Noble Lady

"Son, even though Xue is the daughter of the Marquis, you can't let her control you in everything. Rou'er grew up in our He family and you and I are childhood sweethearts. Now she's in this situation, can you bear to see her with nowhere to go?"

He Minzhi thought to herself that she clearly had a family.

But when he saw Ji Minrou's eyes filled with tears, he couldn't say these words anymore.

"You know your cousins ​​well. They didn't value Rou'er back then, only cared about their two sons. They spoiled your two cousins ​​beyond measure. How can your cousin Rou'er survive if she returns home?"

"Mother, let's not make irresponsible remarks about my cousin's father's family affairs."

If someone else said this, Liu would have slapped him, "Are you telling me how to do things?"

But this was what He Minzhi said, so she got angry for a moment, but then let it go.

"Let's talk about Rou'er. You and Rou'er grew up together, childhood sweethearts. Your cousin's mother and I had verbally agreed on your marriage, so it was your destiny. But Princess Qi acted as a matchmaker, and you married the Xue family, while your cousin Rou'er married that scholar."

"Now that Mr. Fang has died of illness, the Fang family has turned against him and kicked Rou'er out. Ultimately, our He family is also responsible for this."

But she is a widow after all...

He Minzhi looked embarrassed.

"Aunt, please stop saying that. Rou'er has never dared to have any improper thoughts." Ji Minrou was good at observing people's expressions and immediately took Liu's hand. Her eyes were moist and tears were about to fall.

"It is a blessing for my cousin to marry the daughter of the Marquis of Wu'an. Rou'er knows that her status is low and she is not worthy of my cousin, let alone being compared with the legitimate daughter of the Marquis."

He Minzhi frowned when he heard this, "I am an editor in the Hanlin Academy. Are you saying that I am marrying up to the level of the Marquis of Wu'an? The Marquis of Wu'an is just a..." The word "Wu Fu" almost blurted out, but his displeasure was not fake at all.

Ji Minrou immediately put on a pitiful look as if she had said something wrong, "It was Rouer who made the mistake. It's just that Auntie mentioned a verbal engagement. Rouer knows that I am just a floating duckweed and not worthy of my cousin, so I dare not hope for it."

"Rou'er only hopes that I can spend the rest of my life by my aunt's side and show some filial piety to repay her for raising me."

"It's just that the He family is a family of scholars and a noble family. My cousin was the first in the imperial examination and ranked in the top five. A man of my cousin's talent should be paired with a woman of more equal status."

There was no mention of Xue Chenyu, but every word and sentence was degrading her to the dust.

Mrs. Liu also nodded in agreement with a look of regret, as if to say that her son had suffered a great loss by marrying a girl from the Xue family.

He Minzhi was secretly pleased to hear this, but she still pretended to be unhappy and said, "Even though Xue is a bit vulgar and shallow, she is now the mistress of my He Mansion. You must not mention these things in the future."

"You too, mother. Now that I'm married, the verbal engagement we had can no longer be mentioned."

If someone heard that he was engaged but still married someone else, it would not be good for his career at all.

"Yes, Rou'er knows she was wrong."

"When a man gets married, he should know how to protect his wife." Liu smiled, but actually she hated Xue Chenyu in her heart.

It's only been half a year, and her filial son has openly disobeyed his mother for her. What will happen if this goes on for a long time?

In the past, he didn't dare to say a harsh word to his mother.

She says one thing to your face and another behind your back. The legitimate daughter of Marquis Wu'an is really good at scheming!

He Minzhi couldn't stand his mother's sour tone and continued to act like a gentleman. "Mother, my cousin's current status doesn't make it suitable for her to live with you in Ciwenyuan. Please choose another courtyard for her to live in. I have things to do in the Hanlin Academy, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying that, he seemed unwilling to say anything more, bowed and turned away.

He said it so clearly, I think my mother would understand what he meant.

Liu: "I know you are busy, but don't overwork yourself. You should take care of yourself."

"My son knows."

"Goodbye, cousin." Ji Minrou also bowed and saw him out.

He Minzhi couldn't help but look at her again.

My thin cousin, dressed in plain clothes, was squatting with her knees bent, looking as weak as a lotus swaying in the wind.

I don't know if it's because she's sad about her husband's recent death, or because she's heartbroken because she has nowhere to go, but her waist is visibly thin. Is this probably what colleagues often call "not even as thin as a hand"?

As this thought flashed through his mind, he couldn't help but spit on himself.

How could he have such thoughts about a widow? My cousin has her own family and she should go back to her own home.

If it were to be known that his cousin, who had a verbal engagement with him, was staying in his house and was a widow who had recently lost her husband, he would definitely be criticized.

Scholars value their reputation the most. He doesn't want people to mention him only as he has a cousin who lost her husband just a few months after getting married when he gets promoted.

How ugly.

He Minzhi walked very fast.

But Ji Minrou's delicate little girl demeanor had already been imprinted in his mind.

He couldn't help but think of Xue Chenyu, who always looked superior and understood everything better than him.

She usually comes to invite him every day, but when he went today, she even teased him and pretended to be reserved.

A colleague once told him, "Women love to play the same tricks as Joe, pretending to be petty just to get a man to coax them."

He Minzhi sneered.

He and Xue were only together because Princess Qi acted as matchmakers and he had no choice but to agree. He never had any feelings for her.

If Xue could stay at home to take care of her husband, children and the elderly, the He family would not mind raising such a crude daughter of a warrior.

If she wants to play any tricks, she is just the daughter of a warrior, huh!

In Ciwenyuan.

After watching He Minzhi leave, Ji Minrou turned around and met Liu's eyes.

Xue wants to snatch her son away, Rou'er won't...

Liu looked at her straight in the eyes. Ji Minrou's heart trembled and she knelt down again.

"Aunt, Rou'er originally thought she could serve you and show her filial piety, but she displeased Madam and my cousin, and also made you feel embarrassed. Rou'er deserves death. Please let Rou'er go home."

Ji Minrou said in a considerate manner.

"It's not difficult, it's not difficult."

Liu took Ji Minrou's hand and patted the back of her hand to comfort her, but she actually had no idea what to do.

Originally, it would have been best to keep Rouer in Ciwenyuan.

It would not affect her precious son, and if others knew about the verbal engagement in the future, she would take Rouer in, and others would no longer be able to accuse her of being treacherous.

But her son said he wanted to choose another yard for her to live in?

The He family's two branches and more than a dozen people were squeezed into the two courtyards at the back, and the front courtyard was where the servants lived, so there was no room left.

"But my cousin won't let me stay with you? Aunt, you have raised Rou'er, and Rou'er doesn't want to make things difficult for you."

"What nonsense! I'm just making room for you. Why are you making it difficult for me?"

Liu said this with great confidence and called over Madam Huang, the old maid who had served her for decades.