SGEIRS -Chapter 487 Wants a Divorce

Meng Jinyao felt a jolt in her heart. When she had returned to her parental home on the second day of the New Year, her stepmother had been fine, in good health. How could she suddenly have a miscarriage out of nowhere?

Soon, Meng Jinyao remembered her father. Previously, she had heard from a friend that after he got drunk at a tavern, he had raved that if her third brother didn’t shape up, he would petition the emperor to remove him and make the stepmother’s son the heir.

Besides that, because the second brother was promising, the third brother was despised by their father. It was certain he would feel resentment. If her father’s plan to make the stepmother’s child the heir became known to the third brother, he could very well do something harmful to the stepmother’s unborn child.

Her tone heavy, she asked, “Xianglan, how did mother suddenly have a miscarriage?”

Xianglan choked back tears and said, “Madam had an accident and fell. The fetus was unstable, so the doctor prescribed medicine to secure it. But someone with ill intent added blood-activating herbs to her medication, causing the miscarriage.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao’s face darkened. Her father would never harm his own child, and no matter how much her grandmother disliked her stepmother, she wouldn’t harm her own grandchild. The only person in the household with a motive was her third brother.

Even though she had already guessed the culprit, she asked, “Have you found out who did it?”

Xianglan glanced at Meng Jinyao and Gu Jingxi, then at the maids in the room, hesitating.

Meng Jinyao waved her hand, signaling the maids to step out.

Once they left, Xianglan said, “It was the work of the heir, but the maid Caijiao, who administered the poisoned medicine under his orders, was likely threatened. She insisted it was because Madam had scolded her, so she bore a grudge and acted maliciously—but she ended up running into the hall and dying. Now she is dead, so there is no one to testify.”

Meng Jinyao asked again, “Do you have any evidence linking the heir to this?”

Xianglan shook her head. “Neither I nor Madam have concrete proof. But people saw Caijiao and the heir behaving intimately, and the heir has long held resentment toward Madam. We guessed that she acted under his orders.”

Meng Jinyao pressed on, “Who threatened Caijiao into not telling the truth?”

Xianglan hesitated before answering, “At first, Caijiao tried to defend herself, but when the poisoned medicine was found in Madam’s prescription, she had no way to explain. The old madam interrogated Caijiao—she was present during the questioning, along with the heir. Afterwards, Caijiao took her own life to atone. I do not know exactly how the old madam interrogated her. Caijiao was born in the household; I dare guess she did it for the sake of her family, claiming she bore a grudge and poisoned Madam.”

Meng Jinyao frowned deeply. Although her stepmother and Xianglan were only speculating, she agreed with their reasoning. What maid would dare do such a thing on her own? Her third brother had likely used Caijiao to carry out the act. The stepmother needed to take the medicine to secure her pregnancy, giving them the perfect opportunity.

As for her grandmother protecting her third brother, Meng Jinyao was not surprised in the least. In her grandmother’s mind, an unborn grandchild was far less important than the third son. Even the promising second son was secondary; the third son was her favorite.

Seeing her silent, Xianglan didn’t know what to make of her, and spoke again: “Miss, Madam truly has no other way. That is why she sent me to ask you to return to the Meng household. Only you can help her.”

Meng Jinyao said gently, “If mother needs me, I, as her daughter, have an obligation. Stand up—we will leave for the Meng household immediately.”

“I thank you, Miss.”

Xianglan bowed in gratitude before rising.

On the carriage.

Meng Jinyao’s face was grave, her brows tightly furrowed. She was about to become a mother herself and knew the importance of a child to its mother. Her stepmother, twenty-six and pregnant with her first child, would naturally treasure it, yet someone had plotted against the baby. Her stepmother must be heartbroken, inconsolable.

Gu Jingxi reached out and touched her brow, trying to smooth her frown. In a gentle voice, he said, “A-Yao, don’t be sad.”

Meng Jinyao spoke in a low tone, “Meng Chengxing truly inherits the cruelty of Madam Sun. My grandmother is also outrageous—though Meng Chengxing committed this act, she still protects him. The death of my second uncle did not wake her. She spoils her favored juniors excessively; when they err, she punishes them not at all, only letting them act even more recklessly.”

Gu Jingxi said, “To elders like that, they see the erring junior as still a child, immature, not worth strict scolding. They think they will learn when they grow. Yet the child strays further down the wrong path, eventually beyond remedy.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao narrowed her eyes. “An immoral elder brings disaster to the whole family. Grandfather had barely revived the Meng family, and now it’s all destroyed by her.”

Gu Jingxi comforted her, “Don’t be angry, A-Yao. When the second brother grows up and restores the family’s discipline, the Meng family will recover.”

Upon returning to her parental home, Meng Jinyao did not go to see her father or grandmother but went straight to her stepmother’s courtyard.

Madam Dong had lost her child and was overcome with grief and despair. She lay on the bed, eyes vacant. She had already realized the Meng household was a den of wolves; except for the eldest daughter and Chengzhang, there was no good person. Yet she hadn’t expected something even more suffocating—Chengxing, at such a young age, already knew how to harm others, and the mother-in-law knew it was his doing yet chose to cover for him. Her husband could not be relied upon, dared not oppose his mother, and only comforted her that she would have more children. In the end, she could only rely on her already-married stepdaughter.

At that moment, a maid came running to announce: “Madam, the eldest daughter and eldest master have arrived.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Dong’s eyes brightened slightly. She hurried, “Quick, invite them in.”

When Meng Jinyao entered, she saw Madam Dong propped on the bed, haggard, eyes red and swollen—clearly she had been crying. Her heart tightened. Supported by Gu Jingxi, she hurried forward and asked with concern, “Mother, are you alright?”

Madam Dong saw her concern was sincere, and a warmth ran through her heart. Looking at her daughter’s belly, she said guiltily, “A-Yao, your condition makes it inconvenient; I shouldn’t have made you come. But I truly have no other way. Only you can help me now.”

Meng Jinyao sat at the edge of the bed and said gently, “A mother and daughter need no such formality.”

Madam Dong’s eyes welled with tears again. “I truly thank you for coming on my behalf today.”

Meng Jinyao spoke softly, “Mother, there’s no need to thank me. But what exactly do you want me to do? I heard from Xianglan that Caijiao has committed suicide. With her gone, there is no proof. If the third brother insists this had nothing to do with him and grandmother protects him, we can do nothing—unless there’s other circumstantial evidence.”

Madam Dong looked at her with determination. “A-Yao, I want to divorce your father.”