SGEIRS -Chapter 534 Utterly Despicable

At that moment, the Ling family physician’s words broke the silence. “Old Madam, Madam, the Young Heir caught a chill and then suddenly developed a high fever. Once the fever subsides and he rests properly for a few days, he’ll be fine.”

Hearing this, Old Madam Meng felt heartache for her grandson, but also regret and pity on his behalf. For more than half a year, Chengxing had buried himself in his studies, and he was just about to attend the assessment. Yet he suddenly fell ill—there was no way he could make it to the examination on time now.

Before long, Old Madam Meng turned her anger on the maids serving in the courtyard. After the physician left, she immediately punished them for their negligence, which had caused Meng Chengxing to miss the Lingshan Academy assessment. Each maid had two months’ wages docked as a warning.

Madam Zhao said, “Mother, Chengxing is ill to this extent—his father cannot possibly remain unaware. This daughter-in-law will go find my husband at once.”

Old Madam Meng glanced at her daughter-in-law. Earlier, Madam Zhao’s maid had gone to look for her son and hadn’t been able to see him. Even if Madam Zhao went personally now, he might still refuse to come. She said, “No need. I’ll send someone to fetch him shortly.”

Madam Zhao replied softly, “All right.” Then, in a considerate and filial tone, she added, “Mother, it’s already so late. Why don’t you return to rest first? I’ll stay here—Chengxing will be well looked after. And Chengzhang, you’re supposed to leave for the academy tomorrow. You should go back and rest as well.”

Meng Chengzhang had not been particularly anxious about his younger brother’s illness before, but he had now changed his mind. He decided not to depart so soon tomorrow and to first visit his eldest sister at the Changxing Marquis’s residence. He said, “Third Brother is ill like this—I’m deeply worried too. I’ll cancel tomorrow’s trip. Once his fever subsides, it won’t be too late for me to return.”

Hearing both her daughter-in-law’s and grandson’s words, Old Madam Meng felt greatly comforted. She said gently, “You’re all thoughtful. Then I’ll head back first. If anything comes up, have someone come find me.”

Madam Zhao responded, “Yes, Mother.”

As soon as Old Madam Meng stepped out, her expression darkened. She instructed the maid beside her to inform her son to come to Rongfu Hall immediately—without delay.

Over there, Meng Dongyuan was in the middle of an intimate moment with his favored concubine when he heard a maid reporting outside the door, “My Lord, Old Madam orders you to go over at once. Not a moment may be delayed.”

His pleasure abruptly interrupted, Meng Dongyuan’s mood was instantly ruined. His face turned ugly. Earlier, when Madam Zhao had sent someone to summon him back, he had refused to see them. He hadn’t expected her to go straight to his mother and complain. Since his mother had ordered him over, however, he had no choice but to comply. He hurriedly dressed and went to Rongfu Hall, his expression dark and displeased.

When Old Madam Meng saw him, she noticed his stiff face and obvious irritation, which only made her angrier. She berated him harshly, “Your son is ill like this, yet you’re off fooling around with a concubine! We had to send for you again and again before you’d come back. Is that how a father behaves?”

Meng Dongyuan froze, then asked blankly, “Mother, Chengzhang was perfectly fine—how did he fall ill?”

Old Madam Meng’s face sank. “So in your eyes, you only have one son? No wonder Chengxing did something foolish before. Your favoritism has reached this point! Madam Sun did have her faults back then, but the child is yours—he carries your blood. He’s the child you once held in the palm of your hand. How can you be so cruel to him because of Madam Sun?”

Aware that he was in the wrong, Meng Dongyuan didn’t pursue that topic. He asked awkwardly, “Mother, I truly didn’t know Chengxing was ill. He’s always been so healthy—how could he suddenly fall sick?”

Old Madam Meng snorted coldly. “Of course you didn’t know. Qianyi sent someone to find you, and you shut the door in their face. She didn’t even get the chance to tell you. You were so eager to enjoy yourself with that disgraceful thing that you completely humiliated Qianyi. How is that any different from favoring a concubine and suppressing your wife?”

That label was one Meng Dongyuan couldn’t afford to wear. He quickly said, “Mother, you’re being too severe. I thought she was stirring up trouble again—that’s why I ignored it.”

Old Madam Meng asked sternly, “Qianyi is gentle, virtuous, considerate, and filial. What could you possibly be dissatisfied with? You smear her at every turn and twist right into wrong, claiming she’s at fault.”

Meng Dongyuan tried to explain, “Mother, she—”

Old Madam Meng shot him a sideways glance and cut him off. “Enough. I don’t want to hear your sophistry. It’s normal for men to like young and beautiful women, but your wife cannot remain young and beautiful forever. Even if you married a fifteen-year-old today, she would still grow old one day. Qianyi is such a fine woman—aside from being a bit older, she has no other faults. When you take a wife, you choose virtue; when you take a concubine, you choose beauty. You must understand this. No matter how fond you are of young concubines, you still need to give Qianyi the respect she deserves.”

Left speechless, Meng Dongyuan knew that no matter what he said, his mother wouldn’t believe him. The gentle woman in his mother’s eyes was, in front of him, a shrew. When dealing with Madam Zhao, he always ended up on the losing side.

If, when Madam Zhao had sent someone to summon him earlier that night, they had clearly said Chengxing was ill, would he really have refused to see them? It was precisely because her people hadn’t explained anything—only telling him to return—that he had grown annoyed and refused. He even suspected that Madam Zhao had done this deliberately, instructing her people not to explain clearly, so that when he ignored it, she could complain to his mother and let his mother make trouble for him. That woman was truly despicable!

Old Madam Meng said regretfully, “Chengxing’s high fever means he’ll miss the Lingshan Academy assessment. As for when the academy will recruit students again—who knows when that will be.”

Instead of regret, Meng Dongyuan felt relieved and said indifferently, “Even if Chengxing went, he might not pass the assessment. Being ill now is just as well—it saves him the embarrassment. Then I can also tell others he missed it due to illness, rather than saying he went and failed again.”

Old Madam Meng frowned, her expression ugly. “What do you mean by that? Chengxing has been clever and bright since childhood. Even the teachers who taught him said he would surely make the honors list one day. For more than half a year, he’s studied tirelessly. Passing the Lingshan Academy assessment would be effortless for him!”

Meng Dongyuan remained unconcerned. “Mother, which teacher doesn’t praise the student of the household that hired him? Those are just flattering words—good to hear, but how can you take them seriously?”

Old Madam Meng had never realized her son could be so glib-tongued. Now, with her blood boiling in anger, she blurted out something she shouldn’t have said. “Blind eyes and a blind heart! Our Meng family has fallen to this state largely because of you!”

The moment those words left her mouth, Meng Dongyuan froze.

Old Madam Meng grew angrier the more she spoke. “Had I known you were such a useless piece of clay that couldn’t be molded, I would have bypassed you from the start and let Chengxing inherit the title.”

Meng Dongyuan’s pupils contracted sharply. He stared at his mother in shock and disbelief. No matter what, he was her child, carried ten months in her womb—yet she could treat him like this. In other families, no matter how much a grandmother doted on her grandson, when choosing between son and grandson, she would choose the son. His mother did not.

In an instant, a strong sense of crisis surged in Meng Dongyuan’s heart. Abolishing that wretch Chengxing’s position as heir was urgent—otherwise, if anything were to happen to him, that wretch would inherit the title.

But on what grounds could he memorialize the emperor to depose Chengxing and instead install Chengzhang as heir? That was another problem altogether.

Seeing her son fall silent, Old Madam Meng realized she had inadvertently spoken her true thoughts. But words once spoken could not be taken back. She was the elder—if the junior was incompetent, so what if she said it?

Thinking this, she said, “Enough. You’re already several decades old—your official career is basically set. I won’t demand too much. I only hope you’ll conduct yourself more properly in the future. I’m tired. You may go.”

Meng Dongyuan lowered his gaze and replied softly, “Please calm your anger, Mother. Have a good rest. Your son will come see you again tomorrow.”

On his way back, Meng Dongyuan’s mind was filled entirely with thoughts of how to abolish Chengxing’s position as heir.