to build a house. As for Rumei's, although it was temporarily not moved, it would eventually have to be vacated as well. Yes, sitting here at Ruxiang's place is still the most comfortable.

  She was wearing a yellow silk dress with intricate embroidery of precious flowers, and her sleeves were adorned with jade bangles. She saw that the Fang family had set up twelve tables for the banquet, which made her unhappy. She couldn't help but sneer at Rumei, saying: "After all, you're Father's most beloved daughter. When my sister and I came of age, our joint ceremony was probably not as grand as this."

  Previously, only three and a half tables were set up for Ruxi's capping ceremony, and Li invited only some close relatives. At that time, Ruxi was also very disappointed, and Zhang Yiniang had cried twice. But Li also had a legitimate reason: "I've invited many relatives, but they don't want to come. What can I do? When Zhen Niang's capping ceremony took place, only five tables were set up. Do you really think your daughter is a fairy who has descended to earth and everyone will rush to attend?"

  Li said that once the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was involved, Zhang Niang had no choice but to grit her teeth in anger. Later, at Rumei's capping ceremony, there were eight tables of guests, and Zhang Niang used this to mock Li, saying that if she were really the eldest daughter of the Fang family, then Rumei, as the second daughter, was still just a secondary daughter after all, and it was unseemly for her to be so blatant in surpassing the eldest daughter.

  Involved in her own daughter's interests, Li saw the invitation and countered with a cold smile: "Heh, you're not convinced? Alright, go tell Old Lady about me! You framed me in front of Master!"

  Who doesn't know that at that time, Rú Shàn did something shameful in the Jing Wang Fu, and Fāng Jìnglán was so angry that he locked up Rú Shàn and severely beat Zhang Niáng and her daughter. Zhang Niáng was beaten to death and also died of anger, but she was powerless against Lǐ Shì's arrogance, and it was really a case of grinding one's teeth in frustration.

  At the moment, there were twelve tables of female relatives, most of whom she had only met once or twice. Some were relatives from the Zhong family, some were relatives from the He family, and some she didn't even recognize. Thinking about it, Li had actually invited all these people, with an obvious purpose. With a cold smile, she then discovered that among the gifts given by Ruxin, they were all high-end hair accessories of the same color, making her feel uncomfortable. However, due to her own status, she could only use Ru Mei as a scapegoat.

  It's really not pleasant to hear such a remark, and I couldn't help but feel a little sour. "Sister, you've made a fortune with all these valuable gifts. In the future, when you get married and go to your husband's family, you won't have to worry about not having anything to show off."

  "Compared to Second Brother-in-law's generosity towards Second Sister, this is nothing. All of these put together probably don't even add up to the value of that one set of gold hairpins on Second Sister's head."

  She couldn't help but glance at the crimson gold seven-tailed phoenix hairpin on Ruxin's head, each pin topped with a large South Pearl, shining brightly and dazzling to the eyes. This kind of headdress wasn't something that any ordinary rich woman could wear; only someone from the imperial family was qualified to wear it.

  "Does Fourth Sister still remember the previous Ruyan? Actually, if you think about it, Ruyan and Second Sister are quite similar, both relying on their wits to enter the palace. Unfortunately, Ruyan's ending is truly lamentable."

  Ru Shàn's face fell and he said in a low voice: "What do you mean?"

  Ru Mei said with a sneer, "What's the point? Everyone in the capital knows that Ruyan used her wiles to seduce Li Xiu and marry into the Wang family. Are you also inspired by Ruyan and trying to imitate her?"

  Ruxi suddenly stood up, raised her hands high and said, "Second sister, think thrice before acting." Then she turned to Rumei and said, "Third sister, we are all sisters, connected by flesh and blood, why must you make things so awkward?"

  Ru Mei no longer spoke, but instead Ru Shan, with a cold smile, said "Are you threatening me?"

  "Whether it's a threat or not depends on how you behave, sister," she said calmly, her voice slightly cold. "No matter what you've done, I still call you sister. This 'sister' isn't called out in vain, and I won't call anyone else that. As sisters, we have a predestined bond from our past lives. But some people are willing to treat outsiders like sisters while treating their real sisters as enemies. Did you forget the lessons Father and Mr. Hu taught you when you were young?"

  In ancient times, it was most taboo for brothers or sisters in a family to be at odds with each other. No matter how rotten things were behind closed doors, they still had to put on a good face and interact with each other.

  Although I don't like her, in front of others, I still have to give this sister some face. It's not that she is weak, but rather because the sisters are at odds with each other, and it's not good for the family or my own reputation.

  Ruxi clenched her fist, gave a cold laugh and said, "What a sharp tongue you have. Since you're so capable and intelligent, why is it that no family wants to marry into yours?"

  "Yes, I don't have a mother-in-law's home to return to, so why is this? Do you know, Third Sister?"

  "You don't know? That's because the Xiang family saw that our father lost his official position, so they used some underhanded tricks. And why did Father lose his official position? Second sister, you're the smartest among us sisters, surely you also know the reason?"

  His face turned pale with fear and he did not dare to argue back.

  "What a clever person, yet you still manage to do something so shameless. Forget it, I'd rather be stupid myself."

  Her eyes were wide with anger, her fingernails digging deep into her palms without her realizing it. She bit down hard on her lip, suppressing the retorts and sarcastic remarks that threatened to spill out. With a cold laugh, she said, "You're all so noble, so well-read and courteous. Only I'm lowly, with a rat's head and mouse's eyes. I'd better leave, lest I bring bad luck upon you."

  ……

  In March of the same year, the peaceful Fang Manor suddenly received an invitation.

  "Chen family? Which Chen family?" As if puzzled, she looked at the old lady's complex face, and quickly turned it over in her mind. The Fang family didn't seem to have any relatives with the surname Chen.

  Suddenly, as if a light bulb had gone off in his mind, he exclaimed: "It can't be..."

  The old lady nodded, "Exactly."

  Although Ruqing had been engaged to the second son of the Chen family before, they hadn't gotten close enough to send each other invitations yet... However, Ruqing was clever and asked tentatively: "The Spring Examination has just ended, and the list was only announced a few days ago. Could it be that this Chen family's son passed as a scholar?"

  The old lady looked at her with appreciation and said, "You're a clever one, you guessed it right, take a look."

  As expected, he took a slight breath, unexpectedly, this Chen Er Gongzi is still quite impressive, and was actually admitted to the Imperial Academy, although his ranking was slightly lower, but being able to stand out among thousands of candidates nationwide is also impressive.

  Next, if the palace examination is passed, one can directly enter Hanlin and take exams for Shi Jishi, Give Zhongshi, Zhushi, Zhongshu, Xingren, Taichang Boshi, Guoziboshi, or be appointed as a local government official, prefecture, or county magistrate.

  In general, as long as one can hold a pen, with just a little bit of effort, one can also be granted an official position. Chen Er Gongzi's current momentum, those with even a little bit of insight all know, unexpectedly, he will also be able to donate and become an official.

  As he fondled the bamboo tally, he asked, "Now that Chen Er Gongzi has passed the imperial examination, I suppose the Chen family will be hosting a grand banquet, won't they?" He would also take advantage of this opportunity to collect some silver and show off in front of all the guests.

  The old lady said in a low voice: "Everyone has received their invitations, of course this wine money is indispensable."

  "What does it have to do with our family?" The old lady's eyes darted over, her face awkward and embarrassed, as she muttered: "Could it be that the Chen family really thinks I'm a cooked duck?"

  The old lady looked at Ruqing with a sympathetic gaze and asked, "Ruqing, tell me the truth, what do you think of that young Chen?"

  "It's a waste of effort." It's tasteless when eaten and can't be spat out.

  The most important thing is that, for now, Chen Er Gongzi's momentum can barely be described as a fried chicken, but if he wants to rely on his current poor and white foundation to stand firm in the officialdom, it will be somewhat difficult. Of course, if it's a matter of marrying into a noble family, then that's a different story.

  Although Ru Yu didn't want to elevate her own value, for now, the remarkable achievements of Zhi Li and Zhi Yi brothers are indeed very beneficial for the Chen family, especially with the prestigious husband's background of Ru Zhen, Ru Shan and Ru Mei sisters.

  The old lady looked at her with a sympathetic gaze, let out a soft sigh and said: "Qing'er, don't worry, in the capital city there are so many eligible bachelors, I won't believe it if we can't find one that suits you."

  ……

  Digression

  This chapter is named "chicken ribs", but when others upload it, they look and look again, modify and modify again, and are determined not to be chicken ribs. Who says that the text must be high and majestic? As for Li Xiao, what's he doing coming out? He'll come out when it's his turn, don't worry about it, you guys are always rushing and complaining, I'm also getting anxious, please hold on a bit. It's just that things will get better eventually, but before that, we have to go through the tough times, right? You guys understand~ seems like I owe someone an apology, let me just cover my head and run away~