Chapter 257 - 257: Madam Lin’s Panic
Seeing Old Madam Wang’s angry expression, Wang Qinghai was afraid that if it was really the wife of Lord Zhou, the matter would blow up.
He hurriedly bowed and said, “Grandaunt, Lord Zhou’s appointment in Yunzhou happened suddenly. It’s my fault for forgetting to tell you about it. Lord Zhou only became a scholar three years ago. His Majesty personally appointed him to be the county magistrate of Qingchuan. Although he’s only a fifth-grade official, it’s also His Majesty’s order to install him as a fourth-grade magistrate in Yunzhou. Lord Zhou’s wife is from a farmer’s family and likes to farm. The new rice seeds we bought were cultivated by her.
It seems that it’s also because of this that His Majesty conferred her as a first-grade madam protector of the country. The couple is His Majesty’s people. As soon as she took office, the head shopkeeper of the Four Seas Bank personally went to visit them. Also, Lord Zhou dotes on his wife very much. After being married for a few years, he has no concubines. He even publicly said that he was afraid of his wife at the welcoming banquet we held for him.”
Old Madam Wang thought to herself that even if she cultivated a new rice seed, the Imperial Court would not reward her with a first- grade madam protector status! Could there be a secret that no one knew about?
Madam Lin frowned and said to Wang Qinghai, “Even if she’s really a
first-grade madam, she can’t force our Ah Yue and Ah Ruo to kneel and slap them because of a small matter. She doesn’t care about our Wang family. Mom, are we going to just let it go?”
Wang Qinghai smiled at her and said, “Second Aunt, Lord Zhou and his wife are His Majesty’s people. It’s better to resolve the enmity between our Wang family and Lord Zhou! What if Ah Yue and the others didn’t explain clearly? I’ll go to Zhou Ji’s bag shop to investigate the situation before we make plans. What do you think?”
Madam Lin said angrily, “Do you mean Ah Yue and the others lied?”
“Madam Lin.” Before Madam Lin could finish, Old Madam Wang stopped her. “Do as Qinghai says. Find out more first before making plans.”
“Yes, Grandaunt.” Wang Qinghai bowed and left.
After Wang Qinghai left the Wang family’s house, he went straight to Zhou Ji’s bag shop. After the shopkeeper received him and found out about the reason for his visit, he called the staff who served Li Yu and the others. When the staff told Wang Qinghai the truth, Wang Qinghai frowned. Fortunately, he came to ask around. Otherwise, the two families would have a grudge. Ah Yue and Ah Ruo were cute and polite at home, but they were so arrogant and domineering outside.
After his investigation at the shop, Wang Qinghai thanked the shopkeeper, and found the three bailiffs. After asking them, he returned to the Wang family and told Old Madam Wang what had happened. He said, “Grandaunt, you can’t blame Madam Li for this. My two cousins were the ones who were too rude!”
When Old Madam Wang heard this, her face turned ashen. She reprimanded Madam Lin, “You insensible thing. There are so many people in the world who look alike. She said such vicious words just because of this. Is this the daughter you raised? Go, call those two evil creatures over and let them tell the truth.”
When Madam Lin heard this, she looked up at Old Madam Wang and said,
“Mother, Ah Yue hasn’t said a word from the beginning to the end. It’s all Ah
Ruo’s fault! Who knew that Ah Ruo would be so bold to spout nonsense!”
Old Madam Wang looked at Madam Lin mockingly. “Do you think Ah Ruo would dare to say all that without Ah Yue’s instigation?” Madam Lin was speechless and walked out with a dark expression.
It seemed like she had to apologize as soon as possible. If word spread, the reputation of Ah Yue and Ah Ruo would be ruined. Old Madam Wang sighed in her heart. It was all debt!
Madam Lin walked in with Ah Yue and Old Madam Wang. “Kneel down.” The two of them already knew that they could not hide it anymore. They looked at Old Madam Wang pitifully and begged, “Grandma, we were wrong. We won’t dare to do it again.”
Old Madam Wang looked at the ointment on their faces and said to them, “Go to the government office with your mother to apologize. When you come back, you’ll be grounded for a month and you have to copy the Lessons for Women a hundred times. Madam Lin, go prepare the gifts and go to the government office with Qinghai to apologize.”
When Ah Yue heard Old Madam Wang asking her to go to the government office to apologize, she felt hatred in her heart. How could a woman from the countryside be worthy of her apology? Ah Yue kowtowed and begged, “Grandma, I was wrong. Look at my face. Please spare me this time. I’ll go when I’m better.”
Ah Ruo also looked at Old Madam Wang. Wang Qinghai advised, “Grandaunt, why don’t we excuse them this time!”
Old Madam Wang looked at her granddaughter’s face full of ointment and felt her heart ache. She waved her hand and said, “Forget it! You can go when your confinement period is up!” The Lin family’s face darkened. She prepared a gift and led the servant girl and Wang Qinghai toward the government office.
Li Yu slept at home with Yangyang. When she woke up, she saw that he was still sleeping soundly. She closed the door and entered the space to check the corn seeds and rice seeds she had stored in the space. She thought about when she would go to the mountains with Gu Yu to see if there were any desolate land to develop. She could also help the villagers.
As soon as she came out of the space, Yangyang woke up. When he saw Li Yu, he reached out and said, “Mom, go find Grandmaster.”
Li Yu kissed his flushed face and picked him up. She said gently, “Yangyang, do you miss Grandmaster? Grandmaster went to the countryside to do a volunteer consultation. Shall we go to the kitchen and get Grandma Liu to cook something delicious for Yangyang?”
Yangyang kissed Li Yu on the cheek and nodded obediently. “Okay, Let her cook something delicious for Yangyang. Mom will eat too.”
“Good boy.” Li Yu kissed him happily and walked towards the kitchen. The mother and son chose to have lotus root bone soup in the kitchen. After the salmon was prepared for steaming, they went to the back garden and stood on the corridor to watch the fish swimming in the lotus pond. Just then, Xing Hua came in and reported, “Madam, Lord Wang Qinghai and Madam Lin would like to see you.”
Li Yu was stunned. Why did Wang Qinghai want to see me? Why didn’t he go to Xiao Xi in the government office?
“Okay, take him to the front hall. I’ll be right there.”
Li Yu carried Yangyang back to the main courtyard and said to him, “Son, Mom has a guest. Can you play with Sister Gu Yu for a while?”
Yangyang looked at the small wooden sword in Gu Yu’s hand and nodded. He let Gu Yu lead him to find Seven Pounds. Li Yu went to the front hall and saw Wang Qinghai and a luxuriously dressed woman sitting in the hall.
When Madam Lin saw Li Yu walk into the hall, she suddenly stood up and looked at Li Yu in a daze. She muttered softly, “Jinniang!” Suddenly, she felt a buzzing in her head and fell onto the chair.
Wang Qinghai was also stunned. Madam Li was too similar to Second Aunt.
Li Yu glanced at Madam Lin and knew that the woman in the afternoon was from the Wang family. Seeing Madam Lin lose her composure and collapse, she felt that there was definitely something wrong with her. She recalled that Li Mei had said that Mrs. Li was saved by Father Li when he was escaping from the famine, and Mrs. Li’s every move seemed to come from a rich family. Could there have been a conspiracy? Unfortunately, when she received the Host’s memories, she didn’t have a clear memory of Mother Li. She only remembered that she was a woman with a gentle smile.
Li Yu said to Wang Qinghai, “May I know why Lord Wang is visiting?
Wang Qinghai came back to his senses and bowed to Li Yu. “Madam, please forgive me. When I saw that you looked so similar to Second Aunt, I lost my composure and offended Madam Li..”