SGEIRS -Chapter 317 Returning in Tears

Spring had arrived, bright and beautiful, with the world full of life and vitality.

In the marquis’s mansion’s back garden, flowers were in full bloom, birds sang, butterflies flitted through the air, and Meng Jinyao and her two sister-in-laws were enjoying the scenery while chatting about amusing events in the capital. Looking at them, they seemed to be getting along quite harmoniously.

Seeing Madam Chen’s unusually radiant smile today, Madam Zhang, out of curiosity, asked, “Second sister-in-law, did something good happen? I haven’t seen you stop smiling all day.”

Madam Chen replied, “This morning, the Liu family sent a message saying that Xuanling is pregnant. Though she isn’t my biological daughter, she has called me ‘mother’ for over ten years. Soon, I’ll be a grandmother, and that makes me happy.”

Meng Jinyao was a little surprised.

Madam Zhang, upon hearing this, exclaimed, “Xuanling is pregnant?”

Madam Chen nodded with a smile. “Xuanling felt unwell yesterday and was diagnosed to be over two months pregnant. She is usually quite careful, so it’s fortunate that nothing went wrong with the child.”

Hearing this, Madam Zhang thought of her own daughter. Her daughter had married in late August last year, and Xuanling married in October. Now Xuanling was already over two months pregnant, while her daughter Xuanyi’s belly was still showing no signs of life. She worried for Xuanyi—if she didn’t conceive soon, her in-laws, especially her mother-in-law, would not be pleased, as Xuanyi’s mother-in-law was not easy to deal with.

Madam Zhang didn’t want to dampen the mood, so she suppressed her concerns and smiled, offering congratulations: “Congratulations, second sister-in-law.”

Meng Jinyao also congratulated her: “Congratulations, second sister-in-law. By the end of the year, you’ll have a grandson to hold.”

Madam Chen laughed. “Xiuhong isn’t married yet, so who knows when I’ll have a grandson. I’ll take comfort in this first. Speaking of which, Xiuyuan’s wife will soon give birth too. Sister-in-law, you’ll be a grandmother.”

Hearing this, Madam Zhang felt a little better. Although she wasn’t yet a grandmother, she would soon be. Xiuhong from the second household hadn’t even married yet. But this year, Xiuyuan didn’t attend the spring imperial exams, while Xiuhong did. If he passed, he’d have many more options in choosing a wife. Comparing this, Madam Zhang felt a bit frustrated. After over a decade of rivalry, it seemed Madam Chen had the upper hand in almost everything—husbands and children alike.

Over there, the old Madam Gu came out for a walk. Seeing the three daughters-in-law not far away, getting along quite harmoniously, she said to Nanny Feng, “Since the third daughter-in-law married in, the open and hidden conflicts between the first and second daughters-in-law seem much fewer, especially after Xuanyi and Xuanling married. Now the sisters-in-law get along well.”

Nanny Feng thought for a moment and replied, “Perhaps someone in the middle has mediated. When they are together, they can’t really quarrel. Coupled with the attitudes of you and the marquis, which determine the status of the marquis’s wife, they want to maintain a good relationship with the marquis’s wife, reaching a certain balance. Naturally, the conflicts decrease.”

Old Madam Gu nodded, then smiled. “The third daughter-in-law is clever too.”

She had once thought it was a pity that the third daughter-in-law declined to manage the internal affairs of the household. As a senior daughter-in-law, she should have taken charge. But later she understood why the third daughter-in-law acted this way. Originally, the first daughter-in-law would manage the household affairs, with the second daughter-in-law assisting. This way, the first daughter-in-law wouldn’t monopolize power, and the second daughter-in-law wouldn’t feel resentful. Both could supervise each other, and no one would dare seek personal gain, fearing exposure and loss of authority.

If the third daughter-in-law managed the affairs herself, she wouldn’t need assistance from the first or second daughters-in-law. This would cause little loss to the second daughter-in-law, who was the Ministry of Rites’ official, while the first was merely an honorary position. The first household would be weakened, upsetting the balance, and hidden conflicts would naturally arise.

Now, the third daughter-in-law had given up power, achieved balance, and stabilized her mindset, so she wouldn’t engage in petty schemes. Outwardly, everything appeared harmonious. Her status ensured no one in the mansion dared neglect her. It was as if the third daughter-in-law had opened a restaurant and employed the first and second daughters-in-law for free—they worked for her.

Yet, managers are always just managers; they cannot surpass the owner. The harder they work, the easier it is for the owner. Clearly, the managers are competent enough, so the owner can relax, acting as a wealthy, carefree person, watching the two managers handle all the work.

The three sisters-in-law spent the afternoon together and were about to return to their own quarters.

At that moment, a maid came running to report: “Madam, the eldest young lady has returned and is urgently looking for you.”

Upon hearing this, the three sisters-in-law were startled. A married daughter visiting her parental home would usually give prior notice. Returning suddenly without warning meant something serious had happened.

Madam Zhang furrowed her brows, worry gnawing at her heart: “Xuanyi… why would she suddenly come back?”

Meng Jinyao spoke gently, “Sister-in-law, if Xuanyi is so eager to see you, something must have happened. You should go check on her.”

Madam Zhang nodded, asked the maid where Xuanyi was, and parted from her two sisters-in-law to see her daughter. Her heart raced uncontrollably, fearing her daughter had suffered some misfortune or been wronged at her in-laws’ house, prompting this sudden return.

Meng Jinyao said to Madam Chen, “Second sister-in-law, I’ll go back first. You take care of yourself.”

Madam Chen nodded. “Alright, I’ll go too. Second Master should be returning at this hour. We can continue our chat another day.”

Madam Zhang returned to her courtyard and, upon entering the room, saw her daughter sitting alone, silently weeping. Seeing Madam Zhang enter, Xuanyi choked back a sob and called out, “Mother,” her expression as if she had suffered a grave injustice, making Madam Zhang’s heart skip a beat.

Madam Zhang quickly approached her daughter, concerned: “Xuanyi, what happened?”

Gu Xuanyi threw herself into her mother’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face without explanation. Through her sobs, she managed to say, “Mother, I don’t want to go back. I don’t ever want to go back.”

Madam Zhang’s heart leapt. She knew her daughter had endured her mother-in-law’s torment, her sisters-in-law’s exclusion, and the rest of the Wu’an Marquis mansion was difficult to deal with. But Xuanyi had never spoken like this before or run home crying. If she was saying this now, she must have suffered tremendous injustice.

Madam Zhang hurriedly asked, “Xuanyi, did your husband mistreat you? Or did your mother-in-law go too far?”

Gu Xuanyi didn’t answer, continuing to cry. Her sobs grew louder and more desperate, as if she were venting all the grievances she had endured over these past days.

Listening to her daughter’s cries, Madam Zhang felt her heart break. She wiped her daughter’s tears while coaxing her: “Xuanyi, tell me what happened. Only then can I take action. Your father may be useless, but your third uncle is here. The Wu’an Marquis family wouldn’t dare offend your third uncle. If they go too far, your third uncle wouldn’t allow them to mistreat our Gu family girl.”

Hearing this, Gu Xuanyi slowly lifted her tearful eyes to her mother. Her gaze suddenly hardened, as if she had made a decisive resolution: “Mother, they are all bullying me. I don’t want to live with him anymore. I want a divorce!”