Nanny Wu knew the purpose of today’s visit was to take Bai Jinxiu back and prevent Qin Lang from moving out of Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion. She quickly smiled to smooth things over: “Oh my, Heir’s Wife, you’ve misunderstood! Our madam truly doesn’t mean that! No matter what, our madam would never dare have the Grand Princess come to greet her! Our madam is concerned about the Grand Princess and our eldest daughter-in-law. She has a good heart, but clumsy words—how could this be demanding justice?”
Nanny Wu smiled apologetically while discreetly tugging at Jiang Shi’s sleeve: “Our madam heard that the eldest daughter-in-law had awakened and came specifically today to take her back to the mansion! Since we came, naturally we couldn’t not pay respects to the Grand Princess. Hearing the Grand Princess was ill, she felt her timing was poor, which is why she said those words! Heir’s Wife, you and our madam have known each other since childhood—don’t you know what our madam is like?!”
Jiang Shi suppressed her anger, nearly crushing the handkerchief in her hands before controlling her temper: “Exactly so! Heir’s Wife, we’ve known each other since childhood. This is just my temperament—it’s all a misunderstanding.”
Dong Shi completely ignored Jiang Shi’s attempt at reconciliation, resting her hand adorned with fine jade bracelets on the armrest. When she truly displayed the bearing of a household’s matriarch, her class was incomparably higher than Jiang Shi’s: “So you’re saying, Marquis’s Wife came today to apologize?”
“Also, to take Jinxiu back to the mansion. After all, Jinxiu is already a Qin family wife—it’s improper for her to always stay at her natal home, lest people laugh.”
“Jiang Fengchun, stop beating around the bush with me!” Dong Shi called Marquis Zhongyong’s wife by her full name. “Yesterday, His Majesty issued a clear edict granting Qin Lang a residence. Once Qin Lang moves out, it’s equivalent to exposing Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion’s discord and bringing your two daughters’ actions against our Jinxiu into the open! Seeing you have no other options, you’ve come to our Duke’s mansion hoping to take our Jinxiu back to try controlling Qin Lang and prevent him from moving out, all to preserve your marquis mansion’s face. Isn’t that right?!”
Suddenly, having her motives exposed so bluntly by Dong Shi, Jiang Shi’s expression grew even uglier. Nanny Wu quickly interjected: “Heir’s Wife, our Marquis’s Wife is also thinking of the whole family—family doesn’t speak as outsiders! Think about it… with perfectly good parents still alive, how can he move out? Look at Duke Zhenguo’s mansion’s prosperity—isn’t it because they don’t divide the family that they have the blessing of seventeen sons? If he moves out while his parents are still living, in the future, our heir might be criticized regarding filial piety in his official career.”
A mere nanny wasn’t worth Dong Shi lowering herself to respond to. Dong Shi just picked up her teacup to drink tea while Bai Qingyan asked unhurriedly: “Are these words Marquis’s Wife’s meaning?”
Jiang Shi also didn’t want to engage with Bai Qingyan. She wanted to drink some tea but only then realized Dong Shi hadn’t even served tea, immediately becoming furious and waving her handkerchief: “I’m also doing this for the good of Qin Lang and his wife.”
“Marquis’s Wife has such grand airs! The Empress specifically instructed her brother-in-law to live in the new residence and walk a new path, yet you say preventing her brother-in-law from moving out is for his good. Could you be wiser than the Empress?!” Bai Jintong raised her eyebrows in question.
Jiang Shi’s heart skipped a beat. Even with ten thousand times the courage, she wouldn’t dare question the Empress’s words. She scolded: “Don’t speak nonsense!”
Bai Qingyan’s gaze was piercing, her voice leisurely: “Marquis’s Wife came today without bringing your two young ladies to apologize to my second sister, strutted through our Duke Zhenguo’s mansion’s gates, and with just a word wants to take my second sister back! Does Marquis’s Wife think our Bai family fears your Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, or do you think our Bai family is stupid enough to send my second sister back to Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion for you to torment?!”
“I’ll speak plainly with Marquis’s Wife…” Bai Jintong also spoke methodically, “That day when brother-in-law came bearing thorns to apologize, my second sister told brother-in-law that my second sister endured your daughter’s stone without fighting back precisely to use her life to pave the way for brother-in-law to leave the mansion. If the brother-in-law lacks the courage to move out of Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion and divide the family, he’s unworthy of our Bai family daughter; divorce would be inevitable. Even if it meant fighting to mutual destruction with a divorce decree… my second sister would never continue living with the brother-in-law!”
Both Jiang Shi and Nanny Wu widened their eyes, never imagining that Bai Jinxiu, who appeared so gentle and weak, could use such a vicious scheme! Divorce?! What noble family ever divorced?!
Jiang Shi trembled with rage. Bai Jinxiu had such a malicious heart—this was forcing her into a corner!
Bai Qingyan’s cold gaze swept over Nanny Wu as she sneered: “Now that His Majesty has issued a clear edict with the Empress’s earnest instructions, whoever dares use filial piety to criticize Qin Lang’s future is criticizing His Majesty and the Empress! Qin Lang has already packed his belongings and is only waiting to move out of the marquis’ mansion—wonderful days await my second sister. As for Marquis’s Wife… after so many years of secret scheming and unscrupulous methods, wasn’t it all for this heir apparent position? Now that Qin Lang is honorably yielding it, why doesn’t Marquis’s Wife dare openly accept it?”
Nanny Wu broke out in cold sweat—she had just been using filial piety as an argument.
“Dong Wanjun, I came today out of kindness to personally take Bai Jinxiu back to the mansion! Ask around the entire capital—is there a mother-in-law as magnanimous as me? Yet I’ve received not a bit of good treatment?! I haven’t even had a cup of tea, and instead have had my face ground into the dirt by your Duke Zhenguo’s mansion’s two children!” Jiang Shi was also furious, calling Dong Shi by her full name while slapping the tea table loudly. “Even if I’m a stepmother, Qin Lang’s father, our Marquis, is still alive! With parents living, families don’t divide. Your Bai family’s second daughter, barely married, and is already inciting Qin Lang to move out of the marquis mansion—where is the filial piety? Aren’t you afraid of being pointed at by thousands when this spreads?”
Dong Shi leisurely blew on her teacup, too lazy to waste words with Jiang Shi, only saying: “You think I don’t know what you’re thinking. You assume that since our Bai mansion ultimately married our daughter to your marquis mansion and you’re the legitimate mother-in-law, even considering Jinxiu’s prospects, our entire Bai mansion should respect you! But Jiang Fengchun… our Bai family has had iron backbones for generations—we’re not bones that anyone who wants to gnaw can chew through. Go back and measure your bite strength and think clearly before coming again.”
“Dong Wanjun!” Jiang Shi slammed the table and stood up, throwing down her handkerchief to leave. “We’ll see about this! There will come a day when you’ll cry from misfortune!”
Nanny Wu pulled and tugged to barely restrain the furious Jiang Shi, constantly giving her meaningful looks: “Madam, eldest daughter-in-law was injured, and Heir’s Wife is from her natal family—naturally, she’s angry and speaks harshly. Please be understanding! Your temper is too direct—if you leave, I fear the misunderstanding between the two families will be irreconcilable!”
Bai Qingyan looked up at Jiang Shi, who was about to throw her handkerchief and leave, speaking methodically: “Speaking of my second sister’s injury, may I ask Marquis’s Wife—to which human trafficker did you sell my second sister’s dowry maids after she fell into the water and lost consciousness? Those five dowry maids’ parents are kneeling at our Duke’s mansion entrance seeking answers. I’m also curious which human trafficker has such powerful backing that she dared take people from Marquis’s Wife’s hands when the five dowry maids’ contracts were still in my second sister’s possession! Or… were the other five maids kept at your estate like Mingyu?”