Madam Zhao II plopped down on her knees in front of Master Zhao.
"Master, please forgive me."
Master Zhao was a bit dazed by her sudden grand gesture.
"Xiulian, what are you doing?"
"Master, it's my fault for not disciplining well that made Luoyue commit such a big mistake. Luoyue, even if Luoning said something unpleasant, you should bear it. How could you confront your elder sister in public?"
Madam Zhao II intended to subtly distort the facts, but Master Zhao didn't give her the chance.
"You don't need to make excuses for her. Ji Shisu even found witnesses and told me everything that happened that day."
Zhao Luoyue covered her face, on the verge of tears from grievance. "Father, Zhao Luoning even hit me in public that day."
Madam Zhao II quickly chimed in, "Yes, master. Luoyue has been doted on by you since she was a child. You've never even been willing to scold her severely. How could she bear this?"
Unexpectedly, this kind of sob - story, which she was most skilled at, didn't achieve the desired effect. Instead, it made Master Zhao recall what the witnesses at the dinner had said about Zhao Luoyue's words.
A chill ran down Master Zhao's back, and he felt extremely scared. "If Luoning hadn't slapped her a few times on the Double - Seventh Festival, she might have exposed the matter of the substitute marriage!"
Madam Zhao II pretended to be shocked as if she was hearing this for the first time. "This... Did Luoyue really do such a thing? Will the Ji family already..."
"Fortunately, Ji Shisu is only focused on standing up for Luoning now and hasn't noticed this." Master Zhao looked at Zhao Luoyue kneeling on the ground and got angrier the more he thought about it. "I originally intended for you to marry into the Ji family, but you refused stubbornly. Since your elder sister has already married in your place, don't be ungrateful. Keep your mouth shut! Otherwise, both you and your mother will go to the estate for me!"
Zhao Luoyue was indignant and retorted, "What benefits have I got? It's clearly that she, Zhao Luoning, is immoral. The position of the mistress of the Ji family was even given up by me!"
"Presumptuous!" Master Zhao slapped the table. The tea on the table was knocked over and spilled all over the floor.
Seeing this, Madam Zhao II quickly gave her daughter a fierce look.
Zhao Luoyue was not afraid of Master Zhao but was extremely afraid of her mother getting angry. Seeing that her mother had already warned her, she quickly lowered her head and shut up.
After dealing with her daughter, Madam Zhao II turned to Master Zhao. In an instant, she put on a weak and innocent expression.
Madam Zhao II crawled on her knees to Master Zhao's side, hugged his leg, and buried her head in his lap.
"Master, all the mistakes are mine. Please forgive Luoyue this time."
As Madam Zhao II got closer, a faint, delicate fragrance wafted over.
Master Zhao remembered this fragrance.
It was this very fragrance that he smelled when he first met Madam Zhao II.
The memory was suddenly drawn back to the past.
He and Madam Zhao II fell in love at first sight. Unfortunately, the old master didn't like Madam Zhao II, always saying that she had a devious heart, and forced him to marry Zhang Yunkou from a prominent family, who was now his wife.
Master Zhao had gone through a lot of hardships. He had quarreled with the old master countless times and even had to consummate his marriage with his disliked wife in order to get the Zhao family to accept the woman he loved.
Master Zhao looked down at the woman who had once sworn eternal love with him and was willing to be his concubine instead of becoming the wife.
Guilt gradually crept into his heart.
"Alright, why do you have to do this? If there's any fault, it's mine. This girl has been spoiled by me."
Madam Zhao II knew that her secret weapon had worked again. She secretly smiled where Master Zhao couldn't see. When she looked up, she looked like a frightened fawn, looking so pitiful, weak, and helpless.
"Master, Luoyue and I have done something wrong. It doesn't matter if you beat or scold me. I just beg you not to abandon us mother and daughter. You are the sky for us mother and daughter and the only reliance in my life. I can't lose you."
Every word of Madam Zhao II hit Master Zhao's heart.
Xiulian was the woman he had spent so much effort to marry. She had given her whole life to him. How could he bear to send her to the estate?
"Alright, alright. Don't be afraid. Fortunately, Ji Shisu didn't notice. I managed to muddle through this matter."
But when he saw Zhao Luoyue, Master Zhao still got extremely angry.
"But this is the only time. If the matter of the substitute marriage and Luoning's loss of virginity gets out, you'll immediately get out of the Zhao Mansion."
Master Zhao helped Madam Zhao II up and softened his tone.
"Xiulian, it's not that I want to be strict with you. This matter concerns the reputation of the Zhao family. I'm ashamed to face our ancestors."
Zhao Luoyue might not understand the stakes, but Madam Zhao II knew exactly.
The Zhao family was in business, and there must be no news that could damage their reputation.
Moreover, the other side was the Ji family, which was extremely wealthy and powerful.
Previously, she thought that the second young master of the Ji family was promiscuous and would only treat Zhao Luoning as an empty vase after marrying her, so she thought they could get away with it.
She never expected that the second young master of the Ji family was actually serious.
No wonder Master Zhao was worried. This situation was beyond everyone's expectation.
She wondered how Zhao Luoning managed to deceive the second young master of the Ji family when he cared so much about her.
But no man could tolerate his wife's infidelity. Once this matter was exposed, the more the second young master of the Ji family protected Zhao Luoning now, the more violently he would react after discovering the truth.
Right!
An evil idea popped into Madam Zhao II's mind.
Since Zhao Luoning had bullied her daughter.
Then don't blame her for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!
Madam Zhao II flattered and recalled the old times before finally coaxing Master Zhao away.
As soon as Master Zhao left, Madam Zhao II quickly helped Zhao Luoyue up and checked her knees.
"How about it? Does it hurt from kneeling?"
Zhao Luoyue pouted and acted coquettishly to Madam Zhao II.
"Mother, I've never suffered such humiliation in my life. We can't let Zhao Luoning off!"
Madam Zhao II suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Wasn't there someone who came to ask about Zhao Luoning last time?"
"Seemed so. The maids said that the people who were asked were all the old servants who had left. Mother, why do you suddenly mention this?"
"Why would someone suddenly ask about her?"
Mentioning Zhao Luoning, Zhao Luoyue's face still ached faintly. She covered her face and was extremely indignant.
"Now that she's the mistress of the Ji family, she has been domineering outside. She must have offended someone and got someone to come and settle the score with her." Zhao Luoyue rubbed her face and gritted her teeth. "With the new and old grudges today, I hope Zhao Luoning won't have any把柄 fall into my hands!"
Madam Zhao II hugged her daughter with a cold smile. "Don't we already have a ready - made handle on Zhao Luoning?"
Hearing this, Zhao Luoyue perked up and stared at Madam Zhao II with big eager eyes.
"Mother, what are you saying? What handle do we have?"