Chapter 290: Chapter 233: The One Who Lost Her Temper Was Actually Ning Zhen

The moment Old Mrs. Xiao’s words fell, the front hall of the Xiao Family instantly plunged into a deathly silence, the atmosphere seemingly freezing in an instant, like the frosty chill of winter, cutting to the heart.

“Slap!”

A crisp sound suddenly shattered the silence of the front hall, resembling a heavy hammer, brutally awakening everyone present.

Old Mrs. Xiao covered her cheek, her face full of disbelief, eyes wide open, shrill voice shouting: “Zhen’er, you dare to hit me.”

“I did hit you. Why don’t you just drop dead, you old hag? Do you even know what nonsense you’re spouting?

Your old man abandoned and died, yet you refuse to join him. What kind of virtuous and chaste woman are you? Pah!”

At this moment, Zhen’er was furious, her eyes bloodshot, as if about to spew fire.

Old Mrs. Xiao was so insulted, her face turned livid, her body trembling like a sieve, one hand shakingly pointing at Zhen’er, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long while.

The scene changed so quickly that Chengyi didn’t react in time. By the time he came to his senses, he saw the scene of his grandmother being hit.

At this moment, a flame of anger flashed in his eyes, angrily shouting: “Zhen’er, are you courting death!”

As he spoke, he raised his hand, about to strike Zhen’er.

However, before his hand could touch Zhen’er, Mi Er intervened and stopped him.

Meanwhile, Jun Moling’s icy voice resounded in everyone’s ears: “Do you all take me for a dead man?”

Chengyi glared at Zhen’er with eyes filled with murderous intent, the hatred in his gaze seemed to say: Just you wait!

Shen Ruoxi had also been so enraged by Old Mrs. Xiao’s words that she trembled all over, almost taking action herself.

Unexpectedly, Zhen’er acted faster than her. That slap was truly satisfying!

This Old Mrs. Xiao appeared to be talking about Xueyan, but in reality, she implicated both her and Zhen’er.

Though she hadn’t consummated her marriage with Chengyi, they were married in fact.

The so-called “a virtuous woman does not marry a second husband,” wasn’t that referring to her?

The following words about losing chastity and unworthiness to live naturally included Zhen’er, causing her to lose her composure.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Old Mrs. Xiao finally put on a pitiful appearance, choking back her tears, and said: “Prince, this shameless maid, discarded by Chengyi, dares to lay a hand on me after a few words.

Even if I mostly reside in the backcourt, I am the grandmother of a third-rank official and the wife of a fifth-rank one. Prince, you must see justice done for me.”

Zhen’er listened, her face full of sarcasm, “Hitting you is being lenient. Talking about us women, are you even worthy?

Why don’t you talk about your grandson, he should be the one to die, being so filthy, yet still daring to blame women.

Married three times, isn’t it? No, four times or even more, abandoned by women, shouldn’t he go hang himself in some deserted place? Old Mrs. Xiao, if we’re talking about losing face, who has lost it the most?”

“Zhen’er, you’re courting death!” Chengyi roared once more, with veins popping on his forehead, hands clenched tightly into fists, as if desperately trying to restrain his fury.

“Zhen’er, can men and women be the same?” Old Mrs. Xiao said icily.

“Don’t your head! Do men have an extra face compared to women? Or is their face bigger? And you still call yourself a woman, you’re over sixty, why aren’t you dead yet?” Zhen’er retorted.

“You…” Old Mrs. Xiao was too angry to speak.

“You for what? A disgrace to women.”

“Zhen’er, you dare talk to my grandmother like that?” Chengyi furiously shouted, veins bulging on his face.

“Why wouldn’t I dare? Chengyi, it’s your turn, you scum. Return my gold nugget, you parasite, deadbeat! How dare you act arrogant in front of your patron, who gave you the nerve!

Return the gold nugget to me.” Zhen’er opened her almond-shaped eyes wide, sneering as she loudly reprimanded.

Shen Ruoxi had come to confront Chengyi on behalf of Xueyan, with a fierce determination not to easily forgive him.

She hadn’t expected Zhen’er to come along, witnessing this ferocious display, she actually developed a spectator’s mentality.

Bringing her along was indeed the right decision, watching Old Mrs. Xiao and Chengyi suffer humiliation and anger filled her with indescribable delight.

Such scum deserves to be ruthlessly criticized.

Because she was pregnant and couldn’t drink tea, she contentedly drank warm water, watching the scene unfold with a sense of ease.

“You…” Chengyi was so enraged by Zhen’er that he was practically foaming at the mouth, pointing a trembling finger at her but unable to say a complete sentence.

“What you? This is an IOU, pay up!” Zhen’er shouted angrily, slamming the IOU in Chengyi’s face.

Originally, the financial situation in the Xiao family had improved somewhat, after all, Chengyi’s salary was quite considerable now.

However, he was soon to be married and had just broken some antiques from the household, causing financial strain again.

The gold nugget was something Chengyi had demanded from Zhen’er when they came to the border city together, simply because once they left, the family wouldn’t be able to manage without money.

Who would have thought she would demand repayment in front of Jun Moling and Shen Ruoxi, it was truly shameless.

Jun Moling said blandly, “Old Mrs. Xiao, there’s no helping it, the one owed money is in control.

If you don’t repay and push someone to violence, even if it goes up to the Emperor, she’s still justified, because you owe the debt.

Pay back the money, only then can you hold your head high. If she hits you again, she’s the one at fault.”

The old woman heard this and was so angry she almost spat out a mouthful of blood, her face instantly turning extremely ugly, “Prince, are you just going to cover for her?”

“If not for covering, wouldn’t it be simple to just repay the money? This is in black and white, with the Young General’s signature, so hurry up!

Oh, by the way, the Young General still owes the Princess Consort Zhan ten thousand taels of silver, with a due date in a few months, I hope the Young General won’t forget it.” Shen Ruoxi interjected at the right moment, coldly adding more.

Chengyi’s face turned red and then white as he was pointed out for repayment in front of so many people, he felt utterly humiliated and said awkwardly, “Princess Consort Zhan, rest assured, the time hasn’t come yet, your subject knows.”

“Good that you remember, the Princess Consort is just reminding you, but you should repay the Military Guard Ning, right?” Shen Ruoxi remained calm.

Zhen’er coldly interjected, “I don’t want any money, just return the gold nugget to me.”

Chengyi looked very angry, gritting his teeth, “I already pawned it, didn’t you say it didn’t have to be returned at the time? You woman!”

Chengyi had never been so furious at a woman before, at this moment, as he looked at Zhen’er in front of him, his heart was full of regret, wishing he could strangle her on the spot.

He regretted why he ever got involved with this woman, leading to his current situation, even his wife Shen Ruoxi had left him.

If it weren’t for being seduced by this Zhen’er, he should have been living a peaceful life with Shen Ruoxi.

Now everything is in such chaos, how could he not hate it?

At this moment, Zhen’er was solely focused on retrieving the gold nugget because she feared it contained the secret to her father’s murder.

She stared fiercely at Chengyi and said harshly, “Chengyi, don’t give me useless talk! Where exactly did you pawn the item? How much? There must be a receipt!”

Old Mrs. Xiao listened furiously, her once well-maintained face now distorted by rage.

“There is none! Zhen’er, you, the forsaken woman of the Xiao family, it’s already a mercy not to have demanded compensation from you for my grandson, don’t dream of getting any receipt!”

Zhen’er wasn’t buying it. She lifted her chin, scoffed coldly, “Old Mrs. Xiao, this is not up to you. I have an IOU right here!

By the way, if you don’t mind your grandson’s reputation being damaged, then you don’t have to repay the silver.

Just don’t know if you care, when it becomes known everywhere that your grandson isn’t repaying the money, let all his colleagues see his true face, see how he can stand tall in the future.”

Chengyi’s reputation had just started to improve, because of his separation with Ruoxi, and also after dismissing Zhen’er, he had still been using Ruoxi’s dowry, those things had already made him controversial.

If news gets out again that he owes Zhen’er money and isn’t repaying, he could never lift his head in front of everyone again.

“Grandmother, let someone bring out the receipt.” Chengyi tried to make his tone gentle, attempting to defuse the situation.

However, Old Mrs. Xiao was unwilling to listen, her pent-up fury had nowhere to go, she stubbornly said, “There’s none! If she wants to say it, let her say it, if she wants to report it, let her report it!”

Zhen’er was completely enraged, “Old Mrs. Xiao, the Emperor values me greatly, this rank I earned by my own ability, not bought with money.

Currently, the rouge, clothing, shoes, and socks used by the concubines in the palace are all supplied by me, I am also someone who can have an audience with the emperor.

Since you’re this unreasonable, then we’ll clarify it in front of His Majesty!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep