Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 804: Beyond the Extra: Ren (Part 2)

It must be said, Ma Yaosong truly knows his own mother-in-law well, and understands his wife even better.

The couple journeyed for over half a month before arriving at the Yu State Mansion. Reuniting with their in-laws was initially filled with excitement and joy, with tearful embraces, eager to recount their time apart.

But after only three days, the mother and daughter began to see faults in one another and started to voice complaints.

"Listen to the kind of things my mother says!" Chen Jinyu complained angrily to her husband: "She knows nothing, only blames me for giving up the good post of Imperial Attendant and coming to this poor place in Yu State to become an official. She doesn’t think about how, with our Chen Family serving right before the Emperor, one as Prime Minister, one as Imperial Attendant, over time even without forming a faction, a faction would form."

"The Emperor took so much time and effort to eliminate the factionalism and corruption in the court. How could my grandfather and I let the Emperor’s efforts go to waste? Stepping away from the palace was the best choice."

"Besides, all these years I’ve been by the Emperor’s side, and though I’ve gained his trust and regard, there have been few truly meritorious tasks. Many people behind my back have called me a flatterer."

"I must be a real significant minister and high official of Da Liang’s court, and should start from being a grassroots official."

"I have my own ideals and ambitions. My mother understands nothing and just nags."

As she spoke to the point of dry mouth and thirst, a cup of warm tea, just at the right temperature, was handed to her. Chen Jinyu took the tea, drank it in one go, and felt some of the pent-up anger inside her ease.

Ma Yaosong chuckled softly and said, "Your mother-in-law is just worried about you, don’t take it to heart."

Chen Jinyu snorted softly, "Don’t make excuses for her. A little part is for me, but the larger part is for my brother’s injustice!"

"My elder brother is a County Magistrate in Bowan County, who knows how many years he’ll have to endure before getting promoted. I, as the Imperial Attendant, got an external post as a Prefectural Governor. Far above my brother’s rank. Serving just one term and I can return to the Capital City, rotating to one of the Six Ministries. My mother is envious on my brother’s behalf!"

This is indeed the way of her mother-in-law.

Ma Yaosong coughed and lowered his voice, "Besides these reasons, could there be other causes?"

Chen Jinyu snorted again, "And then there’s the matter of Kang being taken into the palace to be Princess Bao’er’s companion. My mother feels it’s unfair for her precious granddaughter, thinking she should enter the palace as the Crown Prince’s Companion instead."

Mrs. Yao personally took care of her granddaughter for over a year, doting on her immensely. When coming to Yu State, she wanted to bring her granddaughter along, but her son and daughter-in-law were not willing. She had no choice but to leave her precious granddaughter behind. After arriving in Yu State, everything went smoothly, except she kept thinking about her granddaughter.

Now that her daughter has come, upon hearing of her grandson Kang’s good fortune, Mrs. Yao felt indignant for her granddaughter. Not daring to say the Emperor is biased, she whispered that her granddaughter entering the palace would be more fitting.

Chen Jinyu, hearing such biased words, was filled with pent-up anger.

Ma Yaosong no longer took his mother-in-law’s side: "Mother-in-law’s words are not quite right. You’ve been by the Emperor’s side for eleven years, such a bond, no one can compare. The Emperor taking Kang into the palace is not for the Chen Family’s face, but because of you."

"If they really wanted to choose a girl of similar age to accompany the Princess, there are plenty in the Capital City, why specifically choose from the Chen Family?"

Isn’t that so?

Chen Jinyu was extremely frustrated: "There’s no reasoning with her. Our conversation today made me so angry I got a headache. We’ll leave tomorrow, I don’t want to stay in this Yu State Mansion."

On the other side, Mrs. Yao was complaining to her husband: "This girl, the bigger she gets, the harder her wings grow. I just said a few words to her, and she gave me a look. I’m her real mother, gave birth to her and raised her, and I can’t even say a few words?"

Governor Chen gently reminded: "You gave birth to her, but it was her grandparents who raised her."

Mrs. Yao was momentarily at a loss for words and glared at her husband: "It’s not that I didn’t want to raise her. Wasn’t it you who insisted on keeping Jinyu with the old couple to fulfill filial duties for us, which led to our mother-daughter separation, causing our relationship not to be close? I say a few words to her, and she’s not happy."

Governor Chen patiently consoled his wife: "These are all past matters, no need to bring them up. Our Jinyu being the first female county magistrate of Da Liang, and possibly rotating to one of the Six Ministries, perhaps becoming a Minister of one department. Such glory to the family, as her mother, you will have respect and honor. Won’t this be noted in the family genealogy? What dissatisfaction could you have?"

Mrs. Yao was easily appeased, and her expression greatly softened after her husband’s words.

Governor Chen continued: "But you must know your limits when speaking to our daughter. Some things can be said, while others shouldn’t."

"Kang being taken into the palace to grow up with Princess Bao’er, and later, if the Emperor bestows the title of Crown Prince to Princess Bao’er, Kang will be the Crown Prince’s Companion. Such a fortune, instead of rejoicing for Kang, you speak sour words with no basis, saying how it would be more appropriate for our girl to enter the palace. Can you imagine Jinyu being pleased hearing that?"

Mrs. Yao, feeling a bit guilty, admitted, "I just said it offhand."

"Even offhand, it shouldn’t be said." Governor Chen, having served as Inspector of Yu State for three years, had grown more authoritative, and his stern face was particularly imposing: "The Emperor’s actions have profound meanings, and as a courtier’s wife, how can you criticize and interfere?"

"The Emperor and Jinyu have been close friends since youth, remaining steadfast over many years. The Emperor wishing to take Kang into the palace to raise is entirely due to the friendship with Jinyu. It is unrelated to the Chen Family, and has nothing to do with the Ma Family either."

"Furthermore, it’s not easy being a Companion to the Crown Prince. Of the four original Crown Prince Companions, only Vice Minister Wang remains standing. What were the fates of the other three?"

Jiang Yi, Li Boyuan, and Zheng Chen, regardless of the reasons, all met untimely ends in their youth.

Hearing this, Mrs. Yao shivered involuntarily, clutching Governor Chen’s sleeve, "If it’s that perilous to become a palace companion, our girl shouldn’t go."

Governor Chen managed to frighten his wife, a smile forming in his heart while he sighed repeatedly: "Indeed, having our girl grow up safely with her parents is a blessing. One mustn’t be overly ambitious."

Mrs. Yao, having a conscience, began to worry about their grandson: "Why don’t you write a letter to father-in-law, asking him to look after Kang, and not let him suffer in the palace."

Governor Chen smiled and nodded, secretly thinking there was perhaps another deeper meaning to the Emperor bringing Kang into the palace.

If Princess Bao’er were to be bestowed as Crown Prince and thus the future Emperor of Da Liang, reaching adulthood would also mean selecting a consort. The Emperor bringing Kang into the palace and personally overseeing is likely a way to assess Kang’s character. It’s conceivable that Kang might become the future Crown Prince Consort!

Of course, these thoughts were kept from his wife. To prevent resentment in her heart, and to stop her from stirring trouble with their daughter with envious words, causing their daughter and son-in-law any discomfort.

Mrs. Yao, not being foolish, pondered for two days and came to a similar realization. Secretly pulling Chen Jinyu aside, she privately asked, "Do you think our Kang might have the fortune to become Princess Bao’er’s consort?"