Chen Zhaoci and Yao stood in Wu's courtyard. If they stayed, it would be awkward if their mother-in-law came out and saw them. If they left, it would be a bit unfair to Ning, since they had been invited by Ning's people. They had a good relationship with the other sisters-in-law in the mansion. Although Ning was the wife of the heir, she treated all the sisters-in-law very well. If they left like this, it would be a bit unfair to Ning.
Hearing the commotion inside, Yao whispered to Chen Zhaoci, "Sister-in-law, really, why did you call the two of us over here? The fewer people who know about this, the better."
Chen Zhaoci said, "I think my sister-in-law invited us over with good intentions. Both of our families have daughters, but my daughter is married. Your family still has an unmarried daughter. What if the fourth daughter is not suitable and my eldest sister makes a fuss about making the fifth daughter, who is not engaged, take her place?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Yao scoffed and said, "This is a marriage between children, not a trip to the market to buy vegetables. Who does she think she is, that whoever she wants has to marry into their family?"
Chen Zhaoci said, "My sister-in-law is just giving us a wake-up call."
Just as she finished speaking, another burst of crying and screaming came from the room. Chen Zhaoci looked at Yao Shi helplessly and saw that Yao Shi also looked helpless.
Madam Yao sighed and said, "Third sister-in-law, why does Mother-in-law like Eldest Aunt so much? It's one thing to like Third Brother, but Eldest Brother, Second Sister, and our Fifth Master are also her own children."
Chen Zhaoci gently shook his head and said, "People's hearts are inherently biased. There's no logic to liking or disliking someone."
Chen Zhaoci understood the relationship between Xu Shao and the Xu family. If it were the real Chen Zhaoci, she would probably try to reason with Wu Shi, who was her mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother, for her own sake and even for her child's sake, and seek justice. Chen Zhaoci didn't have a strong sense of belonging to this family to begin with. In modern times, people's sense of clan has become very weak. Even if they are brothers, they will often get together for a meal during holidays. As for the current situation where the whole family lives together and has to accommodate each other, it is very rare.
Madam Yao felt that Chen Zhaoci was merely the wife of a concubine's son, and it was best to avoid such things that would embarrass her mother-in-law. Otherwise, if her mother-in-law remembered that she had lost face here, wouldn't she make things difficult for Chen Zhaoci?
Yao leaned close to Chen Zhaoci's ear and whispered, "Third sister-in-law, I think there will be more trouble later. Why don't you go to Grandmother's first? Grandmother doesn't know what's going on here. You can help cover it up and not let Grandmother know, so as not to make her angry."
Chen Zhaoci understood Yao's good intentions perfectly well. But by this time, it would be quite late to leave. The servants in Wu's room were all standing in the courtyard watching. If he stood there for a while and then left, people would think he had seen enough of the show and was just leaving.
Chen Zhaoci shook his head and said, "Fourth sister-in-law, it's alright. I'll just wait here. There's a reason why my sister-in-law called me and you here together."
Looking at the closed door, Yao said with a hint of sarcasm, "What kind of trouble are you always causing? Instead of living your own life properly, you're making your family's life miserable."
The people in the manor all had a lot of complaints about Xu Shao. She brought so much dowry with her when she married into the family, and she could have lived a good life, but for those empty titles, she not only gave up her dowry, but she was also planning to drag her own family into the mess her husband's family was in.
After standing for a while, Yao's heels started to hurt. She alternated between her two feet, but it was still very uncomfortable. She beckoned to a maid from Wu's courtyard and said to her, "Go and bring two chairs for me and Third Mistress. We haven't had any tea, and we can't even sit down?"
The maids who served Wu were all in the room at the moment. The little maid was unsure whether it was appropriate to go and fetch two chairs. She looked around with some fear. Yao smiled gently and said, "Don't be afraid. It's just a matter of fetching two chairs. If anything happens, just have them come and find me."
The maidservant then smiled and, pulling another maidservant along, rushed to the east wing. They brought out two rose-shaped armchairs, and Madam Yao pulled Chen Zhaoci to sit down. She rubbed her own legs and said, "Third Sister-in-law, I'm getting old, and my legs and back hurt all the time. Do you have any plasters? Give me two so I can use one."
Chen Zhaoci examined Yao carefully and said, "You have insufficient qi and blood. Applying plasters won't help. I'll prescribe two doses to regulate your body."
Yao leaned over, about to speak, when the door was suddenly pulled open from the inside. Yao pulled Chen Zhaoci to her feet and looked closely; it was Ning.
Ning opened the door and said to the inside, "I've said all I need to say. Whether you listen or not is up to you, but my daughter is mine. If you want my daughter, you'll have to step over my dead body."
After Ning finished speaking, the room fell silent until Wu burst into tears.
Ning said nothing and came out of the room. Chen Zhaoci and Yao quickly walked to Ning's side. Ning nodded to the two of them and said to Chen Zhaoci, "Third sister-in-law, I'll have to trouble you to accompany me to the study in the front yard. Fourth sister-in-law, I'll trouble you to go and guard my Yao'er's courtyard. Whoever goes there, beat them out. I'll compensate for any deaths and take responsibility for any injuries."
Chen Zhaoci and Yao Shi looked at each other in surprise. This was the first time they had ever seen their sister-in-law like this, and they were truly astonished.
Ning nodded to Yao, then pulled Chen Zhaoci by the arm and led her outside. Once they were outside Wu's courtyard, Chen Zhaoci asked in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, what's wrong? What happened?"
Ning sneered and said, "What wishful thinking! She's already in a fire pit herself, and she wants to drag my Yao'er down with her. She even told me that my Yao'er will be the future wife of the Marquis's son. She should outlive her turtle mother-in-law before telling me all this. I think her mother-in-law will live longer than her."
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