Chapter 95: Don’t Even Think About It
“Mother, that’s exactly what I mean.” Before Madam Zhou could finish speaking, Madam He said without any politeness, “Aunt’s identity and status make it truly inappropriate to go to my He Family. I’m afraid I cannot take my cousin out to see the world. Please, Mother, think of another way to help Aunt fulfill her wish. I’m feeling heavy, so I’ll return to my room to rest first.”
After speaking, Madam He didn’t look at anyone else and directly walked out.
Kang Qihui was full of tears, unable to endure such humiliation any longer, covered her face and ran out crying.
Madam Kang Zhou was so angry her rage shot up three feet high. Having no way to deal with Madam He, she could only vent at Madam Zhou, “I say, little sister, is your role as mother-in-law too useless? This daughter-in-law of yours isn’t like a daughter-in-law at all; she looks more like an ancestor.”
These words struck right at Madam Zhou’s heart. Jiang Ruanxi’s mood was extremely delighted, and she even passed a teacup to Madam Kang Zhou.
“Aunt, calm your anger. My elder sister-in-law is someone who speaks bluntly out of habit. You’ve only been in our manor for a short time, so you don’t understand yet. You’ll get used to it later.”
This wasn’t putting out the fire at all; it was clearly fanning the flames.
Madam Kang Zhou could no longer suppress her anger. She stood up, her face ashen, and roared at Madam Zhou, “Little sister, is this how you usually discipline your daughters-in-law? One after another, no manners, disrespectful to elders?”
Madam Kang Zhou had truly wronged Madam Zhou this way. How could she not want to discipline Madam He? Madam He was just a tough nut to crack; she knew more great principles than her, and moreover, her maternal home was better than the Marquis Manor. She usually didn’t take her seriously at all.
Not to mention making her discipline Madam He—if she wasn’t retorted back by Madam He in just a few words, she would be chanting Amitabha.
“Moreover, you can’t control one, so surely you can’t control the other one either?”
Bullying the weak and fearing the strong is human nature. Having found no satisfaction with Madam He, Madam Kang Zhou directly wanted to vent on Jiang Ruanxi.
Before Madam Zhou could speak, Jiang Ruanxi stood up, her eyebrows turning cold.
“Aunt, since ancient times, a mother’s kindness and a child’s filial piety have been the norm, but you mustn’t get the order wrong. Even for filial piety, the mother’s kindness comes first. Similarly, for respecting elders, the elders must first be accomplished and benevolent toward the juniors.
If it’s just relying on one’s age to demand unconditional respect from others, arbitrarily acting old and selling seniority, not only will my elder sister-in-law not be willing, I won’t be either.”
“You… you…” Madam Kang Zhou was so angry she couldn’t say a complete sentence.
“Aunt was originally Mother’s guest. Mother is hosting you well, so you can just enjoy your stay in Lin Manor. There’s no reason to pick on us juniors every day; we’re quite busy too and don’t have time to accompany you every day.”
Before Madam Kang Zhou could speak, Jiang Ruanxi interrupted her. Madam Kang Zhou’s face flushed alternately green and white, holding back until it was bright red, almost unable to catch her breath.
Suddenly, Hong Ye came in from outside, “Madam, the Crown Prince has arrived. He says he’s looking for you.”
Jiang Ruanxi nodded, glanced at Madam Kang Zhou again, and said indifferently, “Mother, Aunt, I have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first.”
Jiang Ruanxi had only walked a few steps when she heard the sound of a teacup smashing behind her.
Madam Kang Zhou was so angry her eyes turned bloodshot. Enduring anger at her own in-laws was one thing, but coming to her own sister’s home and still having to suffer this useless grievance—she was so furious she nearly exploded on the spot.
“Little sister, they’ve all climbed on top of your head. You usually just let them bully you like this.”
Madam He’s maternal home was a scholarly family, someone she couldn’t afford to offend, but Jiang Ruanxi was just a daughter of a merchant. How dare she strut around in front of her—what thing was she?
“Ai, don’t say it. I have no other ways; I can only endure it.”
Madam Zhou had a look of grievance.
She also wanted to be as tough as before, but she didn’t know from when Jiang Ruanxi no longer obeyed her every word.
Especially after being granted an imperial decree of nobility, her identity and status were there, plus she had plenty of silver money in hand. Even as Jiang Ruanxi’s mother-in-law, she had to live every day watching her face.
She felt aggrieved too!
After venting, Madam Kang Zhou finally regained her reason.
“Right, I just heard the maid by Jiang Ruanxi’s side say the Crown Prince has come? Is it true or false?”
Before, when the Crown Prince came, she had no suspicion, but now that Lin Ningkun had been stripped of his noble title and was just a commoner, with the Crown Prince’s noble identity, why would he come to a commoner’s manor?
Madam Zhou didn’t know what she was thinking and said proudly, “That’s right. But indeed, the Crown Prince has come, probably to interrogate Jiang Ruanxi. Jiang Family’s second son Jiang Changjun has recently been imprisoned in the prison cell, and His Majesty is having the Crown Prince interrogate this matter…”
Though she spoke on and on unwittingly, Madam Kang Zhou could no longer hear any words, a glint flashing in her eyes as she already had her own plans in mind.
Madam Kang Zhou directly interrupted her nagging.
“Little sister, you say, if one is favored by the Crown Prince, when Jiang Ruanxi sees her, wouldn’t she have to kneel too?”
“Of course…”
Halfway through speaking, Madam Zhou shut her mouth, realizing something was off, and quickly said, “My good sister, what are you thinking?”
Her eyes widened in fright.
She looked up and down at Madam Kang Zhou, who was already middle-aged, her mouth twitching involuntarily.
Finally, she couldn’t help but say, “Sister, the Crown Prince doesn’t take just any woman. You’re so old; better not think about it.”
Madam Kang Zhou rolled her eyes speechlessly and directly interrupted Madam Zhou, “Little sister, what are you thinking? I wasn’t talking about myself, but others. Our Kang Family also has many good-looking legitimate daughters and concubine’s daughters.”
So that was her scheme. Madam Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Madam Kang Zhou had that idea for herself.
She had truly been scared to death just now.
Madam Zhou saw her sister’s eyes rolling around, knowing her plan, thought about it, and still reminded her.
“You can provoke others, and I won’t stop you, but the Crown Prince—you shouldn’t even think about it.”
Madam Zhou thought of last time when their family, because Jiang Xuerou provoked the Crown Prince at Guangming Temple, was directly thrown into the prison afterward, reportedly beaten until barely alive, nearly dying.
The matter of Jiang Xuerou and Lin Ningkun was exposed and related to the Crown Prince.
Madam Kang Zhou thought she was jealous, “Little sister, you’re overthinking. That man doesn’t like women.”
“The Crown Prince is unpredictable in moods. Last time Tingting suffered greatly in this matter, which delayed her own engagement.”
Madam Zhou felt that if Lin Tingting had figured it out earlier, not trying to climb the Crown Prince’s branch, and seriously got along with Sun Chengye, then before their Lin Manor was stripped of the noble title, setting an engagement with Sun Chengye, she wouldn’t have gone from heir apparent’s wife to a concubine now.
