Shen Shen Shen doesn't pursue men, only money

Duke Yunsheng, Mu family.

Like the Prince Zhong's Mansion, the Duke Yunsheng's Mansion is located in the Imperial City of Dongxiangjing City. The nobles who can live in the Imperial City are all royal relatives. Although the Marquis' Mansion is also a first-class noble family, it is of a foreign surname and is not allowed to live in the Imperial City. They can only live in the inner city.

The mansion is located next to the imperial palace, the core of the country's power, which must have advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is, of course, that the emperor is close to the emperor and is well-informed. If there is any movement in the palace at Mao time, it will be known at Chen time. Moreover, apart from the palace, the imperial city is the safest. The disadvantage is that the imperial city has a limited area and many royal relatives, which means that the courtyards where everyone lives are naturally relatively small. Take the mansion of Duke Yunsheng as an example, the area is only three-quarters of the mansion of the marquis. Even so, the nobles of the entire Dongxiang still try their best to squeeze into the imperial city to live. Just based on that honor, it doesn't matter if the house is smaller.

With all the wealth and splendor, the Mu family naturally believed that they were the number one family in Dongxiang, and not that damn Prince Zhong’s Mansion.

Duke Mu Yun had just finished dinner with his wife, children, concubines and others. The lord of the mansion sent everyone back to the courtyard to rest and went to the study. Lady Xu Xiyue of the Duke's Mansion sat at the table in the main hall as usual, sipping soothing tea, and was going to take a bath and change clothes after drinking a cup of soothing tea.

She was about the same age as Madam Shen, with delicate features and a pretty face. If Madam Shen and her sister-in-law, the current queen, hadn't been there, she would have definitely been among the top three in terms of appearance among the noble ladies waiting to be married in Dongxiang. But Xu Wenwan and Mu Yuyan appeared, and the appearance of all the other women was not so outstanding.

Madam Mu, who was drinking her soothing tea, heard the maid outside say, "Sister Rongzhi, Madam Shen from the Marquis's Mansion sent a letter to you."

Xu Wenwan's letter? Madam Mu was very surprised. They were not close when they were young ladies, and their husbands were all from high-class families, so they didn't interact with each other to avoid suspicion. "Rongzhi, go and bring it in." Madam Mu ordered.

The personal maid took the letter and handed it to her. She unfolded the letter and read it carefully, with a mocking smile on her face: "This Marquis's Mansion is really calculating. I heard from the Duke two days ago that the Marquis's Mansion wanted to discuss marriage with us and marry that stupid second daughter to our mansion. This lady did not agree, and now they want to meet the second Miss Shen tomorrow with the jade in their arms. It's really wishful thinking."

"Madam, the Second Young Master is very talented and has high standards. How could he possibly fall for the stupid Second Miss Shen?"

"I think Xu Wenwan is living such a comfortable life that she doesn't even know her own worth." She thought for a moment and said to Rongzhi, "Well, I can't make enemies for the Duke in the court, and it's not easy to offend the Marquis's Mansion. Besides, her own daughter doesn't mind meeting a man outside her family, so why should we mind?"

"Madam, you are right. You have always seen it clearly." Rongzhi flattered at the right time.

"Okay, stop the compliments. Go get Huaibi."

"Yes, ma'am." Rongzhi bowed and hurried out of the inner hall.

Mrs. Mu drank the remaining half cup of calming tea leisurely and calmly, then stood up gracefully and went to the front hall.

lobby.

Mu Yejun hurried into the house from outside and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his mother walking out of the inner hall leisurely.

After dinner, he returned to his own courtyard. Not long after he started practicing calligraphy, the maid came to report that Rongzhi from the mistress's courtyard had come, saying that the mistress asked him to go to the main courtyard. He had just returned and wanted to go again? Could it be that his mother was ill? So he did not ask Rongzhi the reason, but took the servant and hurried to the main courtyard.

When Mrs. Mu saw her second son coming so quickly, she was in a good mood and sat down in the main seat with a smile.

"Mother." After Mu Yejun finished his greetings, he went straight to the point: "I wonder why mother asked her son to come here in the evening?" At this time, the clepsydra water clock reached exactly 5:30 in the evening.

"Huai Bi, please sit down first."

Seeing that his mother might need some time to talk about something, he was no longer in a hurry and sat down in his usual seat for greetings. Rongzhi served him tea and then left the room.

"Mother, please speak." Mu Yejun's facial lines are neat and clean, his eyes are broad and round, like the breeze and the bright moon, and like a gentle young man. Every time he speaks to his elders in a good-tempered manner, there is a smile on the corners of his lips.

Madam Mu looked at her second son, who was of outstanding elegance. When she thought about the reason why she called him here, she couldn't help but think of the fat and stupid second daughter of the Shen Mansion. Her face darkened and her tone became somewhat unfriendly.

"Huai Bi, I called you here at twilight hour because of your marriage. Don't rush to answer, listen to what your mother has to say. The Marquis of Anbo came to your father the day before yesterday and asked if you were married. He said he wanted to marry the second daughter of the Marquis's family to you as your legal wife."

"Second Miss Shen?" Mu Yejun asked.

"Exactly. Has Huaibi seen her?"

"My son met her once. Last year, at the birthday banquet of Zhu Yanji in Prince Zhong's mansion, she seemed to be sitting next to Zhu Zhixi." Then, he thought for a moment and said, "My son really doesn't have much impression of her. I vaguely remember that Miss Shen always kept her head down and didn't talk to the people around her. If she hadn't been sitting next to Zhu Zhixi, my son would have completely ignored her existence."

Madam Mu snorted, "Hmph, she is just a dull and somewhat stupid young lady from the Marquis's Mansion. My mother doesn't like her appearance either. She has always been too fat and ugly, and she doesn't look like her biological mother at all. There is nothing about her that satisfies my mother."

"As for her appearance, my son couldn't remember it at all because he didn't look at her carefully at the time."

"You want to marry someone like this to be your legal wife? That's wishful thinking. Your father came back and told me about this. He felt that the Marquis's Mansion was a good match, and that marriage would be of great benefit to the Duke's Mansion. Marrying a wife is not just about appearance, family power is also important. How can that be possible? How can you marry someone who is a joke in the capital? Wouldn't the Duke's Mansion also become a joke? Seeing my firm attitude, and that the second Miss Shen's reputation in the capital is indeed not very good, your father gave up and prepared to find an excuse that would not hurt the harmony of the Marquis's Mansion to reject this marriage."

Madam Mu paused, and seeing that her second son listened carefully and had no questions, she continued, "As a result, before we returned, the Marquis' Mansion had already raised objections. About a cup of tea ago, Madam Shen from the Marquis' Mansion sent someone to deliver a letter saying that the marriage of children is a lifelong event, and her daughter hopes to meet her future husband in advance to see if he is suitable. She asked if you are free tomorrow to meet her daughter, Second Miss Shen."

Mu Yejun looked puzzled when he heard this: "Mother, does Madam Shen mind if a woman secretly sees a man other than her?"

"The letter said that you two are not allowed to meet alone. Shen Zhixi from the Prince's Mansion is also here, as are their respective maids and servants. Just treat it as a chance encounter. No matter what, it is inappropriate. This mansion is really uneducated. The second young lady of the Shen family must not enter the door of our Duke's Mansion."

"Mother, you just said that the Second Miss Shen wanted to meet? If that's true, I think the Second Miss Shen is very opinionated." Then, a meaningful expression appeared on Mu Yejun's handsome face: "She has a very clear idea, and she was able to convince Madam Shen to write a handwritten letter to invite mother. Her actions are not as dull and stupid as the rumors say."