chapter Five
There is a tall peach tree on the east side of the courtyard of Chunhui Yuan. Few peach trees can grow as tall as it.
When he was young, his elder brother tied a swing to the peach tree branch for Su Yining. In the spring, Su Yining always likes to wear a blue dress, sit on the swing, and let her servants push her one after another.
Flying high and falling quickly.
She liked the feeling of flying towards the clouds, and the warm wind in spring fell on her ears, carrying the fragrance of fresh flowers.
The first time she and Xie Yu met was under the peach tree in Chunhui Courtyard. Wenxiu pushed her too hard, but she couldn't hold her steady and almost fell down, but Xie Yu held the rope.
At that time, Xie Yu was only eleven or twelve years old, but he was extremely tall. He was not as thin as he is now. He stood tall and tall with broad shoulders and long legs. He was neither far nor near. He adhered to etiquette and just held the swing frame. The rope never touched even a corner of her clothes.
The warm sunshine in March reflected on his face through the peach blossoms. He was high-spirited and handsome, with the childishness unique to a young man. Even if he stood there without saying a word, people couldn't bear to move their eyes away. .
Su Yining looked at her for a longer time, and Xie Yu didn't feel offended. He just smiled and asked her gently and calmly: "But you were scared?"
But now when I think back on it, everything seems to have happened in the past life.
His face was still the same, but the aura around him had completely changed. Thinking of the scene in the side room of Daxiangguo Temple today, such a thank you suddenly made Su Yining feel strange in her heart.
I don't know if it was her misunderstanding, but I always felt that Xie Yu was a little more aggressive when he came back this time than before.
Ever since they met at the Daxiangguo Temple that day, Su Yining couldn't take any time off. Once she had time, she couldn't help but think wildly, her mind filled with the thanks she received that day.
"Second Miss," after lunch on the second day, Su Yining was taking a nap on the Luohan couch. Wen Yuan hurriedly ran in from the outside, panting, "Second Miss is not good, and the Lord wants to punish the old lady. Madam, we got into trouble with the old lady. Now the old lady is so angry that her old illness has relapsed."
Su Yining didn't even have time to put on her shoes and socks before she stood up and said, "How is grandma? Have you gone to see the doctor?" As she spoke, she packed up her clothes and hurried to Chaohuiyuan.
Wen Yuan quickly replied: "Dongqing took the old lady's post and went into the palace to ask for Dr. Wang from the Taiyuan Hospital. The Lord and Queen are also waiting in Chaohuiyuan."
Along the way, the master and servant walked, and Su Yining asked about the situation over there.
"Why did it suddenly happen?"
When she came back from Daxiangguo Temple that day, although her grandmother was angry that Mrs. Zheng arranged her marriage at will and the person she found was unbearable, she did not criticize her too much out of consideration for her feelings. She just asked the eldest lady not to have any contact with the Chen family in the future. The aunt and nephew were in contact.
Grandma does things right, and would never be accused of being harsh on her daughter-in-law.
Why can't we still quarrel today?
Wen Yuan also knew little about it. He only heard a little bit from the servants of Chaohuiyuan: "I heard it was because of the eldest girl."
Speaking of this, Wen Yuan paused and looked solemn: "At noon today, news came from the Weibei Hou Mansion that the prince is going to reconcile with our eldest daughter. The eldest daughter has not had any children for three years since she married into the Hou Mansion. Some time ago, One day, Mrs. Hou took the initiative to take in a good concubine for the prince, but the eldest girl made a fuss and refused to agree, so she had no choice but to take her as a concubine without giving her the title of aunt."
"Afraid that the eldest girl would find out and cause trouble in the house, everyone kept the secret from her. The woman only served in the study room in the front yard and never went to the backyard. The Weibei Hou Mansion took the eldest girl's mood into consideration. I think I can slowly discuss it with the eldest girl as time goes by."
"But that woman's belly is very promising. She has only been in the Marquis's residence for two months, and now she is pregnant."
"Unfortunately yesterday, the eldest lady saw that the prince, Chun Wei, was studying hard and spending a lot of time in the study, so she made some late-night snacks to serve him. Unexpectedly, she bumped into him."
"I heard from Wen Yan who was next to the eldest girl that when the eldest girl opened the study door, the woman's clothes and books were scattered all over the floor. She was lying on the prince's desk, and the two of them were enjoying themselves."
After all, the two of them were still boudoir girls waiting to be married. At this point, Wen Yuan couldn't continue talking, and Su Yining was already blushing even as she listened.
"According to the eldest sister's firecracker temper, she must be intolerable. Did she quarrel with her brother-in-law?" Su Yining knew that her eldest sister had not been disciplined by her biological mother since she was a child, and was deliberately domineering by her stepmother. She was domineering and lawless at home, and when she saw her husband being affectionate with others, she couldn't let it go.
Wen Yuan shook his head: "That's what matters. News came from the Hou Mansion, saying that the eldest girl rushed in and pulled the woman out of the study and threw her in the yard. She was half-clothed and even treated the prince. I used the whip and beat them both."
"The woman's body was seen by all the servants in the house. She couldn't bear the humiliation and wanted to hang herself on the spot. She was saved by the prince. But Xu's mood swings were too severe and the child in her belly could not be kept."
Hearing what she said, Su Yining's heart was in a state of excitement. With such a big thing happening, the marriage between the eldest girl and the Marquis of Weibei was probably over. They didn't mention divorcing their wives, they only talked about reconciliation. This is enough for the face of Uncle Zhongqin.
As a woman, although Su Yining could understand her eldest sister's anger and despair, she couldn't agree with her eldest sister's actions, which were too reckless.
Originally, she was somewhat reasonable, and everyone in the family kept her secret. They did not pay attention to her as the head wife. Even if she was brought in front of His Majesty, she was still reasonable.
But she is so impulsive and hurtful, even if she is justified, she will be three points shorter.
"Does grandma blame the eldest lady for what happened to the eldest sister?" Chaohuiyuan is not far from Linshuiyuan where Su Yining lives, and is about to arrive.
"That's not true. The old lady sent the eldest lady over for questioning, and somehow she started talking about the girl's marriage again. The eldest lady was panicked because of the eldest girl's affairs. In a moment of panic, she said that you and the eldest lady had lost your reputation. It will even be difficult for the third girl to get married."
While talking, the two of them had already entered Zhaohui Courtyard.
Old Mrs. Su was leaning on the Arhat couch, Tian's mother was pressing her head, Su Che was standing aside, and Mrs. Zheng was kneeling in the middle of the room.
Su Yining saluted them and then walked to the old lady.
Seeing her coming, Mrs. Zheng, who was kneeling on the ground, straightened up and gathered her bun.
"Mother, it's not that your son favors the eldest lady, it's you who wronged her." Su Che didn't want to hide it from Su Yining and said it bluntly.
"Ever since the eldest lady entered the house, she has not cared about any of the children. Even if she searched all over Jinling City, she could not find a stepmother with such a soft heart. She was the one who arranged the eldest girl's marriage, and she was able to If you don’t want to be grateful for your parents’ kindness, how can you blame the eldest lady for causing trouble and hurting the younger sisters?”
"Furthermore, speaking of Er Yatou, it was indeed the eldest lady who discussed the matter of breaking off the engagement with me, but the decision was made by my son. At that time, the Yong'an Marquis Mansion looked like a fire pit, how could I ask Er Yatou to jump into it? ?”
"Who knew that Xie Yu would be able to turn danger into safety?"
"Mother, sometimes you are too harsh on the eldest lady."
The old lady looked at her son, slapped the Arhat couch with hatred, threw the pillow at hand, and hit Su Che.
"Get out of here, you unfilial son! When I gave birth to you, I might as well have given birth to a pig. The pig still has a head on it, but you don't even have half a head!"
Although the old lady usually hates that iron cannot become steel and often laments that Su Che is incompetent in literature and martial arts, after all, it crawled out of her own belly and is still her own child no matter what.
I was really angry today, and I even said all the things I had never scolded him about in the past.
After saying that, the old lady pointed at Mrs. Zheng: "In the past, I turned a blind eye. I knew that it was difficult for you to be a stepmother, and I also understood that you would not be sincere to your children. I did not treat you too much. requirements.”
"But do you really think that my old lady is dim-sighted? Why did the eldest girl develop such a temperament? And why did she not get pregnant for many years after marrying to the Marquis of Weibei? Isn't it because of your stepmother's half of the credit?"
Originally, the family was just making do with each other blindly, and each was fully aware of each other's inadequacies. But now that the old lady said this, it was obvious that she wanted to break her face.
Mrs. Zheng knelt on the ground, crawled and rolled to the old lady's bed, pulled her sleeves, and cried so hard: "What are you talking about, mother? My eldest sister lost her mother when she was young. I pity her, and I feel sorry for her." She is a little more partial, I really didn’t expect that she would develop the character she has now, my daughter-in-law is really unjust."
While talking, Mrs. Zheng seemed to be exhausted and fainted.
Su Che quickly stepped forward and hugged the person.
"Mom, you are really too harsh on the eldest lady. It is not easy for the eldest lady to be like her."
"She has been in the uncle's house for more than ten years, giving birth to children and presiding over the middle school. Everyone in Jinling City praises her, especially her mother. Every time she feels that she does not do well, she always finds fault."
After saying that, Su Che hugged the person and started to leave. Old Mrs. Su was so angry that her eyes turned black and she was speechless for a long time.
"Where is the imperial doctor? Is he here?" Su Yining no longer cared about Su Che and the eldest lady, and quickly asked the boy beside her.
As soon as she finished speaking, the servants hurried over with the imperial doctor, and then they all stepped aside and gave up their positions to the imperial doctor.
Dr. Wang was an old friend of Mrs. Su. He had known her for many years and had been taking care of her health. Su Yining felt relieved about him and stepped aside.
After a while, Dr. Wang finished diagnosing and treating the old lady and went outside to write a prescription.
"Master Wang, how is my grandmother doing?" Su Yining followed and asked.
Doctor Wang took a piece of white paper and was about to write a prescription when he saw Su Yining coming over. He felt a little worried and said hesitantly: "My pulse looks like there's nothing serious wrong with the old lady's body. It's just the anxiety attacking her heart. I'll prescribe some medicine to calm the mind and nourish the Qi." You should be fine after eating it for a few days."
"It's just that today I saw that the old lady's complexion is very poor, and her energy and blood are declining quickly. Logically speaking, she has practiced martial arts since she was a child, and her body and bones should be stronger than ordinary people."
As he spoke, Doctor Wang wrote the prescription and handed it to Su Yining.
"But it doesn't matter. I'll come back to the house in a few days to ask for Ping An's pulse and take another look. Maybe it's just that I've been overworked these past few days."
Su Yining nodded and took the prescription. After thanking the doctor, she ordered her maid to prepare the medicine.
Early the next morning, Su Yiyun, the eldest daughter of the Su Mansion, returned to her home, but before she could reconcile with the Weibei Hou Mansion, her fight in the study with the heir apparent and Tongfang of the Weibei Hou Mansion was suppressed. You know There were only two houses, Weibeihou Mansion and Zhongqinbo Mansion. They only said that Mrs. Su was seriously ill and that the eldest daughter had returned to their residence for a short stay.
After such an incident, Su Yiyun felt that she was disgraced. After returning home, she stopped going out and did not even go to the old lady's room for several days.
On the fifth day after she returned to her home, Xu Shi was really bored in her home. She heard that the eldest princess's home held a polo match in the suburbs of Beijing, and there were also some Cuju Chuiwan. She sent two of them to Zhongqin. The uncle's house invited the second and third girls.
Su Yiyun was also a big-hearted person, and her own affairs were all on fire. Seeing that her sisters were about to go out to the polo club, she followed them.
The third girl, Su Yiru, didn't want her to ride in the same car, so she left on her own. Su Yining was left to go with her.
Along the way, neither of them said much.
Although Su Yiyun has suffered a setback in her marriage and is very likely to reconcile with the Weibei Marquis Mansion, she has an arrogant temperament and will never bow her head in front of these younger brothers and sisters. On the way to the polo club, she kept her head held high.
Although she and Su Yining were born to the same mother, their temperaments were very different. Su Yiyun was public and domineering, while Su Yining was reserved and quiet. Both of them followed their biological mothers and were born with beautiful faces and unparalleled beauty. In the past, when mentioning the two sisters of the Su family in Jinling City, they were called fairies under the moon.
Nowadays, the reputation of both sisters is extremely bad. When they are mentioned again, no one mentions their good reputation in the past.
"I heard that Shiro is also going to attend the Spring Festival this time." Sitting bored in the carriage, Su Yiyun kicked Su Yining's feet and spoke.
Su Yining looked up at her and shook her head: "I don't know."
After saying that, he closed his mouth again. Silang was born in the Zheng family and was currently studying at Bailudong Academy. He was not close to Su Yining in the past. Therefore, Su Yining didn't care whether or when he would take the imperial examination.
"You are at home every day, and you haven't heard anything from your mother? Nor has your grandmother told you?" Su Yiyun obviously didn't believe her words, raised her chin and asked.
Su Yining didn't answer, just shook her head.
"I'm so fed up. Are you a gourd with a sawed mouth?" Su Yiyun rolled her eyes at her, opened the car curtains, and stopped looking at her.
The polo club was held in the suburbs of Beijing. It took more than half an hour to get there from Zhongqin's Mansion. Su Yiyun was bored, picking up the car curtains and looking outside.
"Sister, you seem to be in a good mood." Su Yining looked at her careless look and felt a little envious.
Su Yiyun rolled her eyes at her again: "What else? Do you want to live or die for a scumbag and a bitch and my parents-in-law who don't take me seriously? Don't think about food and tea? Hang yourself from the beam?"
"I'm not that stupid!"
"Just wait and see, there are times when they beg me."
Su Yiyun has always been confident. When she said this, she did not feel at all that her life would be difficult in the future. She only felt that she, the legitimate daughter of the Earl's Mansion, was born to be supported by others and could not bear the slightest grievance.
"Eldest sister, aren't you worried that your brother-in-law really wants to reconcile with you?" Su Yining was surprised and asked.
The polo ground happened to arrive, and Su Yiyun jumped out of the carriage and straightened her clothes.
"What am I afraid of? Just make peace with Li. Is it possible that he is the only son in the world? If the most important thing in my heart, Su Yiyun's man, is not me, then I would rather not have him."
Su Yining followed her out of the carriage and stood beside her, looking at her, actually admiring her for being so open-minded.
"Do you think everyone is like you? If someone breaks off your engagement, you will have to live or die, and you will be sick for more than half a year?"
"It's worthless."
Their carriage stopped at the main entrance of the polo ground, and the boy was pulling the carriage and was about to leave. Perhaps they arrived late. There was no other house at the entrance of the polo ground at this moment, but Su Yining suddenly became nervous because of the elder girl's words. stand up.
"Sister, why are you bringing this up for no reason?"
Su Yiyun tucked the fine hair on her forehead behind her ears, glanced at her, and said angrily: "You dare to do it and you won't let anyone talk about it? I've been crying and making trouble for a man who doesn't deserve it for more than half a year. How can I be embarrassed?" .”
After saying that, Su Yiyun ignored her and walked towards the bustling crowd.
The servant pulled the carriage away, and Su Yining stood alone at the front door. The scorching sun was so bright that she couldn't open her eyes.
She held a round fan in front of her forehead and looked around. Unexpectedly, she met a pair of dark eyes.
The unworthy man that the eldest sister said stood behind them at some point, and he didn't know how much they had listened to their conversation. He was looking at her with his arms hanging down, his face cold, and his eyes cold.
In March, his unexplained glance sent chills down Su Yining's back.
