SGEIRS -Chapter 270 Why Does She Deserve It?

Previously, Old Madam Gu had turned a blind eye to the small maneuvers between the First and Second Branches. But when the topic shifted to the imperial examinations, she became attentive. If the Gu family’s sons-in-law achieved success, it would benefit the Gu family as well. In the future, they could support one another.

Gu Xuanling replied, “My mother-in-law said that my husband ranked eighty-seventh in this autumn examination. His ranking was rather low, so the chances of him placing in next year’s spring examination are slim. He doesn’t plan to take it next year and wants to build up his strength first, then try again in three years.”

Madam Chen nodded. “That’s good too.”

Hearing this, Gu Xuanyi felt even more heartbroken. It was another heavy blow to her. She felt that her husband had been outshone by Liu Zifang once again. Her husband had failed the autumn examination this year, while her brother-in-law Liu Zifang had passed and earned the title of juren. Perhaps Liu Zifang would enter officialdom soon, while her husband still hadn’t secured a post.

Compared like this, it seemed her husband only had his family background to boast about. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Her cousin was clearly inferior to her in every way—so how was it that she was living a better life in every aspect?

After being hit with blow after blow, Gu Xuanyi became dispirited. Looking at her cousin’s radiant, happy smile, her heart grew even more unbalanced. In the past, without anyone to compare herself to, she could comfort herself by thinking that all new brides were like this. Now, with a comparison—especially to a concubine-born cousin whose status was lower than hers—she felt suffocated.

When she returned to Madam Zhang’s courtyard and spoke privately with her mother, she could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears streamed down her face as she threw herself into Madam Zhang’s arms and cried bitterly: “Mother, why am I so unlucky? Why did I end up with such a mother-in-law? I have to follow so many rules, serve her every day like a maid, and even get bullied by my sister-in-law. What am I worse than Gu Xuanling? She’s just a lowly concubine-born daughter—why does she get to live better than me?”

Seeing her daughter’s tear-streaked, resentful, and nearly broken expression, Madam Zhang felt heartache but was helpless. She sighed softly.

“Xuanyi, this is fate. I told you before about the problems with the Marquis Wu’an’s residence, but you wouldn’t listen and insisted on associating with them privately. Now that you’re married in, what can be done? For now, just serve your mother-in-law well. Once she’s satisfied, she won’t make things so difficult for you anymore.”

Gu Xuanyi was tired of hearing this and said angrily, “Mother, I’m not three years old. Don’t keep using this to comfort me. She’ll never be satisfied—never in this lifetime!”

Afraid that her daughter might offend her mother-in-law in her emotional state and make things worse, Madam Zhang hurriedly advised her earnestly: “You’ve only been married for a little over a month. These rules won’t last forever. After a year or so, things should improve. For now, endure it. Be respectful in front of your mother-in-law. No matter how unhappy you feel, don’t clash with her, or she’ll torment you even more.”

Gu Xuanyi couldn’t take it in. Tears fell as she sobbed, “What rules? She’s doing it on purpose! She wants to torment me for life! She was tormented by her own mother-in-law, so now she takes it out on me. Her mother-in-law wasn’t even her real one—it was a stepmother. I’m her real daughter-in-law. How can she treat me like this?”

Madam Zhang wiped her daughter’s tears and said gently, “Xuanyi, you’re someone else’s daughter-in-law now. Setting rules for daughters-in-law is customary. Mother can’t help you with this unless your mother-in-law goes too far.”

Her voice was full of helplessness. She herself was a mother-in-law. Although she hadn’t deliberately tormented her daughters-in-law, she understood that most mothers-in-law thought the same way: they wanted their daughters-in-law to experience the hardships they themselves had endured. They couldn’t stand to see their daughters-in-law live too comfortably. What could she do? She couldn’t interfere with her daughter’s in-laws. All she could do was advise her to be patient.

Hearing this, Gu Xuanyi cried even harder. She raised her hands and said, “Look at my hands—aren’t they rough now? And look, my fingers are all cracked. I’m a dignified heir’s wife, yet she won’t use her maids and makes me peel walnuts for her again and again!”

Madam Zhang looked down and saw that her daughter’s fingers were indeed broken. Her heart ached. Her daughter had never done rough work. As her mother, she had never even let her peel walnuts. She couldn’t bear it. But her in-laws could—after all, she was a daughter-in-law, not their own daughter.

Still, peeling walnuts for elders was an act of filial piety. If an elder wanted to eat them and asked a junior to peel them, it was perfectly normal. No one could criticize it. She couldn’t possibly go to her in-laws and make a fuss just because her daughter’s fingers were scraped from showing filial respect.

Seeing her mother fall silent, Gu Xuanyi suddenly stopped crying and choked out, “Mother, I’m your own flesh and blood. How can you be so indifferent and just let me be bullied?”

Madam Zhang had been feeling sorry for her, but these words made her upset. She retorted, “Then tell me—how should I help you? If you had listened to me back then, would you be suffering like this now?”

Gu Xuanyi opened her mouth but said nothing.

Madam Zhang patted the back of her hand and said earnestly, “If you want to change your situation, the quickest way is to gain status through having a child. You and your husband should work hard. Once you’re pregnant, your mother-in-law will ease up for the sake of her legitimate eldest grandson. She won’t make you attend morning and evening greetings anymore, lest overexertion harm the pregnancy—and that would hurt her grandson too.”

Gu Xuanyi lowered her head slightly, her eyelashes drooping, and said nothing.

Madam Zhang then gave her tips on how to conceive more easily. Seeing her daughter listless and silent, she comforted her further before leaving to check on the luncheon arrangements.

After leaving her mother’s courtyard, Gu Xuanyi ran into Gu Xiuming in the back garden. She didn’t want others to know about her grievances at her in-laws’ home. Except for her mother, she always spoke well of them to avoid becoming a laughingstock. Seeing him approach, she immediately put on a smile.

“Third Brother.”

Gu Xiuming nodded. Seeing her slightly swollen eyes, he asked with concern, “Eldest Sister, it looks like you’ve been crying. Did Brother-in-law bully you?”

Gu Xuanyi smiled awkwardly. “Third Brother is joking. How could my husband bully me? It’s just that the wind was strong and sand got in my eyes.”

Gu Xiuming didn’t doubt her and said with a smile, “That makes sense. Brother-in-law seems gentle and wouldn’t bully anyone. And the Marquess of Wu’an is kind too. A family like that is hard to find even with a lantern. Eldest Sister is truly blessed.”

Hearing this, Gu Xuanyi felt bitter inside, though she kept smiling. She answered perfunctorily and sent him off. Once he left, her smile collapsed.

Although there were many troubles in the Marquis Wu’an’s residence, her husband treated her fairly well. Still, there were things that dissatisfied her, but she didn’t dare tell her mother, for fear of harming their relationship. After all, she still liked her husband very much.

At this moment, the Heir of the Marquis Wu’an walked toward her. He had noticed her earlier but hadn’t approached since she was talking to Gu Xiuming.

When he came closer and saw her reddened eyes, he frowned slightly. Then he gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His gaze followed Gu Xiuming’s retreating figure as he asked softly, “Xuanyi, I saw you chatting and laughing with Third Brother just now. What were you talking about?”

Knowing her husband was somewhat sensitive and suspicious, and that he would investigate if he realized she had been crying, she seized the chance to explain with a smile.

“Some sand got in my eyes earlier. Third Brother didn’t know and thought you had bullied me, so I explained it to him.”

The heir relaxed and said gently, “Although it hasn’t snowed yet, the north wind is strong. Let’s go back inside so you don’t get sand in your eyes again.”

Gu Xuanyi nodded. “Alright.”