Chapter 182 Wan Wanning Cannot Be Keeped By My Side
Lu Zhaoruo smiled and agreed, then bid farewell to Madam Xiao and headed towards Chengrui Courtyard.
As soon as she stepped through the moon gate of Chengrui Courtyard, she heard a faint sob.
Wan Wanning was gently wiping away tears with her sleeve, her shoulders trembling slightly. She pleaded softly with the two maids who were sweeping, "Please, sisters... please don't say that. My sister... she'll be heartbroken if she hears this..."
A maid muttered under her breath, "We didn't say anything..."
Another maid chimed in, "Exactly."
Wan Wanning raised her tearful eyes and looked at them timidly: "You...you were clearly laughing at my sister just now, I...I heard it all..."
Her voice choked with sobs, making her appear even more pitiful: "You all say that she deliberately stayed at the Xiao residence because she wanted to become Mrs. Xiao, but the general publicly rejected her marriage proposal... You say she didn't even consider her own worth, just trying to climb the social ladder... You also say that she, a merchant's daughter, how could she be worthy of the general's family..."
“You also said… that my elder sister is inferior to Lady Wang Miaoyin in every way, saying that Lady Miaoyin is the general’s cousin, and that she is gentle and obedient… unlike my elder sister, who dares to be impolite and talk back to Madam Xiao and Madam He… completely forgetting that she is just a… guest staying here.”
The two maids exchanged a glance and lowered their heads guiltily.
After Wan Wanning finished speaking, she looked around again, as if she had mustered up a great deal of courage, and said softly, word by word, "But my older sister... although she is divorced and her reputation is tarnished... now that she is doing business outside and showing her face in public, she attracts even more criticism... but she... she has no choice..."
"But how many ordinary men can match her courage and ability?"
She raised her voice slightly, just enough for the servants around her who were listening intently: "Besides... even if General Xiao is unwilling, my elder sister will soon have an audience with the Emperor. With her looks and talent, if she wins the Emperor's favor, why would she have to worry about finding a better marriage than the Xiao family in the future?"
"What arrogance! You actually want to find a better marriage than the Xiao family? What, do you want to climb the social ladder and marry into the imperial family?"
A cold voice rang out from behind Wan Wanning.
Everyone was startled and turned around to see that Granny Song, who was standing beside Madam Xiao, had appeared under the eaves at some point, her face cold and her gaze sharp as a knife as she swept over Wan Wanning.
A suppressed chuckle suddenly rose from the surroundings, and several maids exchanged knowing glances.
Wan Wanning was humiliated in public, and her tears flowed even more fiercely. She looked like she had been bullied but had no way to defend herself, and she was so angry that she trembled all over.
Just then, a clear, crisp voice came from beside the moon gate: "Greetings, Granny Song."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent and turned around. They saw Lu Zhaoruo standing quietly in front of the door, her expression calm as still water. Her gaze swept across the entire room before finally landing on Granny Song. She gave a composed curtsy and said, "It is because of my lax discipline that you have to personally attend to such trivial matters in the courtyard."
Seeing her so calm, Granny Song couldn't afford to make a scene. She just said coldly, "Madam Lu, you should keep a close eye on the people around you. Don't be so careless and make a fool of yourself."
After saying that, he glanced at Wan Wanning, then turned and left.
Seeing that there was no show to watch, the servants who had been watching also dispersed.
Lu Zhaoruo watched everyone leave before turning her gaze to Wan Wanning, who was still sobbing to the side. Her eyes suddenly turned cold: "Wanning, come in with me."
The inner room.
Lu Zhaoruo did not immediately react. She quietly poured herself a cup of tea and then said slowly, "Kneel down."
Kneel down?
Wan Wanning trembled.
What did I do wrong?
Why should I kneel?
However, when he looked up, he saw that Lu Zhaoruo's eyes were calm and composed, and she exuded an aura of authority.
She could only bite her lip and kneel down, feeling wronged. Before she could even ask any questions, she cried out, "Sister... Wan Ning knows she was wrong! But what Wan Ning did today was all because she couldn't stand them making fun of you like that, and she acted rashly in a moment of anger..."
Lu Zhaoruo lowered her eyes, took a sip of tea, and interrupted her performance: "What you did today, seemingly to help others, actually harbored malicious intentions. It was not to calm the situation, but to spread it."
Wan Wanning suddenly looked up, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes.
My thoughts were completely seen through.
She cried even more bitterly, tears streaming down her face: "No, sister! You've misunderstood Wan Ning! After my finger was cut off that day, Wan Ning swore to be loyal to you for life, heaven and earth can bear witness, how could I possibly intend to harm you!"
Lu Zhaoruo ignored her vow and pressed her for an answer: "Then let me ask you, before the banquet last night, how did Madam Xiao, Madam He, and Wang Miaoyin know that General Xiao cut off his finger to save me? And how did they know that I had divorced and returned home in Jizhou?"
She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice even further, "Could it be that Madam Xiao told them herself?"
Caught off guard by the barrage of questions, Wan Wanning turned pale and lowered her head guiltily, sobbing as she tried to explain, "No, no... it was Que'er, the maidservant of Wang Miaoyin yesterday. She bullied me and even slapped me. She can hit me, but she absolutely cannot insult you, sister... I was so angry that I blurted it out... I never expected they would use it to make a scene at the banquet... Sister, Wanning really knows she was wrong!"
She cried so hard her shoulders were shaking, she was so aggrieved.
What a touching speech of "it's for your own good," coupled with her pitiful appearance with tears streaming down her face.
Unfortunately, she underestimated Lu Zhaoruo's insight.
Lu Zhaoruo stared at her, her voice calm and unwavering: "The timing was so perfect, they knew about this private matter just a moment before I was to attend the banquet."
Wan Wanning sobbed, gasping for breath, "Sister... I swear to God, I really did this for your own good..."
"For my own good?"
Lu Zhaoruo slammed the teacup down on the table with a sharp sound. "Do you know how they publicly humiliated me at the banquet last night using these very words?"
Wan Wanning pressed her forehead to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably: "It was Wanning who was stupid and ignorant... it was Wanning who was simple-minded and spoke without thinking... please forgive me this time, elder sister..."
Lu Zhaoruo looked down at the trembling body at her feet and sneered: "You appear cowardly and pitiful on the surface, but you are scheming at every turn. If your behavior can be considered 'simple-minded,' then there is no such thing as conspiracy in the world."
Wan Wanning bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled.
She was resentful and unwilling to accept defeat!
Why does Lu Zhaoruo have the right to judge me from a superior position?
Why is it that she's lucky enough to win Madam Xiao's favor, so she can debase herself like this?
Just then.
Dongrou, carrying Abao, pushed open the door and entered. She was taken aback by the scene inside: "Wife, what is this...?"
Lu Zhaoruo waved her hand to stop her from speaking, her expression indifferent: "Dongrou, see the guest out. From today onwards, this person is no longer my sworn sister. Her real name is Wan Ningniang, and she has nothing to do with me, Lu Zhaoruo."
Upon hearing this, Wan Wanning felt as if she had been struck by lightning…
Is this another attempt to force me to leave?
She hates it.
She just broke her finger, and now she wants to kick me out again?
But she couldn't leave; she hadn't found a place to settle down.
She suddenly fell to the ground, grabbed Lu Zhaoruo's skirt, and cried out, "Sister! Please don't send me away. I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. Besides, I really didn't have any ulterior motives as you said. I really did it for your own good."
Lu Zhaoruo remained completely unmoved.
She regretted letting Wan Wanning stay that day because she was soft-hearted.
She said coldly, "There is absolutely no way I will keep you by my side, based on that sentence you deliberately said to Granny Song."
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