A Beautiful Duchess with a Dark Heart – Chapter 135

Chapter 135

A pretty woman walked in.

She wore a purple-red bodice with silver lining and a set of gold filigree phoenix hairpins on her head. The phoenix head held a thin gold chain, with a Dongzhu pearl dangling from it, swaying on her forehead.

Her thin eyebrows were arched, and her eyes were filled with affection.

Her eyelids were dusted with a thin layer of rouge, which further accentuated her charm.

After finishing her curtsy, her eyes were fixed on Qi Xiao.

Tan Shi smiled. “It’s Minghui! Why are you here at this hour?!” Her tone was playful.

Qi Youyi saw this and sighed inwardly. “Mother is always like this: no matter how sad she is inside, she always puts on a smiling face in front of others and never makes things difficult for anyone.”

“She has a good reputation both inside and outside the family!

Only Cui Shi, with her stubborn temper, would clash with her!”

Qi Xiao also turned to look at Xu Minghui, the deep smile on his face not concealed at all.

“Father, Husband! It’s been more than a year since you left. It must have been very hard!”

Qi Xiao just looked at her with a silly smile and didn’t answer.

Tan Shi said, “Alright, you two go back to your room and talk! Minghui, ask him carefully if he’s been injured!”

“Yes!”

The two of them walked away, their eyes filled with affection, their steps slightly hurried.

Qi Youyi, however, didn’t leave. Instead, he continued to ask Tan Shi, “Mother, about Xiao Si and Xiao Wu’s marriages, I didn’t pay much attention to them before. In your opinion, is there something wrong?”

Tan Shi leaned back and found a more comfortable position. “Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s hard to say without seeing the person. But there are so many noble ladies in the capital, why choose from those? There are several princesses and county princesses waiting to be married. With Xiao Wu’s talent, wouldn’t it be better to find someone like that?”

Her tone became a bit agitated, and after speaking, she seemed to regret it. “Look at me! I decided not to say anything, but as soon as I saw you, I started talking again!”

“Father and Third Brother are not here, who else can you talk to if not me?”

“That’s right! Sigh, back then, I was the one who arranged Xiao’s marriage. Although your wife didn’t object openly, she secretly competed with Minghui quite a bit. But let’s be honest, I did overstep and interfere in her son’s marriage… I understand that your wife feels uncomfortable about it.

But, look at this couple…” She pointed to Qi Xiao and his wife who had just left. “They’re living such a good life! So even if your wife resents me, I accept it!

I didn’t plan to interfere in the marriages of Sirang and Wulang. But… your father and Third Brother are not at home, you and Dalang are out there enduring hardship. Erlang often has to go out. The family is left with the old and the young, all women and children. At this time, Cui Shi insisted on taking Sirang and Wulang back home to repair the ancestral graves and the house, and even used your mother’s name…”

Tan Shi’s face was unusually grim.

“Your birth mother, she was the best woman I’ve ever respected! Back then, if she hadn’t repeatedly told me before she died that she was afraid you would suffer after your father remarried and entrusted you to me, I would never have married your father…and let others gossip!”

Qi Youyi quickly said, “Mother, please don’t overthink it. Father has always respected you, and although I’m not your biological son, you raised me. You didn’t come from a noble family, and I understand the hardships you’ve endured. Cui Shi is just being unreasonable!”

Tan Shi waved her hand. “Let me finish…repairing your mother’s grave, that’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It’s just that with the family, you going out and coming back, the battlefield is a dangerous place. If the letter arrived two days late, I would overthink everything, just afraid something had happened to you! My heart never felt at ease…” She patted her chest. “I swear, I’ve been looking for an opportunity!”

Qi Youyi hurriedly expressed his understanding. “I really understand! It’s my fault for not arranging this matter properly.”

“I don’t like hearing you say that, how can you blame yourself? Your wife, she’s good in every way! It’s just…eldest son! These past few years, I’ve been thinking, it was my mistake! I shouldn’t have let Xiuyun stay by your side!”

“Mother!” Qi Youyi suddenly became agitated.

“Listen to me!” Tan Shi pulled Qi Youyi again. “Cui Shi is a noble lady, with an upright character. Even the former Empress valued her, there’s no mistake! After she entered the family, I swear to heaven that I never made things difficult for her. Towards me, no matter what she thinks in her heart, she has always been respectful and courteous. I can’t find any fault with her!

If you want to talk about the rift between us, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, there’s nothing else, just this one thing!” Tears welled up in the corners of Tan Shi’s eyes, her lips trembling…

✿✿✿

Qi Youyi hurriedly interrupted. “Mother! Xiuyun and I, we grew up together! She’s gentle and considerate, beautiful and graceful, someone I’ve admired for a long time. If it wasn’t for the Empress’s decree… I would definitely have married Xiuyun! I don’t care about family background or social status! My achievements, I earned them myself! I don’t need my wife’s family to contribute!”

He spoke with excitement and determination.

Tan Shi looked at him for a long time and sighed. “Sigh, I saw that you and Xiuyun were compatible, childhood sweethearts. That girl Xiuyun towards you is even more… Back then, I really didn’t have a better solution. If she hadn’t stayed by your side, with her personality… she probably wouldn’t have lived long.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Youyi felt a pang of heartache. “Mother, these years, it’s precisely because of Xiuyun that my life has had some meaning. This matter, from beginning to end, it’s me who has wronged her. And wronged you…”

Tan Shi nodded. “Hearing you say this, my heart is at ease.” Her expression turned unusually cold. “To be honest with you, as long as you don’t blame me, I’m not afraid! As for Cui Shi, I treat my daughter-in-law with respect because of my son. No matter what, she can’t surpass you and Xiuyun! My selfish desire: only the two of you are truly dear to me!”

“I’m grateful, how could I blame you?”

With everything out in the open, there was motherly love and filial piety, a harmonious scene.

Qi Youyi said calmly, “Even though Cui Shi has already arranged marriages for Xiao Si and Xiao Wu, if I, as their father, don’t agree, she has to break them off!” After saying this, a hint of ruthlessness appeared on his face.

Tan Shi actually nodded. “That’s right! Cui Shi is just too strong-willed, sometimes for the sake of pride, she makes things difficult. Usually, she throws tantrums at me, and I’m not an unreasonable person. But, that Wen family just arrived in the capital, what kind of family are they? How can they be a match for our Wulang?

And Sirang! After he left, Concubine Liu has been pacing back and forth in the room and courtyard, anxious as anything… Sigh! Forget it, I don’t want to think about it anymore! After all, it’s their own lives!”

“Don’t worry, Mother! I’ll reason with Cui Shi when I see her!” Qi Youyi said with a gloomy face.

“Alright, you must be tired after coming back, go back and rest! Xiuyun knew you were coming back, oh my, she was restless!” Tan Shi smiled again.

A hint of tenderness appeared on Qi Youyi’s face. “Okay, then I’ll go back and see her first!”

After he left, Tan Shi sneered.

The Wen family, I’d love for it to work out!

Otherwise, with Wulang’s talent, even if he marries a princess, the Emperor would have to offer a decent one!

Although he doesn’t appear in public often, everyone who has seen him has asked me about him! Any random one would be better than the Wen family, wouldn’t it?

It’s not heaven helping me, it’s Cui Shi helping me!

Now it’s good, let’s see what kind of goods they are!

No matter what they are, wanting to fight me, they’re far from it!

It’s a pity! A look of regret appeared on Tan Shi’s face. “It’s a pity that the plan last time didn’t work out! Otherwise, with Cui Shi’s personality, she wouldn’t be able to live!

Maybe, Xiuyun would really be elevated to the position of principal wife!

…”

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