Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Did he ask you to come?
When the maid informed Mrs. Bian that she was coming to visit, Mrs. Jiang was chatting with her sister about family matters.
"No!" She sneered. "The Marquis's Mansion is not a place where just any cat or dog can enter. Let that old hag know that without my sister, her Zhang family is nothing!"
The maidservant withdrew and returned a short time later, saying, "Madam has ordered us to go to the small hall and ask the eldest lady to change her clothes before going over."
Xiao Jiang's face darkened slightly, knowing that someone must have tipped off her mother-in-law.
But she couldn't express it, so she just comforted her sister softly, "Don't worry, no matter how much that old woman begs, we won't go back."
Mrs. Jiang nodded with a smile, looking nonchalant. But after her sister left, the smile disappeared from her face, and she looked worried again.
"Madam?" Mother Fang looked at her worriedly.
Mrs. Jiang: "You find a house to rent. I can't cause any more trouble for my sister. Actually, I should have thought of..."
Mother Fang hesitated. "When we arrived the day before yesterday, the Marquis's wife told you to stay a few more days and not rush to leave. Madam, if you leave the Marquis' Mansion, we alone can't handle the Zhang family's chaos."
Mrs. Jiang sighed wearily.
If the Marquis's Mansion intended to protect her, the Marquis's wife would not have met Old Lady Bian.
-
Little Jiang stood quietly outside the small flower hall. Through the window lattice, she could clearly see the situation inside the hall.
Old Mrs. Bian was dressed in black, with her slightly gray hair tied up in a bun at the back of her head. Her head was bald, without any hairpins or jewelry.
"...I really don't know what made her unhappy. She married down from her parents' background, and I was afraid that different habits would make things difficult for her, so I lived in the nunnery all year round and never interfered in household affairs. She had the final say."
Old Mrs. Bian's tears slid down the wrinkles on her face.
"My son said a few stupid things. It's wrong. It's really his fault. I apologize on his behalf."
She paused to wipe away tears.
Mrs. Xie, the Marquis' wife, gently fanned herself with a calm expression and did not respond.
Old Lady Bian had no choice but to continue, "My son's career hasn't been going well, and he's been repeatedly demoted. Naturally, he's feeling down. Instead of being attentive and caring, as a wife, he's abandoned the whole family and gone off to have fun. Is this the way to be a wife? You can't blame my son entirely for his harsh words, can you?"
Madam Xie coughed lightly, "Is the eldest brother's wife not here yet?"
Little Jiang walked in slowly. "The steward just came back to get a change of clothes for the prince. He said a few words and was delayed for a while."
Mrs. Xie asked hurriedly, "Are you not coming back tonight?"
"Well, he said he would accompany the emperor for dinner and listen to a little opera. Maybe he would stay overnight."
"Is everything packed?"
"Not yet..." Mrs. Jiang glanced at Old Lady Bian with an embarrassed look on her face.
Madam Xie stood up and said, "I'll go over and take a look. You take care of your sister's mother-in-law first."
Old Lady Bian also stood up and said, "Don't bother me. I came here today just to apologize to my daughter-in-law and ask her to go home."
Mrs. Jiang: "What a coincidence! My sister is out for a walk and isn't with me. When I see her tomorrow, I'll definitely persuade her to come home."
Old Lady Bian gave her a deep look. "They fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot of the bed. What couple in the world doesn't quarrel or fight? Today they hate each other to death, and tomorrow they love each other to death. If we outsiders follow her and curse each other a few times, she might even blame us tomorrow!"
Little Jiang smiled and said, "I don't know about others, but my sister is not that kind of person."
Old Mrs. Bian pulled the corners of her mouth together with a forced smile and said goodbye.
Mrs. Xie sat down again. "Did you lie just now?"
"Look at which one mother is asking about." Little Jiang came up behind her and gently rubbed her shoulders. "The one the prince has is real, but it wasn't just now. He asked for it this morning."
Madam Xie pondered for a moment. "The Marquis has been stationed in Liaodong for many years. Now that I am old, I miss my son even more. The Marquis is covered in injuries, and the bitter cold of Liao is not suitable for him to recuperate. I have considered transferring him several times, but I have always been worried about this and that and it didn't work out."
Xiao Jiang's heart sank slightly, and she hesitated before saying, "The prince mentioned this to me a while ago. He wanted to ask the emperor to allow the marquis to return to the capital, but he was afraid that the emperor would suspect that we had other intentions..."
"The old lady went to the palace to meet the emperor yesterday, and the emperor agreed." Mrs. Xie said softly.
Little Jiang paused.
"It's just that the official position has not yet been determined. The emperor needs to discuss it with the cabinet. Let's wait and don't tell anyone yet."
Mrs. Xie changed the subject and mentioned Mrs. Jiang. "I'm also furious when I hear about your sister. We can help with other things, but divorce is the only option. Since the founding of this dynasty, there has been no precedent for a woman successfully divorcing."
Mrs. Jiang didn't want to give up. "We can force Zhang Wen to write a letter of divorce."
Madam Xie sighed, "Even if you get a letter of divorce, you'll still be branded as an abandoned woman. High-ranking officials and common people alike will all despise you. Your sister will face even more gossip than before."
"Besides, the Zhang family has done nothing wrong on the surface. The Marquis' Mansion is not her family. Forcibly interfering will only lead to criticism from those civil officials and scholars."
Madam Xie patted Xiao Jiang's hand and said, "If it were any other time, it would be fine, but it happened at this critical moment when the Marquis was transferred. The old lady didn't want to cause any more trouble. Please be more understanding."
After her mother-in-law said this, what else could Xiao Jiang say but to nod.
The barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes. Now that the Marquis's Mansion is wearing shoes, the Zhang family is the barefoot ones.
Zhang Wen has no hope of a career in the government. To ensure his wealth for the rest of his life, he can only cling to his sister, who is his cash cow.
If pushed into a corner, they might do something despicable.
She was not afraid, and she also had a way to persuade the prince to suppress Zhang Wen and vent her sister's anger.
But I didn’t expect that the two mothers-in-law above me would disagree.
What should I do?
Little Jiang returned to the yard, sighing every few steps. She was surprised to see that her sister had packed her luggage.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes, I've found a house. It's not far from the Marquis' Mansion." Madam Jiang smiled and said, "Don't try to persuade me. You know I'm a stubborn person."
Little Jiang burst into tears. "As long as I'm here, no one dares to treat you badly. Why are you doing this?"
"I know, but I have to fight a lawsuit with the Zhang family for a while, so it's inconvenient for me to go back and forth. Sister, I'm worried about Xiaoman now. If you can keep an eye on her secretly, that would be the biggest help for me."
"Don't worry about that. I've already asked Jueping to pass on the message to his cousin."
-
Liu Jinshu was still worried about Xiaoman, so after his shift that day, he wanted to take a detour to Zhang's house to see her.
Qin Jueping happened to be on duty today, so the two brothers met at the palace gate.
"Cousin," Qin Jueping greeted with a smile, "your attendant is really becoming less and less attentive. Everyone has come out, but the sedan chair is not even ready."
Liu Jinshu explained, "Don't blame him. I'm going somewhere else, and it's troublesome for them to follow me."
Qin Jueping smiled knowingly, "You're going to see your cousin Zhang, right?"
Liu Jinshu was slightly surprised, "You guessed it right."
"How can I not know the letter I sent you?"
Liu Jinshu was even more surprised, but said, "I just received the news this afternoon. It turned out to be you."
Qin Jueping was surprised: "Auntie actually told you today. I contacted her the day before yesterday, and she said she would arrange it right away!"
Liu Jinshu paused. "I've been very busy these past two days, and I just found some free time at home. If you have any questions in the future, just come to the Hanlin Academy and find me. It would be cheaper."
Qin Jueping said okay.
My cousin Zhang is a member of the inner household. The marriage between the two families was only agreed upon verbally in private, and no one outside knew about it. How could my cousin frequently go in and out of the inner household of the Zhang family?
Of course, the identity of aunt is more suitable.
His mother and aunt were so concerned that they were confused, but he thought of this, so he asked his aunt for help.
My cousin seemed unaware of the situation. Didn’t my aunt tell him?
Qin Jueping smiled and said goodbye to his cousin.
Liu Jinshu no longer had the heart to visit Xiaoman and went straight home.
As soon as I entered the main courtyard, I heard my mother's laughter.
"What good news is there that makes the lady so happy?" He quietly asked the maid who was feeding the birds in the corridor.
The little maid replied with a blushing face, "The Crown Prince's wife's sister no longer lives in the Marquis's residence, and the Madam has asked someone to prepare a housewarming gift."
Liu Jinshu frowned slightly, took a deep breath, lifted the curtain and walked in.
From the inner room came the old woman's flattering words: "Madam is the one who has the solution, otherwise she would have lived in the Marquis's Mansion forever. Oh, it's as if the Marquis's Mansion is her mother's home."
Madam Qin's voice was filled with a hint of pride: "No matter how partial mother is to her daughter-in-law, it is not as important as father's return to the capital."
Liu Jinshu's heart sank.
He turned and walked away, accidentally kicking the flower stand next to him.
Mrs. Qin heard the noise and looked out through the window, only to see her son's back as he walked away.
She was so angry that she complained to her husband about her son at night.
"He married a wife and forgot his mother. The wife hasn't even entered the house yet, and he dares to be so disrespectful to me. Will he kick me out tomorrow?"
Liu Fang comforted his wife, "He dares? I'll kick him out first! Don't worry, you know our son's character best. He wouldn't do such a thing."
Madam Qin felt wronged. "He's already angry with me for an unrelated outsider. What else can he be afraid of?"
"You haven't done the right thing, actually. Just for the sake of your sister-in-law, you shouldn't gloat over her misfortune."
"How can I be gloating over someone else's misfortune? Is a divorce glorious? She runs to the Marquis' Mansion whenever something happens. The Marquis' Mansion isn't her family's. Not only is she embarrassed herself, but she's also causing shame for the Marquis' Mansion!"
Madam Qin was getting angrier and angrier as she spoke. "I'm wrong? She's the one who's wrong! She's been so persistent in marrying Zhang Xiaoman off, and now she's asking for a divorce before it's even settled. She doesn't even want to consider Zhang Xiaoman's marriage, or her daughter's dignity?"
"The Zhang family is certainly worthless, but what good is Jiang Chan? She secretly married Zhang Wen and got pregnant before marriage, forcing the Jiang family to give up half of their property to cover up her shame. Are you sure I don't know?"
"I didn't agree with my brother marrying Jiang Juan from the beginning. How could the younger sister be any better? As a result, I offended both of them. Every time I go back and see Jiang Juan's indifferent face, I get angry."
Liu Fang felt a sharp pain in his teeth as his wife complained. "It's just a trivial matter, true or false, so let's not talk about it. I also despise the Zhang family, so I might as well send Jinshu to Jiangling and let him come back in three years."
No matter how deep the feelings are, they cannot withstand the long distance. If two people cannot see each other, their feelings will fade away.
Mrs. Qin was delighted at first, then furious. "I was sent to such a faraway place for no reason, and I can't even come home a few times a year. I'm so pissed!"
Liu Fang twirled his beard and turned away.
In fact, it has nothing to do with the girl. Recently, the relationship between my son and Chen Lingyi has become increasingly tense. The two have quarreled in public more than once, and it has even developed to the point where they would scold each other regardless of whether they were right or wrong.
He and Chen Shao both felt that this was not a good way to go and that they had to be separated.
Chen Lingyi had just been transferred back to the capital, so his son had to be sent out.
If I tell the truth, my wife will definitely ask my grandmother, the Grand Princess, for help, leaving my son behind and finding an excuse to send Chen Lingyi away. Who knows how many more branches will emerge after all this operation!
Zhang Xiaoman had no choice but to take the blame.
Liu Fang coughed twice and said, "Mrs. Jiang is 99% likely to be divorced. Don't get involved in this matter, and don't gossip about it in front of her family."
Mrs. Qin asked back, "How do you know she can't leave?"
Liu Fang: "In ancient times, many people divorced their wives, but how many divorced their husbands? Being faithful to one's spouse is not just talk."
"Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog; marry a stick, carry it with you. That's why they say women are afraid of marrying the wrong man." Mrs. Qin showed a rare hint of sadness, and glanced at Liu Fang with a sidelong glance, "Fortunately, I didn't make a mistake."
Liu Fang clasped his fists and bowed, "Thank you for your loving wife's kindness in not abandoning me."
Mrs. Qin chuckled, and her worries about her son's disobedience immediately disappeared.
-
As Liu Fang said, Mrs. Chiang's divorce went very badly.
Mother Fang came back from Yingtian Prefecture. Just by looking at her heavy steps, you could tell that the trip had not ended well.
Mrs. Jiang hurriedly ordered tea to be served. "What did the government say?"
They had just moved and their things had not been put away yet. The maid was still busy boiling water, so Mrs. Jiang simply pushed her teacup over.
Mother Fang picked it up and drank it all in one gulp, then wiped her lips and said, "The magistrate refused to accept our petition, saying that private conversations were unreliable and that social order must not be violated. He then scolded me and kicked me out."
Mrs. Jiang's face looked a little bad. "Didn't you see Lord Wang, the prefect?"
This person is a student of Old Master Jiang, and was also a frequent visitor to the Jiang family back then.
Mother Fang shook her head. "No, but when I left the government office, a man who claimed to be his legal advisor caught up with me. He said that only when a husband insults his parents-in-law and abuses his wife to the point of disability would the government sentence him to a marriage of justice."
Zhang Wen did not violate either of these two rules.
Mrs. Chiang was extremely disappointed.
"He also suggested a solution," Mother Fang said, seeming a little hesitant. "Ask the clan to mediate and arbitrate. As long as the elders of both clans agree to a divorce, Zhang Wen can't refuse."
Mrs. Jiang smiled bitterly and said, "My parents are both dead, and I have offended the whole family because of the family property issue. Who among them is willing to speak for me?"
"How about asking Auntie..."
"No! I've caused her enough trouble. If I ask her for help again, the Marquis will definitely blame us sisters in her heart even if she doesn't say it."
Aren’t they facing a dead end?
The room suddenly became dead silent.
There was a faint commotion outside the door, and the little maid hurried in to report: "The master is kneeling at the door and won't get up. There are a lot of people gathered outside!"
Mrs. Jiang was shocked and angry. "The Autumn Examination is only a month away. Doesn't he care about his future?"
Fang's mother said coldly, "Let alone passing the exam, even if you become a juren, it's not as important as mountains of gold and silver! Madam, you must not be soft-hearted."
Mrs. Jiang sighed heavily and said, "Let's go."
The noise outside was extremely noisy, and people's pointing and talking seemed to penetrate the heavy door and prick the people inside like needles.
Mrs. Jiang took a deep breath and opened the door.
A surging sound surged in.
Mrs. Jiang actually staggered.
Mother Fang held her up and looked at Zhang Bi, who was kneeling in front of the door, with hatred. "Young Master, you ran to someone else's door to gather a group and cause trouble. Where have your studies gone? Do you have any sense of shame?"
Zhang Bi kowtowed heavily, "I, your unfilial son, ask you to return home."
Mrs. Jiang said, "I have decided to divorce you. You can go back now. The autumn examination is approaching. You should study hard and don't let your family down."
Zhang Bi wept and said, "My father is frail, my grandmother is old and frail, my sisters are in constant fear, and my mother has left home. Our once lively and beautiful home is now in ruins. How can I, a son, have the heart to study?"
"A son should not speak ill of his father. A son dare not speak carelessly of his parents' affairs. I have been studying away from home since I was young and have rarely paid attention to household chores. I have not noticed my mother's various discontents. All of this is my fault for being unfilial. I beg you to give me a chance to correct my mistakes!"
After saying this, he bowed his head and kowtowed, lying on the ground unable to get up.
People at that time had a natural admiration for scholars. Zhang Bi's every sentence was about filial piety, his words were sincere and earnest, and he was also handsome, so he immediately won the support of the audience.
"My child is about to take an exam. Can't we wait until after the exam to talk about anything? How can a mother do this?"
"That's right. It was the Autumn Examination. When my child was taking the exam, I didn't even dare to breathe at home. I almost treated him like a idol."
"She doesn't serve her mother-in-law, doesn't take care of her husband, doesn't educate her children, is unfilial, undisciplined, and unkind. Such a wicked woman must be punished to serve as a warning to the world!"
…
The crowd was filled with curses, which caught Mrs. Chiang off guard and she was stunned for a moment.
In people's eyes, her reaction was clearly a sign of guilt. The thunderous curses drowned out Fang's mother's desperate defense.
Zhang Bi knelt on the ground and bowed to the crowd, begging everyone not to misunderstand his mother. His mother was innocent and it was all his fault as a son.
This aroused people's sympathy even more, and several women even came forward, wiping their tears and pulling him up.
Mother Fang struggled to support the shaky Mrs. Jiang and hurriedly ordered the servants to close the door.
At this moment, a stream of sewage came from the sky, mixed with rotten vegetable leaves and egg shells, with white foam, and poured down on the heads of the crowd.
The chattering curses immediately turned into screams, and people fled in all directions. A large open space immediately became available in front of the crowded door, revealing the cold and sinister Zhang Xiaoman.
She slammed the wooden barrel in her hand to the ground and strode towards Zhang Bi.
Without any explanation, he raised his hand and slapped me!
Before Zhang Bi could react, he was slapped in the face again.
Zhang Bi was furious and jumped up from the ground. "Zhang Xiaoman, are you crazy? I'm your brother, and there's a hierarchy of seniority. How dare you disobey your superiors?"
Zhang Xiaoman put his hands on his hips and spat fiercely:
"Bah! You keep calling me your son. When your father favored his concubine over his wife, why didn't you defend your wife? When your aunt slandered and framed your wife, why didn't you accuse her of insubordination?"
"The Zhang family specifically notified you to return. They no longer care about your future. Why should your wife bear the blame? If you truly felt you were unfilial, you wouldn't be acting like this, deliberately embarrassing your wife."
"You're just like your father, a hypocritical, despicable, greedy, and vile hypocrite!"
She spoke rapidly, urgently and clearly, not giving Zhang Bi any chance to argue.
Zhang Bi pointed at her, his whole body shaking with anger, and it took him a long time to find his mouth.
"How outrageous! Is that what a child should say? Your parents are at odds, and instead of trying to mediate, you're adding fuel to the fire. What good will it do you to tear this family apart?"
Zhang Xiaoman didn't respond at all.
"It's really funny. Did you earn a penny for what you wear, use, eat, and drink? Did your father ever pay a tael of silver into the government treasury? Your whole family depends on the wife's money. Even your father spent his concubines and his extravagant life on the wife's dowry. You beg the wife to come back, but what will she do if she goes back? Will she continue to pay for your extravagant life?"
But then a man said, "Regardless of the Zhang family's right or wrong, it's perfectly normal for a woman's dowry to supplement the family's income."
There is no shortage of people who agree.
"That makes sense. How can a woman wear gold and silver and enjoy all the delicacies of the land and sea while watching her husband and her parents-in-law eat only coarse food?"
"Unmarried, a woman must obey her father. Married, she must obey her husband. Not only can he use your dowry, but he can also beat you, scold you, or even sell you off. You cannot say no."
Xiaoman looked at the men in astonishment, then looked at the women present.
Most of them were silent, and some looked indignant, but were stopped by their companions.
There were even some old ladies who nodded in agreement...
Xiaoman was at a loss.
"Scatter, scatter!" Wu Yong came quickly with a dozen officers in black clothes, and without asking any questions, he ordered his men to disperse the crowd.
"Whip him! Whip him hard! This is someone else's doorstep, not a temple fair!"
Whips rained down on the crowd, and after a burst of shouting and yelling, the onlookers dispersed.
Wu Yong scolded the Wucheng Military Commission for being incompetent. "I even specifically asked them to keep an eye on things, but they can't even handle such a small matter. Damn it, I'm going to invite them to the Northern Pacification Commission for tea."
As he spoke, he secretly glanced somewhere on the corner of the street.
"Brother Wu!" Xiaoman was so excited to get help from someone in trouble that her voice was filled with tears.
As soon as she started crying, Wu Yong began to panic. "Don't cry, don't cry. I'm sorry that you've been wronged by your brother."
Xiaoman: "I'm not wronged, my mother is wronged."
"Yes, yes." Wu Yong glared at the culprit who had caused this injustice. "Get out of here now! You are not allowed to bother Madam Jiang again!"
Zhang Bi looked at Mrs. Jiang stubbornly and said, "My son was reckless, but I really want to welcome you home. If you do anything wrong, just punish me. I won't say anything."
Wu Yong rolled his eyes, grabbed Zhang Bi's neck from behind with his big hands, and threw him to his men.
"Throw him back to the Zhang family. He's begging for food with such a straight face. I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone this shameless!"
"Mother!" Zhang Bi struggled, "Are you getting a divorce because of the dowry? I'll definitely get to the bottom of it. If it's true, I'll persuade them to return the dowry to you. Can you stay in the Zhang family?"
Mrs. Chiang did not answer.
His voice gradually faded into the depths of the streets.
Wu Yong bowed to Mrs. Jiang and said, "Greetings, Madam."
Mrs. Jiang gestured to Mother Fang to hand over the red envelope, "Please, General."
Wu Yong shook his head and waved his hands, "I dare not take it, we are big--Ouch!"
He rubbed the back of his head with a grin, trying to cover it up, "An old injury has recurred, an old injury has recurred, hehe."
Xiaoman asked, "You just said 'we are big', what are we big about?"
Wu Yong racked his brains to explain, "Everyone, we are all friends, why bother with all this empty formalities?"
Xiaoman looked around and the look in her eyes when she looked at Wu Yong became a little strange.
"I'm at odds with your boss, so you wouldn't dare to look after us. Why did you go out of your way to contact the Five Cities Military Command and come so timely? Is that right..."
Her voice trembled slightly. "Did Chen Ling'an ask you to come?"
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