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Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved-Chapter 81 - is just like getting rid of a beggar!
Chapter 81 -81 is just like getting rid of a beggar!
Lady Wang was overjoyed when she heard this.
Just as she was about to rise, she heard Murong Jiu say, “Mother kneels for me to atone for her sins, how can I allow Mother to kneel in vain? However, you are the Marchioness, with such a status, how can you kneel so easily? Just for a bit of silver, Mother really is willing to go to great lengths.”
This was nothing short of humiliation!
Upon hearing this, Lady Wang’s heart was filled with both rage and hatred, wishing she could stand up and tear that face to shreds.
But she knew very well what kind of man her husband, Marquis Murong, was.
If she pleased him, she was the lofty Marchioness; should she displease him, then it would be his concubines who were held in high regard, and even the servants of the mansion would laugh at her behind her back.
...
Lady Wang originally came from a humble family, with no background, no resources, and no wealth — nothing at all. It was through schemes that she became the Marchioness.
Even the Old Madam was not satisfied with her.
Why had she been so subservient over these years? Was it not for the bit of glory as the Marchioness?
If it wasn’t for the fact that she had given birth to a good daughter, Murong Man, and later to a son, she might have been cast aside long ago.
Therefore, she could not be angry with Murong Jiu; she must get the silver in hand to help the Marquis Mansion get through this difficulty.
She laughed awkwardly and said, “Ah Jiu, since you know about the Marquis Mansion’s situation, you should also know the difficulties your mother faces; the only person Mother can rely on now is you. Mother truly regrets not having treated you better.”
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She wanted to grow closer to Murong Jiu, preferably making her willingly give her silver every month.
“Also, about your sister’s marriage, could you talk to His Highness the Second Prince…”
“Talk about what? Asking His Highness the Second Prince to marry your elder daughter?”
Murong Man quickly waved her hands and said, “Ninth Sister, that’s not what I meant. I am willing to marry the eldest son of the senior official’s family, but, but you’ve only just gotten married, and Mother only has us two daughters, I want to stay in the mansion to keep her company for a while, marry later.”
She was afraid Murong Jiu would think she was having an affair with His Highness the Second Prince.
So she said she was willing to marry the eldest son of the senior official’s family.
As long as she could postpone the wedding date, once His Highness the Second Prince’s cousin was healed by Murong Jiu, maybe he wouldn’t need Murong Jiu anymore.
Then, just about any excuse would suffice to break the engagement.
Indeed, Lady Wang had only given birth to two daughters; the other young ladies were either concubine-born or from the second or third households.
Lady Wang also had a son, a few years younger than Murong Jiu.
Murong Jiu said indifferently, “Speaking of which, elder sister is nearly nineteen this year. In Great Yan, to be unmarried at nineteen is considered an old maid. Aren’t you afraid of people gossiping behind your back?”
Having her age pointed out like this left Murong Man feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
In Great Yan, girls could marry after turning sixteen, with engagements often arranged even earlier, usually around fourteen or fifteen.
Especially for children from prominent families, where great importance is placed on marital matters.
A nineteen-year-old daughter of the Marquis Mansion, like Murong Man, should have been married off a long time ago.
Of course, if it weren’t for the substitute bride fiasco, she would now be Princess Consort Ling.
However, she was not content and aspired to be Empress, so she had to endure being dragged on as a spinster.
Though His Highness the Second Prince had promised to marry her in the future, he had asked her to wait, to wait until he was named Crown Prince before allowing her into his home.
Murong Man was aware of what the Second Prince was wary of; he was waiting for the Emperor to grant his marriage, as a show of respect for the Emperor.
Moreover, he feared arousing the Emperor’s suspicions, and dared not immediately request to marry her.
Because she was originally meant to be Princess Consort Ling.
After a period of silence, Murong Man felt aggrieved; her eyes reddened as she said, “Why must you make fun of me, little sister? Your becoming Princess Consort Ling was purely accidental; otherwise, how could I have become the subject of ridicule? Now that you live such a comfortable life, harmoniously joined with the Prince, I can’t tell you how envious I am.”
“So you blame me for taking your place? I’ve said it before, if you want it, I’ll give it back to you—although I’m afraid the Prince would not be willing to marry you again.”
Murong Man choked, she had already experienced Prince Ling’s indifference, but she firmly believed that, if given the chance, he would definitely divorce Murong Jiu and marry her instead.
But she was unwilling; destined to have the Phoenix Destiny, she was meant to be an Empress, how could she settle for being the Princess Consort of a disabled prince?
“Sister, I didn’t mean it like that. Sister, why are you so angry, as if you’ve swallowed gunpowder? Do you want me to kneel before you like mother, before you’re willing to show mercy?”
“Eldest sister, I think you misunderstood something. It was His Highness the Second Prince who arranged your marriage to the eldest son of Marquis Mansion, and he was the one who set the wedding date. Why are you seeking me out instead of him?”
“But, wasn’t it you who threatened His Highness the Second Prince using his cousin’s illness? Her cousin fell ill again, and because of that, he ordered me to marry sooner. The commands of His Highness the Second Prince are not to be ignored by our Marquis Mansion. Besides, why can’t I understand your connection with the Second Prince—why can’t I filially serve our household for a few more months?”
“Threaten?”
Murong Jiu laughed, “Eldest sister, it is impossible for the Second Prince’s cousin to fall ill suddenly. Could this Miss Yun bear some hostility towards you? I only wanted you to get engaged sooner; I never said you had to rush into marriage. Could it be that someone wants you married off quickly?”
“What hostility, Ninth Sister, don’t spout nonsense, my relationship with the Second Prince is pure and without blemish!”
Deep down, Murong Man harbored a trick of her own—indeed, that woman Yun Weiwei was faking her illness.
At first, His Highness the Second Prince really only wanted her to get engaged first.
It seemed that Yun Weiwei deliberately feigned illness, causing the Second Prince to worry and be afraid that Murong Jiu would be unwilling to treat Yun Weiwei. Consequently, he wished her married off sooner to clear any implications between them and to make Murong Jiu utterly give up on him.
Clenching her fists tightly, Murong Man knew the key to the issue did not lie with Murong Jiu. She could hardly wait to visit the Prince’s Mansion to have a serious talk with Yun Weiwei!
Just then, Chun Tao returned, carrying a small wooden chest.
Both Old Madam and Lady Wang’s eyes lit up.
“Mother, please get up. I can’t have you kneeling in vain today.”
Murong Jiu riffled through the chest.
She took out several silver notes, folded them, placed them in an empty envelope from the chest, and had Chun Tao hand them to Lady Wang.
“That’s enough, I am tired. Chun Tao, see the guests out.”
“Yes, Princess Consort.”
With the bulging envelope in hand, Lady Wang felt elated, and Old Madam released a sigh of relief, no longer wanting to squabble with the impertinent Murong Jiu.
Chun Tao escorted them only as far as the drawing room, where other servants took over to lead the three out of the Prince Mansion.
Once they boarded the Marquis Mansion’s carriage, Old Madam urgently said:
“Lady Wang, quickly open the envelope and see how much is in there!”
When Murong Jiu placed the notes, she did so within the box, and though they saw her movements and it seemed she took quite a bit, they did not see exactly how much she had taken.
In the past, whenever Murong Jiu gave them money, it was always several thousand taels at a time!
This time seemed to be no different.
Lady Wang hurriedly tore open the envelope and emptied out the contents.
Looking inside, the three were dumbstruck.
What silver notes? It was clearly a pile of waste paper!
Among the waste paper was a single silver note, but upon close inspection, it was only for one hundred taels!
It was practically like giving charity to beggars!
Old Madam was so furious she couldn’t catch her breath and fainted on the spot.
The one hundred taels was only enough to buy a few doses of fine medicine for Old Madam.
Remembering how she had humiliated herself by kneeling, but only received one hundred taels in return, Lady Wang gritted her teeth, “Murong Jiu!!”