Jiang Zhao straightened her back and flatly refused to accept this baseless slander. "I address you as mother out of respect for the fact that you endured ten months of pregnancy to give birth to me. But it doesn't mean you can slander me at will."
"You've always emphasized the importance of a woman's chastity. Yet you've blindly believed one person's words and convicted me. How are you any different from those gossiping women?"
"If you don't believe me, you can summon the fourth brother and the younger brother for questioning."
Jiang Zhao had once yearned for a good relationship with her mother. But He Shi had disappointed her time and time again.
She didn't expect He Shi to love her as much as she loved Jiang Yuzhu. She was also a human being. All she hoped for was that He Shi, as her mother, could trust her just a little bit and give her the basic respect.
He Shi had never been defied like this before. She was immediately enraged. "The facts are clear. What else do you have to argue about! Would your elder brother slander you?"
Jiang Zhao cast a cold look at Jiang Zhong. "You can know a person's face but not their heart. How can mother be so sure that elder brother isn't lying?"
Jiang Zhong shouted sternly, "Mother, don't be misled by Jiang Zhao! Think about it. Since Jiang Zhao came back, has our Marquis Mansion ever had a peaceful day? She's simply unruly. Now she even dares to talk back to you. She doesn't put you in her eyes at all!"
Jiang Zhong's words made He Shi even angrier. "I don't care what the reason is. I only know the fact that you were alone in a room with Chen Huainan!"
"I used to think it was just because you hadn't grown up by my side and lacked proper discipline. I never knew you were so debased and promiscuous!" He Shi was so angry that she lost her temper.
"You've got involved with that Chen Huainan. Who would dare to marry you in the future? What about your younger sister's marriage!"
Jiang Zhao sneered upon hearing this. In the end, it was all about the fear that Jiang Yuzhu would be affected and unable to marry well.
They were both her daughters. How could He Shi be so biased!
"Since mother has made up her mind, it's useless for me to say more. If the Marquis Mansion can't tolerate me, I'll just leave." Jiang Zhao was also a strong - willed person. She turned around and was about to leave.
But before leaving, she had to get Jiang Yunxi and Jiang Qingrong back. She would never admit to this crime.
In He Shi's eyes, Jiang Zhao's behavior was disrespectful. "Stop right there!"
Seeing this, Jiang Zhong immediately stepped forward and grabbed Jiang Zhao's arm.
He Shi took three quick steps and raised her hand high, slapping Jiang Zhao hard across the face.
Jiang Zhao's head was turned to the side by the blow. Her cheek quickly swelled up, and the palm print was clearly visible.
She didn't know where she got the strength, but she suddenly shook off Jiang Zhong's hand. Her gaze towards He Shi became much calmer.
This slap completely severed the last bit of mother - daughter bond between her and He Shi.
He Shi looked at her trembling hand and then met Jiang Zhao's calm eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.
She couldn't help but feel a little regretful. She had just been carried away by anger. If Jiang Zhao had just softened her attitude a little, how could she have been willing to hit her?
"Jiang Zhao..."
Jiang Zhao ignored He Shi and walked away. She couldn't beat Jiang Zhong, so she was going to find someone who could support her.
As she walked, Jiang Zhao wiped away the tears that kept rolling down her eyes.
She wasn't feeling wronged. It was just the pain! Her face was burning with pain!
Seeing this, He Shi said anxiously, "Go and check on your sister quickly! Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid!"
If Jiang Zhao had a moment of desperation, she would have forced her own daughter to death, and that would be the end of it.
He Shi still didn't know Jiang Zhao well enough. Even if she died, she would drag others down with her.
Jiang Zhong followed her out reluctantly. It would be better if she just died outside. It would save him a lot of trouble.
...
Jiang Changlin didn't know when he had floated beside Jiang Zhao. Seeing her like this, a look of confusion flashed across his empty eyes.
He wanted to ask Jiang Zhao what was going on, but his intuition told him it was better not to.
Jiang Zhong followed behind Jiang Zhao, muttering non - stop.
Jiang Zhao was annoyed. She suddenly stopped. "Jiang Zhong, you'd better not provoke me. Otherwise, I don't mind exposing all your dirty deeds."
"Others may not know, but I know you went to the gambling house today."
Jiang Zhong's eyes widened in shock. How did Jiang Zhao know that?!
No, he couldn't let her talk nonsense!
With this thought in mind, Jiang Zhong quickly stepped in front of Jiang Zhao, covered her mouth, and dragged her towards his own courtyard.
Jiang Zhao was no match for Jiang Zhong with her slender arms and legs.
"Mm! Let me go!" Jiang Zhao kept pinching and hitting Jiang Zhong. Jiang Zhong remained unmoved with a cold face.
Jiang Zhao's blows were like tickles to him.
The servants in the courtyard were stunned. After reacting, they quickly stepped forward to stop the fight. "My lord, calm down! The eldest miss is going to be suffocated by you!"
Jiang Zhong kicked the nearest servant away. "Get out of my way!"
"I'm going to teach this reckless girl a lesson today!"
Jiang Changlin was so anxious that he circled around the crowd, but he couldn't help because he couldn't touch the physical world.
No one had told him that his nephew was such a brute.
Nan Feng had just bought pastries for Jiang Qinian from the neighboring county.
Seeing this scene, he threw the pastries behind him and rushed over.
Good heavens! Had the eldest young master been possessed by a ghost?!
Jiang Yunxi and Jiang Qingrong also came back from outside. Jiang Yunxi rubbed her eyes, thinking she was seeing things. "The one in elder brother's arms is Jiang Zhao, right?"
Jiang Qingrong nodded and said calmly, "It's elder sister. Elder sister seems to be on the verge of suffocation."
They saw Jiang Zhong covering Jiang Zhao's nose and mouth tightly, and she was already rolling her eyes.
"What are you still standing there for? Help!" He was still counting on Jiang Zhao to help save Yaoyao. She couldn't be suffocated to death!
"Elder brother, let go quickly!"
Nan Feng had martial arts skills. With the help of Jiang Yunxi and Jiang Qingrong, they quickly pulled Jiang Zhong's big hand away from Jiang Zhao's face.
Jiang Zhao didn't even bother to catch her breath. She opened her mouth and bit hard on Jiang Zhong's hand, so hard that she seemed to want to tear a piece of his flesh off.
Jiang Zhong let go of Jiang Zhao in pain. Jiang Zhao immediately kicked him in the crotch.
"Ah! Jiang Zhao, I'm going to kill you!" A shrill scream echoed in the courtyard. Jiang Zhong covered his crotch and rolled on the ground in pain.
Jiang Zhao wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and mercilessly punched and kicked Jiang Zhong on the ground.
Now it was the others who were trying to hold Jiang Zhao back. The burly Jiang Zhong was lying on the ground, beaten up in a sorry state.
The commotion here was quite big. The old lady Jiang and the Marquis of Ningyuan also got the news and rushed over.
Seeing this strange scene in the courtyard, they almost fainted from shock.
"Stop right now!" the Marquis of Ningyuan roared. Everyone stopped their actions.
Jiang Zhao was pulled away by Jiang Yunxi. Jiang Zhong was lying on the ground, moaning continuously.
He was in pain all over!
"Mother, you'd better go back and rest first. I'll handle this." The Marquis of Ningyuan said softly to the old lady Jiang. Then he glared angrily at the younger generation. "What are you still standing there for? Come here!"
"Rong'er, go and check on your grandmother. If there's anything, inform me immediately."
The old lady Jiang looked at Jiang Zhao worriedly, but Jiang Zhao didn't notice.
Jiang Qinian, pushed by Nan Feng, appeared in the distance at some point. He gave the old lady Jiang a reassuring look.