Chapter 166: The Ancestral Grandmother

The elderly lady was none other than the one Chen Feng had seen in Dingzhou—Madam Chen, the mother of Chen Shiying.

Two days prior, Chen Feng had specifically talked to Steward Luo, inquiring about the Chen family’s affairs. Her reasoning was that knowing the enemy was crucial for defense.

Steward Luo agreed and candidly shared all he knew about the Chen family.

Chen Shiying had one wife and two concubines. His wife, Mrs. Jiang, bore a daughter and a son. The daughter, Chen Yuqing, was thirteen years old, and the son, Chen Yulan, was eleven—Chen Shiying’s only son. Mrs. Tang was a favored concubine who had a daughter, Chen Yuhui. There was also a concubine named Lu Yiniang, who used to be Mrs. Jiang’s maid and had a daughter, Chen Yuxia, who was only seven years old.

In the past, Tang’s father had taken a liking to Chen Shiying. When Chen Shiying was still in the provincial capital of Shianfu, Tang’s father had approached Chen Shiying’s maternal uncle, who was now Zhao Lizheng.

It was unclear how Tang’s father and Zhao Lizheng had persuaded Chen’s elderly mother, or how they had coerced Mrs. Wang. Astonishingly, Mrs. Wang had agreed to return to her maternal home. After returning, her stepmother, Mrs. Ding, had pressured Mrs. Wang into remarrying within ten days. Not only did Mrs. Wang agree, but she also willingly chose the ailing Chen Ming… Fortunately, Mrs. Wang had chosen Chen Ming since Mrs. Ding had already arranged for her to marry a wealthy foot trader from Lingnan if Mrs. Wang remained unmarried.

It was unclear how much money the Tang family had given Zhao Lizheng and Mrs. Ding. However, within a year, Zhao Lizheng’s family had acquired two hundred acres of land and successfully ousted the former Lizheng, taking his place. Mrs. Ding not only purchased ten acres of land but also renovated a thatched cottage into a large tiled house.

More than half a month later, when Chen Shiying returned to his hometown, he discovered that his mother had already driven Mrs. Wang away and had verbally agreed to a marriage alliance with the Tang family. Outraged, he went to Mrs. Wang’s maternal home to bring her back, but by then, Mrs. Wang had already remarried. Chen Shiying couldn’t act against his mother, but he adamantly refused to marry the young lady Tang. His mother, in a last-ditch effort, forced him to marry lady Tang.

At that time, Mr. Jiang, who was then the magistrate of Xiangzhou in Hu’an Province, sought the help of Mr. Wu, who was then the magistrate of Sanqing County, to arrange a marriage for his second daughter, Jiang Xiaoyu. When Chen’s mother heard that it was the daughter of a magistrate, she was overjoyed and agreed to the marriage with the Jiang family instead of the Tang family.

After weighing the pros and cons, Chen Shiying also believed that marrying into the Jiang family would greatly benefit his career. Moreover, since Mrs. Wang was married to someone else, he agreed to the marriage with the Jiang family. Perhaps Chen’s mother had done something to be exploited by the Tang family, which ultimately led Chen Shiying to agree to take a daughter of the Tang family as a concubine.

So, the Chen family used the sudden windfall to purchase a four-courtyard residence in the town of Sanqing. Three months later, the beloved wife and concubines entered the Chen family one after the other. Subsequently, Chen Shiying went to the capital to take the imperial examination and unexpectedly excelled, being appointed as a top scholar by the Emperor.

Chen Feng incredulously exclaimed, “At that time, Chen Shiying was just a poor examinee. How could Mr. Jiang tolerate him taking concubines?”

Steward Luo continued, “It is said that Mr. Jiang’s second daughter, had previously caused the deaths of two fiancés. Additionally, she was plain-looking and, at the age of seventeen, had not yet been engaged. The family was quite anxious. When Chen Shiying was taking the examination in Shianfu, Mr. Jiang happened to be in Shianfu and met with him. Afterwards, Mr. Jiang asked his contemporary, Mr. Wu, to inquire about Chen, and if he had not yet married and had good character, to help arrange the marriage…”

It was also said that Mrs. Jiang had a good reputation. Despite her plain appearance, she was dignified and virtuous, complementing the handsome and talented Chen Shiying. Because the Chen family lacked heirs, she even voluntarily offered her maid to Chen Shiying as a concubine…

Jiang Xiaoyu’s father, Mr. Jiang, also enjoyed considerable success in his official career and currently held the position of a third-ranking official, the Minister of the Imperial Stables, in the capital.

…

Chen Feng refocused her wandering thoughts and walked toward the house.

Madam Chen was clad in a deep brown brocade cotton robe, a bean-green skirt, and a gray-white headdress adorned with jade hairpins and a pearl-encrusted forehead band. Her thin lips formed a straight line, deepening the lines around her mouth, giving her an even more severe and imposing appearance.

Seated below her was a girl of about fourteen, whom she had also seen before. She should be the eldest daughter of the Tang family, Chen Yuhui, who was fourteen years old.

Below Chen Yuhui sat a woman adorned with pearls and emeralds. She was around thirty years old and was likely Mrs. Tang, the concubine.

Mrs. Tang was not unattractive and could be described as somewhat comely. However, Chen Yuhui had not inherited her parents’ good looks and bore a striking resemblance to Madam Chen. With a long face, slightly upturned triangular eyes, and a downturned mouth, even when adorned with makeup and dressed up, she could barely be considered average.

Behind the old lady stood two individuals, a woman in her forties and a teenage maid.

Ignoring the people standing there, Chen Feng directly asked Chen Ming, “Father, are you okay?”

Chen Ming stood up and approached Chen Feng, whispering, “Father is fine, that…”

A stern voice interrupted, it was Madam Chen. Frowning, she said, “Feng, in my presence, you should show respect. How were you taught by Mrs. Wang?”

Ignoring the elderly lady, Chen Feng softly reassured Chen Ming, “Father, don’t worry, I’m here, all is well.” Then, she quietly asked, “Where is mother?”

Chen Ming glanced towards the direction of the bedroom, indicating that Mrs. Wang was in there.

Chen Feng nodded. She didn’t want Mrs. Wang to be humiliated in front of Madam Chen.

Later, she turned to Madam Chen and said, “My parents have raised me with strict discipline. Others often praise me for my beauty and talents, for being poised and virtuous.”

Hearing this, the onlookers sneered.

Madam Chen was infuriated, about to utter harsh words, but recalling today’s purpose, she suppressed her anger. She said, “Feng, do you know who I am?”

Chen Feng replied, “This is the first time I’ve met you. How could I know who you are?”

Madam Chen continued, “It’s no wonder you don’t know. This is the first time we, as grandmother and granddaughter, have met. I am the mother of Chen Shiying, the magistrate of Dingzhou, and your ancestral grandmother. Feng, you should address me as ‘grandmother’.” With that, her expression softened.

She assumed that a young girl from a humble family, upon learning her true lineage, would be ecstatic and immediately bow and acknowledge her ancestry. When she saw the young girl entering, resembling her son by eighty percent, she was equally surprised. She had been hasty, a girl with such a good appearance, if given to a commoner, would be a waste of a good piece.