3 Aunt Came
he person getting married be busy with preparations that make them dizzy Why was Mo Jingli so idle that he had time to sit here and listen to people chatter"Hey, what's wrong with Jingli Why is he sta...The Imperial Capital Ode 3. Aunt by Marriage Arrives
3. Aunt by Marriage Arrives
"Miss, Lady Xu has arrived."
Ye Li looked up and saw her second aunt by marriage entering from outside. She hurriedly stood up to greet her. "Second Aunt by Marriage."
Xu夫人 is also only in her mid-thirties, and although her appearance is well-maintained and can be described as graceful, the natural aura she exudes reveals her noble upbringing.
Frowning, she scrutinized Ye Li's room and couldn't help but poke her forehead. "Your aunt and uncle have told you many times to move in with your uncle’s family, yet you refused to listen. Now look at how you live! And look at your arranged marriage… Are you deliberately causing worry for your mother" Ye Li rubbed her forehead and pulled Xu夫人 to sit down. "Uncle has had a tough time these years. Moreover, with Grandmother and Father still around, there's no reason for a daughter to move in with her uncle’s family. It would only make others laugh at Mother for not raising daughters well." Since the current Emperor ascended to the throne, he has been actively suppressing old ministers from the previous emperor's reign. Xu夫人's father and older brother, along with other Xu家族 members, have successively retired from officialdom; now there is only Ye Li’s second uncle still working in the Hanlin Academy as a third-rank scholar. To outsiders, it seems that the once great Xu family has declined.
Hearing Ye Li's words, Xu夫人 couldn't help but sigh and said, "It just breaks my heart to see you hurting yourself like this; your grandfather would be so worried when he finds out." In Xu家, there have been more male descendants than female ones across generations. By the time of Xu老太爺’s generation, Ye Li's mother was their only daughter and naturally received all the love and spoiling possible. If Xu老太爺 knew that his only granddaughter had such a difficult life, given his temperamental nature, he might rush to the capital to scold her father-in-law for it. Ye Li smiled and said, "There’s nothing to be pitiful about; I won’t let myself suffer." Xu夫人 looked at her with worry and said, "Your arranged marriage now… Prince Ding is truly not a suitable match. Your younger sister also isn't someone good; she's trying to snatch her elder sister's husband. Could such things really be done by a lady from a prominent family" Ye Li’s eyes flickered without the usual weak demeanor seen in the mansion, and with a faint smile, she said, "Prince Ding has his own merits too. Aunt and Uncle needn't worry about me." The Prince of Ding's王府holds an unparalleled status in Da Chu; unless he plots rebellion or usurps the throne, even the emperor wouldn’t dare to easily shake its position. Furthermore, due to health reasons, the current Prince of Ding is completely detached from politics, so marrying him would naturally exempt one from worrying about political entanglements. For Ye Li, it’s merely a matter of moving from her family's mansion to the Prince of Ding’s王府. In her previous life, she was too exhausted; this time around, all she needs to do is live a comfortable and peaceful life, waiting for death.
Indeed, living comfortably until death is Ye Li’s goal in this lifetime. In her past life, she was a soldier from a special force unit who died serving the country, which can be considered fitting. She had no burning resentment nor ambitions that shocked the world; she believed she did right by her country and vice versa. It was an obligation and duty for soldiers to die on battlefields wrapped in horse leather, yet after enduring bloodshed for over a decade, she simply felt exhausted from it all. Therefore, this lifetime, she just wants a peaceful and undramatic life.
Seeing her so calm, Lady Xu felt both relieved and worried. In the end, she could only let out a sigh. What could be done about it Who could go against the emperor’s decree
"This is what your grandfather entrusted me with before he left for the capital. It was meant to be your dowry." Lady Xu handed over a stack of silver bills and placed them in Ye Li’s hands. Ye Li opened it and found a thousand taels of gold, ten five hundred taels of silver, some smaller denomination gold and silver bills—altogether around twenty thousand taels of silver. Not letting her speak, Lady Xu continued, "I heard that the Empress Dowager wants to confiscate your mother’s dowry for you You need not worry about this matter; your aunt will see to it herself. Hmph, our Xue family daughters have always been married with great pomp and ceremony. Even if we fall on hard times, no daughter of ours would dare to take away the original wife’s dowry and give it to her concubine’s daughter. Over these years how many times have they confiscated your mother’s dowry I will retrieve those estates and shops for you." Ye Li frowned and said, "This matter can be handled by me; aunt doesn’t need to…"
Lady Xu smiled and said, "Relax. Your father’s rank may indeed be higher than your uncle’s but if the emperor still cares about face, he won’t make it difficult for your uncle." The Xue Family was a descendant of an original founding minister; they were the first in the country to remain incorruptible. Even though they no longer held any official positions, their influence could not be compared with those of Ye and Wang families. After the emperor ascended the throne, he had compelled them to resign from their posts—this was already a bad look for him. If something were to happen to Lord Xue, without an extremely important reason, the public would flood the imperial palace with spit. Ye Li thought about it and realized that this wasn’t such a big matter after all, so she nodded her thanks to her aunt. Lady Xu then smiled satisfactorily and said, "After your marriage, I reckon you won’t receive much help from your family. You should visit often to give your uncle and grandfather peace of mind."
"Lady Xu has arrived," came a series of footsteps from outside the door; Lady Wang appeared with her maidservants and chambermaids and said, "Why didn’t Lady Xu say she was coming We weren’t prepared for an unexpected visit." At the entrance, she raised an eyebrow at Lady Xu.
Sr. Xu had always disapproved of Lady Wang's behavior and, with a light snort, said indifferently, "I am merely here at my lord's command to see Li'er. How can the Ye family, which is so high in social status, allow Lady Ye to welcome us"
The Xu family was an illustrious clan renowned for its scholarly heritage and had never elevated a concubine to become a principal wife. Moreover, Sr. Xu had always looked down on Lady Wang's identity; after all, her younger sister-in-law’s untimely death might have been partly due to Lady Wang. Therefore, she couldn’t possibly show any kindness. Lady Wang deeply resented the disdain in Sr. Xu’s eyes. After all, she was a Second Rank Lady while Sr. Xu was merely a Third Rank Virtuous Woman. Why should she be looked down upon Disgusted, she briefly glanced at Li'er's room and then walked over to one side before addressing Sr. Xu: "We have already sent the horoscope of Third Miss to Duke Ding’s mansion. It shouldn't take long for the wedding date to be determined. As her principal mother, I naturally want to arrange a grand ceremony for Third Miss's marriage; you needn’t worry about it." Sr. Xu smiled calmly and sat down next to her, saying, "It would indeed be wonderful if it were truly a grand affair. Even though Li'er is from the Ye family, she is also our Xu clan’s bloodline. If one of Xu’s daughters marries unhappily, even my grandfather wouldn’t agree with such a match. By the way... isn't your son Rong-er still attending school Will he be taking next year's imperial examination"
With her few simple words, Sr. Xu put Lady Wang on edge. Her own son Rong-er was currently studying in his clan’s ancestral academy, and she had completely forgotten that the declining Xu family still controlled one of the three best academies in the country—Ly Shan Academy. It was also the top academy within Chu's borders, without any exceptions. This year, Rong-er wished to attend Ly Shan Academy so he could have a better chance at next year’s imperial examination. If she tampered with Li'er’s dowry… At this thought, she couldn’t help but glare angrily at Sr. Xu, who remained unaffected and smiled faintly. With a cold expression, Lady Wang said, "Our Rong-er is still young; it will likely be another two years before he can take the imperial examination. Moreover, as Empress Zhao’s younger brother, how difficult could such an exam possibly be" Sr. Xu nodded in agreement with a smile and replied, "If Master Rong has confidence in himself, that's best. However, Prince Consort Liu’s brothers were already top scorers in the capital exams but still sought advice from Old Grandpa in Ly Shan Academy due to their own insecurities; this was perhaps overdoing it a little. I imagine your son will definitely achieve all three first-place rankings and earn Empress Zhao’s glory."
Upon hearing this, Lady Wang's expression darkened further. In her maiden days, Prince Consort Liu had already been known as the top talent in the capital city, and she continued to enjoy imperial favor after entering the palace. With two princes and a princess, she was crowned as a prince consort, overshadowing Lady Wang’s daughter completely. Furthermore, Prince Consort Liu's younger brother was also well-known for his talents, making her own son seem insignificant by comparison within the capital city. If that boy from the Liu family became this year's top scorer in the imperial examination… Empress Zhao would surely be furious. In truth, Rong-er’s age differed considerably from Prince Consort Liu's younger brother; it was impossible for them to compete on equal footing. It was just that Rong-er himself had average abilities, and Lady Wang detested the talent of Prince Consort Liu's younger brother even more.e was right; he did not feel angered by Han Mingyue's open declaration of his feelings for his betrothed. As long as it wasn't his Agui and both parties were willing, he felt no shame in helping a cou...