SGEIRS -Chapter 253 Dealing with Madam Sun

Meng Jinyao felt it was about time to settle things. Not wanting to watch them bicker any longer, she asked in a calm voice, “Grandmother, Father, now that Madam Sun has admitted her crimes, how do you plan to deal with her?”

Old Madam Meng looked at Meng Jinyao, frowning more deeply. This granddaughter had always been rebellious, and now with Marquis Changxing backing her, combined with Madam Sun’s confession, if the outcome displeased this troublemaker, who knew what kind of commotion she might stir up? It was truly a headache.

So Old Madam Meng directly asked back, “Jinyao, what are your thoughts? You may be young, but your mother died because of her. You can voice your opinion.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Meng Jinyao. Even Madam Sun looked at her, but after days of torment, she was too shaken to study the face that looked so much like Madam Zhou’s. She only cast a fleeting glance before averting her eyes.

Meng Jinyu and Meng Chengxing, siblings, watched Meng Jinyao silently, their hearts in their throats. They feared she might demand something extreme that would torment their mother.

Meng Jinyao looked at Madam Sun, feigning contemplation for a moment, then said, “A murderous woman who schemed against the legitimate wife and harmed her children—how is she fit to be a Meng family wife? In my view, Father, you should divorce Madam Sun.”

At these words, Meng Jinyu and Meng Chengxing were shocked. Divorce Mother?

Meng Dongyuan was stunned. He had never considered divorcing, after all, he and Madam Sun had two children. No matter how angry he was, he still had to think of the children. He immediately said, “Jinyao, if you dislike Madam Sun, I will send her away to a manor and she shall never return home.”

Originally, Old Madam Meng thought her eldest granddaughter’s idea was not bad. But now, hearing her son’s foolishness, she was irritated. Madam Sun was such a poisonous woman—tomorrow, her evil deeds would be known by everyone. If the Meng family kept this woman, it would confirm that she had pinned two deaths on the eldest granddaughter, forcing her to take the blame.

No matter what, today they had to expel this poisonous woman to silence the gossip. Moreover, she had blood on her hands; divorcing her was both reasonable and the best solution.

With a look of stern resolve, Old Madam Meng shot her son a glare. For the first time in over ten years, she agreed with her eldest granddaughter: “I actually think Jinyao’s idea is correct. A woman like Madam Sun does not deserve to be a Meng family wife.”

“Grandmother!”

“Grandmother!”

Meng Jinyu and Meng Chengxing stared at Old Madam Meng in shock. They hadn’t expected her grandmother to agree. If their mother was divorced and Father remarried, what would happen? Wouldn’t they be at the mercy of a stepmother?

Old Madam Meng spoke firmly: “Chengxing, Jinyu, you are no longer children. You must learn to discern right from wrong. A poisonous woman like Madam Sun is unworthy of being a Meng family wife.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyu and Meng Chengxing didn’t dare utter another word. If they did, they feared even they might be punished in her anger.

Seeing her grandchildren cowed, Old Madam Meng stopped lecturing and turned to her son to make the final decision: “You are the Marquis of Yongchang; why worry about not having a good wife? Today, divorce this poisonous woman. Give her a divorce notice and send her back to the Sun family. Better to remove her than let her continue to harm the Meng descendants.”

Meng Dongyuan thought for a moment and finally nodded: “I will issue her a divorce notice shortly.”

Faced with impending divorce, Madam Sun didn’t feel sorrow; instead, she breathed a sigh of relief. She could continue living as Madam Meng, but the rest of her life would be spent at the manor, where those petty servants might mistreat her.

Returning to the Sun family would be different. She had treated her brother, sister-in-law, and nephews well over the years, helped her natal family, and often supported them. Her relationship with her natal family had always been good. Her brother and sister-in-law wouldn’t likely mistreat her.

If she became a burden to them, she could at least live at the Sun family manor in her name. There she would have freedom, and her children could still visit her if they missed her.

Meng Jinyao had been observing Madam Sun and didn’t miss the fleeting smirk at the corner of her mouth. She found it amusing. Had Madam Sun been frightened senseless? Did she really have such naive thoughts—after scheming against her mother and brother, she still expected to live peacefully? Making Madam Sun divorced was only the first step in Meng Jinyao’s plan.

After a short while, Meng Jinyao said, “Grandmother, I have a request.”

Madam Meng’s heart skipped a beat. She felt this troublemaker, backed by Marquis Changxing, might be plotting something major. She asked anxiously, “What is it?”

Meng Jinyao’s face darkened, her tone low: “These past two days, I suddenly dreamed of Mother. She cried and lamented to me that she wanted a son. She said that below, she had no son to burn incense and paper offerings for her, and others mocked her for it.”

Old Madam Meng was stunned. Such a thing? But considering how tormented Madam Sun had been by spirits, it was probably true. Otherwise, why would so many go to such lengths to have a son? Though daughters were flesh and blood, they could not compare to sons. Those without sons often adopted one, simply to have someone to offer incense and paper offerings in their name.

She looked at her two grandsons and asked, “Do you want your two younger brothers to tend your mother’s grave?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head slightly. “No. I want Mother to have a son in her name, so that during festivals, someone can offer incense and paper to her. That’s what she wishes as well.”

This startled Madam Sun. She instinctively thought Meng Jinyao wanted revenge—to steal her son and posthumously transfer him to that despicable Madam Zhou. Wouldn’t that make her son’s life meaningless, or worse, have him belong to another woman?

Old Madam Meng paused again and asked, “So you want to posthumously assign a son to your mother?”

Meng Jinyao nodded. “Exactly. I hope Grandmother and Father can grant this. My mother died unjustly, and below, she is mocked for having no son. It pains me to see her ridiculed.” Tears began to fall. “I had originally come today to wish you a happy birthday, Grandmother, and planned to bring this up as well, but so many things happened unexpectedly.”

Old Madam Meng remained silent. This wasn’t difficult. If they gave Madam Zhou a son, her restless spirit would leave the Meng family in peace.

Meng Dongyuan thought the same. Feeling guilty toward Madam Zhou, he wanted to use a child to compensate her so she could leave the Meng family without lingering.

Thus, Meng Dongyuan agreed immediately: “This is easy. You only have three younger brothers, now just two left. Which one do you want to assign to your mother?”

Old Madam Meng had no objection either. “Then Jinyao, choose one.” Privately, she hoped the eldest granddaughter would choose Chengxing. As heir, he should not be tainted by a poisonous woman like Madam Sun. Assigning him to Madam Zhou would free him from her stain.

Hearing this, Madam Sun’s heart leapt to her throat. Could it be that her son would really be given to Madam Zhou?

Meng Jinyao noticed Madam Sun’s tense expression and subtly curled her lips. She looked at her two younger brothers. Meng Chengxing scowled, giving her no pleasant look. Her second younger brother, Chengzhang, had red, tear-stained eyes—clearly he had cried. Meng Jinyao saw him occasionally wiping his eyes with his sleeve.

She gently said, “Grandmother, Father, my third brother’s mother is still alive. I choose my second younger brother.”

Meng Dongyuan had no objection and dared not voice any. He wanted to compensate Madam Zhou immediately so her spirit would be satisfied and leave the Meng family. He nodded hastily: “Good. As you wish.”

Old Madam Meng felt slightly disappointed, thinking of persuading her eldest granddaughter to choose Chengxing. But the eldest granddaughter’s gaze remained on Chengzhang—clearly, her mind was made up.

Madam Sun first felt relieved, but the next moment realized something was wrong. If Meng Chengzhang were assigned to Madam Zhou, he would go from a commoner’s son to a legitimate son, with status equal to Chengxing.

After all, was this truly a posthumous wish from Madam Zhou, or was Meng Jinyao plotting some scheme?