Could Her Eyes Really Be Failing Her with Age?

The eldest princess sneered, "You know perfectly well what you did to my son. Aren't you afraid of retribution?"

Old Madam Zhou covered her mouth and laughed:

"Retribution? What retribution? My son is filial now, and my grandson is even smarter."

This time, he's likely to achieve instant fame and bring glory to his family through the imperial examinations. What kind of retribution will he face?

"As for you, even if you acknowledge your biological son, so what? On the surface, he can only be an adopted son."

The Empress Dowager forbade the eldest princess from recognizing Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e; she declared that if she were to be recognized, she could only recognize Zhou Fuyu.

He can only have Zhou Fuyu as his son in this lifetime.

The eldest princess said indifferently, "It doesn't matter. I would never acknowledge someone like Zhou Fuyu!"

Old Madam Zhou said:

"Do you think he'll acknowledge you just because you want to? Besides, what do you even have?"

Destitute and penniless, I'm just sitting here barely surviving.

If you're so capable, don't just freeload here!

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said:

"This is my residence. Whoever I want to live here can live here."

"You live by the sea? Why are you being so nosy?"

Old Madam Zhou, "You brat, I'm your grandmother, how dare you talk to me like that?"

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "Don't like it? Then leave! I'm not stopping you."

Old Madam Zhou suddenly laughed and said, "I'm not leaving! I'm perfectly fine living here. I have food and drink, and no one mistreats me. Why would I want to leave?"

Zhou Wanwan rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, then you stay here and endure it well, and don't leave!"

Old Madam Zhou and the others have left. How bored Zhou Wanwan!

With them here, she can torment them to her heart's content.

The young eunuch had already arrived; he took out the imperial edict and read it aloud:

Yu Shu gentle and refined in character, and her demeanor was proper and dignified.

We hereby betroth Ms. Yu to Mr. Zhou Qingzhou, and select an auspicious day to prepare for the wedding.

May the two of them be of one heart and mind after marriage, respect and love each other, share joys and sorrows, grow old together, and be forever united in a harmonious marriage.

Old Madam Zhou was dumbfounded. "This isn't right, is it? Shouldn't it be Shen Yunshu?"

The young eunuch shook his head and said, "We will read whatever is written in the imperial edict."

Old Madam Zhou was unwilling to accept the imperial decree. She didn't even know who Yu Shu was, so how could she accept it?

But the young eunuch simply shoved the imperial edict into her hand and turned to leave.

Zhou Wanwan looked at the young eunuch and said, "Sir, your reward money hasn't been collected yet!"

But the little eunuch was in such a hurry, he didn't have time to think about it.

The Empress Dowager was overjoyed in the palace. "I love matchmaking, and these three marriages are the most satisfying ones I've arranged this year."

The palace maid beside her nodded and said, "Your work is naturally different, and you have excellent taste."

The Empress Dowager laughed heartily and said, "Those three girls are indeed quite good; they all come from good families."

Just as she was feeling smug, Noble Consort Ning rushed in and said, "Empress Dowager, what do you mean by this? Why did you send Yu Fei to the Crown Prince as a concubine? Are you deliberately humiliating me?"

Everyone knows that the Empress Dowager's second niece is dissolute and infamous.

The Empress Dowager frowned and said:

What nonsense are you spouting?

"I clearly betrothed Su Zhixia to the Crown Prince as a concubine, would I possibly harm my own grandson?"

Noble Consort Ning produced the imperial edict. "The words on this are yours, and the seal is yours."

The Empress Dowager took a look and was dumbfounded. The words on it were indeed written by her, but they were not what she had written at all!

Could it be that her eyesight is failing due to old age?

She shook her head and said, "Impossible, absolutely impossible. The character does look like my handwriting, but the content is wrong!"

Madam Yu also entered the palace that very night. She looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "Eldest sister, are you trying to force me to my death? Look at the kind of people you've betrothed your three children to! What exactly are you trying to do?"

Noble Consort Ning snorted coldly and said, "Then you should also take a look at the character of your three children, and whether they are worthy of it?"

Madam Yu angrily replied, "My three children are perfectly fine, and I absolutely do not agree to these three marriages."

The Empress Dowager was dumbfounded when she saw the three marriage proposals. They clearly listed Su Zhixia, Feng Yueyao, and Shen Yunshu, but how did they all end up with her niece's names?

She wanted to explain and refute, but looking at the handwriting, she lost confidence in herself.

They did want to call off the engagement, but now the whole capital knew about it.

Madam Yu wept and sobbed:

"What am I going to do now? I've become the biggest joke in the capital."

Of his three daughters, one became a concubine, one married a poor scholar, and the other married into a destitute family. Hahaha...

The Empress Dowager said impatiently:

"What's the use of crying now that they've already been married off? I'll prepare plenty of dowry for them."

As for that scholar, we can just give him an official position later, right?

Zhou Qingzhou is not bad either; after all, he is the grandson of the Eldest Princess, so he can't be too bad.

Madam Yu sneered, "The Princess's grandson? The Princess doesn't even acknowledge him. He probably can't even scrape together a betrothal gift."

The Empress Dowager squinted and said, "I'll take care of the betrothal gifts. You don't need to worry about it. Just focus on preparing for the marriages of your three children!"

Madam Yu was furious, but what could she do?

Zhou Wanwan was quite happy. She finally understood why those people enjoyed matchmaking; it was incredibly fulfilling, okay?

Old Madam Zhou felt a lump in her throat; she was simply heartbroken. Why did the three men from the Zhou Family manage to find such wonderful daughters-in-law?

Her grandson can only find a daughter from the Yu Family.

The three daughters of the Yu Family were also furious. The eldest daughter of the Yu Family said angrily, "I'd rather not marry a poor, penniless scholar."

The second daughter of the Yu Family also said Rourou, "You want me to be the Crown Prince's concubine? What if the Crown Prince doesn't like me?"

The third daughter of the Yu Family had unspeakable bitterness in her heart. At least other people could marry a scholar, but what kind of person did she marry?

What grandson of the Princess? The Princess herself doesn't even acknowledge him.

The courtyard we live in now belongs to someone else.

Old Madam Zhou looked at Liu Su'e and said, "Clean this house up and make room for the main courtyard so they can get married later."

Liu Su'e said, "This courtyard belongs to Zhou Wanwan. Even if her cousin wants to get married, he can't use a child's house, can he?"

Old Madam Zhou, "You dare disobey my orders? The Empress Dowager said that from now on you must treat me as your own mother."

Liu Su'e said, "We truly consider you our own mother! But this house isn't ours, and we can't make the decisions about it."

Old Madam Zhou glared at Zhou Wanwan and said, "What do you say?"

Zhou Wanwan said, "2000 taels a night. If you want the main courtyard, then bring the money!"

Old Madam Zhou stomped her feet in anger. "You... you actually dared to take my money! Do you believe I won't tell the Empress Dowager?"

Zhou Wanwan said calmly, "Do you believe I can make everyone in the capital know tomorrow that Zhou Qingzhou even has to use my house to get married?"

Who's afraid of who?

Since you're shameless, then let's completely tear off the mask.