Madam Li was stunned by this sudden turn of events. Her lips trembled as she kept muttering, "Rebellion! Rebellion..." Then she threw herself onto Li Rusong, grabbing his robe and crying and wailing, "Look at what your wife is saying! Are you just going to let her bully me like this?"
Li Rusong was also taken aback. He never expected Madam Yuan to suddenly explode on this occasion.
Yuan Jinqiu had always been a sensible and well - mannered woman. She never embarrassed her mother - in - law in public.
Over the years, when Madam Li caused a ruckus, she either turned a deaf ear or asked Li Rusong to handle it. She had never been so sharp - tongued and defied her mother - in - law in public like today.
Moreover, she had said such serious words...
Li Rusong stared blankly at his wife, unable to come to his senses for a long time, while Madam Li punched and kicked him.
Madam Yuan didn't even glance at her husband. Instead, she addressed the guests in the room loudly, "Recently, the Kingdom of Anluo has repeatedly harassed our southern border. The Empress Dowager intends to send General Feng on an expedition and has already dispatched my son - in - law, Xiao Jingnan, as the vanguard to go south and scout the way for the army."
"Jingnan knows well the great kindness of the Emperor and the urgency of the military situation. Therefore, he didn't dare to delay for a moment and left the capital to go south on his wedding night. This is well - known throughout the court and the common people!"
Then her expression turned cold. Facing Madam Li, she said sternly, "However, you deliberately spread rumors and maliciously insulted his wife, who is a woman of great righteousness and is staying behind for him! You openly interfere in the military and political affairs of our dynasty. Do you have any dissatisfaction with the Empress Dowager's decree?"
Madam Li was intimidated by her fierce words. Her face turned pale, and her lips moved but no words came out. The hand that was holding Li Rusong's arm trembled continuously.
What on earth?
The Empress Dowager?
What did this have to do with the Empress Dowager...
After Li Rusong was promoted to general, although she often regarded herself as a noble lady, she knew nothing about military and national affairs.
She simply heard that Xiao Jingnan had left Li Wanming on their wedding night, and she was overjoyed. She was full of thoughts that she must take this opportunity of the bride's return to her parents' home to humiliate Li Wanming severely.
As for the southern border, the Kingdom of Anluo, and the vanguard... She had never heard of them and didn't bother to care.
She only knew that if she could seize this opportunity to make Li Wanming look extremely foolish today, she would be happy!
"Jinqiu, you..."
Li Rusong stared blankly at his wife as if he didn't recognize her. His eyes were full of surprise and confusion.
As soon as Madam Yuan opened her mouth, she mentioned the military situation and the Empress Dowager. This was clearly pushing Madam Li into a fire pit!
Why did his always virtuous and proper wife act so abnormally today?
He didn't understand, couldn't figure it out...
It was Qingyan who reacted first. She quickly greeted the guests to go outside, "Today our young lady is returning to her parents' home. There is already wine and food prepared outside. Uncles, aunts, let's go outside to have a drink first and let them mother and daughter have a good talk."
Her tone was respectful, and her smile was sweet. Her reaction was quite fast... However, it was still a step too late.
As soon as Madam Yuan smashed the cup, Li Wanming noticed the excited glints in the eyes of many guests.
Even though they were urged by Qingyan to go outside to have a drink, those people still looked back again and again, looking full of unfinished business. Some even whispered in a low voice, "I said we should come to the Li family! There's always a big show to watch in their family!"
Li Wanming helplessly put her hand on her forehead: Yeah, their family was always full of excitement and drama. It was almost like a gossip center in the capital...
After Qingyan led the people away, Yuan Jinqiu didn't say much. She just gave Li Rusong a cold look and then left with a flick of her sleeve.
Li Rusong watched his wife's determined back, then looked down at his mother who was still crying and wailing on him. He felt a splitting headache and was full of grievances with nowhere to pour them out -
What on earth was going on?
What had he done wrong that made the family so chaotic?
"You spineless coward! You good - for - nothing! You useless wretch! Are you just going to watch her bully me..."
When Madam Li saw Yuan Jinqiu leave, she got even angrier. She grabbed Li Rusong's clothes and cried with snot and tears streaming down her face,
"I'm just an old woman in the inner courtyard. How could I know what she was talking about? That bitch deliberately tricked me. She's framing me! She just wanted to make me look like a fool in front of the relatives!"
"Jinqiu didn't mean that..." Li Rusong tried to explain while grabbing Madam Li's collar from behind, trying to pull her off him.
But Madam Li was like an octopus, clinging to him and refusing to get off.
Often, as soon as he pulled one arm off, another hand would grab onto him again. She kept crying and shouting, and she simply crumpled Li Rusong's brand - new brocade robe with bamboo patterns into a dirty rag full of snot and tears.
Li Rusong was pulled staggering. Big beads of sweat oozed from his forehead. It was as if there was a gong and drum performance in his ears. The gongs and suonas were ringing together, making him dizzy.
"Enough!"
Even a clay figurine has a bit of temper. Li Rusong finally couldn't stand it anymore. He let out a roar that made the dust on the beams fall.
"What Jinqiu said was all right! If you hadn't gone up and caused trouble for Wanming, scolding and humiliating her without knowing the truth, would Jinqiu have said those things?"
"The Crown Prince's Heir is on a mission by the imperial decree. Wanming saw off her husband on their wedding night. She should be an example for the women of our Great Sheng Dynasty! But you, as soon as you opened your mouth, you talked about abandonment!
"People who don't know might think that our Li family wants to interfere in military and political affairs and has objections to the Empress Dowager's decree!"
"Mother, you're not young anymore. Be more sensible!"
Madam Li was so frightened that she hiccupped while crying. She pursed her lips and was stunned. For a moment, she even forgot to cry.
As far as she could remember, this was the first time Li Rusong had spoken to her so severely.
In the past, no matter how much she made a ruckus, how much she cried, how much she threw tantrums, or how much she bullied his wife and daughters, he would always smooth things over with some jokes. At most, he would invite the aunts from the Li family's rural area to watch over her. When had he ever scolded her so loudly?
However, after Li Rusong said those words, he was still furious.
"Wanming had to see her husband off on the night of her wedding and then stay alone in that huge prince's mansion. Do you think her life is easy?"
"You're her own grandmother! When she comes back, instead of asking her if she eats well, sleeps well, if anyone bullies her in her husband's family, or if she's scared... You just go up and be mean to her, humiliate her, and laugh at her!"
"Is this how a grandmother should be? If you keep acting like this, not only Jinqiu and the three daughters, but even I won't want to talk to you!"
After hearing this, Madam Li trembled as she raised her hand and pointed at Li Rusong, "Good! Good... I knew you were sick of me!
"You think I'm old and useless, so you want to push me aside so that you can live a comfortable life with your bitch wife and children!"