SGEIRS -Chapter 489 Choose One of the Two

“Absurd!”

Old Madam Meng’s face was stormy with anger as she prepared to scold her granddaughter. Yet, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her grandson-in-law sitting beside his wife. The words died on her lips, and she finally said, “A-Yao, why are you being so unreasonable? Caijiao, who tried to poison your mother’s unborn child, has already paid with her life. Even if we wanted to punish her further, we can’t. The culprit is dead—what more can we do to satisfy her?”

Meng Jinyao countered, “Grandmother, are you truly saying this was all Caijiao’s doing alone?”

Old Madam Meng replied, “The medicine was found in her room, and she admitted it herself. She bore a grudge because your mother had scolded her, so she acted with ill intent. Overcome with guilt afterward, she ended her life to apologize.”

Meng Dongyuan chimed in, “Yes, no one expected Caijiao to be so bold. But she’s already died to atone, so there’s no need to dwell on it. We can only advise your mother to let it go.”

Meng Chengxing, feeling guilty, didn’t dare to speak or even meet Meng Jinyao’s gaze, keeping his head slightly lowered.

Meng Jinyao’s eyes swept coldly over the three of them before settling on Meng Chengxing. She said, “Grandmother, Father, Third Brother… I think you know in your hearts whether this was truly only Caijiao’s doing.”

Her words made all three of them flinch inwardly.

Meng Dongyuan feigned confusion. “A-Yao, what do you mean by that? How could your father not understand?”

Meng Jinyao spoke plainly, “Father, you don’t need to pretend to be clueless. Caijiao was just a maid—how could she possibly have the courage to do such a thing?” As she spoke, her gaze never left Meng Chengxing. “Third Brother, you’ve been too close to Caijiao lately. Can you honestly say this has nothing to do with you?”

Hearing this, Old Madam Meng felt a surge of anxiety. Fortunately, Caijiao was dead, and there were no witnesses—if Chengxing denied it, that would be enough.

But it was Meng Chengxing’s first time committing such a guilty act, and inexperienced, he instinctively lifted his head to meet the stares of his elder sister and brother-in-law. Their faces were solemn, their eyes sharp and scrutinizing. Panic gripped him, and he stammered, “I-I really have nothing to do with it.”

Gu Jingxi toyed with the jade pendant at his waist, speaking calmly, “Third Brother, perhaps you could fool others, but you cannot fool me. So far, there hasn’t been a single culprit who dared refuse to admit guilt in front of me.”

Meng Chengxing went pale, his pupils contracting as he trembled. “I, I…”

Old Madam Meng quickly interjected, “Yaoling, Chengxing is timid. Why scare him? Normally, he wouldn’t even step on an ant, let alone harm the child in his mother’s womb.”

Meng Jinyao sneered, “Yes, Third Brother, who wouldn’t even crush an ant, is capable of harming a child not yet born. Whether he’s innocent or not, a thorough interrogation will reveal the truth.”

Old Madam Meng was furious. “You… you child! Chengxing is your brother, not a criminal. What kind of interrogation are you talking about? Are you saying you want to interrogate your own brother as if he were a criminal?”

Meng Jinyao replied seriously, her tone steady and deliberate: “He is now a suspect. What harm is there in questioning him?”

She continued, her expression grave: “The previous child of mine and my husband, Xiuming, was deprived of his heirship and exiled to Yazhou for attempting to harm his stepmother. Third Brother’s crime is no less serious. If pursued, Third Brother would also face exile.”

At her words, Old Madam Meng and Meng Dongyuan’s faces tensed. It was true—if investigated, Chengxing could not escape.

Young and spoiled, Meng Chengxing was terrified at the thought of exile, panic etched across his face as he pleaded to Madam Meng, trembling: “Grandmother, save me! I-I don’t want to be exiled.”

This confirmed Meng Chengxing’s involvement.

Old Madam Meng didn’t expect her grandson to admit it so quickly, but seeing his panic, she felt pity. She knew her granddaughter’s character—once she handled such a matter, it wouldn’t end with a few words. Rather than confront her directly, Old Madam Meng asked, “A-Yao, what exactly do you want to do?”

Meng Jinyao answered, “Grandmother, as I said, Mother has only one wish—to divorce Father.”

Meng Dongyuan, still fond of Madam Dong, immediately refused without hesitation: “I do not agree to a divorce!”

Meng Jinyao continued, “Since Father refuses, there is only one other solution: hold Third Brother accountable. You and Grandmother need not worry—he would only be exiled, and he would still live.”

Old Madam Meng’s face twisted in pain. “A-Yao, Madam Dong is merely your stepmother. Third Brother is your blood brother. How can you be so cruel?”

Meng Jinyao remained unmoved. “Grandmother, I uphold justice over family. Since the decision has been made, Third Brother must face the consequences.”

“Fine, fine, fine!” Old Madam Meng could not argue with her. She relented. “If Madam Dong wishes to leave the Meng household, we can grant her a divorce. She will take the document and leave today.”

Meng Jinyao frowned. “Grandmother, Mother has done nothing wrong. How can she be divorced?”

Old Madam Meng retorted, “And your father has done nothing wrong? How could a divorce happen?”

Although divorce often happened because of incompatibility, it was usually the husband at fault. If they divorced now, people would think the son was at fault.

Meng Jinyao shook her head resolutely. “Father is protecting Third Brother—that is a fault. Grandmother, now you must choose one of two: either divorce to free Mother, or immediately punish Third Brother.” She looked at Meng Dongyuan. “Father, do you choose Third Brother or Mother? The choice is yours.”

Meng Dongyuan glanced at his useless, disagreeable, and malicious son, then at his gentle, virtuous wife who had always pleased him. For a fleeting moment, he considered abandoning his son. After all, he still had Chengzhang, the capable son, so losing one useless child wasn’t too bad. But when he met his mother’s warning gaze, he found himself trapped.

Old Madam Meng, seeing her son hesitate, spoke gravely: “A-Yuan, a lost wife can be replaced, but a lost son is gone forever. Chengxing has called you ‘Father’ for over a decade. You know what decision must be made.”

Since it was a choice between the two, divorce seemed the better option. Her dear grandson could not be harmed. As for Madam Dong, if the daughter-in-law is unwanted, so be it. She didn’t like her anyway. Once Madam Dong was gone, her son could remarry later to a wife of her choosing.

Meng Dongyuan truly loved Madam Dong and felt reluctant, but under his mother’s pressure, he had no choice but to let her go. “I choose divorce.”

Saying this, he felt as if his heart were being torn apart. He glanced at his son with anger and resentment.

Originally, he had wanted to punish his son, but following his mother’s advice, he chose to minimize the matter and protect him.

He had also hoped to have more children with his wife. Now, after all this turmoil, he lost the wife he loved and was stuck with this troublesome son. If the son were to inherit the title in the future, he would die with regret!

Old Madam Meng and Meng Chengxing both breathed a sigh of relief at his choice.

Seeing his father’s unwillingness and barely concealed anger, Meng Jinyao’s lips curved slightly. It seemed she wouldn’t need to lift a finger—her father would handle it himself.