Еvеrуоnе in thе room wаs stаrtlеd.
Nаnnу Lu, without waiting for Оld Мadam Guо to spеаk, stерреd forward tо support Madam Wеn. "Whаt has hаpреnеd? Сan't wе disсuss mаttеrs рroрerly? Thе оld madаm is advancеd in yeаrs and cаnnоt bеаr grеаt sоrrow or аngеr. Plеаsе rise аnd spеаk, Madаm Wеn."
Thоugh her words werе polite, а fliсkеr of disdаin flashed in her еуеs as shе signаlеd tо thе mаids arоund hеr.
Biуu and thе others snаpреd оut of thеir dаzе. Аgate went tо call several sturdу women, while Вiyu and thе othеrs hurriеdly stеpped forward, pulling and supporting Madam Wen to her feet.
Only then did Old Madam Guo's expression soften slightly.
Zhou Shaojin quickly helped Old Madam Guo sit down on a nearby daybed.
Nanny Lu coaxed Madam Wen into the side room to freshen up, while the matron who had accompanied Madam Wen was kept behind.
"What exactly is going on?" Old Madam Guo asked the matron sternly.
The matron trembled with fear and stammered, "That woman gave birth to a son, and our master has been away from home all day. Madam thought of arranging a marriage for Master Nuo early and, after much consideration, took a liking to a niece from her own family. Both families had already engaged matchmakers and were just waiting to pick an auspicious day to propose the match. But someone told the master about it. He rushed to the main room and scolded Madam fiercely..." She paused, timidly glancing at Old Madam Guo. Seeing that Old Madam Guo remained expressionless, she continued, "Madam argued with the master. In a fit of rage, the master grabbed a sword from the wall and tried to kill Madam... Madam had no choice but to flee here, hoping you would intervene and save her life..."
As she listened, Old Madam Guo pursed her lips impatiently and said wearily, "Since you were able to bring Madam Wen here, you must be someone close to her. Instead of advising your mistress and master to reconcile, you come before me spouting nonsense. Do you think this place is a vegetable market, where you can come and go as you please, speak and cause trouble at will? Nanny Lu, take this matron away and give her thirty lashes before questioning her further!"
Nanny Lu respectfully replied, "Yes."
The matron trembled like a leaf, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly. "Old Madam, this servant dares not speak! How could a lowly servant like me dare to comment on the affairs of my master and mistress?"
Old Madam Guo remained silent.
Nanny Lu sneered, "Comment? So you know it's improper to comment! Why didn't you dare speak in front of others, yet you dare to do so before our old madam? Who do you think our old madam is? She is not someone you can deceive with your twisted words!"
As she spoke, several sturdy matrons seized the woman.
Terrified, the matron cried out, "Old Madam, Old Madam, please spare me! It was the master... the master took a liking to that woman's niece. He said he wanted to arrange a marriage for Master Nuo, but how could our madam agree? That's why they argued..."
Old Madam Guo closed her eyes, unwilling to listen to her ramblings.
The sturdy matrons began dragging her out.
She pleaded loudly for mercy and even called out to Zhou Shaojin, "Second Cousin, please speak for this old woman! I will remember your great kindness for the rest of my life!"Standing nearby can still get you dragged into the water.
Could this be considered a disaster falling from the sky?
Zhou Shaojin didn’t even know what to say.
Old Madam Guo, who had originally only looked somewhat displeased, now erupted in thunderous rage. She slapped the tea table beside her and shouted, "I was wondering how the Fifth House’s perfectly good days could have turned into such a mess! So it’s all you old troublemakers stirring things up. A proper young lady standing right here, and you dare to shout and yell at her? Stuff her mouth shut, give her thirty strokes of the rod, and then call in the slave dealer to sell her off!"
Everyone in the room turned pale with fright, including Zhou Shaojin.
She had never seen Old Madam Guo lose her temper like this.
But Old Madam Guo seemed still unsatisfied, adding, "If this leads to any other troublemakers, sell them all off too!"
The Cheng family was known for its benevolence and virtue, not the kind where masters would casually threaten to beat or sell off servants when displeased.
It was clear that the old madam was truly furious this time.
Nanny Lu, sweating profusely down her back, replied fearfully, "Yes, madam." Meanwhile, Madam Wen rushed out from the side room, her hair disheveled.
"Eldest Aunt, Eldest Aunt," she cried, kneeling before Old Madam Guo. Biyu and the others, having already experienced such situations, quickly stepped forward and held Madam Wen up before she could kneel. Madam Wen paid no heed to this and tearfully pleaded with Old Madam Guo, "Please spare her! All these years, if it weren’t for these old servants keeping me company, I would have long been angered to death by the elder master! If she didn’t speak up, it was only to preserve my dignity..." Her gaze fell on Zhou Shaojin. "If she said something wrong, I’ll apologize on her behalf." Then, in a soft, pleading voice, she added, "Shaoji, for the sake of having grown up in Nine Prosperities Lane, won’t you plead for your Aunt Wen?"
How did this end up involving her again?
Zhou Shaojin was dumbfounded.
Old Madam Guo stood up and spat disdainfully at Madam Wen, her voice sharp and stern. "How dare you say that! The chaos in the Fifth House is all your doing..."
Madam Wen dared not accept such blame. Before Old Madam Guo could finish, she burst into tears. "Eldest Aunt, if you won’t help me, that’s fine, but don’t pin this fault on me! I... I... I might as well die!" With that, she tried to dash toward a nearby pillar.
Biyu and the others held her back tightly.
Old Madam Guo sneered contemptuously. "If she wants to die, let her! It’ll just make room for the one outside!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Wen collapsed to the floor as if struck by a cramp, wailing loudly.
Old Madam Guo gave her a cold glance, then extended her hand for Zhou Shaojin to support her as she headed toward the inner chamber.
Seeing this, Madam Wen panicked and cried out hoarsely, "Eldest Aunt!" She sobbed, "I spoke without thinking! Please forgive me this once! I’ll never dare again..."
All the maids and servants in the room lowered their heads, pretending not to hear or see anything. For a moment, the room fell silent, with only Madam Wen’s choked sobs echoing in the stillness.Old Madam Guo couldn't help but sigh, saying, "Was it like this when you two first married? After you finished serving your mother-in-law her meal and returned, Master Wen would still massage your legs. But look at you now? What man isn't like a child, needing to be coaxed? Yet you, listening to those old gossips' instigations, insist on competing with Master Wen to see who wins. When Master Wen yields to you, you listen to those old gossips saying he's afraid of you. And you, you just stir up even more trouble. Look, is he afraid of you now? Look at those around you—who isn't hiding private savings to buy houses and land outside?"
Madam Wen's face was full of shock, tears hanging on her cheeks, forgetting to cry, murmuring, "Some of it was me. I rewarded them!"
"Exactly!" Old Madam Guo said bluntly, "If you two hadn't been making such a fuss, could they have received so many rewards? I said the fifth branch is in such chaos because of you, and you still won't admit it."
Madam Wen's lips quivered, wanting to say more. But Old Madam Guo had already said, "Don't try to fool me in front of me. Tell the truth, what exactly did you say? What made Master Wen want to kill you? Master Wen isn't insane, to kill his own legal wife over a disagreement."
"I, I didn't say anything," Madam Wen's eyes flickered.
Old Madam Guo said lightly, "Then I have nothing more to say. Your own affairs, handle them yourself!" After speaking, she lifted her foot to leave.
But Agate came rushing over: "Old Madam, Master Wen is here!"
Old Madam Guo frowned slightly.
Upon hearing this, Madam Wen swiftly stood up. Like a rabbit, she darted behind Old Madam Guo, shouting, "Aunt, look! Look! He actually chased me here..."
Before she could finish speaking, Cheng Wen had already rushed in angrily, holding a gleaming sword.
Zhou Shaojin was horrified and, without thinking, shielded Old Madam Guo behind her.
A flicker of amusement passed through Old Madam Guo's eyes as she pulled Zhou Shaojin behind her.
But Cheng Wen threw the sword to the ground with a clang and knelt decisively before Old Madam Guo like toppling a mountain: "Aunt, you must stand up for me!" After saying this, he pointed angrily at Madam Wen, "This vile woman actually dared to insult my late father and mother! If I don't divorce her this time, I am unworthy of being a son!"
Madam Wen peeked out from behind Old Madam Guo, shouting sharply, "You need evidence for your words! When did I insult Father-in-law and Mother-in-law? You're slandering me like this just to make Nuo-ge marry that vile woman's niece... Aunt, you must stand up for me!"
Cheng Wen also called out "Aunt," saying, "That family just shares the same surname as that woman, and she says the girl is that woman's niece... She just wants to marry her own niece into our family. Aunt, you've seen it too, she's a seed of chaos. How can I let Nuo-ge marry another woman like her, ruining the descendants of our fifth branch?"
"What are you saying?" Madam Wen jumped out indignantly, saying, "How have I brought chaos to the family? How has my natal family offended you..."
The two of them started arguing in a tangle.
Old Madam Guo took Zhou Shaojin and left the hall, ignoring the shouts of Cheng Wen and his wife behind them, heading directly to Floating Emerald Pavilion.Zhou Shaojin attended to Old Madam Guo as she settled in the resting chamber, personally brewing a cup of Lu'an Guapian tea and presenting it to her.
Old Madam Guo accepted the teacup and said with a bitter smile, "The men of the Cheng family actually have quite good temperaments. It's a pity Wen's wife used the wrong approach!"
Zhou Shaojin comforted the elderly lady, saying, "After hearing your words today, she will surely reflect deeply in the future."
"I hope so!" Old Madam Guo held little optimism for the fifth branch, but some matters were not suitable to discuss with Zhou Shaojin, as she was still an unmarried young lady.
Zhou Shaojin then smiled and said, "Old Madam, shall I read Buddhist scriptures to you?"
Reading Buddhist scriptures brings peace to the heart, and with peace comes freedom from worries.
Old Madam Guo was somewhat surprised.
After all the recent commotion, Zhou Shaojin could still maintain her inner calm...
She couldn't help but feel intrigued and replied cheerfully, "That would be lovely."
Zhou Shaojin picked up a copy of Amitabha Sutra and began reading with great enthusiasm.
※
Dear brothers and sisters, today's update.
Actually, that doesn't sound right—it should be yesterday's update.
(>_<)
PS: There are typos; they can only be corrected in a few hours.
※ (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to...)
OpenNovel