Chapter 280 What is a Concubine?
The expression on Old Madam Xin's face froze again.
"My name is Deng, and I am the eldest master's concubine. Madam Hou, you are too kind to praise me. I just learned some principles from the old lady. Please forgive me for making fun of you."
The woman was a little pleased with herself, and her already charming face showed even more pride. She must have been used to being flattered on a daily basis.
"Noble concubine? What is that? There is no such thing in our mansion.
I heard that there were concubines in the past, but concubines were not allowed to meet guests. Could it be that this concubine in your house is also the legitimate wife? Otherwise, how would he have the status to sit beside me? ”
Qin Yuzhuo deliberately widened his eyes and acted puzzled. Deng sat there with her face turning red and white. She couldn't refute him, so she could only smile awkwardly.
"Ms. Deng is my niece. She was originally the legitimate daughter of my family. Because she was concerned about Ms. Xun's weak body and soft temper, she married into the Xin family and became Jianxi's concubine. In fact, she helped me manage the affairs of the mansion just like Ms. Xun."
Old Madam Xin had no choice but to explain, and she also realized that the aunt and sister-in-law did not seem to be here to express gratitude, but rather had bad intentions.
"My dear concubine Deng is very capable. I am sorry for my disrespect. What I want to discuss today is about the future status of the second lady in our house. Should I discuss it with Madam Xun or with my dear concubine Deng?"
Su Qianqian gave a thumbs up and praised him, then asked sincerely.
Status? The women pricked up their ears.
Madam Xun looked bewildered. Deng had originally said the word "noble concubine" to show that she was not an ordinary concubine. Now Su Qianqian kept calling her "Deng noble concubine", which was so inappropriate that it made her blush. How could she have the face to respond? She knew she had no qualifications, so she glared at Madam Xun and turned away.
"What's the matter concerning status? Why don't you tell me first? Xun is in weak health and usually doesn't interfere in family affairs." Old Madam Xin asked, turning her head to signal the nanny beside her. The nanny nodded and left.
"It's better to talk to the old lady." Su Qianqian smiled and took out a piece of paper from her sleeve.
"This is a letter from Xin Jilan, requesting to be removed from the list of legitimate daughters of the Xin family. From now on, I am as good as dead, and will never enter the Xin Mansion again, nor will I call myself a daughter of the Xin family."
Su Qianqian spoke calmly and placed the piece of paper on the small table next to Old Madam Xin.
After a burst of gasps, the hall fell silent. Everyone thought they had heard wrongly. They stared at the paper with their ears pricked up and eyes wide open, waiting for Madam Xin to tell them that Su Qianqian did not mean that.
"What does Madam Hou mean?" Old Madam Xin read it several times and finally confirmed that she had heard it correctly. It was written in black and white that Xin Jilan voluntarily asked to withdraw from the Xin family. Her face finally darkened.
"Old Madam, didn't you understand? Then let me explain it for my third sister-in-law: my second sister-in-law is no longer a member of your Xin family. Don't come to our Wuning Marquis Mansion to teach her a lesson. Whether she is the daughter-in-law of the Qin family or the daughter-in-law of someone else's family, it is not the Xin family's turn to point fingers at her!"
Qin Yuzhuo raised his voice and told Old Madam Xin that everyone sitting in the hall felt their ears hurt from the noise.
"Ridiculous! How dare the daughter of our Xin family betray her clan? Will she become a lonely ghost without ancestors in a hundred years? Madam Hou, this is absolutely impossible!"
Old Madam Xin was so angry that she slammed the notice on the small table.
"Old Madam, please don't be angry. I said I wanted to discuss this with Madam Xun because she is the mother who gave birth to Sister Jilan. Since she can't make the decision herself, and the Grand Historian doesn't care about the affairs of the harem, and her brother asked her to end her life on her own, it's the same as treating this sister as dead. What else is there to discuss about this matter?"
Su Qianqian straightened her sleeves, and the smile on her face faded. "I am not here to negotiate, but to inform the Xin family that the Qin family and the Xin family are no longer in-laws, and should not act as if they are in-laws. If the people in Wuning Marquis' Mansion find out, don't blame the Xin family for losing face."
"Seven days later, Xin Jilan will officially recognize my mother-in-law as her adoptive mother. From now on, she will be the daughter of our Qin family, and her weddings and funerals will have nothing to do with the Xin family."
After Su Qianqian finished speaking, she was about to get up and leave.
"Madam Hou, this matter is not that easy." The middle-aged man's voice was wrapped in anger and came from the screen beside the door, and then two men walked in.
Su Qianqian looked over. The older one was about fifty years old, and the anger on his face had not yet subsided. The other one was in his thirties, and his expression was more of shock.
"So it's you, Lord Taishi Ling. I thought you were busy with official duties and wouldn't bother with these little things. Sorry to bother you."
Su Qianqian just bowed slightly, as a sign of respect for her elders. In terms of rank, it should be Xin Jianxi who saluted her.
Xin Jilan's brother, the Chancellor of the Imperial College, had to bow deeply to Su Qianqian.
"Madam Hou, I heard when I entered the room just now that Jilan wanted to withdraw from the Xin clan. Such a big thing cannot be decided in a few words. The legitimate daughter of the Xin family will not recognize her ancestors and will be tied up in the ancestral hall to be punished by family law. No one can stop her."
The historian sat down and said with a sneer.
"Master Taishiling, you are saying the opposite. It was clearly Master Jiancheng who told Xin Jilan that day to end her life on her own. Didn't your Xin family abandon this daughter?
I am making this trip not to ask Xin Jilan, who is still alive, to leave the clan, but to inform your family on behalf of Xin Jilan, who has passed away, that we are no longer related from now on. ”
Su Qianqian ignored the father and son who were so angry that their faces turned red. She wanted to get up as if she suddenly remembered something:
"There is one more thing I almost forgot. The Xin family has a long-standing tradition of favoring concubines over wives. I heard that the daughters born to concubines can pretend to be legitimate daughters and compete for their aunt's marriage.
Sister Jilan has a soft personality, but the Qin family has always protected their own people. Regardless of whether this marriage can be successful or not, those who are not up to the standard will not be able to climb up the social ladder by stepping on others. ”
After Su Qianqian finished speaking, she slowly stood up and the four maids immediately came over to surround her.
"Madam Marquis, how can you speak so recklessly..." The supervisor couldn't help but stood up and pointed at Su Qianqian.
With a "bang" and "Ah!", the Chief Supervisor screamed and fell backwards, covering his eyes with one hand.
"You blind slave, the Grand Historian is here, so you have no right to speak any more. The Xin family's rules apply to women, so can't they apply to servants?"
Qin Yuzhuo pretended not to know him and wanted to punch him again after the first punch, but unfortunately the Chief Supervisor was weak and fell down directly. Qin Yuzhuo felt a little regretful.
"How dare you... hit someone? Go get a doctor!"
Old Madam Xin was so angry that she slammed the table, but there was nothing she could do. Those servants might not be able to beat Qin Yuzhuo, and even if they could, who would dare to lay hands on her?
Su Qianqian didn't expect Qin Yuzhuo to find such a ridiculous excuse to beat someone up. She couldn't bear to watch it. She tried to control her expression and walked out. When she passed the concubine, she saw Qin Yuzhuo lose his balance and pounced on Deng, grabbing her hard. Deng screamed again.
The women of the Xin family all took a big step back to make way.
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