The old madam looked puzzled, wondering if He Qingyi had come back to admit her mistake. But then she thought, with so many scholars outside crying injustice for He Qingyi, if He Qingyi were to kneel at the General's mansion gate, it would be a huge problem!
"Go and see." The old madam felt an ominous premonition.
He Qingyi knelt at the General's mansion gate: "Mother-in-law, your daughter-in-law begs you, please let your daughter-in-law in to see the General. The General has been ill for a long time. Your daughter-in-law asks for nothing else, only that you allow her to enter and care for the General. Once the General recovers, your daughter-in-law will voluntarily step down and will never trouble you."
As the old madam reached the doorway, she heard these words, and her head spun. He Qingyi was practically throwing the General's mansion's reputation to the ground and trampling on it!
"Old madam, please calm your anger!" wet nurse Xu quickly advised, "At this time, let's invite Madam in first. We can discuss anything behind closed doors!"
"Madam Xiao, you are noble, not fearing the dangers to life to go to the disaster area to save people, and we will certainly not let you be so insulted!"
"Thank you, young sirs. Your concubine asks for nothing more than the General's well-being. If the General is well, your concubine can endure anything." He Qingyi wiped away her tears, thinking to herself, Eldest Miss, your father has woken up, and if he knew you were playing such a trick on him, he'd probably go back to sleep!
"How can that be? Is there any justice in this world? If a noble person like Madam is swept out of the house for saving people, then who would dare save people in this world?"
Just as the crowd was getting agitated, the General's mansion gate opened, and the Old Madam Xiao, in her official rank attire, walked out shakily. Her gaze swept across the crowd, commanding respect and silencing them for a moment.
"He Qingyi, you returned to the capital but did not come home. I sent people to invite you, and you refused to return. Now you kneel here, putting on a show. What, do you intend to bully this old widow while the General is ill?"
He Qingyi immediately crawled forward on her knees, kowtowing three times firmly: "Your concubine has not pleased my mother-in-law. If my mother-in-law gives your concubine a letter of divorce to sever ties, your concubine will accept it. Your concubine asks for nothing else, only that the old madam allow your concubine to return to the General's mansion to treat the General. Once the General recovers, your concubine will voluntarily step down to make way for Miss Liu."
"What letter of divorce, what Miss Liu? What nonsense are you talking about?" The old madam's face grew stern. "When did I give you a letter of divorce? I sent people to invite you, and you refused to return, and now you drag others into it. Do you think no one in this world can deal with you?"
He Qingyi took out a letter of divorce and presented it with both hands. The old madam was instantly choked. How could she forget? At the time, she just wanted to drive He Qingyi out of the house, so she casually wrote a letter of divorce. But this letter of divorce she wrote was not legally binding, was it? After all, only a man could divorce his wife, not a mother-in-law divorcing her daughter-in-law!
"You dare to slander me, I did not write you a letter of divorce!"
"If the old madam denies it, your concubine has nothing to say. You favor the Miss Liu from your maiden family and want her to be the main wife and live in your concubine's main courtyard. Your concubine dares not resist, only begging the old madam to let your concubine treat the General..."
"Do you really think your medical skills are unparalleled in the world?"
"Old Madam Xiao, the entire world has witnessed Madam Xiao's medical skills. Everyone knows that it was Madam Xiao who found the antidote for the plague and developed a method to treat it, saving an entire city's populace. Yet, the old madam repeatedly troubles Madam Xiao. Could it be that you are relying on the General's mansion's prestigious status to bully Madam Xiao, who has no powerful family backing?"
At this moment, the concubines from the mansion came out to watch the excitement. The Third Concubine, who loved to stir up trouble, even pulled Liu Mei'er out: "Miss Liu, this is about you. Say something."
The old madam's sharp gaze shot towards the Third Concubine, as if she were going to devour her. The Third Concubine flinched, then pushed Liu Mei'er forward, shoving her out.
"Grand Aunt..."
"Old madam, please do not worry. Your concubine will not compete with Miss Liu for anything. Since she is the main wife candidate favored by Mother, she must be an excellent choice. Your concubine only asks to treat the General. Once the General is well, your concubine will voluntarily step down and will not cause any trouble for the old madam."
"What kind of girl is so shameless as to live in the main wife's courtyard in someone else's house? It's no exaggeration to say she's usurped the rightful place!" Those scholars, who were all sharp-tongued, saw Liu Mei'er come out and immediately turned all their arrows on her. "Did your parents not teach you propriety and shame?"
"Shameless hussy, worse than a prostitute!"
"Such an immodest person should be drowned."
Liu Mei'er's eyes immediately turned red, and she looked pleadingly at the Old Madam Xiao: "Grand Aunt..."
The Old Madam Xiao's face darkened, but she suppressed her anger. She didn't want outsiders to mock them. "Come in first. We'll discuss everything inside."
"That won't do!" Someone immediately answered for He Qingyi. "Once inside the General's mansion, life and death are up to the Old Madam Xiao! Madam Xiao has saved countless lives, yet she is treated so unfairly by the old madam. We are not satisfied! We want to plead for Madam Xiao, and ask the Emperor to rule in her favor!"
"Yes, ask the Emperor to rule in Madam Xiao's favor!"
"My lords, your concubine is deeply grateful. My old madam is not malicious and will not harm me."
"Madam Xiao, you are too kind. This Old Madam Xiao, taking advantage of the General's illness, has her maiden family's daughter usurp the rightful place, and is now finding an excuse to divorce you. She is clearly both foolish and wicked. A kind person like you, if you were to enter the General's mansion, wouldn't you be gnawed down to the bone?"
He Qingyi feigned humility on her face but was inwardly shocked. Eldest Miss had truly planned for every contingency and seen through these people's intentions. But would that person truly act as she predicted? Her gaze, from the corner of her eye, drifted towards Lian Qiao, who was kneeling behind her.
"Go to the palace gate and petition, ask the Emperor to rule in Madam Xiao's favor!" someone shouted immediately.
The many scholars echoed this, intending to go to the palace gate to seek the Emperor's judgment. The Old Madam Xiao's face turned green, and she looked at He Qingyi: "He Qingyi, do you truly intend to make such a scene?"
"Old madam, your concubine dares not make a scene. She only begs the old madam to let your concubine treat the General. Old madam need not worry. Your concubine will not reside in the General's mansion. Your concubine will return to the inn after treating the General each day."
"Madam Xiao, you are the General's lawfully wedded wife. Why should you be driven out? We are not satisfied!"
"Yes, we are not satisfied!"
"Imperial decree arrives!" A loud voice rang out. Several guards cleared a path, allowing Eunuch Hu to pass.
Eunuch Hu bowed to He Qingyi: "Madam Xiao."
"Eunuch Hu."
"Old Madam Xiao."
"Greetings, Eunuch."
"He Qingyi, receive the decree."
"Your concubine receives the decree." He Qingyi immediately kowtowed.
"It is hereby decreed that the principal wife of the General's mansion, He Qingyi, is gentle and virtuous, of outstanding character, and possesses exceptional medical skills, bringing benefit to all sentient beings. She is a model for women. She is hereby bestowed the title of First Rank Lady of the Imperial Court, along with a set of official robes, a pair of jade Ruyi, a pot of pearls, and one hundred taels of gold. Thus decreed." Su Dan Novel Network
"Thank you for your imperial grace."