Chapter 84 Qian Qiuchan's smug expression froze instantly.
The next morning, Xiao Yuanzhong and Xiao Yuanshuo went to the palace to meet the emperor. By the time they returned, it was already evening.
The old lady specially hosted a banquet in the warm pavilion of the Bodhi Hall to welcome her two sons back.
During the meal, Xiao Yuanzhong was pulled to sit down next to the old lady, while Xiao Yuanshuo sat next to Qin Shi, surrounded by his three children.
Tonight, Xiao Heng made a special effort to go home and celebrate the return of his father and uncle.
The whole family gathered together happily, some laughing and some wiping away tears—a heartwarming scene that rarely happens more than once every few years.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, Madam Wang's gaze swept over her many children and grandchildren, and she suddenly asked in confusion, "Where is the third son's wife?"
Upon hearing this, the previously noisy banquet suddenly quieted down.
When Xiao Heng heard his grandmother ask about Qian Qiuchan, his smiling face instantly turned frosty, his eyes lowered coldly, staring only at the wine glass in his hand, and his whole aura became heavy.
Cui Ying was focused on peeling open a suckling pig's leg when she sensed the subtle silence. She tilted her head towards Xiao Qiyu beside her and asked softly, "Doesn't Grandmother know that Third Sister-in-law and Third Brother have fallen out?"
Xiao Qiyu's expression remained unchanged. He picked up a piece of her favorite ham pastry with his chopsticks and stuffed it into her mouth: "Don't talk while eating. Eat yours."
On the other hand, Qin said to Wang with a natural expression, "Mother, don't worry. Third son's wife caught a cold a few days ago. I saw that there were many people at the family banquet today, and I was afraid that she might be offended again, so I let her rest well in her own courtyard and recuperate quietly."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wang nodded and said, "I see. Then you should rest well."
Before the words were finished, a commotion and argument suddenly broke out outside the warm pavilion, mixed with a woman's scolding and cursing, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
Before the maid could announce her arrival, the curtain was suddenly flung open, and Qian Qiuchan, her hair disheveled by the wind, strode in.
Just moments before, she had been arguing with the servants outside the door, her face contorted with sternness. But the moment she stepped into the warm and bright pavilion, her expression instantly transformed into one of sorrow and grief.
She staggered forward, bowed respectfully, and said in a tearful voice, "I'm late, Grandmother. Please forgive me!"
Wang was stunned for a long time, not knowing where to begin her question. She could only stiffly say, "It's good that you're here. Get up quickly."
So Qian Qiuchan rose gracefully, as if she had suffered a great injustice, and turned to Xiao Yuanzhong with sobs, bowing gently: "Nephew's wife greets Uncle."
After bowing to Xiao Yuanzhong, she turned to Xiao Yuanshuo, her posture extremely humble, and said timidly, "Daughter-in-law greets father-in-law."
Xiao Yuanshuo looked at the woman who had replaced his original daughter-in-law, who had used a poisonous scheme to frame his eldest son and marry into the Marquis's mansion. His face instantly turned cold. He only gave a very light "hmm" from his nose and then stopped looking at her. A strong sense of disgust flashed in his eyes.
Qin was so angry that she gritted her teeth, her hands clenching the handkerchief so tightly they turned white. If it weren't for the fact that so many people were in front of her, she would have liked to go up and slap Qian Qiuchan first.
Qian Qiuchan, though her eyes were glistening with tears, remained calm and composed. However, when her gaze swept over Xiao Heng, an uncontrollable resentment and venom appeared in her eyes. Realizing this, she hurriedly lowered her eyes.
Remembering that Qin had said she was unwell, and now that she had suddenly barged in, Wang asked in a deep voice, "I remember now, weren't you feeling unwell and resting in the courtyard? Why have you suddenly come here?"
Qian Qiuchan instantly raised her face, her eyes brimming with tears, and choked out, "Grandmother, you don't know, your granddaughter-in-law is not unwell, your granddaughter-in-law is..."
At this point, she suddenly bit her lip and fell silent, her body trembling. She glanced at Qin Shi quickly, forcing back the tears in her eyes, putting on a fragile appearance while trying to appear strong.
The next moment, she knelt down heavily before Madam Wang, sobbing, "I have no other choice! I have come here at the risk of my life to beg my grandmother, please do me justice!"
Madam Wang frowned and said, "What are you doing? Get up and say what's wrong. What happened?"
Qian Qiuchan didn't get up. She suddenly raised her hand and pointed at Xiao Heng, her voice shrill and full of tears: "I just want to ask him! Ask him, Xiao Sanlang! I, Qian Qiuchan, have been married into the Marquis's mansion for so many years, and I have been dutiful to you and managed the household affairs. In what way have I wronged you? How could you keep a mistress outside to humiliate me like this!"
After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.
Cui Ying was stunned.
In the six months since she married into the Marquis of Dingyuan's household, she has witnessed all sorts of strange and exciting events that she had never seen in her own home.
Madam Wang's gaze suddenly shifted to Xiao Heng, greatly surprised and suspicious: "Heng'er, is this really true?"
Before Xiao Heng could answer, Qin immediately spoke up, her tone urgent: "Mother, it is indeed true. However, I have already secretly investigated her. She is an excellent child. Not only is she outstanding in appearance, but she is also gentle, well-educated, and reasonable. She is a rare and wonderful person."
Most importantly, my son likes it.
No matter who it is, as long as it pleases her son and allows her to hold her grandson soon, she would accept ten or eight mistresses, let alone one.
Upon hearing this, Madam Wang's expression softened slightly. She then turned to Qian Qiuchan, who was kneeling on the ground and sobbing, and her tone suddenly became calm, carrying a gentle admonition: "I thought it was some earth-shattering matter. You two have been married for many years but have never had a child. Although the third son's actions were inappropriate, they are also understandable. As long as that woman has a clean background and a gentle nature, let alone keeping her outside, what's wrong with bringing her into the mansion as a concubine? You should be more magnanimous and show the composure of a principal wife."
Qian Qiuchan felt a raging fire ignite in her heart upon hearing this, and she almost gritted her teeth to pieces.
She thought bitterly: Magnanimity? Tolerance? If Cui Ying were childless and Xiao Qiyu were keeping a mistress, would you still dare to say such things? It's not because I'm of lower birth than her that I deserve to be treated like this!
She suppressed her surging hatred, and seeing that this plan was not working, she devised another scheme. She cried even more bitterly and sorrowfully, covering her face with a handkerchief, her voice trembling violently:
“Grandmother, you are wise! If she were truly a respectable and innocent woman from a good family, even if I were wronged, I would not be unable to tolerate her for the sake of Sanlang and the continuation of the Xiao family line. But she is a dancer from the family of a disgraced official. Putting aside whether she will implicate the family in the future, just considering her background, her jade arms have been the bed mats of countless men…”
Her gaze pierced Xiao Heng with a cold glint, her words dripping with malice: "How can such a lowly and filthy body serve by Sanlang's side? Wouldn't that tarnish the reputation of the noble family and bring shame upon the whole family?"
With a loud bang, Xiao Heng suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, striding towards Qian Qiuchan with a murderous aura.
Seeing that things were not going well, Qian Qiuchan scrambled up to the main seat and hid behind Madam Wang, crying out, "Grandmother, save me!"
Xiao Qiyu stood up and left his seat, and was the first to step forward to stop Xiao Heng, whispering, "Brother, calm down."
Xiao Yuanzhong and Xiao Yuanshuo also stepped forward and together stopped Xiao Heng.
The family dinner, which was just a moment ago full of joy, is now a complete mess, with no manners whatsoever.
Madam Wang's face was ashen, her gaze fixed on Xiao Heng, her words icy cold: "Heng'er, is what Qiu Chan said just now true?"
Qin was extremely anxious, and opened her mouth to try to defend her son: "Mother, actually..."
"I'm asking about your son!" Wang interrupted sharply.
Qin fell silent instantly, swallowing all her words, lowering her head and remaining silent, her face deathly pale, as she secretly glanced at Xiao Heng.
Under everyone's gaze, Xiao Heng's tall and straight figure appeared particularly aloof. He silently raised his eyes, meeting his grandmother's gaze, and uttered a concise and clear word: "Yes."
The last trace of color drained from Wang's face.
She seemed to be lost in extremely painful memories, her eyes first filled with panic and despair, then she closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were cold and devoid of warmth.
She stopped looking at Xiao Heng and coldly ordered, "Someone come here."
The trusted old woman immediately responded and entered.
"Immediately send a few capable men," Wang said calmly, her voice brimming with a murderous aura. "Go outside and tie that slut up, either beat her to death on the spot or sell her off immediately. In short, from now on, I don't want to hear any more news about this scourge."
"Yes." The old woman accepted the order and set off to do it.
Xiao Heng suddenly looked up: "Let's see who dares!"
His gaze was fierce, his eyes suddenly filled with bloodshot veins, and the murderous aura emanating from him made the old woman stop in her tracks, too terrified to move.
"You unfilial son! Have you gone mad?!"
Xiao Yuanshuo flew into a rage, stepped forward, and slapped Xiao Heng hard across the face. The crisp sound of the slap was particularly jarring.
Xiao Heng's face was turned to one side by the slap, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but he showed no sign of backing down, his eyes were terrifyingly stubborn.
Hiding behind Wang Shi, Qian Qiuchan could barely suppress the smile on her face when she saw this scene. She immediately knelt down and kowtowed, sobbing and crying, her voice filled with gratitude and grievance: "Thank you, Grandmother, for standing up for your granddaughter-in-law! Grandmother's judgment is so clear, and your kindness is so great that I will never forget it!"
The next moment, Wang's icy voice rang out again:
"Issue my order: Third Young Mistress Qian has suddenly fallen seriously ill and is delirious. She is no longer fit to stay in the manor to manage the household affairs. From today onwards, she shall move to a farm outside the city to recuperate. No one is allowed to visit her without my permission."
Qian Qiuchan's smug expression froze instantly. She looked up abruptly, forcing a stiff smile, and said in a trembling voice, "Grandmother... what did you say? Why don't I understand?"
Before she could finish speaking, two burly old women entered the room, grabbed her from both sides, and dragged her out without any politeness.
Qian Qiuchan finally realized what was happening and began to struggle desperately: "Let me go! I won't go! I'm not sick! What right do you have to confine me!"
He then turned his pleading gaze to the women present: "Third Aunt, Fourth Aunt! Please say something!"
Zhang and Xue dared not utter a sound, keeping their eyes down and pretending not to see her.
Qian Qiuchan looked at Cui Ying again, her eyes brimming with tears: "Sister-in-law! Please save me! I know you have the kindest heart. If you save me, I will serve you like a slave for the rest of my life!"
Xiao Shu immediately pulled Cui Ying to her side and glared fiercely at Qian Qiuchan.
Qian Qiuchan gritted her teeth in hatred and could only place her last hope on Xiao Wan, who was gentle and wouldn't even step on an ant.
To everyone's surprise, Xiao Wan acted completely out of character, turning her face away and refusing to even glance at her.
Qian Qiuchan was utterly desperate. Her hair was disheveled, her hairpins had fallen off, and she looked like a madwoman. Her eyes swept fiercely over everyone present, and she cried out shrilly, "You have humiliated me like this! I will haunt you even as a ghost! You will be punished! You will definitely be punished!"
She was dragged outside, her cries fading into the distance and eventually disappearing into the cold night wind.
The warm pavilion fell silent again, but it was even more oppressive than before.
After reciting "Amitabha" twice, Wang's aged body slumped down, her expression full of exhaustion. She reached out her hand to Xiao Heng, her tone softening as she gently said, "Heng'er, come here, come to your grandmother."
Xiao Heng stood stiffly in place, not moving, until Xiao Yuanshuo gave him a sudden push, and only then did he step forward.
Wang took his hand, sighed, and said in a softer voice, "Grandmother knows you hate Qian Shi and that you've suffered all these years. After a few months, when things have calmed down, we'll announce to the public that she has passed away. At that time, Grandmother will personally choose a virtuous lady from a good family for you to marry. She will surely make you happy. We'll forget all these dirty things from the past and pretend they never happened, okay?"
She looked at her most prized grandson with loving eyes, just as she had always looked at him before.
Xiao Heng slowly raised his head, looked at his grandmother, and slowly but firmly shook his head. His voice was hoarse, yet terrifyingly clear:
"Grandmother, I only want Jingnu."
After saying that, he withdrew his hand from the old palm, straightened up, turned resolutely, and walked towards the door.
Everyone was stunned by his actions and stood there dumbfounded.
Only Xiao Qiyu caught up with Xiao Heng and tried to grab his arm.
Xiao Heng shook off Xiao Qiyu's hand, turned to look at him, his eyes calm: "Seventh Brother, if you stop me today, you will no longer be my brother."
The door to the warm room was wide open, and the cold wind blew away all the warmth inside.
Wang's aged voice was utterly exhausted, trembling with tears: "Heng'er!"
"Look at your seventh brother, look at his face, and think about why he was so miserable when he was a child!"
"You're telling your grandmother that you're willing to turn against the whole family for that lowly prostitute?"
"Are you determined to follow in your fifth uncle's footsteps?!"
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Author's Note: This "Fifth Uncle" is actually Xiao Yu's father.
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