Chapter 176 So refreshing! Madam Xiao is so domineering!
"Clang!"
The teacup shattered with a crack, and hot tea spilled all over the floor.
"oops!"
The maid cried out in surprise, stumbled a step, and upon recognizing her, scolded her playfully, "You... how do you walk?"
Wan Wanning immediately took two steps back, lowered her head, hunched her shoulders slightly, and said in a timid, tearful voice, "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to. Although I am Madam Lu's sworn sister and am temporarily staying at your residence, I know the rules and would never dare to deliberately offend you..."
Her manner made the maid seem aggressive.
The commotion immediately attracted the attention of the people in the pavilion.
Que'er hurried forward and saw the mess on the ground. Seeing Wan Wanning's timid appearance, she assumed she was easy to bully. Without saying a word, she raised her hand and slapped her across the face, shouting sharply, "You lowlife! You're just a mere merchant staying here, yet you dare to lay your hands on me in the mansion!"
Wan Wanning took the hit squarely, her cheek burning.
She covered her face, tears streaming down her cheeks, crying even more pitifully: "Why did you hit me, sister...? My elder sister is going to meet the emperor soon, if she knew I was humiliated here..."
Que'er scoffed, "Meeting the Emperor? A merchant's daughter meeting the Emperor only gets some empty rewards; how could she possibly cause any trouble?"
Wan Wanning sobbed, seemingly frightened: "But...but...Madam Xiao truly loves my elder sister...She said herself that she wants her to marry General Xiao...Even if she's not his legal wife, she'll still have a title...How can you treat me like this..."
Sparrow was taken aback by what she heard.
Wang Miaoyin had stepped forward, her face slightly pale.
That fiery-tempered aunt actually promised the marriage herself?
She recalled that her aunt had indeed given Lu Zhaoruo a generous gift and had spoken with her privately for a long time... She couldn't help but believe it a little more, and forced herself to remain calm, saying, "You, you mustn't be talking nonsense..."
Wan Wanning sobbed, "I didn't lie... Madam Xiao said that even if my elder sister had been married in Jizhou, she is now a completely new person. The Xiao family has always only considered character and temperament when choosing a wife, and doesn't care about those formalities..."
Wang Miaoyin trembled, her eyes filled with horror.
That Lady Lu... was actually married before?
Her eyes reddened, and she said, "Brother Ming would never agree to such a thing..."
Wan Wanning raised her tearful eyes and blurted out, "General Xiao's severed finger... was to save my sister! He treated my sister differently!"
These words struck like a thunderbolt.
Wang Miaoyin trembled all over, and her face turned deathly pale.
It turns out that his severed finger was not caused by fighting bandits, but was for Lu Zhaoruo!
She could no longer hold on, tears streaming down her face, and she turned and staggered away.
Que'er glared at Wan Wanning and hurriedly chased after her.
The maidservant quickly picked up the teacup from the ground and left.
Wan Wanning raised her head.
Watching Wang Miaoyin's departing figure, he reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, a smile playing on his lips.
Xuchu is inscribed.
The Zhaochun Hall was brightly lit, and the banquet was ready.
Madam Xiao sat upright in the main seat facing north, exuding an air of authority without anger, and surveyed the entire room with an indifferent expression.
Madam Xiao sat in the head seat on the east side, opposite the main seat, and felt quite uncomfortable.
Madam He sat comfortably in the first seat on the west side, a smile playing on her lips, her fingertips lightly tracing the patterns on the teacup.
Wang Miaoyin knelt with her head bowed in the second seat below her mother, her posture respectful and her breathing soft.
Slightly to the left of Madam Xiao, a separate seat was set up, with a brocade cushion awaiting her...
This position was reserved for the young general Xiao Yeming.
Hua Yue led Lu Zhaoruo inside, with Dong Rou following closely behind, her head bowed.
Lu Zhaoruo walked into the hall and bowed respectfully to Madam Xiao, saying, "This junior, Lu, wishes you good health, Madam."
Madam Xiao slightly raised her eyelids, coldly sweeping her gaze over her, a hint of undisguised disgust flashing in her eyes, and simply responded with a faint "Take a seat."
Mrs. Xiao was not very happy.
Why is this old lady so indifferent to such a perceptive person?
She thought about it again and realized that the old lady had always looked down on her background, so how could she treat Zhaoruo, who was compatible with her, well now?
When Xiao Lin insisted on marrying her, his mother-in-law cried and made a scene, trying to stop him in every way.
Fortunately, Xiao Lin's heart was as firm as a rock, and he eventually married her in a proper ceremony.
Ironically, on the day of the wedding, the old lady claimed to be ill and hid in the ancestral hall chanting scriptures, without even showing her face.
In the years that followed, he treated her as if she didn't exist, refusing to even glance at her.
Madam Xiao was quite happy to have some peace and quiet, saving her from the empty formalities of morning and evening greetings.
On the contrary, her cousin, Madam He, served the old lady diligently and attentively all day long.
She suppressed her past thoughts, a bright smile blooming on her face, and beckoned to Lu Zhaoruo: "Zhaoruo, come here quickly and sit next to me."
As soon as Lu Zhaoruo sat down, Old Madam Xiao slowly began to speak, her words directed at Madam Xiao: "Ye Ming is already twenty-one. Although it is said that a man's ambition lies in all directions, there are quite a few among his peers who have already started their own families and careers. His marriage really cannot be delayed any longer."
She picked up her teacup, gently stirred the foam, and continued, "However, whether it's marrying a wife or taking a concubine, it's ultimately important to be well-matched in terms of social standing. Although the Xiao family isn't a top-tier family, it's still a family of meritorious officials with three generations of generals, so we can't be casual about it."
As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Zhaoruo with a seemingly casual look, and her voice deepened: "If marriage doesn't consider social standing, what about the reputation our ancestors earned with their blood and sweat?"
Lu Zhaoruo sat quietly with her eyes lowered, her fingertips slightly curling up inside her sleeve.
She understood the veiled meaning in those words.
Upon hearing this, Madam Xiao raised an eyebrow and laughed loudly, "Mother, I cannot agree with what you say. Social status is inanimate, but people are alive. When it comes to marriage, I believe that a woman's character, temperament, courage, and magnanimity are far more important than empty reputation."
She thought to herself, "It seems that the old lady knows that I intend to marry Zhao Ruo into Ming'er's family."
How did the old lady find out?
However, it doesn't hurt to know.
When Madam Xiao heard her words, her face darkened.
Seeing this, Madam He quickly smiled and smoothed things over: "My sister-in-law is kind and gentle, which is good. However, in my humble opinion, the old lady's considerations are more comprehensive. This marriage is not only about the goodwill between two families, but also about the integrity of the family and the virtue of the woman. Especially for families like ours, the most important thing for the future mistress or concubine is that she has a clean background and impeccable character, so that she can be a good wife and mother and maintain harmony in the household. If she has a complicated background and unresolved past ties, I'm afraid that in the future... troubles will arise, which would not be good."
Having said that, he cast a gentle glance at the old lady, his expression full of agreement.
The more Madam Xiao listened, the more her anger surged.
Despite her seemingly well-reasoned words, Madam He's remarks were all aimed at belittling Zhaoruo and upholding the old lady's outdated view of social class as the ultimate standard.
She was about to retort.
Granny Zhang whispered a reminder from the side: "Madam, be careful what you say."
At this moment, the old lady turned her gaze to Wang Miaoyin with a smile, and deliberately softened her tone: "Speaking of which, a child like Miaoyin is still the best. She is well-known, gentle, innocent, and beautiful. She is pleasing to the eye."
A smug smile immediately appeared on He Shi's lips as she glanced at Lu Zhaoruo.
How dare a mere merchant's daughter dream of marrying into the Xiao family?
She had already heard from her daughter that Lu Zhaoruo was the troublemaker who made Xiao Yeming cut off his finger to save her.
She is also a divorced woman.
Looking at that appearance now, it seems even more offensive and unlucky.
I initially thought she was just a merchant temporarily staying in the mansion waiting to meet the emperor, but now it seems she's actually a cunning vixen!
Seeing the look in He Shi's eyes, Madam Xiao could no longer hold back. She slammed the teacup down on the table with a loud "bang" and said in a loud voice, "What Sister He said sounds reasonable, but upon closer inspection, it is pedantic!"
Her eyes shone brightly as she first looked at Madam He, then turned to the old lady: "What does 'clean background' mean? Is it that a woman who establishes her own household and donates money to support the military and the country is not clean, or is it that she is upright and honest in her conduct?"
"The Xiao family has made its name through military achievements, and the most important virtues should be loyalty, courage, benevolence, and righteousness! Zhao Ruo is a woman with no one to rely on, yet she stepped forward when Jizhou was in danger, giving away all her family's wealth to fund the army. This is loyalty and courage. She met the wrong person, but she was able to break free and stand on her own two feet. She did not complain about fate or others, but instead made her business thrive. This is benevolence and righteousness!"
“If a woman who is loyal, brave, benevolent, and righteous cannot be called ‘virtuous,’ then I would like to ask, what is meant by ‘virtuous’? Is it merely hiding in one’s secluded house, gossiping about others?”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
