Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 491 - 482: Quelling the Rebellion

Chapter 491: Chapter 482: Quelling the Rebellion

Two quarters of an hour later, a servant reported, "The old Marquis said that the eldest girl is timid and can’t go anywhere alone. She might be allowed to go out on her own in a few years once she has courage."

The clear insult caused Granny Ma and her daughter to recoil, the color draining from their faces; Mrs. Ma also dropped her ficaed.

Chen Afu pretended not to notice and escorted them out of the courtyard.

Once they were out of sight, Ms. Chu whispered, "Mother, I don’t like them, they aren’t sincere in their intentions towards me."

Chen Afu’s heart ached. She thought, if they were genuinely kind, they wouldn’t have let Rong Zhao torment you into madness without a care. Now that they see you thriving, they try to mend fences. Holding her daughter’s hand, she squeezed it gently, saying, "If you don’t like them, we’ll limit our interactions."

The young girl left with a sullen look for her afternoon rest. Only then did Miao’er report in a low voice, "Madam, the fourth daughter of the Ma family kept praising the first young madam to the eldest girl, even asking about how the dowry was being taken care of... The eldest girl responded a few times, saying how good the first young madam was to her. But the fourth daughter of the Ma family seemed not to hear, only instructed the eldest girl to take care of the Young Master and the Marquis, as they are her greatest support. Eventually, the eldest girl hardly spoke to her anymore."

Chen Afu nodded. Mrs. Ma evidently wanted to improve the relationship between the two mansions through the young girl, while Granny Ma hoped to gain some benefits through her. To gain more benefits, they’d even tried to sow discord between the young girl and her stepmother—straight away upon meeting, they’d brought up her biological mother’s dowry, utterly disregarding the young girl’s feelings.

She couldn’t do anything if Shiyi and Xiao Lixuan were not happy, but as for the young girl right by her side, Chen Afu resolved to do everything possible to make her happy, just as she was in Dingzhou Prefecture and in the countryside.

Also, it was important to make sure that the three other children felt at home here. After all, this was going to be their long-term residence—it had to be a place where they could live happily and freely.

Lost in her thoughts, she heard a soft "ah, ah" from the crib. Looking over, she saw that Yu’er was awake. The little girl was not a crybaby; she was peacefully blowing bubbles at her.

Seeing her daughter, as delicate as a baby pink jade, Chen Afu’s heart softened. She bent over to lift her daughter and kissed her, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

Once all the children were awake, Chen Afu led them along with Zhui Feng’s family to visit Anrong Hall.

After a rest, it appeared that the young girl had seemingly forgotten the unpleasant encounter with the Mas. She was grinning from ear to ear and clinging onto Chen Afu, gripping her hand tightly.

Seeing her daughter getting along so well with Chang Chang and Duan Duan, Chen Afu felt delight. She teased the young girl by tickling her palm, making her giggle.

Upon reaching Anrong Hall, after sending the children off to play in a side room, Chen Afu relayed to Mrs. Chu what had transpired with the Mas.

Mrs. Chu snorted, "Lady Ma and Marquis Ma only mentioned that undesirable girl from a mediocre family to annoy Xuan’er and his wife all those years ago. Now that their circumstances have changed, seeing our rise, they’re seeking to make amends. The problem is, their family is not of high standing and would only be a hindrance..." She added, "Yan’er has already met them, we’ve given them enough respect. If they visit too frequently, find an excuse to reject them. As the stepmother, it’s difficult for you, so just pass them on to me."

Chen Afu expressed her gratitude, then mentioned her plan to set up a children’s playground in the Marquis’ mansion. Considering she couldn’t be too unconventional here, she described it as a playground for younger children.

Mrs. Chu, having seen the so-called playground in Fu Garden, was quite pleased and intrigued, especially as her youngest son also enjoyed it. She agreed, saying, "That sounds wonderful. There’s a large lawn by the lake, we can level a piece of land there."

While the two were discussing, Mrs. Li arrived with Mrs. Shen and Chu Zhen, Chu Lin, and Chu Bi.

Mrs. Chu gave them a nod, continuing her conversation with Chen Afu about how to build the playground for younger children.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li grew unhappy. By design, the playground would mainly cater to young children. It was close to her quarters; the commotion would disturb her peace.

Mrs. Li was unhappy that she hadn’t been informed that a playground was to be constructed right next to her residence—it felt as if her seniority was being disrespected. She was still the second lady of the Marquis’ mansion before the family had split, after all.

In her discomfort, she didn’t dare to confront Mrs. Chu, so she addressed Chen Afu instead, "Xuan’er’s wife, why are you causing a commotion as soon as you returned? A playground sounds noisy and chaotic. The children in the mansion are precious. The boys should be serious and the girls should be virtuous and calm, they’re not like the reckless and impulsive children from the countryside."

Chen Afu cast Mrs. Li a glance. This woman really didn’t know the state of things. This was her and her children’s home, the way they chose to live should be what made them happiest.

She replied with a fake smile, "I had asked the heir about this matter beforehand. He said that the boys and girls of our household are noble, not only should they play in the playground while they are children, they should also ride horses and play football when they grow up." She emphasized the term "heir" firmly.

Mrs. Chu was even blunter with Mrs. Li, "Second sister-in-law, you’ve been married into the Marquis’ mansion for over twenty years, yet you still speak like you have a small household mentality. Our children are not just precious, they also need to make a display of themselves. We don’t want to be like those from small mediocre households, raising our children to be meek."

Mrs. Li was so infuriated her face turned red, she was at a loss for words to rebut.

The following day, Chen Afu had Luo Fang bring out the blueprints she had prepared.

On the twenty-ninth of the first lunar month, news reached the capital that the second prince had gone to the Southern Province, and that the Wangs had taken complete control of the province. The Emperor, furious, ordered the confinement of Queen Wang and the Eighth Prince, and the Imperial Forestry Army to arrest all of the Wang relatives residing in the capital. At the same time, he appointed Mr. Chu, Chu Guangkai, as the supreme commander to suppress the rebellion, and assemble the troops to head south.

When the news arrived at the Chu residence, both the old Marquis Chu and Mrs. Chu were delighted. This was not only a signal of the Emperor’s trust but also a triumph for the entire Chu family—it was the first time they had a supreme commander in the family.

That night, Mr. Chu didn’t return, but the Marquis Chu did. The women finished their dinner and retired to their rooms, while the men stayed on, drinking.

Chen Afu felt uneasy. She knew that among the troops to be deployed, there would be soldiers from Dingzhou. Chu Lingxuan’s hurried return to Dingzhou was to train these soldiers, in preparation for fighting in the South.

While Mr. Chu, as the supreme commander, would not face any danger, the same could not be said for Chu Lingxuan. Especially given Chu Lingxuan’s ambition to demonstrate his military talents and accomplishments.

Chen Afu’s heart was in her throat, contrary to the general excitement of the Chu household.

That night, when all was silent, she entered the spatial dimension again and informed Jin Yanzi of Chu Lingxuan’s impending campaign against the rebellion in the South.