Chapter 25

 

Around dawn, Luo Yuyan finally gave birth to her daughter, the mother and daughter were safe.

Hua Yang breathed a sigh of relief when the baby’s loud cries came over. Because the two courtyards were so close, while Luo Yuyan suffered all night, she also had an uneasy sleep.

Feeling dizzy, when she saw Chen Jingzong turned over, obviously worried about his sister-in-law over there, Hua Yang said casually: “Congratulations, you have another nie… Do you want it to be a nephew or a niece?”

Remembering that Fucui Hall had not sent anyone to announce the good news, Hua Yang changed her words in time.

Chen Jingzong: “Whatever, it’s not me who raise it.”

Hua Yang:……

She just slept on her own.

After dawn, the couple went to Fucui Hall to congratulate together.

They were the latest ones to arrive. In the main room, Sun shi was playfully cooing at a baby in a royal blue satin swaddle. Chen Tingjian was sitting next to her, looking at his wife and granddaughter with his head tilted, one hand stroking his long beard. His countenance was elegant, yet it exuded an air of dignity.

“Father, Fourth Brother and the Princess are here.”

Chen Xiaozong was the first to catch a glimpse of the figure at the gate of the courtyard, and announce in a low voice.

Chen Tingjian came to his senses and stood up immediately.

“If Father always treats me like guest, then if there are any happy events at home in the future, Daughter-in-law will not dare to come again and ruin the harmonious atmosphere of the family.”

Hua Yang helped her mother-in-law up and pretended to be dissatisfied and said this to her father-in-law.

Chen Tingjian smiled ashamedly.

Hua Yang looked at her little niece in the swaddling. The newborn baby’s face was red and wrinkled. Hua Yang could only praise against her will: “This child, even just born, shows the potential of becoming a beauty. When she grows up, she’ll undoubtedly be as lovely as Third Sister-in-law.”

Chen Jingzong snorted from the side.

Chen Xiaozong glanced over faintly. Although the princess’s praise was just a polite remark, as the biological uncle, didn’t the Old Four hope his niece to grow up well, why would he destroy the stage at this time?

Sun shi also glared at him and warned the Old Four not to cause trouble.

Chen Jingzong approached Hua Yang and followed her gaze to look at the baby. When he saw that his niece looked like a monkey, he really couldn’t praise her.

Hua Yang glanced around and found that her sister-in-law Yu Xiu was not around. She guessed that she was visiting Luo Yuyan in the inner room.

Luo Yuyan gave birth to a daughter last night, and there must be some smell in the inner room at this moment. Hua Yang didn’t want to smell it. She was a princess anyway, and the superficial etiquette between sisters-in-law must give way to her identity.

At this time, people from the east house also came.

Qi shi had already been imprisoned in Fucheng Prison. It was not suitable for Chen Tingshi and Chen Jizong to come to Fucui Hall to give congratulation, so they sent Chen Jizong’s wife Guo shi to come forward.

Guo shi was about the same age as Hua Yang. She was the daughter-in-law from a scholarly family in Lingzhou Prefecture that Qi shi chose for her son. Before she got married, she had a reputation for being gentle and courteous. If Chen Jizong was not a nephew of a Cabinet Elder, the Guo family would never marry their daughter off to a small-town dandy who doesn’t like to study. As for Guo shi, after she got married, she had a strong and arbitrary mother-in-law, and her husband was boorish and unmotivated. As time went by, Guo shi became a shadow-like daughter-in-law.

Facing Chen Tingjian, this high-ranking official, Guo shi had no confidence. On top of that her mother-in-law was sent to prison, Guo shi became even more afraid to raise her head.

She walked nervously to the main room, holding her three-year-old son Brother Hu in her hand.

Although her son was young, he could give her some courage at this time, otherwise she was afraid that she would make mistakes when walking.

Chen Bozong looked at Brother Hu.

This Brother Hu had a pair of fat and big earlobes. No one in the Chen family had such earlobes, but Qi shi‘s cousin Steward Yang had earlobes like this.

Chen Bozong looked at his father again.

Chen Tingjian sat in the main seat with his eyes lowered, not knowing what he was thinking.

“Uncle and aunt, congratulations on adding another granddaughter.” Guo shi tried her best to smile and congratulated Chen Xiaozong again.

Sun shi felt pity for this niece-in-law and greeted her lovingly.

“You all sit down. I’m going back first.” Chen Tingjian suddenly stood up.

Chen Bozong followed: “I’ll send Father off.”

Chen Xiaozong also wanted to send him off, but Chen Bozong waved his hand and asked him to entertain the guests.

After leaving Fucui Hall, Chen Tingjian’s face completely darkened and he told his eldest son: “Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, get it done as soon as possible.”

Chen Bozong: “Yes.”

.

Chen Xiaozong and Luo Yuyan named their newborn daughter Wan Qing.

On Wan Qing’s third day, the Chen family arranged a simple family banquet in the main house. Except for Luo Yuyan, who was going to be in confinement, and Wan Qing was too young, everyone else was there.

Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong were still sitting side by side in front of a table.

She looked at Chen Tingshi and his son without a trace.

Chen Tingshi had lost a lot of weight and looked at a lost soul. He had to force a smile and didn’t dare to look sad when his eldest brother’s family was having a happy event.

Chen Jizong was more stubborn. He had just lost his mother and was in a bad mood, so he wore a cold expression on his face, almost on the verge of openly clashing with the eldest family.

After the family banquet, Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong returned to Siyi Hall.

As there was nothing else, Hua Yang was going to take a rest.

Chen Jingzong sat by the bed, looked at her and said: “I’m the one that dug out Qi shi‘s account books. My cousin may be resentful. In the future, you should not go to the back garden alone, not even with the maid. If you really want to go to relax, I will accompany you.”

Siyi Hall was very safe, and Hua Yang would not leave Chen House casually, so he was afraid that Chen Jizong would cause trouble and hide in the garden to wait for revenge.

When Hua Yang heard this, she sneered: “He still dare to plot against me?”

Chen Jingzong: “Better safe than sorry. We only need to live here for a few more months, there’s no need to take a risk.”

Those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoesit means people who has nothing to lose, do not fear those in power. Chen Jizong dared to peek at her beauty before, but now that he had lost his mother, he may do something.

Hua Yang lowered her eyes. If Chen Jizong didn’t come to harm her, she would be one that deal with Chen Jizong when she had the chance to go out.

The second crime that her father-in-law was charged after his death was indulging in family affairs.

According to the file, Chen Jizong was a dandy. He took advantage of the fact that he had elder serving as official in the court, so he became tyrannical and domineering in Shiqiao Town. He bullied whoever he wanted to bully. When the trouble was not big, the people silently swallowed their anger. When the trouble was big, Chen Jizong took out a sum of money and successfully silenced the bullied people. The people were concerned that he was Cabinet Elder Chen’s only nephew, so they expected Cabinet Elder Chen would protect his nephew and never dare to report any grievances for fear of suffering retaliation from the Chen family.

After the death of her father-in-law, her younger brother ordered the Chen family to be raided. When the people near Shiqiao Town saw the Jinyiwei coming, they guessed that the Chen family was about to fall, so they complained about their old grievances.

Everything was done by Chen Jizong, but Chen Jizong was a nobody, he was insignificant, so the crime naturally fell on father-in-law.

However, the years when Chen Jizong frequently committed crimes were the critical time when his father-in-law was promoted to become Chief Minister and made drastic reforms in the court. There were many matters in the country that had to be dealt with by her father-in-law. Whilst in the ancestral home, Chen Tingshi was cowardly and Qi shi was tyrannical, they hid what their son did, so how could father-in-law know about this?

Now that father-in-law was in Shiqiao Town, and Hua Yang also knew that Chen Jizong committed a case last year. As long as the victim family dare to complain, can her father-in-law just sit back and ignore it?

If it weren’t for the fact that it was difficult to go out during the mourning period, Hua Yang would have taken action long ago.

However, Chen Jingzong’s worries were also justified. Chen Jizong was tall and strong, if he really lurked in the garden to pounce on her, neither she nor Chao Yun and Chao Yue would be his opponent.

“Don’t go into the mountains in these few months.”

Hua Yang said while looking at Chen Jingzong. The Chen family’s courtyard wall was not high, if he could climb over it, then so could others.

Chen Jingzong nodded: “I told the old man to let the guards strengthen patrols and ensure that there are people watching our side at all times.”

Hua Yang thought, no matter whether there were guards outside, as long as Chen Jingzong did not leave Siyi Hall, she would have nothing to fear.

After the thought fell, Hua Yang squeezed his strong arm with satisfaction.

A martial husband was also good, if it were exchanged to Zhuangyuan and Tanhua, if a bad guy came, the two brothers might not be able to fight him.

Chen Jingzong:……

Was it because she found out that he could help her fend off bugs, carried her up the mountains on his back, guard against bad guys and other practical uses, that she had been a little kind to him recently?

.

The next day, Chen Jingzong inspected the courtyard walls in front and behind Siyi Hall, thinking about digging traps to prevent anyone from outside from breaking in.

At this time, a woman’s cry suddenly came from outside the gate of Chen House, shouting her grievances and begging the old man to make the decision for her.

Chen Jingzong immediately returned to Siyi Hall.

Hua Yang also heard it, and the couple met at the gate of Siyi Hall.

Chen Jingzong: “You want to see it too?”

Hua Yang nodded.

The couple walked side by side in the corridor and saw that Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong had also come out separately. Luo Yuyan was on confinement, even though she wanted to watch the excitement, she was unable to do so. While Yu Xiu was asked by Chen Bozong to stay at home.

Chen Bozong dared to order his wife but would not dare to interfere with the freedom of his sister-in-law princes. After nodding in greeting, the four of them went to the Main House together.

Chen Tingjian and Sun shi have also arrived.

“Sir, there’s someone making trouble outside, and people have gathered around.” The steward said with a headache as he stood guard inside the gate.

Chen Tingjian: “Open the gate.”

The master of the house gave the order, and the steward hurriedly asked the boy servant to open the gate.

Hua Yang used Chen Jingzong’s shoulder to cover half of her face and looked out of the gate. He saw a young couple kneeling in front of her. The man had a weathered complexion, while the woman was delicate with fair skin, but her lovely face was marked with tears.

Seeing Chen Tingjian, the woman cried and kowtowed: “Cabinet Elder, this humble woman has been wronged. Please make the decision for this humble woman!”

Chen Tingjian walked out of the gate. Because the woman’s cry was so touching, his majestic expression softened a bit. He lowered his head and asked, “Since you have grievances, why don’t you go to the government to complain? This old man is in mourning at home, so it is not appropriate to overstep my authority.”

The woman knelt on the ground, burst into tears: “Cabinet Elder, the person this humble woman wants to sue is your nephew, Chen Jizong. I didn’t dare to sue before, because I was afraid that Cabinet Elder would protect his nephew. A few days ago, it was said that Cabinet Elder placed righteousness before the family and sent Qi shi to prison. Only then this humble woman gave birth to hope and came here to ask Cabinet Elder to bring justice to our husband and wife.”

Chen Tingjian frowned and looked into the courtyard.

Chen Tingshi and Chen Jizong, the father and son, happened to arrive at this moment. Chen Tingshi didn’t recognize the people kneeling on the ground, but Chen Jizong, upon seeing the people’s faces, was stunned, stopped in his tracks, and his face changed several times, clearly indicating that he had some guilty conscience.

Chen Tingjian looked away and continued to ask the woman: “What injustice do you have?”

These words made the woman cry more and more sadly. After sobbing for a long time, she could barely speak a clear and complete sentence. She buried her head and said: “This humble woman is a native of Zhaojia Town, married to this town five years ago. At noon on the ninth of Sixth Month last year, when this humble woman was doing laundry by the stream, Chen Jizong suddenly appeared and forcibly dragged the women to a remote place… This humble woman did not dare to say anything. Unexpectedly, he got worse and went to this humble woman’s homes many times. Once, he was bumped into my husband, but Chen Jizong was a strong man, and my husband was no match for him. He broke one of his legs and threatened to kill my husband if we dared to make a big deal out of it!”

“You’re talking nonsense, I don’t even recognize you!”

Chen Jizong ran out, knelt down in front of Chen Tingjian, and expressed his innocence with red eyes: “Uncle, don’t believe her! This person clearly thinks that something happened to my mother, so she wants to take advantage of our family by accusing me unjustly!”

“I’m not talking nonsense!”

When the woman saw Chen Jizong, she acted like a madman. She threw herself on Chen Jizong and tried to pull off his clothes: “You beast bullied me many times. I scratched your back and bit your flesh. Do you dare to show your scars to Cabinet Elder to verify!”

Chen Jizong pushed her away violently: “I have many scars on my body. They were all left by my wife. What they’ve got to do with you!”

Inside the courtyard, Guo shi had already turned pale and was on the brink of collapse due to the woman’s accusations. However, when she heard that Chen Jizong, in front of so many people, was dragging her in and discussing something so disgraceful, Guo shi felt a rush of blood rush to her head, the extreme shame was followed by piercing hatred, then she uncontrollably cried out, “I’m innocent! Chen Jizong, you’re a monster! Don’t even think about ruining my reputation!”

The biggest mistake she made in her life was that she followed her parents’ advice and married into the Chen family!

The common people loved to watch the excitement, especially this kind of scandal that involve intimacy between men and women, and there was a buzzing discussion among the crowd.

Chen Tingjian closed his eyes, pointed at Chen Jizong and said to the steward: “Tie him up and take him to the ancestral hall for interrogation.”

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