Cui Yunchu recalled the entanglement between Cui Yunfeng and Prince An in their past life.
It had truly been a bitter struggle that delayed others and ruined herself.
Actually, the present situation was not bad either. At least there were no regrets and no unwillingness. Personal karma did not involve others, even if it meant fighting to the death.
Cui Yunchu had found it hard to understand at first, but after trying to shift her perspective, she could comprehend it.
For instance, if she had to choose between marrying a poor scholar, living a life of stumbling and penny-pinching, or marrying a prince to become a princess consort, living a life of piled gold and jade, enjoying momentary grace and nobility...
She would definitely choose the latter.
Coming out of the Pine Crane Garden, she ran into Yun'er, who was hurriedly looking for her halfway down the path.
"Eldest Miss, the Master has flown into a terrible rage. Please go and save the Second Miss."
Cui Yunchu's expression remained very calm. She cast a glance at Yun'er and continued on her way back to her own Chu Courtyard.
"Eldest Miss." Yun'er blocked her path.
Cui Yunchu frowned. "I am not an immortal. How can I save her?"
Besides, their father's doting on Cui Yunfeng came from the very bottom of his heart. As long as the sky did not fall—no, even if the sky did fall, he would shoulder it for her.
As for how he treated her...
It was better left unsaid.
Asking her, a concubine-born daughter, to save a legitimate daughter who was loved by all??
Cui Yunchu chuckled. "Yun'er, you are becoming more and more ridiculous."
Yun'er was completely baffled. "Eldest Miss, the Master said he is going to beat the Second Miss to death. Are you truly going to stand by and do nothing?"
It was all loud thunder but little rain. Cui Yunchu did not care in the slightest. "He is just scaring Cui Yunfeng. There is no need to fear."
Let alone beating her to death, even making her kneel in the ancestral hall would be considered a heavy punishment.
"If you have nothing else to do, you can prepare some bedding and food to hide in the ancestral hall. Trust me, it will definitely come in handy."
Furthermore, since Cui Yunfeng dared to act, she should have thought of the consequences before going.
Cui Yunchu had no intention of going.
Her father would not bear to heavily punish Yunfeng. But towards herself, perhaps because he felt that a crooked upper beam leads to a crooked lower one, or perhaps because he believed a daughter takes after her mother, he always held some prejudice.
He was good to his children and had a soft heart, but his grudge against her mother, the concubine, was also real. Disliking her mother, how could he like the daughter raised by her?
Even if he tried to hold the bowl level and treat them equally, many things were ultimately different. For example, the ancestral hall was practically Cui Yunchu's exclusive domain.
"Rest assured, your young lady will be fine. But if I go, I might be the one in trouble."
Cui Yunchu turned to leave, but Yun'er was relentless. "Eldest Miss, this time is different from before. Please help the Second Miss. You always have the best way of handling the Master."
"..."
The best way? But when had she ever retreated unscathed? Even the lightest punishment involved kneeling in the ancestral hall for a whole night.
Cui Yunfeng always felt that their father favored her, Cui Yunchu, but that was only because Yunfeng had never made a mistake in front of their father; there was simply no comparison.
But wasn't that in itself a form of partiality?
Cui Yunchu refused to go, but Yun'er looked as if the sky were falling and her young lady would not survive, forcefully dragging Cui Yunchu to the rescue.
When Cui Yunchu arrived, the entire courtyard was very quiet.
The servants had all withdrawn far away. Cui Yunfeng was kneeling at the door of the study, clearly having been kicked out, and the study doors were tightly shut, with not a sound coming from inside.
Cui Yunfeng was still pleading bitterly, "Father, this is the only time your daughter has ever begged you for anything since childhood. Please agree to my request."
She kowtowed, her forehead stained with traces of blood.
The study door suddenly creaked open. It was Steward Wang, who served beside Prime Minister Cui. He softly advised, "Second Miss, the Prime Minister has already settled the matter with Top Scholar Zhou and will not change his mind. Please go back. The Prime Minister has guests arriving soon."
"I won't leave." Cui Yunfeng was extremely stubborn. "If Prince An requests a marriage decree from His Majesty, will Father defy an imperial edict?"
"Insolent!" An angry roar came from the study, accompanied by the sound of something shattering.
Cui Yunfeng was startled, but she still did not back down.
She looked back and caught sight of Cui Yunchu, who had just entered the courtyard. Hope ignited in her eyes.
Her eldest sister was the best at dealing with their father.
She hurriedly wiped her tears and waved at Cui Yunchu.
"..."
Since she was already here, Cui Yunchu could not just turn around and leave. She had no choice but to brace herself and step forward.
Cui Yunfeng said, "Eldest Sister, what should I do? Please help me."
Steward Wang's gaze fell on Cui Yunchu, and he bowed. "Eldest Miss."
Cui Yunchu nodded. "Alright, you can go inside. This has nothing to do with you anymore."
"???"
Steward Wang froze for a moment, then, urged by Cui Yunfeng, he returned to the study.
Cui Yunchu said, "Close the door."
Steward Wang obediently closed the door, completely forgetting the Prime Minister's order to receive the honored guest.
With the person gone and the door closed, Cui Yunfeng looked at Cui Yunchu. "And then? What do I do?"
"Cry for your mother."
"What???" Her mother had been dead for so many years that she had absolutely no memory of her. "I... I don't know how."
Her face covered in tears, Cui Yunfeng looked at Cui Yunchu in bewilderment.
Cui Yunchu sighed. She truly was an unteachable child.
"Just think about what it's like for others to have a mother's love, and how pitiful it is that you don't."
Cui Yunfeng paused again, then immediately shook her head. "I am not pitiful."
She had her grandmother's love. Besides, all three of them were motherless; there was no difference.
"..." Cui Yunchu turned to leave, but Cui Yunfeng hurriedly grabbed the hem of her dress.
"Don't go! Teach me. If all else fails, you say a line, and I will repeat it."
You're just afraid Father won't know it was my wicked idea, aren't you?
Cui Yunchu glanced at the hem of her dress, which Cui Yunfeng was clutching like a lifeline, and helplessly rubbed her forehead.
"As long as you help me, you will be the greatest benefactor to Xiao Yi and me. We will do anything for you. At worst, I will give you all my jewelry sets."
Standing at the study door, Steward Wang listened to the sisters' whispers. Unable to bear the sight, he covered his face and turned his head away.
Cui Yunchu was truly a bit tempted. Although she knew it was highly inappropriate, she simply could not control her love for gold, silver, and treasures.
The thought of her chests being filled with all kinds of luxurious jewelry sets was... irresistible.
At most, she would just get punished alongside her. All things considered, it wasn't a loss.
Thinking of this, Cui Yunchu crouched down close to Cui Yunfeng. "Father~"
Cui Yunfeng looked at Cui Yunchu, a bit dazed.
Cui Yunchu felt exasperated at her failure to make good. "...What are you looking at me for? Repeat after me."
A fool's money was truly hard to earn.
Cui Yunfeng hurriedly followed her lead. "Father~"
Cui Yunchu instructed, "Cry! Do you know how to cry? Say it while crying. What use is it if you sound like you're chanting scriptures?"
Cui Yunfeng let out a few "ohs" of realization and then started to wail and shout, "Father~"
"Make it sound more miserable," Cui Yunchu guided, before continuing, "My mother's greatest wish must have been for me to marry a good man and live a life of joy."
Cui Yunfeng quickly parroted her.
"Your daughter does not like Top Scholar Zhou. Even if I marry him, I will not be happy. If my mother sees me depressed from the underworld, she will surely be heartbroken too."
"If my mother were alive, she definitely would not bear to see me live in such pain. You wouldn't want that either, right?"
"Mother! Come back to life and look at your daughter. Your daughter is so miserable!"
"..." Cui Yunfeng turned her head stiffly to look at Cui Yunchu. "Eldest Sister, we can probably skip that last line, right?"
She truly couldn't force any tears out.
Cui Yunchu thought about it for a moment and nodded. "Alright. Just keep crying. Cry about how other girls have mothers to dote on them, to help arrange their marriages, to spoil and protect them, while you have no one. Sound as pitiful as possible."
"Got it." Cui Yunfeng opened her mouth and began to wail, but then abruptly stopped. She lowered her voice and asked Cui Yunchu, "What is it actually like to have a mother who dotes on you?"
Cui Yunchu was stumped by the question.
She had a mother, but her mother did not love her.
So, what was life truly like for a young lady who grew up pampered and endlessly cherished by her mother?
