Chapter 432

Lin Ruojun accompanied Cheng Ming as they entered the Qian Ting of the princess's residence; Cheng Ming had an injury and was not walking very steadily.

The young couple finally stopped before the Grand Princess, both kneeling down to kowtow to her.

The grandmother on the side smiled as she handed the teacup to Lin Ruojun, who lifted it high; being a newlywed, her face bore a touch of shyness.

"Mother! Please have tea!" Lin Ruojun presented the teacup before the Grand Princess.

Unexpectedly, the Grand Princess sat there without taking the tea; Lin Ruojun's expression flickered with surprise, and she dared not set the cup down, continuing to hold it aloft.

The Grand Princess looked at the daughter-in-law before her and said lightly, "You were raised pampered in the Lin family; now that you have come to my princess's residence, you must possess the bearing and rules of a young lady of the house."

"Moreover, you know full well how you came to marry into my princess's residence."

"The century-old reputation of my princess's residence cannot be allowed to be destroyed by others..."

With each sentence she spoke, Lin Ruojun's face grew paler, the arm holding the teacup tensed tightly, even trembling slightly.

If anyone else mocked her like this, she would surely not tolerate it, but this woman is Cheng Ming's mother, her mother-in-law, so she can only endure it.

Seeing Lin Ruojun obediently listening to the lecture, the Grand Princess felt somewhat relieved.

First release website htt

It wasn't that she, as a mother-in-law, was being harsh; this Lin Ruojun, as a young lady from the inner chambers, disregarded propriety and acted willfully.

A woman actually dancing with spears, studying military tactics, and mingling daily in the army camp—it's truly unsightly.

She cannot let this woman ruin the rules of her princess's residence!

The Grand Princess eased her tone, continuing with a stern face: "Besides, you used to enjoy martial arts, but now that you are a lady of the inner quarters, you must observe the propriety befitting an inner-quarters lady."

"Each day you must copy ten passages of scriptures and women's precepts to cultivate yourself and nurture your heart."

"You are forbidden from touching weapons or military texts again!"

"Mother!" Cheng Ming suddenly rose to his feet, staring coldly at the Grand Princess.

The Grand Princess was busy admonishing the newly arrived daughter-in-law, not expecting her son to lose his temper.

Cheng Ming looked at his own mother and felt a headache; his mother used to be an open-minded woman, yet after bringing a wife home she turned out to be so hateful.

At first he endured it, hoping that once his mother finished speaking he could take Lin Ruojun away and then privately comfort her, but he didn't expect his mother's words to become increasingly outrageous.

He could no longer bear it, looked at his mother and said, "What are you saying?"

"What's with banning swords, forbidding the study of military tactics—why not simply forbid her from eating, sleeping, even breathing?"

"Ruojun is a living person; she married into our princess's residence, she is not a slave sold into our princess's residence—well, even if she were a slave sold into our princess's residence, you cannot so restrict her many freedoms."

"To speak of the princess's residence's century-old reputation is laughable; you and my father have only been married for twenty-odd years—where does a century come from?"

"What's wrong with Ruojun? Look at those affected noble ladies in Shang Jing—none of them are as lovable, clever, and vigorous as my Junjun."

As the words "vigorous and spirited" left Cheng Ming's mouth, the expression on the kneeling Lin Ruojun's face almost twitched.

The Grand Princess was even more stunned; as the saying goes, "After taking a wife, one forgets one's mother"—yet having just brought her home a few hours ago, he is already defying her for a woman's sake.

"You... you..." the Grand Princess trembled with anger, wanting to scold him, but this child is her dearest treasure; having endured the journey, she truly cannot bear to part with him.

"Wicked son! Do you intend to anger me to death?"

A flicker of guilt passed through Cheng Ming's eyes; he solemnly looked at his mother and said, "Mother, I am begging you."

"Ruojun is a good girl; please cherish this daughter-in-law."

"Life is to be lived for oneself, not for show; I and Ruojun will treat you with filial piety, but you must also stop picking on her."

"In a few days, once my wound heals, I will take Ruojun into our Cheng family's White Tiger Regiment; she is a rare talent fit for command, she belongs where she belongs—not in some ridiculous inner quarters."

"When my son goes to the frontier in the future, he will also bring her along; Mother, stay at home and wait for your son and daughter-in-law to earn you an official rank."

"Mother, drink your tea, then go about your business when you're done!"

Cheng Ming snatched the teacup from Lin Ruojun's hand and shoved it straight into the stunned Grand Princess's grasp.

"Ruojun, let's go!"

Lin Ruojun was pulled up by Cheng Ming in one tug and dragged toward the outside of the Zheng Ting.

"You wretched thing!" the Grand Princess was truly driven mad by her son, about to throw the teacup in her hand away.

"Mother! Don't smash the teacup; it's inauspicious, the repercussions will fall on your son!"

The Grand Princess barely managed to retrieve the teacup she was about to throw, handling it with care, only then realizing she had been tricked by this brat again.

Cheng Ming had already led his wife to the entrance of the Zheng Ting, but he stopped, turned around, and looked at his mother, whose face had turned white with anger.

"Mother! Let's live our lives well; don't listen to those gossiping scoundrels in Shang Jing who stir up trouble—life is for ourselves, not for others' eyes."

"As the young master, my life needs no one's pointing fingers; you too should spread the word—whether inside or outside the manor, Ruojun is my wife; whoever dares to point fingers at our taking her as a secondary consort in the Prince Rui's residence, I, the young master, will chop off their fingers!"

"You should be more open-minded and obedient; if you also bully Ruojun like those people, not only will your son not stand for it, but you may never even hold your future grandchild."

Having spoken, Cheng Ming took Lin Ruojun, turned, and walked out of the Zheng Ting; the couple continued all the way to the moon-gate door leading to the rear courtyard before stopping.

Lin Ruojun lifted her gaze and steadily regarded her husband; his handsome face still bore the wound from yesterday's palace incident, which only accentuated his heroic air.

At this moment, due to his inner anger, his complexion had changed somewhat, becoming deeply sombre.

Such a monster in the eyes of Shang Jing's commoners, yet this time he has repeatedly protected him.

This person treats her genuinely well.

Lin Ruojun raised her hand, took hold of Cheng Ming's hand, and gave it a gentle shake.

"What are you doing?"

Cheng Ming's expression was awkward, yet his tone was very soft.

"Go back and apologize to Mother!" Lin Ruojun looked at him; although her lips curved with a smile, her eyes were resolute.

Cheng Ming blinked; his mother had spoken to her that way, yet she wasn't angry?

Sensing Cheng Ming's thoughts, Lin Ruojun smiled: "You stood up for me; I'm grateful. I also feel Mother's words were laced with hidden barbs, unpleasant to hear."

"But she is, after all, our mother; these years she has sacrificed untold amounts for you. Let us go apologize to her. From now on I will follow you to the frontier, to war on the battlefield—I will be like a plaster stuck to you. If you ever grow annoyed with me, I'll beat you; if you ever tire of me, I'll kill you!"

Cheng Ming's eye twitched; he swept Lin Ruojun into his arms, holding her tight, and whispered with a laugh and a curse: "You little brat, quite bold!"