Chapter 27: Chapter 26: A Joke
When Mrs. Zhen returned, Du Yunluo was playing chess with Du Yunru.
Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, enveloping the girls sitting at the two ends of the couch by the window. Both had fair skin that glowed under the sun.
Du Yunru lowered her eyes, examining the chessboard with a hint of caution and consideration in her expression, while Du Yunluo held a piece, her loose strands of hair casting shadows on her face, her eyes unreadable except for the black and white intersections of the game.
Both were so engrossed that they didn’t notice Mrs. Zhen had returned.
The maid was about to announce her presence, but Mrs. Zhen gestured for silence and stood in the middle room for a while, carefully observing the pair of sisters.
Unconsciously, Mrs. Zhen smiled, so tender that it seemed like water could drip from it. These two daughters of hers truly made her unable to put them down.
Du Yunluo made a move, and as Du Yunru reached into the chess basket, she glanced over and saw Mrs. Zhen, exclaiming in surprise, "Mother!"
Hearing this, Du Yunluo quickly turned her head. Seeing Mrs. Zhen standing there, she jumped off the couch, slipped on her shoes, and ran over. "Mother is back. Why are you still standing there?"
"Who won?" Mrs. Zhen asked with a smiling face as Du Yunluo escorted her into the East Wing.
"Mother, Yunluo, this tricky girl, is getting harder to deal with!" Du Yunru also came over. "She’s clamoring loudly to take back her move."
"You should let her," Mrs. Zhen said with a laugh.
Du Yunru was about to protest but looked up to see Du Yunluo secretly moving a few chess pieces. She quickly said, "Mother! Look at this girl, she’s stealing pieces!"
Being caught, Du Yunluo didn’t blush but tossed the pieces back into the basket, coming over to hug Du Yunru around the waist, shaking her, "Sister, let me win."
Amused and exasperated, Du Yunru pinched her sister’s cheek, "What a lousy player! I won’t play with you anymore!"
Du Yunluo couldn’t stop laughing.
Her chess skills weren’t lacking. In the past, she had plenty of time she didn’t know how to spend, occasionally using it to play chess.
However, her skills were not a match for Du Yunru, who was proficient, which led her to behave childishly, wanting to take back moves and steal pieces.
After all, her sister indulged her; they were just having fun.
Seeing them play, Mrs. Zhen noticed that Du Yunluo no longer showed any signs of panic or sadness, which put her heart at ease.
Huaili returned around the time the lamps were being lit. Mrs. Zhen left the two daughters in the side room and went into the inner chamber with her husband.
The pretext was to help Huaili change clothes, but it was really about matters outside.
Huaili didn’t like rumors, but being part of the Six Ministries and Du Yunluo’s father, he would inevitably hear of things.
After returning to the mansion, he had already been to Lianfu Garden and knew the situation at home. Huaili took Mrs. Zhen’s hand and said, "You were right; the marriage should be settled, and it should be done with great pomp."
Noticing the usual warmth and calmness missing in his expression, Mrs. Zhen couldn’t help but ask, "Are you alright, my lord?"
Huaili let out a long sigh, gently held Mrs. Zhen for a moment, and then said, "I’m fine, just worried about Yunluo."
Mrs. Zhen sighed inwardly; they were both worried.
Du Yunluo, however, was in a good state of mind at the moment. Everything was developing according to her plan. Though she stirred some gossip, it was nothing compared to the cold silence of her previous life. What were rumors after all?
She and Du Yunru helped set the table, and after dining with their parents, they returned to Anhua Courtyard.
The next morning, Mrs. Shi arrived.
In Qinghui Garden, Mrs. Zhen was examining new summer clothes, measuring them for her daughters. Upon hearing the report, she knew Mrs. Shi had gone to Lianfu Garden. Her heart tightened, and her eyes were as resolute as drums sounding before a battle. She began to tidy things up, waiting for Mrs. Shi to come over.
Holding Du Yunluo’s hand, Du Yunru didn’t leave but hid in the green gauze cabinet like last time.
Du Yunluo followed her in, amused, "Sister, aren’t you waiting to greet Mrs. Shi?"
Du Yunru blushed and whispered, "I’m doing this for you."
The sisters exchanged a few words, then quickly fell silent upon hearing the maid announcing visitors outside.
Mrs. Zhen welcomed Mrs. Shi inside, and they sat down together, then Shui Yue served tea and snacks.
Mrs. Shi smiled, relieved that both girls weren’t present since she wasn’t one to beat around the bush; she got straight to the point, "You probably know why I’m here, Miss Zhen."
Mrs. Zhen nodded, saying, "I’m close with my sister, so let’s skip the formalities. You just came from Lianfu Garden, so I assume you know what our matriarch intends."
Old Mrs. Xia intended to request an imperial decree.
The hand Mrs. Shi rested on her knee involuntarily tightened, heavy in heart. "An imperial decree isn’t that easy to request."
"I understand the reasoning," Mrs. Zhen interrupted Mrs. Shi, "but she is the apple of my eye. Now there’s such scandal, I..."
This matter not only concerns Yunluo’s reputation but also the Princely Heir’s. Even if Dingyuan Marquis Mansion doesn’t consider Yunluo, they must think of the Princely Heir. Most importantly, it concerns Princess An Ran. Without an imperial decree, who knows how long she will stir trouble for!
If you ask me, if she really likes the Princely Heir, she should request an imperial decree to marry in herself, as long as my Nannan isn’t dragged into it."
"Saying that is just being spiteful. At this time, whether or not the County Princess marries, Yunluo girl is already involved." Mrs. Shi finished speaking and noticed the tears in Mrs. Zhen’s eyes, feeling somewhat troubled herself.
Mrs. Shi came to arrange a marriage, naturally hoping it would be a perfect match. Just when things seemed settled, unexpected changes occurred, making her somewhat uncomfortable, too.
Initially, she thought that if the Du Family had agreed earlier, the two families could have matched up the birth charts earlier, preventing these waves. But then again, if she were Old Mrs. Xia or Mrs. Zhen, she too would hesitate, ponder it through, and not let the boy’s family look down on them.
The turbulence was really just the County Princess’s fault, not something to blame on Du Yunluo.
Thinking of the delicate Du Yunluo, who reportedly cried heartily the previous day, made Mrs. Shi’s heart ache.
"Ah!" Mrs. Shi took a sip of tea to steady herself. "I’ll mention it to the Marquis Mansion, but I can’t guarantee success."
Receiving this promise, Mrs. Zhen was about to express gratitude but suddenly thought of something and said, "The Dragon Boat Festival is just a few days away. According to tradition, the royal, duke, marquis, and elder mansions will all enter the palace to pay respects..."
"Indeed, why not use this opportunity to suggest it to the Marquis Mansion?" Mrs. Shi also thought this timing was good.
However, Mrs. Zhen shook her head, "Sister, at that time, not only Dingyuan Marquis Mansion will enter the palace but also Duke Jing Mansion."
Mrs. Shi’s eyebrows rose, her heart skipped a beat, "You mean..."
"That’s County Princess An Ran, the beloved daughter of the Old Master. If Duke Mansion makes a request, who knows, the imperial decree might fall to them, and wouldn’t our Yunluo become a laughingstock nationwide?" Mrs. Zhen said, her face turning pale, looking even worse than when she was sick not long ago.
Hearing this, Mrs. Shi also became anxious, "It makes sense, it makes sense, I’ll head to the Marquis Mansion immediately. If they wish to marry Yunluo, they should hurry."
Only then did Mrs. Zhen feel reassured, urging, "I won’t keep you any longer. Yunluo’s matter is in your hands."
Mrs. Shi agreed, didn’t linger, and left shortly.
The two sisters emerged from the green gauze cabinet. Seeing Du Yunluo staying silent, Mrs. Zhen guessed she was frightened by the "worldwide laughingstock" remark, feeling sorry and pulled her into her arms, "Nannan, don’t be afraid. With your mother here, you won’t be wronged."
