Chapter 48

Chapter 48: I Want to Forge a Golden Marriage Certificate for Jiaojiao! Song Jiaojiao, with the air of a matriarch, tried to suppress Jia Qingcheng, wanting her to understand that when she entered the Pei household in the future, she would be the one who should pay respects to her. With Pei Wuliang's love and her position as the matriarch of the Pei family, she could completely tower over Jia Qingcheng. Jia Qingcheng, however, had no desire to waste words with her. "Since Sister is indisposed, this courtesy is excused." Excused? Song Jiaojiao sneered inwardly. She really knew how to flatter herself. As if she could refuse if she wanted to! "Aunt, Sister is here. Please, give your instructions." Madam Jia sat upright in the main seat of the hall—a position her mother had once occupied. Unfortunately, her father, fickle and changeable, had long forgotten the vow of "one lifetime, one love, one person" from those years. Ironic, wasn't it? He claimed to miss her mother while doting on another woman. That was her dear father. Madam Jia, with the air of a matriarch, swept her gaze over the two of them before speaking coolly, "Qingcheng, you and your sister are to be married tomorrow. As your mother, there are some things I must remind you of, lest you lack proper conduct and be scorned by your in-laws, and they say it's because I, as your mother, failed to teach you well." "If you have instructions, speak them." Jia Qingcheng had never regarded Madam Jia as her mother. In her heart, her mother was the kindest person in the world, and no one could ever replace her. "Instructions? That's hardly the word." Madam Jia looked at Jia Qingcheng, and the sight of that face made her feel nauseated. "I say, Qingcheng, though you are ugly, no one blames you—after all, your mother gave birth to you that way. But why do you dress yourself like a Taoist nun every day? One might think you've already taken vows!" "Aunt, please don't speak of Sister that way. She knows her appearance is plain, and no matter what she wears, it's the same, so she—" "It's our Jiaojiao who is truly lovely. Whatever she wears, she catches the eye." The two of them played off each other to belittle her, but Jia Qingcheng didn't take it to heart. After all, she would soon leave the Jia household. And of course, when she left, she would take everything that belonged to her, leaving not a shred of advantage to this stepmother and Song Jiaojiao. "Is there anything else? If not, I'll take my leave!" "Wait, what's the hurry? Is this how you treat your mother?" "Mother?" Jia Qingcheng curled her lips and lifted her gaze to meet Madam Jia's. Madam Jia, seeing that revolting face, felt sick! "Lower your head. Don't look at me like that—you'll give me nightmares." Jia Qingcheng lowered her eyes. "Is there anything else?" "Of course there is. Tomorrow is a grand day for our Jia household. One of you marries into Chu Wangfu, the other into the Pei household. The auspicious times for both departures fall on the same hour, but you both must leave through the main gate—that's a conflict. So, after discussing with the Master, I've decided that Jiaojiao will depart first to catch the auspicious time. As for you, Qingcheng, Prince Chu is gravely ill and cannot come to the Jia household for the bridal procession, so you will leave a bit later." Hearing this, Jia Qingcheng clenched her fists. "That's unfair!" "Unfair?" Madam Jia seemed to have heard the funniest joke. "Qingcheng, don't be foolish. Your marriage to Chu Wangfu is merely a formality. In the future, you'll still go to the Pei household as a concubine. Letting Jiaojiao leave first to catch the auspicious time is also doing her a favor. Later, when she becomes the matriarch, she'll naturally remember that you yielded to her and treat you with extra kindness. Isn't that right, Jiaojiao?" "Aunt speaks truly. Sister, since Prince Chu is on the verge of death and cannot come for the procession, let me depart first. As long as my departure is at the correct auspicious time, I can guarantee Sister a life of comfort and plenty in the Pei household." Comfort and plenty? Jia Qingcheng was nearly laughed into anger. She had no intention of marrying into the Pei household at all, yet they were still here dreaming. "Qingcheng, since you're silent, I'll take it as your agreement. So that matter is settled. Second, regarding Jiaojiao's dowry—Jiaojiao is an adopted daughter, not as noble as you, Qingcheng. To show that the Jia family treats its adopted daughter as one of their own, your father and I have decided to split your dowry in half and give it to Jiaojiao. Later, you will go and sort out half of your dowry and give it to Jiaojiao as her bridal gift." What? They were still coveting her dowry? Jia Qingcheng said nothing. She knew that speaking further was useless, so she couldn't be bothered to argue with her stepmother. Madam Jia, seeing her silence, took it as acquiescence. "Very well, then it's settled. I have no other instructions. Here—I have a peace charm I prayed for. Of course, Qingcheng, I won't give one to you. After all, your marriage to Chu Wangfu is just a formality; there's no need for a peace charm." With that, Madam Jia hastily handed the peace charm she had obtained to Song Jiaojiao. "Jiaojiao, your aunt has high hopes for you." Song Jiaojiao was overjoyed. "Thank you, Aunt. Aunt, what about Sister..." "Qingcheng, Mother has a gift for her too." With that, Madam Jia had someone bring over a bronze mirror. "Qingcheng, this bronze mirror was given to me by my mother when I married. Though you are not my biological daughter, I have long regarded you as my own. This bronze mirror, I give to you." A bronze mirror... Chunyan, standing nearby, was absolutely furious. What did the lady of the house mean by this? Her young miss was about to be married off, and she was still humiliating her—giving her a bronze mirror, as if to remind her at all times just how ugly she was? The lady's heart was simply too wicked! Jia Qingcheng did not refuse. Instead, she had Chunyan accept the bronze mirror. She knew full well that her stepmother was mocking her for being so ugly that she was only fit to marry the dying Prince Chu as a "joy-bringer" bride. She did not get angry either. Drawing a deep breath, she looked at Madam Jia and asked, "Is there anything else?" "No, that will be all. You may go." Jia Qingcheng turned to leave, but after a few steps, she heard her stepmother call out to stop Song Jiaojiao. She knew the relationship between those two ran deep, but the people she had sent to investigate their backgrounds had not yet returned. Without evidence proving a connection between the two, she could not act rashly. Back in her room, Chunyan angrily tossed the bronze mirror aside. "Young miss, the lady is bullying us! Who gives someone a bronze mirror as a wedding gift?" "It's fine." Jia Qingcheng was not angry in the least. Soon, she would make everyone know exactly whether she deserved to look into a mirror or not. "Young miss, what are you thinking? The lady humiliates us like this, and you don't even say a word! And on top of that, she wants you to give half your dowry to the young miss from the maternal side. Why should you? That's the property your mother left you—how can you just..." "Pay her no mind. Let her say what she wants; I'll do what I want. Go prepare the carriage. We're going to the gold shop." The gold shop? ... At the entrance of the gold shop, as Jia Qingcheng's carriage pulled up, Chunyan immediately recognized the carriage across the street as belonging to the Pei family. "Young miss, the Pei family's carriage is here too." Jia Qingcheng lifted the carriage curtain and glanced across. Sure enough, she saw that the carriage was indeed the Pei family's. Could Pei Wuliang be inside? "Young miss, perhaps we should wait a moment. Pei Wuliang might be in there." Wait? Why should she wait? Jia Qingcheng slowly lifted the curtain and stepped down from the carriage. Sure enough, the moment she got off, she saw Pei Wuliang walking out of the shop, a golden marriage certificate in hand, a pleased expression on his face—and he ran straight into her.