Aunt Kang was hit so hard that she turned her face away, her eyes wide open in disbelief, her wrinkled eyelids turned up like overnight lasagna. She covered her cheeks and said, "...Mom, you..." A strong sense of uneasiness rose in her heart.
Old Lady Wang said with tears in her eyes, "You have been with us in office since you were a child. You have been praised and exaggerated, so you look down on this and that, your brother and sister-in-law, your sister and brother-in-law, and other relatives... You think that everyone should obey you and depend on you. If there is even the slightest dissatisfaction, you will feel resentful and always want to get back at others. You will take revenge for everything. Relying on the favor of me and your father, you have become so bold and have made mistakes step by step. Now, you have done such a beastly thing that is intolerable by heaven! You have implicated all your flesh and blood. I... I can't protect you anymore..." The old woman burst into tears, her old face full of pain.
Wang heaved a sigh of relief and looked at her mother with great gratitude. Uncle Wang felt sorry for her and seemed to want to say something, but Aunt Wang pulled his sleeve and he shut up again.
Sheng Hong felt relieved. It was better to deal with his aunt than his wife. He turned to look at Minglan, but saw his youngest daughter standing there motionless, staring at Old Lady Wang quietly. A strange look appeared on her face, as if she was a little disappointed, but also seemed to have a hint of admiration.
"Mom!" Aunt Kang finally came to her senses and screamed miserably, "Are you going to abandon your daughter?!" She was so frightened that her voice trembled.
No, no, for all these years, my mother had always been willing to help me, no matter how much she talked or scolded me. That year, my husband's beloved little devil and the bastard she carried met their end together. My husband had almost asked the clan leader for a divorce, but my mother had protected me and helped me get through it smoothly, hadn't she? I've weathered so many storms over the years, so I'm sure I'll be able to get through this one, too!
She leaned on her mother's lap and cried, "My marriage was arranged by my father. For decades, I have lived a life worse than death. Now my mother wants to give up and leave me alone. How can there be such cruel parents in the world?! If my father were still alive..."
"Don't disgrace your father's lifelong reputation!" Old Lady Wang was furious. "Of his three children, your father was the one he deserved the most! During his many years in the Northwest, your eldest brother studied under Cheng Daxueshi, and your younger sister was entrusted to his uncle. Only you were raised by us the whole time! But over the years, have you done anything worthy of your father's spirit in heaven?!... This time, I can no longer cover up for you, otherwise how can I be worthy of my in-laws' kindness!"
Thinking of their eldest daughter, ever so clever and witty, always acting like a spoiled brat in front of their parents, smarter than their honest and dull son and more clever than their straightforward younger daughter, the old couple inevitably doted on her a little more. They had no idea their pampering would become a problem, leading to the disaster of today. She couldn't help but shed tears again.
Sheng Hong was deeply moved and could not help but say, "Thank you, mother-in-law, for upholding justice." He then bowed to his uncle Wang.
Minglan rolled her eyes inwardly.
Aunt Kang's face was pale, with a strange light in her eyes. After a day and a night of being tied up and humiliated, and suffering from the stench and hunger, she was already dizzy. Now she was stimulated again, and her mind was not very clear. In the confusion, she only knew that her mother was unwilling to help her this time, and the words "what about my in-laws" echoed in her mind.
She stood up suddenly and sneered at her mother, brother and sister-in-law: "Good, good! I am not as good as my sister in marrying. My son-in-law and son are all promising, and my husband is also glorious. Naturally, he is different in my mother's heart. Now I am down and out, and my husband's family is incompetent. It's no wonder that my mother's family looks down on me. Now even my closest relatives are stepping on me... I, I might as well die..." As she said that, she rushed to the wall.
There were no maids waiting in the house at the time, and just as Aunt Kang was about to slam into the wall, Liu Kun's wife darted out from the side, barely blocking Aunt Kang's way, and held her tightly with both arms. She had been serving in the Wang family's inner chambers since she was a child, and she knew the eldest daughter's habits very well. She had not immediately accompanied Wang on her wedding, so she witnessed Aunt Kang's several dramatic visits to her parents' home after the wedding, with tears, a tantrum, and even the threat of hanging. Ever since Old Lady Wang said that, she had secretly observed Aunt Kang's every move.
Liu Kunjia felt pain in her chest and abdomen from being hit, and she let out a breath with difficulty: "I'm afraid the concubine is tired."
Aunt Wang stepped forward, grabbed Aunt Kang's other arm, and said hurriedly, "That's right, elder sister, you are confused. Go down and rest first." She even said such words. She was almost pointing at her mother's family and scolding them for being snobbish and trying to curry favor with the powerful son-in-law. She would not say anything good if she continued, so it was better to drag her down quickly.
Aunt Kang was held so tightly that she couldn't move. She could only howl intermittently, "I want to die, let me die."
Mother Qi was very smart and quickly said, "Aunt is right. My wife is frightened and tired, and she said some offensive words. Please don't be offended. Why don't you let me take care of your wife and let her go back to rest." She would escape first.
Old Lady Wang was moved and was about to nod when Minglan said with a smile, "Although the Sheng family isn't as well-established as the Kang family, we do have plenty of rooms for Aunt to rest in. Madam Qi can accompany Aunt to the side rooms to rest."
Mother Qi held Aunt Kang's arm and said with a smile, "I've bothered you for so long, how can I bother you again? Besides, it's more comfortable to rest at home. What do you think, old lady?"
Madam Wang also hoped to calm the situation down, so she said to Sheng Hong, "My dear son-in-law, your eldest aunt is confused now. Why don't you ask her to go back first? We can discuss other matters later."
Sheng Hong was about to nod when he heard Minglan interrupt, "That's absolutely not possible!"
Mrs. Wang was already unhappy after being repeatedly rebuked and pressured by Minglan. Sheng Hong saw that his mother-in-law looked unhappy and hurriedly shouted, "Don't be so rude!"
Minglan laughed and said, "Dad, I'm not being rude. I have to be upfront about the ugly things—" She turned to Old Lady Wang and said, "Tell Aunt Kang to come home. What if she runs away?"
Aunt Wang almost burst out laughing, but quickly suppressed it. Old Madam Wang was displeased and said in a deep voice, "I understand you're young, and you're so worried about your grandmother's serious illness that you're talking nonsense. What do you mean by 'what if he runs away?' Do you think my Wang family is just some petty thieves? We're all from wealthy families, so why can't we talk to each other nicely?"
Minglan said sarcastically, "That's hard to say. If they can poison someone, what else can't they do? If my aunt really ran away, would you ask my father to beat the drum to alert the police and have a wanted notice posted all over the country?"
Madam Wang's face darkened as she turned to Sheng Hong and said, "Son-in-law, your daughter is very well-behaved! She's so aggressive towards her elders. Even at my age, she won't give in!"
Sheng Hong did not answer immediately, but looked at his daughter thoughtfully.
Minglan's words just now were more for herself than for the Wang family. Her daughter was now determined to seek justice for the old lady, and she wouldn't rest until Consort Kang was punished. This damned girl dared to defy her own father, and even her own family had the audacity to confer a title on her. If Consort Kang were to escape, she'd probably immediately "beat the drum to report to the authorities and have a nationwide wanted notice posted," which would be a truly humiliating sight.
Choosing the lesser of two evils, he avoided his mother-in-law's gaze and said calmly, "My aunt should just rest at home for a while." After a moment's thought, he added a few polite words, "My mother is still unconscious. I'd be unworthy of being a son if I let the culprit get away so easily."
When it comes to those who make it in officialdom, the words are very nice, and Minglan even wants to applaud her father; but Old Lady Wang is full of disappointment. She had hoped that her son-in-law would show leniency for her sake, but it seems that is not going to happen.
She had no choice but to say to her eldest daughter with a stern face, "You go down first. I'll handle the rest!"
At this time, Luzhi had called in the two maids in charge of punishment. They grabbed Aunt Kang on each side and led them out. Aunt Kang struggled to get away. Thinking of Minglan's cruel methods, she could only scream: "Mother, are you going to watch me die? The Sheng family wants me to pay for their old lady's life!... What a cruel mother, she always steps on her own flesh and blood to curry favor and climb the social ladder..."
The pleading eventually turned into curses, and the vicious words were unbearable to hear. Seeing her daughter's half-crazy state, Old Lady Wang wiped her tears and said, "Go down and reflect on your mistakes first. I... will always plead with your brother-in-law..."
Unfortunately, the daughter didn't understand her mother's hidden meaning and kept cursing, "This father and daughter, one is playing the good cop, the other is playing the bad cop, they are determined not to let me go! Mother, don't you even want to pity your daughter..."
Sheng Hong chuckled bitterly to himself. He felt truly wronged this time. He had sincerely intended to play the villain, but the situation forced him to do so. How could he explain things in detail under these circumstances? Unaware that imprisoning her wasn't Sheng Hong's idea, Princess Kang simply assumed the father and daughter were of the same mind.
The cursing and begging gradually faded away, and then stopped abruptly. It seemed that the two maids were using their tricks again to tell Mrs. Kang to "shut up"; Mother Qi was worried, so after thinking for a while, she followed them out.
Old Lady Wang looked at the figure walking away from the door, feeling distressed. She forced herself to calm down, stood up and walked to Sheng Hong's side. Then her knees gave way and she was about to kneel down, which frightened Sheng Hong so much that he quickly stood up to help her. "Mother-in-law, please get up quickly. How can I, your son-in-law, dare to accept your position?"
Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang hurried over to support her, and Wang also knelt on the ground beside her mother and cried.
Old Lady Wang took Sheng Hong's hand and said sadly, "My two daughters are useless. How can I face you and my in-laws? Although you and I are father-in-law and son-in-law, our relationship is like that of mother and son. When you came to my house that year, I liked you very much the moment I saw you. Many people advised me that your family background was poor, but I felt that this young man had noble character, was capable and promising, and was much better than my own son. Later, when you proposed marriage, I was so happy. People said that my daughters were lowering themselves, but I feel that with your talent and character, you are lowering yourself to my foolish girl..."
In fact, when the Wang-Sheng marriage was arranged, Sheng Hong was definitely marrying above his station. Old Master Wang was very hesitant, but Old Lady Wang liked Sheng Hong and, despite all objections, she eventually married her daughter to him. For this, Sheng Hong has been grateful for many years.
Old Lady Wang kept talking, from the wedding to the post-marriage life, from family to officialdom, all about how she appreciated and loved Sheng Hong, how she helped him in every way, and her loving and kind words made Sheng Hong even more sad, with tears rolling down his cheeks, and the father-in-law and son-in-law burst into tears.
Minglan watched coldly, not saying a word as Old Lady Wang continued her moving and heartfelt speech, gradually getting to the point - "... Although your mother and I didn't spend much time together, I admire her character very much. When I heard about the great suffering she endured, I wished I could take her place. Your mother is such a kind person. I don't think she would want this matter to cause our three families to become enemies, relatives to become enemies..."
Sheng Hong wiped his tears and was moved. He almost nodded and said "yes, yes", but suddenly he heard a light sneer from the side. He saw Minglan slowly walked to Kang Jin and said with a smile: "Hello, cousin Kang."
Kang Jin was honest by nature, but also a bit cowardly. Ever since his mother was dragged out, he had been standing in a corner crying secretly. He was startled when he heard this: "Sheng...cousin too."
"I'm young, and I don't know the past," Minglan said softly, her voice clear and resonant. "I'm so moved by what the old lady said today..." She suddenly let out a sneer. "I almost thought it was your grandmother, not my grandmother, who raised my father, hired famous teachers, helped him pass the imperial examinations, and gave him a wife and children?"
Sheng Hong blushed. If his mother-in-law was kind to him, then his stepmother was even more kind to him. He did not seek justice for his stepmother who was injured, but let the murderer of his stepmother go because of his mother-in-law's kindness. This was unacceptable in any way.
His thick skin had been thoroughly honed in his official career, and his emotions were fluid. He immediately suppressed his emotion and sighed, "My mother-in-law treats me well, of course I know that. But human ethics and principles will never let go of someone who harms your mother. I only hope that my mother-in-law will forgive me."
Old Lady Wang was suddenly and harshly ridiculed, but her words hit the nail on the head. Seeing that Sheng Hong was beginning to waver, she failed at the last moment.
She gritted her teeth and continued to pour out her feelings. "My dear son-in-law, those two fools have indeed committed a heinous crime, but they are my flesh and blood after all. I cannot bear to see them go unpunished. For my sake, please at least forgive them. From now on, they will eat vegetarian food, worship Buddha with green lamps, and chant sutras and pray for your mother. What do you say?"
Sheng Hong hesitated: "This... I'm afraid it's not appropriate..." This proposal had been discussed by him and his daughter a long time ago, but was rejected by Minglan.
Minglan scorned her heart and said in a deep voice, "If grandma could regain her former health, I would also be willing to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures from now on. All the descendants of the Sheng family have received great kindness from grandma. As long as grandma can get better, who among my father, my brothers, my sisters and my sisters-in-law would not be willing to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures? I won't bother you, aunt!"
Sheng Hong quickly straightened his shoulders and said, "That's right. Filial piety is the foundation of a family. Every member of the Sheng family should keep it in mind. Eating vegetarian food, chanting scriptures and praying for their mother is their duty."
Minglan added a handful of firewood. "What's more, before my aunt left, she was full of resentment. God knows what she would ask for in front of the Buddha! I hope she won't curse my entire Sheng family to a bad death!"
Sheng Hong also said: "How can a person who has not yet redeemed his sins have the face to serve the Buddha and not be afraid of polluting the quiet place of Buddhism!" He must be dignified, as he has been a filial son for decades.
Listening to the father and daughter's back-and-forth, Madam Wang grew angry. "So, what do you think we should do?!"
Sheng Hong stroked his beard in silence, his face turned away with a heavy expression. Minglan took the responsibility, "My wife didn't know the hidden truth, so that's another matter. But my aunt hired someone to make poison and tricked someone into poisoning her. This is a cruel act that wants to kill someone. With all the evidence, there's no reason to shirk her responsibility. The punishment is simple: a three-foot white silk or a cup of poisoned wine. She'll pay with her life."
Wang, hiding behind Liu Kun's house, breathed a sigh of relief. Old Madam Wang, however, was horrified: "You want to take her life?"
"You have to pay your debts and pay with your life, it's only right!" Minglan said firmly.
Madam Wang's eyes rolled back, her body went limp, and she half fainted. Aunt Wang quickly pinched her Ren Zhong point, but Uncle Wang angrily said, "How can you be so cruel, child! You're always trying to kill people! Even if your aunt dies, your old lady won't necessarily recover! Let's be merciful. Your aunt has admitted her fault, so why not show some mercy?"
Minglan refused to let her father, who was dodging death, go. She tugged at Sheng Hong's sleeve and shouted, "Dad, please say something!"
Sheng Hong had no choice but to frown: "Uncle, you are wrong. Your sister's life is life, but my mother's life is not life? According to uncle, we just need to admit our mistakes. Why did they kill so many people in Caishikou?!" He really didn't want to go against his mother-in-law, so he said, "My mother-in-law is not feeling well, so let uncle make the decision on this matter. My mother can't be killed in vain!"
Uncle Wang's eloquence was not as good as his brother-in-law's, and he was stumped after just two sentences. Aunt Wang spoke up for her husband and said gently, "Why are you so hostile? After all, the old lady in law is still alive, isn't she?"
Minglan nodded. "Our Sheng family is not cruel or unreasonable. If, by some stroke of luck, the old lady survives, my father won't ask your aunt to pay with her life. But the imperial physician said that the ginkgo sprout juice is very powerful. Even if we save a life, there's no guarantee that the limbs won't be paralyzed. If that's the case..." She sneered, "Aunt, please use your hands and feet as payment!"
Aunt Wang gasped, having never expected this young woman to be so cruel. Furthermore, she hadn't been sincere in her plea for her sister-in-law to begin with, so she was speechless. Seeing her son and daughter-in-law were useless, Old Lady Wang could only slowly wake up.
Since her plea was futile, she darkened her face and said, "My son-in-law has become successful now, and his family business is flourishing. He no longer cares about me! Well, you are a filial son, and you insist on using our Wang family to enhance your reputation. But I cannot ignore the relationship between flesh and blood. Let me ask you one thing today. What if I don't agree?"
Sheng Hong glanced deeply at the Wang family and said, "Since we can't settle this privately, let's do it publicly."
These days, he finally figured out one thing. In fact, if the news of Old Madam Sheng's poisoning spread, it would be a scandal for every member of Prince Shengkang's family, but the impact would vary.
Minglan was a married woman and was the least affected; the Sheng family was the victim and was affected the second most, but because of Wang, they could not avoid the charge of "confusion and negligence" and were criticized and ridiculed; the Kang family was larger, but there was no guarantee that Kang's brother-in-law would not cut off ties to survive, and a divorce letter solved the problem of Kang and Wang.
"My family has been clean for generations. How can we tolerate such a vicious woman? I have wanted to divorce her for a long time, but I have tolerated her until now for the sake of my wife's family" - Sheng Hong even thought of the lines for his brother-in-law.
The one that was most affected was actually the Wang family.
Murdering one's own father is a grave crime, and both Wang daughters were implicated. One was a clueless executioner, the other a mastermind and malicious. What will become of the Wang father and son's official reputation from now on? Even the tablet enshrined in the Fengxian Hall's Famous Ministers' Shrine might be removed. Wasn't it the case that the tablet of Lord Li was removed twenty years after his death because of his unfilial descendants?
The Wangs also have two older daughters, both of whom are married into prominent families. If word gets out about this, how will they be able to live comfortably in their husband's families? Furthermore, there are many other members of the Wang family.
Sheng Hong glanced at his uncle Wang and his wife again, thinking that even if his mother-in-law was willing to risk her life to save her eldest daughter, others might not be willing to do so.
In fact, he also wanted to seek justice for the old lady, if only the cost could be lower.
At this point, since he couldn't smooth things over, he had to be confident and not let anyone bite him back and see through his true intentions, saying that he "didn't appreciate his stepmother's kindness and didn't want to repay her." He had to repay her, and repay her greatly.
Besides, ultimately, the fault lies with the Wang family's daughter, not the Sheng family. If there's any bleeding, it should be the Wang family. Why should the Sheng family just swallow their anger?! It would be best to quickly deal with Lady Kang. Minglan would vent her anger, the Wang family would acquiesce, and then all three families could cover up the matter. After that, there would be peace in the world! Amitabha!
After understanding the truth, Sheng Hong's face was immediately filled with pain, with a hint of anger and deep disappointment. "My family has always passed down poetry and literature, and my children have been taught virtue. I never thought that such a thing would happen when I am approaching my prime..." He sighed deeply, "I am really exhausted. If my mother-in-law really can't understand, I will report it to the authorities!"
Aunt Wang's eyelids twitched violently. Just as she was about to speak, Old Madam Wang sneered, "I know what you're thinking. I know the Wang family wouldn't dare make a big deal out of this. Think about it, his eldest aunt is only a relative by marriage. Your mother is still alive, so at most, she'll be punished and exiled. If we make some arrangements, we can get her a lighter sentence. But your daughter-in-law is your own daughter-in-law! What's the crime for a daughter-in-law to murder her mother-in-law? You know better than me! What about her children?"
Sheng Hong was stunned and felt a chill in his heart.
Wang looked at her mother in disbelief and said blankly: "...Mom, you want me to die in order to save my sister?" She had always felt that her mother loved her sister more since she was a child, but she didn't expect it to be true.
Old Lady Wang didn't want her youngest daughter dead; she was simply competing with her son-in-law to see who was more ruthless and willing to sacrifice more. She hoped to force the Sheng family to back down, and both daughters would be saved. She couldn't explain herself at this moment, so she could only harden her heart. Without even looking at her youngest daughter, she sneered at Sheng Hong, "Your son-in-law is a Jinshi (imperial scholar) and well-versed in law. What crime would a daughter-in-law commit for murdering her mother-in-law?"
Sheng Hong's forehead was covered with sweat, and he held his knees with his hands - after all, they had been married for decades, and he could not bear to do this; not to mention that it would affect the career of his eldest son, whom he cared about the most.
Seeing this, Old Lady Wang's anger intensified. She shouted, "If this gets out of hand, no one will suffer! My dear son-in-law, you'd better think it over carefully." After threatening, she softened her voice and said, "This matter is a mess to begin with. Your mother is a blessed person and will definitely be able to overcome this danger. Only the few of us in this room know about this. When your mother wakes up, don't tell her, lest she be sad and her illness worsen. ... Oh, when I get back, I will definitely punish his eldest aunt severely and ask your wife to be filial to her in-laws. From now on, we can still be a harmonious family, right?"
Sheng Hong was deeply shaken, and he kept glancing at Minglan. Minglan's fingers trembled with anger, and her blood surged in her chest. A wave of nausea rose in her throat, and she wanted to vomit on Old Lady Wang's hateful face.
Old Lady Wang followed Sheng Hong's gaze and, knowing the situation now hinged on Minglan, feigned a loving expression. "My dear child, I know you are filial and want an explanation for your grandmother. But your wife has raised you for over a decade. How can you bear to see her suffer? And what about your older brothers and sisters? They are your own flesh and blood. How will they cope if you insist on making this a big deal?"
These words sounded half persuasion and half threat. Minglan sneered in her heart. If she was afraid, she would not have made such a fuss. At worst, she would be without parents, brothers or sisters. If she got angry, she would stab Aunt Kang to death with a hairpin as soon as she walked out of the door!
She took a deep breath and was about to sneer and scold the old woman, but she heard a familiar young man's voice coming from the door - "It's not difficult to deal with it yourself. Don't worry, sister."
Changbai was seen wearing a half-worn green robe, with disheveled hair and a weather-beaten face. It was obvious that he had come all the way here in a hurry. Following behind him was a tall man in a scarlet python robe. Who else could it be but Gu Tingye?
Sheng Hong stood up suddenly. When Wang saw her son, she felt ashamed but relieved at the same time. She cried, "My son, you are here!" At this moment, she truly felt that her son was the most reliable.
Minglan didn't know whether to be happy or sad when she saw her husband. The few short days they had been apart had been like a series of turbulent ups and downs. Seeing him again felt like a lifetime ago. Thinking of how she had arbitrarily ordered the guards of the Marquis's mansion to seal off the mansion and arrest people without his consent, causing such a disaster, she lowered her head and asked, "Isn't the Marquis in the western suburbs camp?"
Gu Tingye first saluted Sheng Hong, then performed a simplified version of the bow to Old Lady Wang and Uncle Wang. He quickly walked to his wife's side and said, "Mr. Gongsun, please tell me the news. I quickly asked for leave and came here."
"I hope it's okay." Minglan felt guilty for making him put down his work and rush over.
Gu Tingye smiled and said, "As long as there is no war, military generals are always more idle than civil officials."
Old Madam Wang smiled as she saw Wang Shi holding her son, crying and laughing. She was delighted – now that her grandson was here, no one would dare to embarrass her daughter. She glanced a few more times and saw Gu Tingye standing there. Her brows furrowed slightly, and after a moment's thought, she decided to get rid of this powerful grandson-in-law first.
Over there, Gu Tingye was looking at Minglan with a frown: "Why do you look so bad?" When she went out, she was still a plump, rosy and juicy apple, but in just three or two days, she became pale and thin like a cabbage.
Madam Wang said quickly, "Ming has been very tired lately from taking care of the old lady. Now that Marquis Gu is here, take her back and let her have a good rest."
Minglan said coldly, "Old Madam, please don't rush to chase them away. The matter is not over yet."
Madam Wang glanced at Changbai with a threatening look in her eyes: "You are a married woman, so you should worry less about your parents' affairs."
Minglan was extremely angry, and stretched out a hand to block her way.
"A married woman has nothing to do with her parents' family?" Gu Tingye said indifferently, "Then what is the old lady doing here?"
Minglan was stunned and almost laughed out loud. This guy was distorting the proposition.
Old Madam Wang snorted coldly and pointed at Minglan. "This girl used to be quite respectful and filial, but after marrying into the Marquis's mansion, she no longer cares about her parents' family. She even contradicts her elders time and again! I guess she's taking advantage of Marquis Gu's power!"
"Oh, really?" Gu Tingye said expressionlessly, "I also think Minglan is respectful and filial. What did the old lady do to anger such a good-tempered wife like my wife?"
Minglan stared at the man with her mouth wide open. The room was silent. Sheng Hong's face looked as if he had been hit by a stick. Uncle Wang's mouth twitched. Even Wang stopped nagging her son. Everyone in the room was stunned.
Madam Wang was furious. She slammed the armrest and shouted, "A woman who keeps saying she wants to be beaten and killed actually dares to detain her aunt and resort to lynching. How can this be justified?!"
Gu Tingye said sternly, "Minglan has always been timid. She doesn't even dare to hear the sound of a chicken being slaughtered (Aunt Kang: You're talking nonsense). She gets scared for half a day at the sight of blood. May I ask, Madam, why did Auntie force her to this point?!"
After saying this, he shook his head, looking very sad, as if he was very sorry that elders no longer act like elders these days.
Minglan looked up at the man beside her. His tall figure cast a shadow over the near-noon sunlight that streamed into the house, shielding her from the wind and rain, making her feel incredibly safe. Her heart felt bittersweet, and she wanted to both cry and laugh. Fighting alone wasn't easy, but now she finally knew she wasn't alone.
Gu Tingye looked at the Wang family members one by one. When Kang Jin met his gaze, he couldn't help but take a step back.
He just said in a cold voice: "Aunt did something so unjust that the old lady is upset. I can understand. But you shouldn't take your anger out on an honest person. Are you taking advantage of the fact that there is no one in the Gu family?"
Old Madam Wang had never seen such a reversal of right and wrong. Ever since she entered the Sheng Mansion, it has always been your wife who has been forcing the Wang family! She was so angry that she was shaking all over, her face turning blue and purple, and she was speechless for a while.
Gu Tingye actually turned around and smiled at Minglan: "You're not scared, are you?"
Wiping away the bitterness and emotion in her heart, Minglan was secretly so happy that she wanted to pounce on him and kiss him hard twice!
——Then, she lowered her long eyelashes, frowned, and held the handkerchief with her pale and weak hands. She said in a sad and helpless voice, "I never knew... there were such vicious people in this world..."
Gu Tingye's face was filled with pity, like an old hen looking at a tiny chick with sparse down, his eyes were so gentle that they almost melted water. He sighed, "Poor thing, you haven't even seen a chicken being killed, and now you actually saw someone poisoning someone to death."
This couple...
Everyone almost vomited blood - your poor, weak, timid wife was just arguing with someone with a fierce face, wanting to kill Queen Kang and cut off her hands and feet!
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