After the people from the palace left, Madam Li showed Liu Wan no courtesy at all.
The younger brothers-in-law present, Xie Jinzhao and Xie Jinqiu, along with Li Duoduo, all looked at Liu Wan with peculiar expressions.
Liu Wan had known perfectly well that this would bring benefits, yet she had not secured those benefits for the Marquis's Residence.
Instead, she had handed them to the Minister's Residence on a silver platter.
Even these rewards had been bestowed on Liu Wan by His Majesty in the name of the Minister's Residence. They had no share in them whatsoever!
These rewards should clearly have belonged to the Marquis's Residence-to all of them.
"Exactly, Sister-in-law! What sort of household mistress acts like this? We only refused at the time because we didn't understand the advantages and disadvantages. Since you understood them so well, why didn't you explain them clearly to us? If we'd known, we certainly would have donated money!"
Xie Jinzhao twisted his mouth, his face full of contempt!
"You can't put it that way!" Xie Jinqiu's soft, effeminate voice rang out. Covering his mouth with a handkerchief, he said, "We were in the wrong to begin with. But Sister-in-law's actions were unreasonable. After all, you're the mistress of the Marquis's Residence. When one prospers, we all prosper. These things ought to go into the household treasury!"
"I'm not a member of the Marquis's Residence, but what you've done really was rather petty, Cousin-in-law. You're siding with outsiders at your own family's expense. Have you no shame, making everyone watch longingly as your rewards are carried into your courtyard?"
Li Duoduo's tone was sour, and her eyes never once left that pile of jewels!
The Li family was hardly an illustrious clan. When had they ever seen such fine things?
If she could force Liu Wan to give her some, imagine how grand she would look taking them back to the Li family.
You refused when you were asked to donate, but now there are benefits, every last one of you wants a share. What gives you the right?!
These shameless people have skin thicker than the city walls, and they dare use morality to bully my mother! This baby is furious!
Mother, hurry up and give them a tongue-lashing! I... I'll draw a circle and curse them!!!
Little Wanwan clutched Pan Chun's lapel tightly, gritting her gums in agitation.
She nearly ground her pink gums raw and almost tumbled out of Pan Chun's arms to fight them!
How dare you bully my mother! If you've got the guts, wait until I grow up and fight me one-on-one! Aaaaah! Raaaawr!
Liu Wan's head buzzed.
She furrowed her brow and stepped forward.
Xie Zi Mu and Xie Zi Xing stood guard before the rewards, their faces solemn. Beside them stood the Pretty Girl, who had rushed over carrying a large Iron Rod.
The atmosphere grew unbearably tense. Though they were family, they looked as if a sea of blood lay between them, swords drawn and bows bent.
Liu Wan looked at Madam Li. "Mother-in-law, how can you say such things? When I first came up with this idea, didn't I immediately draw up a list and have a maid bring it for your inspection?"
"You came to my courtyard and tore that list to shreds. You said I wanted to use the Marquis's Residence to build a good reputation for myself alone. You also said not a single person in this entire household would agree, and that this matter had absolutely nothing to do with the Marquis's Residence. Were those not your words?"
"Now, over a few paltry rewards, you're accusing me of handing the credit to outsiders? What outsiders? That's the family that bore me and raised me! Hasn't the Minister's Residence given this household plenty of assistance over the years?"
"As the saying goes, a mouth that eats another's food grows soft, and a hand that takes another's gifts grows weak. You've taken their help, yet you still slander me and my family. Have your years of spiritual cultivation cultivated your conscience clean away?"
Liu Wan's words cut deep. That day, she had gone out of kindness to bring her mother-in-law home, only for them all to abandon her and run!
Had it not been for the Ninth Prince, she dared not imagine what might have happened to her and her daughter on the road!
Since her mother-in-law had left her no room to maneuver, she could hardly blame Liu Wan for showing her no respect!
Madam Li's expression grew even uglier. In a dark voice, she replied, "Yes, I said those things, but you never said you would give the idea to your birth family. If I'd known you would bend your elbow outward to favor outsiders, I'd rather have gone outside the city to distribute porridge myself..."
She was nearly dying of regret.
If the Marquis's Residence had done this, the title of Third-Rank Imperial Lady bestowed on Liu Wan's mother would have been hers.
What glory that would have been!
Now that glory had gone to someone else-and to the fellow mother-in-law she detested most!
Liu Wan sneered. "I am now an imperial lady. Under the law, Mother-in-law, slandering me and my birth family constitutes an offense! You're the mistress of a marquis's household, yet you can't even control your own tongue."
"You... How dare you defy your elders! Liu Wan, you've violated the seven grounds for divorce twice. Even if I told Jin'an to divorce you, the law would have no say in it!"
Had Madam Li not been wearing a headscarf, smoke would surely have risen from her head in fury.
She pointed at Liu Wan and ordered the matrons to seize and punish her!
But before the matrons could touch Liu Wan, Qing Sheng swung her huge Iron Rod, taller than a man, and came to stand in front of her!
"I... I'd like to see... who dares touch Madam!" she said timidly.
Her tone was firm, but her expression was panicked.
"Qing Sheng, don't use violence!" Liu Wan warned.
Qing Sheng said, "Oh," and dropped the Iron Rod.
Then.
She bent down, hoisted a matron in each hand, and hurled them behind Madam Li. They flew more than a dozen feet, making everyone shudder.
The matrons' old bones nearly fell apart.
Yet Qing Sheng immediately covered her face with both hands and said bashfully, "How mortifying."
Madam Li: Huh?
Everyone: Huh?
Little Wanwan: Huh? Holy shit!
Ignoring Madam Li, who was faint with rage, Liu Wan pointed at Xie Jinzhao. "You, come out here! Didn't I say at the time that this might attract His Majesty's attention? You heard me perfectly well, but you refused to donate."
"Now I've donated my money, done the work, and reaped the benefits, you can't bear to see me do well, so you blame me for not explaining clearly. Third Brother-in-law, you're truly the perfect example of a two-faced backstabber whose defenses crumble into frustrated rage!"
"You!" Liu Wan had laid Xie Jinzhao's thoughts bare for everyone to see. His ears turned red with fury, and he could not utter another word.
Liu Wan turned to Xie Jinqiu. "Fourth Brother-in-law, I know treating your illness requires money. Even if you didn't want to donate, I wouldn't have made things difficult for you."
"But what do you know? Mother-in-law is now the mistress of this household, and my rewards have nothing whatsoever to do with the Marquis's Residence. If you think my possessions should go into its treasury, then tell me, why don't you bring out the century-old ginseng in your medicine room to save your grandmother?"
In the end, it was nothing but selfishness.
Xie Jinqiu silently lowered his head. He did have several roots of century-old ginseng, worth a fortune and impossible to buy even with a thousand gold pieces. But they were meant to prolong his own life. How could he casually take them out to perform charity for the Marquis's Residence?
Liu Wan turned a piercing gaze on Li Duoduo, who was hiding behind Madam Li:
"What are you hiding for? This is the Marquis's Residence. What right does an outsider like you have to speak here? You call me petty, but what do you amount to? These are my rewards. What's wrong with having them carried into my own courtyard?"
"Oh? I understand now. You want a share too, don't you? Fine. Get on your knees and call me Great-Aunt, and I'll bestow some on you. Then you can take them back to that Li family of yours that's never seen the world and show them off to your heart's content. How does that sound?"
Those words left Li Duoduo's face burning with shame and humiliation. She bit her lip hard, her eyes brimming with tears, and fought desperately not to cry.
Yes.
She regretted it.
She had thought that with so many people pressuring Liu Wan, lending her own strength would earn her at least a share of the spoils.
Who could have imagined Liu Wan would be so bold, showing no respect for her mother-in-law or the men of the family!
She had even peeled open Li Duoduo's petty schemes and displayed them before everyone.
Li Duoduo felt the servants looking at her as though she were a monster. Even the lowest-ranking maids were pressing their lips together to hide their laughter.
Madam Li trembled all over. "This is rebellion! Rebellion! To think that in the five years I was away, the daughter-in-law brought into this family turned out to be such a shrew!"
Liu Wan gave a scornful laugh. "Who is the shrew calling names?"
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