Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 280 - 279: The Ultimate

Chapter 280: Chapter 279: The Ultimate

Early the next morning, Chen Afu kissed a teary-eyed Dabao goodbye and entrusted him to Xue Dagui who carried him off to Tang Garden with Alu.

Chen Afu joined Auntie Zeng and her daughter Xia Yue in a horse-drawn carriage. Tang Garden also assigned four guards, including Guard Wang who had accompanied her twice before, to protect them.

They waved goodbye to Mrs. Wang and Chen Ming, and their pets Zhui Feng, Sasa, Qi Qi, Hui Hui, and Wang Cai in the distance, before driving away towards the capital of Dingzhou.

She saw tears in Sasa’s eyes. Since its arrival at Fu Garden, this was the first time it was separated from its mistress.

The Animal House would also move to Lu Garden along with Chen Dabao. Chen Afu had already done some mental preparation for Zhui Feng. She told him, although he acquired a lovely wife, brotherhood is essential too. He is a victor and must use his magnanimous winner’s heart to forge a good relationship with Wang Cai. If need be, he can always help Wang Cai find a pleasant wife later on...

Traveling by carriage was much faster, so they reached the gates of the capital of Dingzhou by midday.

At the gate, Chen Afu found the Chens’ butler Jiang waiting for her. Chu Lingxuan had informed Chen Shiying that Chen Afu would be arriving at Dingzhou today at midday, so he sent Jiang to wait for her.

On seeing the carriage from the Chus’ Mansion, Butler Jiang stepped forward and bowed, "I have been waiting for Miss Afu, ordered by master and mistress."

Chen Afu replied with a smile, "You are too kind, Uncle Jiang."

Upon arriving at Dingzhou, Chen Afu would stay at Chen Shiying’s house. In truth, she preferred to stay at Chen Shi’s house as it allowed her more freedom with fewer formalities, also she got along well with Mrs. Zhang and Aman.

However, not to stay at the Chens’ Mansion after arriving at Dingzhou might upset Chen Shiying and would be against social norms. Moreover, she is required to join Jiang and the other young ladies from the Chen family when attending the birthday banquet at the Chus’ Mansion.

After entering the city gate, they travelled for just over fifteen minutes before arriving at the Chens’ Mansion. Outside the main court, she handed over some fresh corn and other newly-harvested fruits and vegetables that she had brought from the countryside to Butler Jiang and rode a sedan chair to the Inner Courtyard.

Chen Afu returned to the Rose Courtyard. Qingfeng and two little maids were waiting for her. After assisting Chen Afu to freshen up, they served dinner.

Qingfeng smiled and said, "The mistress said you have had a long journey and should take some rest."

Chen Afu nodded. By now, it was late afternoon and undoubtedly, the rest of the family would also be resting.

Qingfeng then whispered, "Second young lady returned early from the temple. Aunt Tang passed away two months ago from illness, and the eldest young lady fell sick due to excessive grief. Thus the master ordered her to be brought back early."

Aunt Tang died? Chen Afu did not utter a word, and just pulled her mouth corner.

Among the three masterminds of that incident, Aunt Tang took the fall for the others. Perhaps, deep down Chen Shiying felt that he had accounted for his actions. Chen Yuhui’s punishment of staying in a convent for half a year was cut short, mostly because her birth mother’s death induced guilt in Chen Shiying. Luckily Chen Afu had asked Jin Yanzi to scare the old woman until she was paralyzed; otherwise, she wouldn’t have received any punishment at all.

Chen Afu went to bed after dinner, and was quickly lulled into sleep by the persistent bouncing of the trip.

While sleeping soundly, Xia Yue woke her up, "Miss, it’s time to go pay respects to the mistress."

Chen Afu quickly got up from bed and came over to the main court carrying the two sets of clothes she made for Mrs. Jiang and Chen Shiying. These were designed and tailored by Chen Afu, while Xia Yue and Qiu Yue took care of the sewing.

After Chen Afu gave her respects, Mrs. Jiang gestured for her to sit by her and holding her hand, she said, "It’s been months since I last saw you, Fu’er. I missed you terribly..."

Mrs. Jiang’s voice was gentle and soothing.

Afu noticed that in addition to the maids and old women serving in the room, Mrs. Lu was also present, as well as a beautiful woman in her late teens.

What drew Afu’s attention was her extravagant attire and the unique hairstyle common among married women. She certainly was not a maid, nor did she resemble a servant’s wife. As Afu wondered, she heard someone call her ’Aunt He’.

Afu felt a sense of bewilderment. Chen Shiying was really, really, really voluptuous. Looking at Mrs. Jiang, there was no wave of surprise in her eyes when looking at Aunt He, and there was no other emotion at all.

Her own handsome, young, and talented man had taken such a beautiful concubine, and she wasn’t even slightly jealous, nor was she restless.

And considering her attitude towards herself, she was the daughter of the woman her man loved most, yet she could still treat her so kindly.

Mrs. Jiang had the same magnanimous capacity as the Buddha Maitreya. Such women do exist in this world!

There are two extreme situations when one loves someone: one is the complete desire to possess, the other is the complete absence of self-identification.

Perhaps Mrs. Jiang is just the latter type.

Of course, there was also another situation, that is, to regard the man as a superior...

Afu suppressed her feelings and chatted with Mrs. Jiang. Then she heard a maid’s voice outside the door, "Second Miss, Third Miss, and Fourth Miss are here."

The three young ladies saluted Mrs. Jiang and sat down.

Chen Yuqing and Chen Yuxia were grinning, chatting with Afu about old times. Chen Yuhui, on the other hand, had lost a lot of weight. She was dressed in a willow-green short coat and a white skirt embroidered with bamboo leaves, only wearing a jade hairpin. She looked at Afu with resentment and didn’t greet her.

Afu wouldn’t take the initiative to talk to her. If before she was disgusted with Chen Yuhui, then after what happened, she despised her, wishing that this vicious girl would die soon.

Chen Yuqing and Chen Yuxia listened to Afu talking about how a big dog had come to their house, how beautiful and aggressive it was, and how it had brought ginseng as a gift when she came to the capital of Dingzhou, and how it had cried, etc. The two younger sisters yearned greatly, wishing they could go to Fu Garden again.

Chen Yuqing coquettishly tugged at Afu’s sleeve, saying she wanted to go with her to see the big dog.

"Big sister, me too, I want to go to the countryside to play." Chen Yuxia looked at Afu expectantly.

Before Afu could answer, she heard Chen Yuhui sneer. Using a handkerchief to touch the corner of her mouth, she said, "Even the fourth sister says it’s countryside, the countryside is dirty and messy, and the people in the countryside are crude and lack upbringing. One will become red if they are near cinnabar and become black if they are near ink. Aren’t you afraid of being led astray by the rural people, Fourth Sister?"

Afu wouldn’t be polite with this bad girl. She laughed coldly and said, "The second Miss Chen is right about one thing. Those near cinnabar turn red and those near ink turn black. You have been led astray by Aunt Tang and other influences until you’ve become utterly corrupt. If you despise the countryside so much, why do you still eat grain? Don’t you know that grain is watered with manure? In my opinion, the manure from our countryside is cleaner than you. You claim to have an upbringing, do people with an upbringing desperately try to snatch someone else’s fiancé?"

Chen Yuhui had tears in her eyes from being choked up by a few words. She glared at Mrs. Jiang clutching the handkerchief tightly in her hand, "Mother."

Mrs. Jiang ignored Chen Yuhui first, then smiled at Afu and said, "You are the oldest sister. If your sister is wrong, you should discipline her. You should think about how to say things and not speak so bluntly."

Afu quickly stood up and said with her head bowed, "Mother is right, I will remember."