Chapter 227 Please Leave Qingxin Temple
The old lady came to Qingxin Temple, sent the maid away, and sat there looking at Mengxi. Mengxi was surprisingly calm. She didn't ask her what she came for, but just sat there waiting.
Meeting Mengxi's frank gaze, the old lady couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Her calm and composed demeanor, and her indifference to fame and fortune, were just like her own in the past. No wonder Jun'er was so reluctant to let her go.
The grandfather and grandson looked at each other for a long time, and the old lady said:
"Xi'er, from yesterday till now, we have sent several groups of people to invite you, but Xi'er has refused to go back. Are you still resentful of the Xiao family for divorcing you because of the ancestral precepts?"
"Mengxi has always been grateful for the love of the old lady for the past two years. She doesn't return to Xiaoxiang Courtyard because of resentment. Mengxi and the Second Master are doomed to be together. It will be good for both of them if we cut them off early. I hope the old lady will understand."
"I understand this, but I'm afraid Jun'er's feelings for you can't be severed. I just swore to Jun'er: 'From now on, I will never force him to divorce unless he is willing.' I think Xi'er also understands what I mean. The eldest master is young and is not in a hurry to appoint the next generation of the head of the family. It's not that there is no room for maneuver. Xi'er, think more about Jun'er's good points. Considering that I have sincerely protected you in the past two years and personally invited you, please give me face and stay. I also promise you that the Xiao family will never use your status as a concubine to make trouble in the future."
Are you in no hurry to appoint the next head of the family? When the next head is appointed, how will you deal with her? After hearing the old lady's ambiguous words, Meng Xi cursed her as an old fox. After a long pause, he said:
"Mengxi understands what the old lady means, but if Mengxi really stays, I'm afraid it will harm the Second Master. As the saying goes, there is no hurdle that cannot be overcome. The Second Master will eventually get through it. Please forgive Mengxi for not being able to obey your order."
"Xi'er..."
"Old Madam, Mengxi is destined to have no relationship with the Second Master. A short pain is worse than a long one. Buddha said that the sea of suffering is boundless and turning back is the shore. Old Madam, you should advise the Second Master to turn back as soon as possible."
After persuading her several times, seeing that Mengxi was determined not to turn back, the old lady's eyes became deep as she looked at the stubborn Mengxi. For the first time, she realized that this seemingly weak woman was not a chess piece in her hands at all, and there was something in her bones that she could not control.
After a long silence, the old lady sighed and said:
"I know Xi'er is determined. From the bottom of my heart, I also agree with Xi'er's choice. This is good for both Jun'er and you. But this time, I'm afraid Jun'er really can't get over it. It's a sin. It's all because of that one thought that led to today's disaster!"
"Old lady..."
After hearing what the old lady said, Mengxi felt confused and called out casually.
"Xi'er, to tell you the truth, I knew you were a concubine not long after you married into the Xiao Mansion, but the 15th day had not yet passed..."
It was not until this moment that the old lady felt that Mengxi's determination to leave was as hard as a rock. The power and kindness, influence and wealth of the Xiao family could not move her at all. The only thing that could move her was perhaps the word "love".
As expected of the old lady, after weighing the pros and cons, she told Mengxi how she had wanted to divorce her several times since she knew that Mengxi was a concubine's daughter, and how it was the Second Master who had been obstructing her, including when the Crown Prince was critically ill and the Second Master had knocked his head against her, and when he was critically ill on the way to the south and sent back a letter in blood, kneeling and begging her to keep Mengxi safe, until just now when the Second Master knew that his life was coming to an end and struggled to ask Hongzhu to write a divorce letter on his behalf and let her go. Of course, the old lady also concealed some secrets that could not be told.
By the end of the conversation, the old lady was already in tears. She looked up and saw Mengxi was still silent. Thinking of her coldness and her heart that was harder than iron, the old lady's heart sank. Even the love from the Second Master could not shake her. What else could she do?
The dying Jun'er flashed before his eyes. His grandson must not die. He made up his mind, sighed and said:
"God is so blind that he only left me this one grandson. I am old and won't live long. It doesn't matter what happens to me. I just can't bear to see the old send off the young! Two years ago, Jun'er was critically ill. To save his life, I knelt in front of the abbot of Jingyun Temple. But Jun'er is my creditor in my previous life. Today, to save his life, I will kneel again. I only ask Xi'er to go see him because of Jun'er's infatuation with you."
After the old lady finished speaking, without waiting for Mengxi to react, she held on to the chair and knelt down tremblingly.
Even though Mengxi was calm, she was shocked by what the old lady had just said, especially the blood letter, which made her realize that the reason she had been able to spend the past two years in the Xiao Mansion safely was not because she was lucky or smart, but because the Second Master had been silently providing her with a protective umbrella behind her.
I thought my heart was as hard as a rock and would not be moved by anything anymore, but after hearing what the old lady said, I suddenly felt a pang of pain.
As he was in a state of confusion, Mengxi didn't notice the old lady kneeling down, and he was immediately frightened and broke out in a cold sweat.
Damn, the old lady knelt down to her. If this gets out, will she still be alive? He knelt down with a plop, and said as he helped the old lady up:
"Old lady, what are you doing? You are killing Mengxi. Get up quickly."
He pulled the old lady up and helped her sit down. Mengxi knelt down again and said:
"Old Madam, it's not that Mengxi is cruel. I can't afford the Second Master's affection. Knowing that it is an ill-fated relationship, I still refuse to let go. This is like drinking poison to quench thirst! Mengxi really can't bear to see the Second Master go against the ancestral teachings for me, and mother and son become enemies, and finally be cursed by the world. Mengxi refuses to go back, not because she has resentment in her heart, but because she really wants the Second Master's good. The Second Master will get through it. Mengxi is willing to go to Yichuntang to ask for medicine for the Second Master. The medicine in Yichuntang is magical and can always save the Second Master's life."
Hearing the words "mother and son become enemies", the old lady shuddered. It's no wonder Mengxi was cruel. She knew the consequences of her staying. She knew that the Xiao family's ancestral precepts could not be violated, but she still insisted on staying for Jun'er's life. The old lady also felt a little powerless. Thinking of Jun'er's life being at stake, she helped Mengxi up and said with a stiff upper lip:
"Before I came here, the eldest master went to Yichun Hall in person to beg for mercy. Shopkeeper Li gave the medicine on the orders of the God of Medicine, but it was useless. Xi'er, I know the eldest lady has a deep prejudice against you. I will ask the eldest master to persuade her."
"How come Yichuntang's medicine is useless?"
"Xi'er doesn't know. I just fed Jun'er an anti-vomiting pill, but he vomited it all out before it went down his throat. Doctor Li said that the acupuncture and acupuncture of the God of Medicine might work, but we can't get the God of Medicine to work. Even if we can, Jun'er won't be able to wait until he returns to Pingyang. Jun'er is like this because of Xi'er. If Xi'er goes back and tries to persuade him, there might still be a glimmer of hope. Xi'er, don't look at anything else. Just look at Jun'er's true feelings for you and go back and try. If Jun'er is really hopeless, it's only God's will. The Xiao family won't blame you..."
After hearing what the old lady said, Mengxi was secretly shocked. She didn't expect the second master's illness to be so serious. She was silent for a long time and said to the old lady:
"Okay, Mengxi will go back, but Mengxi has one thing that I need the old lady's approval for."
"Xi'er, if you have anything to say, just tell me. I will do whatever I can to help you."
"Please ask the old lady to promise Mengxi to take Zhixia and Zhidong away from the Xiao Mansion after the second master recovers from his illness!"
After hearing this, the old lady frowned, pondered for a moment and said:
"Xi'er, it's not that I don't agree with you. I just told you that before I came here, Jun'er and I swore that unless he is willing, I would never force him to divorce his wife. So, Xi'er, I will also make a promise to you today. The door of the Xiao family will always be open to you. As long as you can convince Jun'er, I will ensure that you leave the Xiao Mansion safely, and I also guarantee that the Xiao family will never embarrass you after you leave the mansion."
Old fox! After hearing what the old lady said, Mengxi cursed inwardly and lowered her head to think. If the Second Master really died, the Xiao family would rather perish with Yichuntang than let her leave the Xiao Mansion. Besides, could she really bear not to save the Second Master?
Thinking of this, he said decisively:
"Okay, Mengxi will go back to serve the Second Master today as ordered by the Old Madam. But the Old Madam, please don't forget your promise today. Once Mengxi leaves the Xiao Mansion, as long as the Second Master does not pursue the matter, the Xiao family will never embarrass Mengxi!"
Mengxi said, no matter how I leave the house in the future, no one in the Xiao family is allowed to hold me accountable except the Second Master.
After hearing Mengxi's decisive words and catching a glimpse of the light in her eyes, the old lady's heart trembled violently. A sense of uneasiness passed through her mind, and she suddenly realized that she had done something wrong.
Although she felt uneasy, the old lady knew that no matter what conditions Meng Xi put forward today, she had to agree to them, so she said decisively:
"Okay, I still have the final say on this matter, so I'll follow Xier's lead!"
Seeing Mengxi reaching out her hand, he also stretched out his hand and hit her hand.
Finally convincing Mengxi, the old lady let out a long sigh. Just as she was about to stand up, she remembered something and looked at Mengxi and said gently:
"Xi'er, I'm not forcing you. Since you've decided to stay, and Jun'er hasn't given you a divorce letter, you're still the daughter-in-law of my Xiao family. There are hundreds of people watching over us in this mansion, so we have to follow the rules. Xi'er, just give me, an old woman, some face and call yourself the daughter-in-law of the Xiao family as before before you leave the mansion."
Watching the old lady leave, Mengxi once again questioned herself, is it worth it for her to do this? This old lady who always puts the interests of the Xiao family first, can kneel down to her, a concubine, for the life of her grandson today, then one day, when the second master takes over as the head of the family, she will let her die without mercy.
The old lady's kneeling had pushed her to a dead end. If she stayed in the Xiao Mansion, she would die.
She knew clearly that staying would lead to a dead end, but she still agreed to the old lady's request and was willing to stay in this hell. It was not because she was not wise enough or indecisive, but because her heart was still too soft and she did not want the Second Master to die.
…
Looking at the second master who looked like a half-dead man, the eldest master asked the old lady again uncertainly:
"Will Xier really come?"
"Yes, she said she would come over after packing up."
As she was speaking, the maid came to report that the Second Madam had come over. When the old lady heard this, she hurriedly said:
"Please come in."
After a while, Mengxi walked in slowly with Zhixia. When she looked up, she saw the old lady and the eldest master were there. She paused, then walked forward slowly to greet them. When the old lady saw Mengxi coming, she grabbed the second master's hand, shook it and said:
"Jun'er, wake up quickly, Xi'er is here to see you."
After a long time, the Second Master finally opened his eyes in a trance and looked at the old lady in a daze. Seeing this, the old lady said again:
"Jun'er, Xi'er is here to see you."
After hearing this, Erye moved his body and searched the room with his eyes. When he met Mengxi's gaze, a gleam of light flashed in Erye's eyes, and then dimmed. His throat moved, but no sound came out.
Seeing the Second Master lying on the bed reminded Mengxi of a word to describe haggardness.
Seeing that the suave Second Master had been tormented like this after not seeing him for a few days, Mengxi, who thought she had not given up on him, felt a lump in her throat. She gritted her teeth, suppressed the urge to cry, and looked at Second Master silently, speechless.
