Chapter Thirteen: Calm Your Anger
Only then did she understand the marquis’s earlier behavior. She looked at Meng Zhenyue, her tone tinged with emotion:
“Your elder brother must be feeling uneasy. You should take him away for now.”
At the same time, the marquis’s wife sharply warned the servants to withdraw.
One event followed another just moments ago; no one expected the servants to be sent away. Fortunately, those serving the meal were all born into the household.
Since he was seven or eight years old, her son had seldom embarrassed himself before so many people. Thinking this made her heart ache even more.
Yet she sat upright and spoke sternly to Zhao Xianzhi, “A mother knows her child best. I have watched you grow up—do you think you can hide things from me?”
Zhao Zhizhi, standing nearby, could not imagine their mother would be angry with their eldest brother.
Their mother rarely showed anger toward eldest brother. She wanted to intervene, but the words carried another layer of meaning.
Though a mother knows her child best, the child also understands the mother.
Hearing the marquis’s wife’s not-quite-forceful questioning, Zhao Xianzhi realized she was testing him.
Because she was unaware of his troubles, as his mother, she felt she was losing hold of her son.
She needed to reaffirm her position as his mother.
“My son knows he cannot hide anything from his mother,” Zhao Xianzhi said, gathering his emotions before kneeling down with a loud thud.
The sound was much louder than before.
The marquis’s wife, hearing this, instinctively reached out to help him.
But she closed her eyes, recalling her purpose, and withdrew her hand.
“The young uncle watches closely; I dare not make any mistakes. Please forgive me, mother,” Zhao Xianzhi continued.
Hearing her son’s delicate words, the marquis’s wife’s heart softened, and she believed this was his true intention.
Yet just as she felt something was missing, her son’s voice came again.
“I also worry that after you learn the truth, mother, there might be… a rift between us.”
The last words choked with emotion, even Zhao Zhizhi beside them was deeply moved.
The marquis’s wife could no longer hold back her tears, embracing Zhao Xianzhi tightly. “You’re confused! Why can’t you share everything with your mother? If I had known earlier…”
She stopped herself in time, choosing a gentler way to say it in a softer voice, “…I wouldn’t have made things so difficult for you.”
After crying for a while, she wiped her tears and spoke gently,
“Since things have come to this, go rest now. I will take care of the temple matters and will also find a chance to plead with your father alongside your sister. You don’t have to give your things to Zhen…”
Zhao Zhizhi nodded as well.
But Zhao Xianzhi interrupted firmly, “No, mother. I was clearly at fault. Everyone must bear the consequences of their own choices.”
The marquis’s wife and Zhao Zhizhi heard this and thought of the gentleman who stands firm in adversity, feeling both comforted and heartbroken.
Similarly, the marquis’s wife’s displeasure toward Meng Zhenyue grew even stronger.
The next moment, Zhao Xianzhi spoke with deep regret:
“The items from Qingyu Courtyard were truly meant as compensation for Sister Zhenyue. I know, mother, you love your daughter more because of her childhood hardships. It is I who have caused you pain.”
The marquis’s wife momentarily froze, her hands faltering, then stammered, “It’s… uh… nothing, mother can endure it.”
Zhao Xianzhi saw her reaction and felt reassured, pretending not to notice, smiling gently at Zhao Zhizhi:
“There’s no need to worry about big brother. Eat well.”
Without waiting for either of them to reply, he bowed to the marquis’s wife and left the flower hall without looking back.
The two women in the hall watched Zhao Xianzhi’s retreating figure, an unfamiliar loneliness stirring within them. They embraced and cried together, tears streaming.
The marquis’s wife thought of Meng Zhenyue and felt a growing heaviness in her heart.
If she had not been so reckless and presumptuous, how could she not have been loved?
Therefore, she could not blame her.
About the time a stick of incense burned down, another close attendant, Madam Ming, quietly reported:
“Madam, the eldest son only took ordinary clothes back to his quarters. Then he instructed the servants to move his belongings to the eldest young lady’s courtyard before taking Beilie to the temple. Someone below is requesting your instructions.”
The marquis’s wife, still sitting and calming her emotions, waved her hand, “Tell them to move everything according to Xianzhi’s wishes.”
Madam Ming looked at the marquis’s wife with sympathy and was about to leave when the marquis’s wife added,
“Also, pick some items from my private storage to send over.”
Madam Ming bowed respectfully and started to leave, but the marquis’s voice came again,
“It should symbolize family harmony.”
Madam Ming turned back and bowed in acknowledgment.
Only after Madam Ming left did the marquis’s wife exhale deeply and leave the flower hall with Zhao Zhizhi.
Meanwhile, on the way to the temple, Zhao Xianzhi happened to see a group carrying items toward Meng Zhenyue’s Yuehua Courtyard and could not help but smile.
Under the dim light, that smile appeared even more chilling.
His belongings—she wouldn’t deserve to enjoy them!
His things were of course fine; giving them to her as a burial gift was already too generous.
Behind Zhao Xianzhi was Beilie, nervously clutching a bundle. At this moment, he only felt the eldest son’s back radiated a cold menace.
Officially, he was accompanying his master to practice kung fu at the temple, but in reality...
Sure enough, as the temple doors closed, the eldest son’s furious shout rang out,
“What is going on here?!”
Beilie closed the door and turned to face his master’s furious eyes. Behind the master stood a compassionate, peaceful Buddha statue, which only made his face appear more ferocious.
Beilie’s legs trembled, and he bowed his head, saying,
“Our men delayed the marquis’s men, but we were held up on the road for some reason. When we reached midwife Qi’s house, we found she was dead and were about to investigate, but the marquis’s men had already arrived.”
“Please calm down, master.”
Zhao Xianzhi’s angry curses echoed inside the temple, “Calm down? After everything that’s happened today, how can I calm down!”
In his fury, he grabbed Beilie’s neck.
Before coming here, Zhao Xianzhi had already replaced all the servants with his own men.
So as long as the kindly Buddha statue didn’t come to life and save Beilie, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill him here.
Only Heaven knew how embarrassed he had been a moment ago.
He was just one step away from utter ruin and universal scorn—just one step!
Now everyone knew he was not truly of the marquis’s bloodline.
From now on, his path to becoming the marquis’s heir would face greater obstacles!
His future actions would never be as before!
After punishing his men severely, Zhao Xianzhi conspired with Beilie to set a trap and wait for the fish to bite.
Meanwhile, after Meng Zhenyue and Meng Huaichuan left the flower hall:
“Brother, I spoke wrongly just now, didn’t I?” Meng Huaichuan glanced around cautiously and asked, “What exactly happened today?”
Hearing the conversation behind him, Meng Huaichuan realized he had unwittingly helped those who bullied his sister.
Meng Zhenyue gave him an approving look, “Your mind is always so sharp.”
Meng Huaichuan’s expression grew serious.
Then Meng Zhenyue briefly recounted the day’s events.
Listening, Meng Huaichuan clenched his fists.
He had spent the day in a dreamlike haze while his sister endured torment, and he had been completely unaware!
From the way the marquis’s wife had avoided looking at him all the way, never even allowing him to join the first meal after his sister returned, he knew this marquis’s household was no place for good!
“Looks like that man had designs on me. Then I can use him to get close to the marquis’s household. You return to the Meng family; I will handle our parents’ affairs,” Meng Huaichuan said gravely.