Chapter 227 – A Quarrel Between Lady Zheng and Zheng Jinxiu?

Chapter 227 - A Quarrel Between Lady Zheng and Zheng Jinxiu?

Thus, the favor of taking them in could also be considered a life-saving grace.

She had wanted to keep them around until they could attend Zheng Jinxiu's wedding since, after all, she was their biological daughter.

However, she hadn't expected that her explanation would result in Zheng Jinxiu's strong objections.

"You can express your gratitude by giving them more money. Why must you insist on keeping them here?"

"Jinxiu, they are your biological parents and siblings. You're about to get married soon. Even if I were to ask them to leave now, they would still request to stay for your wedding banquet. It wouldn't be right for me to refuse them."

"Why not? Just give them more money. People from the countryside are easily swayed by money; they'll definitely be willing to leave if you give them more silver."

"Jinxiu..."

"Enough, don't say anything else. I can see that you just don't want them here."

Lady Zheng was astonished. "Jinxiu, how can you speak to Mother like that?"

"You vowed to always be my true mother, yet now you constantly refer to them as my biological parents. Are you planning to return me to them?"

Today, Madam Zheng was deeply shaken. "Jinxiu, why would you think such of your mother? When have I ever mentioned sending you back to them?"

Tears streaming down her face, Zheng Jinxiu pleaded, "If not, then send them away. I don't wish to see them; they'll only bring harm to our family in the long run."

Madam Zheng hesitated, causing Zheng Jinxiu's anger to flare. "You're unwilling to do so?"

"It's not that I'm unwilling, dear. As I just told you, it's not the right time."

"Mother."

"Enough, don't say anything more. I understand that it's hard for you to accept and that you feel resentment. But isn't that how I feel too? However, what can we do? There's no better solution for now. Go back and calm down. Think it over carefully."

Madam Zheng sighed and summoned a servant to escort Zheng Jinxiu back.

She felt a headache coming on and leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples.

After a while, Lady Luo entered and stood behind her, massaging her temples to alleviate the discomfort.

"Madam, Miss Zheng said those things today..."

Madam Zheng waved her hand, stopping her from continuing.

"She was worried and upset, speaking out of anger. We've seen Jinxiu grow up; how obedient and sensible she is. You know her character well. If not for her distress, she wouldn't have uttered such words."

Lady Luo hesitated but decided against voicing her thoughts.

As a servant, it wasn't proper for her to stir up trouble or criticize her masters; that was a major taboo for servants.

Zheng Jinxiu returned to Jinxiu's Pavilion with a huff.

Once she had calmed down, she realized there was some truth in Madam Zheng's words.

For instance, her best option now was indeed Lu Shen. Although his having an illegitimate eldest son infuriated her, the fact that they were hiding him suggested that the Lu family still cared about their reputation, and Lu Shen valued her feelings enough to conceal it.

Since they dared not expose the existence of the illegitimate child, she would pretend ignorance for now. She would think of a way to deal with the matter later on.

Considering the Fang family... After much contemplation, she still felt that they posed a greater threat.

The prestige of being the eldest Miss of the Zheng family gave her confidence. Without this title, how could she continue as the head daughter-in-law of the Lu family?

She absolutely could not allow her true identity to be revealed.

But her parents, remembering the Fang family's life-saving grace in the past, couldn't bring themselves to take action, or perhaps didn't wish to go too far and were reluctant to send them away.

They made the absurd decision to let them attend their wedding feast before leaving, so they wouldn't have any regrets. It was laughable.

If that couple truly cared for their daughter, would Zheng Jinyu and Fang Erya have suffered so much?

They had no intention of drinking at their own daughter's wedding feast; they only wanted an excuse to stay.

Zheng Jinxiu wanted to get rid of them.

But how could she do it?

Recalling how she broke down in front of Lady Zheng, demanding to send them away, and how unhappy it made her mother, Zheng Jinxiu knew she had to approach this carefully.

Indeed, filial piety comes before all virtues. She had always been a dutiful child in front of them; how could she do something unfilial?

Even if she had no feelings for this couple, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to be the one to drive them away.

So... she thought of Zheng Jinyu.

Yes, the Fang family had treated Zheng Jinyu so cruelly; she must despise them thoroughly.

Compared to herself, Zheng Jinyu would be even more eager to see them suffer.

With this in mind, Zheng Jinxiu wiped away her tears, tidied herself up, and headed for Yusheng Courtyard where Zheng Jinyu resided.

Chunmei rushed to inform Zheng Jinyu that Zheng Jinxiu was here.

Zheng Jinyu had been busy with the new year's collection and hadn't inquired about her sister's affairs.

Hearing that Zheng Jinxiu had come to see her, she was somewhat surprised.

"Is something wrong today?"

Chunmei remarked, "Upon learning about Lu Shen's illegitimate elder son, she must have panicked. Today, she went to see Lady Zheng, and I heard that she rushed out of her room in tears."

Oh, did she have an argument with Lady Zheng?

Their seemingly unbreakable mother-daughter bond seemed to have developed a crack.

Zheng Jinyu smiled. "They had an argument?"

"It seems so. The servants outside heard raised voices from inside the room."

"What was Lady Zheng's attitude like?"

"No idea. She hasn't left her quarters all day, and only Lady Luo has been attending to her."

That meant there was no way to find out more, as Lady Luo was fiercely loyal to Lady Zheng and wouldn't divulge any confidential conversations they had.

Even without being told, Zheng Jinyu could make some educated guesses.

Even if Lady Zheng had an argument with Zheng Jinxiu, she wouldn't turn her back on her daughter so quickly.

But it didn't matter; a crack was all that was needed.

No matter how flawless a porcelain vase might be, a hairline fracture would ultimately lead to its shattering.

"Ask her to come in."

"Yes, Miss."

In private, Chunmei always addressed her as 'Miss.' At this point, she was solely loyal to Zheng Jinyu. In her eyes, Zheng Jinxiu didn't qualify as a young miss of the Zheng family, so there was no need to differentiate between 'eldest' and 'second' miss – there was only one Zheng miss.

In a short while, Zheng Jinxiu entered, scolding Chunmei all the way.

"How could I not have noticed your treachery before? Hmph, you had to announce my arrival as if I'm some outsider?"

After Fang's siblings disturbed Zheng Jinyu previously, Lady Zheng assigned two sturdy matrons to guard the entrance.

Lady Zheng instructed them not to allow the Fangs inside, but Zheng Jinyu told them that no one, except for Lady Zheng, Master Zheng, and the Matriarch, should be let in without prior notice.

Being stopped at the gate frustrated Zheng Jinxiu greatly.

But, considering the purpose of her visit today, she endured the anger and vented it on the maids along the way. Once they entered the inner courtyard, she held her tongue.

At that moment, Chunmei paused at the entrance and invited Zheng Jinxiu inside.

As Zheng Jinxiu passed by, Chunmei whispered, "I live off the Zheng family and am nourished by them. If I were to believe outsiders' words, that would be the ultimate betrayal."

Zheng Jinxiu had one foot over the threshold when she heard Chunmei's remark. She halted in her tracks.

"You..."

"Ahem." Before she could finish her sentence, Zheng Jinyu, who was inside the room, cleared her throat as a reminder. "I wonder what has brought Sister here?"