Chapter 145 Going Their Own Way (Part 1) "Your mother-in-law has started to torment you..."
"The land of gentle pleasures is the graveyard of heroes."
Mu Chuan had just sighed when Lin Daiyu slapped him hard on the chest, the force so great that it reddened his honey-colored skin.
"You can't say that!" Lin Daiyu raised her head, placed her hand on his chest, and gave him a stern warning, then suddenly softened her voice, "Third Brother, you can't say that."
This was actually a reverse flag-planting, but his seemingly angelic wife didn't seem to accept it.
Mu Chuan gently placed his hand on the back of her neck and applied slight pressure, causing Lin Daiyu to lean against his chest again.
"I probably won't be able to come back for the Dragon Boat Festival, but I'll definitely be able to come back before our first wedding anniversary."
Lin Daiyu was satisfied and gave a soft "Mmm": "Eat well when you go out, don't lose weight."
Although he felt that her request had ulterior motives, Mu Chuan still agreed: "With His Majesty and the Emperor Emeritus overseeing the country, there will definitely be enough provisions."
After a moment of tenderness, the two fell asleep close together. The next morning, Mu Chuan was to go to the military camp to prepare for the flag-raising ceremony before setting off on the expedition.
Lin Daiyu packed another small package for him. Mu Chuan took it and subconsciously opened it. Inside were five calligraphy practice books, all of which were his wife's works.
Now Mu Chuan truly believed that there was something wrong with his wife.
"I thought you would at least prepare some medicine or something for me..." Mu Chuan sighed, "At the very least, you should have given me a handkerchief or something you wore as a keepsake, how could you—"
Lin Daiyu quickly stepped forward and covered his mouth, laughing first: "How can this not be a thought? Don't forget to practice your calligraphy when you're out." She pursed her lips again, "Be careful on the road, and come back early."
The news that the emperor was personally leading the expedition and that the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor was appointed as the general had reached even families like the former Rongguo Mansion, which were about to leave the capital.
"Why?" With the case closed, Madam Wang knew how the Jia family had been implicated. She hated the ringleaders, Prince Bei Jing and Prince Nan An, as well as the Shi family, the Duke of Shan Guo, who had tipped them off, and even more so the Marquis Zhong Yong, who had benefited from the situation. "We were used as stepping stones for them!"
With only half a month to leave the capital, the entire Jia family was in a flurry of activity packing. While others were busy and didn't have time to think about other things, Lady Wang, who just sat there and talked, naturally started to resent this person and that person.
She scolded the Marquis of Zhongyong, and seeing Aunt Zhao coming and going, she stood up and reprimanded Aunt Zhao from under the eaves.
"The child is so big now, you should be more composed. What's with this panic?"
Isn't this just looking for trouble? Aunt Zhao glanced at Madam Wang twice, and although she stood still, she didn't say a word, her main message being that you won't be comfortable either.
Madam Wang slowly pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her mouth and sneered, "What did you say the other day? You said it was uncertain whether you or I would go to Lingnan first? Now it's all the same."
"Has the madam gone mad?" At this point, Aunt Zhao's use of the word "madam" carries a sarcastic tone.
"His Majesty doesn't take the Jia family seriously at all. The eldest master even wrote a memorial resigning, and what happened? Even Lian Erye's remains couldn't be found, and You Erye's fate is unknown. Just like when Madam sold Wang Mama's family, did she have to consider the feelings of her second or third daughter? Does she want someone to kowtow to her sincerely? Who eats less? Who works efficiently?"
Madam Wang's face grew increasingly gloomy, and Aunt Zhao continued, "I advise you, Madam, not to take yourself too seriously. His Majesty doesn't know who I am, and His Majesty doesn't know who you are either!"
After saying this, Aunt Zhao left, but after taking two steps she turned back and said, "This is how I advised Tan Chun, and this is also how I advise Madam. I used to live this kind of life, and now Madam can taste whether it's good or bad. I'm going to pack my things, Madam, don't worry about me."
Madam Wang stood under the eaves, stunned for a long time, until Qiuwen came over and reported nervously, "Madam, Master Bao's jade... is missing."
"Ah!" Madam Wang shuddered and came to her senses. "Where is it? Where did it disappear to!"
Qiuwen cautiously replied, "Second Master is probably still shaken and his speech is not quite clear. From what he said, it seems that Third Master Huan persuaded him to switch his food in prison."
"How dare he! I knew he was up to no good! He deserves to die in jail!"
Qiuwen regretted her words after hearing Madam Wang's scolding. She should have asked Tanyun to report back.
She stood there silently. After a moment of thought, Madam Wang said a few more words, such as "that jade is his lifeblood," and then instructed, "I will go to the old lady's room to see if there is any good jade for him to hang on."
Qiuwen responded with a "yes" and cautiously came out again.
Madam Wang led her entourage towards the old lady's room, only to hear a great commotion coming from within. There was Wang Xifeng crying, Yuanyang cursing and sobbing, and Madam Xing's smug voice.
Madam Wang frowned and quickly went inside.
On the day the Jia family was sealed off, all the female members were confined to the old lady's courtyard, especially the room of the matriarch of the Jia family. After more than a month, no matter how much they tried to clean it up, it could never be as exquisite as it used to be.
Lady Wang paused in her tracks, then was pulled back by Wang Xifeng's crying.
"Second Master died just like that. How can I go on alone? When I go back to the room, I always feel that Second Master is still here. The chair he used to sit in, the cup he used to drink, even if he scolds me a few times, it would be good."
Family members know their own family best. Madam Wang was full of doubts. The two of them used to be very close and loving, but in the last two years they have become so close that they can't even exchange three sentences when they meet. If they exchange more than three sentences, they will definitely start arguing. Where did this deep affection come from?
However, Madam Wang didn't have time to pay attention to her, because Madam Xing was holding the small table screen with the auspicious pattern that Grandmother Jia liked the most, and Yuanyang was holding her leg and wouldn't let her leave.
"Those are the old lady's things, put them down!"
Lady Wang probably had a rough idea of what Grandmother Jia still had, the most valuable of which was this Huiwen table screen. This was something she would rather sell her family property than give to the consumptive woman as part of her dowry.
"Put it down!" Madam Wang shouted sternly, taking two steps forward to block Madam Xing's path. "This was meant for Baoyu, what right do you have to take it?"
Madam Xing didn't care about any of that: "The old lady agreed."
"The old lady can't even speak!" Yuanyang clung tightly to Madam Xing, refusing to let go.
"Think about your Second Master Lian," Madam Xing loudly urged Yuanyang. "His body is nowhere to be found. Who killed him? Are you still going to help the second branch of the family?"
“It was that You fellow who caused this!” Madam Wang retorted. “How could this have anything to do with us!”
"You surnamed You? If Lian'er lived with us and didn't come to manage your household, how could all these things have happened? In the end, it's because you're not human and don't accumulate any good karma, and you've made Lian'er take the blame for everything!"
When Madam Xing mentioned Jia Lian, Yuanyang loosened her grip slightly. Seeing this, Madam Wang rushed over to help, but Madam Xing wasn't alone, as Wang Shanbao's wife blocked her way.
At a point like this, who cares about appearances anymore?
Madam Xing and Madam Wang started arguing, each word aimed straight at the other's heart.
Madam Xing cursed Madam Wang for driving her son and daughter to their deaths, while Madam Wang cursed Madam Xing for having no descendants.
However, these words had little effect on Madam Xing.
"The master has so many concubines, yet he has never had a child, and the old lady has never blamed me for it!"
However, after hearing what Madam Wang said, Madam Xing became furious. The eldest son's family didn't even have a son. If they didn't seize more silver, what would they do in the future?
The group was entangled in a fight, their curses escalating, while in the background, Wang Xifeng's sobs could be heard: "I can't stand it anymore, I really can't stand it anymore. I see Master Lian everywhere I go, I wish I were dead. What? The old lady wants me to go back to the Wang family for a few days? You say you've been a widow for so many years, can you understand how I feel?"
Wang Xifeng wiped away her tears: "Grandma, please take good care of yourself. I will take care of you again when I return."
Wang Xifeng stood up, pulled the blanket up for Grandmother Jia again, walked past the group of people tangled together, and left Grandmother Jia's room.
Standing at the door, she looked back at the once magnificent room one last time.
The old lady revealed to Madam Xing, unintentionally, what valuable things she had left and where they were kept.
Let them fight and scramble. It would be best if the first wife and the second wife broke off all ties, then no one would care about her.
Without turning her head, Wang Xifeng returned to the Wang family with Ping'er, Qiao'er, and a few servants. They would be on a ship returning to Jinling the day after tomorrow, after which they would be two separate families.
The argument was still going on inside. When Yuanyang saw Wang Xifeng leave, there was little warmth left in her eyes. In the chaos, she had been stepped on several times by someone, so she couldn't hold on to anyone anymore.
Holding Huiwen's table screen, Madam Xing said smugly, "When the family is divided, the eldest son should get more. If you hadn't disregarded ethics and allowed Tiangang to take over the main house, how could the Jia family have declined so quickly? This is your retribution!"
Exhausted and panting, Madam Wang hadn't managed to snatch anything and was further ridiculed by Madam Xing: "That was for Baoyu! Everyone knows that the old lady dotes on Baoyu the most!"
Madam Xing suddenly laughed: "I just remembered, you don't know, do you? The Xiren you value so much took your Baoyu's virginity when she was only eleven years old. How many years has it been? How many maids has she slept with? Not to mention having a child, not even one has been miscarried. And you still say I have no descendants. What makes you better than me?"
Madam Xing laughed loudly: "Which one of Huan'er and Lan'er is closer to you? They're not as close as me." After saying that, she picked up the table screen and left.
With this, we don't need the rest—no, we need to keep this safe first, then look for other things. This time, we absolutely cannot let the second wife get away with it!
After Madam Xing left, Madam Wang stood there for a long time before she came to her senses. Yuanyang was still sobbing on the ground, but Madam Wang ignored her. She went into the inner room, rummaged through the chests and selected three or four pieces of fine jade. When she came out, she ordered, "Hurry up and tidy up. What kind of place is this?"
However, Madam Wang's plan did not end there. Early the next morning, she tidied herself up, changed into a fine set of clothes, and went to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence.
When Mu Chuan went on the expedition with the emperor, he instructed him not to move to the north of the city, but to stay near the imperial city, so that he would feel at ease.
Seeing that Mu Chuan had been gone for several days, Lin Daiyu said she was worried, but not too worried, since they were still on the road and had not yet started fighting.
That morning, right after breakfast, Huang Guihua came looking for her: "Change your clothes, let's go to the overpass to watch magic shows. Have you ever seen anything like the Three Immortals Returning to the Cave, the Rope to Heaven, or the Seven Sages' Magic?"
Lin Daiyu hesitated. She had seen it in a travelogue, but this thing…
"They say it's a source of chaos and disorder."
Huang Guihua chuckled a few times: "Your husband grew up watching this."
Lin Daiyu immediately recalled his skill in sending red envelopes, a technique that made the palace so eager to have them.
"I'll go change my clothes right now."
Lin Daiyu wore ordinary people's clothes, and her head was wrapped in cloth, secured only by two wooden hairpins.
Huang Guihua sighed when she saw it: "It's still too beautiful. We should bring more people with us."
Lin Daiyu laughed awkwardly twice, it was hard to tell whether she was explaining or showing off: "When I go out with Third Brother, we don't need so many people."
Huang Guihua rolled her eyes.
The two came out of the east gate and ran right into Madam Wang, who had come to cause trouble.
Lady Wang didn't recognize Huang Guihua, but she did recognize Lin Daiyu.
Upon seeing her attire, Madam Wang smiled, her initial apprehension turning into a condescending attitude.
“Where are you going, young lady? You were already living a life of luxury in our home, and now you're all dressed in simple clothes… I remember the Marquis of Zhongyong left only a few days ago, right? And your mother-in-law is already tormenting you? But a married daughter is like water spilled from a cup; it's too late to regret it now.”
Lin Daiyu found it amusing, but she didn't laugh out loud. She simply called out, "Second Aunt."
This served as a reminder to her mother-in-law.
Huang Guihua strode forward, settling both old and new grudges, and slapped Madam Wang hard across the face: "You're talking nonsense!"
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