Madam Song was relieved, but Madam Wen felt that the past few decades combined weren’t as bad as today. She didn’t say a word after getting on the carriage, holding back her frustration all the way back to the Wen residence.
"Mother..."
"Shut up." Madam Wen glared at her and said, "You have deeply disappointed ."
Wen Zishan’s face turned deathly pale, her slender body sowhat unsteady.
Madam Wen first went to the main courtyard to pay her respects to her mother-in-law. She held so grievances against her mother-in-law as well; if she hadn’t indulged the eldest son of the main house, would he dare to have brought his sister to secretly et a man in private?
Seeing the unpleasant expressions on the faces of the mother and daughter pair, the old Madam Wen furrowed her brows slightly but remained calm, only asking if their trip to Songshan Temple went well.
Madam Wen replied with a faint smile, saying everything was fine, and they even t Consort Zhou and had tea together.
The tone was sarcastically acidic.
Old Madam Wen was sowhat surprised. This second daughter-in-law, no matter the timing, always carried her noble upbringing and deeply ingrained propriety in her bones, never showing emotions outright—yet now, her tone carried traces of resentnt.
She glanced at Wen Zishan, noting her pale face, and said, "Shan’er must be tired; go and rest."
Wen Zishan looked at Madam Wen, who ignored her, causing Shan’er to feel a pang of sadness as she bowed and left.
As soon as she left, Old Madam Wen asked, "What happened? Did Consort Zhou embarrass you?"
"That’s inevitable. After all, the incident at Wanbao Building was inappropriate by propriety standards, and could Consort Zhou really turn a blind eye? She specifically went to Songshan Temple while we were there, just to humiliate us," Madam Wen said with a sullen expression, "I fear the Song family’s marriage proposal won’t work out. If it weren’t for Dalang’s foolishness, none of this would have happened."
Old Madam Wen’s face darkened as she said, "If it falls through, so be it. That Song family may not be all that great, and Madam Song is rather vulgar, always quarreling with others. I thought you wouldn’t like soone like that."
Madam Wen noted the bitterness in her tone and replied, "Madam Song’s behavior caters to the Empress Dowager’s preferences. It’s best not to say such things to avoid displeasing the Empress Dowager."
Old Madam Wen’s face turned black with displeasure, saying, "The Song family has only produced one Pri Minister Song; it’s uncertain if they will endure. With Shan’er’s beauty and deanor, frankly, she is qualified to be an Imperial Concubine. It’s no major issue if it doesn’t happen; it’s not like you’ve lost so precious at."
Unable to hold back, Madam Wen retorted, "If it weren’t for the incident at Wanbao Building, I would find your words joyous. But after this incident, even though a few siblings were present, how would others perceive it? Mother, wouldn’t you question the character as well?"
Old Madam Wen remained defiant, "In my opinion, it’s not such a big deal; a fair maiden is every gentleman’s desire. It’s not like they were alone, yet you act as if the sky is falling."
Madam Wen was so angry she nearly coughed up blood but restrained herself, saying, "Mother, I’ve been out all day and I’m exhausted, so I will take my leave now."
With that, she bowed and gracefully withdrew.
Old Madam Wen was also infuriated, slapping her Taishi Chair as she spoke to her trusted nursemaid, "Look at this, look! Now she’s disregarding propriety; she left before her mother-in-law spoke, while claiming to uphold etiquette the best? Hmph!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers