novelhk Chapter 112 The Hypocrisy of Chi's Father
Chapter 112 The Hypocrisy of Chi's Father
Upon hearing this, Chi Guiwan nodded solemnly.
Seeing this, Madam Kong instructed the people around her, "You all keep an eye on the situation. If things get too tense, pretend to faint and bring the Second Young Mistress back as soon as possible."
"Yes."
On their third wedding anniversary, Qiao Er and Chi Guiwan rode in the Zhenguo General's carriage and soon arrived at the gate of the Vice Minister's residence.
Although it had only been three days since she left, Chi Guiwan felt as if many years had passed.
Qiao Er knew what she was worried about, so he grabbed her hand and comforted her, saying, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Chi Guiwan looked up and smiled gently. Yes, she was no longer alone.
The couple entered the house, where the steward was already waiting at the door, but his expression was forced and his smile was so exaggerated that the entire mansion was filled with solemnity.
"This old servant greets the young lady and the young master."
"Butler, lead the way."
"Yes."
Soon, they arrived at the front hall, but instead of Chi Yunjing, her father, they were greeted by Aunt Zhao, who was heavily pregnant.
She was dressed reasonably well, neither overstepping the bounds nor being overly flamboyant, but there was a deep sorrow between her brows, and it was clear at a glance that something had happened.
"This servant greets the young lady and the young master. The master has been waiting inside for a long time. Please come in."
Qiao Er nodded slightly in greeting. It wasn't his place to bow to a concubine from his father-in-law's family. So he led Chi Guiwan into the house and soon saw his father-in-law, Chi Yunjing, who looked much older, sitting at the head of the table.
"Daughter and son-in-law greet their father."
"coming."
Chi Yunjing's words were full of exhaustion, and when he looked up, the stubble on his face and the dark circles under his eyes showed that he had not been having a good time lately.
Chi Guiwan couldn't quite describe her feelings. She wanted to ask him a few words of concern but didn't know how to start. In the end, Qiao Er clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said something to ease the tension.
"My wife and I have heard about what happened at home, so we brought some precious medicinal herbs for my grandmother. Father-in-law, please don't worry, good fortune will surely come."
"Yes, yes, Father, don't worry."
Seeing that the couple seemed sincere, Chi Yunjing felt somewhat comforted, but he just sighed and said...
"It's all because of the Lü family. First it was Guo, then Second Sister, and now it's your grandmother. Everyone in the family is being dragged down by them. If the Lü family isn't convicted, it would be too unfair for our family to suffer the consequences."
Chi Guiwan is now constantly on guard, so even though she thinks her father is right, she doesn't dare to agree easily.
Instead, Qiao Er, who was standing next to him, took over the conversation and spoke with ease.
"Yes, before I came, I sent someone to inquire about the Lü family from the Prefect of the Prince's Office. They said that the matter was being handled urgently, but because of the favor of Consort Jia in the palace, they couldn't just condemn them outright. Father-in-law, you still have to be prepared. After all, no matter how big the commotion gets, no one has died. Even if someone is sentenced, the sentence won't be too severe."
"Not enough punishment? My mother is unconscious, and the culprit can't even get a heavy sentence? Is Magistrate Wang deliberately showing favoritism?"
"That's hard to say. I've heard that Consort Jia has been pleading with His Majesty for a long time in the palace, so even if we wanted to, we couldn't interfere."
With just one sentence, he extricated himself from the situation.
Ultimately, this is a matter between the Chi and Lü families. The Qiao family can at most put in a good word for them, but they can't really do much else.
Chi Yunjing understood what was going on and couldn't help but feel annoyed.
He has two sons-in-law, one powerful and influential but cunning, and the other immoral and useless, now practically a figurehead. He really hasn't managed to build a decent relationship with them.
With her eldest son-in-law cutting off her words, it was really difficult to continue the conversation for a moment.
Seeing this, Aunt Zhao, with tears in her eyes, began to speak, "Young lady, you have no idea how fierce Madam Lü was that day. Even the master and many others couldn't hold her back. Her strength was terrifying. The old lady was innocent. She wanted to seek justice for her granddaughter but met with a tragic end. Now... now, it breaks my heart to see her like this. If I weren't pregnant, I would have loved to personally serve her medicine. I just hope the old lady gets better soon."
Her words instantly put Chi Guiwan on a pedestal, as if her granddaughter was being unfilial for not coming back to take care of her.
Seeing this, Qiao Er glanced at Aunt Zhao and said with a sinister expression.
“This concubine looks unfamiliar, but she is very enthusiastic in her speech and actions. However, it would be inappropriate for Father-in-law to allow a concubine to speak in the hall today, lest people feel that the Vice Minister’s mansion has lost its manners.”
With just one sentence, Aunt Zhao was put in an awkward position.
Her status was certainly not suitable for her to appear in the front hall, so Qiao Er's words were beyond reproach.
"You can go down now. I'll talk to them here."
"Yes, the slaves retire."
Aunt Zhao didn't dare to breathe too loudly in front of Qiao Er. After all, she had heard about the power of the General of the State's Mansion when she was still a dancer, so she dared not provoke them easily.
Moreover, regardless of whether the child in her womb is a boy or a girl, in the future, besides the Vice Minister's mansion, she will also have to rely heavily on the eldest daughter and son-in-law, so befriending them is the only viable path.
With Aunt Zhao gone, Chi Guiwan felt much more at ease.
Every time she returned to the Vice Minister's residence, she was filled with dread. If she didn't have her husband's company in the future, she would never want to set foot there again.
Chi Yunjing watched coldly as her expression changed from tense to relaxed, and he felt uncomfortable. She was clearly his daughter, so why did she show him no respect but only fear and disgust?
It was Guo Shi who acted inhumanely, and her reputation was also affected. Thinking of this, and considering what Qiao Er had just said, a ruthless glint flashed in Chi Yunjing's eyes. He felt that Guo Shi might be willing to risk her life to pave the way for their Vice Minister's Mansion!
With this solution to his predicament, his back straightened considerably.
"Let's go have a meal first. You can go see your grandmother later and then head back. Eldest sister is frail, and it's cold outside, so it's best for her to go back and rest early."
Hearing her father's "unexplained" concern, Chi Guiwan was somewhat taken aback.
Not to mention her, even the two maids who followed Chi Guiwan, Qianchun and Fudong, found it somewhat unbelievable, because this fatherly love was really a bit "hypocritical".
Despite her initial surprise, Chi Guiwan quickly stood up and spoke.
“Father is right.”
Seeing that she was still quite respectful, Chi Yunjing didn't say anything more.
Chi Guiwan had never seen what other families' three-day homecoming celebrations were like, but she found it quite boring after sitting for only a quarter of an hour. She forced herself to eat with them, and then went to Huafangzhai to pay her respects to her unconscious grandmother before leaving with her husband, Qiao Er.
They left much more joyful than when they arrived.
After all, they were going to the Marquis of Haibo's mansion next, which was the place she was truly willing to return to for the third day after her wedding!
What excited her even more was that she would finally be able to meet Ho Ling-yee.