Remarrying Chun Yuan

Chapter 236 Cow Dung

Jiang Yunjiao's arrogant expression froze for a moment, then her face broke into a warm smile.

She spoke slowly and gently, “I have rarely met someone as straightforward as you. I am willing to hear a few honest words, even if they are not to my liking. Liu Yiren, you may as well speak frankly.”

Despite her reluctance, Liu Yuechu still had to speak.

Liu Yuechu wasn't afraid of offending anyone. "Miss Yunjiao is outstanding in appearance and comes from a distinguished family. I've heard that she is also the best among women in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and no one can compare to her."

"With such good conditions, why did you marry my elder brother? I'm sure you've already inquired about it. My elder brother's reputation isn't very good. Even though he's started to do some legitimate work recently, it's only because he doesn't have enough money to squander. He's been forced into it. Compared to Miss Yun Jiao, they're like heaven and earth. They shouldn't have had any interaction at all."

"You are also the beloved niece of the Imperial Concubine, how could you bear to see such a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung?"

……

Liu Yuechu rattled off a string of words, her mouth full of sarcasm directed at her elder brother, Liu Musheng.

Jiang Yunjiao was dumbfounded. She was prepared to be criticized, but she didn't expect Liu Yuechu to belittle her brother so much and praise her so highly!

If she were criticized, Jiang Yunjiao would have a thousand reasons to refute it, but Liu Yuechu's fighting style left her at a loss for what to do.

She thought for a long time but couldn't find a reason why she had to marry Liu Musheng. "The Imperial Concubine has her reasons for arranging this. I am just a young lady from a respectable family, and I am only listening to my elders."

"If your elders asked you to marry a beggar, would you agree?" Liu Yuechu feigned surprise.

In the past two days, she had heard some strange things from Hou Lai about the Left Chancellor's residence. For example, the Left Chancellor's residence never used the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital for treatment. Instead, they invited famous doctors from all over the country to come to the capital to treat patients.

However, most of these famous doctors disappeared after entering the capital.

They either vanished without a trace, or they encountered an accident due to illness or other reasons...

The official story is that the Left Chancellor's wife is eccentric and in poor health, and has been ill for years without improvement. However, Hou Lai secretly observes that the Left Chancellor's wife is quite cheerful in the inner quarters, and can drink half a jin of wine in one meal without getting drunk.

So this news was meant to cover things up.

Who is the sick person in the Left Chancellor's residence?

Liu Yuechu carefully examined Jiang Yunjiao but couldn't discern anything amiss. She could only lament that Yuan Cuo wasn't in the capital; otherwise, he would surely have noticed something was wrong with the woman before him…

Jiang Yunjiao hadn't expected Liu Yuechu's question to be so tricky.

"So I envy you, that you can avoid learning the music, chess, calligraphy and painting that you hate, that you can disregard the teachings and precepts for women, that you can make your own decisions, and that you can stand out and compete with many men."

"But I can't."

“Every day from the moment you open your eyes, you have to put on a gentle and magnanimous appearance. You have to be respectful to your elders and kind to your servants. Even if you encounter a flower you like, you can’t smell it for too long, or you will be scolded for being greedy and lacking in character.”

Jiang Yunjiao's words were a mix of truth and falsehood, so she looked at Liu Yuechu and said, "Perhaps my aunt also cherishes me, which is why she married me into the Liu family. Although the Liu family's social standing is lower than our Left Chancellor's family, I can still have a carefree life and do whatever I want."

"Are you sure you can do whatever you want once you're at the Liu family's?" Liu Yuechu suddenly blurted out.

Jiang Yunjiao's face stiffened, and she glanced at the old woman beside her. "...Without elders around, there are fewer ties, right?"

Liu Yuechu smiled and offered her some of the snacks from the mansion.

When the maids brought out a dish, the nanny next to them would carefully examine it before allowing Jiang Yunjiao to eat it.

After chatting casually for a while, Jiang Yunjiao was about to go back.

Liu Yuechu escorted her to the courtyard gate, then asked Granny Fang and Gu Yu to see her off. "Because of my poor health, I won't stand on ceremony with Miss Yun Jiao. I would still like you to visit the Liu family often."

Huajiao had already prepared a return gift and delivered it to Jiang Yunjiao's maid.

The two chatted back and forth, seemingly enjoying themselves, and Jiang Yunjiao then returned home.

As soon as she left, the news reached Liu Musheng's courtyard.

He rushed over with a group of brothers, and Liu Yuechu was startled. "What happened? Has the sky fallen?"

"W-why didn't you tell me someone came?!" Liu Musheng felt weak all over from the glare and quickly questioned her to clear himself of suspicion.

Liu Yuechu rolled her eyes. "They're here to see me, why would I tell you?"

"The imperial decree for the marriage has already been issued, so I'm nominally her fiancé!" Liu Musheng glared at the three people behind him. "Why are you all silent now? You were all scolding me just now, but you've all wilted like eggplants when you see my sister!"

He was naturally cursing Pei Chun.

Pei Chun hadn't seen Liu Yuechu for a long time, so he stood at the door and silently watched her for a long time.

Stared at by Liu Musheng, Pei Chun changed his mind again, "The Liu family has already accepted this marriage?"

"Otherwise what? Can they disobey the imperial decree?" Seeing that they were not people who could be easily driven away, Liu Yuechu had Huajiao set up a table outside and ordered a servant to go to Guiyue Tower to order a feast.

Since marrying Lin Mengyu, Lu Bingyang has been spending more time with Liu Yuechu and doesn't need to hide anything when she speaks. "There are some things that you should already know without me saying them. Once this person really enters the Liu family mansion, your life probably won't be so comfortable anymore."

“What’s wrong with me? What’s there to fear about taking my family property? I can separate from my elder brother!” Liu Yuechu revealed her last trump card. “The trading company is already under Yuan Cuo’s name, and my elder brother can’t run it anymore. If the fur business were to abandon me, Yuwen Chan wouldn’t agree to it either, so it’s still mine.”

“Of course I should get a share of the profits from the horse farm, and since Yuan Cuo contributed to the trade between Meng and Yan, we should both get a larger share.”

"And this Liu residence, I can give it to you. You can set up another Yuan residence outside, but the money must be carefully calculated."

……

The group was taken aback when she brought up separating the family. They stared blankly at Liu Musheng, thinking, "So you're the one who's going to be abandoned?"

So, apart from having a small share in the horse farm, Liu Musheng has nothing left.

Liu Musheng coughed lightly and didn't object at all. "Why didn't you bring up the matter of dividing the family property earlier? If you knew I was a poor wretch, the Left Chancellor's Mansion wouldn't have agreed to this marriage." Anyway, she was his own sister, and even if she was down on her luck, she wouldn't ignore him.

Liu Yuechu hadn't expected that her sarcastic remarks would hit a brick wall...

Seeing that Liu Musheng was indeed not faking it, the three spoiled brothers had no way to target him.

"Otherwise, I'll ask my sister to discuss it with the Empress and suggest that she choose another concubine for you? With two mistresses in the household, the Liu family won't be controlled by the Left Chancellor's family." Pei Chun offered a terrible idea.

Lu Bingyang burst out laughing, and Ye Zinan clapped and cheered.

Liu Musheng subconsciously wanted to say "Huang Wanwan's" name, but he stopped himself from saying it.

"Forget it, one wife is already giving me a huge headache, do you think I deserve a second wife?"

He had already begun to consider whether the "family division" mentioned by Liu Yuechu was feasible.