Chapter 626 - 626: The Melodramatic Matriarch
Chapter 626: The Melodramatic Matriarch
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Su Xiaoxiao didn’t notice what it was, but she quickly knew.
The commotion was too big. Emperor Jing Xuan and the envoy of Northern Yan, who were discussing in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, rushed over. Three princes came with them—Xiao Duye, Xiao Shunyang, and Xiao Zhonghua.
“General Li!”
An envoy looked at the disheveled man on the ground and exclaimed.
Emperor Jing Xuan and Helian Ye’s expressions turned ugly.
This was the harem. No matter who they were and if they were allies or fighting, it was impossible for Emperor Jing Xuan to be happy.
Similarly, Helian Ye was a little embarra.s.sed that his subordinate had barged into someone else’s harem.
Emperor Jing Xuan’s gaze swept across Su Cheng and Su Xiaoxiao.
Princess Hui An grabbed Su Xiaoxiao’s hand protectively. “Father, Qin Su entered the palace to change my dressing. She only heard the commotion here after changing.”
In other words, Su Cheng’s matter had nothing to do with Su Xiaoxiao.
Emperor Jing Xuan did not speak. He pretended not to see Bai Xihe behind the flowers and asked Su Cheng, “Protector Duke, what happened?”
Su Cheng glared at General Li, who had been helped up by his colleague, and said in a tone that was neither servile nor overbearing, “I realized that a thief had sneaked into the harem, so I came over to arrest him. If he doesn’t surrender, I can only use force.”
General Li’s mouth was covered in blood as he shouted in pain, “Nonsense! You clearly beat me up…”
“Shut up!” Helian Ye stopped his deputy general.
General Li shut up resentfully.
Helian Ye cupped his hands at Emperor Jing Xuan. “Your Majesty, I didn’t do well under my rule and actually allowed him to barge into the harem when he was drunk. I apologize to you here. This person has committed a huge mistake. I won’t tolerate it. Please allow me to bring him back to the posthouse and punish him severely!”
The Grand Empress Dowager had been offended. Although Emperor Jing Xuan could expose General Li’s crime, if word got out, it would damage the Grand
Empress Dowager’s reputation, and this concerned the face of the royal family.
Emperor Jing Xuan said authoritatively, “Since General Helian has spoken, let General Helian deal with this person.”
Helian Ye cupped his hands again to show his respect.
After all, this time, Northern Yan was indeed in the wrong.
After leaving the palace, General Li was still a little indignant. “General, I was just..
Helian Ye interrupted him coldly. “A hundred military strokes! Retreat to your official position in Northern Yan!”
General Li was stunned.
It was fine if it was a hundred military rods. He was a general and could withstand it with his thick skin, but it was too ruthless to dismiss him.
“General! ”
He had drunk a few more gla.s.ses at noon. When he was drunk, he saw a beauty walking past the harem. It was a beauty he had never seen before. He rushed over—
“I didn’t do anything, General!”
It was just a few… harmless words.
Helian Ye more or less understood his deputy general’s morals, but he had not gone too far in the past.
He asked, “Do you know who that woman is?”
“Who is it?” General Li muttered.
Helian Ye said coldly, “The Grand Empress Dowager of the Great Zhou!” General Li’s face turned pale with shock!
Seeing that the other party was young and beautiful, he thought that she was just a new concubine. Was she actually the Grand Empress Dowager?
How could she be… so young?
Bai Xihe was Emperor Jing Yan’s new empress. She had just turned 13 when she married Emperor Jing Yan. Now that 19 years had pa.s.sed, she was only 32 years old.
Indeed, she was not like a woman in her thirties. Time had not left any traces on her face, and no one would suspect that she wasn’t in her early twenties.
General Li finally realized what a heinous crime he had committed.
Helian Ye expected better from him and said, “If not for the fact that the Great Zhou Emperor doesn’t want to blow things up, a hundred heads wouldn’t be enough for him to chop off!”
General Li was completely speechless.
On the other side, Emperor Jing Xuan and the Grand Empress Dowager met. “We’ve frightened the Grand Empress Dowager,” he said with a hint of guilt.
“It’s fine,” Bai Xihe said calmly.
There were some things that did not need to be exposed. Emperor Jing Xuan exchanged a few more pleasantries with the Grand Empress Dowager before returning to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to continue entertaining the amba.s.sador.
Xiao Duye did not have a deep relationship with the Grand Empress Dowager.
When he saw her during the New Year and holidays, he bowed. That was all. Seeing that his father did not pursue the matter, he did not take it to heart.
Xiao Zhonghua was concerned about Su Cheng. Su Cheng expressed that he was fine and nodded. “Then I’ll leave first.”
Xiao Shunyang stayed. He did not agree with his father’s actions today.
Li offended the Grand Empress Dowager and should be executed according to the law. It was too light a punishment to just beat him up.
At the same time, he regretted not discovering him.
He frowned and suppressed the churning thoughts in his heart as he walked towards Bai Xihe. “Grand Empress Dowager…” Bai Xihe said calmly, “I’m tired. I’m going back to the palace.”
Xiao Shunyang cupped his hands and sent her off.
Bai Xihe brought Little Yunzi and the others back to Zhaoyang Hall. When she brushed past Su Cheng, she stopped and said softly, “Thank you… for today.”
“Dad, Dad, Dad!”
Su Xiaoxiao poked her father’s shoulder. Su Cheng came back to his senses. “What?”
Su Xiaoxiao pointed ahead. “She’s long gone.”
Princess Hui An was also called back by Consort Xian. Only the father and daughter were left in the huge garden.
Su Xiaoxiao took out a handkerchief and poured some blood-staunching elixir on the corner of her father’s mouth.
“Sss—” Su Cheng gasped in pain. “Daughter, be gentle. It hurts.”
Su Xiaoxiao did a standard Aunt Fu eye-roll. “Do you know pain now? Why did you do it earlier? She’s the Grand Empress Dowager. Do you need to do it? If you reveal your ident.i.ty, you can scare that Li!”
Su Cheng coughed lightly and said, “Then, then what if that guy takes advantage of her?”
Su Xiaoxiao raised her eyebrows and said, “What does it have to do with you? Do you like her or do you want to marry her?”
“I…” Su Cheng choked. He took the handkerchief and applied medication for himself. “What nonsense are you talking about every day? Madam Bai and I are innocent! I mean… the Grand Empress Dowager!”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “Oh.”
Su Cheng looked at his daughter. “What expression is that? You don’t believe your father?”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “I believe you—the problem is, Dad, do you believe yourself?”
Su Cheng said solemnly, “How can you say that? After you get married, you don’t have your father in your heart anymore, right?”
Su Xiaoxiao pursed her lips. “Dad doesn’t have me in his heart anymore, right? Dad has never been fierce to me in the past.”
Su Cheng was stunned and said awkwardly, “Did… did I scold you just now?”
Su Xiaoxiao looked resentful. “What do you think?”
“Ah… that…” Su Cheng scratched his head.
“A man in love, hmph!” Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and left without looking back!
When she arrived home, Wei Ting was not back yet. It seemed that the negotiations with the envoy today were very intense. No wonder Emperor Jing Xuan was not in the mood to deal with Bai Xihe. He had probably been provoked by government affairs.
She went to Matriarch Wei’s courtyard.
Old Madam Wei was fiddling with her things. Seeing her come over, she quietly pulled the cotton cloth over.
Su Xiaoxiao asked strangely, “Grandmother? Why are you so mysterious?”
“No.” Matriarch Wei pretended to be dumb.
Su Xiaoxiao asked, “Is Brother coming over for dinner later?”
Old Madam Wei sighed. “He’s not coming. He said that he was tired and wanted to sleep for a while. He hasn’t even gone to his mother’s side.” This was obviously an excuse.
Su Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment and said, “Grandmother, there’s something… I think I have to tell you. Big Brother hasn’t recovered his memories.”
Old Madam Wei sighed. “I know.”
“Huh?” Su Xiaoxiao looked at her in confusion.
Old Madam Wei said, “Ever since he entered the residence and didn’t ask about Feng’er, I knew that he didn’t remember anything from the past.”
Chu Feifeng was her sister-in-law’s name.
Matriarch Wei patted the stool at the side and gestured for Su Xiaoxiao to sit.
After Su Xiaoxiao sat down, Old Madam Wei continued, “Feng’er married into the Wei family at the age of 15 and was husband and wife with him for eight years. Their relationship has always been very good. Feng’er was once pregnant, but unfortunately, she couldn’t keep it and even injured her body. After that, she couldn’t give birth anymore. Feng’er suggested taking a concubine for him. He said, ‘I have six younger brothers. The Wei family doesn’t have to rely on me to pa.s.s down its bloodline.”‘
Su Xiaoxiao said, “So you know everything.”
Su Xiaoxiao thought that Matriarch Wei would say, “As long as he returned, no matter what his motive was, there would be a day when he would remember it.”
Unexpectedly, Matriarch Wei’s mood changed. She snorted and slammed the table. “It’s enough to kidnap him back. Does he think he can leave!”
The corners of Su Xiaoxiao’s mouth twitched. “Uh… are you trying to scam him again?”
Old Madam Wei glared at Su Xiaoxiao. “What are you thinking? Am I that kind of person?”
Su Xiaoxiao looked suspicious. “Then last time, you even asked me for…”
Old Madam Wei said without changing her expression, “That was for Little Six! If he dares not to come back, I’ll dare to re-organize the family!”
Su Xiaoxiao almost believed it. “How do you plan to keep Brother?”
Old Madam Wei stood up and said domineeringly, “Tie him up! Drug him! If it still doesn’t work, break his legs! I don’t care if he remembers who he is. In short, he’s a member of the Wei family in life and the soul of the Wei family in death!”
Fifteen minutes later, Matriarch Wei appeared at the entrance of the Ghostfear’s room in a sorry state.
She carried the swaddling clothes that Wei Liulang had worn when he was born with one hand and shook the rattle drum that Wei Dalang had played with when he was young with the other. She sang a small sad song that she had learned from Xiaohu miserably.
“Little cabbage The land is yellow Two to three years old… 30… 63… No grandchildren…”
Ghostfear was speechless..