Chapter 257 Leaving the House Sadly
After Xiao Jun finished writing, his body trembled slightly. He put down the pen, stood up, let out a long breath, found the ink pad, and pressed a handprint with his thumb. He held it up with both hands and blew gently on the ink. He was very careful as if he was protecting a treasure and could not bear to let go. He looked at it again and again, and finally handed it to Meng Xi decisively, saying:
"This is what you have always wanted, and this is the last time in my life that I will fulfill your wish."
Seeing Mengxi reaching out to catch it, Xiao Jun turned around and strode out of the study. Another violent coughing sound came from outside the study...
…
The old lady's birthday is in six days. At this time of year in previous years, the Xiao Mansion's gate would be filled with sedan chairs, horse-drawn carriages, and mule-drawn carts that brought gifts and congratulations, and there was a long line of cars and people, and dignitaries everywhere. But this year, the situation was very different. Only a few sedan chairs came here and there, and the gate was really deserted. A few servants guarding the gate were dozing off in the doorway and chatting listlessly.
At dusk, a not-so-luxurious carriage slowly drove out of the Xiao Mansion.
Mengxi didn't bring too many people or too many things with her. She left the Xiao Mansion with only three maids, simple personal belongings, and a broken heart.
Mengxi even left the medicine she had prepared in the past few days to Hongzhu, asking her to find an opportunity to give it to Xiao Jun. They would never see each other again, and she sincerely hoped that he would be well.
There was silence in the carriage. All four of them had solemn expressions, especially Zhixia and Zhidong. They felt as if they had lost their parents. Even when the carriage had already left the gate, they still couldn't believe that the Second Wife had really been divorced.
Gently lifting a corner of the carriage curtain, Mengxi looked out. The lonely street was empty. There was no longer the figure dressed in white, riding a tall horse, with fluttering sleeves, waiting there with a smile, saying that he would accompany her. There were only withered yellow leaves and the rustling autumn wind, telling of the withering and decadence of autumn.
Seeing the Second Mistress looking lonely, Zhiqiu couldn't help but complain:
"Second Grandma, you should have explained everything to Second Master today. Second Master really loves you so much that he is willing to sacrifice his life for you. This time, you have completely broken his heart."
She has a modern soul and is a rebellious woman. He is a genuine ancient man who wants a little woman who can be protected in his palm. They are destined to be incompatible. What's more, there is a family behind him that cannot accommodate her. After hearing Zhiqiu's words, Mengxi's heart ached. Even if she explained, would he accept such a woman? Could she give up Yichuntang for him and just be a little bird beside him?
Explaining would only add to the sadness. From the moment she opened Yichun Hall and decided to leave home to pursue freedom, there was no turning back for her and him.
Unless one day, they are both willing to change for each other.
Will she agree? Will he agree?
He shook his head sadly and said:
"I am no longer the second grandmother, so please change your tone from now on."
"Second Grandma..."
Hearing this, Zhiqiu screamed, then suddenly remembered that the Second Master had already written the divorce letter, so what else could he do if he didn't change his mind? Then she said softly:
"Second Madam is right. From now on, I will call you Miss."
Zhixia and Zhidong also nodded in agreement. As they were talking, they heard the driver say:
"Replying to Second Madam, someone has chased us out of the mansion. Should we stop?"
The four people in the carriage all brightened up when they heard this. Zhiqiu hurriedly lifted the side curtain and they looked out. They saw several horses galloping from the direction of the Xiao Mansion. A figure in white was sitting on the front horse, waving at the carriage, signaling it to stop. Mengxi's heart couldn't help but beat fast when he saw this. He turned around and said to the outside:
"parking."
“Oh…”
The driver pulled the reins and the carriage gradually stopped. After a while, the horse behind caught up and stopped beside the carriage. The man on the horse jumped off the horse, bowed to the carriage and said:
"Why did my second sister-in-law leave without saying a word? Grandma asked me to take you back. If there is any misunderstanding between you and my second brother, just explain it to him face to face. Grandma said that if my second brother is disobedient, she will teach him a lesson for you. She asked me to take you back..."
Seeing that the person coming was the Third Master, Meng Xi felt disappointed. After listening to his words, he said:
"I have asked Hongzhu to report to the old lady, the first wife and the first master. Because I was in a hurry, I did not go to Shouxi Hall to say goodbye in person. I hope that the third master will pass on the message for me. I will remember the old lady's great kindness."
"Second sister-in-law, grandma asked me to ask you to come back..."
Looking at the people who came with Xiao Yun and surrounded her car with a fierce look in their eyes, Meng Xi frowned and said:
"Third Master, you don't know that at Qingxin Temple, the old lady and I had an agreement that when I leave the Xiao Mansion, no one in the Xiao family except the second master can pursue the matter. Third Master, please thank the old lady for keeping me here."
"this……"
He had never heard of this! After hearing this, Xiao Yun's expression froze. Thinking of his second sister-in-law's usual character, he knew that he couldn't persuade her. After a moment of hesitation, he waved his hand to send those people away, and then he looked up and said:
"Since Second Sister-in-law has made up her mind, I can't persuade her any more. But Grandma's birthday is coming soon. It won't be too late for Second Sister-in-law to leave after Grandma's birthday."
"Third Master, you don't know that Second Master has already written a letter of divorce. How can a divorced person face all the distinguished guests of the Xiao family?"
"This, this... Heaven and earth can bear witness to Second Brother's feelings for Second Sister-in-law. This must be a misunderstanding. It is definitely not Second Brother's true intention. Second Brother locked himself in the study and refused to see anyone. I think he must be very sad. Second Sister-in-law..."
After hearing this, Mengxi's heart ached as if it was being cut by a knife or chopped by an axe. She raised her head sharply and interrupted the Third Master, asking:
"Does Third Master have anything else to say?"
Seeing that the second sister-in-law was determined to leave, Xiao Yun thought for a moment and said:
"It's good this way. The Crown Prince was condemned by the world for causing a celestial catastrophe during his sacrifice to heaven. His position as the crown prince is no longer secure. The Xiao family is in danger, and I'm afraid it won't be a safe place to live. My second brother and I originally planned to go south after grandma's birthday. The future is uncertain. Second sister-in-law will temporarily leave the house to avoid it. If the Xiao family can be safe in the future, I will definitely let my second brother personally apologize to second sister-in-law and ask her to return home. Second sister-in-law, just remember that second brother is doing this for your own good..."
After Xiao Yun finished speaking, he waved his hand, took a bundle from the servant behind him, handed it over with both hands and said:
"I heard that you left home without taking anything. Here is some money. Don't think it's too little. If you save some, it will probably be enough until my brother and I come back from the south. There is also a letter in the package. If you don't want to go back to your mother's house, you can find the person on the letter according to the address on the letter. He is a close friend of mine. After reading the letter, he will definitely protect you."
Seeing Xiao Yun's sincere help, and remembering that he had saved her several times, Meng Xi felt a warm current in her heart. She did not take the bag, but waved to signal the people outside to leave. When they walked away, she said to Xiao Yun, who was puzzled:
"Thank you for your sincerity, Third Master. Now that things have come to this, I will tell you the truth. I am the owner of Yichun Hall. I opened Yichun Hall as a dowry because I heard from Third Master that the Xiao family has ancestral precepts and knew that Second Master and I were not destined to be together. I originally wanted to find a place to settle down after I got married, but I never thought that I would be in the situation today... Yesterday, the prince came to the mansion and exposed this matter. Second Master also wrote a divorce letter because of this. I am also going south with the prince to treat the plague in accordance with the order. If Third Master has something to do in the future, just go to Yichun Hall to pass on the message. We will say goodbye today. Please tell Second Master to take care of himself."
"Second sister-in-law, second sister-in-law... is actually the legendary... medicine god... Second brother actually divorced you for this."
After hearing this, Xiao Yun murmured foolishly, her voice trembling a little, and she stared at her second sister-in-law in disbelief with her eyes as big as copper bells.
Seeing Xiao Yun like this, Mengxi said nothing more. He waved to the coachman standing in the distance, indicating that he should hurry up.
Although the Third Master is righteous and upright, it is a matter of life and death after all. In this extraordinary period, the fewer people know about the Second Grandma's identity as the God of Medicine, the better. Seeing that the Second Grandma told the Third Master without any scruples, it was too late for Zhiqiu to stop her. He looked at the Second Grandma reproachfully and said to the Third Master who was standing there stupidly:
"Third Master, the Emperor issued an imperial decree yesterday to have the Medicine God come to the palace to treat the Empress Dowager. My brother has reported to the Emperor that the Medicine God is ill in the south. If the identity of the Medicine God is revealed, it would be a grave crime of deceiving the Emperor and destroying the clan. I beg Third Master not to spread this matter for the time being."
Seeing the Third Master nod woodenly, Zhiqiu lowered the curtain and the carriage slowly started...
Oh my god! How is it possible? How is it possible? My second sister-in-law is the medicine god that I have been looking for for half a year!
In the chilly autumn wind, Xiao Yun stood there woodenly, her sleeves fluttering, watching the lonely carriage go farther and farther away, disappearing in the blood-red setting sun...
Mengxi was divorced from the house in a flash, but the Xiao Mansion was unusually calm, without a single ripple.
It's not that I wasn't shocked, it's that I was too shocked. I lost the ability to react as I should have. It's like the sky was clear just a moment ago, and suddenly there was a thunderclap. Before I could come to my senses, the thunder had already drifted away, leaving only the shock of fear in my heart.
The prince came to visit in person and had a secret conversation with his son alone. The eldest master was very uneasy. After returning from the outer living room, he and the old lady stayed in Shouxi Hall, waiting for news from his son. But Hongzhu came to report that the second wife had been divorced and had left the Xiao Mansion with her people.
Hongzhu's words were like thunder in a clear sky. The calm master stood up and sat down, sat down and stood up again. He wanted to rush into Xiaoxiang Courtyard to find out what was going on several times. But other things were fine, but when it came to Mengxi's matter, he, as the head of the family, had to be cautious and careful. In the end, he decided to wait for his son to explain in person.
Mengxi is the mascot of the Xiao family. How can they let her leave the house, especially in this turbulent time? The old lady, who had already accepted Mengxi from the bottom of her heart, her first reaction was to stop her at the second gate. She would never let the second lady leave the house even if she died. At this time, the Xiao family had to rely on her to ensure safety.
However, when the person sent back brought back a message, the Second Madam had already left the house. The old lady then asked the Third Master to take people out and bring the Second Madam back no matter what. The implication was that the Third Master could forcefully bring the Second Madam back to the Xiao Mansion.
Just like a drowning person desperately trying to grab something in his hand, even if it is just a straw, the old lady stubbornly believes that even if it means house arrest, as long as Mengxi stays in the Xiao Mansion, the Xiao family will survive this disaster safely.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Yun came back with a message. The second sister-in-law said that the old lady had promised that no one except the second master could stop her from leaving the Xiao family.
She just wanted to get Mengxi back, but forgot her original promise. She wanted Jun'er to go after her? Mengxi was driven away by him, so it was impossible.
It seems that this time, Mengxi is completely out of the control of her Xiao family. After hearing this, the old lady felt cold from head to toe, and a strong sense of uneasiness enveloped her heart.
Hearing that Xiao Jun had locked himself in the study, she and the eldest master were surprisingly in agreement. They did not rush to ask why, nor did they make any other reactions. However, the servants in the Xiao mansion felt that the peace brought about by the Second Madam's departure was too terrifying, and suddenly the entire Xiao mansion was shrouded in haze.
Two updates today.
