SGEIRS -Chapter 279 Preparing to Remarry

That day, at the Luo family’s tea gathering.

The Luo family were natives of the capital and originally had many relatives and connections there. However, after Lord Luo had been sent to serve in another region, they had been away from the capital for many years, and their contact with old acquaintances had gradually dwindled.

Now that he had been transferred back to the capital and even promoted, those old connections were renewed. In addition, the families of his colleagues also came to visit. Many guests arrived that day, and the Luo residence became lively.

Meng Jinyao had not slept well the night before and got up a little late. By the time she arrived, most of the guests were already present. Fortunately, two guests arrived later than she did, so she was not the last to come.

All the women present came from families similar in status to the Luo family’s. Among them, Meng Jinyao held the highest position. As soon as she appeared, everyone became a little restrained. After all, the female members of the Changxing Marquis’ household rarely attended gatherings with them. They usually socialized with women from prominent aristocratic or high-ranking official families.

After greeting her uncle’s second wife, Meng Jinyao chatted with Madam Xu. When some ladies tried to strike up a conversation with her, she smiled and responded politely.

Seeing that she did not put on airs or act aloof like a lofty marquis’s wife, everyone gradually relaxed and felt at ease talking with her.

Still, gossip was unavoidable. One tactless lady asked without much consideration: “Madam Gu, I heard that after Madam Sun passed away, Second Miss Meng and Young Master Meng never went to visit her grave. Is that really true?”

As soon as she spoke, the atmosphere turned subtle. However, driven by curiosity, no one stopped her. Instead, they quietly turned their gazes toward Meng Jinyao, eager to hear the truth.

After all, rumors were just rumors. Who would know better than Meng Jinyao?

If it were true, then Madam Sun’s children would be terrifyingly cold-hearted—utter ingrates. No matter how vicious Madam Sun had been, she had never wronged her own children. Yet they had not even gone to pay respects at her grave.

Madam Xu frowned and was about to step in to block the question for her cousin. But when she saw Meng Jinyao gently shake her head, she held back.

Meng Jinyao gave her cousin a slight reassuring look, then calmly lifted her teacup and took a sip before replying unhurriedly: “I have heard such rumors. But whether they are true, I’m not certain. After all, the woman I called ‘Mother’ for more than ten years plotted to kill my biological mother and my younger brother. After that birthday banquet, I had no mind to pay attention to her affairs. I simply regarded her as a stranger.”

Her words showed that she had heard the rumors and also expressed her heartbreak over Madam Sun’s actions. At the same time, she did not deliberately pin the label of unfilial behavior on her younger siblings. Rumors were rumors; true or false, she had never bothered to verify them.

Whether she truly had not cared was known only to herself. The other ladies exchanged glances inwardly, thinking that she spoke with impeccable tact.

Soon, someone flattered her: “Madam Gu is truly kind-hearted. Back then, you didn’t even send her to the authorities. If it were someone else, who would be so forgiving? They wouldn’t care about ten-plus years of mother-daughter affection and would have torn into her on the spot.”

Another sighed: “Indeed. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which matters more—birth or upbringing. For Madam Gu to spare her out of gratitude for those years of care was already merciful. In the end, she sought death herself. That was retribution. They say that when the King of Hell decrees someone to die at midnight, they won’t live past dawn.”

Someone else echoed: “Exactly. It was her punishment—abandoned by everyone. She died, and not even her own children collected her body.”

Meng Jinyao merely drank her tea in silence.

In truth, she was not that soft-hearted. At the time, she had intended to destroy Madam Sun emotionally—have her divorced, rejected by her natal family, and taste the bitterness of total isolation—before finally reporting her to the authorities. She had never expected Madam Sun to dash herself to death at her family’s gate that very night.

At this moment, a lady who had been quietly observing her expression spoke cautiously: “Madam Gu, there’s something I’m not sure if you’ve heard.”

Meng Jinyao looked at her. “What is it? Please speak freely.”

The lady replied: “Yesterday, I was helping my cousin, who’s staying with me, look for a match. The matchmaker let something slip and mentioned that the Yongchang Marquis’s residence has hired a matchmaker. I thought Second Miss Meng is of marriageable age, but she’s still in mourning. The second young master is also too young, and the heir is even younger—and also in mourning.”

She did not finish her sentence, but everyone understood.

Among the children, those of suitable age were observing mourning, and those not in mourning were still too young. There was no need to rush into marriage arrangements.

So who else could it be?

Surely not the elderly Madam Meng remarrying—that would be absurd.

It had to be Marquis Meng Dongyuan.

The ladies looked at one another in astonishment.

His former wife had been divorced just last month, and she had also died last month. And already he was looking for a new bride?

Surprised as they were, they quickly accepted it.

After all, must a man remain chaste for a vicious ex-wife who had been cast aside?

He still had children to raise, and the household needed a mistress to manage affairs, finances, and social ties. Moreover, Madam Sun was the one who had done wrong. Marquis Meng was an innocent victim. His lawful wife and his eldest concubine-born son had both been killed by her. He was only in his thirties—remarrying was perfectly reasonable.

Meng Jinyao was also surprised.

Although she had anticipated this, she had not expected her father to act so quickly. A mother remarrying and a father taking another wife were things children could not prevent.

Seeing everyone fall silent—especially Meng Jinyao—the lady grew uneasy and hurriedly tried to cover herself: “Madam Gu, I might have misheard. It hasn’t been confirmed. Please don’t overthink it.”

Meng Jinyao’s expression returned to normal as she replied gently: “It may well be true. But elders’ affairs are not for juniors to interfere in. If Father truly remarries, we will naturally wish him and his new wife harmony and happiness.”

Hearing this, the lady relaxed and echoed, “Madam Gu is right.”

Madam Xu, afraid that her cousin might be upset, subtly steered the conversation elsewhere.

The other ladies restrained their curiosity and followed her lead.

Meng Jinyao wore a faint smile and sipped her tea calmly, though her thoughts drifted far away.

Fortunately, she had foreseen her father’s next move that day. Taking advantage of the situation, she had invoked her late mother, claiming that her spirit had appeared in a dream wishing for a son. With that, she persuaded her father and grandmother to register her second brother under her mother’s name, making him the legitimate son of the first wife.

With that status, a future stepmother would find it much harder to manipulate him. The difference between a concubine-born son and a legitimate son of the first wife was immense. Moreover, with her backing him as a marquis’s wife, no stepmother would dare to mistreat him lightly.

As for Madam Sun’s pair of children, they likely would not be so fortunate.

Madam Sun had committed grave wrongdoing and been divorced. Meng Jinyu and Meng Chengxing’s reputations were damaged. She and her second brother were not close to them. Unless the new stepmother was kind-hearted, those two would probably end up being bullied and suppressed.