Chapter 150 Settlement of Accounts
Chunxi took out the account book that had been sorted out long ago and showed it to Mrs. Xiao.
When Mrs. Mo climbed into the Marquis's mansion, the Mo family thought it was shameful and did not give her much dowry. Over the years, most of the food and daily necessities of the Marquis's mansion were dependent on the dowry shop and land left by Mrs. Xiao.
In other words, although Xiao had passed away for many years, she still supported the entire Marquis's family.
However, even if the Mo family had cooked the accounts, Shen Qingyuan, as the only son of the Xiao family, still had a decreasing annual expenditure, even less than half of Shen Qingyue and Shen Qingyu.
Madam Xiao and Old Madam Xiao looked at the accounts together, their faces gradually becoming gloomy. Then they heard Chunxi say, "My daughter-in-law has been married for a few months and found that my husband lives frugally. There is not even a small kitchen in the yard. Sometimes he is delayed by official business and comes home late at night without even a hot meal. Most of the parts about my husband in these accounts are false."
In recent years, Shen Qingyuan has not been close to the Xiao family. Although Old Madam Xiao is worried about him, she has no way to directly reach out to the Marquis' Mansion. She does not know that the Mo family is so greedy and spends Xiao's money so favoritism.
Madam Xiao slammed the account book down on the coffee table beside her and glared at Madam Mo. "You've used Yuan'er's deceased mother's money to raise your own son in luxury, while forcing Yuan'er to live frugally. Madam Qingyuan, you're truly capable."
When Mrs. Mo saw Chunxi take out the accounts, she was completely panicked.
She was willing to hand over the power of the family because she wanted to use the promotion banquet to get rid of Chunxi, and she felt that Chunxi was not from a high-class family and could not see the problems in the accounts. As a result, Chunxi not only turned the tables on her, but also exposed the accounts to Old Madam Xiao.
Old Madam Xiao has been in charge of the Xiao family for many years. She is an old fox with profound skills. How could such false accounts escape her eyes?
Madam Xiao's words "Lady of the Marquis of Qingyuan" made Madam Mo's heart break and her legs go weak.
She wanted to say something, but Chunxi burst into tears even faster than her.
"I come from a poor background, so it's only natural that my mother-in-law is so critical of me. But my husband has treated her with great respect over the years. During his years as an official, he has always cared deeply about the country and the people. But now that he's returned home, he's been subjected to such disheartening treatment. Isn't this distracting him from serving His Majesty wholeheartedly?"
Chunxi put himself in a very humble position. With just a few words, he escalated the conflict between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law in the rear house to the point of hindering the country. Although it was a bit exaggerated, it made some sense when you thought about it carefully.
If Mrs. Mo had not failed to help Shen Qingyuan choose a marriage, Shen Qingyuan, with his status as the top scholar, might have been reused by His Majesty long ago. How could he have wasted ten years in Jingzhao Prefecture before being discovered?
Seeing everyone's expressions of approval, Chunxi said, "My mother-in-law can't tolerate my husband. My husband and I have long discussed the possibility of moving out and living on our own. I didn't want to settle accounts over the years, nor did I want to make a big fuss, but my mother-in-law kept pushing me. So today, I'll ask my aunt and everyone else to be witnesses. Let's settle accounts over the years and start the process of separating from each other!"
Hearing the word "divide the family", Mrs. Mo's heart trembled wildly. She said anxiously: "No, the Marquis is still alive. Even if we want to divide the family, he must preside over it personally. Madam Xiao does not have this power!"
When saying this, Mrs. Mo couldn't help but secretly rejoice, thankful that Shen Qingyuan had knocked Qingyuan Hou unconscious early in the morning and prevented Qingyuan Hou from appearing in front of everyone, so that the situation could be delayed a little longer.
Just as he was thinking about it, he saw Wu appear in front of everyone, supported by a maid.
Eunuch Li kindly said, "Madam, don't worry. The Marquis has just been invited to the men's table. Lord Shen has already asked His Majesty for permission to divide the family. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will also preside over the division with the Marquis."
Shen Qingyuan took out the imperial edict to divide the family and asked the prince to make the decision together. The division of the family was a foregone conclusion and there was no room for turning back.
Mrs. Mo felt a chill on her back and her shoulders slumped inch by inch. Shen Qingchi's heart sank as she watched this scene. She suddenly rushed to Chunxi and kowtowed continuously, just like she did last time in Wenxinyuan.
"Everything that happened today was my idea. I was jealous of my sister-in-law and didn't want her to take away my mother's power over the family, so I deliberately framed her. If she wants to blame someone, blame me instead. Don't blame my mother. My mother is old and can't stand such a big shock. Please don't divide the family, okay?"
Shen Qingchi didn't care whether her argument made sense or not, she just took all the blame on herself. Anyway, those ladies from the aristocratic families looked down on her, so it didn't matter if she was branded as the one who murdered her sister-in-law. As long as she could persuade her sister-in-law not to split up the family, her mother would value her in the future. After two years when the storm had passed, her mother would definitely find a good marriage for her.
Chunxi didn't respond. Shen Qingchi kowtowed a few times, then suddenly smashed the jade bracelet on his wrist. He picked up a piece of the shard and put it to his throat: "I am willing to die as an apology, but I only ask that my sister-in-law don't divide the family."
The fragments were too sharp, and Shen Qingchi's neck was cut and bleeding. Her forehead was also scratched, and she looked extremely pitiful. The young ladies from the aristocratic families who were closer let out a small cry of surprise and felt a little sorry for her.
Chunxi's face remained expressionless, unmoved. She simply looked at Madam Mo and said, "My husband and mother are not related by blood, so it's understandable that she treated him badly. But my sister is my own flesh and blood. Do you have to watch her commit suicide?"
Zhaoling has always valued filial piety, but it also advocates loving mothers and filial sons. If Mrs. Mo doesn't even care about her own flesh and blood, then Shen Qingyuan will have more reason to divide the family.
Mrs. Mo could treat Shen Qingchi badly in private, but she couldn't bear such a bad reputation in public. She immediately stopped Shen Qingchi: "Chi'er, this is a matter between adults. There is no need for a child like you to interfere."
Shen Qingchi seemed not to hear, and just looked at Chunxi stubbornly: "As long as we don't split up the family, I can do whatever it takes to atone for my sins, sister-in-law."
After saying that, Shen Qingchi increased his strength, and the blood from her neck flowed even faster, almost staining her palm red.
Chunxi finally looked at her, his tone growing colder. "Your eldest brother and I decided to separate, not because of today's frame-up, but because mother's partiality and encroachment have become increasingly severe over the years. When you say you want to atone for your sins, you're admitting that mother was terribly wrong, right?"
"No!" Shen Qingchi retorted subconsciously, "Mother is still very good to my brother..."
"Sister, when you say 'very good', do you mean your eldest brother couldn't even get a hot meal when he came home after a busy day away from home? Or do you mean your mother married two short-lived wives for your eldest brother at the height of his glory? Or is it that your mother couldn't wait to set up a mourning hall in the mansion when your eldest brother's life or death was uncertain?"
Chunxi raised her voice to interrupt Shen Qingchi. With every word she spoke, Shen Qingchi's face turned paler.
These were things everyone knew, and Shen Qingchi had no way to deny it. In the end, he could only cry and say, "Sister-in-law, we are a family after all. Can you please not be so ruthless?"
"Sister, what you said is very strange. It's just a division of the family. Your elder brother and I haven't severed our relationship with the Marquisate. If we move out, will you disown us?"
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