Hearing that Jun Jiuli was moving out, Madam Wu looked at the First Madam strangely.
"Sister, aren't you always the one with the most opinions? How could you be swayed by a mere girl? She's so young, how can she just decide to move out?"
The First Madam had always looked down on this sister-in-law and didn't even bother to look her in the eye. Zhao Jingyi's eyes flickered, and she spoke up.
"Although Second Sister is young, she is very opinionated. Second Uncle has arranged a good marriage for her, so with someone backing her, she naturally acts with more confidence."
"Hmph, who knows if it's good or not now. Some people are just good at putting on a show."
"Aunt is right, with so many good things, who wouldn't be envious?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Wu's interest was piqued. She put down her teacup and leaned more than half of her body onto the table without any grace, staring at Zhao Jingyi.
"Are there really so many?"
"Of course. Second Uncle manages the entire Yizhou. The women who accompanied my mother that day were wide-eyed. Many of those good things are rare and hard to come by."
Madam Wu's heart stirred. She got up and hurried to leave the manor. The First Madam nodded secretly, seeing her daughter's demeanor.
Su Manor.
"Son, marrying that girl will bring endless benefits. Her father has been an official for so many years, and the benefits he's reaped are enough for our mother and son to live for several lifetimes."
"Mother, how does that girl look? Is she as pretty as my Xiao Cuihong? If she's not pretty, I won't marry her no matter how much money she has."
Madam Wu poked her son's forehead with a finger. "How can that Xiao Cuihong compare to a young lady from a noble family? Even if she were as ugly as a yaksha, marrying her would still be a profit for us. After your grandfather and father left, our family declined so much. With your current reputation, what young lady in the capital would dare to marry you?"
"I don't want to marry any young ladies; they're all like dolls. I like Xiao Li from Yichun Courtyard. When I'm old enough, I'll marry her."
"You fool, a courtesan would be honored to be your concubine. If you marry Zhao Jingshu, it won't stop you from having other girls."
"Then fine, fine, I'll marry the First Madam's daughter. After she marries me, I'll take Xiao Cuihong and the others as concubines. They're so annoying, always asking for status."
"You're always messing around with those little bitches in your room, why can't you just study properly?"
"Studying is not fun at all. It's most comfortable with Xiao Cuihong and them. They never nag like you, Mother, and they do whatever I say."
"If you don't study, how can you achieve success in your career?"
"Mother, I'm just not cut out to be an official. In the future, I'll marry the First Madam's daughter and have a smart grandson for you, okay? Let him study, and he'll bring you glory."
"You stupid boy."
"Mother, do you have anything else? If not, I want to go back to my own courtyard. They must be waiting impatiently."
"Go on then, go on."
Shui Wa: "These mother and son are truly disgusting."
Madam Wu calculated very well. Xiao Wei was the only nephew of the Su family. She absolutely had to help him with this matter; if she missed this opportunity, she wouldn't get another.
"Cuihong, Ying'er, my little darlings, don't hide. Come out quickly, you're making this young master anxious."
"Young Master, you're not allowed to break the rules, you can't take off this handkerchief."
"You little vixen, see how I'll deal with you. I'm about to marry the First Madam's daughter, and I'll take all of you as concubines then.
The faces of several maids looked particularly grim. A young lady of the First Madam's status marrying in would surely crush them.
Xiao Cuihong: "Young Master, is the marriage arranged? Now that you have a dignified and noble wife, will you abandon us?"
"That's bound to happen sooner or later. My mother said it will happen, and it will. Don't worry, after she marries in, she'll be like a sister to you all, and I'll never let her bully you."
"Young Master, you treat us so well. Which First Madam's residence is the future young madam from?"
"The Second Miss of the Zhongyong Earl's Manor, the only daughter of my uncle's second brother."
"How is that possible? That young lady is already betrothed to Master Song, the eldest son of the Song Minister's Manor."
"Little girl, you know quite a lot."
"There have been many rumors about her in the city recently. When the maids went out to buy things, I overheard a few things."
"Hmph, so she was already betrothed. How can such a woman be worthy of me? Mother is really something."
The expressions of several maids did not show, but they all felt contempt inside. Don't they know what kind of people they are themselves?
However, upon thinking that the young lady was already betrothed, they all felt relieved at the same time.
"Then the young master won't be able to marry the First Madam's daughter."
"My mother said it will definitely happen. Even if it doesn't, I still have my aunt. Our two families will be even more closely related. Am I not better than that Song family young master?"
"..."
Soon, the room was filled with laughter, and then a scream suddenly rang out.
"Ahhh, it's bleeding, Young Master, you're bleeding there."
"Ah, it hurts so much, it's killing me. What's going on? Cuihong, hurry and get up, this young master is in unbearable pain."
The maids outside rushed to inform Madam Wu after receiving the news. Madam Wu hurried to Su Wei's side and sent for the doctor she trusted the most.
Xiao Cuihong was terrified and quickly took that thing out. Su Wei had already fainted from the pain, and the room was in chaos.
Madam Wu arrived and scanned the kneeling maids with eyes like icy knives. Seeing her son's pale face, her heart twisted in pain.
"Guards, drag these lowly maids to the wood shed and lock them up. We'll deal with them after the young master wakes up."
The maids knelt in a row and kowtowed repeatedly.
"Madam, spare our lives, Madam, spare our lives."
"Hurry up and drag them away! What is this display of women kneeling here? If outsiders see, won't they laugh at our Su Manor for having no rules?"
They were quickly gagged and dragged away. Madam Wu lifted the covers and looked. Her entire body's blood seemed to freeze instantly, and she found it difficult to breathe.
"My heavens, what a sin."
The doctor came, bandaged him, and prescribed the medicine. Madam Wu stuffed him with a lot of money, asking him to keep his mouth shut. After the doctor repeatedly promised, he left the Su Manor.
Madam Wu sat sternly on a stool, looking at the few trembling maids.
"Speak, what exactly happened?"
"Your servant doesn't know. It was Sister Cuihong who was with the Young Master... *sob*, and then it suddenly became like that."
Xiao Cuihong shivered all over and kept kowtowing.
"Madam, it has nothing to do with me. I truly don't know why this happened. I was also stunned with fright at the time."
"Hmph, a bunch of bitches. You've been leading my son astray all day long. I will make sure you all have a terrible end, a terrible end."
"Madam, spare our lives, Madam, please show mercy."
"Hmph, if it weren't for you enchantresses, why would my son be so unmotivated?"
"*Sob sob sob*, we know we were wrong, please, Madam, be merciful. From now on, we will stay far away from the Young Master. Please, Madam, spare this lowly life of mine."
"Madam, Madam, the Young Master is awake."
"I'll let you live a little longer first."
Madam Wu left this sentence and hurried to see her son. The maids hugged each other and cried, regretting their actions of climbing into bed with him.
"Mother, I've become a ruined person without roots. I haven't even married yet, and I'm so young. Mother, please tell me this isn't real, *sob sob sob*~"
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Mother won't let outsiders know about this. My son can still marry and live a normal life."
"But without that thing, what's the point of living? Mother, ah~ it hurts so much."
"It won't hurt after a while. Mother will use the best medicine for you. Don't be afraid, my son, anything you want in this world, Mother will get it for you."
"*Sob sob sob*, what about Xiao Cuihong and the others? Why aren't they here to accompany me?"
"Those lowly maids, if they hadn't kept you entertained and overly indulged, how could this have happened?"
"Mother, you can't kill them. I don't want them to die, I want them to stay by my side forever."
"Alright, alright, don't get agitated. Mother will listen to you."