Chapter 314
Chapter 314
When Xu Heming arrived at the old madam's courtyard, Old Madam Zhou was sitting upright in the seat of honor, still putting on the airs of his mother-in-law.
Xu Heming entered the room but did not bow to her. He merely glanced at her and asked in a dissatisfied tone, "Old Madam Zhou, you sought out this prince. Is there a matter you wish to discuss?"
Old Madam Zhou frowned. She had not expected Prince An to have such an arrogant attitude.
He was truly not giving her any face at all.
At this thought, Old Madam Zhou's expression darkened.
"I heard that Qingshi had an accident over there?" Old Madam Zhou sighed, asking with a heavy expression.
"This is the Zhou family. Isn't Old Madam Zhou's information more well-informed than this prince's?" Xu Heming asked bluntly.
"Ah Xin is gone, and this child also has a thin fate," Old Madam Zhou said, feigning sorrow.
In her heart, however, she did not care at all whether Xu Qingshi lived or died. He was just an outsider with a different surname.
As long as her own grandson was fine, Old Madam Zhou felt that Xu Qingshi's death was no different from a family losing a maid or a servant.
Besides, her relationship with Xu Qingshi could not be considered close.
Therefore, during the long time Xu Qingshi had been at the Zhou residence, she hadn't even wanted to see him.
At this moment, she even thought that if he was gone, he was gone. This way, when her daughter married into Prince An's manor in the future, she could just give birth to a few more children, and that would be that.
"Old Madam, is that truly all you think?" Xu Heming asked, looking at Old Madam Zhou with sarcasm.
"Yes, Prince An shouldn't be too sad either. That child went to be by Xin'er's side. He has already accompanied you for five years; it is time for him to properly accompany his mother," Old Madam Zhou said with earnestness.
Those who didn't know better would think that Xu Qingshi hadn't died in the Zhou family, but somewhere else entirely.
Otherwise, where did Old Madam Zhou get the nerve to speak to Xu Heming like this?
"Heh!" Xu Heming was so angry he laughed.
His son was dead, and she was advising him not to be sad, saying the child just went to accompany his mother?
Recalling the words Zhou Yuying had just said, he thought to himself that these two were indeed mother and daughter; the things they said were exactly the same.
Thinking about it, Zhou Yuxin was truly pitiful to have had such a mother and sister.
"Prince An, you are still young. By rights, you should branch out and bear offspring for the manor as soon as possible. Although the Emperor bestowed that merchant's daughter upon you, she doesn't look like someone destined for many children and blessings. Ying'er is Xin'er's biological sister. Presumably, Xin'er would also hope that her sister could go to Prince An's manor to take care of you," Old Madam Zhou said to Xu Heming, deliberately using her deceased daughter's name.
She only hoped that Xu Heming would take Zhou Yuying in.
Even if she couldn't be the primary wife, as long as she gave birth to the eldest son early on, who the position of Princess An would belong to in the future would still be up in the air.
Besides, the child Yuying gave birth to would definitely resemble Xu Qingshi. When the time came, Prince An would see the child and think of the person he lost, and all the benefits would only go to her daughter.
"Does Old Madam Zhou not know how Madam Zhou died?" Xu Heming asked sarcastically, looking at Old Madam Zhou's self-righteous posture of doing it all for his own good.
One must know, no normal mother would let the murderer who killed her daughter marry her daughter's husband, right?
Yet Old Madam Zhou was actually doing exactly this.
"That was Xin'er's thin fate. You can't blame anyone else," Old Madam Zhou said with a matter-of-fact expression.
As if Zhou Yuxin's death was truly just a case of passing away from difficult labor during childbirth.
After all, women who died from difficult labor were not in the minority.
"If Old Madam Zhou is unclear about how her daughter died, this prince doesn't mind repeating it to you again. Your daughter was poisoned by Third Miss Zhou, and that is why she died," Xu Heming said ruthlessly.
Old Madam Zhou was taken aback at first. She hadn't expected Xu Heming to actually speak of this matter so openly.
This made it impossible for her to play dumb any longer.
Thinking of this, she sighed.
"This matter, this old woman knows. It's just that it has been so long, and Ying'er was also deceived by others. Xin'er wouldn't blame her," Old Madam Zhou remained silent for a while before saying this with a sad face.
"Old Madam Zhou's standards are truly low!" What did Xu Heming still not understand at this point?
This Zhou family obviously intended to protect their youngest daughter.
"This prince feels it is unworthy for my princess. Your Zhou family first harmed this prince's princess, and now, you have harmed this prince's son," Xu Heming said with some anger.
"Prince An, Qingshi was just a child. I am also very sad that an accident happened. However, we should also learn to look forward. Why don't you marry Ying'er and give birth to a few more obedient and sensible children like Qingshi as soon as possible," Old Madam Zhou said, still not giving up.
She thought that if Zhou Yuying gave birth to a child, they might also look extremely similar to Xu Qingshi.
When the time came, how could Xu Heming still care about how Zhou Yuxin died back then?
When the time came, Xu Heming wouldn't care about Xu Qingshi, a child who had long since passed away, either.
"So, your Zhou family deliberately schemed to take my son's life, just because you wanted to shove your unmarriageable, poisonous snake of a youngest daughter into my Prince An's manor?" Xu Heming was once again angered to the point of laughter by Old Madam Zhou's attitude.
It was his first time seeing such a shameless person.
Their Zhou family was clearly in the wrong, yet they acted as if the fault lay with others.
The Zhou family was truly something else.
"Xu Heming, what is the meaning of your words? My perfectly fine daughter married you and lost her life giving birth to your son, and you actually have the gall to demean her sister's reputation like this?" Hearing this, Old Madam Zhou stood up angrily, pointed at Xu Heming's nose, and rebuked him.
"Heh, Old Madam Zhou's ability to shift the blame is quite impressive," Xu Heming sneered, looking at Old Madam Zhou.
He hadn't interacted with this Old Madam Zhou much in the past, and never expected her to be so unreasonable.
"Xu Heming, today, you must give this old woman an explanation. Either you marry Yuying, or don't even think about walking out the doors of my Zhou family!" Old Madam Zhou pulled out a pair of scissors from who knows where, pointed them at her own neck, and threatened.
"What, is Old Madam Zhou trying to force me with her life to marry your youngest daughter?" Xu Heming asked, looking at Old Madam Zhou sarcastically.
He had always known that the Zhou family wanted him to marry Zhou Yuying, but he had never agreed.
But he hadn't expected Old Madam Zhou to be so naive as to actually use her life to threaten him.
Xu Heming was not someone who would compromise.
Besides, one look at this Old Madam Zhou and it was obvious she was just putting on a show.
As for those scissors, Xu Heming was even worried they were too dull.
"Xu Heming, if you don't comply with this old woman's wishes, when the reputation of murdering your former mother-in-law spreads, do you think the Emperor will still entrust you with important tasks?" Old Madam Zhou said with a smug expression.
"I saw it, you're the one who wants to commit suicide!" a child's voice rang out from the side.