After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 320 Triumph
Cui Yao has been in the capital for ten days, but has not left the house in all ten days.

Today is the day of Lord Cui and the Lin family army's triumphant return, and Cui Yao had no choice but to prepare to go to the street with Bai Wanqing to welcome them.

Bai Wanqing noticed that Cui Shi's expression was off from the morning and asked with concern, "Mother, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"

"It's perfect timing to have Dr. Zheng take a look at you."

Dr. Zheng and his colleagues lived in the East Courtyard, which was a bit far from the main courtyard. They were only now slowly making their way over.

Dr. Zheng met with Doctor Luo yesterday, hoping to get a few prescriptions from Doctor Luo to enhance his reputation when he returned.

Unexpectedly, Doctor Luo presented him with three difficult problems, which he pondered for several nights in a row before finally gaining some understanding.

Unexpectedly, Doctor Luo only glanced at it before disdainfully tossing it aside.

Doctor Zheng was still a bit dejected. He had finally come to terms with reality; he was afraid he would never catch the eye of Doctor Luo in this lifetime.

Hearing Wanqing say that someone was sick, he forced himself to cheer up.

"What's wrong? Is someone sick?"

Madam Cui quickly shook her head, "No! I'm not sick!"

"Wanqing, let's hurry up and have breakfast before we head out."

When Bai Wanqing heard Cui say this, she nodded and instructed Fengniang and the others to bring up the food.

Everyone had just finished breakfast when Fengniang had already prepared the carriage for their trip.

Ruixin skipped over to Fengniang and teased, "Aunt Feng, I saw you rushing around after breakfast, so I knew you must be here!"

Feng Niang blushed, "You little rascal, when did you become so clever?"

Ruixin laughed and said, "Aunt Feng, you've wronged me. Anyone who ate breakfast just now knows that the breakfast that Fengniang made today was even more delicious than usual. Even Young Master Chengdong, who doesn't usually like to eat, ate two more bowls."

"This would never have been done if the cook hadn't been in a good mood."

When Fengniang's thoughts were exposed, she reached out to hit the mischievous Ruixin, but just then Bai Wanqing and the others came out, and Fengniang stopped.

Bai Wanqing was dressed in a light blue brocade robe with a white shawl draped over her shoulders. Although she wore no makeup, she was still radiant.

Today, Cui also dressed up a bit, wearing a ginger-yellow satin jacket with lush green branches on the ground, and a dark green long skirt underneath. She had a noble but not ostentatious air about her, and you couldn't tell at all that she was a woman from a small town.

Daya had never seen her mother so beautiful before, and couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!"

Doctor Zheng and the others were also stunned. Now they knew why Lady Lin was so beautiful and charming; she took after her mother.

Seeing that everyone was standing there in a daze, Cui said, "Everyone, it's getting late, we should go."

Everyone hurriedly ran to their carriages, and then the group headed towards the gates of Kyoto.

Today, the Prefect of the Capital learned that Lord Cui and Lin Yunche were about to arrive in the capital.

So they had sent people to make preparations well in advance. At this moment, the streets were already full of people watching the excitement. Bai Wanqing and the others parked their carriage in a place where there were not many people and walked up to the teahouse that they had booked in advance.

Before they even went upstairs, they saw Cui Jingcheng and Cheng Susu waving frantically at them from the teahouse.

"Wanqing, over here!"

Bai Wanqing led everyone to a private room in the teahouse.

Cui Jingcheng immediately ordered the waiter to bring them two more pots of tea.

Wu Huan looked at the decorations of the teahouse and couldn't help but marvel at the prosperity of the capital of the Shang Kingdom. Such a small teahouse was decorated so luxuriously; it was hard to imagine what the emperor's palace must be like!

Cui Jingcheng was very satisfied with Wu Huan's current expression. He leaned forward with a sly grin and said, "How is it? Not bad, right?"

"I went to great lengths to reserve this."

"Otherwise, how could we have such a superb vantage point to see the bearing of Father and General Lin?"

Cui Jingcheng's last sentence was addressed to Wanqing, hoping that Wanqing would praise him.

Cheng Susu burst into laughter, saying, "Wanqing, that's true, but it wasn't about physical strength, it was about using force."

"You!" Cui Jingcheng rolled his eyes and plopped down angrily.

He wasn't going to stoop to Cheng Susu's level.

Just then, a quarrel broke out outside the private room of the teahouse.

The teahouse owner humbly asked the lady to move to another place, but to his surprise, she refused and barged into the private room.

How could she, the dignified Princess Huai Ren, be afraid of a mere Marquis Zhao Nan?

As soon as Princess Huai Ren entered the private room, she saw a large room full of people, men and women, young and old, no less than a dozen. "Oh! When did this Guibao Tower turn into a vegetable market?"

"Anyone can get in?"

After Cui Jingcheng met Princess Huai Ren, he stood up and greeted her. Just as Princess Huai Ren was about to scold Cui Jingcheng for not knowing manners at such a young age, she caught sight of Cui Shi sitting by the bed.

She slowly opened her eyes wide and then walked step by step toward Cui Yao.

Cui Jingcheng was afraid that the princess would make things difficult for the Lin family. Just as he was about to step forward, he saw the princess suddenly redden her eyes and say, "You stinky Ayao, you bad Ayao, you really have been gone for so many years without giving me a single word."

"And now you've gotten yourself into this mess, hanging out with this young master from the Zhaonan Marquis's mansion?"

As soon as Princess Huai Ren uttered her words, everyone's eyes widened.

Is this something a princess should say? This sounds rather strange!

Helpless, Cui stood up, walked to Huai Ren's side, and pulled him towards the private room inside. "Wanqing, you and everyone wait here. I'd like to have a private talk with the princess."

Everyone was stunned; Cui actually knew the princess.

That Cui family.
Cheng Susu lowered her voice and said, "Wanqing, this is your mother-in-law's business, I shouldn't have said anything."

"But now her identity probably can't be kept secret anymore."

“Your mother-in-law was the eldest granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo back then.”

"Because the Lin family fell into misfortune back then, your mother-in-law severed ties with her maternal family."

"I heard that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has sent her several visiting cards in the past few days, but she hasn't seen them!"

"He must have been heartbroken by what happened back then!"

Bai Wanqing suddenly realized that her mother-in-law hadn't left the house these past few days because she didn't want to see her family!
Inside the room, Huai Ren held Cui Yao's arm and wept bitterly.

"Ah Yao, why are your hands so rough?"

"And another thing, you have so many gray hairs on your head."

"You haven't replied to any of the letters I've written to you over the years. You're really heartless."

Cui Yao slightly curled the corners of her lips and gently patted Princess Huai Ren's back, saying, "I didn't reply to your letter because I was afraid of implicating you."

"I'm not afraid!"

“Even the Cui family, the Duke of Zhenguo, is afraid. How could you, a princess with no real power, not be afraid!”

"Don't worry, it won't happen again. I will reply to every letter you write to me from now on."

Princess Huai Ren then released Cui Yao's arm and let her go.

"Ah Yao, judging from your tone, you're not planning to go back to the Cui family."

Cui Yao shook her head and said, "We can't share bitterness, so there's no reason to share sweetness either."

Huai Ren nodded in agreement, "A Yao is right!"

"However, if you keep avoiding me like this, who knows how your elder brother will try to trip you up in court tomorrow."

Cui Yao lowered her eyes slowly without speaking. Huai Ren then comforted her, "It's alright, Yao. At worst, I'll protect you when you enter my Princess's residence this time."

"I will never let you suffer again."

Cui Yao chuckled. Both of them knew it was an unfulfilled promise, but Cui still felt a warmth in her heart.

During those long twenty-odd years, the only person she could get news from Kyoto from was Huai Ren.

Even though the Lin family was labeled as traitors, this silly older sister still refused to cut off contact with him.

Cui felt she could never repay this kindness alone.

Princess Huai Ren knew that Cui Yao was moved, and blinked her eyes, saying, "What, are you very moved now, Yao? Then why don't we arrange a marriage between my grandson and your daughter?"

Cui Yao, who had just been moved to tears, suddenly looked dejected.

"Ah Ren, you're still so unreliable!"

"You're clearly trying to take advantage of me."

"No, it's because your daughter is too young, Ah Yao. She's only about the same age as my grandson."

Just as the two old sisters were arguing in the inner room, someone suddenly shouted from the street outside the teahouse window.

"They're here! They're here! The Lin family army is back!"