Because of Lishi’s attitude, Duchess Denis Withlow, who had been pretending to be in distress since last night, decided to head to the dining hall for lunch.
The mansion’s dining hall was a large space with several tables spread out for many guests.
Today’s lunch was mushroom soup and salad topped with cheese, pie filled with minced meat, pasta with fish, and milk pudding for dessert.
It didn’t offer as many options as when dining in the Duke’s mansion, but it was delicious.
“The cook of this mansion seems to have good skills.”
Upon Denis’s remark, Brittany frowned.
“It’s not about the cook’s skills. Dad, is the issue with the crown prince going well?”
“Yes, Brittany. According to the royal family, the crown prince’s followers like our family the most.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Because of the second prince’s movements, the crown prince cannot stand still, so he will hurry to marry. He is already late in marrying, and the Emperor is urging him, so there will be news soon.”
Brittany chewed her lower lip.
She wished to hear the news immediately.
If she were to marry the crown prince, she would invite Lishi to a more lavish wedding than Lishi’s own.
A dress fancier than Lishi’s, guests of higher status than Lishi’s.
At the wedding receiving everyone’s blessings, she wanted to see Lishi’s face distorted with jealousy.
“Do you think the crown prince will come to this wedding?”
“He probably won’t. He is a ruined official. Maybe the royal family will send the third or fourth prince?”
“I guess so.”
But my wedding will be different.
It is the wedding of the crown prince of the largest Gabiar Empire on this continent, so no one can refuse the invitation.
As Brittany imagined herself standing next to the crown prince, the restaurant door opened and the Green Duke and Duchess entered. Gloven and Denis, who did not know that the Duke and Duchess of Green were here, were surprised and turned to look at them.
When the Duke and Duchess of Green noticed the Withlow family and slowly walked over, Gloven and Denis rose from their seats. Although their status was higher, the other party was the ‘Green Duke’.
“Duke of Green. Duchess.”
“Duke Withlow.”
The parents of both families exchanged brief nods.
The Duke and Duchess of Green sat at the table next to the Withlow family.
“I didn’t know you were here.”
“We had to come early to watch our son’s wedding. If we had known of your visit, we would have greeted you earlier.”
“Oh, it’s alright. This meeting is enough.”
An awkward silence ensued.
Then the butler came in and served lunch at the Duke’s table.
“By the way… is our Iris… enough for you…”
Denis carefully opened his mouth. Heraina wore a graceful smile.
“Not just enough. She is an overflowing daughterinlaw for our son. Such a lovely and clever girl. We think of her as our daughter, so you don’t have to worry, Duchess.”
‘Lies.’
That’s what Brittany thought. She didn’t want to believe that Lishi was favored by the Duke and Duchess.
‘They are just saying that. Because they are in front of our family.’
Brittany’s lips twitched.
She’s a liar. She’s terrible. Have you seen her clothes? You should have seen how arrogantly she behaved in front of us.
A lot of words were circling in her mouth.
“Maybe because our daughter has been protected and lived in the family, she lacks in many ways. Maybe she might behave rudely in front of the Duchess, so I hope you would teach her with a generous heart.”
“I’ve said there’s no lack, why do you keep highlighting it… It seems the Duchess wants me to become a stepmother who picks on every action of Iris.”
At Heraina’s sharp comment, Denis was at a loss for words.
Denis and Heraina were of similar ages, but there was little in common between Heraina, who had been the princess of Aloror Kingdom, and Denis, who was the daughter of the Duke of Gabijar Empire.
Denis did not know Heraina’s character well.
“By the way, is that teaching… referring to beating, Duchess?”
At Heraina’s followup question, Denis closed her mouth tightly and looked at Gloven.
“Heh, heh. How we’ve nurtured our Iris… We raised her without letting a single drop of water touch her, just cradling her with love. The flower of the Wittlow Duke House. You must have heard the rumors.”
Despite Glover’s excuses, Heraina’s cold lips did not relax.
“When I held that child’s hand, it was not a hand untouched by water. It was even rougher than the maids who do the housework every day, making me wonder if the flower of the Wittlow Duke House was not a weed after all.”
A brief silence fell.
Dennis’s eyes roamed around.
“Did our Iris say such a thing?”
“Iris didn’t say that. I just inferred it.”
“That’s too much, Countess. Evaluating our daughter like that is an insult to our lineage.”
“I only said what I saw. If it’s not true, I’m sorry.”
There wasn’t a hint of remorse in Heraina’s cold eyes.
Glover coughed awkwardly.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
