The Eldest Daughter-in-Law [Reborn] - Chapter 33

When the Duke was young, he was skilled in both civil and military affairs, and he had led troops to the battlefield. After so many years, he would practice spear fighting every morning when he woke up.

Jiang looked at her husband’s bloated appearance with disdain in her eyes. “You think everyone is like you? Look at the Eldest Master, he is one half older than your age, and he still looks young.”

The Eldest Master, Wang Bin, originally had the surname Duan, but he later changed it to Wang at the instruction of the Eldest Princess . He was good at dancing and had a dignified appearance. Now he was on duty in the Honglu Temple, responsible for receiving foreign envoys.

The Second Master was immediately unhappy when he heard that and turned his head to glare at his wife, “What do you mean? Are you comparing me with others?”

The Second Master disliked the Eldest Master, Wang Bin, who had usurped the throne. In his opinion, Wang Bin was spineless. If he were him, he would rather die than change his surname and acknowledge someone else as his father.

Jiang knew she had touched her husband’s sore spot, so she touched the ends of his hair and smiled tenderly, “Okay, I don’t dislike you; get up and get dressed quickly.”

At her urging, the Second Master changed his clothes reluctantly. When the couple was ready, they saw their son, daughter-in-law, and their little daughter, waiting in the corridor.

Normally, the Third Miss Wang Shuyi was the best friend of Xie Yunchu. As soon as she appeared that morning, she took Xie Yunchu’s arm and chatted with her. Xie Yunchu recalled that in her previous life, her sister-in-law had never said a fair word for her, so she took the opportunity of holding the child to avoid her wrist and responded indifferently.

Wang Shuyi was a little careless and did not realize that something was wrong with her sister-in-law. She kept talking about what she saw and heard during her visit to her grandparents’ house.

There was a hint of dawn in the eastern sky. It was still very early. The Second Master shook his sleeves and glanced at the younger generations. He was disappointed to see Wang Shuhuai missing. Whenever Wang Shuhuai was around, he could shield him from the old man’s anger. Since he was not there, the Second Master was worried.

“Where’s Shu Huai?”

Xie Yunchu bowed her head and replied, “In reply to father-in-law, the Second Young Master had an urgent matter and went to the yamen early in the morning. He has already gone to apologize to grandfather in person.”

Hearing her words, the Second Master had nothing to say and led his family to Qinghui Palace with a dull look.

The second branch was considered to have arrived early, but when they arrived at Qinghui Palace, the first and third branches had already arrived, leaving only the fourth branch nowhere to be seen.

When the Eldest Master, Wang Bin, saw the Second Master, he immediately greeted him with a smile.

“Did you get up late, Second Brother? Why do you look so unhappy?”

The Second Master felt contempt for his veiled words and replied indifferently, “Brother, you are joking. Last time, Father rushed back home because he was worried about Mother’s health. I have been thinking about it. I just asked Brother Huai and his wife to make some more blood-replenishing soup and send it to the palace. Mother has worked hard and made great contributions, so don’t let her health be damaged.”

Then he looked at him for a moment and changed the subject, “What’s the matter? Brother’s face is glowing; is there any good news?”

Even he, the stepson, cared about the Eldest Princess . The Eldest Master, as the biological son, didn’t care about his mother, which showed that he was unfilial.

The Eldest Master had a toothache, thinking that the Second Master’s wife was really good, and even Wang Shou got face in the palace, but those brothers of his in his family were useless. He complained in his heart, but he didn’t show it on his face. He smiled and said, “Brother Huai’s daughter-in-law has done a great job. I want to thank her on behalf of my mother.”

The topic was changed with a little effort.

The Third Master, Wang Zhang, was dressed in a moon-white wide-sleeved gown, standing under the porch with his hands behind his back, looking very dignified, and elegant. He had always regarded himself as the legitimate son of the Duke and the Princess . He looked down on his older half-brother for his flattery and his second half-brother for his cowardice and incompetence. He just needed to wait for the identity of the Crown Prince to be confirmed, then he could rest assured.

The Eldest Master, Wang Bin, and the Second Master, Wang Shou, glanced at their third brother at the same time and shut up tacitly.

After a while, the Fourth Master, Wang Dian, arrived late. Seeing his three brothers, he greeted them politely one by one, neither neglecting his eldest and second brothers nor flattering his third brother. He was the youngest son and was the most favored by the Eldest Princess . He did not need to inherit the family business, and when the Eldest Princess passed away in the future, she would definitely leave him a considerable fortune, so he was the most leisurely and comfortable.

The four were fighting, and the younger generations below dared not make a sound. Only the children brought by each family cried from time to time.

After a while, the palace door opened.

The Duke ordered everyone to go in.

This time his expression was relatively good, and he did not say anything. He just asked the servant to distribute the gifts given by the Eldest Princess to everyone, and then his eyes fell on his great-grandchildren.

The Eldest Master’s two children were a little scared when they saw the Duke, and they hid behind their mother. The Duke didn’t care and just handed over the reward given to the children by the Eldest Princess . His sharp eyes soon fell on Sister Ke. Xie Yunchu noticed it and immediately stepped forward, holding the child in her arms.

The Duke had no habit of hugging a girl, so he motioned to a servant beside him to hold a red lacquer tray with twigs and teased Sister Ke.

“Sister Ke, what do you like? Pick it yourself.”

The eunuch brought the lacquer tray to Sister Ke.

Sister Ke’er stared at the food on the plate with her big eyes, which were rolling around.

At that time, Dou Keling’s son, two-year-old Brother Xuan, ran over with all his strength, grabbed the eunuch’s long sleeve, and tried to reach the plate. The plate almost fell and hit Sister Ke’s little hand. Fortunately, the eunuch stabilized it in time, quickly stepped back with the lacquer tray, and knelt down.

Sister Ke was frightened and started crying. She turned over and lay in her mother’s arms, sobbing.

When Xie Yunchu frowned and looked deeply at Dou,  Dou Keling immediately stepped forward to pull her son, knelt down in fear, and said, “Grandfather, please forgive me. The child is young and was curious when he saw the dazzling array of rewards. I hope you will forgive him.” 

After saying that, she gently looked sidaway.