Chapter 78: Chapter 78
Chapter 78
Even the suggestion that the Young General take someone as a concubine first and then promote her later was something Qin Majiao had proposed. He had mentioned many times that even if the engagement had to be canceled, he wouldn’t mind. He didn’t plan to hold it against the other party, as his own daughter wasn’t particularly commendable. But in the end, the Young General refused. He clearly stated that the position of the principal wife would not be given to anyone other than Yueqian.
When the scandalous incident happened, many witnesses saw the vile behavior of the Qin family’s Eldest Young Miss. At that point, he made a hasty decision, thinking that the Young General must truly despise this troublesome girl. When he announced that she would be sent to the countryside and married off to a poor man as punishment, the Young General said nothing. He remained in his study, letting things proceed as they did.
Unexpectedly, a few months later, the Young General returned to the village where Yueqian was living. Whether it was his intention or fate, but when they met, the first thing the Young General said to Yueqian was that he still wanted to give her a chance. He was still willing to accept her as his principal wife.
From a time when the Qin family couldn’t face their friends, they now found themselves gathering again. The terrible rumors gradually subsided as well. Unlike when the scandal first broke, and people laughed at the Qin family, even throwing eggs at the front of their manor just for fun, causing widespread embarrassment!
Now, he was beginning to understand less and less of what was happening. He didn’t know what the young man with promising future was thinking, only that Yueqian would have to return with the Qin family and prepare to marry the Young General.
No matter what the future held, whether he would scold or mistreat her, it depended on his mercy. Since she had repeatedly done vicious things, he had always thought that he never had such a wicked daughter like her.
A drop of blood could be discarded at any time, but the reputation he had maintained all his life must be restored!
As for Qin Yueqian, after hearing her father’s invitation, which sounded more like a command, she feigned a cough. The beauty shifted her expression from a mocking sneer at Qin Tingting to a sweet smile directed at her husband, looking as if they were so much in love.
“Husband, please sit down. You must be tired from the long journey.” The flattering tone that was so unnatural almost made Mu Heng burst out laughing.
However, he feigned a serious demeanor, straightening his posture and acting along with her seamlessly, as if this were her usual behavior and he was accustomed to receiving such abundant affection.
“Mmm, you sit down too,” Mu Heng gestured to his wife to sit. The couple slowly sat down together, as if they were the only two people in the world. Such an atmosphere made those around them feel slightly awkward.
The purpose of the Qin family’s visit was simple to understand. They came to take Yueqian back and submit a request for the couple’s divorce.
From the Young General’s words, even a fool could see that Qin Yueqian was going to divorce her poor husband and return to claim the position of the Young General’s principal wife again. It seemed that the villainess’s next wedding would be soon after returning to the capital.
But the display of deep affection between them caused people to feel odd.
“Husband, although there is plenty of food in front of us, we cannot eat until the princes have eaten. We must wait for the princes and the elders to eat first. Only then can we have our turn. It may seem overly formal but trust me. I learned it and remembered it clearly,” Yueqian pretended to talk to her husband.
Her manner was so practiced that it seemed as if she were a teacher, teaching lessons. This caused those who heard it make an expression that seemed as if they were having something unpleasant in their mouths.
If someone else spoke about these etiquette... no one would think otherwise because it was common for people to know. However, when this young miss was still in the capital, whenever she met with the Young General in any kind of banquet, before the host even started the event, Yueqian would rush to the Young General’s table and feed him food.
The ill-mannered way of pleasing made people think she was an uneducated young miss.
So, what is this now?
With the Young General who had a higher status, she would rush in to flatter him without regard for manners, but with her poor husband who was living in a remote place, she would lecture him on table manners while eating with him!
Isn’t this way too unusual?
“Mmm, understood. My Qian’er is so knowledgeable,” Mu Heng said, taking the role of a great supporting person. Not only that, the big man gently patted Yueqian’s hair with affection.
Seeing their affectionate display, Mazhu, who was trying to stifle his laughter, had to pull out his fan to cover his face. Otherwise, people might discover the true nature of the reserved young master who had been called a strict manner young master.
In truth, he genuinely enjoyed these situations. No! To be more accurate, he enjoyed his little sister’s performances every time. Damn it! He had already tried not to laugh earlier when Yueqian yanked the secondary wife’s servant by the hair and threw her into the water with a loud “splash”.
In the end, not only was she not punished, but she also managed to embarrass and injure the servant of someone else.
“There’s no need to praise me so much, Husband. People in the capital are all like this. When I was in the capital before, I was always caught up in such etiquette. It’s not like at our home,” Yueqian continued.
But her words darkened many faces again.
What does she mean by “always caught up in such etiquette”? Are you sure this Yueqian understands manners?! Many who had witnessed her actions wanted to ask this out loud.
“In that case, it’s better to stay here at our home, isn’t it? If you’re tired of the etiquette in the capital, then there’s no need to go back,” Mu Heng said seriously. Although his tone seemed like he was trying to please his little wife, there was much firmness in his voice.
“Yes, how could Qian’er go back? My husband’s home is here. Moreover, I am the eldest daughter-in-law, and we must take care of my in-laws’ graves. Yueqian’s parents taught Yueqian well to be filial to parents and, once married, to be filial to my husband and my in-laws as well,” The beauty said, as if she were very knowledgeable and dutiful.
But weren’t her words rather inappropriate for the situation?
Since they started talking about whether to return to the capital, Qin Majiao had a dreadful premonition. He never expected that before he could intervene, this unfilial daughter, Yueqian, would speak up herself, effectively closing the door on any suggestion of her returning to the capital!
What does this mean?
When they first arrived, Qin Majiao and the others thought Yueqian would come running, screaming, and begging to go back to the capital.
Yes! Everyone thought that, even the princes present. Who would have thought that Yueqian would be so foolish? She didn’t appreciate living comfortably in the capital or becoming the Young General’s future wife. Instead, she declared she would stay here to take care of the graves of her poor husband’s parents.
Before the wedding, she had even tried to escape the bride procession, requiring them to drug her. And now, what is this? Has she lost her mind?!!
“Uh, Third Prince, Fifth Prince, please, enjoy the meal,” Qin Majiao interjected. Since not many people were speaking, if he let the couple continue, they might only spew more trouble.
As for sending Yueqian back to the capital, they could discuss that later.
“Very well, let’s eat. I’ve heard the Young General is busy dealing with bandits and might not be able to join us until late,” the Third Prince said, his expression also somewhat awkward.
Being a prince, although he didn’t know all the details, Yueqian’s current stance was clearly against returning to the capital. However, wasn’t the Qin family’s procession here meant to take her back?
If the Qin family failed to achieve their goal, what was he, the person who had come with them, supposed to do? Would he have to intervene in this mess, which offered him no benefit?
Just thinking about it was truly troublesome.
“Husband, let’s eat quickly then,” Yueqian called out loudly before the Third Prince had even finished speaking. She already reached over to scoop food into her husband’s bowl.
Seeing the overly attentive behavior of her, which was so much so that it looked scary, those could only offer dry laughs. Previously, they were used to seeing this sight, only with a different man sitting there. Back then, they thought Yueqian must have loved the Young General so much that she doted on him without an awareness of the proper etiquette. But now, even with a different man, her attentiveness remained the same.
So, all those times, did she take care of the Young General because she loved him with all her heart or not?
“Husband, eat slowly. Here, let Qian’er feed you.”
“Spit!!” No need for others to be shocked and frightened, Qin Majiao himself was the first to be in such a state.
All this time, his troublesome daughter had never fed the Young General. Now she was being more daring but with the “husband” sent to punish her. Could it be that... she had changed her mind and fallen for this poor man instead of clinging to the Young General?
This truly scared Qin Majiao. No one understood Yueqian’s attachment issue better than he did. When she was fixated on the Young General, no amount of prohibition, punishment, or various methods of teaching could deter her. She continued to chase after the Young General, causing chaos everywhere.
If she now shifted her attachment from the Young General to the man by her side, her legitimate husband, Qin Majiao foresaw impending disaster.
Originally, the plan to bring his daughter back home under the pretext of fatherly forgiveness seemed profound and likely to gain a good reputation. However... if they came to take her back home but she refused, preferring to stay with her rightful husband, would forcibly separating them be a good thing?
Wouldn’t this be akin to breaking the law? Forcing them to divorce and split a family just to have her marry someone else—just the thought of it suggested the Qin family’s reputation would soon be in ruins.
“Oh, right. I brought a gift for Father-in-law,” Mu Heng pretended to be startled by Qin Majiao’s spit-take, as if suddenly remembering something important.
He took out a bamboo tube and handed it to Yueqian. When the small woman peeked inside and saw what it was, she exclaimed loudly, her eyes widening in surprise.
“It’s a great gift, indeed!”
