"Zhu Tangwen, you've got some nerve! Why aren't you standing up?"

Jing Zhe pointed at Madam Zhu and said with a sneer, "Didn't you hear what your grandmother said about you just now? You have no manners at all, whether you stand or sit properly. You have no upbringing at all. Did your mother die young and not teach you these things?"

"Look, what are you looking at? Get up now!"

"If you don't get up, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your mother and grandmother who died young!"

As he spoke, he pointed at Madam Zhu again.

Zhu Tangwen was stunned by what he was said, but Jing Zhe's aura was too strong, so he stood up tremblingly, but muttered, "That's not Grandma, that's my mother! My mother is still alive, how could she be dead?"

"Ha, you little brat, you dare to lie and talk back? Your grandma is so old, and you still dare to say she's your mother? Bullshit! It seems your mother really died young; you have no manners at all!"

"..."

Zhu Tangwen had never been spoken to like that before, and finally couldn't hold back any longer. With a "waaaah," he burst into tears.

"Enough!"

Madam Zhu was so angry that she trembled all over.

Having a child late in life, and despite her careful maintenance, her age is a factor. In terms of appearance, she does indeed resemble Zhu Tangwen's grandmother.

This is her sore spot, and she hates it when others bring it up. Moreover, given her status, who would dare to say anything about it that might offend her?

Today, it was precisely the person she hated most, the person she most wanted to drive out of the Zhu family, who said these words to her.

After Madam Zhu finished shouting, her lips trembled with anger, and she could no longer utter a complete sentence.

Chen Jiannan, standing nearby, was somewhat gloating. He wished Jing Zhe could say a few more words to make Madam Zhu lose her temper and kick him out, so that he could live in the Zhu family alone. Hehe, wouldn't it be better to be close to the source and get the moon first?

He felt the fire wasn't burning bright enough, so he decided to add more firewood.

"Aunt, please don't be angry. Actually, this young master may not know your identity. He was just observing you and it was an unintentional mistake!"

Chen Jiannan was indeed quite clever.

On the surface, it's an attempt to exonerate Jing Zhe, but what it actually means is—he simply thinks you're too old!

"Shut up!"

Madam Zhu was completely enraged by this explanation. She stood up, trembling, and pointed at Jing Zhe, "Get out! Get out of here! A vulgar and uncultured person like you has no right to ever step into the Zhu family's door!"

But Jing Zhe wasn't angry at all. Instead, he looked at Madam Zhu's exasperated appearance with a hint of schadenfreude.

"Grandma, don't be angry. You're already so old. What if you get sick from getting angry?"

"You, you, you—"

"thump!"

Enraged, Madam Zhu slammed into a chair and yelled, "Guards! Throw this ill-mannered brat out of here!"

Then he glared fiercely at Zhu Xinning: "This is the good younger brother you've been longing for? Summoned by His Majesty? Doing royal business with His Majesty? Him? He doesn't deserve it! He's just a rogue and scoundrel. He came to Jingzhou probably to pester our Zhu family. Let me tell you, as long as I'm in the Zhu family, you can forget about it!"

After saying that, he spat out another mouthful of blood: "Anyone who associates with this kind of scoundrel is blind!"

These words were deliberately meant to annoy Zhu Xinning, implying that if you acknowledge him as your younger brother, you're blind!

At this moment, the guards from the Prime Minister's residence entered.

"lady…"

"You've come at the right time! It's him. Throw him out of here. If he doesn't cooperate, beat him up and kick him out!"

Having been quite frightened by Jing Zhe's slamming of the table earlier, Madam Zhu still harbored some lingering trauma. It was only when she saw the guards arrive that she felt confident enough to jump up.

"..."

Those two guards saw Zhu Xinning leading Jing Zhe in earlier, and they seemed to be very close, so they must have a good relationship. But now Madam Zhu is telling them to kick him out. It's really difficult for them!

...

"You may all leave!"

Over the years, no matter how much Madam Zhu mocked and insulted her, Zhu Xinning never spoke back. Even she herself felt that she had no confidence to resist.

But when she heard that she wanted to drive Jing Zhe away, Zhu Xinning could no longer bear it. Just like when she was a child, she once again protected Jing Zhe and refused to let anyone touch him.

Upon hearing Zhu Xinning's words, the two guards felt as if they had been granted a pardon and quickly retreated.

"Great! Great! That's wonderful!"

Having torn off all pretense of civility, Madam Zhu clapped her hands and said, "How dare you! You've grown wings and dare to defy me? Do you really think this Zhu family is your Zhu family? Do you think you got all those official positions by what means?"

Madam Zhu was actually a bully who preyed on the weak and feared the strong. Logically speaking, Zhu Xinning's official position was not low, but Madam Zhu was not afraid of her. She felt that Zhu Xinning's success was all due to Zhu Tong's help, and that she herself did not have much ability.

The reason Zhu Xinning was initially chosen to marry Song Jimao was because of the Song family's social standing. Now, she has taken a liking to Chen Jiannan because she believes he will be number one in the exam and will have a bright future. After Zhu Tong turns 100, he can help his son, Zhu Tangwen.

Zhu Xinning stood in front of Jing Zhe and replied with an indifferent expression that Madam Zhu had never seen before: "The Zhu family is not my Zhu family, nor is it your Zhu family. It is Father's Zhu family, and it is Tangwen's Zhu family!"

"Zhe'er is my younger brother. No one but me is allowed to scold or bully him. If anyone dares to do so, I will risk my life to make sure they suffer!"

After saying that, she turned back and pulled Jing Zhe up, her voice sounding somewhat tired.

"Zhe'er, come with your sister..."

With that, he left the hall.

...

After a long while, Mrs. Zhu, who was stunned by the rebuke, finally came to her senses.

"This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!"

"She's gone too far! How dare she talk back to me?"

"Where is the master? Has the master returned yet?"

"If she doesn't apologize to me, not only will that guy surnamed Jing be kicked out this time, but she will be kicked out too!"

In the hall, Madam Zhu roared like a madwoman.

Zhu Tong, however, had clearly not left court, and no one replied to her.

Seeing Zhu Xinning leave, Zhu Tangwen seemed to have guessed that his mother would throw such a tantrum, and he had already run away.

Chen Jiannan was left alone in the room listening to the roar, thinking to himself: If you're so capable, go and deal with him, why are you yelling at me?

Jing Zhe followed Zhu Xinning to her place.

Because the Prime Minister's residence is very large, the backyard is divided into several small courtyards by low blue brick walls, separated by cobblestone paths and trees on both sides. Although it is in one large courtyard, it is also an independent individual space.

Zhu Xinning's courtyard was located in the southwesternmost corner, far away from the other courtyards. No wonder she could live peacefully in the Prime Minister's residence without being disturbed by Madam Zhu, as long as she stayed here and didn't go out.

It does have a kind of secluded, self-contained elegance.

————