Everyone in the room was startled.
Without waiting for Old Madam Guo to speak, Nanny Lü stepped forward to support Grand Madam Wen. “What has happened to you? Can’t you speak properly? Old Madam is advanced in years and can no longer bear great sorrow or anger. Please rise and speak, Grand Madam Wen.”
Though her words were courteous, a trace of contempt flashed in her eyes as she signaled to the maids around them.
Biyu and the others came to their senses. Manao went to summon several strong, robust women inside, while Biyu and several others rushed forward in a flurry, pulling and supporting Grand Madam Wen to her feet.
Only then did Old Madam Guo’s expression improve somewhat.
Zhou Shaojin quickly helped Old Madam Guo sit down on the arhat bed nearby.
Nanny Lü coaxed Grand Madam Wen to go to the side chamber to wash up, while the servant woman who had supported Grand Madam Wen over was kept behind.
“What exactly happened?” Old Madam Guo asked the servant woman with a stern face.
The servant woman was so frightened she trembled all over, stammering, “That woman over there gave birth to a son, and our Grand Master is never home all day. Grand Madam thought to arrange a marriage for Young Master Nuo early, and after looking around, she took a fancy to a niece from her natal family. Both families had already engaged matchmakers and were just waiting to pick an auspicious day to formally propose marriage when somehow Grand Master learned of this. Grand Master came to the upper room and severely reprimanded Grand Madam…” She spoke while timidly glancing at Old Madam Guo. Seeing that Old Madam Guo continued listening expressionlessly, she continued, “Grand Madam then got into an argument with Grand Master. In a moment of excitement, Grand Master drew the sword hanging on the wall, threatening to kill Grand Madam… Grand Madam had no choice but to flee here to you, hoping you would uphold justice for Grand Madam and preserve her life…”
Old Madam Guo listened and impatiently pressed her lips together, saying somewhat wearily, “They’re husband and wife quarreling. Since you were able to support Nephew Wen’s wife and bring her running to me, you must be someone close to Nephew Wen’s wife. Instead of advising your Grand Madam to reconcile with Grand Master, you come before me spouting complete nonsense. Do you take my place for a vegetable garden where you can come and go as you please, say whatever you want, and cause whatever disturbance you like? Nanny Lü, have this servant woman dragged down and given thirty strokes of the paddle before questioning her further!”
Nanny Lü respectfully answered, “Yes.”
The servant woman was already shaking like a sieve, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly. While kowtowing, she cried, “Old Madam, this servant doesn’t dare speak! How could a lowly servant like me dare criticize the matters of Madam and Master!”
Old Madam Guo said nothing.
Nanny Lü sneered coldly, “Criticize? So you know it’s criticism! How is it you don’t dare in front of others, but dare before our Old Madam? What kind of person is our Old Madam? How could she be deceived by crooked-minded people like you!”
As she spoke, several strong, robust women had already seized the servant woman.
The servant woman screamed in fright, crying, “Old Madam, Old Madam, please spare me! It’s Grand Master—Grand Master took a fancy to that outside woman’s niece and said he wanted to arrange Young Master Nuo’s marriage. How could our Grand Madam agree? That’s why they quarreled…”
Old Madam Guo closed her eyes, appearing unwilling to listen to her nonsensical rambling.
Several strong women dragged her outside.
She loudly begged for mercy, even shouting toward Zhou Shaojin, “Second Young Cousin, please say a word on this old woman’s behalf. I’ll remember your great kindness for the rest of my life!”
Standing aside, she could still be dragged into this mess.
Did this count as disaster falling from the sky?
Zhou Shaojin didn’t know what to say.
Old Madam Guo, whose expression had merely been unpleasant before, now became thunderously enraged. She slammed her palm on the tea table beside her and shouted, “I’ve been wondering how the fifth branch’s good life turned into this mess—turns out it’s all you old hags stirring things up from within. A proper young lady is standing here, yet you dare shout and scream at her. Gag her mouth, and after thirty strokes of the paddle, summon a human trafficker to sell her!”
Everyone in the room paled in fright, including Zhou Shaojin.
She had never seen Old Madam Guo lose her temper so severely.
But Old Madam Guo seemed still unsatisfied, saying, “If this pulls out any other branches and leaves, sell them all!”
The Cheng family was a household that accumulated virtue. They didn’t engage in masters shouting to beat or sell servants whenever they were displeased.
This showed the old madam was truly enraged this time.
Nanny Lü, sweat beading on her back, tremblingly answered “Yes” with trepidation. But Grand Madam Wen, hair disheveled, rushed out from the side chamber.
“Elder Aunt, Elder Aunt.” As she spoke, she was about to kneel before Old Madam Guo. Having just experienced this, Biyu and the others had gained experience—before she could kneel, they supported Grand Madam Wen from left and right. Grand Madam Wen paid no heed to this, crying to Old Madam Guo, “Please spare her! All these years, if not for these old servants accompanying me, I would have long been driven to death by Grand Master! She didn’t speak out of consideration for my dignity…” Her gaze then fell on Zhou Shaojin. “If she spoke wrongly, I’ll apologize to you on her behalf.” She then pleaded softly, “Shaojin, since you grew up in Jiuru Lane from childhood, won’t you plead on behalf of your Aunt Wen?”
How did this matter circle back to her again?
Zhou Shaojin was dumbstruck.
Old Madam Guo stood up and spat at Grand Madam Wen, saying sternly, “You still have the face to speak! The fifth branch is in such chaos—it’s all your doing…”
Grand Madam Wen dared not accept such blame. Before Old Madam Guo finished speaking, she began crying, “Elder Aunt, if you won’t help me, that’s one thing, but to push the fault onto me—I… I… I might as well die!” Having said this, she made to dash herself against a nearby pillar.
Biyu and the others held her tightly.
Old Madam Guo was very contemptuous. “If she wants to die, let her die! Perfect—it’ll make room for that outside woman!”
Upon hearing this, Grand Madam Wen went limp as if her tendons had been pulled, collapsing to the ground and wailing loudly.
Old Madam Guo looked at her coldly, extended her hand for Zhou Shaojin to help her, and headed toward the inner chamber.
Seeing this, Grand Madam Wen panicked and shouted hoarsely “Elder Aunt,” crying, “I spoke thoughtlessly—please forgive me this once! I’ll never dare again…”
All the servant women in the room lowered their heads, as if they had neither heard nor seen anything. For a moment, the room was quiet except for Grand Madam Wen’s sobbing.
Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but sigh. “When you two first married, was it like this? After you finished serving your mother-in-law’s meals and returned, Grand Nephew Wen would even massage your legs. But look at you now! Which man isn’t like a child, needing to be coaxed? But you? You listened to those old hags’ instigation, insisting on fighting with Grand Nephew Wen to determine a winner. When Grand Nephew Wen yielded to you, you listened to those old hags saying he feared you, and you became even more boisterous. Look now—does he fear you? And look at those people around you—which one hasn’t secretly bought houses and land outside with their private savings?”
Grand Madam Wen’s face showed complete shock, tears hanging on her cheeks. She forgot to cry, murmuring, “Some of that was—was rewards I gave them!”
“Exactly!” Old Madam Guo said bluntly. “If you two hadn’t carried on like this, how could they have received so many rewards? I said the fifth branch is in such chaos—it’s all your doing—and you still won’t admit it.”
Grand Madam Wen’s lips trembled as she listened, about to say something more, but Old Madam Guo had already said, “You don’t need to play dumb before me. Tell me honestly—what exactly did you say that made Grand Nephew Wen want to kill you? Grand Nephew Wen hasn’t lost his mind—he wouldn’t kill his own legitimate wife over a disagreement.”
“I… I said nothing,” Grand Madam Wen’s eyes flickered evasively.
Old Madam Guo said blandly, “Then I have nothing more to say. Your own affairs—you handle them yourself!” Having said this, she lifted her foot to leave.
But Manao came running. “Old Madam, Grand Master Wen is here!”
Old Madam Guo’s brow furrowed slightly.
Upon hearing this, Grand Madam Wen nimbly stood up and darted behind Old Madam Guo like a rabbit, crying out, “Elder Aunt, look! Look! He actually pursued me here…”
Before she finished speaking, Cheng Wen had already stormed in angrily, carrying a sword radiating cold light.
Zhou Shaojin was alarmed and without thinking shielded Old Madam Guo behind her.
A trace of amusement flashed in Old Madam Guo’s eyes as she pulled Zhou Shaojin behind her instead.
But Cheng Wen threw the sword to the ground with a clang and knelt before Old Madam Guo with the decisiveness of a toppling mountain, “Elder Aunt, you must uphold justice for me!” Having said this, he glared furiously at Grand Madam Wen. “This shameless woman—she actually dared insult my late father and mother! If I don’t divorce her this time, I’m unworthy of being their son!”
Grand Madam Wen poked her head out from behind Old Madam Guo and said sternly, “Your words must have evidence! When did I ever insult father-in-law and mother-in-law? Just to make Young Master Nuo marry that harlot’s niece, you slander me so baselessly… Elder Aunt, you must uphold justice for me!”
Cheng Wen also called out “Elder Aunt,” saying, “That family merely shares a surname with that woman, yet she claims that young lady is that woman’s niece… She just wants to marry her own niece into the family. Elder Aunt, you’ve seen it yourself—she’s a seed of family chaos. How can I let Young Master Nuo marry another woman like her and ruin the fifth branch’s descendants?”
“What are you saying?” Grand Madam Wen jumped out defiantly. “How have I caused family chaos? What has my natal family done to offend you…”
The two quarreled in a tangled mess.
Old Madam Guo pulled Zhou Shaojin and left the hall, ignoring the calls from the couple behind her, and went directly to Fucui Pavilion.
Zhou Shaojin helped Old Madam Guo sit down in the rest chamber and personally brewed Liu’an Guapian tea and brought it over.
Old Madam Guo accepted the teacup and smiled bitterly. “The Cheng family men actually all have good tempers, but unfortunately Nephew Wen’s wife used the wrong methods!”
Zhou Shaojin comforted the old madam, “After hearing your words today, she will surely reflect properly in the future.”
“Let’s hope so!” Old Madam Guo was not at all optimistic about the fifth branch, but some things were not appropriate to say to Zhou Shaojin—after all, she was still an unmarried young lady.
Zhou Shaojin then smiled. “Old Madam, shall I read Buddhist sutras for you?”
Reading Buddhist sutras calmed the heart, and when the heart was calm, troubles disappeared.
Old Madam Guo was somewhat surprised.
After such commotion, Zhou Shaojin could still maintain her original nature…
She couldn’t help but say with great interest and a smile, “Very well.”
Zhou Shaojin took a copy of the Amitabha Sutra and began reciting it enthusiastically.