After Commandery Lady Yongfu was punished, some families rejoiced while others grieved.
The families who had feared an imperial marriage decree all breathed a sigh of relief.
At last, they no longer had to worry about their sons being forced to marry a venomous woman!
Prince Yu was naturally the happiest of them all.
When he learned that Yongfu had actually sent assassins after his wife and daughter, he was so terrified that his soul nearly fled his body.
Fortunately, both his wife and daughter were unharmed. Otherwise, Chu Hongle would not have known what to do.
Now that Yongfu had been sent far away to guard the imperial tombs, he could finally stop worrying.
However, the families that had coveted the wealth and splendor of Prince Fu's Residence were rather distressed.
After stripping Commandery Lady Yongfu of her rank and reducing her to a commoner, the emperor had also reclaimed Prince Fu's Residence.
Their schemes to grow rich through marriage had all come to nothing, leaving them no choice but to seek another target.
There was one other person whose reaction stood apart.
That person was Han Xiangru.
When Han Xiangru first learned that Commandery Lady Yongfu had sent assassins after Han Wanqing, she had felt rather pleased at her misfortune.
She had thought that if Han Wanqing died, she might even have a chance to marry into Prince Yu's Residence as his second wife.
Who could have guessed that Han Wanqing would emerge without a damned scratch, while Commandery Lady Yongfu was the one punished?
With that cautionary tale before her, Han Xiangru's eagerness to latch onto Prince Yu cooled.
Now, she had better make other plans.
After all, Han Xiangru was already seventeen. If she did not marry soon, she really would become an old maid.
As it happened, one of the families that had recently proposed a marriage had a fairly respectable background.
The Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence had sought her hand for its third son.
The moment Han Xiangru heard that it was a marquis's household, she was already seven-tenths willing.
Although the Marquis of Qingyuan already had an heir, and marrying into the family would certainly give her no claim to the title, it was still a marquis's household!
As the saying went, even a starved camel was bigger than a horse.
Surely marrying into the Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence was better than marrying some nameless nobody?
Han Xiangru made up her mind. This was the family she would marry into.
When Madam Wang heard that the Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence had come seeking her daughter's hand, she too felt she could finally hold her head high.
Of all the families that had proposed, this one had the highest standing.
Madam Wang had been a concubine elevated to wife. Not only had she once shortchanged the children of the Earl of Ningyuan's first wife, but she had also tried to substitute her own daughter when the emperor decreed Princess Yu's marriage. Her reputation had long since rotted.
The ladies of the capital all kept their distance from her, and her daughter had consequently faced great difficulty finding a husband.
Madam Wang was delighted. Her daughter ought to marry into a duke's or marquis's household!
Both Madam Wang and Han Xiangru wanted to accept the proposal immediately, but the Earl of Ningyuan was rather reluctant.
He stroked his beard and threw cold water on their excitement. "The Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence does not have a very good reputation."
Madam Wang hurriedly asked, "My lord, what is wrong with it?"
None of the ladies with any standing in the capital wanted to associate with her, so Madam Wang knew nothing of the inside story.
The Earl of Ningyuan considered it, then said, "There are many people in the Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence. He has seven or eight sons by concubines alone. If Xiangru marries into the family, she may find it difficult to get along with her sisters-in-law."
Madam Wang said, "The third young master is a son of the principal wife. It should be all right."
The Earl of Ningyuan frowned. "We still do not know what sort of character this third young master has. We should make inquiries first."
Although Madam Wang wanted to accept at once, she thought her husband was acting for their daughter's sake, so she said no more.
Prince Yu's Residence.
Ever since the emperor had punished Commandery Lady Yongfu, Chu Siqing had been in an excellent mood.
She had finally avenged her mother!
System: [Host, would you like some juicy gossip?]
In high spirits, Chu Siqing replied, [Go on.]
System: [The Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence has proposed a marriage to Han Xiangru. There is more to that household than meets the eye!]
Chu Siqing wrinkled her nose. She had a very poor impression of this aunt of hers.
Han Xiangru was not only jealous of her mother at every turn, but even coveted her father. She truly had no shame!
Chu Siqing asked, [What is wrong with the Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence?]
System: [The Marquis of Qingyuan has a whole flock of wives and concubines, and ten sons alone. The family's coffers were emptied long ago.] [The wife of the Marquis of Qingyuan originally intended to have her son marry Commandery Lady Yongfu, then use her daughter-in-law's dowry to cover household expenses.] [Now that Commandery Lady Yongfu has been punished, she has set her sights on Han Xiangru.]
Chu Siqing thought for a moment. [I remember Grandfather's family does not have much money either, does it? What good would choosing Han Xiangru do her?]
System: [Mostly, it is because the Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence has such a poor reputation that any family of decent standing looks down on it.] [Besides, the wife of the Marquis of Qingyuan has hardly taken a fancy to Han Xiangru. She clearly wants her son and Prince Yu to become brothers-in-law so she can cling to his powerful leg.]
Chu Siqing was speechless. [I suppose she does not know that Mother and Han Xiangru fell out long ago?]
System: [Probably not.]
Chu Siqing asked, [Then what sort of person is her son?]
System: [When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam follows suit. Her son is not only a mama's boy, but also keeps three mistresses outside the household.]
Chu Siqing's eyes widened. [Good grief! He is so poor that he has to scheme for his wife's dowry, yet he still has money to keep mistresses?]
System: [You may not know this, Host, but mistresses can be kept on a shoestring too.]
Chu Siqing was utterly exasperated. [Wonderful. He is a cheapskate too.]
She could not help marveling, [How on earth did Han Xiangru take a fancy to such a piece of work?!]
System: [She is simply dead set on marrying into a titled family.]
Chu Siqing understood. [True. Han Xiangru compares herself with Mother in everything. Seeing Mother marry into a prince's household, it is only natural that she would want to latch onto the rich and powerful too.]
Although she felt a little pleased at Han Xiangru's misfortune, Chu Siqing thought it over and still told Princess Yu about the matter.
She said to her mother in her mind, [Mother, I suspect the wife of the Marquis of Qingyuan is really after our Prince Yu's Residence.]
[You must make things clear to Aunt. Either she does not marry him, or, if she does, she must never come to us with whatever troubles she gets herself into.]
When Princess Yu heard how chaotic the Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence was, and that the third young master seeking marriage was no decent man either, she was already seething.
She even made a special trip to her parents' home to tell Han Xiangru about it.
Unfortunately, she arrived at the wrong time. Han Xiangru and Madam Wang had gone out.
Princess Yu therefore told the Earl of Ningyuan, "Father, the third young master of the Marquis of Qingyuan's Residence is not a good match. You must be cautious about my sister's marriage."
The Earl of Ningyuan was greatly shocked as well.
He had also made inquiries. He had only heard that, although the third young master had little ambition, he was at least renowned for his filial piety, and had therefore thought there would be no harm in marrying his daughter to him.
Who could have guessed that one might know a man's face without knowing his heart? The fellow actually kept three mistresses outside his household!
The Earl of Ningyuan rubbed his brow. "I understand. You have taken considerable trouble for Xiangru."
Princess Yu said, "I only hope my sister will not stubbornly burrow into a dead end."
The Earl of Yongning solemnly assured her, "Rest easy. I will explain everything clearly to your sister."
Princess Yu merely smiled at his words. After exchanging a few more remarks, she returned to the prince's residence.
The Earl of Yongning had not expected his own words to slap him in the face so soon.
After Madam Wang and Han Xiangru returned, he told them what his eldest daughter had discovered.
The Earl of Yongning had assumed that, with matters having come to this, his second daughter would surely give up on the marriage.
Yet Han Xiangru said, "Elder Sister simply cannot stand to see me do well."
Before you continue