Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Hu’er Strikes Back
If by chance he stumbled upon some family secret, he wouldn’t have enough lives to handle it.
Seeing the aggressive scene at the East Cross Courtyard, the Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, sat calmly without a hint of fear.
She set down her teacup and provocatively smirked as she spoke.
"Oh, dear sister-in-law, with such a formation, are you planning a rebellion?"
"Stop putting labels on me! In broad daylight, you come to my East Cross Courtyard flaunting your power, Second Sister-in-law, is this your good upbringing?"
The Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, raised her eyebrows at her determined sister-in-law, yet felt somewhat puzzled inside.
Such a usually timid person, how did she suddenly grow a backbone!
She even dared to talk back in front of the servants.
As expected, just as her daughter said, if she doesn’t properly suppress and handle the big house,
they might learn to bully and overstep their bounds in the future!
She then coldly spoke.
"As for my upbringing, my parents and in-laws have taught me well enough, so there’s no need for sister-in-law to worry. However, if our third brother’s thieving habits aren’t corrected now, it will surely tarnish the Prime Minister’s Mansion’s reputation in the future!"
Upon hearing the word ’thief’, Lin Muzhi, who was being held down, began to struggle.
His eyes were on fire, glaring at the Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, as if wishing to devour her.
Unfortunately, this was precisely the effect Mrs. Wang wanted.
She intended to crush the uprising spirit of the main house back down!
After going through this cycle a few times, they will realize their lowly position and naturally won’t dare to have rebellious thoughts anymore.
Seeing her son struggling bitterly, how could the First Madam, Mrs. Dong, remain still!
She rushed forward, pushing away the women holding her son.
Just like a protective mother wolf, she glared fiercely at them.
Intimidated by her gaze, they involuntarily released their grip.
This thoroughly infuriated the Second Madam, Mrs. Wang!
"Who told you to let go! Hold him down and beat him!"
Her arguments were unreasonable, yet her vigor was undeniable.
Everyone in the Prime Minister’s Mansion knows that this grand place will eventually belong to the West Wing.
Incensed, they attacked Lin Muzhi and the First Madam, Mrs. Dong.
Some grabbed the people, some took up sticks.
Nanny Dong, seeing her upbringing being bullied, couldn’t hold back any longer.
She grabbed a branch at hand and started striking the maids who were holding her.
She wasn’t powerless at all, coming from a butcher’s family, she had great strength in her hands.
The relentless strikes sent the maids scurrying around like headless chickens.
The scene was momentarily uncontrollable.
The Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, obviously hadn’t expected such a strong backlash from the main house this time, and was frightened by Nanny Dong’s actions.
Once she recovered, she slammed the table and roared angrily.
"How dare a lowly old servant to lay hands like this, does she not want to live?"
"Nanny Dong!"
The First Madam, Mrs. Dong, called out, and the previously chasing-and-hitting Nanny Dong stopped upon hearing.
She returned to her mistress’s side, standing steady, breathing heavily, but her face was much more flushed.
Her eyes also became fiercer.
"Dear sister-in-law, is this the wet nurse you brought from your maternal family? So unruly, she should have her tendons severed and be sold to the coldest regions as a laborer!"
The Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, was furious; since birth, she had never received such treatment.
How could she endure it!
The First Madam, Mrs. Dong, didn’t respond, instead sternly questioned while shielding Lin Muzhi.
"Catch a thief with the stolen goods, catch an adulterer in the act. You say my son stole the Hu Bi from the second brother’s room, do you have evidence?"
She first established authority by beating up the maids, then calmly inquired, glossing over the previous violence.
The First Madam, Mrs. Dong, was not ignorant of how to deal with the second house, she just had concerns in the past.
Upon hearing this, the Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, was indeed led astray by her.
With a sneer, she spoke.
"Evidence? I do have it, indeed."
She then clapped her hands and summoned someone over.
The First Madam, Mrs. Dong, looked and found that the person was a maid from the West Wing.
Before the maid even spoke, Mrs. Dong angrily cursed.
"Bah, can someone from your courtyard be considered evidence? This is obviously a setup to frame my son!"
After saying this, she glared viciously at the maid.
The maid, named Shuyun, was originally Mrs. Wang’s dowry maid.
For her to not side with Mrs. Wang and the West Wing would be absurd!
As expected, Shuyun wasn’t intimidated by the First Madam’s scolding, quickly kneeling down and retorting.
"Heaven above, if I wronged the third young master, may I die a horrible death!"
Her swearing caused the people from the West Wing to become revitalized.
But the First Madam, Mrs. Dong, sneered.
"Though I’m just a woman, I know that dealing with a case relies on tangible evidence. If swearing and cursing can decide life and death, how many unjust deaths would there be in the world!"
Then she sarcastically addressed the Second Madam, Mrs. Wang.
"You pride yourself on being from a family of the Minister of War, is this your family rule? If people outside knew that Minister Wang handles cases and governs the Ministry of War based on swearing and cursing, I’d like to see if the Wang family’s gates won’t be spat upon!"
"You!"
The Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, had been sisters-in-law with Mrs. Dong for years.
Over the years, she had always been on top, Mrs. Dong below.
Even the house management power was held by the people of Ronghe Hall and the West Wing.
The East Cross Courtyard had always been submissive, never daring to act rashly.
But today, they retaliated repeatedly with anger, leaving the quick-tongued Second Madam, Mrs. Wang, suddenly speechless.
She knew it was a setup, but having reached this point, she couldn’t just let it slide.
So she straightened her back and said.
"Dear sister-in-law, you have quite the sharp tongue, I never knew you had such ability!"
"There’s an old saying that even a rabbit will bite when cornered. I’m not a clay figure; naturally, I will stand up against injustice."
She glanced at Lin Muzhi with care and affection.
Then looked up at Shuyun, and harshly said.
"Since the Second Madam claims you are a witness, then tell us how our third young master entered the West Wing, entered the second brother’s room, stole the Hu Bi, and was discovered by you! If there’s a single touch of falsehood, I swear I’ll give my life today to send you to the authorities to be charged with the crime of a treacherous servant harming her master!"
The First Madam, Mrs. Dong’s stern words frightened Shuyun.
Her earlier swearing was just offhand, not meant seriously.
But if she were really sent to the authorities, not only herself but even her family would be implicated.