TSWRLM -Chapter 78 The Matriarch Returns to the Mansion

Shen Qingyuan was indeed drunk.

Although Chun Xi repeatedly reminded him that Shen Qingchi was still in the carriage, he couldn’t stop pressing close to her.

He wanted verbal praise, and he wanted to back it up with action.

Chun Xi had to coax and trick him a little for him not to kiss her in front of Shen Qingchi.

Finally, they returned to the Hou Mansion. Shen Qingchi immediately bolted from the carriage, while Chun Xi helped Shen Qingyuan down and followed behind. Just as they reached the main gate, Nanny Jia stopped them.

“The Matriarch has returned. Young Master and Young Madam, please go greet her first.”

“Mother-in-law is here?”

Chun Xi had been at the Hou Mansion for some time and had only ever seen Marquis Qingyuan once. She had never met other Shen family members, and Shen Qingyuan had never mentioned any. She instinctively assumed that the “Matriarch” Nanny Jia referred to was Madam Xiao.

Nanny Jia was about to clarify when Shen Qingyuan, who had been leaning on Chun Xi, suddenly straightened and calmly said, “Let’s go.”

Chun Xi: “…??? So, sir, are you really drunk or just pretending?”

Chun Xi was completely baffled but followed Shen Qingyuan into the main courtyard.

Inside the main house, the mother of Marquis Qingyuan, Madam Wu, sat with her legs crossed, cracking sunflower seeds and sipping tea, occasionally spitting out old phlegm.

Madam Mo forced a smile, feeling nauseated, as if the very air was tainted by this old hag.

Marquis Qingyuan had been born into poverty, but his mother Wu was highly fertile, bearing four sons and three daughters.

After Qingyuan achieved military honors, the whole family became figures of influence in the surrounding area. Even distant relatives, who had no connection at all, followed them to Hanjing.

Madam Xiao had been indifferent to everything. While alive, she allowed these poor relatives to occupy much of the Hou Mansion and behave tyrannically. Wu even acted like the head matriarch, blaming Madam Xiao for not having children quickly enough and pressuring Qingyuan to take a concubine.

After joining the household, Madam Mo spent two years driving these paupers out.

If it weren’t for dealing with Shen Qingyuan and Chun Xi, she would never have wanted to see this old woman again in her life.

Just as she was thinking this, Shen Qingyuan led Chun Xi into the courtyard.

Madam Mo breathed a sigh of relief, smiling warmly: “Yuan’er, A-Xi, you’ve finally returned! Come greet your grandmother.”

Madam Mo had given half of Madam Xiao’s dowry to Wu. No sooner had she spoken than Wu snapped, bitterly: “Hmph! I never heard that Yuan’er was to be married again—I don’t acknowledge this granddaughter-in-law!”

Chun Xi didn’t even fully catch what Wu said; she was too shocked.

So her father-in-law’s mother was still alive… the family still had someone? And Marquis Qingyuan hadn’t mentioned it last time he returned?

Madam Mo was pleased with Wu’s reaction, smoothing over matters with fake concern: “Yuan’er is marrying for the third time. He didn’t want to make it public, which is why he didn’t inform you. Now that he’s finally been appointed to investigate a major case in Xuzhou, if you trouble A-Xi, it will distract him.”

At the end of her sentence, Madam Mo couldn’t help smirking, practically wearing a “schadenfreude” sign on her face.

Her plan in bringing Wu back to the mansion was to cause a stir, making Shen Qingyuan uneasy.

Shen Qingyuan and Chun Xi could ignore her, a stepmother with no blood relation, but would they dare defy the elderly Wu?

Wu spat out a sunflower seed shell, giving a cold snort: “What do you mean by ‘trouble’? As the grandmother, can’t I teach my granddaughter-in-law some manners?”

Wu raised her tea to sip, but a sudden gust of wind knocked the cup from her hand; it shattered on the floor.

Both Wu and Mo twitched their eyes in surprise. Before they could react further, Shen Qingyuan’s cold, stern voice rang out:

“You, old hag, only want to milk your son dry. And you, old shameless one, climbing into beds to gain status and stealing from others. Dog bites dog, fine, but the two of you teaming up to bully someone? If you really don’t want that face of yours, I can have it flayed off for you!”

“……”

“……”

Wu and Mo’s eyes widened, both shocked and terrified.

They had anticipated many reactions from Chun Xi but never imagined Shen Qingyuan would tear off their pride so mercilessly!

Hadn’t this usually silent, quiet man suddenly turned into a street brawler today?

He called his own grandmother an “old hag” and revealed his stepmother’s bed-hopping schemes—had he gone mad?

Wu and Mo were stunned into silence. Chun Xi, fearing that Wu might overreact and harm herself, quickly explained: “Grandmother, Mother, don’t be angry. Sir didn’t mean it. He drank a lot of Master Wei’s wine today and is drunk.”

Drunk?

At Chun Xi’s reminder, Wu and Mo noticed the strong smell of alcohol on Shen Qingyuan.

Today was clearly not the right time to enforce rules. But there would be plenty of time later.

Wu decided to hold her ground but couldn’t help scolding Chun Xi: “Weren’t you there with him? Didn’t you try to get him to drink less? Coming home drunk and acting a fool—what kind of behavior is that?”

She instinctively grabbed a handful of seeds to calm herself, but before she could, Shen Qingyuan snatched the plate and smashed it to the ground.

“Who do you think you are, talking to my wife like that? I don’t even scold her, and who the hell are you?”

The plate, made of huanghuali wood, broke under his foot, sending splinters flying. Wu’s wrinkled forehead twitched violently.

If that foot had landed on her, her old bones wouldn’t have survived.

Wu dared not speak further. Madam Mo silently stepped back two paces, fearing to be caught in the crossfire.

In over thirty years, Shen Qingyuan had never lost composure, let alone drunkenly acted out. No one could have predicted how terrifying he would be in a drunken rage.

Chun Xi also realized she couldn’t let him continue like this.

A drunken scolding was one thing—but if he hurt them, he would carry the sin of being an unfilial son.

“Sir, it’s okay now. Let’s return to Wenxin Courtyard. I still have so much to tell you.”

Chun Xi took his arm, and seeing the worry in her eyes, Shen Qingyuan softened his tone: “Don’t be afraid. I won’t scold you.”

She was about to say she wasn’t afraid when Shen Qingyuan turned, glaring at Wu like a fierce beast: “Apologize to my wife!”

“……”

Chun Xi hadn’t even had a chance to assert her authority, and Wu immediately lowered her head. How could she suppress this little menace in the future?

Wu didn’t want to yield and argued: “I’m just teaching her how to be a good wife! I didn’t scold her, I…”

Before she could finish, Shen Qingyuan cut her off harshly: “You’re not a good thing yourself. What right do you have to teach her?”

Wu: “……”

How did her son produce such a monstrous child?!