Upon hearing this, Madam Yuan was very displeased with her daughter’s tone.
No matter what, she had carried her for ten months and given birth to her. Why was she speaking on Old Madam’s side?
Could this be the dire consequence of throwing her to Old Madam to raise from childhood?
Madam Yuan said indignantly, “You’re a married daughter—what do you know? I already promised Second Madam Fang to betroth Axuan to your Fourth Uncle. Now your grandmother is going back on her word. How am I supposed to explain this to these relatives? Don’t you know how much harm this does to Axuan and to the Fang family?”
This accusation was too severe.
Moreover, she absolutely didn’t believe Grandmother would do something like go back on her word!
Cheng Zheng had to ask, “When did Grandmother promise to let Fourth Uncle marry Axuan?”
Her daughter’s questioning made Madam Yuan even more vexed. She said, “Weren’t you there that day? Madam Liao and I kept praising Axuan. Second Madam Fang personally agreed to let Axuan accompany your grandmother to watch the opera…”
Cheng Zheng couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.
And there was First Madam Liao too!
All young ladies who came from the Fang family.
Why could Mother never distinguish between what was primary and what was secondary?
“Yes!” Cheng Zheng said. “I was there! I saw Second Madam Fang looking like she couldn’t wait to form a marriage alliance with the Cheng family immediately. Does that mean whoever wants to marry into the Cheng family can do so? Then what does that make our Cheng family? A vegetable garden gate? Anyone who wants to come in comes in, anyone who wants to go out goes out?
“Weren’t you also there at the time? What did Grandmother say? Did she promise the Fang family anything? How can you say Grandmother went back on her word? Moreover, Grandfather has passed away. Fourth Uncle’s marriage should naturally be decided by Grandmother. If you have suitable candidates, you can recommend them to Grandmother, but whether Grandmother and Fourth Uncle agree or not is their business. How can you overstep your authority?
“Did Grandmother interfere with Jiashan’s matter? Did Grandmother interfere with Sister Xiao’s marriage?
“Not only did Grandmother not interfere, she told you several times that the Cheng family didn’t necessarily have to form a marriage alliance with the Min family. Did you listen? But did Grandmother call Father over and insist that you find a different match for Jiashan? Grandmother was just afraid that the daughter-in-law who entered the family wouldn’t be to your liking, would make things difficult for the other young lady, and would put Jiashan in an impossible position.
“Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you!
“Mother, you’d better interfere less with matters at Chaoyangmen in the future!”
The last sentence, Cheng Zheng spoke very solemnly.
Madam Yuan was so angry she nearly vomited blood.
This was the good daughter she had raised!
She didn’t even know basic filial piety.
She wouldn’t be satisfied until she angered her to death!
She pointed at the door and shouted loudly, “Get out! Get far away from me! If you don’t value this natal family, I don’t value you as a daughter either!” Then she said resentfully in a loud voice, “Wasn’t your marriage decided by your grandmother? If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have married you into the Fang family instead!”
Cheng Zheng was deeply wounded by her mother’s words.
Tears brimmed in her eyes. She said in a low voice, “Mother, my marriage was decided by Grandfather. At the time, he also asked you. You said you wanted to marry me into the Fang family, but Grandmother sent someone to inquire. The Fang family’s young master had a hidden illness and has been dead for nearly ten years now. If I had been married there according to your wishes, I should be in widowhood now, shouldn’t I?”
Madam Yuan’s face filled with shock.
How did her daughter know about this?
She opened her mouth wide but couldn’t utter a sound for a long while.
Cheng Zheng left in grief, flicking her sleeves.
At the corner of the covered walkway, Cheng Xu slowly emerged.
He thought of the scene when he saw her at Grandmother’s birthday banquet.
The incident in the garden seemed to have no effect on her at all.
She appeared even more beautiful.
And radiant with brilliance.
Like a piece of jade finally polished to reveal its lustrous glow.
Now, she was going to marry Fourth Uncle.
That Fourth Uncle whom he had looked up to since childhood.
Why was this happening?
What had gone wrong?
Cheng Xu slowly walked into the main quarters.
The maids and elderly servants who had been attending inside had all disappeared somewhere. Madam Yuan was alone, lying on the bolster by the window on the large kang, sobbing softly.
Cheng Xu watched silently for a while before quietly stepping forward to pat his mother’s shoulder.
Madam Yuan immediately grabbed her son’s hand like clutching a lifeline and said urgently, “Your sister is becoming more and more disobedient as she grows older. She actually accused me, and your grandmother…”
In the past, he had always felt his mother was pitiful.
Born into a prestigious family, because she liked Father, she had rushed to marry over. Elder Sister and Second Sister had both grown up in Grandmother’s quarters. Their personalities and manner of conduct were all like Grandmother’s, and their words and actions always faintly conveyed a sense of looking down on Mother. Father was away serving as an official year-round, and the only one who kept Mother company was him.
But Grandmother was different.
She was strong-willed and resolute. Whether it was Father or his uncles, or even the old patriarch Cheng Xu from the second branch, none could gain the upper hand in front of her.
So even though Mother had broken her promise to him, and he complained endlessly in his heart, he had never hated Mother.
But this time, he suddenly seemed to lose patience and couldn’t help but interrupt Mother’s words, saying, “Mother, please stop quarreling with Elder Sister and Second Sister in the future. They’re married daughters. Helping the family is a favor, not helping is also proper. When you rebuke them like this, it makes the servants in the household disrespectful to them as well.”