Chapter 32: Did I Humiliate Myself

Cheng Zhao ran into Zhou Yuanshen at the entrance of Zuixian Restaurant.

Zhou Yuanshen had also come to eat with a group of people.

Originally, they wouldn't have met.

Just as they were about to enter the private booth on the second floor, someone suddenly called out, "Senior Brother Du?"

Cheng Zhao's eldest brother-in-law was named Du Anli.

Hearing this form of address, Cheng Zhao, who was walking at the very back arm in arm with her eldest sister, turned her head first and caught sight of Zhou Yuanshen.

The person speaking wasn't Zhou Yuanshen, but a tall young man behind him.

The young man had wheat-colored skin. At a glance, one could tell he was a military officer, tall and straight.

Seeing young women, he didn't avoid suspicion. He smiled brightly, revealing a small canine tooth.

The eldest brother-in-law walked over, both surprised and eager: "Junior Brother, why are you here?"

He said to Cheng Zhao's eldest sister, "This is Junior Brother Fan Xiao from the Fan family, whom I've mentioned to you."

He also introduced, "This is my clumsy wife."

They greeted each other.

Cheng Zhao stood to the side.

After they finished talking here, Fan Xiao and Zhou Yuanshen's group were about to enter the private room when Zhou Yuanshen beside them suddenly spoke.

He said, "Little Uncle, this is Lady Cheng."

Fan Xiao looked at him in confusion.

Zhou Yuanshen continued, "She is the Duchess of Chen."

Fan Xiao: "..."

The private room reserved by Cheng Zhao's second brother was bustling with noise and excitement.

She met Fan Xiao, Zhou Yuanshen's little uncle.

Her mother-in-law had such snow-white skin, but her little uncle had a wheat-colored complexion. He didn't look much like Cheng Zhao's mother-in-law. Perhaps one looked like the father and the other like the mother.

Cheng Zhao also met Helian Jian, the heir of the Prince of Rong's Residence.

And Cheng Zhao's sisters finally saw Zhou Yuanshen himself.

Cheng Zhao's brothers all knew him. After the marriage was granted, the second brother and fourth brother went to inquire about him separately, but he just didn't know them.

Fan Xiao looked at Cheng Zhao's third sister, Cheng Ying, several times.

Every girl in the Cheng family had an uncommon appearance. Cheng Ying was thinner and more fragile, like a person made of snow, cold and arrogant, more otherworldly than Cheng Zhao and her eldest sister.

Cheng Ying was inherently cold and arrogant, unsuitable to be the principal wife of the eldest son, so the family chose the youngest son of the Prince of Jingnan for her.

Who knew they had also misjudged.

"...Adding ties of marriage to ties of blood, let's go play polo together another day," Fan Xiao said with a smile. "You all should be good at playing polo, right?"

Polo was inherently more fun with more people.

The eldest brother-in-law answered for them, "Let's wait until after the New Year. Everyone is busy with various things at the end of the year."

The young waiter added a table in the private room, and the two groups gathered together to eat.

They also drank some wine.

Fan Xiao said to Zhou Yuanshen, "You are the youngest brother-in-law, quickly toast your brother-in-law and brothers-in-law."

Zhou Yuanshen didn't have any bashfulness, standing up nimbly to pour wine.

He toasted the three of them separately.

Cheng Zhao's second brother Cheng Yan and fourth brother Cheng Chao exchanged a glance, both having dissatisfaction towards Zhou Yuanshen in their eyes.

They then forced Zhou Yuanshen to drink.

Zhou Yuanshen accepted everyone who came.

Therefore, he drank the most.

Later, it was the eldest brother-in-law who came out to stop them: "We're going to be relatives for a lifetime, we don't lack this meal of wine, don't be greedy for too much."

The eldest brother-in-law had quite a bit of prestige, so Cheng Yan and Cheng Chao withdrew.

Zhou Yuanshen sat down as if nothing had happened, but Cheng Zhao's second brother seemed a bit drunk.

The meal was lively.

After the meal, everyone stood up to take their leave.

At the entrance of Zuixian Restaurant, a carriage with an ornate canopy had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing everyone come out, a young servant went forward and whispered something.

The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing a young and handsome face.

Romantic features, luxurious clothing.

He jumped out of the carriage, his posture unrestrained and elegant, bowing to everyone: "Brother-in-law, Second Brother, Fourth Brother."

Then he greeted his second sister-in-law and sisters.

No one in the Cheng family paid attention to him.

It was still the eldest brother-in-law Du Anli who smoothed things over: "Yunqi, why didn't you come up?"

Zhang Yunqi then said, "I just arrived, thinking you should have finished eating. Ah Ying, it's time to return to the residence, Mother asked me to come pick you up."

Cheng Ying nodded slightly.

She bid farewell to everyone and got into the carriage with Zhang Yunqi.

Fan Xiao watched this young and beautiful young couple walk away, then looked at the Cheng family members, a bit curious, but he didn't ask anything.

The carriages drove over one by one.

Zhou Yuanshen's carriage pulled over, the coachman put down the horse stool, and he looked at Cheng Zhao: "Are you returning to the residence?"

Cheng Zhao: "Okay."

She also said to her eldest sister, "Tomorrow I will send you an invitation, you bring the children to the Chen Duke's Residence as guests."

The eldest sister agreed.

Cheng Zhao and Zhou Yuanshen went back.

In the carriage, he closed his eyes and dozed off, seeming a bit drunk.

Cheng Zhao also didn't speak.

Upon returning to the Chen Duke's Residence, Zhou Yuanshen then said, "You go back first, I'm going to the outer study."

Cheng Zhao said okay.

Her maidservants hadn't followed her to the restaurant, estimating they would return a bit later, Cheng Zhao walked back to Nonghua Courtyard alone.

It was very far, she walked for a long time.

Midway she also ran into Mu Jiang.

"Third Young Madam, where have you been?" Mu Jiang greeted her.

Seeing no one around Cheng Zhao, Mu Jiang didn't bow, her attitude very arrogant.

She even looked Cheng Zhao up and down out of the corner of her eye, "Dressed so shabbily, could it be you went back to your maiden home?"

Compared to Mu Jiang, Cheng Zhao's clothing and jewelry were steady, valuable, and not flashy, looking less brightly colored and dazzling than her attire.

Cheng Zhao looked back at her quietly: "Who is asking me?"

"You can't see me? In broad daylight, could it be you're blind?" Mu Jiang sneered.

Cheng Zhao: "My eyes are set high, of course I can't see things that are too small and too short."

She turned to leave.

Mu Jiang's expression changed drastically: "You're humiliating me? You're humiliating the Old Madam, humiliating His Majesty!"

"What are you to the Old Madam, and what are you to His Majesty? If I remember correctly, you are merely the Duke's concubine," Cheng Zhao said.

She added, "If you want me to humiliate you, kneel down and beg me."

Mu Jiang changed color in anger.

The hidden weapon in her hand was thrown out again.

Cheng Zhao knew how to practice swordplay, wield a spear, and also use a short crossbow, but she wasn't very good at defending against hidden weapons.

However, Cheng Zhao had sharp eyes and had always been vigilant against Mu Jiang hurting people.

Seeing she was about to suffer a loss, before her wrist was even raised, Cheng Zhao took a few steps forward and bumped into her.

Bumping her so she staggered, the hidden weapon shot off target.

Mu Jiang didn't stand firm and fell to the ground.

The maidservant exclaimed: "Concubine."

"What's all this fuss?" Zhou Yuanshen stood not far away at an unknown time, quietly watching this scene.

Mu Jiang complained in extreme anger: "Third Brother, she pushed me, and also humiliated me."

"Did you kneel down and beg her?" Zhou Yuanshen asked.

Mu Jiang looked at him in astonishment.

"Did you kneel down and beg her to humiliate you? If not, did she have nothing better to do?" Zhou Yuanshen said.

A hidden weapon was thrown at her feet, "If I see you use this kind of thing again, I will break your wrist. Did you hear me?"

Mu Jiang refused to get up.

She stubbornly looked up at Zhou Yuanshen: "She bullied me."

She waited for Zhou Yuanshen to pick her up.

Zhou Yuanshen looked at Cheng Zhao, "Let's go, go back."

After saying that, he walked forward, and Cheng Zhao followed him.

Mu Jiang was stunned in place.

For a long time, the figures of the two of them disappeared at the end of the path, and Mu Jiang was still in a daze.

She seemed unable to believe it.

The maidservant wanted to support her: "Concubine, the ground is cold..."

Mu Jiang raised her hand and slapped her across the face: "What happened just now, do you know how to tell the Old Madam?"

"It was the Third Young Madam who bullied you, this servant heard it all, and the Duke also took sides," the maidservant endured the burning pain on half her face and answered in a low voice.

Mu Jiang pulled her arm and stood up herself.

She straightened her lapel and went to Shou'an Courtyard to complain.