The two of them were shocked when they heard this, and looked at the door at the same time.
It turned out that Deng Jiahua had rushed over at some point, and the couple looked at each other. The Duke of Guo asked with some uncertainty: "Have you made up your mind?"
Deng Jiahua raised her chin slightly: "As the legitimate daughter of the Duke's palace, my daughter was originally supposed to be the imperial concubine. Now even the second sister can be the third imperial concubine. There is no reason why I can't." She said every word: "Dad, you
You know, my daughter has never wanted to fall behind others since she was a child, and the same goes for marriage.
The affair between His Highness Sixth Prince and I was widely spread. If this thing doesn't happen, I will be ridiculed and laughed at by others for the rest of my life! Just think about it, I can't live like that. Instead of hiding and covering up for the rest of my life.
, it’s better to give it a try and get some scenery. Even if it’s just a superficial scenery.”
Seeing her mother's disapproval, she said seriously: "Mom, I don't believe that His Highness has no feelings for me at all. When we got along in the past, I could clearly see the tenderness in his eyes. This is enough, as long as he has any feelings for me.
With a little patience, I will have the confidence to make his heart mine."
Luo Shi was speechless.
"Jiahua, you have to think carefully."
She was unwilling to let her daughter take such a risk, and her daughter was right. Previously, many people thought that her daughter must be the future sixth princess. If this marriage fails, her daughter will definitely be despised by everyone, and she may even be
The future sixth princess will hold a grudge.
Therefore, the daughter wants to do it herself, and there is no reason for her to stop her.
The Duke is ill.
The condition became so severe that within two days I couldn't get out of bed, and I started talking nonsense.
Being so seriously ill, it was natural for Chu Yunli, as a daughter, to live in the suburbs. She moved back to the Duke's Mansion the same day she received the news.
When she came back this time, her intuitive feeling was that the people below her respected her. In the past, Deng Ruyu had to spend money to clean up the kitchen if she wanted to eat delicious food, but now she doesn’t have to. As long as she asks for something, she will get it done in half a day at most.
It was delivered neatly to her desk.
After the decree of marriage was granted, Aunt Sun's life was much better than before, and she was very proud of herself. When she heard that her daughter was back, she rushed over immediately.
Chu Yunli had just changed her clothes and saw her when she went out. When mother and daughter met, Chu Yunli looked very calm.
When Aunt Sun saw her daughter's expression, she didn't take it to heart at all. In her opinion, there was no overnight feud between mother and daughter. Even if they had quarreled over some trivial matter, they would soon put it down.
"Ruyu, you have managed to survive. These days, when I think about your future identity, I am so excited that I can't sleep."
Chu Yunli had already walked out: "I still have to go see my father."
Aunt Sun hadn't seen her daughter for many days, and she was reluctant to leave her as soon as they met. After hearing this, she immediately followed her: "I'm going too."
Mother and daughter walked hand in hand to the main courtyard, and Aunt Sun whispered: "Has Hua Yao come to see you?"
Chu Yunli asked back: "Do you want him to look for it, or do you want him not to look for it?"
"Of course not!" Aunt Sun said seriously: "Girl, don't be stupid. Again, no matter how deep the relationship is, it will fade. Relationships are not important in this life. You are about to become the prince's concubine, and he also has a good heart.
People are compatible. If you two forcefully get together, it will destroy you and him."
Chu Yunli was noncommittal.
Sun Huayao is sincere to Deng Ruyu.
Deng Ruyu also has feelings for him, but she is no longer here, and it is impossible for Chu Yunli to marry her and become husband and wife to her sweetheart.
Aunt Sun thought she had persuaded her daughter and whispered: "When you become the prince's concubine, if you still miss your old relationship, remember to help him."
Chu Yunli looked sideways at her: "Auntie means that I should keep this feeling in my heart and give him other help later, right?"
This sounded a little wrong, and Aunt Sun frowned: "Don't say it so harshly. You are not just an unmarried couple, but you are also cousins. You should support each other."
"Mutual?" Chu Yunli chewed these two words in a strange tone: "Can the Sun family and I be mutual?"
No matter how you look at it, the Sun family is taking advantage of her.
Aunt Sun looked unhappy: "Don't worry so much between relatives. Huayao is sincere to you, why shouldn't you reciprocate?"
"Where do you have the nerve to say such a natural thing?" Chu Yunli snorted coldly. If the Sun family all thought this way, then they would go back to where they came from, and she would never help in the slightest.
Of course, Chu Yunli also knew in her heart that Sun Huayao didn't think so. She never wanted to rely on her cousin Deng Ruyu from the beginning to the end. Mrs. Sun might have an idea, but no one mentioned it to her.
These words were so rude that Aunt Sun was stunned on the spot: "Ruyu, you..."
"If you keep talking, I will hate the Sun family." While they were talking, the two of them had already walked outside the main courtyard and saw Chu Yunli coming over. It was our mother-in-law who no longer had the aloofness she once had, and her waist was almost bent to the ground: "
The girl is here, please wait a moment, I will go and report it right now.”
The Duke of Guo ignored his daughter before, but now he does not. Therefore, Chu Yunli was able to get in easily.
While still in the yard, I could smell the strong smell of medicine. On the soft couch in the house, the Duke's face was pale, his eyes were black, and he looked quite haggard.
Aunt Sun wanted to come to visit before, but was never able to come in. Now when she saw the state of the country, she was frightened, rushed forward and started crying.
"Shut up." Luo Shi scolded: "If you want to cry out and cry like a mourner, it's not bad luck."
Hearing this, Chu Yunli glanced at her.
Aunt Sun had been oppressed by her mistress for many years and could not show any resistance at all. She really did not dare to cry. She covered her face with a handkerchief and sobbed non-stop.
However, Chu Yunli noticed something strange in it. People nowadays pay great attention to what they say. People with high status will think about what they are going to say several times in their mind before speaking, and only speak it when they feel that there is nothing wrong with it.
It is most taboo for a sick person to talk about funeral arrangements, but Luo Shi came right away. Chu Yunli glanced at the person on the bed again, and keenly noticed that the Duke's eyes were bright, not at all cloudy like those of seriously ill people.
Upon closer inspection, he felt that something was wrong. The Duke's face was very white. At first glance, it looked like he was sickly pale, but Chu Yunli could tell that the paleness was caused by the use of powder.
Chu Yunli lowered her eyes, asked a few questions, then turned around and exited.
Aunt Sun followed her, crying all the way. After entering her daughter's yard, she closed the door herself and without any scruples, she lay on the table and cried loudly.
She was really scared. Her cries were suppressed at first, but then they became more and more ferocious. The cries made people panic, and Chu Yunli yelled: "Stop crying."
"If the Duke of Guo is gone and it is your brother's turn to be in charge of the house, and you two brothers and sisters are 10% further apart, you'd better pray that the Duke of Guo lives for a long time." Aunt Sun said while sobbing: "I feel the same way.
Given my age, do you think I am afraid? I am worried about you."
"Can a person live his whole life without dying?" Chu Yunli was a little impatient: "You go back, I have been running all the way and I have been tired for a long time. I want to lie down and rest for a while."
Aunt Sun was feeling uneasy. Seeing that her daughter didn't want to talk to her anymore, she wisely said goodbye and left.
The Duke held a birthday banquet before, and many people came to congratulate him. Now that he is sick, of course those people have to come to visit him.
As a result, the Duke's Mansion was bustling with people coming and going all day long.
Chu Yunli usually didn't see guests in the main courtyard. She just went there every morning and evening to show her filial piety. But she didn't ignore the main courtyard, and people kept watching her in private.
Deng Ruyue stopped blaming her in front of her, and Chu Yunli was free. During this period, Kuang Xi'an came twice and presented many precious medicinal materials.
It's not that he respects his father-in-law very much. If he wants to show his respect for his fiancée in front of outsiders, he will only give her more things if he likes her.
Soon, everyone in the capital heard about His Highness the Third Prince's love for his fiancée, and gave her hundreds of years of ginseng as a gift.
After Aunt Sun heard about this incident, she was very happy, which alleviated her worries about the Duke.
In the afternoon of the same day that Kuang Xi'an arrived, the Sixth Prince came to the door in person with some people, and also brought some gifts. The gifts were quite decent, not too expensive, but not simple either.
Chu Yunli was sitting in the yard with Kuang Xian during the day. She saw that the chrysanthemums were growing well, and she planned to pick some and put them in her purse. When she was busy with her maid, she suddenly saw a group of people passing by.
The leader was Deng Jiahua, who was wearing a flamboyant red dress. She was obviously dressed up at this moment, and her skirt was flowing. When she met Chu Yunli's eyes, she just nodded and said hello, and quickly walked towards the main courtyard.
Chu Yunli played with the chrysanthemum in her hand, thoughtfully.
At this moment, she finally guessed the truth behind the illness of the Duke. She was really not afraid of death.
At that moment, I didn’t want any more chrysanthemums. After dismissing the people around me, I went to the main courtyard alone.
At that time, the Sixth Prince was no longer around, leaving only the Duke and his wife. If you look carefully, you can still see the anxiety on their faces.
"Father, I saw my sister just now."
Luo Shi frowned: "We all live together in the mansion, and we can see it just by looking at it. Is there anything strange about it?"
"Isn't it unusual for the eldest sister to dress as if she is attending a banquet in her own mansion?" Chu Yunli turned to look at her: "Have you ever thought about the consequences of His Highness's anger?"
Luo Shi was displeased: "I don't understand what you mean. His Highness came to visit the Duke, and we didn't ask him to come. How can he be angry?"
Chu Yunli sneered, stepped forward, and roughly wiped the prince's face with the handkerchief.
How can today's makeup products stand up to such roughness?
In just a few strokes, a thick layer of powder stuck to the handkerchief, and the Duke's rosy skin was revealed.
The disguise was exposed. After a moment of panic, the Duke quickly calmed down. Anyway, the person who discovered the truth was his daughter. We were all on the same boat. It was impossible for his daughter to expose him in front of outsiders.
"I don't want to lie to His Highness."
Chu Yunli smiled half-heartedly: "Then who do you want to lie to? Or do you think you are old and unable to do what you want, so you want to pretend to be sick and return to your hometown?"
Power is alluring, and the more people occupy high positions, the more reluctant they are to give up. Many people are tired to death in official positions, and only a few are willing to retire. The Duke of the country has real power and a title, and he wishes he could do it for the rest of his life.
"Don't talk nonsense."
Chu Yunli nodded: "I'm not talking nonsense. Now I am about to become the third prince's concubine. If something happens to the Duke's palace, my status will also change. So, you can't hide anything you want from me!"
Luo Shi's expression turned ugly: "Your father and I are still here, so it's not your turn to worry about family matters."
"Father, do you think so too?" Chu Yunli emphasized: "The marriage I got by my own ability did not depend on you. To put it harshly, with the body and bones of His Highness, even if the Duke's palace is reduced to ashes, I can't do it.
The prince and concubine can also stay by his side. The emperor will never let me die."
This is true.
The Duke of Guo was out and about, thinking more comprehensively. From his second daughter's several marriage accidents, he had already seen that the second daughter had her own plans and was not an ordinary lady.
Immediately, he stopped hiding and told the family's plans.
Chu Yunli's face was speechless: "You are really not afraid of death."
Luo Shi frowned: "Don't say such depressing words."
"Why do you think that the Sixth Prince will be obedient and at the mercy of others?" Chu Yunli glanced outside: "What are you going to do if he forces the daughter-in-law of the Duke's Palace to die of illness and become a maid next to him?"
"Impossible!" The Duke said with a serious face, "His Highness will not treat me like this. He now...is exactly the time when he needs manpower."
It is impossible to offend someone to death.
Chu Yunli nodded: "Since you know what you are doing, I won't say more, so as not to worry you about me being nosy. Anyway, I don't agree with what you are doing. You are simply asking for your own death."
After saying this, he turned around and walked out: "If the Duke's house is confiscated and his family is exterminated because he offended the nobles, I will definitely be fine. You can take care of yourself."
The couple looked at each other, feeling a little panicked, but now that the matter was over, there was no turning back.
Luo Shi tentatively said: "Your Highness, Sixth Prince, shouldn't be so cruel, right?" Thinking of that man's politeness in front of her, she relaxed slightly and continued: "Ruyu was too rude to us, we need to teach him a lesson later.
Teach her the rules. In front of her elders, she should be humble when she should be humble, and she should be careful when speaking."
The Duke of Guo was worried and had no intention of listening to what she said. He waved his hand: "There are people in the palace who can teach you, so don't meddle in other people's business. He doesn't have much attachment to us, so don't offend anyone."
Dead."
Luo Shi: "..." Even if she becomes a queen, she is still a concubine. Can she still not control her?
She wanted to say a few more words, but then she met the man's sharp gaze.
"Madam, at this critical moment, aren't you worried about your daughter?"
Of course Luo was worried, and he really didn't like what Deng Ruyu said, so he was looking for trouble here.
Chu Yunli reminded the two of them, and felt that he was the most benevolent person, so he wanted to take the chrysanthemums he had picked earlier and go back to the yard to make them.
Halfway through, a little girl suddenly came over and whispered: "The eldest girl went to the guest house, and later the third girl also went."
Hearing this, Chu Yunli was stunned for a moment. After reacting, he was sure that he heard correctly and couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
She didn't ask any more questions and went back to the house to make chrysanthemums.
This process lasted two hours. Chu Yunli was very patient in doing these things. When the chrysanthemums were about to dry and ready for canning, someone from the main courtyard came to invite her.
"Madam, please."
Chu Yunli waved her hand: "I still have something to do and I'm not free now."
The person who came was someone close to Luo Shi, and his face was a little distorted when he heard this: "Girl, something very important has happened, you must go there."
Chu Yunli happily put away all the tea leaves and walked slowly to the main courtyard after half an hour.
Before she entered the door, she heard a woman crying from inside the house, and there was also a faint cry for mercy. When she pushed the door open, she saw Deng Ruyue kneeling on the ground.
Luo Shi's face was ashen, and the Duke's face was not good-looking either.
Chu Yunli asked curiously: "What happened?"
When the Duke saw her coming in, his expression softened slightly, but his tone was stern: "Your third sister ran to the guest house to seduce His Highness Sixth Prince."
Before coming, Chu Yunli had already guessed the inside story, but still pretended to be surprised: "How could it be so?"
Deng Ruyue was kneeling on the ground, her forehead already red and swollen, but she was still kowtowing hard. From where Chu Yunli stood, she could just see the slap marks on her face and the scratches on her neck.
The scratches were already oozing with blood, and some ambiguous marks could still be seen vaguely on the neck.
Deng Jiahua held the back of his head with one hand and stared at Deng Ruyue on the ground as if he wanted to eat someone.
"Shameless bitch, if I had known you would do such a wrong thing, I would have never taken care of you for so many years."
"Shut up!" Although Luo Shi was angry, he had not lost his mind. His daughter was not married yet, so if she said something dirty, she would not be able to find a good family again.
Deng Ruyue touched her forehead to the ground: "Sister, my sister is doing this for your own good."
"You robbed my husband-in-law and said it was for my own good. Do you really think I'm a fool?" Deng Jiahua's bright smile was no longer there, replaced by a look of rage on his face, and he rushed forward to hit him again.
No one pulls it.
Luo Shi wiped her tears with a handkerchief, as if she didn't care. It was impossible for the Duke of Guo to reach out for his two daughters, let alone Chu Yunli.
The two of them had a scuffle in an instant. To be precise, Deng Ruyue was beaten unilaterally very quickly, and her hair was messy and she had a few more injuries on her cheeks.
"Sister, if you ruin my face and His Highness no longer favors me, it will be of no benefit to the Duke's palace."
After hearing this, the Duke of Guo, who had been silent all this time, finally reacted: "Jiahua, stop!"
Deng Jiahua was so angry that he didn't take these words to heart at all. He just grabbed Deng Ruyue and didn't let go, and his actions became more and more cruel.
The Duke slapped his hand on the table.
The table was shaken a few times, and the tea set on it was clinking.
Deng Jiahua realized his father's anger belatedly and hurriedly let go, but still said aggrievedly: "Dad, it's obviously Ruyue who is wrong."
Deng Ruyue smiled bitterly: "Your Highness is definitely not willing to be plotted by others. It is said that the one who betroths you is your wife and the one who runs away is your concubine. I am a concubine, so forget it without knowing it. Anyway, many people with the same status as me have done it.
Someone else's concubine. As my legitimate daughter, how can I suffer such injustice?"
She raised her head: "Mom, you'd better find a doctor to prepare some good anti-freckle ointment for me. Before His Highness left, he already said that he would pick me up in three days."
Hearing this, Deng Jiahua became even more angry!
She and the Sixth Prince had been going back and forth for more than a year, and the news spread in the capital, but Deng Ruyue got there first.
Chu Yunli looked at this, then that, and asked curiously: "I obviously saw my elder sister going there first, how come it was the third sister who had an affair with His Highness Sixth Prince?"
As soon as this matter was brought up, Deng Jiahua became angry. Her delicate stinky shoes stepped hard on Deng Ruyue's fingers, causing him to scream, but she still couldn't get over her anger: "You still have the nerve to yell?"
Deng Ruyue held her fingers and inhaled in pain.
Deng Jiahua said fiercely: "I was hit with a stick as soon as I entered the yard. I fainted on the spot. The back of my head still hurts badly. This bastard is not afraid of beating me into a fool. He hit me so hard." She turned to look at him.
Mother: "Mom, I have to knock this stick back. No, I'm not strong enough. Please ask the strong woman in the house to knock it back!"
Deng Ruyue was startled, and she was also afraid that her aunt, who doted on her daughter, would really treat her like this, so she hurriedly said: "Your Highness will pick me up in three days. If you see me covered with wounds, you will definitely not let me go."
"The fox is pretending to be the tiger's power!" Deng Jiahua stared at her with blood-red eyes: "You are not even one of His Highness, but you dare to threaten the Duke's palace. If I let you go to His Highness, I am afraid that the whole family will be crushed by you. Mother.
, we can’t let her go.”
Luo Shi also didn't expect that the concubine she loved so much would be so bold and cut off what was already a sure thing. The moment she heard the news, she almost had the intention of killing someone.
These concubines are all weighing on their daughters. Just thinking about it makes people feel depressed.
"Don't worry, I won't let her go."
Hearing this, the Duke scolded: "Nonsense!"
The Sixth Highness's calculation was that the Duke's Palace was at fault first. Even if the candidate was changed, it was not the couple's previous agreement to make their daughter the prince's concubine, but only one daughter was sent to be a concubine. They could only accept it.
This time, I really have to give up the idea of letting my daughter be the sixth prince's concubine.
"Come here, buy some good scar removal ointment and deliver it to the third girl's yard."
Deng Ruyue kowtowed and thanked him.
Deng Jiahua's chest heaved: "Dad, please be reasonable."
"Why is it that His Highness the Sixth Prince is willing to accept her?" Seeing that his daughter's eyes were blood red with anger, the Duke of Guo persuaded her earnestly: "Our Duke's residence is respected by people in this capital, even the elders in the court.
I will be polite to your father after seeing him. However, no matter how beautiful the Duke's palace is, he is still a minister. It is a great blessing for a minister to be favored by the prince. We cannot refuse, we must accept it happily."
Deng Jiahua burst into tears instantly: "Dad, His Highness the Sixth Prince is obviously..."
The Duke of Guo knew that his daughter was in pain. After watching the meeting for a long time, he still couldn't figure it out. His patience ran out: "No matter what it is, your third sister and he are now married, and your third sister is about to become the concubine of the prince's palace!"