Right after Cheng Yujin entered the room, her gaze fell on Cheng Yuanjing, yet without batting an eyelid, she bowed her head and gracefully saluted old Master Cheng, "Granddaughter pays respect to grandfather and wishes you peace."
After that, Cheng Yujin turned slightly and bowed once again to Cheng Yuanjing: "Niece greets ninth uncle."
Cheng Yuanjing raised his hand lightly and said, "Get up."
Cheng Yujin was a little surprised. Old Master Cheng was here, but Cheng Yuanjing actually made the call? She secretly took a peek to old Master Cheng and found that his expression was still calm and unperturbed, as if he didn't notice anything wrong at all.
Alright then, since Old Master Cheng indulged his son's improper conduct, then why should she care? Cheng Yujin straightened her posture and smiled. "This niece didn't know that ninth uncle came back today, excuse me for not going out to meet you. How is ninth uncle's journey?"
Cheng Yuanjing looked at Cheng Yujin's charming smile. Inward, he secretly thinking. He really had left the capital for too long, so he couldn't keep up with the dynamics here. Girl these days, although her age was still young, had perfected her acting skills. If he didn't see it with his own eyes, Cheng Yuanjing wouldn't believe that such a gentle and beautiful little girl would be able to slap her fiance.
Cheng Yuanjing replied: "Not bad. You are a junior, so you shouldn't have to worry about matters outside."
The word 'junior' came from his mouth made Cheng Yujin feel awkward. Cheng Yuanjing and her age didn't differ that much, yet the young man very naturally addressed her as his junior. It was hard for Cheng Yujin to accept it calmly.
But who let her grandfather couldn't forget his old love? Cheng Yujin thus could only accept this uncle who was only five years older than herself.
Because Cheng Yujin was here, old Master Cheng directly asked, "Eldest girl, let me ask, what happened between you and Huo family's boy?"
Cheng Yujin quietly glanced at Cheng Yuanjing. Surely, it must be him who informed the old Master. Cheng Yujin thought her movement was secretive and quick, but unexpectedly, at that exact moment, Cheng Yuanjing moved his gaze and smiled at her.
Cheng Yujin became more nervous. She wasn't sure how Cheng Yuanjing narrated the matter to old Master Cheng, so she decided to be careful and said, "Grandfather, I and Marquis Huo... we are already impossible."
"What?" Old Master Cheng frowned, "You little girl, what kind of nonsense do you say. You already his fiancee, his unmarried wife. You will spend the rest of your life together. How can you suddenly become impossible?"
Cheng Yujin lowered her head, showing just the perfect amount of sadness: "Marquis Huo, he... came today to cancel our engagement."
"What!" This time old Master Cheng was so surprised that his voice unconsciously increased. Cheng Yuanjing also stunned for a moment. Their engagement was canceled? No wonder she slapped him. This girl really had a good reason to do that.
Old Master Cheng obviously didn't know that Cheng Yujin's engagement had been canceled, nor did he know that she had slapped Huo Changyuan. Cheng Yujin was relieved. It turned out that Cheng Yuanjing told him much less than she expected.
Now Cheng Yujin had the free rein, she continued to complain in low voice, "This granddaughter really didn't know what was going on. Until yesterday, our relationship was still good. But this morning, Marquis Huo suddenly came to the manor and coldly said that he wanted to cancel our engagement. This granddaughter was completely at loss, so I went to ask him why, but then he said to grandmother....."
Cheng Yujin lowered her head even more. As if she couldn't hold back her tears yet didn't want to be seen by others, so she simply bowed her head and refused to show her sorrow. Cheng Yuanjing was smiling, but said nothing. He quietly watched Cheng Yujin's tearful complaint, as if she genuinely cried.
Old Master Cheng became more worried, and asked, "What did he say?"
"He said, no reason, he simply didn't want to marry this granddaughter. He later said that I was a hypocrite who was angling for fame and that after this engagement failed, no other man would be willing to marry me."
Cheng Yuanjing raised his eyebrows, glancing at Cheng Yujin with half a smile. This sentence was aimed at him. He had just returned to the capital and wanted to visit the ailing old Master Cheng. As a result, he saw a couple quarreling in the walkway. Cheng Yuanjing was highly sensitive to his surrounding, so he stopped and planned to wait until the young couple finished their quarrel.
Although actually Cheng Yuanjing arrived there first.
Yet he never thought that he would see such a wonderful play.
Even now, this Cheng family's eldest young miss was still scheming. Huo Changyuan indeed called her 'hypocrite' and 'angling for fame'. But after Cheng Yujin rearranged his words, the whole meaning was changed completely. Cheng Yujin wanted to conveniently gain some pity from her grandfather, but afraid that Cheng Yuanjing might expose her, so she deliberately played with her words.
Of course, Cheng Yuanjing wasn't that idle either.
Old Master Cheng was completely furious after he heard Cheng Yujin's 'grievances' and loudly scolding Huo Changyuan. Cheng Yujin happily listening, adding some oil from time to time. Her pupils, as bright as lacquer, moved around lightly, like two dazzling gems. Finally she looked at Cheng Yuanjing and said, "Marquis Huo had military merit, and the emperor personally helped him taking back his marquis title. His future is limitless, so it is normal for him to look down on me. However, although him humiliating me is nothing, but he has no reason to disgrace our Cheng family. Ninth uncle, don't you agree?"
Old Master Cheng glanced at Cheng Yuanjing nervously. The crown prince was always in the position to give the command, who would dare to speak to him in this tone? Old Master Cheng expression sank and he scolded Cheng Yujin, "Eldest child's daughter, don't be impudent."
Impudent? How did she act impudently? Cheng Yujin was completely baffled. When having a conversation, one would tit and the other would tat. Didn't everyone was like this? But old Master Cheng scolded her for being impudent!
No wonder old Madam Cheng hated little Xue-shi to the bone, old Master Cheng's favoritism was too obvious.
Cheng Yuanjing clearly felt that this Cheng eldest miss now seeing him unpleasant. Although she didn't show it outward, inward she obviously rolled her eyes. Cheng Yuanjing didn't take care and directly asked, "Huo Changyuan's marquis title was bestowed by the emperor?"
"Oh, this." Old Master Cheng explained, "This was the matter I told you before. At the celebration feast, when the emperor saw that Huo Changyuan and the crown prince were of similar age, the emperor asked him a few things, and not long after the people below quickly gave back Huo family's marquis title."
Old Master Cheng said this actually was for Cheng Yuanjing, but unfortunately, Cheng Yujin didn't know, so she replied, "In the final analysis, Huo Changyuan was merely basked on the crown prince's light. Because the emperor missed the crown prince, his favor spilled into the Huo family. Don't know why that family still feel so proud."
Old Master Cheng did not expect this kind of remark. He looked at Cheng Yujin in surprise, his jaw agape. This girl dared to speak about the crown prince in such a casual tone, as if he was just a common passerby, her guts were too big!
Cheng Yujin was startled, her grandfather reacted as if she had just violated a grave taboo: "I... did I say something bad?"
On the side, Cheng Yuanjing chuckled softly. Although he kept maintaining a shallow smile since Cheng Yujin entered the room, it wasn't the same as the sincere, audible laugh he showed just now.
This seemed to be the first time he clearly expressed his emotion, so Cheng Yujin was inexplicably surprised. Instead, it was the old Master Cheng who suddenly looked relieved and smiled.
He had talked for so long, yet didn't see the crown prince gave even a slightest positive reaction, instead his highness became very reluctant to keep this subject afloat. Unexpectedly, the little girl complained casually but managed to ease the crown prince's sore point and made him laugh.
From an early age, the crown prince had suffered so much, and thus growing up to be very unfathomable and restrained, never easily showed his emotions. This was indeed a good self-protection method, but the young prince seemed to have lost his laugh for a long time. Old Master Cheng couldn't even remember clearly when was the last time Cheng Yuanjing genuinely laughed.
Cheng Yujin saw her grandfather's expression changed from anger to relief, and even seemed to look very emotional. She raised her eyebrows and asked with a smile, "Grandfather, ninth uncle, what happens?"
"Nothing." Feeling relaxed, old Master Cheng suddenly raised his face and sternly warned Cheng Yujin, "Never again comment about the matters of the court."
Cheng Yujin bowed her head and respectfully answered: "Yes."
Old Master Cheng put down the heavy burden in his heart, and suddenly felt completely relaxed. It seemed that even his illness felt better. He then said to Cheng Yuanjing, "Ninth boy, it was rare for you to come home. Go visit the old Madam."
Instead of commanding, old Master Cheng's tone was more like asking. Cheng Yuanjing considering for a moment, before stood up and nodded gently to the old Master Cheng: "Then I'll go to visit the Marchioness. Marquis, you should rest and recuperate well."
Old Master Cheng hurriedly nodded, "Yes, of course."
Cheng Yujin who was watching from the side narrowed her eyes. This father and son way to get along didn't seem to be normal.
Cheng Yuanjing has already stood up, so Cheng Yujin hastily said, "Grandfather, I'll accompany ninth uncle to see grandmother, so I shouldn't disturb your rest any longer."
Cheng Yujin quickly walked to the door. From the corner of his eyes, Cheng Yuanjing swept a glance back, not at all looked surprised.
Based on Cheng Yujin's many years of experience as a member of a prestigious family, since they took leave at the same time, obviously the polite way to do was for the two of them to go out together and walk side by side. However, when Cheng Yujin was putting on her red cloak and changing into her outer leather boots, Cheng Yuanjing actually walked out without waiting for her.
For a while, Cheng Yujin was stupefied. Did this person really rose to the fourth rank by himself? Such a carefree attitude, as if he never care about social conduct and interpersonal courtesy, let alone officialdom, could he survive living in a noble manor?
Cheng Yujin hurriedly wore her shoes, then she took the small copper handwarmer from her servant girl and ran out.
Outside, the cold wind fluttered one by another into the face, bringing the white snow to block one's view. Cheng Yuanjing was walking for a while when he suddenly heard someone's call from behind, "Ninth uncle."
Cheng Yuanjing was born as the eldest di prince. When he was very young, the court was in turbulent chaos. However, no matter how much conflict happened at the inner palace and outer court, no one dared to involve this eldest prince, at least on the bright side. So as a child, Cheng Yuanjing lived the noblest life. When he was three years old, the emperor took him under his knee and personally raised Cheng Yuanjing. Just barely five years old, the emperor established him as the crown prince according to the ancestral law.
No one ever dared to let Cheng Yuanjing wait for them, so he never had the habit of waiting for others.
But now someone called him from behind and stopped him, this was a novel experience for Cheng Yuanjing. On a curious coincidence, Cheng Yuanjing really paused his steps. Looking behind, he saw the red figure hurriedly approaching step by step.
How rare, so she actually could run.
Cheng Yujin didn't know what comment was Cheng Yuanjing had just made about her and stopped in front of the young man. No matter how much scolding had she had in her heart for this arrogant man, but because now she still needed to ask for his help, Cheng Yujin simply squinted her eyes and showed a perfect smile. Her smile was like a crescent moon, warm and beautiful. "Ninth uncle, you are very fast ah."
Cheng Yuanjing looked at her quietly. Seeing that after a long time Cheng Yujin still didn't say anything, the crown prince's patience was gone. He asked straightforwardly: "What?"
Cheng Yujin was frozen for a second. Quickly she blinked and showed a standard young miss' smile, "Ninth uncle has just come back, this niece should have properly welcomed you. But.... I let ninth uncle bumped into some messy things."
Cheng Yuanjing knew why she deliberately chased after him. He smiled slightly, wanted to see what kind of rhetoric would this girl show him.
Cheng Yujin's lips arched into a perfect smile, her eyes flashed with many calculations, trying to probe Cheng Yuanjing. "It was said that one shouldn't air out a family's shame. And my matter, it wasn't good for ninth uncle to spread it around. First, it would only break grandmother's heart, moreover grandfather was still sick, it would really be unfilial to disturb the elders over this trivial thing. Second, marriage involved the reputation and integrity of both sides. If only about me, it didn't matter much. But Jingyong Marquis, after all, was a man who personally recognized by the emperor. If we casually aired out his private scandal, I'm afraid it would only hurt Yichun marquis manor. Third...."
For every single step she took, Cheng Yujin had always thought three steps ahead. No matter what happened, she must occupy the moral high ground and dignifiedly use the righteousness, filial piety, and family loyalty for her own advantage, so that no one could point out her wrongs. She was using her usual method to persuade Cheng Yuanjing, but didn't expect the man to only listen for a while before suddenly cut her out, "So much nonsense."
Cheng Yujin froze for a moment. She, the eldest granddaughter of Yichun marquis manor, the direct beneficiary of the social system that prioritized the di older children, had never heard this kind of words for so many years.
The girl who had always been the perfect model for all noble young miss immediately lost her temper : "What did you say?"