"yes."
After Su Zhiyao and Su Jingnian were brought to the ancestral hall, Su Chengjiang, who got the news, also rushed over.
"Mother, Grandma! What happened?!"
Su Chengjiang only knew that something had happened to Su Zhiyao and his elder brother and they were taken to the ancestral hall, so he hurried over to help plead for mercy.
Jiang Caiping had a cold face and said nothing.
Chun'er was forced to kneel on the ground, her face swollen from being beaten.
Old Lady Su's face was half hidden in the dim light of the candle. She looked at Chun'er coldly, "As a maidservant of the Second Young Lady, you failed to teach her to be self-disciplined and behave properly. Instead, you indulged her in such a thing. The Marquis' Mansion cannot keep you!"
Chun'er was so scared that he kowtowed repeatedly. His face was swollen and he spoke incoherently.
"Old Madam, please spare me! Old Madam, please spare me! These are the orders of the Young Master and the Second Miss. I dare not disobey!"
The atmosphere in the ancestral hall was so depressing that it made people breathless, and the entire Su family seemed to be shrouded in an invisible haze.
Chun'er's words were like a huge rock, causing a thousand waves.
"What did you say? The young master and the second young lady's instructions?" Old Lady Su asked harshly, her eyes as sharp as an eagle's.
Chun Er was so frightened that she didn't even dare to breathe. "Old Madam, it was the Young Master and the Second Miss who asked me to guard outside... not to let anyone into the courtyard."
"The young master always gives these instructions every time he comes... I dare not disobey!"
Jiang Caiping was furious when she heard this. "Su Jingnian! How dare you do such a shameful thing! And you even dared to conceal it from the world!"
Su Zhiyao burst into tears and couldn't stop crying, "Mother, don't blame my brother... It's all my fault."
Seeing his beloved crying so sadly, Su Jingnian's face turned pale, "Grandmother, Zhiyao has no blood relationship with us. I really like Zhiyao. I beg mother and grandmother to grant us the wish!"
Jiang Caiping was so angry that she trembled all over when she heard Su Jingnian's words. "What are you talking about! Zhiyao grew up in the Marquis' Mansion, and I naturally treat her as my own daughter!"
"But after all, Zhiyao has no blood relationship with our Marquis' Mansion." Su Jingnian said with his neck stiff.
Old Madam Su raised her finger and pointed at Su Jingnian for a long time, but she was so angry that she couldn't speak.
"grandmother!"
Su Jinyue hurried forward and fed Old Lady Su a pill, which helped her calm down.
Old Madam Su breathed a sigh of relief, and now she liked Su Jinyue more and more.
Now that so many things have happened in the Marquis' Mansion, Su Jinyue is the only one we can rely on!
When Su Chengjiang heard that his brother was with Su Zhiyao, he felt like he was struck by lightning and stood still like a piece of wood.
He couldn't believe that the brother whom he usually respected was actually involved with Su Zhiyao, whom he regarded as his sister? !
Old Madam Su's expression became increasingly gloomy, and her eyes glanced back and forth between Su Jingnian and Su Zhiyao.
The rage in her heart was almost uncontrollable. She slapped her cane hard and said in a deep voice, "This matter must be resolved as soon as possible and must not be known to outsiders, otherwise the Su family will never have peace!"
Although Su Jingnian's face turned pale, he still knelt in front of Su Zhiyao stubbornly, "Grandma, mother, I really like Zhiyao! Please grant my wish!"
Jiang Caiping was furious when she heard this. She pointed at Su Jingnian's nose and scolded him harshly: "How dare you say such a thing! You are so shameless!"
"As the eldest son of the Marquis's family, you actually did such a shameless thing! And you dare to ask your grandmother for help?!"
Jiang Caiping yelled angrily and turned to look at Su Zhiyao, "You really disappoint me! I have treated you well over the years, how could you treat me like this!"
Su Zhiyao burst into tears. She tightly grasped the corner of Su Jingnian's clothes, as if he was her last resort. "Mother, I'm sorry... but I really love my brother. Please help us!"
"Is it accomplished?"
Old Lady Su sneered, "You have completely disgraced the Su family! If what happened today gets out, our mansion will become the laughing stock of the entire capital!"
"Such a shameful thing must be suppressed in our mansion!"
Su Jingnian gritted his teeth, his eyes determined, "Grandma, Mother, no matter what, I will be responsible for Zhiyao! I want to marry Zhiyao as my legal wife!"
Jiang Caiping almost fainted from anger at Su Jingnian's words.
In this absurdity, Su Jinyue just stood quietly beside Old Lady Su, staying out of this farce.
Su Zhiyao raised her head and saw Su Jinyue looking down on her.
Her heart skipped a beat. She was fine in the past, so why was she caught by her mother today? !
Just now she was only thinking about how to make the incident bigger, and hadn't thought about how her mother would find out about it.
Could it be that everything that happened today was all planned by Su Jinyue? !
Su Zhiyao looked at Su Jinyue and said, "Sister, ever since you came back, mother's heart has been leaning towards you."
She cried sadly, "I know that I have no blood relationship with my mother, and I have never dared to compete with my sister. My sister is the daughter of the Marquis's family, and my status is humble..."
Looking at Jiang Caiping with red eyes, Su Zhiyao said: "Mother, I just want your love. Apart from you, I have nothing else."
"I can give up my status as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's Mansion and return everything to my sister. I only ask... I only ask mother to let me stay with my brother, even if it's just as a concubine!"
Hearing Su Zhiyao say this, Su Jingnian was even more eager to protect her and held her in his arms, "What are you talking about? How could I let you be my concubine!"
There was silence in the ancestral hall, and everyone in the Su family fell into silence.
Jiang Caiping's anger had not yet subsided. She seemed to be very angry at the two of them. Her chest was heaving and she was unable to speak.
"Mother..." Su Chengjiang finally mustered up the courage, took a few steps forward, and whispered, "Although this is ridiculous, my brother is sincere after all. Why not let them..."
"shut up!"
Jiang Caiping interrupted Su Chengjiang almost with a roar, "You are confused, are you confused too?! You should kneel in the ancestral hall in my mansion for three months to clear your mind!"
Knowing that what he said was unreasonable, Su Chengjiang did not dare to continue speaking.
Old Lady Su turned to look at Su Jinyue, "Jinyue, what do you think about this?"
At that time, everyone's eyes in the ancestral hall fell on Su Jinyue.
Old Madam Su wanted to drag her into this matter as well. If she wanted to tear off the fig leaf of this matter, then as the daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, she would definitely be talked about.
Su Jinyue now understands too well what these people in the Marquis' Mansion are thinking.
Su Jinyue curled her lips slightly and said, "Today's matter still needs to be decided by mother and grandmother."
"After all, Su Zhiyao is indeed the daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, so it's not a blood relationship, but it's not nice to say it, and people outside won't think so."
Su Zhiyao looked at Su Jinyue as if she wanted to eat her alive!
Su Jingnian gritted his teeth and said, "You naturally want the two of us to never be able to turn things around! I know you hate Zhiyao and me, and you found this opportunity, aren't you going to harm us?!"
What an idiot.
Su Jinyue looked at Su Jingnian, her eyes still calm, "Brother is wrong, I didn't say I would parade you two through the streets. After all, we are all family, and if there is any conflict, it is a matter between our family."
"Brother did something wrong in this matter, but after all, brother is the eldest son of the Marquis's Mansion. If he is punished by his own parents, he will not be allowed to leave the Marquis' Mansion for three months. Even if those rumors don't spread, other rumors will spread."
Old Lady Su nodded, "Jin Yue is right."
She looked at Su Zhiyao and said, "Send Su Zhiyao to live in the manor to avoid the limelight. We can make plans after this is over!"