“Zhen’er!”
Liang Yunshan called out.
Liang Zhen paused in her steps, turned back with a smile, and said, “Father, there’s a saying among the common people: ‘Where there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather.’ I never believed it before, but now I finally do.”
Having said this, Liang Zhen paid no attention to how Liang Yunshan called for her and walked straight away.
Liang Yunshan was so angry he nearly overturned the table. Rebellion, rebellion, this was truly rebellion! A daughter-in-law dared to point at his nose and scold him like this!
Liang Zhen had spoken to him this way too!
Seeing Liang Yunshan’s explosive fury, Luo Meixiang secretly rejoiced but said pitifully, “Yunshan, now you can believe it, can’t you? This is how Eldest Sister and the eldest daughter-in-law treat their elders. I, I’m at my wit’s end with them…”
“Shut up!”
Liang Yunshan rebuked her furiously, his eyes glaring like copper bells, both impatient and extremely irritated.
Luo Meixiang hadn’t expected Liang Yunshan to scold her and felt very wronged. She wasn’t the one who had angered him—it was that unfilial daughter and daughter-in-law. Since he couldn’t deal with Qin Shuying or Liang Zhen, he was taking his anger out on her.
The three Liang Yuan siblings were still stunned by the massive amount of information Qin Shuying and Liang Zhen had delivered, each looking somewhat dazed.
Liang Yunshan looked at Luo Meixiang, then at the three Liang Qiong siblings, waved his hand dismissively, and strode away.
“Yunshan!”
Luo Meixiang watched helplessly as Liang Yunshan departed, unable to find words to make him stay.
After a long while, Liang Qiong finally said with difficulty, “Mother, what they said—is it all true?”
Luo Meixiang stamped her foot. “Why should you care whether it’s true or false? As long as your father believes it, it’s true. If your father doesn’t believe it, it’s false. Who can tell what’s true or false in this world? I need to hurry and tell Aunt.”
Luo Meixiang didn’t care what her three children thought and hurried out the door.
The three Liang Yuan siblings remained immersed in their respective thoughts.
After a long time, Liang Jie said, “What exactly did Eldest Sister know back then that made Grandmother act that way? Failing to eliminate the roots when cutting the grass—Grandmother must regret it now!”
Liang Yuan also nodded. “Yes, Liang Zhen has returned to overturn the case. Who knows what she actually knows.”
Liang Jie’s guess wasn’t wrong. After hearing Luo Meixiang’s words, Old Madam Liang’s expression indeed changed dramatically, and she asked Luo Meixiang almost word by word: “What did you say? Say it again!”
Old Madam Liang’s expression was truly too fierce. Luo Meixiang was also frightened but steeled herself to repeat Liang Zhen’s words: “She said that years ago, all the people who served at her side died, all the people who served at Zhao Wanniang’s side died, and after Yunshan was born, all the people who served the steward concubine in the mansion also died. Then, then, shortly after I was born, almost all the people at your side also died.”
“Crack!”
The prayer beads in Old Madam Liang’s hands fell to the ground, and instantly, the room became quiet with an eerie quality.
After thinking, Luo Meixiang added, “Qin Shuying also said, also said that Her Majesty the Empress seems to, also, also be concerned about your affairs.”
Actually, Luo Meixiang wasn’t entirely certain if this was what Qin Shuying meant, because Qin Shuying had spoken vaguely at the time. But since it involved the Empress, Luo Meixiang felt she should tell Old Madam Liang.
Old Madam Liang’s gaze became even fiercer. “Who?”
“Empress Wen.”
Old Madam Liang slammed the table with a “bang” and said through gritted teeth, “Truly seeking their own death!”
Luo Meixiang didn’t dare ask who exactly was seeking their own death—was she referring to Qin Shuying, Empress Wen, or Old Madam Liang herself?
Old Madam Liang’s face was iron-gray, emanating wisps of cold air.
Suddenly, her gaze was like lightning. “That Zao’er drowning—what exactly happened?”
Luo Meixiang was startled, her scalp tingling, not daring to lie: “Aunt, it’s all my fault. Please, please forgive me. I was too anxious and made a mistake.”
Old Madam Liang’s eyes widened as she raised her voice: “More hindrance than help! How have I usually taught you? Time after time, no matter how I teach you, you can’t shed your petty airs! Even Yuan’er, Jie’er, and Qiong’er have been taught by you to be unpresentable, with eyes only for trivial matters! I thought keeping the second daughter-in-law would at least let you practice and prevent you from being too complacent and not knowing your place. I never expected you’d still turn out this way! It’s actually the second daughter-in-law who, despite being submissive usually, showed such methods when managing the household—even winning over Concubine Yue and replacing all the people in Concubine Yue’s courtyard with her own people! You’re truly inferior even to Meng Shi!”
Luo Meixiang felt so sad, so wronged, so angry.
How had she become inferior even to Meng Shi?
But she didn’t dare refute Old Madam Liang.
After the scolding, Old Madam Liang supported her forehead, waved her hand, and said, “You step back. Go be a proper virtuous wife and loving mother. Leave this matter to me—I’ll deal with those two!”
Having endured the storm of rage, Luo Meixiang felt somewhat relieved by these words, which forgave Old Madam Liang’s earlier tirade.
She raised her eyes to look at Old Madam Liang and asked, “Aunt, what do you plan to do?”
Old Madam Liang snorted coldly and lowered her voice: “If he shows no mercy, I’ll show no righteousness. Kill those two wretched creatures!”
Which two? Weren’t there three people in total?
Old Madam Liang seemed to know her thoughts. Her expression turned cold as she said, “Kill Liang Zhe and Qin Shuying, leaving Liang Zhen to regret for the rest of her life! Do you understand?!”
Luo Meixiang’s body shrank under this rebuke.
Aunt, she really was… ruthless!
Indeed, if Liang Zhe and Qin Shuying died, it would be strange if Liang Zhen didn’t go mad!
But were Liang Zhe and Qin Shuying so easy to kill?
Old Madam Liang seemed to see through her thoughts again and snorted coldly: “This matter doesn’t concern you. Just be your virtuous wife and loving mother. Get out!”
Luo Meixiang left with a third question.
Since you, Aunt, can kill Liang Zhe, why didn’t you kill him earlier? Why wait until so many things happened in the family before thinking of killing him? If not for Liang Zhe, could so many things have happened? Could she have been demoted from a super first-rank lady to a fourth-rank respectful lady? This caused her to endure ridicule and mockery when visiting others!
Old Madam Liang sat in place, silent for a while, then murmured to herself: “Truly, one wrong move leads to mistakes at every step! Back then, why did I think to have Zhou Fengxian raise her! One’s upbringing determines one’s bearing. After all these years, she still can’t shed her petty airs, still can’t escape the flavor of a concubine’s daughter!”
These words were spoken as if she herself weren’t a concubine’s daughter.
After sitting silently for a while, Old Madam Liang rose and entered her bedroom. She walked to the bed, stared at it for a long time, then walked into the outer bed’s curtains.
She used a canopy bed with inner and outer sections, meaning two sets of curtains. Therefore, after she went inside, people outside couldn’t see her actions at all.