Chapter 66

Chapter 66: You Wanted Your Son to Be a Cuckold That Badly?

“Rui’er suddenly ran a high fever on the way to Chao Ming Temple,” Madam Han said. “Since we were already at the temple gate, I told the Servants to rush back to the General Residence and bring the House Physician.”

“But I waited and waited, and no one came. It was not until yesterday, when Princess arrived, that Princess helped bring Rui’er’s fever down.”

“The House Physician just said it. If Princess had not treated Rui’er in time, Rui’er probably would not have made it.”

Madam Han’s eyes reddened.

“But I only learned after I returned to the residence that those Servants had been killed on the way back. No wonder I never got anyone.”

Qi Shu Xian narrowed his eyes. “Is what Madam Han said true?”

“Of course,” Madam Han said. “If Heir Apparent Qi does not believe me, Heir Apparent Qi can send someone to Chao Ming Temple and ask clearly.”

Qi Shu Xian looked at Sheng Zhi Wan, who stayed calm.

If that was true, then had Sheng Zhi Wan really been at Chao Ming Temple last night? Then why had Sheng Zhi Wan not explained it clearly, and why had Sheng Zhi Wan not sent someone back with a message?

Madam Cui finally understood too.

Madam Han was not here to deliver thanks at all. Madam Han had come to back Sheng Zhi Wan.

When Madam Cui thought about how Sheng Zhi Wan’s dowry might not fall into Madam Cui’s hands, Madam Cui grew anxious and started speaking without thinking.

“Sheng Zhi Wan, do not think you can prove you were still pure just by finding Madam Han. You were gone all night and no one knew where you went. Our Duke Qi Residence cannot accept a Daughter-in-law as improper as you!”

As soon as Madam Cui said it, Madam Cui regretted it. Madam Cui hurriedly tried to patch things up and looked at Madam Han.

“Madam Han, I know you are grateful that Zhi Wan saved your Son, but it is still a fact that Mountain Bandits took her. Even if she was rescued and then went to Chao Ming Temple, so what?”

“Can that prove those Mountain Bandits did not violate her? Can that prove she was still pure?”

“What did Duchess mean?” Madam Han said, displeased. “Princess was rescued right after she was taken. After that, Princess went to Chao Ming Temple and saved Rui’er. Of course nothing could have happened!”

“How did Madam Han know nothing happened on the road while she was being taken?” Madam Cui insisted.

No matter what, Madam Cui had to force Sheng Zhi Wan to hand over the dowry today. Not only the dowry – if Sheng Zhi Wan wanted to keep being the Duke Qi Residence’s Daughter-in-law, then the gifts the Han Residence brought would also belong to the Duke Residence.

“You…” Madam Han’s expression changed. Madam Han had heard people call Madam Cui noble and elegant, but Madam Han never thought Madam Cui would be this vicious and sharp-tongued.

If Madam Cui truly bit down and insisted something had happened, then other than Madam Han, who could prove Princess’s innocence?

“Damn it, are you even Princess Qing Ning’s mother-in-law?” Ye Rong spat. “Other families hope their daughter-in-law stays clean and proper. You are the one rushing to smear her. What, you wanted your son to be a cuckold that badly?”

The crowd burst into laughter.

Ye Rong did not feel ashamed at all. Ye Rong felt proud.

Ye Rong was a playboy, so what was there to fear? This old hag dared to bully Ye Rong’s lifesaver. Young Lord Ye had to curse Madam Cui out to vent his anger.

Duchess or not, even if the King of Heaven came, Ye Rong would still curse.

Besides, Ye Rong’s father only had one son. Were they really going to chop Ye Rong’s head off?

“You – you!” Madam Cui had never been cursed like this in her life.

Madam Cui, a dignified Duchess, was being insulted by some brat. It was – it was –

Madam Cui shook with rage and grabbed the Nanny beside her. “Go! Go fetch my court dress. I am going to see His Majesty. I – I will submit a petition!”

“You think Young Master is afraid of you?” Ye Rong was a little nervous, but Ye Rong could not back down now.

“This Heir Apparent will remember Young Master Ye’s words,” Qi Shu Xian said coldly.

Qi Shu Xian’s icy stare made Ye Rong’s scalp tighten. Ye Rong had killed people before, but it was not the same as someone like Qi Shu Xian who had truly fought on the battlefield. One look from Qi Shu Xian made Ye Rong feel cold down his spine.

Shang Xing Yu drifted forward half a step and blocked Ye Rong behind him.

“Heir Apparent Qi did not need to threaten Ye Rong like that,” Shang Xing Yu said, raising an eyebrow. “What Ye Rong said sounded ugly, but was it not the truth?”

“Not long ago, Duchess personally said she did not care whether Princess Qing Ning was pure. Duchess even said Princess was forced. Duchess only felt sorry that Princess had been humiliated, so Duchess wanted revenge for Princess.”

“But what Duchess said just now,” Shang Xing Yu paused, half smiling, “did not sound like that at all. Duchess said the Duke Qi Residence could not accept an improper Daughter-in-law.”

“Whether Princess truly lost her chastity or not, the Duke Qi Residence’s speed at changing faces, and its cold and heartless nature, really chilled people.”

Only after Shang Xing Yu said that did the watching commoner realize something was off.

“Yeah. Earlier, Duchess said she did not care, and even Heir Apparent said he would not blame her. How did it change in the blink of an eye?”

“Could it be like Young Master Ye said? The Duke Qi Residence never cared what happened to Princess. From start to finish, what they wanted was for Princess to copy Madam Dong, so they could take Princess’s dowry openly!”

“This – this was too shameless!”

“A woman’s dowry has always belonged to herself. What kind of in-laws would stare at it like that?”

“I heard Heir Apparent Qi has been selling off the residence His Majesty rewarded him. Is the Duke Qi Residence really so poor they cannot even eat, so they started thinking about someone else’s dowry?”

Each sentence stabbed into Madam Cui’s ears and into Qi Shu Xian’s ears. Madam Cui was furious, and Qi Shu Xian’s face also turned ugly.

“No,” Meng Yang could not help stepping out. “Heir Apparent is not that kind of person. In fact, the reason Heir Apparent sold His Majesty’s reward was to repay the silver Princess had used to support the Duke Residence before!”