TSWRLM -Chapter 59 Good Child, You’ve Been Wronged

By the time Shen Qingyuan returned home, the skirmish had already ended.

Madam Mo had washed up again, but her scratched face and swollen, tear-stained eyes could not be concealed. Shen Qingyue, Shen Qingyu, and Shen Qingchi were all gathered around her.

Xiao Qingyue sat nearby with her head lowered. Her luxurious dress had a torn corner, and the coarse servant women behind her looked like defeated gamecocks, their hair in disarray, feathers—well, hair—plucked everywhere.

Shen Qingyuan scanned the scene and finally spotted Chun Xi standing with Nanny Jia in a corner.

Chun Xi’s head was also bowed, making it impossible to see whether she was hurt.

Shen Qingyuan furrowed his brows and strode past everyone to Chun Xi’s side. “Where are you hurt?”

As he spoke, he grabbed her hand and immediately noticed a thin, long scratch across the back of her left hand, probably from fingernails.

The wound wasn’t deep, and the blood had already clotted.

Shen Qingyuan’s expression darkened. He turned to Xiao Qingyue: “Who hurt her?”

Shen Qingyuan always wore a stern face at the Xiao household. Xiao Qingyue was somewhat afraid of him, and now seeing his anger, she nervously stammered, “Uncle Shen, she hit me too! My body is covered in pinch marks. If you don’t believe me, you can have the maids check.”

Madam Mo had no intention of protecting Chun Xi. Xiao Qingyue had assumed that with her group of strong servant women, she could easily subdue Chun Xi. But Chun Xi had used Madam Mo as a human shield and even grabbed Xiao Qingyue in the chaos, pinching her hard.

On the surface, she seemed fine, but her waist and arms were in terrible pain!

After speaking, Xiao Qingyue also wanted to cry, but Shen Qingyuan remained unmoved. In a deep voice, he countered: “You brought people to attack the Hou residence. Are the residents not allowed to defend themselves?”

Xiao Qingyue had no valid argument and lowered her head in silence.

Shen Qingyuan then looked at Madam Mo: “You’ve been the mistress of the Hou household for many years. How could you just stand by while someone came in and fought? What are your servants even doing?”

At this, Nanny Jia and the other maids and servants dropped to their knees.

Madam Mo had no words to defend herself.

She couldn’t admit that she had let Xiao Qingyue in on purpose just to watch the drama unfold, only for her new daughter-in-law to use her as a human shield.

When Chun Xi had fought the Xiao family, she had shouted that she was avenging her mother-in-law.

If word got out, it wouldn’t just make her look like a harsh daughter-in-law—it would be utterly humiliating.

Who had ever seen the mistress of a household being overpowered by a newlywed daughter-in-law?

Madam Mo rubbed her forehead, unable to speak. Shen Qingyu stepped forward: “No matter what, Sister-in-law shouldn’t have fought Second Miss Xiao. When we came back, I saw her sitting on someone, stepping on two others, and holding another by the hand—she was like a ferocious demon ready to devour people!”

Xiao Qingyue and her servant women nodded repeatedly.

Exactly! Though they had come to the Hou residence to cause trouble, they ended up being the ones beaten.

Hearing of Chun Xi’s fearsome feats, Shen Qingyuan’s expression didn’t change. He asked Shen Qingyu: “Did she hit the Hou residence servants or Mother?”

“She wouldn’t dare!”

Shen Qingyu’s face hardened, showing his ferocity.

If Sister-in-law dared touch Mother, he and Second Brother wouldn’t let her off.

Shen Qingyuan nodded and asked again: “Then who caused the scratches on Mother’s face?”

Shen Qingyu stiffened and defended himself harshly: “That’s because Sister-in-law hid behind Mother, so Mother was accidentally injured by the Xiao family’s maids.”

Chun Xi’s status was low, and Shen Qingyu did not regard her as Sister-in-law. He also refused to acknowledge that she had acted to protect Mother.

Moreover, he had accompanied Mother to the Xiao household several times. In his mind, Second Miss Xiao was noble and gentle—not unreasonable.

Sister-in-law must have provoked her, which is why she came.

Sister-in-law didn’t admit fault and now had made such a scene—how could the household ever have peace again?

“The Xiao family’s servants aren’t blind or crazy. Knowing they were facing my Hou residence’s mistress, they still dared act? Third Brother calls that an accident?”

Shen Qingyuan’s tone grew colder. Shen Qingyu, unable to argue, still tried to boast: “It’s Sister-in-law’s fault anyway. If she hadn’t hidden behind Mother, none of this would’ve happened. If you keep siding with her, Brother, I—”

He paused.

He had wanted to sound threatening, but he hadn’t yet passed the imperial exams. He depended on the family for everything, even on his own mother’s dowry.

A while ago, Mother had written them, asking him and Second Brother to mend their relationship with Brother and return the dowry to her.

So this visit was about currying favor with Brother.

Xiao Qingyue had been isolated. Hearing Shen Qingyu speak, her eyes lit up. Shen Qingyu felt embarrassed.

How could he admit defeat in front of Second Miss Xiao? That would be too shameful.

After quickly thinking, Shen Qingyu shouted: “If Brother insists on siding with Sister-in-law, I’ll write this in an article and let everyone see how he confuses right and wrong!”

He was close with his peers in the Yun clan and thought they would support him with slight embellishments.

He believed he had a clever plan to show off his talent. Yet Shen Qingyuan remained calm. Madam Mo and Xiao Qingyue both exclaimed simultaneously: “No!”

Such domestic scandal should not be written for outsiders to judge. Yue’er and Yu’er’s writings should concern the state and family, not petty household quarrels.

Madam Mo frowned, and Xiao Qingyue suspected Shen Qingyu was pretending to be a good guy but was actually siding with Chun Xi.

She had no right to attack the Hou residence. If word spread, it would only brand her as brash and unruly, ruining her reputation for future marriage arrangements.

Seeing that Shen Qingyuan was determined to protect Chun Xi, Xiao Qingyue considered apologizing. But then a servant came with news: “Madam, Madam Xiao has arrived.”

Madam Mo stood abruptly. Xiao Qingyue clutched her silk handkerchief, anxious. The coarse servant women behind her looked like they wanted to disappear.

“Lan Yi, what brings you here?”

Before Madam Mo could leave the hall, Madam Xiao entered. Madam Mo forced a flattering smile and greeted her respectfully.

Madam Xiao gave her no friendly expression. Scanning Xiao Qingyue and the servant women, she said sternly: “Yue’er has been spoiled and acted rashly, coming to the Hou residence to cause trouble. As the mistress of the Hou residence and an elder, you should have properly admonished her. If you couldn’t, you should have immediately notified me. How could you use Yue’er as a pawn to bully others?”

Madam Xiao had pierced Madam Mo’s intentions. Madam Mo was embarrassed and tried to explain, but Madam Xiao ignored her and went straight to Chun Xi. She held Chun Xi’s hand warmly: “Good child, you’ve been wronged.”

Everyone else: “……”

Madam Xiao, you may not understand—anyone present could have been wronged. The one you’re holding hands with? Definitely not!