Chapter 119: Release of Concubine
"Madam, wait a minute. Have I been disrespectful? I have brought a small gift with me this time. I hope you will not despise me."
Wen Chengyun quickly blocked the mistress's hand from closing the door, and dragged Cheng Weiyao into the courtyard of her grandparents' house. This bold action finally alarmed the woman washing clothes under the tree. She looked up timidly, her mouth opened into an O shape.
She had seen Wen Chengyun before, so she naturally recognized that this was her daughter's bloodline at a glance. A flash of surprise flashed across her eyes, and then embarrassment came over her.
With my current status at home, I didn't even get a chance to speak, let alone a good cup of tea...
"Your grandfather won't be home today. Come back another day. You've seen your aunt since you wanted to. Come back now."
The mistress was somewhat dissatisfied with Wen Chengyun's aggressive behavior, but considering that the man of the house was not at home and that the young man had brought gifts, she finally swallowed her anger, sat back on the recliner in the courtyard, and slowly ordered him to leave.
"Madam, my husband and I just arrived and haven't had time to talk to Auntie. How can we just leave as soon as we arrive?"
Cheng Weiyao couldn't stand the wife's bullying behavior, so she walked over and pulled up the concubine who looked weak and pitiful. Although the hierarchy of wives and concubines was clear in ancient times, she was at least listed in the family tree. How come she lived worse than a maid when she came to her maternal grandfather's house?
"What business does it have on you, a woman, when I'm talking to your husband? You're a woman without female virtues. You married the wrong woman. She'll be a troublemaker in the future..."
The eldest lady glanced at the young and beautiful Cheng Weiyao, and a trace of jealousy and disgust flashed in her eyes. How could an outsider butt in when family members were talking? It turned out that she was from the second house and had no manners at all!
She also heard the news of Wen Chengyun's marriage. Although they were all exiled, they were exiled in batches because Sheng Guang was implicated.
His family was the first to be exiled, but Wen Chengyun, the damned one, was the last to be exiled. The reason for the delay was because of this marriage. The grace of being exiled only after the marriage was obtained through the great efforts of the imperial concubine.
"I haven't committed any of the seven grounds for divorce. As an outsider, Madam, you're meddling in the affairs between me and my husband and trying to sow discord. Is that considered a woman's virtue?"
Cheng Weiyao's face darkened slightly. She had a feeling since she was outside that this eldest lady was not an easy person to get along with, but she didn't expect her words to be so harsh.
"You are so sharp-tongued. As her husband, you don't know how to discipline your wife and allow her to talk back to her elders. Today, I will teach her a lesson on behalf of your grandfather..."
The mistress was irritated by Cheng Weiyao's sharp tongue and immediately raised her hand to slap Cheng Weiyao in order to intimidate her. After all, the concubine's temperament was similar to that of the imperial concubine, and her weak character had forged the mistress's arrogant and domineering demeanor.
Cheng Weiyao was not stupid, so she would not just stand there. She had no intention of taking action, so she moved to the side and dodged.
"Madam, my madam, whether it's discipline or indulgence, it's all my business. It's inappropriate for you to act rashly, isn't it? If I really want to investigate, are you a model of female virtue for treating my aunt so harshly?"
Seeing that the mistress was unwilling to give up, Wen Chengyun gently stood in front of Cheng Weiyao. Even though he was her grandson, he was still an adult boy, and there were many taboos between men and women.
"You, young man, are trying to lecture me. Well, let me have a proper talk. Even though she was married to you in a formal way with the master's banquet, she is still a concubine. It is only natural that she should obey the orders and supervision of me, the wife of the principal house, at home."
A hint of complacency appeared on the eldest lady's face. She had long disliked this concubine who had just come into the family. When she was in the capital, she relied on the fact that her daughter was the imperial concubine and was favored by the master, who would run to her room every now and then.
Now that she finally had the chance to vent all the anger she had suffered in the past, she would of course fight him to the death.
"It's better to ask for a concubine's certificate than to do the laundry and cooking in this house. Although our family is not rich, it is still more than enough to add a pair of chopsticks!"
Cheng Weiyao had no intention of talking to a deaf person while arguing with the eldest lady, so she simply took her aunt's hand and advised her softly, looking at her aunt's attire, wearing coarse linen clothes, and her originally tender hands were cracked and dry from washing clothes and doing miscellaneous things. It would be better for her to go back to her own home instead of living such a torturous life.
As soon as these words were spoken, the aunt's face froze slightly. She knew that Cheng Weiyao's words made sense and she was really thinking about her, but since ancient times, women have been subject to their husbands after marriage, and the husband is the leader of the wife. Even if she had eight hundred courage, she would not dare to open her mouth to agree.
"Who said I want to divorce my concubine?"
The door of the courtyard was suddenly kicked open by someone, and my grandfather, who was full of energy and wearing a dark robe, walked in. He frowned and looked at the two extra people in the yard with a bad tone.
"Grandson, you are truly my good grandson. As soon as you come to my house, you want to interfere in what's going on in my bedroom?"
My grandfather knew Wen Chengyun. Men are not as familiar with each other as women, so it is very convenient for them to get along with each other. In the deep palace, if the imperial concubine has a good thing that she wants to share with her concubine, she usually asks Wen Chengyun to go there. After a few visits, he became familiar with her.
"Grandfather is joking. He just can't bear to see Auntie suffer. When she was seeking an official position, Auntie also spoke well of her. Now that she has fallen on hard times, it's clear that the love between husband and wife has faded. I'm afraid Mother will be heartbroken when she hears this."
Wen Chengyun pursed his lips, his face expressionless. In the past, his grandfather always smiled at him and loved his aunt very much. Now it seemed that it was mostly because of his power and status.
"Don't tell me I don't agree. Ask your aunt if she is willing to leave me."
My grandfather's face darkened slightly. He had gone to the concubine's room quite often in the beginning because he wanted the wealth and glory brought by the imperial concubine. He had obtained the good status of a royal relative and had enjoyed the preferential treatment for so many years.
They have been together day and night for many years, so it is impossible for him to say that he doesn't like her, but women are both his success and his failure. He has been high and mighty for many years and never thought that one day he would be implicated and exiled because of this matter.
The mixed feelings made him choose to subjectively ignore the person who once slept with him. Now, after taking a closer look, he found that the once delicate beauty had been ordered around by the wife of the main house.
"Master, I..."
When my aunt heard that the final say fell on her, she raised her head with tears in her eyes. Her timid look made my grandfather feel pity for her.
Cheng Weiyao had already developed a bad premonition from the few words between Wen Chengyun and her grandfather. No matter whether it was in ancient times or modern times, she was afraid that she would meet someone who was in love and even ten cows could not pull her back!
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