“What did you say? My grandmother has arrived in Su Mansion?” Su Muge looked at Xinche and asked.
Xinche nodded.
“A little maid sent the message that Madam has gone over and you should go as soon as possible.”
At the thought of her emaciated grandmother, Su Muge couldn’t help but be excited.
“Well, comb my hair.”
She usually liked to wear a ponytail casually in her yard.
After dressing up, Su Muge came to the front hall. As soon as she walked outside the room, she heard some gentle sobs and Wang’s excited voice.
“Sister, Su Mansion is so gorgeous. You are such a lucky dog. Now that you are in charge of Su Mansion, you must have a say. We’ll stay with you from now on. You haven’t been able to go back and see mother all these years, so now you shall take this opportunity to show filial piety to her.”
Zhao had never expected that she could see Zhang again, so she was absorbed in talking with Zhang. Hearing Wang’s words, she was suddenly stupefied.
“Aunt, if you want to stay for a long time, my mother will have to ask my father and grandmother. She can’t make a decision.”
As soon as Su Muge walked in, everyone looked at her.
Zhao Shun was sitting in the chair and stuffing pastries into his mouth greedily. Hearing Su Muge’s voice, he was almost choked.
“Cough, cough, cough …”
Su Muge neglected him, went straight to Zhang, and bowed to her.
“Grandma, how are you?”
Zhang had just stopped crying, but her eyes turned red again at the sight of Su Muge.
“Fine, fine, I’m fine.”
Zhang couldn’t wait to hold Su Muge’s hand tightly. Zhang had been used to doing farm work all year round, so her hands were quite rough and strong. Soon she had unconsciously made Su Muge’s hand painful.
Su Muge was still wearing a smile. “As long as grandma is good, I can rest assured.”
Zhang’s second daughter-in-law, Sun, pushed her two daughters, Zhao Xiaojuan and Zhao Xiaohua, who were avidly watching Zhao Shun eating pastries.
“The two girls said they missed their aunt and eldest cousin very much on the way. When they see you now, they are too happy to speak.”
The two girls were pinched so hard by Sun secretly that their eyes turned red in pain. They shrank their heads timidly and took a glance at Zhao and Su Muge.
“Aunt, eldest cousin …”
These two girls were younger than Su Muge. And they were dark and thin. Su Muge still had some impression on them.
“Yes, good girls, these are my gifts for you.”
The whole family visited them so unexpectedly that Zhao had no time to make any preparation, so Lu Mama prepared a few small purses containing some silvers.
Zhao Xiaojuan and Zhao Xiaohua had never seen such beautiful purses. They looked at them with widened eyes and almost grabbed the purses from Zhao’s hand.
Seeing this, Wang hurriedly winked at her two sons who were adsorbed in eating, and Sun also pushed her son.
Zhao gave everyone a gift without any bias.
“Mother, you must be tired after a long journey. I’ve made people clean up the guest rooms. Go to take a rest first with brothers and sisters-in-law. Let’s have a good talk tonight.”
Zhang was really tired and weak these days, so she nodded at Zhao.
“Mother, I’ll send my grandmother over.”
Zhao nodded. With such a big family coming over, she didn’t know how Old Lady Su was. So, she had to go to have a look.
“Okay.”
After sitting in the carriage for so many days, Zhao De and others were really tired. Hardly had they been taken to the guest rooms by the maids when they fell asleep.
Su Muge accompanied Zhang into a room alone.
“It’s too cold now. Bring two more charcoal braziers for my grandma.”
“Yes.”
“Grandma, let me take your pulse.”
The two sat on the chair, but Zhang shook her head. “No need. I’ve been much better now. As long as I can see you, your mother, and your brother, I’m willing to die with no regret.”
Looking into Zhang’s loving eyes, Su Muge knew she meant it.
“Grandma, don’t say so. You are so healthy and will live a long life.”
“Yueru, fetch my cubilose porridge.”
“Yes, I’ll go right away.”
“Now it’s cold. Grandma, have something to warm your stomach before rest.”
Zhang knew Su Muge was concerned about her. Although she felt that there was no need to waste such precious things on her, she obediently agreed.
After watching Zhang lie down, Su Muge left the room.
As soon as she walked outside, she saw Zhao Shun standing on the corridor and staring at her.
“You, you…”
Su Muge frowned slightly with displeasure. “What are you doing here, cousin?”
Zhao Shun looked at the birthmark on the corner of her eye. The birthmark had been much lighter than before. Although it was not conspicuous, it was still bad-looking!
Thinking of Wang’s words, Zhao Shun snorted. “Why do I have to tell you? Huh, you are so rude!” After that, he pushed the door open and walked in.
Yueru, Xinche, and others were extremely angry. This was Su Mansion after all. How dare Zhao Shun be so arrogant!?
“Let’s go.”
Su Muge kept her countenance and ignored Zhao Shun. She didn’t forget what he had done to her. They had better not come to provoke her; otherwise, she dared to do anything!
In the evening, Su Lun returned to the mansion. After learning that the Zhao family had come here, he put on a complex look. Even if he had tried to conceal his dislike, his emotion of rejection was perceivable.
It was not surprising. Su Lun was born in a humble family. After so many years, he had almost forgotten his past. But the appearance of the Zhao family was reminding him how poor and humble he used to be!
Zhao felt Su Lun’s displeasure and served him carefully.
“Why didn’t they inform us before coming? It’s too sudden.” After changing into his informal clothes, Su Lun finally spoke.
Zhao whispered helplessly, “I don’t know either. When I was informed, they had already arrived outside the gate. Please don’t blame them.”
During this period, Su Lun got along well with the obedient Zhao. He also knew that she hadn’t seen Zhang for a long time. “Well, let them stay for a few days, and then rent a carriage to send them back.”
Now that it was freezing cold, Zhao was afraid that Zhang couldn’t bear the cold weather. But she dared not to take the initiative to make them stay. As the New Year was coming, she actually wanted to let them stay here to celebrate the New Year.
But seeing that Old Lady Su and Su Lun were not willing, she could only hold back her thoughts.
“Yes.”
After eating, Wang picked her teeth with his fingernail and looked at Su Lun with an ingratiating smile.
“Brother-in-law, you are getting more and more prestige now. All the people in our village know that our sister has married an official. How envious they are!”
Wang managed to praise Su Lun, making Su Lun feel much better.
“Oh, by the way, except for the fact that our mother misses our sister so much, we are here for one more thing.”
Zhao was a little puzzled. She knew that the Zhao family had no interaction with the capital. What could they do in the capital?
“What are you doing here, sister-in-law?”
Wang took out a piece of paper with a smile.
“It’s an important thing for both of our families. Brother-in-law, take a look.”
Su Lun took over the paper in Wang’s hands with doubts. On seeing it, he changed his face immediately!
Zhao was illiterate, so she had no idea about the content.
“My Lord, what’s wrong?”
Su Lun glared at Zhao coldly and glanced at Wang angrily. “Where have you got it?!”
Wang was frightened by his eyes and shrank her neck, but soon she became confident again. “Brother-in-law, your memory is so bad. Let me remind you. When our eldest niece came to the village, we had agreed to let the two children get married in the coming spring. The marriage contract was even brought back by our niece herself.”
Marriage contract?!
Su Muge looked up and squinted at the paper in Su Lun’s hand.
“Sister-in-law, is there any misunderstanding? When did Mumu bring back the marriage contract?” Hearing this, Zhao went anxious. If it were confirmed, they would have committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor. Even if the marriage was granted by the Emperor himself, Su Lun didn’t make it clear that Su Muge’s marriage had already been arranged when the imperial edict arrived.
“Yes, you must have made a mistake. Marriage is always arranged by the parents.” Su Lun threw the piece of paper to Wang with a false smile.
Hearing this, Wang was irritated immediately. “What? You are going to deny!? Sister, how could you break your promise?! When you asked the eldest niece to tell me about it, I thought it inappropriate at first. But the eldest niece said it was your decision. Seeing that my eldest niece had some feelings for my Shun’er, I barely agreed to it. Now you are in charge of Su Mansion and you can find a better family, so you want to break your promise? How can you be so greedy to gain all the benefits in the world?!”
“Aunt, how can you tell such a big lie in Su Mansion?! When I went back last time, I just went to check my grandmother’s condition. When did I give you a marriage contract? It’s total nonsense!”
“When you gave us the marriage contract at that time, your second uncle was present and had witnessed it. How could you deny it now?!” Zhao De stood up to help.
Zhao Ming’s family nodded after hearing the words.
“Nonsense! What marriage contract? When was it? Why don’t I know?!” Hearing this, Zhang was anxious.
“Mother, you were half dead on the bed at that time. How could you know?” Sun said coldly.
“You! You! You get out of here with me! Leave here right now! Never come here again.” Zhang stood up and pulled Wang and others to go out.
Wang pushed Zhang away impatiently. “If it is not made clear, we won’t leave!”
