Chapter 228 Snobbishness
That sound...
"Big brother!"
Chen Wan'er was overjoyed: "Waaah, big brother, I knew you wouldn't abandon us!"
The nineteenth prince stood with his hands hanging at his sides, a half-smile on his face. Chen Wan'er was initially delighted, but when she met his gaze, her blood ran cold. She stopped abruptly, twisting the hem of her clothes, looking completely bewildered.
Just as bewildered as her was Si Jiu. He had always treated Chen Wan'er with the respect and fear of a servant. Now, this person had suddenly become his younger sister. Not only could Chen Wan'er not accept it, but he himself couldn't process it either. Moreover, he had clearly heard the words "lowly thing" just now.
Even if the Chen family doesn't accept him, he won't stubbornly refuse to leave. He came to the Chen family today only because of his master; wherever his master is, that's where he'll be.
The nineteenth prince finally spoke, his smile fading: "Tell me, who is the lowly one?"
Chen Wan'er's expression changed slightly. She stammered, unable to utter a single word. She didn't know what was going on, but she felt that her former brother's aura had completely changed overnight, making her afraid to look him in the eye, let alone speak to him.
She had been a little carried away just now, thinking he still remembered the good things the Chen family had done for him—but what good things had the Chen family done for him? It was because of the Chen family that he had gone from a noble prince to a subject!
Chen Wan'er thought again, but if it weren't for the Chen family, he probably wouldn't even be as good as a subject, and would have become the son of a servant. How could he be so dazzling today? If he weren't so dazzling, then no one would ever know that he was the nineteenth prince!
The nineteenth prince and Chen Wan'er had grown up together since childhood, and he knew exactly what she was up to. Seeing this, he just smiled, pointed at the fourth prince, and said, "Answer me, who is the lowly one?"
The other party's aura was too intimidating, and Chen Wan'er couldn't withstand it. Her legs buckled and she was about to kneel down when Song Cheng grabbed her and pulled her up.
Song Cheng bowed to the nineteenth prince and addressed him as "Your Highness." Then he said to Si Jiu, "Brother, you know Wan'er's personality. She can be a bit willful, but she's not a bad person. She spoke without thinking just now because she couldn't accept it at the moment. I apologize to you on her behalf. Anyway, no matter what, you are a member of the Chen family, so you are my Zhao Ge'er's uncle. In the future, Zhao Ge'er will need your help."
Formerly, I always thought this son-in-law was difficult to deal with, but I never expected that one day the tables would turn and he would be the one being polite to me.
Thinking of this, Si Jiu suddenly felt more confident. When he glanced at the Nineteenth Prince beside him, his confidence surged. He imitated his master's usual manner and said in a deep voice, "After all, she is my own sister. I'll let it go today, but I hope that my sister and brother-in-law will remember their place in the future. This is the Chen family, not the Song family."
"Brother is right. Wan'er, quickly apologize to brother!"
Chen Wan'er refused to apologize. She bit her lip and watched the nineteenth prince cry incessantly.
The nineteenth prince then said, "Wan'er has truly been spoiled by her parents and doesn't know what's important. Now that I am no longer a member of the Chen family and you are married, the only one who can protect my family's business and reputation is Sijiu. Your maternal clan is strong, so you and Zhaoge'er can stand tall in the Song family. Do you believe that if Sijiu announces that he is giving up on the Chen family today, the Song family will be arranging to find Song Cheng a concubine tomorrow?"
"Brother, all I want in this life is Wan—"
"How dare you! When did it become your place to interrupt me?"
The nineteenth prince shouted, which frightened Song Cheng so much that his legs went weak. He pulled Chen Wan'er down to his knees with a thud, and hugged his son Song Xizhao in his arms, trembling all over: "Your Highness, Your Highness, spare our lives!"
"Enough. I originally thought that with my connection, Sijiu might be able to pass the imperial examinations and bring honor to the Chen family. But it seems I was wrong. The Chen family doesn't care about family reputation. Since that's the case, I won't waste my breath. Sijiu, pack your things and come with me to the palace."
The nineteenth prince has not yet been recognized by his ancestors and naturally does not have his own residence. As everyone knows, apart from the imperial guards, other men must be castrated before entering the palace. The nineteenth prince is asking the fourth prince to come to the palace with him. Isn't this going to cut off the Chen family line?
Chen Wan'er felt dizzy. If Song Cheng hadn't been there to support her, she would have definitely fainted.
"Master, I'll go back to my room to pack right away!"
Just as Si Jiu turned around, he saw Madam Chen stumble in. He paused, and Madam Chen rushed past him toward the Nineteenth Prince. He caught his breath, and Madam Chen's slap landed on the Nineteenth Prince's face, making a crisp sound.
"You unfilial son!"
Madam Chen pointed at the nineteenth prince, both angry and heartbroken: "I raised you for over twenty years, and I believe I haven't treated you badly. Now that you've gained power, you want to abandon us! Are you even human? Chen Liangjin, I'm asking you, are you even human?!"
The nineteenth prince stood there motionless, letting Madam Chen hit him.
"Your father is so worried about you that he can't sleep at night, afraid that you'll become a good-for-nothing who commits murder and arson! Do you know how happy your father was when you said you wanted to go to the academy to study and take the imperial examination? You've only been in the academy for two days, and he already said you are his pride!"
"He almost exhausted himself for you! When he passed away, you clearly swore to protect the Chen family and your sister! Now that you've become a prince, does that mean those vows are no longer valid?!"
Madam Chen was extremely agitated, both cursing and hitting him. Si Jiu had considered stopping her, but recently she had stopped.
When Madam Chen was exhausted from the beating, Si Jiu went over to help her: "Madam, things have come to this point, there's no point in thinking about it anymore. You should learn to accept it."
"Learn to accept it? The son we, the Chen family, have carefully raised has suddenly become someone else's son. How am I supposed to accept that? Forget it, you know nothing but how to serve others and be a yes-man. What's the point of me telling you this?"
Madam Chen shook off his hand: "I was the one who switched you with that couple back then. I know you have resentment in your heart. Wan'er and I also cannot accept that you are a member of the Chen family. Now that you are determined to enter the palace with that ingrate, then it's just the right time to sever the relationship between us. Anyway, in my whole life, I have gone around in circles and ended up with nothing."
Si Jiu had still held some hope, but upon hearing this, his heart sank. He didn't say anything more, turned around, and left.
After catching her breath, Madam Chen apologized to the Nineteenth Prince, saying that she had offended the imperial family and asked the Nineteenth Prince to judge her crime, preferably by immediate execution to give her a quick death.
The nineteenth prince looked at Madam Chen with a calm expression and smiled, "Mother, what do you mean by this?"
"Your Highness, I only wish to follow my late husband as soon as possible, and I hope that you will grant my request."
"If Mother truly wished to follow Father in death, she should have gone long ago and wouldn't be alive now. However, since this is Your Majesty's request, then I—"
Chen Wan'er was so frightened that her heart almost stopped beating. Her mother didn't want to live anymore, but she still had her son, and she wanted to live!
Chen Wan'er disregarded everything else and loudly interrupted the Nineteenth Prince, "Your Highness, please wait a moment!"
He turned and ran outside, shouting, "Big brother! Big brother, don't go! The Chen family can't live without you!"
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