RMSPT _ 04

Chapter : 04 

She Is Truly Unworthy of Being the Matriarch of My Meng Family!

“Divorce! I will definitely divorce that shrew!” Meng Zhuo clutched his freshly bandaged forehead, his face filled with fury.

Beside him, Liu Sisi stroked his chest, tears welling in her eyes as she spoke, “It is all this concubine’s fault. If I had not entered the household, the young mistress would not be so angry with you! Sisi should just leave the Meng residence. Let it not be because of me that the bond between you and the young mistress is harmed.”

With that, Liu Sisi dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief and rose as if to leave.

Meng Zhuo grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. The soft, boneless beauty stirred his protective instincts fiercely, and all the masculine bravado he had lost in front of Chu Yun now surged back.

He declared with overbearing arrogance, “If anyone leaves, it will be her! So jealous and boorish—she is truly unworthy of being the matriarch of my Meng family!”

Liu Sisi was secretly delighted. She had thought that entering the Meng residence would mean a hard-fought battle with the young mistress. But who knew the young mistress would be so fierce? Without much scheming on her part, she had already driven Meng Zhuo to the point of demanding a divorce.

Though she thought this, on the surface Liu Sisi looked like a weeping blossom, adding fuel to the fire: “To have encountered you in this life is truly a blessing from my past life. She is a noble daughter of a high-ranking family, while I am but a drifting duckweed. How could it be that she leaves because of me?”

Meng Zhuo gently wiped her tears and said, “What noble daughter? She is nothing but the offspring of a disgraced official. If not for the Meng family taking her in, who knows where she would have ended up. Not only does she lack gratitude, she even raised her hand against me.”

The more Meng Zhuo spoke, the angrier he became. With one hand clutching his head and the other around Liu Sisi’s waist, he barked, “Someone bring me brush and ink! I am going to write a letter of divorce! Let us see, without the Meng family, what is this Chu Yun anyway?”

“Silence!”

A voice rang out from outside the door, startling Liu Sisi into promptly rising from Meng Zhuo’s embrace and standing obediently to the side.

A middle-aged woman walked in, wearing a sapphire-blue cross-collared long jacket and adorned head to toe in jewels and finery. She was the lady of the Meng household—Chu Yun’s aunt.

Spotting the seductive Liu Sisi, she shot her a piercing glare and ordered, “Drag this trouble making wench out and slap her mouth.”

Liu Sisi immediately dropped to her knees, lifting her skirts as she cried piteously, “Mercy, my lady!”

Meng Zhuo pulled Liu Sisi behind him. “Mother, this has nothing to do with Sisi! It was Chu Yun—she’s jealous and coarse, and she injured my head…”

Lady Meng looked at him with disappointment. “I know you do not like Chu Yun, but you cannot use such a preposterous excuse to fob me off.”

Lady Meng knew Chu Yun well—she was refined, gentle, and demure. Though she had certain petty thoughts, by her nature, it was unthinkable that she would injure Meng Zhuo. Even raising her voice was unlike her.

Meng Zhuo tore off the cotton bandage on his head, revealing the bloody gash. “It’s true!”

Lady Meng examined the wound carefully. Seeing it was not deep, she set her mind somewhat at ease. “Where have you been gallivanting? Not only did you injure your face, but you also try to pin the blame on Chu Yun?”

Lady Meng would rather believe Meng Zhuo had hurt himself than believe Chu Yun had struck him.

She shooed everyone out of the room and said to Meng Zhuo earnestly, “I know marrying her was a grievance to you. But you must understand what matters most. Eunuch Cai will arrive soon. If we do not have enough to offer him, your father’s mid-year evaluation will be ruined. I asked you to get money from Chu Yun—did she agree?”

Meng Zhuo pointed at the wound on his head, utterly exasperated. “No! Not only did she refuse, she cursed me and hit me!”

Lady Meng conveniently ignored the last part and continued earnestly, “She must still be upset about you taking a wife and a concubine at the same time. Go see her again tomorrow. A wife should obey her husband. If you treat her gently and attentively, she will naturally comply.”

At the thought of Chu Yun’s bloodthirsty glare, Meng Zhuo’s heart tightened. “Chu Yun has gone mad! I cannot get that money from her. If you want it, go ask for it yourself.”

Lady Meng jabbed his head in frustration, thinking to herself that if not for this father and son, she would not have to scheme so much. Yet one of them showed no gratitude and the other only made trouble.

She tried to persuade him a few more times, but Meng Zhuo was adamant about not going. She grew irritated and said, “I will take Liu Sisi back with me and teach her the proper rules for a concubine. The day you get money from Chu Yun is the day I release that wench.”

Without waiting for Meng Zhuo to object, she ordered the servants to escort Liu Sisi away.

Liu Sisi looked back at Meng Zhuo in panic. “Save me, young master… Mm—”

Before she could finish, her mouth was covered and she was dragged out. Meng Zhuo paced anxiously but dared not defy his mother.

Back at Pine Crane Courtyard, after having Liu Sisi locked in the woodshed, Lady Meng rubbed her temples wearily. “Neither father nor son gives me any peace.”

Her trusted nanny, Old Madam Liu, said, “You are her mother-in-law. With filial piety as your shield, you have plenty of ways to control the young mistress. Why rush and force the young master to humble himself and suffer?”

Lady Meng let out a long sigh. “It is not just about Eunuch Cai. It is also about that scourge Xie Zhaoshen. Although the marriage refusal between him and Chu Yun ended badly, over these three years he has sent letters to the Meng household from time to time—all of which I intercepted. Clearly, she still occupies a place in his heart. If he ever finds out that I schemed to marry Chu Yun to Zhuo’er, he will not let it rest. Only if Zhuo’er coaxes Chu Yun well and they pretend to be a loving couple will General Xie have no grounds to cause trouble.”

Back then, Xie Zhaoshen—a dissolute wastrel—had been sent to the frontier to face the enemy. Everyone had assumed he would die there. But not only did he return in one piece, he also achieved remarkable military exploits. Now that he was making a detour through Jiangzhou, there was no need to guess why.

At the mention of that name, even Old Madam Liu’s brow twitched. “The young mistress appears gentle, but she has a stubborn streak. The young master is also hot-tempered. Having them live in harmony any time soon will be difficult.”

That was precisely why Lady Meng found the situation so thorny.

Though Chu Yun had her little schemes, she was, after all, a woman of the inner chambers and could hardly stir up much trouble. But Xie Zhaoshen was different—if that man grew angry, he might very well turn the Meng residence upside down.

Old Madam Liu said, “This old servant does have a plan—one that will both make the young mistress accept her fate and dash General Xie’s hopes.”

Lady Meng looked at her. “What plan?”

Old Madam Liu said, “The little minx still holds herself aloof only because she believes this marriage was forced upon her and because they have not yet consummated the union. That is why she does not serve the young master as a proper wife. If we can make the young mistress take the initiative to seduce the young master and consummate the marriage naturally, then she would have no standing to seek justice from General Xie afterward.”

Lady Meng frowned. “You make it sound easy.”

Old Madam Liu leaned closer to Lady Meng’s ear. “This old servant knows of a certain aphrodisiac sold in the pleasure quarters outside. Just a tiny amount can turn even the most chaste maiden into a wanton woman.”

Lady Meng instinctively clutched her handkerchief and did not respond for a long while.

Seeing her hesitation, Old Madam Liu pressed anxiously, “This servant knows you have always been kind to her. But if we cannot come up with the money, and General Xie comes to make trouble, it will be difficult to answer to the master.”

Lady Meng closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, a cold ruthlessness flickered within. “Very well! She is a wife of the Meng family. Sharing the bridal chamber with Zhuo’er is only natural.”

The two of them continued to discuss the details, completely unaware that a shadow had swiftly flitted past the window lattice behind them.