Raising a wife? The mistress of the Hou family divorced and remarried her younger uncle

Chapter 289 Different thoughts

Lin laughed in anger, staring coldly at Zhang. "So you knew all along. No wonder you defended Xie Zhaolan so much. I found it strange from the beginning. Xie Zhaolan respected you and was close to you. You were more like her mother-in-law than I was. It turns out you were in cahoots all along. When Feng-ge said in the ancestral hall that he and his sister-in-law were having an affair, I thought he was crazy and just talking nonsense. But now I realize there's no smoke without fire. He had already noticed your clues. No wonder Xie Zhaolan divorced so readily. I wondered why she was willing to give up the Lu family, which was at its peak. It turns out she climbed up to Ziyu. You...you have no shame?"

Zhang was so angry that her heart ached. She looked at her in disbelief and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Ziyu and Zhaolan are completely innocent. How can you see them as so despicable? Ziyu said that she is the Princess of Huainan, who just looks similar to Zhaolan. Why do you keep insisting that she is Zhaolan?"

“I have been married to Zhaolan for many years. I know her appearance and temperament better than anyone else. I would never mistake her for someone else.” Lu Feng argued angrily. “Elders, I ask you to make the decision. Ziyu must not marry his former sister-in-law.”

Madam Zhang sneered, "Young Master, do you really recognize Zhaolan? Do you know what kind of temperament Zhaolan has? Zhaolan has been married to you for years, gentle and virtuous, quiet and kind. Since you married Li Xueying, what kind of temperament has Zhaolan returned with? Is she similar to the original Zhaolan? Didn't you and Li Xueying keep saying that she wasn't Zhaolan? It seems that even after sharing the same bed for years, you can't recognize your own wife. Now that Ziyu's wedding is imminent, and everyone in the court knows it, just because the princess looks like Zhaolan, you are trying every means to insult them and slander their reputation. Your heart is despicable. What exactly do you want to do?"

Zhang and Xie Zhaolan had always had a good relationship. In fact, the shock of Su Qingwan's marriage to Lu Jing was far less than the shock of Xie Zhaolan's death. Xie Zhaolan was dignified, quiet, and handled things properly. Zhang was a widow living at home, and her son was away from home most of the year. Xie Zhaolan's courtyard was very close to hers, and they would often chat and play cards to pass the time.

Whenever Xie Zhaolan had free time, she would always invite Zhang Shi to join her. Occasionally, she would organize gatherings to entertain Zhang Shi. Zhang Shi and Xie Zhaolan got along very well, so they had a good relationship. Lin Shi was serious and upright, and she coveted Xie Zhaolan's dowry. Xie Zhaolan was not stupid, so she only maintained a superficial politeness towards Lin Shi.

So it's no wonder that Madam Lin said Xie Zhaolan and Madam Zhang had a good relationship and were close, even more like mother-in-law and daughter-in-law than Madam Lin herself. Feelings are mutual, so when Madam Zhang heard that the real Xie Zhaolan was dead, she was actually very sad and stayed home feigning illness. Besides being troubled by Lu Jing and Su Qingwan's marriage, she was also heartbroken for Xie Zhaolan.

Lu Feng was speechless after being rebuked.

The elders believed in Lu Feng and Lin Shi. There had indeed been some unpleasant scandals involving Lu Jing and Xie Zhaolan, which, though suppressed, had become a topic of conversation for many. If the princess married Lu Jing, she would either remain secluded in the inner quarters forever, avoiding all social interaction, or someone would inevitably notice that her earrings resembled Xie Zhaolan's. If such rumors spread, it would certainly be unpleasant.

"But this marriage is known to everyone in the court and the public, and the wedding is only ten days away. If we break off the engagement now, Ziyu's reputation will not be good."

"Breaking off the engagement might damage his reputation temporarily, but if it's true that he and his sister-in-law had an affair, he'll be gossiped about and cursed for the rest of his life. You should weigh the pros and cons carefully."

The elders were in a somber mood, but Lu Shaoqing remained silent.

Lu Feng became anxious, "Father, don't you believe me? I've seen what the princess looks like with my own eyes."

"That's just your side of the story, it doesn't count!" Madam Zhang sneered. In fact, she had never met the princess and had only heard Lu Jing's side of the story, but she believed Lu Jing.

Lu Shaoqing pondered silently, and no one knew what he was thinking. His expression was very heavy.

Madam Lin had an idea. "Master, since that's the case, send someone to invite the Princess to visit us. We've all met Xie Zhaolan, so it'll be clear who's lying and who's telling the truth."

Lu Shaoqing said unhappily, "What kind of status does a princess have? Do you think she'll come knocking on your door just because you say so?" "If she doesn't come, it means she's guilty!" Lu Feng said, "which would only confirm her and Ziyu's guilt."

Madam Zhang frowned, thinking Lu Feng was both stupid and wicked. Confirming the affair between Ziyu and Zhaolan, how could he possibly look good? His insistence that the princess was the princess, not Xie Zhaolan, wasn't a win-win situation. He would save face, and no one would dare say anything. She truly couldn't understand what Lu Feng was trying to do. If he admitted it, the Lu family would lose face; if he didn't, at most he'd be criticized. Everyone had confirmed the identity of the Princess of Huainan; it couldn't possibly be Xie Zhaolan.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She felt that Lu Feng was hopelessly stupid, but there was nothing she could do. She had no husband and no say in the family. Lu Shaoqing was in charge of the family, and the elders were in charge of important clan matters. She couldn't even stand in the second row during the sacrificial rites, so what right did she have?

Lu Yunshu said softly from the side, "Second Aunt, you are the Regent's mother. If this matter gets out, it will not look good for anyone. The news must be covered up. It's better for Third Brother, Sister Zhaolan, and the Princess. Third Brother's marriage to the Princess of Huainan is a political marriage. He can't easily break off the engagement."

The affair between Lu Jing and Xie Zhaolan was a major event, and apart from the clan elders, all the important female members of the Lu family came. Several unmarried girls stood by, not daring to speak, only daring to listen. Even the usually arrogant and domineering fourth daughter dared not say anything.

Lu Yunshu and Zhang Shi lived close by. She was steady and generous, and reliable in her work. Zhang Shi liked her very much. She often went to the West Garden to play with the Third Miss, and they had a very good relationship.

Lu Yunshu had met the princess and wholeheartedly believed that the princess was her elder sister-in-law, but she dared not say it, nor would she say it. On the contrary, she was happy to know that the princess was going to marry Lu Jing.

Therefore, she couldn't help but remind Zhang.

She genuinely regarded Xie Zhaolan as her elder sister-in-law and hoped she would find a good home. She never considered why her elder sister-in-law, who had divorced her eldest brother, couldn't marry her third brother.

In her heart, Lu Jing was a good match. If Lu Feng was good to her, her elder sister-in-law could also find happiness, and they would be family. She couldn't be happier than happy.

Zhang hesitated for a moment, then her attitude hardened. She said in a deep voice, "The princess is here. So what if she looks like Zhaolan? What makes you so sure she is Zhaolan? You want to stop this marriage? What good will it do us to stop this marriage? Third Uncle, you know Ziyu's temper. He's stubborn and won't back down once he's made up his mind. He brought the princess back from Huainan. He already knows what she looks like. Since he wants to marry the princess, he's prepared to be gossiped about. This marriage isn't something he can decide alone. Don't forget, it was the Southwest that broke off the engagement, which is why he's marrying the Princess of Huainan."

Zhang's words also reminded the Lu family that Lu Jing and the Southwest Princess were originally betrothed by imperial decree. After the late emperor passed away, the Southwest Prince felt that the princess was in poor health and could not bear the long journey, so the marriage was changed to the Huainan Princess.

Zhang said, "The person Ziyu was to marry was originally the Princess of the Southwest, a marriage alliance between the border and the imperial court. Now, the Princess of Huainan is the same, a political marriage between the imperial court and the Huainan fiefdom. If this marriage were not arranged, what would Ziyu's situation be like? Have you thought about that? What do you mean by insisting that the princess is Xie Zhaolan? Are you trying to ruin his reputation and his future? His surname is Lu, and he is our family's most promising child. Now he is the regent. What good would it do you to ruin him? Our family's ancestral graves have been burning incense for so many years before they start to smoke. Now that we have a regent, you want to bring him down. You are truly his good family."

Everyone fell silent, unable to utter a word, especially Lu Shaoqing. In fact, Lu Shaoqing's initial thought was why he had to insist that the princess was Xie Zhaolan.

Even if it is true, he will deny it!
Lu Jing's future is far more important than his reputation.