Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 166 - 165 Grandmother

Chapter 166: Chapter 165 Grandmother

That old lady was indeed the same one Afu saw in the Jade Kirin Silver Tower in Dingzhou. The mother of Mr. Chen Shiying.

Two days ago, Afu had specifically sought out storekeeper Mr. Luo to discuss the Chen family’s affairs. Her justification being, to know the enemy, one must know oneself.

Manager Luo believed so too, hence he disclosed everything he knew about the Chen family without reservation.

Mr. Chen Shiying had a wife and two concubines. His wife, Mrs. Jiang, bore him a daughter and a son. The daughter, named Chen Yuqing, was thirteen years old. His son, Chen Yulan, was eleven and was Shiying’s only son. His concubine, Mrs. Tang, had a daughter named Chen Yuhui, while his other concubine Mrs. Lu gave birth to another daughter, seven-year-old, Chen Yuxia.

Before, Mrs. Tang’s father viewed Chen Shiying favorably so he approached Granny Chen’s cousin, who was none other than the present Junior Officer Zhao.

No one knew exactly what the Tang family and Zhao had told Granny Chen or how they forced Mrs. Wang. However, she consented to return to her parental home, from where, her stepmother forced her to marry within half a month. She not only agreed but proactively chose Chen Ming who was on his deathbed. Luckily, she chose Chen Ming since her family already had her next husband prepared and if nobody wanted Mrs. Wang, they would have sold her off to a foot dealer in Lingnan.

No one knows how much the Tang family and Mrs. Ding were given but the Zhao family purchased 200 acres of land, and he became the new Junior Officer. Mrs. Ding didn’t only buy ten acres of land, she also renovated her straw house into one with brick roofing.

When Mr. Chen Shiying returned to his hometown over half a month later and learned his mother had driven Mrs. Wang away and verbally arranged for him to marry into the Tang family, he protested fiercely. He went to Mrs. Wang’s house intending to bring her back, but she had already remarried by then. Chen Shiying didn’t dare to upset his mother, but he refused to marry Mrs. Tang. However, his mother threatened him with her life for him to marry her.

At the same time, Mr. Jiang, who was then the governor of Xiangzhou in Hu’an province, requested his friend, the then county magistrate of Sanqing Mr. Wu, to arrange a marriage with his second daughter, Jiang Xiaoyu. When Granny Chen heard it was the governor’s daughter, she was overjoyed and did not force Shiying to marry Mrs. Tang, but agreed to betrothed him to Jiang Xiaoyu instead.

Weighing his options, Chen Shiying determined marrying Jiang’s daughter would greatly aid his career. Furthermore, since Mrs. Wang married someone else, he agreed to his engagement to the Jiang family.

Perhaps Granny Chen had been blackmailed by the Tang family in the past, Chen Shiying eventually agreed to take a Tang daughter as a concubine. The Tang family, understanding that they could not compete with official families, agreed for their daughter to be a status-reduced concubine.

Therefore, The Chens utilized their newfound magnanimous wealth to purchase a four-entrance mansion in Sanqing county. Three months later, his new wife and concubines stepped over the threshold. Soon after, Chen Shiying went to Capital City to sit examinations, and achieved the title of scholar, to astonishing commendation...

Astuonished, Afu asked, "At that time Chen Shiying was only a poor scholar. How could Mr. Jiang have tolerated him taking on favoured concubines at the same time?"

Luo said, "I heard that Mrs. Chen, who was then the second daughter of Mr. Jiang, had already caused two fiancés to die untimely deaths. In addition to her plain looks and her inability to betroth at seventeen, her family was extremely anxious. When Mr. Chen was taking his exams in the provincial city, Mr. Jiang coincidentally met him. Afterwards, he asked his friend, Mr. Wu, to inquire about him, and if he was still unmarried and with a good character, they would arrange a marriage...."

Chen Ai Fu also said: Mrs. Chen’s reputation is quite good. And although her looks were ordinary, she was dignified and virtuous, which made her compatible with the handsome and suave scholar Mr. Chen. This couple was widely acclaimed as a perfect match as Mrs. Chen even willingly gave one of her maids to Mr. Chen as a concubine due to the family’s lack of offspring.

Mrs. Chen’s father, Mr. Jiang also had quite good luck in his official career. Currently, he holds a position of the third rank in Capital City.

...

Afu gathered her thoughts and stepped into the room.

Granny Chen wore a deep brown raised figured brocade long cotton robe, with a pea green skirt. In her graying hair, she wore double jade hairpins, and a birch-colored velvet turban embossed with pearls. Her thin lips were tightly pursed, showing deep bound lines on her face, giving an impression of severity and harshness.

Seated beneath her was a fourteen-year-old girl who Afu had also seen in the Silver Tower. This should be the eldest daughter of the Chen family, the fourteen-year-old, Chen Yuhui.

Seated right next to Chen Yuhui was a woman adorned with ornate jewelry—most likely, Aunt Tang.

While Aunt Tang was not exactly ugly and could even be considered somewhat attractive, Chen Yuhui did not inherit her parents’ good looks. She looked a lot like Granny Chen. Chen Yuhui had a long face, a sardonic downward pull at the corners of her mouth, portrayed as less than favorably average though she was dolled up.

Two people stood behind Granny Chen- a woman in her forties and a maid in her teens.

Afu ignored the people standing there and directly asked Chen Ming, "Father, are you okay?"

Chen Ming walked over to Afu and whispered, "Father is alright, but..."

An extremely dignified voice resounded, it was Granny Chen. She frowned and said: "Afu, you don’t bow even after seeing me? How has Mrs. Wang taught you?"

Afu disregarded old Granny Chen, whispered to Chen Ming: "Father, don’t be nervous. I am here, everything will be alright. " She then whispered into his ear and asked, "Where’s my mother?"

Chen Ming’s eyes darted in the direction of the bedroom implying Mrs. Wang was in the bedroom.

Afu nodded, not wanting Mrs. Wang to be humiliated by Granny Chen.

Then, Afu turned her face towards Granny Chen and said, "My parents have taught me well. Others have always praised me for my intelligence and beauty, with my noble presence."

Upon listening to her, the people present scoffed.

Granny Chen was furious. She was about to say something harsh when she remembered the purpose of her visit and swallowed her anger. Dreadfully, she stated "Afu, do you know who I am?"

Afu responded, "This is the first time I’m seeing you, how would I know who you are?"

Granny Chen continued, "It’s no wonder you don’t know me. This is our first meeting. I am the mother of Mr. Chen Shiying from Dingzhou. In other words, I am your biological grandmother. Afu, you should call me grandma." Afterward, her face softened as she spoke.

In her opinion, a young girl from a poor family would undoubtedly be overjoyed when she learnt of her background. She would call her grandmother and acknowledge her ancestral lineage. Seeing that the young girl who walked in bore an uncanny resemblance to her son, Granny Chen herself was shocked. She regretted rushing into everything in the past, such a good-looking girl. If the girl were handed over to peasants, it would be a wasted opportunity.