The flower hall of Duke Yingguo’s residence was now so quiet it was somewhat frightening. Apart from the Li family sisters who had just mustered the courage to finish speaking before closing their mouths, everyone else unanimously turned their gaze toward Old Madam Chen, the wife of Elder Chen.
Chen Mingyu opened her watery, misty eyes looking pitiful and helpless as she continuously shook her head. When she looked toward her grandmother, she couldn’t help but begin sobbing softly.
Although Old Madam Chen was already over fifty years old, she had always maintained herself well and looked as if she were only about forty. At this moment, upon hearing what First Madam Li and the Li family sisters had said, she didn’t even raise her eyes. She held her granddaughter’s hand and patted it gently, then let out a cold laugh as if no one else were present: “Just because you flap your lips together, you say my Yuér did it—isn’t that a bit too frivolous? Today, aside from going to Miss Shen’s room once during the gift-giving ceremony, she hasn’t left my side at all. I wonder when she supposedly consulted with the two young ladies about this scheme, and who she found to carry it out?”
The Li family sisters often visited the Chen household, and every time their greatest fear was this sharp and cold-hearted old lady before them. Hearing her speak this way, they immediately lost their backbone and hid behind their mother.
“Haven’t the Heir Apparent and the Princess Consort been somewhat biased in their actions?” After finishing with the Li family sisters, Old Madam Chen turned to look at Shen Xiaohai and Madam He: “Just because they’re from Earl Changning’s mansion—a prominent household—does that mean our Chen family is some insignificant common folk? Why must you two treat guests who came to visit as if they were criminals?”
Old Madam Chen’s words were sharp and caustic, but she had the capital to be so domineering—Elder Chen was the Vice Minister, second only to one and above ten thousand, and in a place like the Cabinet that emphasized seniority and rank, even Song Chengru could only keep his tail tucked behind him.
Moreover, these upright officials who had risen through study and farming ordinarily looked down most upon nobles who enjoyed glory and wealth for generations relying on their ancestral merit. Old Madam Chen was especially like this and rarely went out to visit others.
Shen Xiaohai’s heart was filled with fury, wishing he could tear this old hag apart. Madam He was even more enraged—her son had been instigated by Old Madam Chen’s granddaughter and nearly beaten half to death, yet now Old Madam Chen was still making veiled accusations and sneering remarks. It truly made her detest the woman.
“What great official authority Old Madam has.” Song Chuyi lightly and deftly pinched the corner of Madam Cui’s sleeve, and Madam Cui understood, clapping her hands imperiously: “Those who don’t know might think Elder Chen himself had come. But even if Elder Chen came in person, there’s no reason to just flap your lips and declare your own child is innocent, is there?”
Facing Princess Duanhui who was deeply favored by the current emperor, Old Madam Chen, while not as cold-faced as before, still maintained her official wife’s airs and sneered: “What Your Highness the Princess says truly makes this old body ashamed. What do you mean by ‘flapping lips together’? Just now when those two girls from the Li family spoke—that’s what ‘flapping lips to convict someone’ means. I know my granddaughter’s character best. She absolutely could not do such a thing, and no one should try to pin this filth on her head.”
“Whether she would or wouldn’t isn’t determined by Your Ladyship’s ironclad declaration.” Song Chuyi met Old Madam Chen’s suddenly sharp gaze head-on without flinching: “If you feel the Li family sisters’ words cannot be trusted, then let’s ask Seventh Elder Brother about it. Moreover, my aunt has a note in her hand—why not take it out and see whether it’s Miss Chen’s handwriting?”
“Sister!” Chen Mingyu suddenly called out loudly, then began sobbing uncontrollably: “I know I offended you in Tongzhou, but you can’t use that to take revenge on me!”
“Since you say you offended me in Tongzhou,” Song Chuyi watched her performance with extreme coldness, completely unmoved: “Why don’t you explain clearly in front of everyone exactly how you offended me? How about it? If you feel you can’t explain it clearly alone, I’ll invite Second Young Master Ye to help you explain together—how’s that?”
Chen Mingyu was truly too presumptuous and fearless. She didn’t expect Chen Mingyu to remember her kindness—after all, she had ulterior motives regarding Chen Mingyu—but she also couldn’t tolerate Chen Mingyu repeatedly scheming to harm her.
Chen Mingyu stared with astonished, widened eyes, covering her mouth with her handkerchief as tears pattered down.
“Is this the household discipline of Earl Changning’s mansion? Is this the rules passed down for hundreds of years by the Cui clan of Boling?” Old Madam Chen finally looked at her properly and sneered disdainfully: “This old woman has truly learned something today.”
Madam Cui was about to retort sarcastically when she saw Song Chuyi walk several steps toward Chen Mingyu, then suddenly raise her voice: “I wouldn’t dare claim such credit. Compared to Miss Chen’s household discipline, I consider that our Earl’s mansion and my maternal family have already fulfilled our responsibilities.”
“How impudent!” Old Madam Chen pointed at Song Chuyi angrily: “Our Chen family’s household standards have been personally praised by His Majesty himself. What are you to dare point fingers at my family’s discipline!”
Song Chuyi showed no fear whatsoever and looked at Miss Chen with a half-smile: “Then it seems Sister Chen must be an anomaly in your family. I wonder if His Majesty, upon learning of Sister Chen’s actions, would regret having once praised your noble mansion’s household standards. Back in Tongzhou when we encountered the Tartar raiders’ attack, Sister Chen, as the elder sister, pushed me out to take the disaster—I wonder if your honored ancestors had such examples that Sister Chen learned to imitate?”
“You yellow-mouthed child dare to humiliate our Chen family like this!” This time Old Madam Chen not only looked at Song Chuyi properly but extended her finger to point directly at her: “Don’t think that just because you have Princess Duanhui backing you and are a daughter of an Earl’s mansion, you can act without restraint!”
“I’m afraid the one acting without restraint isn’t me!” Song Chuyi forcibly suppressed the impulse to swat away Old Madam Chen’s finger and laughed coldly: “It’s your precious granddaughter! The Tongzhou incident isn’t something I’m saying baselessly—there’s His Highness the Grand Heir and Second Young Master Ye who can testify. Old Madam, if you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to ask them! If you really don’t want to make a spectacle of yourself, you can also ask Sister Chen whether I’ve slandered and humiliated her—whether a single word of what I just said was false!”
Chen Mingyu hadn’t expected Song Chuyi would expose her shortcomings in front of so many people. She couldn’t help but retreat two steps in terror—for families like theirs, even if something happened, it should be covered up and resolved privately. There had never been someone like Song Chuyi who, regardless of consequences and without saving face, would tear everything open in public, making it difficult for the two families to associate in the future.
Song Chuyi actually had such confidence! Chen Mingyu stared with widened eyes and kept retreating, the cinnabar mole between her brows becoming increasingly conspicuous.
“I’d like to ask Old Madam Chen and Sister Chen,” Song Chuyi frowned: “Where exactly have I offended Sister Chen that she would repeatedly try to put me to death?!”