Chapter 88 Make Trouble

Old Master Guan and Guan Father resigned from their official positions and immediately left the palace to prepare to move. Their current residence was given by the emperor, which was originally the home of a certain prince from the previous dynasty. The regulations were very high, and it was natural that civilians could not live there. Zhong shi didn’t have a single complaint, and immediately ordered the servants to pack the luggage. She also said that the Ruan family was very noisy today. On the way back to their old house, they could drop by to see their daughter, comfort her, and then give Ruan shi a stick of incense.

Everyone complied, and they got busy quickly.

As soon as the father and son took off their official hats and walked out of the Forbidden Palace, the Ruan family got the letter and knew that the matter had been done, they could beat the door to humiliate Guan shi and take off a layer of her skin. Even if she was a first-rank madam, without her maiden family to rely on, and her husband was a commoner, was she still not allowed to be trampled on?

The more violent the riot, the more notorious the Guan family’s reputation would be, and it is impossible to mend it again in the future. Who told them to be ignorant and stand in others’ way?

Carrying tens of thousands of taels of silver tickets he had just obtained, Ruan Father and Ruan Mother wore mourning clothes, wiped away their tears, led the whole family to block the door of General Zhengbei Mansion, and insisted that the Zhao family should give them an explanation.

“My good daughter was handed over to your general, but she ended up like this after a few years. Not only did she die an unknown death, but her body was also cut open by a knife. If the soul of our daughter can’t enter the underworld and can’t be reborn, won’t she become a wandering lone ghost, unable to cultivate in the afterlife? Back then, her father-in-law got into a lawsuit and was arrested and imprisoned, but it was my master who supported him left and right to get him out. When she was engaged, you kept saying that you would treat her well to repay this kindness, is this your way of repaying? Call your old madam out, I will confront her face to face!”

Seeing that there were more and more people watching the scene, and they already surrounded three layers outside and three layers inside of both the East and West Mansion, the housekeeper was sweating profusely and even said, “Oh, old madam, who did you listen to say such nonsense? The second young master was born after the second madam put her life at stake, how can there be cutting her open to take him out! If there is any misunderstandings, let’s go in and explain, don’t let outsiders see the joke.”

“Is it a misunderstanding? You take out the body and let me see her belly to know. I heard it for real, your eldest madam is very powerful. She cut open her belly and sewed it up with needles and thread. What do you think of my daughter? A sackcloth bag? If you are so disrespectful to the dead, you will go to hell in the future!” Ruan Mother spat fiercely on the ground, her expression extremely ferocious.

Some busybody got excited and shouted, “This sister-in-law is right, is it misunderstanding or not, just carry the body out so we can take a look, what’s the point of talking nonsense?”

“Bring it out, bring it out, bring it out quickly!” The people shouting, some with green eyes, waiting to see the corpse.

This curiosity-hunting psychology was very infectious. Once the public sentiment leaked out, it would be like a flood, then it could not be controlled. In a short while, the originally timid person who was like a mouse also shouted, wishing to directly jump over the wall and break into the mourning hall.

At this moment, the door opened in response to the sound. Guan Suyi led the Zhao family out slowly, and said lightly, “Madam Ruan, I’m here to confront you. You said that I desecrated the body and made the soul uneasy, but you are so noisy and want to examine her body in public, isn’t it blasphemy? She is still your own flesh and blood, and you won’t leave her the last shred of dignity?”

Then she looked at the crowd, her voice was high, “The soul of the deceased will stay in this world for seven days, and ghosts and gods are also stays three feet above our head. Everyone looks up to the sky, and then lowers your heads to touch their conscience. Making such a noise at other people’s funerals, even intending to trespass into the mourning hall, open the coffin, and carry out the body, who is losing their conscience? Who is offending the gods?”

The crowd, who were still agitated, suddenly felt their scalps numb and their backs shivered, so they closed their mouths and lowered their heads. With just one sentence, the scene was so quiet that one could hear a needle dropped.

Seeing that she was able to calm the scene so well, Ruan Father couldn’t help but feel anxious, and said angrily, “You cut up my daughter, do you have any reason?”

“Yes, I have a reason, what do you want? My sister-in-law’s funeral is still going on. I don’t have time to messing around with you. You can directly explain your intention.”

“I want you to kneel in front of my daughter’s spirit and kowtow to her for a complete seven seven forty-nine day*it’s Chinese funeral customs, (correct me if I’m wrong) every seven day is a death day and it will last until forty-nine days, after death a person must pass through seven levels before he can be reincarnated, and each level takes seven days, and then perform a water and land ritual*it’s the most solemn, largest and most meritorious ritual in Chinese Buddhism, the main purpose is to save the dead, redeem all living beings, rescue the lonely and wild ghosts, provide food for the ghosts, so as to ensure the safety of the place for seven seven forty-nine day for her, write a mourning letter to admit your guilt, and then burn it as the sacrifice to the sky to help her reincarnated. Although my Ruan family is neither an official family nor a wealthy family, we will not covet your compensation, but only ask for a restful sleep for my daughter, can you do it?” Ruan Father’s “devotion to righteousness” seemed authentic.

Somebody in the crowd shouted good, as if in admiration, and was stunned by the Zhao family’s little maid’ glare and then shrank back.

Guan Suyi nodded calmly, “Since you are so highly principled, I will give you an accurate word. I did cut open my sister-in-law’s stomach, so I should kowtow to her, I should help her transcend, and I should apologize to her. I accept all the conditions proposed by your family.”

Is she admit it? Accepted? Didn’t they say that Guan shi was difficult to deal with? Why she not argue a few words, then tear it apart and make the situation worse? Ruan Father and Ruan Mother were feeling uneasy, and saw her turn around again, took the little baby in the old madam’s arms, her face facing the direction of everyone, and slowly said, “You have arrived in Yanjing for three days, and also making trouble at the door for half a day, during these three to four days, you have not come to worship before the spirit, and you have never mentioned this grandson. It seems that you don’t want to recognize him. When my sister-in-law was dying, she desperately took her last breath to ask me to save this child. So even if I knew I shouldn’t done it, and knew that the gods and ghosts should not be offended, I still cut her to take him out. You let me kowtow, I can; let me perform rituals to help her ascend, I can; let me admit that I did something wrong, that I cannot. Saving this child is the best thing I have done in my life, and I have no regrets.”

The child’s immature face was seen by everyone, and their hostility slowly dissipated, causing them to regain their senses one after another. They were vaguely wondering if they were going too far, and then heard Madam Guan said word by word, “Since you think I shouldn’t have cut the abdomen and rescued him, then that’s fine. After we buried my sister-in-law, you should go back, never come to the door again, and don’t recognize him, just treat him as… in his mother’s womb.”

In any case, she couldn’t say the word “dead”, she swallowed it, and gently stroked the baby’s hair, “Anyway, in your hearts, he should not exist, but since he survived, I also can’t stuff him back, can only take good care of him. You are making this scene today, and keep saying that I shouldn’t have save him, how sad he will be after he know when he grows up? Rather than that happened, it’s better to hide it forever and sever the relationship. There is no need for you to threaten, I have already discussed with Master Xuan Guang that tomorrow I will transfer the coffin to Jueyin Temple to hold a ritual ceremony. You didn’t come to worship for the first three days, I hope that in the next few days you will send my sister-in-law away peacefully, just regard it  as a little family affection.”

Ruan Father and Ruan Mother were very anxious when they heard this. They came to make trouble, how could they think of their grandson’s situation? To say that Guan shi made a mistake, doesn’t it mean to deny the existence of their grandson? In the coming year, he would grow up and understand things, and Guan shi would talk about today’s situation, how could he not resent the Ruan family! Seeing that the main house of Zhao Mansion has collapsed, the second house was at its peak, and they could live a good life in their hometown, all relying on the illustrious name of their son-in-law. Now that their daughter had died and the grandson severed ties with them, when Zhao Jinyu married a new wife, who would remember who the Ruan family was? Relatives of which tablet?

The nobleman’s mission has been completed, but he missed the big matter for his family, it was like picking up sesame seeds and lost the watermelon*to let go of the big prize while grabbing at trifles. If the second house’s son did not recognize them, no matter how much wealth they have, they would not be able to keep them, and even worse, they would fall very quickly!

Ruan Father was sweating profusely and his hands and feet were cold. He was just about to think of an excuse to ease the relationship between the two families, and then heard Zhao Luli indifferently said, “Madam cut open the abdomen to take the child is not for anything else, just to save the bloodline of the second house. It is said that the general die in a hundred battles, and the strong man return in ten years*soldier have gone through countless battles of life and death, some sacrificed their lives, some returned victorious after ten years. My younger brother is wholeheartedly loyal, his braveness is unmatched. Every time he went to battle, he will charge forward, not afraid of death. My Zhao family is well aware, whether he can come back alive in this life is unknown. With this bloodline, the second house has retained its roots. My Zhao family not only did not feel that Madam was wrong, but also kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times to thank her for her kindness. When my little nephew grows up and understand things, he will also perform this big rite, never dare to forget!” Then he pulled up his robe and knelt down heavily.

The old madam also said with tears in her eyes, “Since Ruan shi married into our family, she has never made any omissions. She was filial to her elders, she was kind to the juniors, she was also considerate to her husband, virtuous and warm. Seeing her suffered such a calamity, I’m also heartbroken, with her last breath she desperately asked us to save the child, how could we turn a deaf ear and let her die with unresolved grievance? I told Suyi to cut her belly open, if you have any dissatisfaction, you will come to me!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Chunxi cried out, “Grandmother, where you done wrong? Mom, where you done wrong? Granddaughter dreamed of second aunt last night, she asked me to thank mom on her behalf, saying that in the next life she will become an ox and a horse for her to repay her kindness of saving the second brother. Mom, daughter will kowtow on her behalf.” Immediately afterwards, she knelt down with his father and kowtowed sincerely.

Zhao Wangshu hurriedly knelt down and there were big tears in the corners of his eyes.

Passersby thought of General Zhengbei, who was still defending against foreign aggression at the border, and looked at the Zhao family who were kneeling on the ground. Only then did they realize that Madam Guan’s move was not only to desecrated the body, but also saved the seedling of the second house and continued the family bloodline, for a mother, where she done wrong?

One of the mothers in the crowd finally burst into tears, shouting loudly, “Piss off, you men can’t distinguish right and wrong! If anyone saves my child, don’t talk about the next life, to be an ox and a horse for her in this life, I’m also willing! Madam Guan is benevolent and righteous, and she is really a role model for my female generation! What are you arguing about, go home and take the children, do you still count on this people that neither know how to give birth nor know how to raise them?”

“How can I count on them? The most bitter thing in the world is still a woman. Just walk and go home to nurse the child.” The woman who was also a mother bowed to Madam Guan from afar, wiped her tears and left. It was difficult for those who had never been a mother to understand their feelings, but they gradually understood and follow suit. Only some idle men were still standing at the door to watch the fun.

At this moment, Old Master Guan and Guan Father, who had been watching on the roadside for a long time slowly walked up the steps and bowed their heads in all directions.

“I want everyone to know that our father and son were impeached for offending ghosts and gods, and now have resigned from official positions, and returned home. Everyone said that my granddaughter has done something wrong, but my answer is the same as hers, where is it wrong? I’d be more than happy to exchange two official hats for this little guy’s life!”

Guan Father also said slowly, “Heaven has the virtue of good life, and human life is even greater than heaven, and we as mortals dare not stand idly by.”

Guan Suyi looked at the family around her, and at the child who slept soundly with a small mouth in her arms. Tears slowly filled her eyes. She was about to return to the house and close the door when she heard a sharp voice coming from behind the crowd, “The emperor has arrived!”

It was actually Emperor Sheng Yuan who personally chased after the Emperor Teacher to invite him to return to the court.

T/N: Uh-huh someone is about to reveal his identity!

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