The Wang family naturally wouldn’t think of anything like transmigration or soul possession—they were completely shocked by that slap and also sobered by it.
No matter how incompetent Marquis Dingxi was, he was still a duke or marquis ennobled by the court. Never mind that Wang Tongye was now without official position—even if he were still in office, he couldn’t be rude according to protocol. When two armies faced each other, their status and strength had to be equal, otherwise there was no need to fight.
This young man truly counted as nothing in Marquis Dingxi’s eyes—their status and strength were completely unequal.
The young man naturally knew this, but first, his family’s power was here, and second, Marquis Dingxi was after all a marquis who should maintain his dignity. Who would have thought that today’s Marquis Dingxi had completely changed into a different person, seemingly throwing away all face?
Who could do anything to a person who didn’t want face?
Moreover, the Wang family still wanted theirs.
“Get out,” Wang Tongye said, enduring his heartache.
The junior covered his face, apologized, and withdrew.
“It’s fortunate my grandfather is no longer here,” Marquis Dingxi continued relentlessly, his face full of indignation. “If my grandfather were still alive and knew the children of our family were bullied like this by you, he wouldn’t waste words like me—he’d directly bring people to smash your Wang family.”
Wang Tongye still had an impression of the first Marquis Dingxi—that old man of lowly birth who fought enemies on horseback without regard for his life would really dare to do such a thing!
“Yes, yes, my lord has read so many books after all, his temperament is much more refined,” Wang Tongye again reached out to take his arm, wearing a kindly smile. “This matter is ultimately a misunderstanding. It’s good now that we’ve talked it out. During the New Year, why get angry? Come, come with me. I’ve newly acquired a good teapot—please help me appreciate it, my lord…”
“I’m not saying anything about you, Old Wang, but this is really too much. How can you bully children like this? When you were young, didn’t you often fight with people? You say my children blocked your gate—back then, didn’t you bury a string of firecrackers in front of the Gao family’s gate in West City and nearly scare their mother to death? Of course, later you were pressed into horse piss by that Gao boy…”
“Haha, my lord jests. How could such a thing happen? In front of the children, please don’t speak nonsense… This teapot was made by Fu Jinchun. If my lord doesn’t mind, please take it to enjoy…”
“Since it’s like this, I’ll reluctantly accept… A purple clay teapot is lonely by itself—two together are better to cultivate. It seems, Old Wang, you still don’t understand this trade…”
“…Cough cough cough… Yes… my lord knows much more… There happen to be two—please take both, my lord…”
Hearing the two of them talking and laughing as they walked out, the people remaining in the main hall looked at each other.
This matter… was it over just like that?
“Take him away,” Young Master Wang suddenly said, glancing at the steward slumped on the ground.
Immediately servants lifted him up. By now the steward knew that saying anything was useless.
“Forget it. He was ultimately derelict in duty. For the crime of dereliction, punish him according to your rules, but please don’t cut off his hand,” Qi Yue said.
The servants stopped and looked at Young Master Wang.
“Is Young Madam showing charitable mercy? Actually, there’s no need,” Young Master Wang said with a faint smile.
Qi Yue also smiled, but with some disdain.
“I’m a doctor, tasked with saving lives and healing wounds. I just don’t want to damage perfectly good limbs,” she said.
The Wang family descendants in the hall showed disapproving expressions.
“Besides, do I need to show mercy? A person who knows right from wrong and gratitude would absolutely never do such things, and naturally there wouldn’t be today’s conflict. Since this steward could do such things, presumably he’s not someone who knows right from wrong or gratitude. I understand what you’re thinking in your hearts,” Qi Yue said with a smile, looking at him, then continued, her gaze sweeping over all the Wang family members in the hall.
“But so what? For your comfort, should I be uncomfortable? I did nothing wrong—must I grovel? Anyway, today I’m leaving these words here: we’ve fought and fought, the misunderstanding has been cleared up, and I have no thoughts about you. Of course, if you have any thoughts about me or about our Marquis Dingxi estate, I don’t mind either. Just like my father said just now—your master once blew up someone’s gate, so they pressed him into horse piss…”
Saying this, she glanced at Chang Yuncheng beside her.
Chang Yuncheng had a bad feeling.
“Shut up…” he said in a low voice.
But Qi Yue had already opened her mouth with a grin.
“Today Lord kicked down your gate. If you want revenge in the future, just press Lord into horse piss, and it’ll be even,” she said with a laugh.
At these words, the people in the hall couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Even the always serious Young Master Wang’s face showed a trace of a smile, though he restrained himself and quickly recovered his expression.
“Of course, you’d have to have the ability,” Qi Yue also laughed, glancing at Chang Yuncheng with some pride. “My man is very capable. When the time comes, who presses whom into horse piss is still uncertain.”
The Wang family burst into laughter again.
“Not certain indeed.”
Some young descendants even dared to jeer.
The gloomy, tense atmosphere in the hall dissipated at this point.
Chang Yuncheng looked at this woman—angry, amused, and somehow inexplicably excited.
She said… my man… her man…
Saying it with such pride and satisfaction and showing off…
This was the first time he’d seen someone speak of him with such undisguised boasting and pride—that genuine, unaffected, unfeigned pride. Mother was often proud of him too, but that pride was more about doting and opposing those people.
So he could also make others proud of him.
So having someone he cared about be proud of him brought such happiness.
So the feeling of being protective was this good.
Hearing the laughter from the hall, Marquis Dingxi and Wang Tongye, who had achieved surface harmony through two purple clay teapots, suddenly exchanged glances.
“See, I told you it was children’s business. Why are you worrying unnecessarily?” Marquis Dingxi said with some pride.
This must have been done by his precious daughter-in-law—surrounding the Wang family gate and still managing to make the Wang family laugh in such a short time!
Wang Tongye was also surprised, but he understood this was because of himself. Since he had already lowered his head, the children naturally wouldn’t remain stubborn.
“My lord, I left home to serve as an official at twenty-four and haven’t returned for these decades—I almost didn’t recognize you,” he said, looking at Marquis Dingxi. His face no longer wore that deliberately forced cheerfulness, his expression carrying inquiry, curiosity, and bewilderment. “Speaking honestly, regardless of who was wrong first, what your family did this time was indeed somewhat excessive.”
“My son and daughter-in-law can’t stand the slightest grievance, let alone being beaten by one of your servants. It would be strange if she didn’t make a fuss,” Marquis Dingxi said with a curl of his lip. “You know about the doctors’ betting incident in the city?”
Doctors counted as nothing in Wang Tongye’s eyes—why would he care about such things?
“I was in the countryside and didn’t hear about it,” he replied.
Not hearing about it was perfect.
“You didn’t even hear about such an entertaining matter—Old Wang, you live too boringly,” Marquis Dingxi immediately said with dancing eyebrows.
Wang Tongye’s face darkened slightly. Fine, he hadn’t mistaken this Marquis Dingxi…
Listening to Marquis Dingxi excitedly and dramatically embellish the story of Qi Yue’s bet with Wang Qingchun and kneeling at the city gate, Wang Tongye couldn’t help but be very interested.
“High skill makes one bold,” he said.
Marquis Dingxi smiled at him.
“Actually, I asked that child later, and she told me she really had no confidence in her heart,” he said.
Wang Tongye was surprised.
“You mean she didn’t know if she could cure him?” he said with a doubtful expression. “Impossible—then why would she dare do such a thing?”
“Who knows?” Marquis Dingxi said, scratching his own head with some bewilderment and lingering fear. “Don’t laugh at me, Master Wang—I was scared to death at the time, and I still feel afraid thinking about it now. You tell me, what if she really couldn’t cure him? How did she dare? This child’s courage is just so big…”
Wang Tongye remained silent, his gaze looking toward the main hall.
“Putting oneself in a desperate situation to survive…” he murmured. “How straightforward! So that’s how it is—then this incident is not surprising.”
At this point, the depression and gloom between his brows finally dissipated like smoke.
“But my lord, what about you this time?” he suddenly smiled and asked.
Marquis Dingxi was stunned by his question.
“What do you mean why?” he straightened up and said. “This marquis has always had such a temperament. Don’t forget how our Chang family’s noble title came about—back then my grandfather even dared to fight the Emperor…”
Wang Tongye laughed heartily, reaching out to slap Marquis Dingxi’s back.
Though he was old, his strength wasn’t small, and the slap nearly made Marquis Dingxi stumble forward.
This old fellow definitely did it on purpose!
Marquis Dingxi was indignant.
“Enough—your grandfather is your grandfather. You know what temperament you have, and I know too,” Wang Tongye laughed heartily, then moved closer with some playfulness. “Tell me, did you eat some bear’s heart and leopard’s gall?”
After speaking, he even sniffed vigorously.
“Not right—no alcohol smell. Doesn’t seem like you’re drunk…”
Marquis Dingxi’s old face reddened as he pushed him away.
“What nonsense! My children were bullied, and even that group of youngsters dared to wave flags and shout support. If I, as their father, don’t speak up, am I still a father?” he snorted.
Wang Tongye looked at him and laughed heartily again.
“Right! If your own children are bullied and you as their father don’t stand up to protect them, what kind of father are you?” he laughed loudly while reaching out his hand.
This time Marquis Dingxi cleverly dodged.
The laughter in the main hall had just stopped when Wang Tongye’s laughter came from outside. The Wang family descendants exchanged glances again.
They could naturally tell that this time grandfather’s laughter was completely different from before.
This laughter was heartfelt and genuine, without any grudge.
What had happened?
Young Master Wang’s eyes also flashed with puzzlement, and he couldn’t help but glance at the woman standing there.
This woman was really… a very strange woman.
The voices of Wang Tongye and Marquis Dingxi came from outside.
“Since that’s the case, I wasn’t wrong either—it’s all for the children. Speaking of it, we suffered the greater loss this time, so I can’t give you these purple clay teapots…”
“…Old Wang, are you a man or not! How can you take back words once spoken?”
“…Mm, for purple clay teapots, it’s worth not being a man once…”
“…Old Wang… no… Master Wang… Master Wang… one pot, give me one pot… don’t leave… I’ll trade you Master Tang’s painting… Master Tang’s painting!”