"No." Meng Yulan grabbed Tang Zhuyun's sleeve, changing her mind. "A-Yun, I'm not going out."
"What are you cowardly for! Haven't they hurt you enough?" Tang Zhuyun got angry as soon as she heard this.
"I shouldn't have forgotten my current identity," Meng Yulan said. "The old man didn't let me out, but I went out on my own. In the eyes of those with ulterior motives, wouldn't that make me look like I still want to see Jiang Beihan?"
She said that we would never meet again in this life, nor in the next.
If Tang Baixin lets her go out, she will obey her husband; otherwise, it will be difficult to explain herself if she goes out.
"Alright, you're right to worry," Tang Zhuyun said. "Wait, I'm going! I'll go and deal with that scumbag and bitch for you!"
"Girl, and me too!" Xiu'er grabbed the large broom and said aggressively.
If you're going to be a lackey, you have to be prepared to be one.
What a good maid!
As Tang Zhuyun stepped outside, she saw Jiang Beihan Tang Baixin, with a thin, sallow-faced woman standing behind them, looking like a weathered country woman.
"My lord, let's go back," the woman pleaded. "It's not that I feel guilty, but we were once mistress and servant, why should I humiliate her?"
This was Yingxue.
Tang Zhuyun smiled.
"To steal someone else's man, she ended up making herself old and ugly—it's truly a heart-wrenching story; if she had just worked herself to death, wouldn't she have been honored with a memorial arch and worshipped?" she said coolly, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.
Jiang Beihan glanced at her, his face as cold as ice.
Tang Zhuyun showed no fear whatsoever; instead, her eyes sparkled as she said, "My lord, I know I am beautiful, but one should not look at what is improper."
Jiang Beihan confronted Tang Baixin: "I want to see Meng Yulan! I want her to confront Yingxue!"
Tang Baixin said coldly, "My lord, please have some self-respect! My wife manages the household affairs and does not see any outside men."
"Meng Yulan, come out here!" Jiang Beihan shouted directly into the doorway. "You know what kind of person I am. I won't rest until I see you today."
Tang Zhuyun: "Oh dear, a marquis indeed? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at? Come, let me ask you a few questions. If your answers satisfy me, I'll pass on your message."
"A-Yun!" Tang Baixin to himself, "This has nothing to do with you, I won't agree to it."
"Big brother, you have to believe me."
"It's not that I don't trust you, but we can't gamble with her," Tang Baixin said solemnly. "She doesn't want to see him, and she doesn't want to hear him speak."
"Tsk tsk tsk," Tang Zhuyun looked at Yingxue, "See? Don't even mention scolding my Sister Meng, even if I said it like this, my older brother wouldn't agree. Look at you, I scolded you and that's fine, but where's your man?"
Yingxue sobbed, "I would be eternally grateful if I could stay by the Marquis's side."
Tang Zhuyun picked at her ear. "The tea is like this, and Jiang Beihan hasn't been able to appreciate it for years? You're blind and clueless!"
"My lord," she turned to Jiang Beihan, "You keep demanding that my Sister Meng come out and confront your wretched wife. Then let me ask you, what right does she have to do this? What benefit does she gain from doing so?"
"She won, but can you take her away? She has already been personally bestowed upon my elder brother by the Emperor."
"If she loses, it will make you feel better, proving that you were right, proving that choosing Yingxue was absolutely correct. Then you can live your life with a clear conscience, right?"
"Winning brings no benefit, losing benefits you. How come all the good things seem to come from your ancestors' graves?"
Tang Zhuyun unleashed a torrent of abuse at Jiang Beihan, leaving him thoroughly humiliated.
"Come, come, let me ask the Marquis again," she said with a forced smile, "Please use your toes to think about it. If Sister Meng is so heartless and ungrateful, why would she let Yingxue bring you two thousand taels of silver? Even if she threw it into the water, at least it would make a splash! She fed it to the dogs, but the dogs turned around and bit her."
"My lord, you are a man of unwavering integrity and profound affection. Yet, you took the two thousand taels of silver from Sister Meng's sale of her family's assets, living a life of luxury in exile, raising a brood of children with a lowly woman, and now you slander me with veiled accusations. My Sister Meng is heartless and fickle, refusing to marry at nineteen, even banging her head against a wall in the street, rejected by her family, and reduced to a lowly concubine. Now she has no words to say, and dares not see me. My lord, am I right?"
"Ugh, I spit on that!"
"You keep saying you're coming to confront us, but you sleep with that slut every day. Don't you know what kind of person she is?"
"Fine, then let me tell you, you bitches and dogs are a match made in heaven!"
"Waaaaah? Yingxue, you still have the nerve to cry? Come on, let me guess, you were the one who suggested the confrontation today, weren't you?"
"Anyway, only the two of you know exactly what happened back then and what Sister Meng meant. Each of you has your own version of events, and even if you argue until the seas dry up and the rocks crumble, it will still be a muddled mess."
"But why come? Look at these neighbors, look at the eyes behind those windows and doors. If we cause a scene, my Sister Meng's reputation will be ruined. If my brother has a short temper, he'll definitely go back and teach her a lesson, making sure she never has a good time again."
"And you, with three kids. Jiang Beihan can't see through you, but you know him inside and out. Even if you cause a huge uproar, you're still the mother of three kids. He won't do anything to you."
"One shouldn't keep a fierce dog in the inner chambers, but Sister Meng is quite something, she actually managed to raise a wolf."
"Yingxue, aren't you very proud of yourself? You defied fate and became the Lady of a Marquis, while the girl you used to kneel and serve has become a lowly concubine?"
"Then let me tell you, your daughter has won your man's heart, yet you can only eke out a living by the meager kindness of enduring hardship with him. Your daughter will be my elder brother's precious darling in the future, while you will live every day under your man's suspicion."
"Why does Jiang Beihan hate you so much, young lady? It's because love turned to hate. No one can argue with you about what happened today; you've won. There's plenty of time in the future; we're all still young, and we'll see how things turn out."
"Jiang Beihan, could you please return the two thousand taels of silver when you have time?"
"Dear neighbors, I'm so sorry, I haven't even offered you any wedding candy yet, but I've already put on this whole show for you."
"Everyone, be our witnesses. The Emperor has already made his final judgment; now it's not us who should be stirring things up."
Jiang Beihan was speechless and stood there dumbfounded after being confronted by Tang Zhuyun's resounding words.
Yingxue cried, "My lord, I didn't, I really didn't! My heart has only belonged to you, my lord. You've known that all these years!"
Tang Zhuyun was about to speak when she suddenly heard the Prince of Jin's cold voice.
"Come back and serve me."
Tang Zhuyun:!@#￥%...
That scoundrel of a man who's always sabotaging things!
Didn't you see she was in top form, sweeping everyone around?
Tang Baixin cupped her hands in greeting to Jiang Beihan and said, "My lord, since you and your wife are living happily together, please spare Madam Meng. She is doing well now and will continue to do so. I will forgo the two thousand taels of silver on her behalf and give it to you as a congratulatory gift. Please do not repay kindness with enmity. It pains me to see you not caring for her."
Meng Yulan, standing behind the door, was in tears.
"Go away, go away! You really are a dog, you can't understand human language!" Xiu'er swept the dust up with a big broom, making it fly everywhere.