Chapter 493 Unable to Get Out
Meng Jinyao watched coldly as the mother and son grew distant, the father and son grew distant, and they became hostile to each other, each harboring their own selfish schemes. The infighting among the three of them was about to begin.
When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.
She is like the fisherman, reaping what she wants without lifting a finger.
A moment later, Meng Jinyao said again, "Grandmother, Father, we should go back too."
It was already lunchtime, but even though Madam Meng wasn't in the mood to serve them, she couldn't let them go back to their parents' home without eating a bite of food. So she said, "Ayao, stay and have lunch before you go back. You're pregnant, you can't go hungry."
Meng Jinyao didn't refuse, since she was really hungry. She stayed for lunch and then left with Gu Jingxi.
As soon as the couple left, Meng Dongyuan couldn't hold back any longer and wanted to settle scores with his unfilial son. However, the son stayed by his mother's side the whole time, so he couldn't lash out. He could only say to his mother, "Mother, Chengxing has done such a thing and he must be punished no matter what. If he does something wrong and doesn't get any punishment, he won't reflect on his mistakes."
Upon hearing this, Meng Chengxing instinctively moved closer to Old Madam Meng, seeking her protection.
Madam Meng asked with a stern face, "Then how do you intend to punish Chengxing?"
Meng Dongyuan glanced at his rebellious son and replied, "Serve him with family discipline. Kneel in the ancestral hall to reflect on his actions and copy the family rules as punishment."
Old Madam Meng couldn't bear to see her grandson suffer, so she immediately protected him: "Chengxing is still young, just a child. How can he be punished so severely? If you really want to punish him, just make him copy the family rules."
Hearing this, Meng Dongyuan felt dissatisfied and couldn't help but retort, "In terms of age, he's only a year younger than Chengzhang. On New Year's Eve, it was freezing cold, and you punished him by making him kneel in the ancestral hall just because Chengzhang talked back to you. Now that he's in Chengxing, he's plotting to harm his unborn younger siblings, and such a serious matter is only punished by copying the family rules. Isn't Mother being unfair in doing this?"
Madam Meng had her own twisted logic, and she argued forcefully: "If you, as the father, hadn't been biased, how could Chengxing have gotten stuck on a futile point and done something wrong? It's because you, as the father, didn't treat everyone equally and hurt the child's feelings that he did something foolish. If you're going to use family discipline on Chengxing and make him kneel in the ancestral hall, then you, as the father, are at fault first and should be punished first."
Meng Dongyuan was furious: "Mother, if he wasn't so vicious, even if I, as his father, was a bit biased, he wouldn't have done such a vicious thing."
At that moment, Meng Chengxing knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face: "Father, your son knows he was wrong. After receiving the family punishment, your son will go to the ancestral hall to kneel and copy the family rules."
Seeing this, Madam Meng felt sorry for her grandson and became even more forceful, deciding directly: "Family discipline is waived, and kneeling in the ancestral hall is also waived. Chengxing, go back and copy the family rules three times, reflect on your actions, and don't let it happen again. This matter is over."
Three or three times?
Only copied the family rules three times?
Meng Dongyuan was dumbfounded. His original idea was to administer family discipline, then punish the rebellious son by making him kneel in the ancestral hall, and finally copy the family rules at least fifty times. Now, copying the family rules only three times was definitely not acceptable.
He hurriedly said, "Mother, this..."
Old Madam Meng glanced at him, her face darkening as she interrupted him: "Alright, that's enough. Madam Dong is already gone. Are you going to force your own son away?"
Meng Dongyuan shook his head repeatedly: "Mother, that's not what I meant."
With a stern face and an unhappy tone, Madam Meng said, "Since that's not what you meant, you should go back now. Today's events have given me a headache, and I need some peace and quiet."
Meng Dongyuan wanted to say something more, but seeing that his mother didn't even glance at him, he could only go back for the time being.
However, as soon as he left, Madam Meng's expression softened, and she quickly said to her grandson, "Chengxing, you child, get up and talk to me first."
Meng Chengxing did not get up, but choked with sobs as he confessed, "Grandmother, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have done such a thing. When I found out that the child was gone, I regretted it. If I hadn't done that, you would have had another grandson or granddaughter this year."
Although the child was gone, Madam Meng was naturally saddened, but in front of her grandson, the unborn child was nothing. She comforted him, saying, "This is not your fault. It was your father who did wrong, which is why you couldn't think straight for a moment."
After she finished speaking, she pulled her grandson up and lovingly wiped away his tears. She continued, "Don't take your father's nonsense seriously. How can he depose the heir apparent or replace him with someone else? He has to petition the Emperor and get his permission. And the heir apparent can't be replaced by someone else without his permission, unless you commit a serious crime."
Upon hearing this, Meng Chengxing felt reassured and gradually calmed down. However, when he thought of his elder sister's words, he became uneasy again: "But my elder sister said that what I have done this time is enough to strip me of my position as heir apparent and that I will be exiled like Gu Xiuming."
Madam Meng replied, "The Dong family has already divorced your father, so this matter is over and done with. No one will mention it again or pursue it further. Just don't do anything foolish like this again."
Meng Chengxing nodded obediently.
On one side, the grandmother and granddaughter were deeply in love, while on the other side, Meng Dongyuan returned to the courtyard and, not seeing Dong Shi's figure, was overwhelmed with sadness. His eyes even reddened, a rare occurrence for him. He covered his face with his hands, and tears streamed through his fingers.
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On the carriage.
Meng Jinyao leaned against Gu Jingxi's chest and asked softly, "Husband, do you think I'm meddling in other people's business today?"
Gu Jingxi replied, "You're not just meddling in other people's business. On the surface, you're helping the Dong family, but in reality, you're helping yourself and your second brother. Ayao's divisive tactic is quite effective."
Meng Jinyao raised her head, her face grim, a cold smile playing on her lips: "I was originally thinking about how to deal with them, but I didn't expect them to cause such a mess. This is perfect for making them completely disunited and start fighting amongst themselves." She paused, "It's just a pity about that child."
Gu Jingxi said, "This child doesn't have a strong connection with the Meng family."
Meng Jinyao sighed softly. She was about to become a mother and really didn't want this to happen, but it had already happened. She said, "Although I don't know Aunt Dong very well, I do know her. She is well-educated, intelligent, kind and gentle. Even if I don't get any benefit from it, I will help her today simply to help her get out of her suffering."
“She was very good to my second brother and helped me. When I went back to my parents’ home, my grandmother wanted to say some unpleasant things to me, but she pretended to be stupid and blocked it. Afterwards, she should have been scolded by my grandmother, but she did it even though she knew she would be scolded. Regardless of whether she was trying to do me a favor, I am grateful to her.”
Gu Jingxi said gently, "She will have a better marriage in the future."
Meng Jinyao smiled and said, "I also think that such a good woman deserves a better man. Marrying my father is like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung."
Thinking of her father's sad expression, she couldn't help but laugh out loud, gloating, "However, I'm afraid my father will have a hard time getting over it. When Aunt Dong and my father divorced, it happened to be the time when my father liked her the most. The more he misses Aunt Dong, the more he hates my grandmother and third brother."
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