Chapter 156: Bringing My Granddaughter Home
After her meal, Ye Qianning had planned to check on the main hall, but she stopped just before reaching the entrance.
"What is it, Young Miss?" asked the butler, who was following behind her.
"I’m not going." Ye Qianning turned and walked away.
The butler hurried to keep up. "They all came to see you, Young Miss. If you don’t go..."
"The Old Madam is crude and unbearable. Let her suffer the consequences of offending these powerful nobles. Butler, there are some things you shouldn’t worry about so much. Just manage the manor’s affairs." Ye Qianning had been curious, but now that a physical fight had broken out, she no longer wanted to go.
’And Madam Zhan calling me her granddaughter...’
’If I go, it’ll probably be even harder to clean up this mess.’
’That old hag from the Xiang family never learns her lesson,’ she thought. ’The punishment I gave her last time was too light. If it weren’t for Father and all his lovely concubines, I wouldn’t want to stay in this General’s Residence for a moment longer.’
In the main hall, Madam Zhan, who was usually gentle and frail, now had the aura of a female general as she stared fiercely at Old Madam Xiang.
No matter how much of a scene she tried to cause, after being slapped twice in a row, Old Madam Xiang was starting to feel afraid. She clutched her face, her body trembling with rage.
Old Master Gu was an astute man. He had noticed the word "granddaughter," and his gaze shifted between the Zhan mother and son. He suddenly recalled the time Zhan Chi had been lurking by the wall of the General’s Residence.
’Those kids had a falling out long ago, so for him to suddenly be lurking by the wall was very strange.’
’And Madam Zhan rarely left her home, yet she had suddenly paid a visit...’
"Madam Xiang, the child belongs to my Zhan family," Madam Zhan said. "I was just wondering how to broach the subject of taking her home today. I never expected you to curse a child like this. You’re truly unfit to be human." She wished she could give her a few more slaps.
’Her little granddaughter, a child of the Zhan family, was being abused like this! If her husband found out, he would surely kill this vicious old crone.’
Old Madam Xiang was completely stunned. ’The child is from the Zhan family?’
Old Master Gu had already been suspicious, and upon hearing this, he felt a pang of envy. ’That Zhan boy is really something else!’
"The... the Zhan family’s?" Old Madam Xiang finally snapped out of it and started slapping the arm of her chair, wailing, "Oh, heavens! There’s no justice! Your Zhan family is bullying us! The young and the old are both in my Xiang family’s home, hitting me! I’m going to have my son file an imperial complaint! I’m going to the Empress to demand justice..."
"Shut up," Madam Zhan snapped.
Old Madam Xiang trembled and actually shut her mouth.
"The current Empress calls me ’Aunt.’ The Imperial Consort is my daughter. The Sixth Prince is my maternal grandson, and the Fifth Princess is my granddaughter. My father was a veteran official who served three reigns. Go ahead, file your complaint. Even if you don’t, my Zhan family will personally bring this matter before His Majesty. We’ll see just how brazen the Xiang family is, daring to abuse a granddaughter of the Zhan family." As Madam Zhan spoke, she advanced step by step, her domineering aura radiating from her.
Even Zhan Chi was a little intimidated by this. His mother was usually soft-spoken and graceful; he never thought she had such an imperious side. ’No wonder Father is so completely obedient to her.’
Old Madam Xiang stared at her, her pupils dilating. ’She knew the Zhan family had imperial relatives, but were their connections this strong?’
"The Zhan family will see this matter through to the very end," Madam Zhan declared, seething with anger.
Old Madam Xiang’s lips trembled, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal.
Madam Zhan snorted coldly and turned around. "Son, let’s go. We’re taking my granddaughter home."
’The old woman of the Xiang family is simply nauseating. I won’t tolerate my granddaughter being insulted by her for a second longer.’
"Alright." Zhan Chi was delighted.
Old Master Gu spat in Old Madam Xiang’s direction and followed Madam Zhan out the door.
It took a long while for Old Madam Xiang to recover. She broke down into hysterical sobs. ’That good-for-nothing son of mine! Bringing home such a jinx! The Xiang family is going to be ruined at the hands of that jinx and her little bastard child!’
The butler, who was waiting outside the door, heard everything clearly. ’The Young Miss is from the Zhan family... That’s a much higher status than the General’s daughter.’
"Has my granddaughter, my chubby girl, returned from Lou Mountain Academy?" Madam Zhan asked.