"Don't go!"
When Xu Yanchi heard this, he thought it was a big deal and quickly spoke up to stop her. But how could Shen Qing listen to him? She had already lifted her skirt and run out.
The way her tears were on the verge of falling would surely make others think she had suffered great injustice.
Yingxiu and Zhuxing glanced inside and quickly chased after her.
Xu Yanchi instinctively wanted to chase after them too, but Jiang Chan was tightly hugging him. More importantly, he was naked from the waist down.
Meanwhile, Nongyun and Yuzhen saw that their young lady had run out. Taking advantage of the chaos, they quietly slipped out through the side door and went to the back courtyard.
The back courtyard was always the fastest place to spread news.
So by the time Xu Yanchi and Jiang Chan got dressed and arrived at the Hall of Longevity and Peace where the old lady lived, their "good deed" had already become common knowledge in the Marquis's Mansion.
For a moment, everyone's expressions were a riot of colors.
The old lady sat upright on the main seat, her face ashen with anger as she looked at Xu Yanchi and Jiang Chan kneeling below. Her expression seemed to say, "You're really desperate."
Shen Qing sat on a seat below the old lady, her eye sockets slightly red, lips pursed, saying nothing.
Xu Yanchi felt a slight sense of relief.
It seemed that the old lady had managed to calm Shen Qing down first.
If she really went to the Censorate to make a fuss, he would really lose all his face!
"Aunt..."
Jiang Chan didn't dare to look at the old lady's face.
"Don't call me aunt!" The old lady slapped the table hard. "I thought you were a good girl and wanted you to enter the mansion whole - heartedly. I never thought you would do such a thing!"
Jiang Chan's tears immediately flowed down. She knelt and shuffled a few steps forward. "Aunt, I was looking for something in cousin - in - law's room. I didn't expect cousin to come in and mistake me for cousin - in - law..."
"If aunt thinks I've disgraced the family, I'll die right now to prove my innocence. I'll never stain the reputation of the Marquis's Mansion and cousin!"
As she said this, she was about to smash her head against the nearby pillar.
The old lady's expression changed. In a hurry and anger, she said, "Hurry up and stop her!"
Hearing this, Xu Yanchi quickly rushed forward and hugged Jiang Chan into his arms. He regretted it deeply. He had just drunk a little wine and had mistaken his cousin for Shen Qing. If his cousin really died to prove her innocence, he would never be able to forgive himself!
Jiang Chan was still struggling in Xu Yanchi's arms. "Cousin, don't stop me. I can't go on living like this. It's better to die and leave a good name in the world!"
Xu Yanchi hugged her even tighter. He closed his eyes, as if making up his mind, and said,
"Cousin, it's my fault. I'll marry you!"
Hearing this, Jiang Chan was stunned for a moment, then buried her head in Xu Yanchi's arms and cried loudly.
Shen Qing sat on the chair, coldly watching the two in front of her. What she was actually thinking was that Yingxiu had put too much chili water on the handkerchief, and her eyes were starting to hurt.
Mrs. Ge and Mrs. Xing were also sitting on one side, watching the sad scene in front of them without saying a word.
As main wives, how could they not see that Jiang Chan wasn't really trying to kill herself? At this moment, looking at Shen Qing, they couldn't help but feel a bit more sympathy for her.
"You, why are you so hot - tempered? What could be more important than staying alive?"
The old lady heaved a heavy sigh and looked at Shen Qing helplessly.
"Things have come to this. Daughter - in - law of Yanchi, you've surely been wronged in this matter. But it's not good to let a life be lost just like this. It won't be easy to explain to the Earl of Chengen's Mansion. So, let me make the decision. Let Chan'er enter the mansion. If this matter gets out, it won't look good on your face either."
Shen Qing sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she stared steadily at the old lady. "I wonder what identity mother intends for cousin girl to enter the mansion with?"
The old lady sat up straight and said, "Naturally, as a concubine. Didn't we agree on this before? If you had given your consent earlier and let Chan'er enter the mansion, this wouldn't have happened."
So it was all her fault then?
Shen Qing sneered in her heart. The old lady was really extremely partial.
"Mother means that all the grievances I've suffered today are self - inflicted? I've never seen an outsider having an affair in the main wife's courtyard. And now mother still blames me. Am I, Shen Qing, some cheap person?"
"If my father and grandfather find out that the only daughter of the Duke's Mansion has suffered such grievances in the Marquis's Mansion and still has to help her husband take a concubine, it's very likely that they'll go to the imperial court to complain!"
She didn't hold back any face when she spoke. The old lady frowned and said, "Then what do you want?"
"First, the debts the Marquis owes to my shop must be paid off within three days. This shouldn't be too difficult for the Marquis, right?"
Shen Qing looked at Xu Yanchi. Usually, Xu Yanchi would surely say that they were husband and wife, so why should they calculate so carefully?
But today, he felt sorry for Shen Qing. Even if he had a thick skin, he didn't have the face to say such words. So he just nodded and said, "Naturally."
Shen Qing nodded. "Also, I heard that the old lady had prepared a hot - spring estate on the outskirts of the city as a dowry for cousin girl. Let it be a way to apologize to me."
What was the use of a man's favor? Only the money in hand was truly one's own!
"No, that estate was given to me by aunt!" Jiang Chan shrieked.
That estate was in an excellent location with good hot springs and was worth tens of thousands of taels of silver. It was her greatest reliance. The Earl of Chengen's Mansion didn't have much money to begin with, and her mother favored her younger sister more. The dowry prepared for her was not even a fraction of the value of this estate.
As soon as Shen Qing opened her mouth, it was like taking most of her life away!
"Shut up!" The old lady scolded coldly.
Jiang Chan was so frightened that she didn't dare to say another word.
Shen Qing continued, "Furthermore, let Jiang Chan kowtow to me three times when she serves tea tomorrow. From then on, she should refer to herself as a lowly concubine in front of me and must not step into my courtyard."
"I won't!" Jiang Chan shouted. Letting her refer to herself as a lowly concubine in front of Shen Qing, then what was the point of being a concubine?
Even the servants in the mansion wouldn't truly respect her as a concubine!
Shen Qing sneered. "If you're not willing, then I'll take today's matter to the Censorate. Let's go and have a good talk there!"
Jiang Chan's tears fell like broken beads. She looked at the old lady timidly,
"Aunt..."
But the old lady didn't look at her. She said tiredly, "Just do as you said. Let her serve you tea tomorrow."
"Granny Cui, go and get the deed of the hot - spring estate."
When Granny Cui left, she also looked at Jiang Chan with disappointment. The old lady had already promised to help the cousin girl plan, so why was she so impatient?
After a while, the deed was in Shen Qing's hands.
Shen Qing took the deed and didn't stay any longer. She left this mess to them and went back by herself.
After Shen Qing left, there was no more excitement to watch, and most people had dispersed. Only Jiang Chan and Xu Yanchi were left.
Jiang Chan lowered her head and stepped forward. "Aunt..."
The old lady slapped Jiang Chan across the face. "What did I tell you? You're so impatient and do such a thing!"
Jiang Chan's face was turned to one side by the slap, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.
Xu Yanchi said worriedly, "Mother, it's my fault. Don't blame cousin."
The old lady pointed at them angrily. "You two really want to piss me off. Get out of here!"
Xu Yanchi also felt ashamed. He bowed and left in a hurry with Jiang Chan.
On the way, he couldn't help but regret. He usually had a good capacity for alcohol. How could he have mistaken someone after just a little wine?
In this way, he had let down both his cousin and Shen Qing.
Xu Yanchi thought distractedly as he walked towards the study.
He usually stayed in the study whenever he was upset. But when he was almost there, he heard a commotion inside.
The servant beside him ran over, gasping for breath.
"My lord, something terrible has happened. The lady, the lady she..."