Chapter 2: The New Daughter-in-Law

The Dongyang Marquis Mansion is located in the northwest corner of the capital, a rather remote area, but its advantage is its vast grounds.

The first generation Dongyang Marquis was an old official who had helped the founding Emperor establish the dynasty. He came from a poor background, was simple and honest by nature, and remained cautious and dutiful. Even after becoming a Marquis, he was prudent and strictly enforced family rules, ensuring all his descendants behaved with propriety. Although the second generation Dongyang Marquis made no great achievements, he was able to preserve the family estate. Over the decades, as the Great Zhou court experienced ups and downs, and countless new nobles and old aristocrats were purged and their families destroyed, the Dongyang Marquis Mansion managed to avoid the storms.

The third generation, Zhou Jingyun, is outstanding in both talent and appearance. He enjoyed a good reputation before both the late Emperor and the current new Emperor. Now that the court is stable and the new Emperor is in urgent need of talent, Zhou Jingyun is no longer just a clever youth; having read ten thousand books and traveled ten thousand miles, he is steady and reliable, and is destined to be heavily relied upon.

Therefore, although his marriage did not go smoothly, it did not affect the mood of the Marchioness of Dongyang in the slightest. She has a kind temperament and loves to laugh and have fun; wherever she goes, there is laughter and joy.

But today, the Guifang Study is silent, and the maids and servants are holding their breath.

Mama Xu stands in the east side room on the first floor, looking through the window at the young woman sitting in the hall.

To call her young is more like calling her a child.

Although she is deliberately dressed in plain, dull robes with her hair styled in a high bun, she cannot hide her youthful, naive air.

This girl is only sixteen.

She is tall, but only because she is thin.

She is as thin as a willow tree in spring, swaying even when there is no wind.

Is this the heir’s second wife?

Mama Xu feels dazed just thinking about it.

How is this possible?

How could this girl catch the heir’s eye?

In her dazed vision, the girl lifts her head to take the tea handed to her by a maid, revealing her face.

Her appearance is merely clear and pretty.

There are plenty of maids like this in the Dongyang Marquis Mansion.

What has happened to the heir?

"Even if he said he had raised an illegitimate daughter outside, I wouldn't find it strange," the Marchioness of Dongyang says, sitting on the second floor, looking down at the courtyard, murmuring, "Why a second wife? Where did he find this..."

She doesn't even know how to describe this woman.

She is not as glamorous as a courtesan, nor as dignified as a noble lady. If she had to find a description, the only thing that comes to the Marchioness's mind is "grown wild from the earth."

The woman steps into the courtyard. Perhaps because she is alone, and because the household maids and servants have all avoided her, she looks like a tree growing alone in the wilderness, inexplicably desolate.

"The heir says she is the daughter of Master Zhuang's disciple, both parents are deceased, and she was raised by Madam Zhuang," Mama Huang says in a low voice from the side. "The heir admires Master Zhuang's character, and furthermore..."

At this point, Mama Huang cannot help but glance downstairs, thinking of the appearance of the young lady she saw just moments ago.

"...elegant and refined, extraordinary and otherworldly..."

She finds it hard to continue with the description from the heir's letter.

For one, she truly doesn't see how she is "elegant and refined," and for another, the heir has never described a woman this way before.

The heir became famous at a young age, but he was also mature for his years. He never looked twice at women, nor was he ever tempted by beauty.

Even the third daughter of the Earl of Ding'an was not a particularly outstanding beauty, yet the heir was never frivolous or disrespectful.

An orphan, and from a common family—the Marchioness of Dongyang sighs inwardly. This matter is truly bizarre. As a mother, she never imagined that after waiting and waiting, her son would find such a second wife.

"I never forced him," she says with a hint of grievance. "If he had said one word that he didn't want to, whether it was a royal relative or a high-ranking minister, I could have stepped in to refuse for him. I don't care about status or family background; I only wanted him to find someone he liked. But how could he act first and report later..."

This woman walked into the house holding their marriage certificate, witnessed by the local government; she and Zhou Jingyun had already held their wedding elsewhere.

Such an absurd thing, Mama Huang had only ever seen on the stage. She never imagined the heir would do such a thing.

Truly, life is like a play, and the world is unpredictable.

"The heir said in his letter that, firstly, it was to put Master Zhuang at ease, as Master Zhuang does not have much time left. Furthermore, it was for the sake of you and the Marquis. He is about to return. 'A new emperor, a new court.' His Majesty is currently cleaning up the remnants of Empress Jiang, half the court has been replaced, and there are all sorts of new, tangled relationships. If someone were to use his marriage to cause trouble, he couldn't let you and the Marquis keep offending people. Human sentiment is as thin as paper. The late Emperor was absurd, the demon Empress disrupted the government—these past ten-plus years have been hard. Look at how many of the old Earls are left. Although it is said the court is finally stable, the Emperor's heart is unfathomable. The heir is afraid..."

The Marchioness of Dongyang sighs, recalling the life they have led over the past decade. Today this one is purged, tomorrow that one is dragged from the court. Even the Crown Prince, once convicted of treason, was beheaded just like that.

They, these seemingly high-and-mighty Dukes and Earls, have truly been living with their hearts in their throats.

Otherwise, why would Zhou Jingyun, instead of being a prestigious Hanlin academic, run off to study after getting married, and then work as a school supervisor abroad? Those are all thankless, bitter tasks. It was because he became famous young and was targeted by the late Emperor and the demon Empress's sycophants, so he had to hide away.

"Being a good person has become a crime," the Marchioness of Dongyang says, chanting a Buddhist prayer.

Seeing her expression soften, Mama Huang continues to persuade her: "The heir acts with discretion. He won't do anything reckless; there must be a reason for him to do this."

The Marchioness of Dongyang sighs: "He has his reasons, but what can I, as his mother, do? I'll just have to listen to him."

With that, she pushes against the armrest.

Mama Huang is quick-witted and helps her up.

The Marchioness of Dongyang stands up.

"Then I shall go and acknowledge this daughter-in-law of his."

Mama Huang sighs: "If I may say so, it's because you've been too good to the heir since he was small. He's gotten used to it; no matter what he does, he knows he has you as a mother and doesn't have to worry."

The Marchioness of Dongyang smiles: "It was only after I had him that I had these days of peace. Naturally, I want my son to live peacefully as well."

Back then, she lost two children in succession, watching the concubines give birth one after another, her mother-in-law being snide every day, and the Marquis acting like a pushover, wanting her to adopt a concubine's son under her name. She felt that every day was like a year, and she even thought of ending it all.

Fortunately, she became pregnant with Jingyun then. He was born incredibly beautiful and was extremely clever, held in the palms of her father-in-law, mother-in-law, and the Marquis. Those concubine-born sons all became like dirt and rubble, and she, the Marchioness of Dongyang, never suffered indignity again.

It’s just a daughter-in-law, what’s the big deal? Their Dongyang Marquis Mansion doesn't rely on marriage to bolster its status.

"That is natural; our family doesn't rely on daughters-in-law," Mama Huang says, straightening her shoulders with a hint of pride. "Those people laugh at our background, saying we'll never shed our 'mud-legged' roots, but look—our family's wealth is secure, while others haven't even lasted three generations before their family estates scattered."

The Marchioness of Dongyang descends the stairs with a smile on her lips.

"It's good that you're going to see her, Madam. There are so many eyes watching from inside and out, all waiting to see you play the role of the wicked mother-in-law," Mama Huang whispers.

The smile on the Marchioness's lips softens even more: "I am not such a fool. A wicked mother-in-law doesn't torment the daughter-in-law; she torments my son."

Mama Huang smiles and says nothing more, supporting the Marchioness as she descends the stairs. Passing the large flower-and-bird screen, she sees the figure of the woman sitting in the hall.

She also breathes a sigh of relief. Besides the letter to the Marchioness and the Marquis, the heir had secretly had someone slip her a letter as well. As the heir's wet nurse, he had asked her to help soothe his mother.

It is clear that although the heir did not return with this young wife, he cares for her immensely, fearing that the Marchioness might make things difficult for her.

But being a daughter-in-law has never been an easy task.

Mama Huang gently smooths her sleeve and says aloud: "Hongxing, why didn't you come up to tell us when someone arrived?"

Hongxing, the maid standing in the hall, bows: "Madam."

The young woman sitting down also puts down her tea and stands up.

"Zhuang," she says, bowing her head, "I have met Mother."

My dear friends!!!! Good morning everyone!!!!

(End of chapter)