Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 365 - 364: Resisting Marriage

She asked, "What about Dabao?"

Chu Lingxuan said, "Dabao is fine. Many people will think of Dabao as a burden. Perhaps we’ll be too embarrassed to let him come out openly to meet people. We’ll just go with the flow, and aside from a few families that it would be very appropriate for Dabao to become friends with their children, we won’t let Dabao meet anyone else."

Chen Afu stayed quiet. She didn’t like dealing with women of the inner courtyard, but for Chu Lingxuan, she would have to engage in some wife diplomacy in the future.

But thinking about his comment that Dabao is a burden, she felt uncomfortable. If Dabao was not a prince, would he dislike her for having a burden?

She turned away unhappily.

After Chu Lingxuan finished speaking, he knew he had offended Chen Afu. He quickly explained, "Look at you, getting mad. I didn’t mean anything by it. Dabao is a prince, and I only found that out after I decided to marry you. Didn’t I also brought a burden? We’re even."

This made Chen Afu laugh, and she turned back and said, "If Dabao was not a prince, would you and your family still treat him so kindly as a burden? Would he be hidden away from everyone?"

Chu Lingxuan said, "If Dabao was not a prince, the treatment would definitely be different." Seeing Chen Afu frown again, he laughed and said, "Look at you getting anxious. You treat Yan’er like your own daughter and I will treat Dabao like a real son. If Dabao was not a prince, I would let him take my surname Chu, add his name to the ancestral hall of the Chu family as a real descendant. Not only would I not hide him away from people, but I would also let him get to know nobles and sons of influential families to pave the way for his future career. Dabao is smart and will definitely pass the imperial examination. In the future, I would also use my connections to seek a good future for him..."

That Chu Lingxuan gave so much thought to Dabao was not easy. Even in her previous life, not many men could do as much. Her original "burden" from her previous life, whose situation was more embarrassing and worrisome, was more painful when she thought about it. She felt that she should be kinder to Dabao.

The next morning, the old doctor who had always been checking Chen Afu’s pulse at Qianjin Hall was called to check her pulse again, and he said that Chen Afu’s health was excellent. In order to facilitate childbirth, he advised her to move more.

After Chen Afu paid the doctor’s payment and sent him away, Hong Feng came again.

Hong Feng said that the lady thanked her for the gifts Mrs. Chen had sent, and that the master, the lady, the miss, and the young master all loved them very much. Especially the soaking wine that Mrs. Chen had sent before, the lady liked it very much. She felt that after drinking it, she was not only more energetic, but also slept much better. The lady also said that things are hectic at home at the moment and it’s not a good time for the whole family to visit. Once things settle down, she will come to Senator’s Mansion to visit Mrs. Chen and the children. She hopes Mrs. Chen would not take it to heart...

This was a clear message, asking Chen Afu’s family not to visit.

Chen Afu not only didn’t take it to heart, but also thanked her with a smile.

It seems that Mrs. Jiang finally broke down, fearing that Chen Yuhui would make trouble. The power of Chen Yuhui definitely wouldn’t be so grand without the meddling of Mrs. Chen.

Chen Afu felt herself a saint, deeply condemning the malicious means of many current backyard masters due to her respect for life in her previous life. Even if she despises a person, she shouldn’t kill them or make them wish they were dead. But she thinks Mrs. Jiang is even saintlier. People like Mrs. Chen and Chen Yuhui should really be killed or made to wish they were dead.

Mrs. Jiang was truly afraid of losing Chen Shiying’s affection and treated his mother and daughter as her own. Even if they sinned again, she dared not make a move.

When Hong Feng was about to leave, Chen Afu gave her a pair of gold bracelets and said, "I heard that Miss Hong Feng has been betrothed, this is my gift for you."

Blushing, Hong Feng thanked Chen Afu, and then Qingfeng escorted her out.

Chen Afu watched Qingfeng who had just sent Hong Feng back. Although she didn’t say anything, her eyes were probing. Qingfeng’s parents and sister-in-law worked in Chen’s Mansion, and she was very close to Hong Feng, so she should know what had happened.

Qingfeng whispered, "I’ve been wanting to tell my lady, but I was afraid she would think I was nosy."

Chen Afu said, "You are my person. There’s no reason for me to blame you if you tell me the truth. What’s the matter, let’s hear it."

Then Qingfeng unscrupulously told her everything she knew about Chen Yuhui.

Apparently, Chen Yuhui was very dissatisfied with the match that Mrs. Jiang had arranged for her, thinking that Mrs. Jiang had sabotaged her. She cried and protested against the marriage. Chen Shiying reprimanded her, saying that this family also had his approval, and that she must marry them. He also said that although this family did not have any official status, they were wealthy and had land, and the parents-in-law were virtuous, so she would be well off after marrying into their family.

Chen Yuhui still disagreed, and protested to Mrs. Chen.

Mrs. Chen had greatly recovered, and could even walk a few steps with a cane. She cried and protested as well, saying that Chen Yuhui is the true first daughter of the Chen family, who should have been the young lady of a marquis family, but was conspired against by Chen Shiying and Mrs. Jiang to give Chen Afu the good marriage instead. Chen Yuhui, no matter how mediocre, shouldn’t marry a rich countryman. Isn’t Chen Afu pregnant? Then let Chen Yuhui be content with less, and serve as a favored concubine for Chu Lingxuan. This matter is proposed by the girl’s family, and Chu Lingxuan will surely agree. Which man doesn’t prefer multiple wives and concubines? Besides, Chen Afu grew up in rural areas and won Chu Lingxuan’s favor only temporarily with her appearance. In the long run, her crude nature will be revealed. When Chen Yuhui, a woman of culture and etiquette, fills the room with literary fragrance, Chu Lingxuan will like her even more..."

This enraged Chen Shiying. He pretended to ask Chen Yuhui whether she would be willing to do this, and surprisingly, Chen Yuhui nodded her head shyly and said she was. Chen Shiying slapped her right on the spot, and ordered Mrs. Jiang to notify the Wei family right away to proceed with the marriage ahead of the scheduled time. He asked his people to watch Mrs. Chen and Chen Yuhui carefully, not allowing them to meet or have Chen Yuhui wander about. Moreover, they were not allowed to send or receive letters.

Preventing Mrs. Chen from going out or sending letters was doable, but restricting Chen Yuhui from doing so was not an easy task. Chen Yuhui had ample money and was whole-bodied and capable. Aunt Tang had been operating in the mansion for many years, and even if all of her trusted aides were fired or sold off, there would still be people who would seize the opportunity when Mrs. Jiang was not vigilant.

On the day the Wei family sent the betrothal gifts, Chen Yuhui disguised herself as a maid, escaped to the front courtyard, and just as the first pallet of betrothal gifts from the Wei family was about to enter the gate, she announced loudly that she was Chen Yuhui, the second daughter of the Chen family, and that she was unwilling to marry a rich countryman, then dashed towards a wall.

Of course, she didn’t die. She only bumped her forehead and raised a lump. She was caught by two maids and brought back to the Inner Courtyard, but this spectacle was seen by everyone who came to watch and by the people of the Wei family. Despite the Chen family repeatedly emphasizing that the girl who bumped into the wall was not Chen Yuhui, but a confused maid, the two families still lost face and couldn’t continue with the marriage. The marriage proposal had to be cancelled.

Thus, in a heroic way, Chen Yuhui thwarted this arranged marriage.