Chu Yunxuan’s words nearly made Chu Mochen leap out of his bed in rage. “You insolent wretch!”
“Father had better carefully consider your attitude when speaking to your son. Otherwise, your son will personally go and send those two little bastards on their way right now.”
Chu Mochen wanted to bellow with towering rage, “How dare you?”
Yet, looking at the dead serious gaze in his eldest son’s eyes, Chu Mochen realized for the very first time just how ruthless this son of his could be.
Once this realization set in, Chu Mochen’s anger completely dissolved. Instead, he burst into a sudden, loud laugh. “As expected, the imperial palace truly nurtures people. You are indeed your father’s worthy son.”
Chu Yunxuan was not surprised by his father’s reaction in the slightest. Even in his past life, he had known that this so-called father of his favored children who were ruthless and relentless.
Had he not failed to react in time during the early stages of his past life, he wouldn’t have suffered so many setbacks at the hands of that illegitimate son.
After enjoying his laugh, Chu Mochen spoke to his eldest son again: “Rest assured, as long as you are outstanding enough, you may deal with those younger siblings of yours however you see fit.
Furthermore, do not meddle in the affairs of your father’s inner courtyard.
It is highly inappropriate for a son to interfere.”
Seeing that Chu Yunxuan only smiled and did not agree, Chu Mochen added helplessly, “Your mother will not be bullied. Don’t forget she still has your maternal grandfather and the others behind her!
Don’t you see that the one currently bedridden is your father?
Your father has merely reached middle age and wishes to take a few concubines; it is not as if I am truly devoted to a woman who is content to be an external mistress.
Since the status of your mother and you two brothers cannot be threatened, what do you have to worry about?”
Chu Yunxuan recalled that his mother had already told him she agreed to let the mistress and her children enter the manor.
Staring into Chu Mochen’s eyes, he emphasized solemnly, “Whomever you take in as concubines, they must not anger my mother. Your son has only one requirement: they must not strike back when beaten, nor talk back when scolded.”
“You truly are your mother’s worthy son, never forgetting to consider her in every word. But you are truly worrying over nothing. They are merely concubines; who would dare show disrespect to the primary wife?
Not to mention your mother’s status as a Commandery Princess officially bestowed by the imperial family.
Forget about beating and scolding a few concubines—even if she beat and scolded your father, the imperial family would likely only punish her by docking two months’ salary.”
After being thrashed by the Eldest Princess this time, Chu Mochen had finally seen through the blatant favoritism of the imperial family.
At this point in time, Chu Mochen still harbored some affection for the original owner. In his past life, his stance had been so unyielding mainly because he had been forbidden from taking concubines for so many years.
The original owner had been the chief culprit preventing him from surrounding himself with women. But in this life, the original owner had discovered the mistress early, and Lin Yanran had already agreed to let him take concubines.
Without so much resentment and spite in his heart, his perspective was naturally different.
Without saying whether he believed Chu Mochen or not, Chu Yunxuan stood up, patted his robes in a disciplined manner, and bowed respectfully:
“Then Father should recover well. Your son is going to the inner courtyard to accompany Mother for dinner.”
Chu Mochen waved his hand impatiently. “Get lost!”
Watching his eldest son’s departing figure, Chu Mochen muttered under his breath, “I’ve spent my life hunting geese, only to have my own eye pecked out by a young goose in the end!”
Stepping out of his father’s courtyard, Chu Yunxuan eagerly made his way toward the main courtyard where Lin Yanran lived.
His personal servant, Qian Duo, whispered a soft reminder: “Heir Apparent, you have not yet gone to pay your respects to the Dowager Marchioness!”
Upon hearing his servant’s reminder, Chu Yunxuan’s footsteps toward Lin Yanran’s courtyard paused instantly. With his newly brightened mood dampened, he had no choice but to change direction and head toward the courtyard where the Dowager Marchioness resided.
Chu Yunxuan had no fondness for this grandmother of his. In his past life, after his mother passed away, he had been away pursuing his career.
Left alone in the manor, his younger brother Heng’er had his plight completely ignored by their grandmother, who only doted on the children of the second branch.
As a result, Heng’er had been targeted by that illegitimate son, ending up with a broken leg, and had followed their mother to the grave just a few years later.
Recalling these events, Chu Yunxuan felt an equal measure of resentment toward every single person in the Marquis’s Manor.
By the time Chu Yunxuan arrived at the Dowager Marchioness’s Deyuan Courtyard, Old Lady Xie had already been waiting for a long time.
The moment the Dowager Marchioness saw him, she immediately welcomed him warmly. Reaching out, she held Chu Yunxuan as he prepared to bow. “Xuan’er is back! Quick, let Grandmother look at you. Have you lost weight?”
“Grandmother, your grandson has returned.” Chu Yunxuan’s face was covered in smiles, though there was no warmth in his eyes.
Holding Chu Yunxuan’s hand, the Dowager Marchioness warmly insisted, “Have lunch here with Grandmother. I’ve had the servants prepare your favorite dishes. I will also have Yu’er from your second uncle’s family come over. You cousins are close in age, so you will surely have plenty to talk about.”
Hearing his grandmother mention his cousin from the second branch, the smile on Chu Yunxuan’s face remained unchanged, but he calmly withdrew his hand from the Dowager Marchioness’s grasp:
“Your grandson will come accompany you for dinner instead. Just now, when I was with Father, Father instructed me to accompany Mother for lunch and coax her well, so that my younger brother and sister can be brought into the manor smoothly.”
Chu Yunxuan had no desire to share his first meal back at the manor with unrelated people. This excuse could only be blamed on his fearless father.
Hearing this, the Dowager Marchioness’s disappointment was visible to the naked eye, but she could not easily go against her son’s wishes. “Then you must come accompany Grandmother tonight. I will also have your favorite dishes prepared for dinner.”
“Your grandson will do as Grandmother wishes.” Chu Yunxuan gave a superficial agreement, his mind already drifting elsewhere.
The Dowager Marchioness failed to detect his perfunctory tone. On the contrary, hearing her eldest grandson speak so obediently filled her heart with uncontrollable joy.
Enthusiastically taking Chu Yunxuan’s hand again, she began to ask detailed questions about his time serving as a study companion in the palace.
Chu Yunxuan picked out a few trivial and amusing stories to tell her. Having lived a second lifetime, coaxing the Dowager Marchioness was child’s play to him.
The Dowager Marchioness also brought up the matter of Chu Mochen keeping a mistress and being whipped by the Eldest Princess, her underlying implication being that the Eldest Princess had gone too far.
Although Chu Yunxuan maintained a polite smile throughout, he was already extremely impatient.
Enduring Old Lady Xie’s nagging until she finally finished, he stood up and bowed. “Grandmother, it is getting late. Your grandson shall take his leave first and will return to accompany you for dinner.”
The Dowager Marchioness had not actually finished speaking, but since her eldest grandson had said so, she would not damage his pride:
“As one gets old, one starts nagging endlessly and loses track of time. Run along to your matters!
We, grandmother and grandson, shall chat more during dinner.”
Chu Yunxuan performed another disciplined bow before withdrawing.
Watching her eldest grandson’s departing figure, Old Lady Xie grumbled to her head maid, Ruyue: “He truly has the imperial family’s blood flowing in his veins; his heart cannot be warmed.”
Ruyue could only offer comfort: “It only shows that the Heir Apparent values deep emotions, which is also a good thing.”
Even as the Dowager Marchioness’s confidante, Ruyue could not bring herself to say that the Marquis keeping a mistress outside was correct.
What respectable family would keep a mistress outside? It was practically trampling the primary wife’s face into the dirt.
In an ordinary household, the primary wife’s family would be furious, let alone the imperial family!