C73
The sun was setting, and the sky was dyed red with the red of the sunset. A dazzling circle of gold had been drawn on the clouds.
Within the Jia Xin Courtyard, Xiu Ying was holding Xiang'er in her arms while Aunt Wang was feeding him egg soup. This time, Xiu Ying secretly looked at Madam Feng a few times and found that she was very calm.
It was already sunset. There should be news from there.
Before she could finish her thought, the little girl guarding the gate said that Master Shen had arrived.
The bamboo curtain was lifted, and when Master Shen saw his wife and children gathered together, he felt inexplicably touched. He felt as if this was home.
His stiff face couldn't help but soften a bit as he smiled. "Is it time to eat? Brother Xiang has grown up again. Madam has taken good care of him." As he spoke, he looked towards his daughter.
Xiu Ying was wearing a light yellow jacket dress with small flowers embroidered on the hem. She sat on the stool and her legs couldn't help but sway under the skirt. When she saw him looking at her, she had already jumped down to the ground in order to greet him.
Master Shen felt that his eldest daughter was also extremely good-looking. Her small face was round, and her eyes were clear. The slightly dark room made her skin seem even more snow-white.
It was rare for him to skip saluting his daughter before she wanted to say hello to him.
Hearing him say, "Sit down," Xiu Ying thought she had seen a ghost.
After Old Master Shen had seen enough of his children, his gaze finally rested on Madam Feng. He had completely forgotten about the expressionless Aunt Wang standing by his side.
Madam Feng had simply combed her hair into a bun, and a pair of south pearl earrings hung by her ear, revealing her slender and elegant white neck. Old Master Shen's gaze fell on the gently swaying Southern Jewel, but he did not dare to randomly glance at it, afraid that he would do something that would infuriate Madam Feng.
He had heard from Old Madam Shen that it was rare for Madam Feng to bring out her family members. It could be seen that he really couldn't tolerate it any longer and couldn't anger her again.
"I didn't tell you in advance when I came over. I'll just add a pair of chopsticks as I please." Master Shen insisted that he stay and get something to eat.
Madam Feng knew that Old Lady Shen had invited him back to discuss some matters. She didn't reject his invitation and instructed the little girl to fetch some chopsticks.
His wife, concubine, and children were all gathered around eating. Master Shen fell into a trance a few times, but this sort of scene had never occurred before. But as he thought about it, he didn't know why he hadn't.
As he thought about this, he realized that he was missing people. His second daughter was not present.
Oh right, he had always dined with Aunt Cui's second daughter in the past, so how could Madam Feng be present?
He frowned as he thought about it. Looking carefully, he realized that he didn't even have enough time to eat with Lady Feng and his eldest daughter, much less a family like them.
It just so happened that Aunt Wang was giving him some food, so he turned his head to look. Why did Aunt Wang get along well with Madam Feng, while Lady Cui and Madam Feng were always on bad terms? This was the first time Old Master Shen realized that he might have overlooked something.
The meal went on without a sound, and Xiu Ying had no appetite at all. There was still no rice fragrance wafted from this stinky father of his.
After the meal, it was time to get down to business.
Aunt Wang couldn't wait to leave this disgusting man. She hugged Brother Xiang and walked quickly. Xiu Ying hid in the west wing to eavesdrop in order to know what had happened.
"— Madame." Master Shen took a sip of his tea to moisten his throat, "I've heard about the Cui Family's business, all of this was caused by Aunt Cui. Whether or not the Cui Family is related to Mother, Madam should raise a hand."
Madam Feng already knew that he would speak up for the Cui Family and was not moved at all.
Great Master Shen looked at her and sighed, "Madam, I know you've been wronged. Naturally, I won't let you suffer this injustice for nothing." If that's not the case, I will let the Cui Family expel Aunt Cui and let the Cui Family's female family members publicly apologize. Aunt is getting on in age, and since it's like this, please forgive me. "
There were some things to be paid attention to here.
If the Cui Family didn't acknowledge Aunt Cui, then they could blame the rumors to Aunt Cui and make the Cui Family's women apologize. The women here naturally did not include Grandma Cui. This way, with Grandma Cui protecting her face, the Cui Family would have a better reputation of exterminating their parents for righteousness.
Although the Cui Family lost their daughter, they still managed to preserve their reputation.
Not a loss.
Madam Feng knew Master Shen's plan with just a thought. She could not help but snort coldly in her heart.
"What if I say no?" Mrs Feng glanced at him coldly, "The Cui Family is here today. Tomorrow, there might be the Chen Family and the Xu Family." This grievance of mine will likely continue to be endured! "
"Madam, where did you come from?" Great Master Shen hurriedly expressed his thoughts, "If you say it like that, you're going to wrongly accuse me. Madam, if you think about it, you are still too young, and you insist that the Cui family give you an explanation. We haven't even got a husband yet. "
The meaning behind his words was that he had to choose his own family to get along with.
Xiu Ying almost ran out and scolded her father when she heard this. He wanted to please the Cui Family. Now that he had turned the situation into something big, why would he use her to shake his mother?
Xiu Ying didn't expect that her mother would actually agree to it. "Alright, but I have one condition," said Mrs. Feng.
Old Master Shen's eyes lit up when he received Madam Feng's approval. He hurriedly said, "Madam, please speak."
"Lady Cui will be staying in the manor from now on, your concubine will be lowering herself to a lowly concubine." A woman expelled from the family was a stain.
Feng Clan's request was not excessive at all.
Master Shen nodded his head without even giving it a thought. Since the Cui Family no longer wanted this daughter of theirs, there was no way that the Cui Family would keep their family name as concubines anymore. Furthermore, she might be suffering from consumptive disease. It was fine to support them in the manor.
Since the two of them had reached an agreement, Master Shen happily sent a message to Old Lady Shen.
Xiu Ying angrily ran out after her father had left. She didn't want her mother to leave. "Mother, this is too cheap for the Cui Family."
The woman's reputation was so important that it was overshadowed by them. Besides, Aunt Cui was just an abandoned child in the eyes of the Cui family.
"Tsui." Madam Feng pulled her over and held her in her arms, "Mother has already forced the Cui Family to such a state. Aunt Cui no longer has a backer, so she can't contend with me anymore. This is the best result. "This result is even more worthwhile than forcing Grandma Cui to apologize to me."
Xiu Ying, however, understood that this was not the case. If Grandma Cui publicly apologized to her mother, then her life would be ruined as well, because everyone in the Cui Family would see her and her mother as a humiliation. Even his clansmen were loathing him. How could he have the chance to rise above others?
In the end, her mother did it for her.
"Mother .." Xiu Ying hugged her waist. She had the urge to cry.
Grandma Cui originally wanted to help her daughter get back at them, but this only made her even more miserable. However, she was afraid that if she became a sinner of the Cui Family, she would have to give up her daughter.
Old Madam Shen had experienced this elder sister-in-law's ruthlessness. If her elder brother were to know about this underground, perhaps he would be so angry that he would jump out from the grave to settle the score.
But at least it was over.
Old Madam Shen let out a sigh of relief, leaving Master Shen helpless.
He couldn't find the assassin's origin, so he could only grit his teeth and go to the Yongping manor.