Chapter 410 Cao Yingying Returns Home
Three days passed in a flash, and the rice seedlings in the six or seven acres of paddy fields were all planted. It was also time for Cao Yingying to return to her parents' home.
Early in the morning, Cheng Wanwan was helping to prepare the return gifts. The Cao family was a wealthy family, so the return gifts couldn't be too meager. She prepared a few things. When Zhao Ergou was carrying the return gifts onto the carriage, she pulled her second daughter-in-law to sit by the flower stand.
Cao Yingying sat down obediently: "Mother, is there something you need to tell me?"
"On the day of your wedding with Er Gou, Granny Yang, who served you, came to Dahe Village late at night." Cheng Wanwan recounted the events. "Now, Aunt Meng is recuperating at the county government office in Ping'an County. She has recovered. When you return to the Cao family this time, how do you plan to handle this matter?"
Cao Yingying had recovered from her initial shock. She pursed her lips and said, "I never thought she would be so heartless as to not even tolerate an unborn child. Hong'er is already eight years old. How could his status be affected by a newborn half-brother? Why did she have to resort to such a cruel act? This time, with both witnesses and physical evidence, I must expose her evil deeds to Father!"
“Yingying, I only have one question for you. Even if Qi’s evil deeds are proven true this time, are you sure your father will punish her?” Cheng Wanwan said. “Your father is a magnanimous man. If Qi cries and sincerely admits her mistakes, and Aunt Meng is not seriously injured, this matter may just be over. But Aunt Meng is about to give birth, and there is a risk of losing both her and her unborn child at any time. Returning to the Cao family is simply too dangerous…”
"Mother means to let Aunt Meng stay in the county government office?" Cao Yingying understood immediately, but she was still somewhat unwilling. "Is there no way to deal with her?"
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "If your father doesn't have the courage, then let the government handle it. Ah Fu came yesterday and said that the Qi family has sent a lot of people to the county government to inquire about the news and have made some small moves. Let's go to Ping'an County first to see what's going on."
Cao Yingying nodded hurriedly.
The Shen family allowed Aunt Meng to stay, entirely out of respect for her mother-in-law. She couldn't take this for granted; she had to thank them in person, present a gift of gratitude, and cover Aunt Meng's medical and lodging expenses.
Cheng Wanwan packed up and took the couple's car to Ping'an County. She had not visited the Shen family since the family recognition banquet. She specially set aside a day today to spend some time chatting with the old lady. When the couple returned home in the evening, they would come to Ping'an County to pick her up.
The carriage soon arrived at the entrance of the county government office. The guards there knew Cheng Wanwan all too well, so they quickly bowed and respectfully invited her inside.
As I approached the backyard gate, before even entering, I heard hearty laughter.
Passing through the hanging flower gate, one sees Old Madam Shen and Concubine Meng sitting in rattan chairs in the courtyard. The two are talking, and for some reason, they both burst into laughter. Concubine Meng's laughter is particularly exaggerated: "...Old Madam, isn't it hilarious? When I heard this joke, I almost laughed myself to death, hahaha..."
Cheng Wanwan was embarrassed. She hadn't expected that Aunt Meng was such a social butterfly, managing to make the old lady so happy.
"The young lady has arrived, and Madam Sui has arrived too!" Aunt Meng immediately stood up when she saw the people at the door. "Come and sit down, I'll pour you some tea."
Having stayed here for three days, she became very familiar with everything and immediately brought over three cups of tea.
Zhao Ergou called out to Grandma Chen, and Cao Yingying followed suit. The group then sat down in the courtyard.
They chatted about everyday things, and then the topic turned to Aunt Meng.
Madam Shen took a sip of tea and said, "Boss Cao came twice in the past three days, but he wasn't allowed to see anyone. He still doesn't know what happened. That Qi paid a jailer to punish Concubine Meng. The jailer agreed on the surface, but then turned around and handed over the money Qi gave him."
The old lady threw out a money bag.
The purse was heavy, and it looked like it contained at least twenty or thirty taels of silver.
Cheng Wanwan was about to say that the Qi family was too stingy, after all, the Cao family was the richest family in Hekou County, yet they only offered twenty taels of silver for two lives.
At this time, Aunt Meng opened her purse and took out two silver notes, each with a face value of one thousand taels.
"Tsk tsk, I never thought my worthless life was so valuable, or rather, the child in my belly is valuable." Aunt Meng sneered. "She insists on not letting me give birth, but I'm determined to bring the child into the world and infuriate her!"
“Mrs. Qi probably never dreamed that these two thousand taels of silver would become evidence of her evil deeds,” Cheng Wanwan said. “As the saying goes, a cornered dog will jump over the wall. Mrs. Qi is, after all, the mistress of a mansion and has some power. If she is really pushed to the limit, no one knows what she might do. I think we should wait until the child is born before making any decisions.”
Judging from Aunt Meng's condition, the baby will be born in about a month.
Madam Shen nodded: "That's what I meant."
Cao Yingying quickly picked up the generous gift she had prepared and said, "Thanks to Madam Shen for saving me, otherwise my brother would have died in the womb. This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."
Old Madam Shen did not refuse.
If she was helping the Zhao family, she would never accept gifts, but the Cao family was a layer apart, and if she didn't accept it, the Cao family would feel psychological pressure.
“Miss, I really don’t know what to say.” Aunt Meng said with deep emotion, “Madam Sui, I am so grateful to you, but I don’t know how to express it… How about this, after my son is born, I will let her recognize Madam Sui as her godmother… Oh no, Madam Sui already has a grandson, so let my son recognize Madam Sui as his godmother.”
Cheng Wanwan: "..."
No need, thank you!
After talking for a while, Zhao Ergou and Cao Yingying said goodbye and drove to Cao's house in Hekou Town.
As soon as they arrived at the gate of Cao's house, a maid said happily: "Miss, son-in-law, you are finally back. The master has come out to see you several times. I will go in and report to the master now!"
Just as he was about to turn around and go in, Cao Defu came out. Seeing his daughter and son-in-law standing together so well, he smiled so hard that his eyes couldn't be seen. He nodded happily and said, "Okay, very good. Don't stand there like an idiot. Come on, let's go in and talk!"
Upon entering the hall, all the younger sisters were there, as was the only young master. Some concubines also stood respectfully to the side, along with the maids and servants who attended to him, making it quite lively.
Cao Yingying asked in surprise, "Why isn't my mother here?"
"She was here just now, but suddenly she said she had a stomachache." Cao Defu waved his hand, "Ignore her, sit down."
Cao Yingying asked softly, "Where is Aunt Meng? Why didn't she come? My daughter and Aunt Meng have always been close friends. She should have come back to join in the fun."
Speaking of Aunt Meng, Cao Defu sighed deeply: "On your wedding day, she was arrested by the government officials, accused of injuring someone with her horse. I was puzzled; how could a pregnant woman have the ability to injure someone with her horse? I went to Ping'an County several times but couldn't see Lord Shen, and even asking Master Yuan was useless. I'm really worried. She's always been so delicate; I don't know how she spent those three days in jail..."
Cao Yingying probed a few times indirectly, but Cao Defu did not suspect Qi Shi. She could only give up and, after offering a few words of comfort, suggested going to pay respects to her biological mother.
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