TSWRLM -Chapter 146 The Xiao Family’s Heirloom

Chun Xi didn’t speak. Madam Wang, under her gaze, felt both embarrassed and guilty. She had little confidence as she muttered, “I just didn’t want to trouble A-Xi, so I came on foot myself. It’s not her fault.”

Today, Chun Xi wore the same deep crimson outfit as Shen Qingyuan. Though her hairpins were few, her entire demeanor was already quite elegant. She and Xiao Qinghe sat on either side of Old Madam Xiao. Though Chun Xi’s appearance didn’t surpass Xiao Qinghe’s, she showed no trace of timidity. Despite being Madam Wang’s biological daughter, there wasn’t a single hint of Madam Wang’s manner in her.

Madam Wang no longer dared to rely on her maternal status to pressure Chun Xi, nor could she speak recklessly. Yet before Madam Wang could respond, Madam Ning spoke with a sharp, sarcastic tone: “Who prefers walking when there’s a carriage? Must be that Young Madam Shen has married up and now looks down on her own mother.”

Madam Ning had only one daughter, Mo Yunwan, now remarried to Shen Qingyu. To secure Mo Yunwan’s favor with Madam Mo and ensure she fared well in the Marquisate, Madam Ning still wanted to publicly challenge Chun Xi, helping Madam Mo suppress her and regain control of the household.

Sure enough, as soon as Madam Ning spoke, the other guests’ eyes toward Chun Xi shifted.

Prominent families valued reputation above all. Anyone in the family who showed preference for wealth over loyalty, or was disloyal or unfilial, could be removed from the genealogical record.

Madam Wang didn’t know why Madam Ning was so intent on helping her, but seeing that the crowd seemed to side with her, she straightened her back a little.

Earlier, when Cao Wen had told her Chun Xi’s life in the Marquisate wasn’t easy, she had worried. Seeing Chun Xi today dressed in fine clothes, confidently navigating among the prominent ladies, she couldn’t help feeling envious.

Madam Qian had a son, and Cao Wu doted on the two of them, not allowing Madam Qian to do any heavy work for months. All household chores fell to Madam Wang. After nagging twice, Cao Wu eventually hired someone to help.

Life was easier for Madam Wang, but she still worried about Madam Qian. How could that compare to Chun Xi enjoying comfort in the Marquisate?

If Chun Xi publicly apologized today, Madam Wang could use the excuse of visiting Cao Wen to come to the Marquisate more often and even bring her own son to cultivate a relationship with Chun Xi. Neighbors would surely envy her.

Thinking this, Madam Wang couldn’t help looking toward Chun Xi with expectation.

Chun Xi didn’t care what Madam Wang thought. She turned to Madam Ning and said: “Aunt doesn’t know the full situation, so you shouldn’t randomly accuse the younger generation. Otherwise, one person’s spit today could drown us all. If they scolded only me, that would be one thing, but what if it implicated the matriarch and the Mo family?”

Madam Mo, who had been enjoying the scene, froze upon hearing Chun Xi mention her and shouted: “A-Xi, what do you mean by that? Are you saying I, as matriarch, am instigating you not to acknowledge your mother?”

“Of course the matriarch wouldn’t do such a thing,” Chun Xi shook her head, then said, “But after the matriarch took over the household, she drove out my father-in-law’s mother and siblings, never kept in touch for all these years. This shows she despised those stingy, freeloading relatives the most. With such rules in place, how could a daughter-in-law dare let her mother come and suffer humiliation?”

Her words seemed timid, almost fearful of Madam Mo, yet they placed Madam Mo directly in the spotlight.

Everyone then remembered: the Marquis of Qingyuan was not alone; he had relatives. But after Madam Mo took charge of the household, these relatives were all expelled. Even on such a good day, the Marquis’s mother wasn’t present.

With such a cold mother-in-law, how could a newlywed dare interact too closely with her impoverished family?

Madam Mo hadn’t expected Chun Xi to attack from this angle. Her face darkened as she loudly retorted: “That’s a completely different matter! Cao Chun Xi, don’t mix them together!”

Chun Xi shrank back slightly, feigning fear, leaning on Old Madam Xiao’s side as she continued: “Actually, I can’t blame my mother. She’s worked hard to manage the household all these years and even tried to match her niece with my husband. But when trouble struck, the Mo family came pressing, claiming my husband caused their misfortune and demanding huge compensation. Where is the slightest trace of familial care?”

Her expression was fearful, but her voice carried loudly enough for everyone to hear.

She was openly saying her mother-in-law’s household management was poor.

Madam Mo turned livid, Madam Ning hadn’t expected Chun Xi to implicate the Mo family. Old Madam Mo already refused to acknowledge Mo Yunwan as her granddaughter and forbade private contact. Today, Madam Ning had sneaked in; if Old Madam Mo found out she had compromised the Mo family’s reputation, there would be consequences.

Madam Ning shouted: “Young Madam Shen secretly took her husband’s property to support her maternal family, even going to the Mo household to collect money. That’s how she had funds to hold this promotion banquet. In just a few days! Young Madam Shen hasn’t forgotten, has she?”

Afraid Chun Xi would speak further to Mo family’s detriment, Madam Ning immediately brought up Chun Xi aiding her maternal family.

Madam Mo glared at Shen Qingchi. At that moment, Shen Qingchi stood up: “I can testify—the Second Aunt is telling the truth. Sister-in-law really took money from the Mo family to hold the promotion banquet.”

Shen Qingchi knew this public testimony would undermine Chun Xi, so he kept his head low, not daring to meet her gaze.

Chun Xi feigned surprise, clearly not expecting Shen Qingchi to speak out. Mo Yunwan thought the moment opportune and stepped forward: “Before Sister-in-law married in, Brother took all the dowry left by his mother. Within days, Sister-in-law sold much of it, and the whereabouts of the money were unknown. Now she has control of the household but can’t even provide funds for the promotion banquet. It’s natural people would wonder.”

Everyone knew Old Madam Xiao had doted on his youngest sister. The Xiao family had celebrated Xiao Shi’s marriage with grand ten-mile wedding gifts. With those dowries, how could there be no money for a promotion banquet?

The guests’ attention shifted, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Madam Wang sensed something was wrong. She stammered: “No, A-Xi didn’t… didn’t take money home. Since marriage, she hasn’t even acknowledged me as her mother. Those funds must have been kept by her.”

Madam Wang had thought today’s banquet would be her moment to shine as the mother-in-law. She hadn’t expected such a scandal and realized the “stolen property” Chun Xi mentioned might very well be true.

After saying this, Madam Wang tried to surreptitiously remove the jade bracelet from her wrist. Just as her fingers touched it, Madam Ning grabbed her hand and shouted: “This bracelet is of fine quality—imperial green jade! If your daughter hadn’t aided her maternal family, how could you have afforded such a piece?”

Madam Ning held Madam Wang’s hand high, ensuring everyone could see the bracelet.

Shen Qingchi stepped forward two steps, then looked at Chun Xi in astonishment: “Sister-in-law, how could you secretly give elder brother’s mother’s heirloom to your own mother?”

The hall erupted.

Stealing the husband’s property to aid her maternal family was already outrageous, but secretly giving her deceased mother-in-law’s heirloom to her own mother was utterly heartless.

Even if the Marquisate could overlook it, the Xiao family would not forgive her.

For a moment, all eyes turned to Old Madam Xiao.