TSWRLM -Chapter 143 What Right Do You Have to Judge My Wife?

“Young Madam, today’s banquet is no small matter. The wine still hasn’t arrived. If something goes wrong, who will take responsibility?”

The head cook’s tone was anxious, though her eyes kept flicking toward Chun Xi.

Preparing a banquet at the mansion was a rare lucrative job for the staff. Done well, there was a cash reward, and buying supplies often allowed for some extra profit. Everyone worked hard and eagerly.

However, Chun Xi had gone directly with Shen Qingchi to place the orders at the shops. The staff had no chance to profit and felt distrusted. Lately, they had been sloppy, and no one reminded Chun Xi to inspect the wine a few days in advance. Only when the situation became urgent did they finally report it.

Seeing Chun Xi calm and unbothered, Shen Qingchi couldn’t help but warn her: “Today’s guests are all distinguished. We can’t be careless with the wine. The amount we need is large, and ordinary taverns might not be able to supply it.”

“You’re right, Miss,” the cook said, slapping her thigh. Before Chun Xi could respond, she added, “My maternal uncle brews wine, and he even has a small tavern. Last time, for Third Young Master’s coming-of-age banquet, we got the wine from my uncle’s place. Everyone praised it. If the Young Madam agrees, I can send for my uncle to deliver the wine today.”

Last time, at Shen Qingyu’s coming-of-age celebration, aside from the esteemed guest Wei Lingze, the others were poor relatives of the Shen family. Madam Mo didn’t want to spend on fine wine, so the cook’s uncle’s tavern supplied it. Today’s promotion banquet was on an entirely different scale.

But having tasted a small profit once, the cook was unwilling to miss out. She had deliberately blocked the previous delivery attempts, waiting until today to pressure Chun Xi into agreeing.

Her uncle had apprenticed at a famous winery in his youth. The wine he brewed rivaled even the imperial wine. Today’s guests would taste for themselves.

The cook’s eyes shone with expectation. Shen Qingchi clutched his handkerchief, glancing anxiously at Chun Xi.

Chun Xi remained indifferent. She glanced at Shen Qingchi and asked, “Do you think this plan will work?”

Naturally, it wouldn’t.

Fine and inferior wine could be distinguished at first sip. Female guests might not drink much, but the male guests would immediately detect any flaw. Her elder brother’s reputation would suffer in front of his colleagues.

Shen Qingchi lowered his eyes, unwilling to meet Chun Xi’s gaze, and said softly, “When Mother managed the banquets, nothing ever went wrong. I… I don’t know if this will work. You should decide for yourself, Sister-in-law.”

The cook, eager to cash in, quickly urged: “Young Madam, rest assured. This will work. My uncle’s wine is excellent, and I guarantee today’s guests will be pleased. No other shop could deliver this much wine before the banquet.”

The kitchen was confident, and Chun Xi hesitated for a moment. Finally, she handed the cook two silver ingots: “In that case, please make a trip and have the wine delivered as soon as possible.”

The cook’s eyes gleamed as she said happily, “Young Madam, don’t worry. I’ll handle this perfectly!”

She rushed off. Shen Qingchi was about to continue helping Chun Xi with her makeup, but Chun Xi shook her head: “That’s enough. I think it already looks splendid. Let’s first pay respects to Father and Mother.”

Since the world settled, the Marquis of Qingyuan had never again been favored by the emperor. Now that Shen Qingyuan had risen to the Censorate, the Marquis could finally hold his head high. Hearing that the mansion would hold a promotion banquet, he returned three days early and, this morning, led the male members of the household to the ancestral hall for a ritual, wishing to delight Shen family ancestors.

The Marquis of Qingyuan came from a humble background. Although the mansion had an ancestral hall, the number of memorial tablets was small. The ceremony was simple. After the ritual, the Marquis led everyone to the front hall for tea and casual conversation while awaiting the guests.

When Chun Xi and Shen Qingchi arrived at the front hall, they overheard the Marquis speaking lazily.

“Yuan’er, you’ve honed your skills in the Jingzhao Prefecture for ten years. Now that you’ve been promoted, I am pleased. But your choice in a wife gets worse each time. Now that you’re a third-rank minister, how can you marry a woman who was once a servant? Even if you don’t dismiss her, you should demote her to concubine and marry into a family that benefits you.”

As soon as he finished, Old Madam Wu eagerly chimed in: “What my son says is right. Moreover, Cao Chun Xi is low-born, disrespectful to elders, crude in speech and behavior—she is not suitable for Yuan’er at all.”

On the day Chun Xi returned to the capital, she had terrified Old Madam Wu with a kitchen knife. Since then, Old Madam Wu had hidden inside the courtyard, afraid to appear. Today, with the Marquis back, Chun Xi had the courage to assert the authority of the old Madam of the Hou residence.

With someone helping to attack Chun Xi, Madam Mo quietly played the role of a kind mother. Shen Qingyu, unable to restrain himself, seized the opportunity to list Chun Xi’s supposed faults, portraying her as the crude, despicable woman of the century.

The Marquis frowned deeply, ready to order Shen Qingyuan to dismiss his wife. But before he could speak, Shen Qingyuan’s cold voice rang out: “You—one who wastes your life on women and lacks respect for age, one who climbed the bed to gain status, one who leans on your seniority and greed, one who covets your former elder brother’s wife in disregard of morality—what right do you have to judge my wife?”

His gaze swept over the faces of the Marquis, Madam Mo, Old Madam Wu, and Shen Qingyu.

Though calm in tone, his words were sharp and aggressive. All four were enraged, their faces dark as iron.

The Marquis, used to flattery from outsiders and unaware of Shen Qingyuan’s strength, had thought he could be treated like a child. He slammed the table angrily: “Insolent boy! I am your father—how dare you speak to me this way?”

“I always speak this way. If you don’t like it, don’t listen,” Shen Qingyuan replied coolly.

Before the Marquis could erupt again, two men suddenly barged in, knocked him unconscious, and dragged him away.

Old Madam Wu reacted immediately, rushing to grab her son: “You monster! Are you insane, attacking your own father?”

The Marquis had returned after so long, and Old Madam Wu had yet to assert authority—how could she let him be taken away? She howled, wishing the whole world knew Shen Qingyuan was a rebellious, unfilial son.

Shen Qingyu also tried to step forward to help, but just one step out, Shen Qingyuan struck Old Madam Wu with a hand chop, knocking her out. His icy, piercing gaze then bore straight into Shen Qingyu.

Shen Qingyu recoiled, intimidated, and asked weakly, “Big Brother, the guests will arrive soon. Where do you want us to take Father and Grandmother?”

“If you want to know, you can go with them,” Shen Qingyuan said coldly. Shen Qingyu immediately fell silent.

There were many more dramas to unfold at this promotion banquet—he couldn’t leave now. Moreover, no matter how ruthless he was toward his relatives, he wouldn’t kill his father or grandmother; he merely found them an eyesore.

After this commotion, the front hall quieted down. Chun Xi finally led Shen Qingchi into the main hall.

“Huh? Weren’t Father and Grandmother looking forward to today’s banquet? Why aren’t they here?”

Chun Xi, having overheard everything outside, feigned ignorance. Shen Qingyuan played along: “Father and Grandmother were so happy that they felt unwell and went back to rest.”

“How unfortunate. They’re missing quite a show,” Chun Xi said, shaking her head with mock regret.

Everyone else: “……”

Quiet, please—the glee dripping from your voice is almost visible. Don’t laugh out loud by accident!