Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Not Afraid to Say the Xuan Family Spoils Their Daughter
The color of decay in Yongchang Marquis Mansion seemed to sprout green shoots, and thus the old appearance was finally changed.
But the scene at Zhong Mansion was entirely different.
Zhong Mansion was situated in a slightly remote location. Naturally, the houses here were relatively cheap. Old Madam Chong ordered the Attendant Student to carry the drunken Chong Bingwen into the house.
Her eyebrows were deeply furrowed, which made her look particularly harsh. After seeing that Chong Bingwen was fed hangover tea, she took the Attendant Student serving by Chong Bingwen’s side back to her own room.
"What happened?"
The Attendant Student lowered his head, not daring to speak.
Old Madam Chong asked coldly.
"Did he go to see that vixen again? Speak!"
The Attendant Student shuddered with fear and quickly knelt on the ground.
"Old Madam, Lady Song is heavily pregnant, and she has been unwell these past few days. It’s inevitable for the master to be concerned."
Old Madam Chong gave a cold laugh.
"If she’s unwell, then seek Medical Staff!"
"Bah! It’s just that he’s been bewitched. That vixen outside is clinging to him because my son is an Advanced Scholar and a compiler at the Hanlin Academy with boundless prospects! She doesn’t have good intentions. I forbid him from seeing her again."
"Remember this, if the master sees her once, I’ll break one of your legs. How many legs can you afford to break? Did you hear!"
The Attendant Student, merely twelve or thirteen years old, answered in distress, "Heard it, heard it."
The Attendant Student left trembling.
"Old Madam, why must you be so furious?" The old woman massaged her shoulders.
Old Madam Chong thought of Xuan Ai, which inevitably made her anxious again.
"These days, I’ve been feeling uneasy. Why is Zhong’s daughter-in-law still staying at her parental home?"
The old woman comforted: "Perhaps she is simply reluctant to leave her family. Old Madam, don’t worry, Mrs. Wu has already gone to call someone. With the big mistress’s filial respect, she will naturally return."
Old Madam Chong sneered.
"Reluctant to leave her family? What are you talking about? Right now, the Chong Family is her home."
"In the past, she appeared filial, but who knows what she thinks of me deep down? If it weren’t for the mother-in-law promoting Brother Wen, why would I not dare to assert my authority as a mother-in-law in front of her?"
She openly showed affection for Xuan Ai, but actually had continuous objections.
After all, the status of Xuan Ai was too prestigious. It was delicate to handle.
"My nephew’s wife got pregnant within half a year of her marriage, but she, on the other hand, has shown no signs at all."
If it were not for this, she would have dealt with that vixen outside long ago.
In the end, she also blamed Xuan Ai, if only she were more competitive, why would Chong Bingwen be endlessly obsessed with that other woman?
Although irritated, Old Mrs. Zhong eventually instructed.
"Later, you go there and check it out. She is seven months pregnant now. Bring some more nourishing items, and take the blood bird’s nest that Xuan Ai gave me. I haven’t had the heart to drink it. Also, give her a hint to not entangle my son. For the sake of the child, I’m willing to give her face, but if she ruins my son’s future, I’ll skin her alive!"
Yet her heart raced rapidly again.
"That mother-in-law holds such a high stature, if she finds out, the sky might fall, how dare I neglect her daughter."
Speaking of this made her angry.
The Zhong Family was not a major household but was also dignified, and the housing was sufficient.
Until, Xuan Ai entered the family.
With the demeanor of a noble lady, the number of maids from her dowry was in the dozens, along with several servants and old women, and even her dowry filled an entire courtyard. This left the Zhong Family unable to accomodate.
Back then, Xuan Ai agonized over this. It was quite troubling.
Initially thinking of taking out a small part of the dowry to buy the small neighboring house, breaking down the wall in between. Joining them together, it would then be arranged easily.
She went to see Old Madam Chong at that time.
Old Madam Chong happily took her hand, showing genuine affection. She never frowned or explicitly disapproved, yet her words conveyed just that sentiment.
——You are a wife of the Chong Family, perhaps young and not fully considerate. It’s comfortable to expand the residence as soon as you enter, but such actions may become the laughingstock of my son in the government.
——He is a promising man, and in the future, he surely will not disappoint you or the Yue Family.
This statement was indeed reasonable.
Xuan Ai had no choice but to send some of the people back to the Yongchang Marquis Mansion.
But then!
Those servants were sent back by Xuan E.
Xuan E did this under the pretext of loving her daughter tenderly, but actually, it was to slap her face!
Xuan E’s words still linger in Old Madam Chong’s memory.
——During the engagement, we had an understanding with your son-in-law, and before the marriage, this list of dowry clearly included these servants as accompaniments. You, as the mother-in-law, didn’t object to it then.
——Yes, I admit, there are indeed many servants, but originally, these servants attended to her in the Xuan Family. She is my only daughter; I can’t bear to mistreat her. You might laugh, but the Xuan Family indulges their daughter; where other girls have fifteen servants, my daughter must have thirty. Other girls may wear gold and jewels, but my lord husband specifically acquired a gold shop when she was born.
——Now that the marriage is concluded, I don’t want to make things difficult for our family in-law. The son-in-law only needs to have a smooth career and treat my daughter well, and everything will be settled. The house matter, Ai herself paid for it. Why can’t this be done? Why bother about what outsiders say? As long as the son-in-law is successful, he will rise high soon enough, and that will shut those gossipers up, mother-in-law, wouldn’t you agree?
What could she say!
Xuan E’s every word blocked her retort.
Indeed, Lady of Earl Yong Chang was extraordinary. She was only able to smile, uglier than anyone else.
In the end, the small neighboring courtyard was bought by Zhuang, the old woman from Xuan Ai’s side, who registered it with the government. Mrs. Zhuang is dependable and thoughtful, specifically assigned to Xuan Ai by Xuan E, and the land deed was naturally put under Xuan Ai’s name.
At the time, Xuan Ai didn’t think much of receiving the land deed; for her, it was enough that it could house people. But for Old Madam Chong, it was utterly uncomfortable.
She felt troubled, like a fishbone stuck in her throat.
Especially when she heard people discussing behind her back.
——The Chong family is really capable, marrying a daughter of the Xuan Family is like ascending to the heavens.
——It can be said that the Chong Family has gained glory through their daughter-in-law.
Fortunately, over the years, under her subtle influence, Xuan Ai’s temperament has softened a lot.
She became easier to control.
Seeing Old Madam Chong in fury, the old woman hurriedly advised, "Our master holds the position of a compiler at the Hanlin Academy. Starting from a sixth rank. He is a promising man! In the future, he will be a high official, who would dare to look down on him?"
But Old Madam Chong’s expression did not improve.
"Two years ago, he was a compiler, but why is he still a compiler now? The Xuan Family really doesn’t plan for him!"
She had apparently forgotten, over these years, all the great benefits received from the Xuan Family. Entering the Hanlin Academy is not easy. If not for Earl Yong Chang acting as a guarantor, whether Chong Bingwen could enter was still a question.
While they were talking, Mrs. Wu who was sent to the Xuan Residence came in a flurry.
"Old Madam."
"What happened?"
Old Madam Chong looked behind her, not seeing Xuan Ai, her expression darkened instantly.
"Where is she?"
Mrs. Wu bowed her head lower.
"I didn’t see the big madam at all."
"...I was just driven out by the people from the Xuan Residence. They told me to ’get lost’."
Old Madam Chong felt a sudden pang in her heart and abruptly stood up.
"What!"