Chapter 178 Drowning

"I came here today to help her escape her misery. You think you can just dismiss me with a few words? Don't even think about it!"

Princess Runing was adamant, but Xiao Su's eyes flickered, and he suddenly discerned another meaning in her words.

If they can't be dismissed with just a few words, then it means there are conditions to be discussed.

"Princess Runing, please tell me clearly that I will do my best to do whatever is within my power."

Xiao Su raised his eyes and looked at the Princess Consort of Runing in the high position, his expression earnest.

To everyone's surprise, Princess Runing seemed to have heard some absurd joke. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a cold smile, and her eyes showed obvious disdain and mockery.

"Is that so? What if I told you that if you completely sever ties with that mistress and then drown her, I would take it upon myself to persuade the Lin family to give up? What would you do then?"

The sheer sarcasm on her face made Xiao Su incredibly embarrassed.

After hearing what she said clearly, he was even more ashamed and angry, and his eyebrows furrowed sharply.

Princess Consort of Runing did this on purpose. She knew he couldn't possibly drown Xiao Yuyao, yet she still said it, showing she was determined to take Lin Hui away!

Princess Runing glanced at him dismissively.

"What, you don't want to?"

“What does this have to do with them? It’s all my fault,” Xiao Su said. “Gu Linyan is still being held in the Princess’s residence, and I can no longer have any contact with her.”

"And what about that mistress? You're so protective of her, but who knows if you're just using this as a pretext to do something else, and that you have no remorse whatsoever?"

"Yu Yao is a member of my Xiao family. It's just a matter of giving her a meal; there's no need to go so far as to wipe her out!"

"How laughable! A concubine's daughter has been usurping the throne for fourteen years. Now that the truth has come out, you still want to live on and continue to hurt Hui'er? Have you forgotten that if it weren't for the help of the Lin family and the Prince of Runing's Mansion, your Xiao family in Jiangnan would have declined for many years. How could you have risen to the position of Minister again?"

Princess Consort of Runing spoke with great vigor, each sentence reopening old wounds for Xiao Su, bluntly stating how much favor the Lin family and the Runing Prince's Mansion had done for his rise to power.

Xiao Su clenched his fists tightly at his sides. He knew that losing his temper now would be unwise, so he could only suppress his anger, his facial muscles twitching slightly, and said:

"Why is Princess Runing so aggressive? You are not a relative of the Lin family, so you don't need to get involved in this mess."

He lowered his eyes, and his tone was no longer as humble and polite as before.

"This is a matter between the Xiao and Lin families. Princess Consort of Runing has rashly interfered. Is Prince Runing aware of this?"

"What a joke! Your mother-in-law and I are best friends. Even Hui'er calls me godmother. Do you think I can't stand for that?"

"I've given you the chance. Since you don't want it, I'm not going to waste my breath arguing with you. Let's go and take Hui'er away!"

After Princess Runing finished speaking, she immediately stood up and, supported by her maids, walked out with great vigor.

"Princess Consort of Runing!"

Xiao Su hurriedly got up to stop him.

"Princess Consort of Runing! Isn't your goal to make Yuyao disappear from the Xiao family? How about this, we each take a step back. I'll let Yuyao go to a temple to practice Buddhism while keeping her hair, as a way to do good deeds and accumulate merit. I'll also remove her name from the family genealogy. Is that acceptable?"

Princess Runing remained silent, but her expression clearly conveyed her meaning.

This was not the outcome she wanted. Either Xiao Yuyao would drown, or Lin Hui would divorce and return home; there was no room for negotiation.

"They say that a doting mother spoils her son. It seems that Old Madam Xiao spoiled you a lot in the past, which is why you are so incapable of distinguishing between what is important and what is not, and why you have such a backward sense of priorities..."

Seeing Xiao Su's appearance, Princess Runing was also somewhat disappointed. Back then, although the Xiao family had declined, Old Master Xiao was still a man of importance; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to bring Xiao Su's family to settle down in the capital.

Now, however, he has done something so shameless that he has become a laughing stock in the entire capital.

"Where is your wife? Take me to her!"

"this……"

The maidservant, who was asked the question, was taken aback. She cautiously glanced at Xiao Su's expression, clearly hesitant about whether to answer.

"What a loyal servant of the Xiao family! If you don't speak, someone else will. I'll just search every room. I refuse to believe I can't find a living person."

Princess Runing was arrogant and domineering, with an air of wanting to turn the Xiao family upside down.

"Take Princess Runing with you!"

Xiao Su gritted his teeth and forced himself to say those words.

The Lin family and the Prince of Runing's Mansion only dared to come directly to his door because they knew he had reservations and wouldn't release him easily. If he were to beg and plead, he would be putting himself at a disadvantage.

He refused to believe that Lin Hui wouldn't be gossiped about after returning to the Lin family.

She's already quite old, and she's given birth to four children for the Xiao family. Can she really remarry?

If she doesn't marry, given the current situation of the Lin family, how can they allow an old maid in her forties to live off them?

Besides, it is said that children are the flesh and blood of their mothers. Lin Hui may be willing to abandon that unfilial daughter who has turned her back on her ancestors, but she still has three sons at home, and she will never give them up easily.

I'm afraid they're just using this as an excuse to annoy him.

In short, Xiao Su firmly believed that Lin Hui would never actually divorce him!

"Father!"

Just as they were at a stalemate, a clear, youthful voice suddenly rang out from outside the hall.

"Jin-ge'er? Why are you back at this time?"

Xiao Su was taken aback and turned around to look. Standing at the door was a young man in yellow robes with red lips and white teeth. His features vaguely resembled those of Qi Yuxuan.

He stared in astonishment at the unfamiliar old lady in the hall, recalling the conversation he had just overheard, and still bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Princess Consort of Runing. I am Xiao Jin, the third son of the family."

Princess Runing glanced at him and asked, "Is this the twin brother of Princess Chang Le?"

Xiao Su had no choice but to agree, still wondering why the princes in the palace hadn't finished their studies yet, while Xiao Jin should still be in the palace.

Princess Runing's arrival was ill-intentioned, and he didn't want his child to witness his parents' divorce, so he could only patiently say to Xiao Jin:

"Jin-ge'er, you should go back and study. There's nothing for you to do here."

He wanted to send Xiao Jin away, who had returned early.

"Wait!"

Princess Runing called out to him.

"Xiao Jin, do you know why I've come here today..."

"Princess Consort of Runing!"

Xiao Jin raised her voice, interrupting what she was about to say.

"What, you dare to do it but not admit it? Your sons all know what kind of person you are, so why are you being so awkward and hiding it now?"

"Come, come with me to find your mother!"

Princess Consort of Runing acted quickly, taking two steps forward, grabbing Xiao Jin's wrist, and heading in the direction led by the maid.

Xiao Jin looked at the old lady holding his wrist, then glanced at Xiao Su behind him who had tried to stop him but failed. He lowered his eyes and followed her for a few steps.

"Madam, are you here to take Mother away? Father and Mother... are they really getting a divorce?"

"What, after such a scandal, you don't want your parents to divorce?"

Princess Consort of Runing assumed that Xiao Jin did not want his parents to divorce, leaving him a motherless child, and therefore her attitude was not particularly kind.

“Let me tell you, this matter has already spread throughout the capital. Your maternal grandmother personally sent me a message, asking me to take your mother away. Besides, if it weren’t for a divorce, which family would dare to marry their daughter into your family? Like father, like son. Your father has set a ‘good’ example for you!”