“Old Madam, the son-in-law has beaten our young mistress.” The maid outside who heard the commotion hurried to report to Old Madam of Marquis Taining.
Old Madam of Marquis Taining entered with a face as dark as water.
Lady Zhu covered her cheek, seeing her mother enter, feeling utterly ashamed and indignant.
She had married down to Earl Guchang’s residence, and over the years had been the undisputed authority in the inner quarters, living quite comfortably. At gatherings with other wives and ladies, she was accustomed to hearing flattery about her harmonious marriage. But now to lose face so badly in front of her husband at her natal home made her feel utterly humiliated.
“You hit me? You hit me over such a trivial matter?” Lady Zhu reached out to strike Earl Guchang.
Earl Guchang’s face still bore the bloody scratches Lady Zhu had made earlier. Seeing Madam of Marquis Taining enter, he didn’t dare fight back and dodged Lady Zhu’s vicious attacks awkwardly.
“Enough!” Madam of Marquis Taining slammed the table heavily.
Lady Zhu’s movements paused.
Earl Guchang took the opportunity to retreat far away, standing behind the Madam of Marquis Taining.
“Aning, acting like a shrew from the countryside—is this proper?”
Lady Zhu was still furious, her lips moving as if to say something, but Madam of Marquis Taining coldly shouted: “Shut your mouth!”
Only then did she press her lips together and glare fiercely at Earl Guchang.
Old Madam of Marquis Taining felt her vision darken with anger.
Staring at her husband like an enemy—what was this if not stupidity?
Old Madam of Marquis Taining took a deep breath and looked at Earl Guchang: “Son-in-law, even if Aning did something wrong, she’s someone whose children are about to marry. For you to hit her like this at the Marquis’s residence—isn’t that going too far?”
In front of Old Madam of Marquis Taining, Earl Guchang tried his best to restrain his anger, saying hesitantly: “This son-in-law lost composure.”
Old Madam of Marquis Taining sat down with a stern face: “Although Aning was impulsive at the temple, you were at fault first, son-in-law. Aning is the household’s main wife—how can a concubine be pregnant while keeping her in the dark? When Aning became emotional, you should have been understanding. Why did you argue with her at the Marquis’s residence?”
No matter how bad her daughter’s temper, she was still the precious daughter she had pampered and raised. She had married her daughter down precisely because she knew her daughter couldn’t bear grievances. Otherwise, why would the Marquis’s residence’s only precious daughter marry into an Earl’s residence?
Who would have thought that the originally honest and caring son-in-law would dare hit her daughter at the Marquis’s residence?
Old Madam of Marquis Taining’s tone was indifferent, but Earl Guchang heard some aggression in it.
“Old Madam, this son-in-law didn’t argue with her because of that woman.”
“Then what was it about?” Old Madam of Marquis Taining’s tone was impatient.
Marquis Taining’s residence had deep roots and close relationships with many noble families. Usually when Earl Guchang came here, he always felt inferior, but this time he couldn’t bear it anymore and revealed everything Lady Zhu had done without concealment.
“Aning, is what the son-in-law said true? You instructed people to splash filth on the Li family’s gate to vent anger for Feixue, and Marquis Guanjun found out?”
“I—” Lady Zhu hesitated.
Seeing this, Old Madam of Marquis Taining’s heart grew half cold, and she commanded sternly: “Summon the First Madam!”
Soon Madam of Marquis Taining hurried over.
“Old Madam—”
Old Madam of Marquis Taining interrupted: “The matter of Earl Guchang’s residence—have you heard about it?”
Madam of Marquis Taining paused, glanced coldly at Lady Zhu, and nodded.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“This daughter-in-law feared you would harm your health with anger upon knowing.”
Old Madam of Marquis Taining suddenly looked at Lady Zhu: “Speak! Did you do that deed or not?”
Lady Zhu stepped back, saying hesitantly: “I clearly instructed the steward not to appear personally, and even the two street ruffians were randomly selected. How could it be traced back?”
“You’re truly foolish!” Old Madam of Marquis Taining couldn’t catch her breath and felt dizzy.
“Mother (Old Madam)—”
Seeing her sister-in-law support her mother, Lady Zhu suddenly turned to Earl Guchang: “You’ve angered my mother to illness—are you satisfied now?”
Earl Guchang’s expression twisted with rage: “Even now, you think it’s everyone else’s fault! Fine, since that’s how it is, stay at your natal home for the New Year. Whether you return or not is up to you!”
Seeing Earl Guchang turn to leave with a flick of his sleeves, Lady Zhu chased after him and grabbed his sleeve, cursing: “Du Ziteng, it’s not like when you couldn’t even secure the heir’s position, nor when you just became Earl and the entire household’s expenses depended on my dowry. So now you’re trampling on me like this? Where’s your conscience? Has it all been eaten by dogs?”
“Enough!” Earl Guchang shook Lady Zhu off forcefully.
Madam of Marquis Taining’s shocked gaze, mixed with contempt, cut across his face like a sharp sword, making him flush red. He said coldly, “Since I’m so worthless and truly unworthy of you, this noble daughter of a Marquis’s house, I’ll present a divorce letter shortly. I dare not trample on you anymore!”
After Earl Guchang left with a flick of his sleeves, Old Madam of Marquis Taining, recovering from her dizzy anger, shouted: “Why don’t you stop the son-in-law!”
Lady Zhu trembled with rage, still being stubborn: “Let him go!”
Before long, Earl Guchang indeed sent someone with a divorce letter.
“Outrageous!” Old Madam of Marquis Taining hadn’t expected this usually honest son-in-law to be serious, turning livid with anger, feeling that both dignity and face were completely lost.
There were no walls that didn’t let wind through in the world. What spread fastest in the capital were the private affairs of families like theirs. Even if Earl Guchang’s residence sent this divorce letter in was moment of anger, Marquis Taining’s residence would be laughed at for several years.
“Wen Shi, accompany me to Earl Guchang’s residence!”
Madam of Marquis Taining Wen Shi couldn’t refuse but hated Lady Zhu to death in her heart.
Her sister-in-law’s tantrum had completely disgraced the Marquis’s residence. It was bad enough that she would be embarrassed when meeting people, but pitifully, her Yan’er was about to discuss marriage, and this incident happened at just the wrong time—truly an undeserved disaster!
“Take good care of your mistress.” Old Madam of Marquis Taining instructed Lady Zhu’s maid before leaving.
Old Madam of Marquis Taining brought her daughter-in-law to Earl Guchang’s residence to reason with Earl Guchang’s mother.
Earl Guchang’s mother naturally didn’t want to become enemies with Marquis Taining’s residence either. After all, no matter how improper the daughter-in-law was, she had borne a legitimate son and daughter and was of noble birth. Truly divorcing her would make it difficult for her son to remarry someone suitable in the future.
Of course, most importantly, the Earl’s residence had just lost a large sum from loan sharking. Divorcing a daughter-in-law with a generous dowry would leave the entire household drinking the northwest wind.
Earl Guchang calmed down, looking at his pair of children kneeling before him and crying, his heart naturally turned around.
Divorce sounded simple, but it involved many complications. It wasn’t that easy. He mainly wanted to scare that shrew.
Just as the elders of both families were about to reach an agreement, people from Marquis Taining’s residence came with ashen faces to report: “Old Madam, Madam, something terrible has happened! The young mistress has hanged herself!”
The maid lying on Lady Zhu’s corpse and crying bitterly nearly cried herself to death.
The mistress said it was to scare the Earl, but unexpectedly, the mistress was so heavy. When her hand slipped and she couldn’t save herself, she accidentally pulled down instead!