So no matter how the old woman bullied her, she silently endured it and never uttered a single word about it to Xu Guzhi.
"She just felt sorry for Xu Guzhi, who was so busy with official duties every day, and couldn't bear to bother him with these trivial family matters."
But her forbearance did not make the old woman restrain herself; instead, it made her even more demanding.
Seeing that Madam Xu did not file a complaint, she became even more arrogant and domineering, directly displaying the power of a mother-in-law.
Every few days, she would order Madam Xu to serve her personally, bringing her tea and water, massaging her legs and shoulders, treating Madam Xu like a maid.
On one occasion, Madam Xu was simply a little slow in serving tea, but the old woman flew into a rage and smashed the teacup on the ground.
She even launched into a tirade of insults, accusing Madam Xu of disrespecting her as an elder. Madam Xu could only silently endure it and clean up the mess herself.
Qin Qianluo's brows furrowed instantly, as if pulled by an invisible force, and the "川" character on her forehead became more and more obvious.
His eyes were filled with disbelief, astonishment, and deep displeasure.
She clenched her fists instinctively, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force, and the anger in her chest seemed ready to burst forth at any moment.
"This old lady Xu is going too far! Who in the world is so unreasonable and shameless?"
Qin Qianlu couldn't help but raise her voice, her voice filled with obvious resentment, and even the surrounding air seemed to vibrate with this anger.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. The more she looked at Madam Xu's excessive behavior, the more absurd it seemed.
"Did Xu Guzhi make some outrageous promise to her in the past?"
Qin Qianluo narrowed her eyes slightly, a thoughtful light flashing in them, trying to sort out the mess.
"Otherwise, how could she be so certain that as soon as Madam Xu leaves, her daughter can take her place without any obstacles and become the new Prefect's wife?"
This is utterly ridiculous! Where does she get this inexplicable confidence? This idea is so absurd and far-fetched!
In the end, Qin Qianluo gently shook her head, her face full of helplessness and emotion, as if she found the old lady Xu's stupidity and greed unbelievable.
Xu Guzhi's gaze was fixed on the screen, and as the scene unfolded, shock and self-reproach gradually welled up in his eyes.
Those scenes he had never seen before were like sharp blades, piercing straight into his heart.
He never imagined that while he was busy with official duties, his wife was swallowing so much grievance and heartache alone at home.
Every image struck him like a heavy hammer, and a torrent of regret overwhelmed him completely.
His hands clenched unconsciously, his knuckles turning white from the force, his heart filled with heartache and guilt for his wife.
He secretly vowed that when he returned home, he would gently embrace his wife and apologize to her with the tenderest words.
He wanted to pour out all the deep feelings and guilt that he couldn't usually express to his wife without reservation.
An apology alone is not enough; this predicament must be resolved thoroughly.
He was already planning in his mind that when he got back, he would find a suitable opportunity to have a serious talk with his stepmother.
He wanted his stepmother to clearly understand that his wife was the rightful and unique mistress of the prefectural governor's mansion.
He would never tolerate any behavior that overstepped the rules or insulted his wife.
Just as he was lost in these thoughts, King Jinrui Zhao's question came out of nowhere.
The sound was like a thunderclap, instantly jolting him from his reverie. His body jolted, his expression froze, and then turned into extreme panic and anxiety.
His eyes were slightly red, flashing with grievance and anxiety, and his chest heaved as he tried to calm his inner turmoil.
His lips trembled slightly as he desperately tried to explain, but something seemed to be stuck in his throat, and he couldn't speak for a moment.
He cried out anxiously in his heart: "King Jinrui Zhao, please don't wrong me! I really know nothing about my stepmother's thoughts and actions."
If I had known earlier, I would never have allowed my stepmother to treat my wife like this.
His anxiety and helplessness were clearly visible on his face, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Fortunately, Feng Qingyun immediately added, "Xu Guzhi has never had any wicked thoughts."
Let alone a direct agreement, even the slightest hint from the side would make me think there's something wrong with him.
This was entirely the old woman's wishful thinking; she didn't even consider how such a thing could possibly happen.
She actually had the audacity to bring up the matter of her daughter marrying him to Xu Guzhi.
At the time, Xu Guzhi was handling official business in his study when she suddenly barged in, disregarding how busy he was, and started talking.
Upon hearing this, Xu Guzhi immediately put down his pen, his expression serious, and directly and firmly rejected her.
Xu Guzhi made it clear that, not to mention his loving relationship with his wife, they were a harmonious couple.
From an ethical standpoint alone, his stepmother's daughter was nominally his sister, and he could not accept such a thing that violated human ethics and morality. He told her not to mention it again.
But the old woman seemed to be bewitched and wouldn't listen at all.
When Grandpa Xu was alive, she was somewhat wary of him. After all, he held a very high position in her heart and was a man of his word, able to suppress her wicked thoughts.
But once the old man left, without any supervision, she completely let herself go.
Her mind was racing with calculations, single-mindedly plotting how to get her daughter into Xu Guzhi's room, hoping to transform her from a sparrow into a phoenix.
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