Like a thunderclap exploding, the room fell into a silence so complete one could hear a pin drop. Even Huazhi was so startled her hand trembled, knocking over a cup of freshly poured tea onto the floor. Fortunately, no one could pay attention to her at this moment. She quickly collected herself and exchanged a glance with Huaqiao. Together, they quietly cleaned up the mess, then hurriedly led the serving maids in retreating from the room.
Old Madam Chen looked coldly at Third Master Chen. Seeing that after speaking those two words about dividing the family, he had kept his head lowered and refused to look at her, she let out a cold laugh. Her words were both vicious and sharp: “No wonder these past few days you and your wife have rarely darkened my door—turns out you’ve conceived this notion. So eager to leave? So eager to abandon our family in its time of trouble?”
Third Master Chen’s ears flushed red with shame. A grown man made to blush and unable to raise his head by these few words from his legitimate mother. Yet he steadied his resolve. He too was someone with children. If the Chen family wouldn’t think of them, he had to think more for his own children. He suppressed the humiliation in his heart, hesitating for a moment before saying, “It’s not as you say… I know Father has vast connections…”
Old Madam Chen was already so angry she grabbed the teacup and hurled it at Third Master Chen’s head. Hot tea drenched his head and face, and the cup struck his forehead, raising a bruise. Third Master Chen was stunned by the blow, covering his head as he stumbled back two steps.
Third Madam Chen couldn’t hold back. She let out a cry, almost bursting into tears, and immediately pulled out a handkerchief to wipe Third Master Chen. Waves of resentment surged in her heart, completely unable to control her shock and anger. While cleaning him up, she turned to look at Old Madam Chen: “Whether we’re here or not makes no difference to the family anyway. Since we’re not treated as family, we might as well leave. Why must you still bind us here?”
Why is it that when there are benefits, we don’t exist in your eyes at all, yet when the family faces disaster, we’re the first to be pushed out to block and fight? Third Madam Chen’s eyes reddened, and she finally couldn’t hold back her tears.
Old Madam Chen grabbed another cup at random and threw it at them both. Her usually expressionless face finally showed anger and disdain. She looked at Third Madam Chen and Third Master Chen, letting out a cold laugh from her throat: “You’re taking advantage of your father’s absence, that there’s only this old woman left at home, and deliberately coming to seek revenge?! Because I told him to divorce you after you went to the Song family?”
She looked mockingly at Third Master Chen and Third Madam Chen’s flushed faces, continuing to stab at their spine without mercy: “Your father isn’t dead yet. Though he’s in prison, His Majesty hasn’t convicted him. Yet you’re already so eager to sever ties with us, so afraid of being implicated by us? They say when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter, but I’ve never seen sons abandon their father…”
Third Master Chen finally could no longer suppress the anger in his heart. His neck strained, he furiously blocked the flying cup, veins bulging as he shouted at Old Madam Chen in extreme rage: “Shut up!”
This was truly too unfilial. Chen Mingyu supported the swaying Old Madam Chen, looking at Third Master Chen both anxiously and angrily: “Third Uncle, how can you speak to Grandmother like this?!”
Third Master Chen indeed dared to speak to Old Madam Chen like this. He had truly been suppressing his feelings for too long. Years of accumulated grievances and resentment surged forth in an instant. He could no longer control his anger and began speaking without restraint: “Why wouldn’t I dare speak to her like this? I call her Mother, but does she deserve those two words?!” His eyes bloodshot, he looked at Old Madam Chen: “Think about it yourself—I call you Mother, but doesn’t your conscience hurt? How have you treated me all these years, how have you treated my wife and children—don’t you know in your own heart? How dare you accuse us of kicking you when you’re down?! That I’ve come to this point today is because you’ve all driven me to it!”
Old Madam Chen could barely breathe. Supporting herself with all her strength on Chen Mingyu’s hand, she managed to stand steady. Her other hand trembled as she pointed at Third Master Chen, unable to speak even half a word.
Huazhi and the others outside heard things going wrong and had already sent someone to fetch Second Master and the eldest young master. When Second Master Chen and Eldest Young Master Chen entered, they were confronted with this scene and couldn’t help but freeze in shock.
Old Madam Chen seemed to have found saviors. After several gasps, she caught her breath and pointed at Third Master Chen and Third Madam Chen, saying to Second Master Chen and Eldest Young Master Chen: “They… they’ve rebelled! They want to divide the family—at this time, they’re demanding to divide the family…”
Eldest Young Master Chen had been exhausted lately. He was a pampered second-generation heir, but recently he’d been forced to smile and gather information outside every day, dealing with those yamen people who only knew how to quibble and demand money. Now hearing Old Madam Chen say this, his face immediately darkened. However, as a junior, he wasn’t really in a position to speak. He looked at Third Master Chen and Third Madam Chen with an unfriendly gaze.
Second Master Chen had much more standing. He immediately stood up for his mother, unhesitatingly rebuking Third Master Chen: “Nonsense! What family are you dividing? With both parents present, where’s the reason to divide the family?!” The more he spoke, the angrier he became: “Not speaking earlier, not speaking later, but speaking at this precise moment—to say you’re heartless and unrighteous is putting it lightly! You’re utterly ungrateful!”
Third Madam Chen, attacked by all these people, immediately had tears streaming down again. Unable to bear seeing her husband hurt, she couldn’t help but speak up for him: “What kindness and righteousness? The Chen family certainly has shown kindness and righteousness to Eldest Nephew and Second Uncle, but speaking in good conscience, what kindness and righteousness have we of the third branch received from you all these years?”
Old Madam Chen let out a cold laugh, her finger nearly pointing in Third Madam Chen’s face: “I knew it was you stirring up trouble between them! You troublemaker! Back when the Song family matter happened, I should have insisted on divorcing you!”
Third Master Chen, provoked even further by his second brother’s and legitimate mother’s words, felt even more unwilling and resentful. He laughed coldly and asked them: “Kindness and righteousness? You also dare speak to me of kindness and righteousness? When my birth mother died, you only granted a dozen or so taels for funeral expenses. In your eyes, she was no different from a slave, and you even sent her back to her maternal family for the funeral… Now that you’ve collected so much silver and feel great disaster is imminent, you come talking to us about kindness and righteousness?!”
Eldest Young Master Chen couldn’t hold back, furiously interjecting: “What is a concubine if not a slave?!”
Second Master Chen felt his nephew’s words weren’t wrong. His focus wasn’t on that first statement but on the latter part about collecting so much silver. His brow furrowed as he asked Third Master Chen: “What are you saying?! What do you mean received silver?!”