Chapter 596: Protective (1)
“Eldest Brother might have some responsibility to shoulder in this, but why was Cousin Pan in the study of the outer court at such a late hour? If it had been Second Brother or my husband who was affected, would Grandmother also have married Miss Pan to them? With Aunt and Cousin Pan’s personalities, are you absolutely sure that you want Miss Pan to become Eldest Brother’s second wife? Are you trying to bring down House Jing’an? This was what Grandfather risked his life to build up!”
Chu Lian’s words were like ferocious waves sweeping over Matriarch He. The old woman couldn’t react in time; her eyes were wide and blank with shock.
If these words had come from Countess Jing’an or He Changdi, the matriarch wouldn’t have been this shocked. However, it was Chu Lian, one of the most junior members of the family, who had said that to her. The impact was magnified by a few times.
Matriarch He was instantly awakened from her muddle-headed mind.
The parlour was so quiet that they could hear a pin drop.
Chu Lian didn’t leave right after saying her piece. She stood ramrod-straight in the middle of the parlour. She had been keeping those words in for a very long time. Today, she had just vented them all out in one go, washing away the burdens weighing on her heart and lightening her mood once again.
When He Ying saw that her mother’s head was bowed, as if she were really considering Chu Lian’s words seriously, she started to panic.
She had no time to care for her pride or anything else. He Ying stepped forward with the intention to rebuke her. “Madam Chu, stop trying to confuse us with your words! What right do you have to stand there and reprimand my mother? It was bad enough that you’ve broken your vow of loyalty to your husband, but now you’re actually trying to disrespect your elders?! Your behaviour is getting out of hand!”
He Ying was furious. She spoke whatever came to her mind without any filters. Once she finished speaking, she did feel a slight twinge of regret at some of the inappropriate accusations she had flung. However, the milk was already spilled. She couldn’t take it back.
“I, disloyal to my husband? I’m afraid that you must be referring to yourself instead, Aunt!” Chu Lian steeled her expression, managing to imitate half of He Sanlang’s cold aura.
While anyone might have been able to cast suspicions on Chu Lian, He Ying was actually the only one who didn’t have any rights to do so. Her misdeeds during her youth were much more serious than Chu Lian’s possible liaisons were.
Who could have thought that the kind, easygoing Third Young Madam would have a moment like this? She refused to give even an inch to Eldest Madam’s bullying. He Ying had been under the matriarch’s protection ever since she had come to the Jing’an Estate, so no one dared to retort to her. He Ying had never faced such a strong opponent before; she was about to go mad with fury.
Thus, she got even more aggressive with her words.
“Madam Chu, don’t think that I’m ignorant! You were kidnapped before in the north! A young girl, taken away by a group of barbarians? Who knows how many barbarians have already defiled you? Who knows how many green hats Sanlang is wearing now?! And yet you still have the face to argue with me? Hmph! Haven’t you been wondering why Mother doesn’t like you anymore? Well, isn’t it because you’ve disgraced our family?!”
He Ying’s mouth really knew no barriers. She had just revealed some ugly truths and even dragged the matriarch down with her.
Although Matriarch He had been suspecting Chu Lian’s innocence, she had only been thinking of it to herself. How could she really bring it up to ask Chu Lian directly?
Matriarch He was about to scold He Ying, when a tall figure quickly strode into the parlour.
He Changdi shielded Chu Lian behind him. His icy eyes burned holes into He Ying, letting everyone know that he was about to flip out.
Although He Sanlang usually kept a cool and aloof expression on his handsome face, he was extremely filial to his family. He always treated his family members with warmth and kindness, whether it was Matriarch He, Countess Jing’an, or even this aunt he didn’t really like.
It would have been good enough if everyone in the estate minded their own business and tried to keep the peace on the surface. However, He Ying just had to step on He Sanlang’s bottom line.
He Changdi was extremely overprotective of his wife. Seeing how Chu Lian had been scolded as ‘disloyal’ in front of so many people, he could no longer hold back his temper. Even if his opponent was his aunt, He Ying!
“Aunt, I’ll advise you not to bring shame upon yourself!”
After saying so, he sheltered Chu Lian with one arm and quickly left Qingxi Hall.
He Ying was completely shaken by He Sanlang’s warning. By the time she recovered her senses, her face was warped into an ugly expression. She turned, subconsciously wanting to complain to the matriarch.
She had never been shamed so badly before, especially in front of He Sanlang and Chu Lian, two younger members of the family.
All the servants in the room kept as quiet as possible, trying not to draw any fire upon themselves.
He Ying wailed a pitiful, “Mother!” but this time, the matriarch didn’t immediately answer as she normally would’ve.
Put out by the non-response, He Ying changed her tone and made herself sob pathetically. “Mother, didn’t you hear how Sanlang was slandering me just now? Sob sob… How can I continue staying here in the estate like this…”
“That’s enough!” The matriarch slammed the side table, causing the teacups on it to clatter as they shook.
Now He Ying was finally scared into stopping her fake cries.
The self-pity she had managed to squeeze out completely faded away, leaving only shock in her eyes as she stared at her mother.
“You’re dismissed. I’m tired,” the matriarch said, holding a hand to her forehead as she shut her eyes and rubbed her temples.
He Ying opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but under Senior Servant Liu’s furious gaze, she abruptly turned around and stormed off.
Now that her back was to the matriarch, He Ying’s face twisted with disdain.
He Ying had never forgotten the grudging hate she had when her parents had sent her off to Siyang. She didn’t care at all whether her mother’s health would be affected by these tumultuous events. After so many harsh years in Siyang, she had become even more selfish and self-centred. As long as she could squeeze out as much as she could from the matriarch, she wouldn’t care what happened to her afterwards.
