Chapter 513 Quarrel
There was no time to explain the whole story. Ning Hanwang and his son were anxious and rushed to Kaifengju.
When the father and son arrived, Zheng Pulian and Mu Rong were already arguing fiercely.
Ning Hanwang had not informed Zheng Pulian, and Zheng Pulian was unaware that someone had come, so she just kept arguing.
"This is all your fault. You have complaints in your heart, but you should never confide them to Fengzhe."
Mu Rong also joined in the argument and refused to give in.
"He is my son. Why can't I tell him what's on my mind?"
"Can you swear that you have never said a word of gossip to your son in all these years?"
A trace of guilt flashed across Zheng Pulian's eyes, but she tried hard to deny it.
"Why not? I'm not like someone who is rude and can't hide anything."
Mu Rong disdained to expose her and followed her words, angrily retorting.
"That's because your relationship as mother and son is distant and there is no family affection at all."
"My son and I have a deep friendship and are very close to each other. We are not as cold and indifferent as you are."
Zheng Pulian argued with reason, and with such rage that she could not contain herself, she punched hard, knocking over the teacup on the table.
"A deep friendship? Don't you know that Fengzhe is just a child?"
"You say those things to a child, gossip about him, aren't you teaching him to be bad?"
Ning Hanwang didn't understand the situation, so he stood in a corner, watching the situation and examining it calmly.
Hearing that it was Fengzhe who delivered the message, he was slightly startled and glanced at his son, as if thinking about something.
Mu Rong defended her beloved son with great vigor and energy, not losing an inch.
"If you hadn't been so partial and given me a special gift during the Reunion Festival, how could I complain or make a complaint?"
"You don't reflect on your own mistakes, but instead you want to frame me and accuse me of stirring up trouble. Between you and me, who is the one who is stirring up trouble now?"
Speaking of this, Zheng Pulian still feels confident.
If they don't argue, she knows she's in the wrong and can just let it go. But if they do argue, she will argue even if she's unreasonable.
"My beloved daughter married into another family whose financial situation is not as good as my son's. I helped her a little bit. This is fair. How come you say it is biased?"
"This is all your fault. You insisted on marrying my son. Your family is rich, why do you need me to help you? If you become poor and penniless, just wait and see. Will I ignore you?"
Mu Rong was extremely angry, and her expression became more ferocious.
"Pah, who the hell are you? How dare you curse my people?"
"In my Mu clan, men have fought on the battlefield for a long time, and women have achieved success and fame, are talented and noble, and have great ambitions. They are completely different from women like you who only know how to favor your daughters."
Zheng Pulian's lips were scornful, and she chuckled loudly, her words becoming more arrogant and disrespectful.
"I love my children and have always been fair and selfless. This is indeed very different from you."
"When the master went west in his early years, I supported myself and raised two children to grow up and start a family. I never thought of taking shortcuts, adopting children, recording them as my own, deceiving superiors and subordinates, and making profits from this."
Mu Rong talked incessantly, accusing herself of her resentment and trying to shirk responsibility.
"How dare you make fun of this?"
"Why did I resort to such a desperate measure? Do you have any idea?"
"You sent all the money in the treasury to the Tan family to support my daughter, which left my beloved son without enough food and clothing. In this situation, if I don't want to find a way to solve it, can I just watch them starve to death?"
"I had no choice but to do this because of your selfishness."
A flash of lightning split the sky, followed by thunder, but it was unable to conceal her raging anger and mixed feelings of grief and indignation.
"To be honest, the master is your son, and the second daughter of the Ning family is just a daughter. Your mother should know clearly which one is more important. On the other hand, the grandchildren born to your sister-in-law are only a son and a daughter, both of whom have the surname Tan. I have given birth to two virtuous sons for your Ning family, continuing the incense and bloodline, and I have made an invaluable contribution."
"How could mother bear to do this to me?"
"In the court, there is no talk of friendship and loyalty, but rewards are given for merit. In the family, there should be affection, but mother treats meritorious people like this. If this is not partiality, what else can it be?"
The rain was pouring down, hitting the window sill and splashing water.
Zheng Pulian raised her voice, and with the help of the thunder and rain, she was full of arrogance and her words were still righteous.
"Who told you that having a son is good and having a daughter is bad?"
"Emperors of all dynasties have encouraged women to enter the government. The emperor's will is clear: there is no difference between having a boy or a girl."
"Emperor Dijin has even more profound words: husband and wife are equal, sons and daughters are equal, and neither side should be looked down upon."
"How could you have such a ridiculous idea? Isn't this a serious act of rebellion?"
Mu Rong sneered, looking down on the world and not taking it seriously.
"Heh, King Dijin."
"He is just a little baby, babbling and just learning to speak. What does he know?"
"As for the so-called lofty words, you will know it after you think about it. They are all made up by Fang Renshu and his group."
"It's ridiculous. With a baby in her hand, she is planning to control the country. Does she think she can hide this little trick from everyone in the world?"
Zheng Pulian also couldn't believe that a one-year-old child could have such profound insights, so she changed the subject and continued the argument.
"Even if what Grand Minister Fang said is true and insightful, how can you, a cunning and short-sighted person, be qualified to comment on it?"
"According to your limited knowledge, daughters are inferior to sons. However, the facts are before our eyes and cannot be disputed. Lady Fang, the Grand Secretary, is a woman. With her weak body, she is the head of the civil officials. This is enough to prove your conclusion, which is absolutely absurd."
Recalling the usual times, Mu Rong would become unhappy whenever Fang Renshu was mentioned, and Zheng Pulian would improvise and make sarcastic remarks at will.
"The position of Grand Minister is not inherited. The Fang family is not like you, the Mu family, who rely on the glory of their family to enjoy the benefits of nobility. What is talent and nobleness, and what is ambition? If you ask me, the people of the Fang family deserve it. As a daughter, Lady Fang is much better than you."
"I think you have some self-awareness, so you are talking nonsense, saying that daughters are not as good as sons. It sounds like you are biased, but in fact, what you mean is that you are ashamed of yourself and think that you are not as good as the men in your family."
"Excuse me for being blunt, but you are a lowly person. Women don't compete, and men don't compare. You should face reality and stop making such outrageous remarks."
"In short, having a son or a daughter is the same, but having you is different."
Touching the pain in her heart, Mu Rong smiled bitterly, feeling sad and heartbroken.
"Hehehe..."
"How dare you compare me to a shameless widow and say that I am not as good as her?"
Zheng Pulian had experienced something similar and felt the same way, as if she was being slandered by her, and she couldn't help but get furious.
"What about being a widow? Why do you look down on me?"
"Among us widows, there are many talented people with great prospects. Take you for example. I don't even think you are dirty and pure, but you are so shameless as to despise me."
"Soon after getting married, Lady Fang lost her husband. She has been a widow for many years, yet she still thinks about her life. This shows that she is a man of high integrity and love. Who are you to make such irresponsible comments? How dare you be so shameless?"
Every word struck Mu Rong's heart directly. The wind and rain were so fierce that it seemed as if the sky was shattered.
"Well, since a widow has a bright future and it doesn't matter whether she has a boy or a girl, why do you stay in Ning Mansion? Can't your beloved daughter, who you call Shushui Chenghuan, be filial to you? Why not move to her mansion and live there!"
Zheng Pulian was suddenly shocked and filled with surprise.
"You made such a fuss just to get me out?"