Cui Yunfeng clearly hadn't thought that much about it, and she gave a slight nod in agreement.
After Nanny Li left, Cui Yunchu spoke up, seemingly casually, "Father is also at home today. I expect he will be dining at Grandmother's Songhe Courtyard as well."
Cui Yunfeng immediately recalled what had happened in the corridor earlier today, her face turning slightly pale.
"Eldest Sister, if Father scolds me, you must help me."
Her father was the person she feared the most.
Cui Yunchu gave Cui Yunfeng a somewhat helpless look. Hadn't she made herself clear enough?
"With Father's temper, even I can't hold him back."
Cui Yunfeng curled her lip. "Impossible. Every time Father gets angry, you almost always manage to escape punishment unscathed. You have the best methods for dealing with him."
"."
Cui Yunchu cast a sidelong glance at Cui Yunfeng. "Can we not bring up those embarrassing things from the past?"
"Eldest Sister," Cui Yunfeng said, vigorously shaking Cui Yunchu's arm. "I am your absolute cutest younger sister. Could you really bear to just stand by and watch?"
Cui Yunchu sighed. "Rest assured, Father won't do that. As long as... you can manage not to cry."
No wonder Grandmother refused to let her marry Prince An. With her meager wits, she wouldn't even amount to a side dish for Prince An.
When the two sisters walked hand in hand to the Songhe Courtyard, dinner had already been set. Just as Cui Yunchu had predicted, Prime Minister Cui was also there.
He was talking about something with Old Madam Cui, his expression solemn. His usually sharp eyes held a deep, hidden sorrow today.
"Father, Grandmother," the two sisters greeted in unison, bowing.
Old Madam Cui said affectionately, "Quickly, rise. Today, Nanny Li ordered the kitchen to prepare all the dishes you two sisters like. Come sit down."
Prime Minister Cui, on the other hand, furrowed his brows and looked at the two sisters. His heavy gaze sent a chill down Cui Yunfeng's spine.
She tugged at Cui Yunchu, avoiding the seat near Prime Minister Cui, and sat down right next to her sister.
The dinner proceeded in complete silence; no one spoke a word. Even Prime Minister Cui, who usually loved to lecture the two sisters, was exceptionally quiet.
Only then did Cui Yunfeng's heart finally settle.
However, she had suffered from a poor appetite these past few days and set down her chopsticks after only a few bites.
Old Madam Cui looked at her visibly sunken little face and her heart ached. "Yunfeng, are the dishes not to your liking? Shall I have the kitchen make something else? Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
Prime Minister Cui also looked over at her.
Cui Yunfeng immediately shook her head. "Grandmother, I am full."
Growing up, Cui Yunfeng had always been the easiest child to raise. She ate well, slept well, was obedient, and never caused anyone to worry.
Seeing her like this today, how could Old Madam Cui not know that her heart was tied up in knots of unhappiness?
She couldn't help but feel a deep pang of sympathy, but given the current situation, what could anyone do?
They could only blame the fact that Prince An was born into the royal family.
After the dinner was cleared away, the family moved to the Old Madam's Songhe Hall, where Nanny Li served tea.
Seeing this setup, Cui Yunchu knew they were about to discuss serious matters.
Yet Cui Yunfeng remained completely oblivious, her head bowed as she fiddled with the tassels on her handkerchief.
Cui Yunchu only hoped she wouldn't cry too loudly later.
Old Madam Cui looked at Cui Yunfeng and opened her mouth several times but couldn't bring herself to speak. Finally, it was Prime Minister Cui who spoke up.
"As the Prime Minister and the head of the civil officials, I plan to host a banquet at our residence tomorrow to invite this year's new metropolitan graduates over for a chat. Your grandmother is getting on in years, and you two sisters have been learning how to manage the household for quite some time now. Tomorrow's banquet will be left to the two of you to organize."
The Cui family rarely hosted banquets. Because of their immense power, they feared the royal family might suspect them of forming factions for selfish gains.
The new graduates, on the other hand, mostly held low-ranking positions and lacked backgrounds. As the Prime Minister and the leader of the literati, Prime Minister Cui naturally had countless disciples, a fact the Emperor was well aware of.
Cui Yunchu frowned. Her father was planning to select a husband for Yunfeng from among the new graduates.
Would that work? Even minor officials from good families weren't considered good enough, let alone a graduate from a poor background. They probably didn't even have the capital to test the waters.
Cui Yunchu furrowed her brows and remained silent. Cui Yunfeng was also very surprised, but although she was obedient, she wasn't stupid. She immediately understood Prime Minister Cui's intention.
Her face froze, and it took her a long while to force a smile. "Father, there's no need... to rush into this, is there?"
Prime Minister Cui replied, "The matter is settled. Time is short. If there is anything you two sisters do not understand, ask your grandmother. Do not make any mistakes and let others laugh at us."
With that said, he stood up, bid Old Madam Cui farewell, and left the Songhe Courtyard.
"Father," Cui Yunfeng said, her voice already trembling with tears.
She had never expected her father and grandmother to act so swiftly.
Cui Yunchu tugged at her sleeve, making her sit down.
Old Madam Cui said, "Yunfeng, whatever your father does, it is all for your own good."
"Grandmother," Cui Yunfeng threw herself forward, crying for quite a while.
"Be a good girl. When you understand later on, you will appreciate his painstaking efforts."
Unable to bear the heartache, Cui Yunfeng stood up, curtsied, and left the Songhe Courtyard with her maid. Her shoulders heaved continuously, clearly crying hard.
Old Madam Cui let out a heavy sigh, her time-worn face filled with sorrow.
"Yunchu, thanks to you for keeping Yunfeng company these past few days."
Cui Yunchu shook her head and voiced the doubt in her mind, "Could it be that the person Father has his eye on is among this year's new graduates?"
Old Madam Cui had nothing to hide from Cui Yunchu and said directly, "It is this year's top scholar, Zhou Yuanmo."
Cui Yunchu naturally had some impression of this year's top scholar.
It was said that this man had brilliant literary talent and immense knowledge. The essays he wrote were exceptionally elegant. His talent was unquestionable; however, he came from a poor family, not even qualifying as a respectable humble household.
And such people were exactly what the large official families favored when their own sons were inadequate and they wanted to secure some official titles.
Substituting one person for another, changing names and surnames—it was all just a matter of sending a gift and saying a single word.
And Zhou Yuanmo, unsurprisingly, was impersonated by someone else and failed the exam. However, this man was extremely confident in his essay. He rewrote his exam paper from memory and went to the Ministry of Personnel to inquire about the reason for his failure.
Through these back-and-forths, he learned that he had been impersonated, and with solitary bravery, he intended to take his case directly to the Emperor.
How he eventually ended up pleading before her father, Cui Yunchu wasn't entirely clear. But she heard that her father cherished talent, took charge of the matter for him, and restored his title as the top scholar.
Her father had done him a great favor. If Yunfeng married him, she would presumably be treated well. Furthermore, this man had an upright temperament with a bit of pride...
If the fate of Chen Jiuhe from her previous life were to befall him, she feared... the consequences would be unimaginable.
He didn't have the ability to fight Prince An to the bitter end, but he had the desperate courage to burn his bridges and stand his ground.
Cui Yunchu scratched her head, feeling a headache coming on.
"Grandmother, will he really do?"
Old Madam Cui also slightly furrowed her brows. "You've seen it these past few days. Prince An is pressing hard. If Yunfeng's marriage isn't settled soon, I fear things will become even more hopelessly entangled. Since your father has chosen that man, naturally, he has his own considerations."
What else could Cui Yunchu say? She could only offer a word of caution. "Grandmother, Prince An is not a peaceful person at his core. You and Father... had best keep your guard up."
Old Madam Cui nodded, and then changed the subject to Cui Yunchu's marriage. "I heard that the Chen family sent you invitations a few days ago, and you rejected them all."
Cui Yunchu nodded. "I suppose the Chen family will understand what we mean."
Old Madam Cui replied, "It is just a pity. The old madam and the matriarch of the Chen family are of such generous and kind character."
With Tang Qingwan and the Crown Prince's grand wedding approaching, Old Madam Cui was very worried about Cui Yunchu's marriage.
"You may go back first, let your grandmother think it over a bit more."
Cui Yunchu stood up and took her leave. She was actually less concerned about her own marriage than she was about Cui Yunfeng's.
Prince An's Manor.
"Your Highness, Your Highness," a young eunuch rushed into the study.
On the desk, there were no documents or files, no brush, ink, paper, or inkstone. There was only a snow-white cat lying lazily there. Xiao Yi leaned back in his chair, his fingertips gently stroking back and forth under the cat's chin.
Though his movements seemed very gentle and casual, his eyes were distinctly cold.
"She is willing to see me," he said in a very light tone.
The young eunuch trembled slightly and braced himself to say, "News just came back saying that Prime Minister Cui is hosting a banquet at his residence tomorrow, inviting this year's new scholars over for a gathering."
Xiao Yi's fingertips paused. His knuckles turned slightly pale from exerting force, and the corners of his wicked, peach-blossom eyes curled into a sharp arc.
He slightly raised his eyes and looked at the young eunuch, his gaze exceptionally calm. "Oh, is that so?"
He began to laugh, but it made one feel exceptionally terrified and sent chills down the spine.
"Tell me, is it because I have been too restrained and too accommodating? Otherwise, how could my father-in-law be so unbridled and not take me seriously at all?"
He truly did not understand what was so good about supporting that good-for-nothing. Whatever he could give Tang Qingwan, he could also give Yunfeng. As long as the Cui family became the father-in-law to the Emperor, what difference did it make which daughter was married off?
