Chapter 20 I guess you’re having a hard time.
Cui was somewhat comforted to learn that her daughter was doing well, but that comfort was mixed with a bit of sadness and reluctance.

After all, today is the day Qin Yuan returns home.

When she got married, Qin Yuan had already suppressed her daughter. This time, with the support of the Marquis’ Mansion, wouldn’t she be able to suppress her daughter even more?

No matter what, Cui still hoped that Qin Yuan would gain power in the Marquis’ Mansion and pull the Qin family to a higher level.

Everyone was waiting anxiously, but after a long time, Qin Yuan still didn’t arrive.

Someone said, “My eldest aunt has become a bit arrogant since she married into the Marquis’s Mansion.”

Someone else tried to smooth things over: “Maybe it’s because there are too many things going on in the mansion.”

Cui said nothing.

Qin Wan sneered, “She will definitely not come today.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Cui said angrily, “What nonsense are you talking about? How could she not come on such an important day? The Marquis’s Mansion is not the kind of person who doesn’t know etiquette. Maybe something delayed her.”

Someone immediately responded: “Don’t worry, Madam, the eldest aunt must have been delayed by something. How can she not come back to her parents’ home on the day of returning home?”

Cui’s face looked better now.

Qin Wan curled her lips and muttered, “I told you she wouldn’t come, but you still didn’t believe me. Just wait and see.”

Cui looked anxiously at her daughter who was busy eating cherries with her head down.

If Qin Yuan really doesn’t come back…

The Qin family couldn’t afford to lose this person. Could it be that the Dingbei Marquis looked down on the Qin family? Or did Qin Yuan do something shameful in the Marquis’s mansion?
She forced a smile and sat for a while, but Qin Yuan still didn’t come, and didn’t even send a letter.

In the outer courtyard, Qin Jijiu was also restless.

He had originally planned to wait for the arrival of the Marquis’ son-in-law so that he could show off, but now, everyone sitting in the hall didn’t show it on their faces, and their eyes looked a little strange.

“What on earth is going on? Madam, why don’t you ask someone about this?”

Qin Jijiu slipped into the inner courtyard under the pretext of going to the toilet and asked Cui out for questioning.

Cui sighed: “Wan’er said she definitely won’t come, she said…”

“Say what?”

“It is said that the people in the Marquis’ Mansion do not like Qin Yuan, but I am afraid that they have not yet consummated the marriage.”

These words immediately cooled Qin Jijiu’s desire to curry favor with the rich and powerful.

“How could it be, how could it be…”

Qin Jijiu didn’t believe it at all: “How could Yuan’er be so disliked that she couldn’t consummate her marriage?”

He looked at Cui with a complicated look in his eyes, “Is it that Wan’er is making up stories in her mind? She is a newlywed, so where did she get this information from?”

Cui was plain-looking, but he had already consummated his marriage. There was no reason why Yuan’er, who was beautiful enough to enter the palace as a favorite concubine, would still have the heart to not consummate his marriage.

Unless, unless Lord Gu can’t do it.

Cui was not very sure either.

Qin Jijiu consoled himself: “Since ancient times, once you enter a noble family, it is as deep as the sea. Maybe something has tripped you up. Let’s wait a little longer.”

Cui had no choice but to go back and wait.

As soon as I returned to the house, I heard Qin Wan say sarcastically: “Qin Yuan won’t come back, why? She doesn’t dare to come back, and the Marquis doesn’t like her.”

Cui frowned, thinking that her daughter was a fool.

She picked up a piece of dessert, stuffed it into Qin Wan’s mouth, and said, “Nonsense, it doesn’t have to be three days before the return visit.” “Yes, yes, yes,” the others paused for a moment, and immediately followed up, “Maybe the eldest aunt will return in seven days. If the date is changed, someone will send a letter later.”

Qin Wan looked at him with an expression that said, “If you don’t believe me, just wait and see,” and just kept eating.

“The eldest aunt is here, here she is,” the old woman guarding the second gate shouted as she rushed in.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Wan dropped half a dessert in surprise.

“Hurry, hurry and go meet him,” Cui stood up excitedly, not even bothering to scold the old woman for being unruly.

Then, Hongye’s voice rang out from outside: “Be gentle, be gentle, this is the return gift prepared by the old lady of the Marquis’s Mansion herself, don’t break it.”

Cui’s face suddenly lit up, and she was overwhelmed with joy and hurried out to greet them. The little maids had already opened the curtain, and the radiant Qin Yuan walked in slowly, supporting Hongye.

The mother and daughter held hands together.

Cui’s voice was choked with sobs: “Yuan’er, why did you come just now? Your father and I have been waiting anxiously. We thought you would be back for seven days.”

Qin Yuan sighed, “It’s all my fault. I made mother and father worry. The Marquis was delayed by some things and will come later.”

Cui quickly said to the maid outside: “Quick, send someone to the front hall to inform the master that the eldest brother-in-law was delayed and will come back later…”

Qin Yuan continued, “It’s getting late. Let them start their meal first. There’s no need to wait for the Marquis. It doesn’t make sense to let the guests go hungry.”

Cui asked, “Is this appropriate?”

Qin Yuan nodded: “It’s appropriate.”

The little girl outside went to the front hall to report the news, and Cui took Qin Yuan’s hand and sat down.

When Qin Wan saw Qin Yuan’s outfit, she asked in surprise, “Where did you get this from?”

People who don’t know the value of it just think it looks good, but Qin Wan can tell how valuable it is.

“The old lady gave it to me, and told me to wear it when I return home,” Hongye said proudly, “She also gave me a jade pendant, and told me to let you and the lady rest assured that the Marquis’ Mansion will never treat the young lady badly.”

The women all cried out in pain.

“My eldest aunt is so blessed. The old lady likes me so much. If I can get pregnant in the future, I will be even more blessed.”

Everyone praised Qin Yuan from head to toe, not even sparing a single hair.

Qin Yuan’s outfit today was both noble and beautiful. The ladies who originally liked to gather together to chat and gossip felt a little awkward. They didn’t dare to come forward to touch the fabric, but just stared at her without blinking.

Cui’s eyes also lit up, and she sighed, “My dear daughter, the Marquis’s family is different. Even a hair that the old lady plucked out would be thicker than my leg.”

Qin Wan’s eyes flashed with jealousy, and she wished she could strip the clothes off.

She remembered that this was the old lady’s treasure, and she only allowed her daughters-in-law to look at it and not even touch it. In the previous life, in order to ask for the title of Crown Prince, the old lady sent this vermilion shirt to the palace.

She was not even allowed to wear the stone-blue bridal robe that represented the rank of a marquis’ wife, because Aunt Rong said that the old lady liked it when she was alive and buried it with her.

Seeing all this on Qin Yuan, Qin Wan felt as if she were being slapped in the face one after another.

She suddenly sneered and said, “Sister, you still care about your reputation. You came back dressed so brightly. Why didn’t your brother-in-law come with you?”

Qin Yuan smiled and said, “The Marquis was delayed by something and will be here later. Are you hungry, mother? Let’s start the meal.”

Cui glared at Qin Wan and reminded her that it was enough.

Qin Wan stiffened her neck and snorted, “Sister, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. I thought you wouldn’t come. I heard that the rules in the Marquis’ Mansion are very strict, the housekeeper is Madam Gu Liu, and the Marquis also brought back a woman and a pair of twins from the battlefield. I guess your life must be difficult.”

(End of this chapter)