Chapter 22 See how much trouble she can stir up

Chapter 22 See how much trouble she can stir up

Lord Zheng had high hopes for Zheng Chengyan and came personally to persuade the old lady to forgive him.

The old lady had never suffered such humiliation before, so she suppressed her anger and managed to stabilize the situation.

When Lord Zheng turned and left, she felt so angry that she fell ill.

Zheng Chengyan actually unceremoniously opened up his dusty scars in front of her: "Grandma, Ying'er is not a concubine in your backyard who can be bullied at will, nor is she someone you can manipulate at will. I will never be like grandpa, watching you hurt my wife and children!"

Old Madam Zheng was furious. "Wife? How can she be called your wife? She is just a maid redeemed from the market with a mere 100 taels of silver! Your legitimate wife is the daughter of the famous Su family!"

Zheng Chengyan refused to give up, and his tone was filled with helplessness and persistence: "Grandma, you seem to have forgotten that it was you who first taught your grandson to stay away from Su Wanyu. Now, it is still you who is blaming me."

"You!?" Mrs. Zheng was so shocked by this sudden rebuttal that she trembled all over, her head was buzzing, and her chest felt like it was pressed down by a heavy object, making it difficult for her to breathe.

In anger, he slammed the sandalwood table next to him, causing the tea set on the table to shake.

"I think you are going to follow in your grandfather's footsteps, doting on your concubines and neglecting your wife! I warn you, I will never allow such a thing to happen in my Changping Marquis Mansion!"

"But...Su..." Zheng Chengyan tried to explain, but was abruptly interrupted by the old lady's cold words.

"When she dies, Grandmother will naturally find another good match for you. As for those people in the backyard, don't even think about it. Not only will I not agree, but the eldest princess and the emperor will never agree either!"

Zheng Chengyan was already dissatisfied with the Su family's marriage proposal, and now he was completely furious, "Grandma, you don't need to worry about my marriage from now on!"

The old lady could not tolerate this challenge, and in anger, she threw the tea set on the table, scattering the porcelain pieces.

Zheng Chengyan stood there silently, and this scene undoubtedly created an irreparable rift between the grandfather and grandson.

The old lady was still furious, and immediately ordered her servants to send Zheng Chengyan to the ancestral hall and punish him by making him kneel down and reflect on himself.

Unexpectedly, her son, who had always been busy with government affairs, broke into her courtyard because of this matter and severely criticized her for using the same methods she used on the old marquis and herself on her grandson.

He emphasized that Zheng Chengyan's most urgent task at present was to obtain fame through the imperial examination, and he should not be distracted by trivial matters in the inner house.

Moreover, since Jiang Yingying is pregnant, it is a great achievement for her to be able to continue the Zheng family's bloodline. Even if she is not given the position of the main wife, she should still be treated well.

These words were like a heavy hammer hitting the old lady's heart. Her face suddenly changed and her chest felt stuffy.

Looking back on the past, all the schemes she used in the palace were to pave the way for her son's future.

If it weren't for her methods, those concubines would have already joined forces with the old marquis to drive her and her son out of the house.

Now, instead of being grateful, her son blames her for being cruel. All the benefits were taken by the father and son, while she had to bear the bad reputation alone.

The resentment grew wildly in her heart, and the old lady lying on the bed cursed more and more fiercely, "It's all those seductive women who caused the trouble! I knew that Jiang was not a good person. She offered me lotus soup for no reason. It turned out that she had ulterior motives and wanted to divide the relationship between us! She wished that I would die soon!"

Seeing this, Mother Zhou hurried forward and massaged the old lady's aching shoulders and back. "Old lady, why bother competing with the younger generation? She is just a concubine. Although the Second Young Master dotes on her now, who can say for sure whether she will fall in love with the old love or the new one over time. When the time comes, you can find a way to let her leave quietly."

As she spoke, she put her mouth close to the old lady's ear and continued to whisper: "Don't be angry with the Marquis. He did this for the future of the Zheng family."

The old lady's expression eased slightly under Zhou's mother's persuasion, but in an instant, a hint of determination flashed in her eyes: "The child in Jiang Yingying's belly must not be left behind."

When Mother Zhou heard this, she looked anxious and asked in confusion, "Why?"

The old lady's eyes were as cold as ice: "Jiang is definitely not an ordinary person. Once she gives birth to a bastard, I'm afraid there will be a bloody storm in our house. Find a suitable time to teach her a lesson."

Mother Zhou was so anxious that she kept rubbing her hands. "Old lady, this cannot happen. Just yesterday's little incident has already caused dissatisfaction from the Marquis and the Second Young Master. If you really do something to the child in her belly, I'm afraid they will resent you and even become enemies."

Old Mrs. Zheng's chest was burning with anger. The past events about the concubine and Jiang were surging in her mind. Every scene was painful and she was unable to calm her inner resentment.

"How dare they be so presumptuous! I really want to see what this Jiang family is capable of, and what kind of waves she can stir up in this deep and deep family!"

As she spoke, Mrs. Zheng's eyes were sharp.

Seeing that the old lady looked unhappy, Mother Zhou quickly nodded and agreed: "Yes, the old lady is right, I will go and ask around."

Old Madam Zheng gently held her forehead and said, "Oh, by the way, has the Second Young Madam been active recently? Has she finally taken action?"

Mother Zhou bowed her head and whispered with a bit of pity in her tone: "In reply to what the old lady said, the second young lady does not seem to be affected by the rumors outside. This morning, she brought servants and maids to the Princess's residence and said that the Princess wanted to adjust the flower arrangement in the garden, and she went to help."

Old Madam Zheng raised her eyebrows and said sarcastically, "Oh, she is very patient. Her husband has many concubines and has taken in four concubines, but she can remain calm and not show any anxiety at all."

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou lowered her voice and replied softly, "I heard privately that the Second Young Madam may have become disheartened. She even ordered people to uproot the pear tree in the yard, as if she had given up any hope."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room became even more heavy, and Mother Zhou tightened her hands in her sleeves.

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Zheng just closed her eyes and shook her head, her tone full of determination: "Forget it, just pull it out. How much trouble can a woman who has lost her favor stir up? If she wants to climb up the social ladder by relying on the eldest princess, then let her go. With the status and position of the eldest princess, how could she really take her seriously?"

"The old lady is wise." Mother Zhou agreed softly, and then carefully massaged Mrs. Zheng's temples.

Old Madam Zheng sat back on the brocade cushions, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes: "Let's just watch quietly and see how she struggles in the whirlpool of public opinion in this capital and becomes the laughing stock of others after dinner."

Outside the palace, on Longshun Street in the south of the city, a carriage carefully crafted from red sandalwood, inlaid with gold edges, glowing faintly in the sun, slowly stopped in front of the Princess's palace.