Chapter 758 - 760: The Truth
Chapter 758: Chapter 760: The Truth
At this point in Nanny Meng’s recount, Bai Jingyang, his mother, and his sister had all turned deathly pale. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.
Yet, Old Madam Bai commanded Nanny Meng to continue.
"The Second Young Master and the Young Miss rushed out in a panic. Before I could even call for help, Steward Yu, who was standing outside the door, ran in..."
Upon seeing Marquis Wu’an, Bai Yugang, lying unconscious, Steward Yu naturally didn’t dare to delay. Not even noticing Nanny Meng coming in from the rear annex, he sprinted out to summon the mansion doctor.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The mansion doctor shook his head. "I told you all long ago to monitor the Marquis’s emotions. He cannot withstand extreme grief, excessive joy, or great anger."
Steward Yu grew frantic and prepared to send someone to inform the Old Madam and the other masters.
To his surprise, Kuang Yunqiao led the Second Young Master and the Young Miss back in at that moment. She gathered everyone in the courtyard, including, of course, Nanny Meng.
Through a mix of threats and scolding, she said, "How have you all been serving the Marquis? Something this serious happened, and not a single one of you noticed anything amiss!
"If word of this gets out, none of you will escape punishment."
Steward Yu had no intention of taking the blame for this. He retorted directly, "At the time, the master was discussing matters with the Second Young Master and the Young Miss inside the room. We were only standing guard outside.
"When the Second Young Master hurriedly left with the Young Miss, he didn’t even say a word..."
"You failed to serve him well, yet you dare push the blame onto your masters?" Kuang Yunqiao glared at him. "Don’t think that just because Bai Jinglie will become the Marquis in the future, you can look down on the three of us! Don’t forget, no matter what happens, I will still be the Old Madam of this mansion! Even if he inherits the title, he must still show filial piety to me as his mother!"
The servants in the courtyard fell silent. What Kuang Yunqiao said made sense.
She had always been the presiding mistress of the mansion. Even if the Heir’s wife managed the household affairs in the future, Kuang Yunqiao, acting as the Old Madam, could easily punish them. It would be as effortless as flipping her hand.
"However, considering that you have faithfully served the master, I will acknowledge your loyalty. I will certainly arrange a good placement for you in the future. I will even ensure your families are well taken care of."
A beat of silence passed.
"What? Have you still not made your decision?"
"We will obey Madam’s orders." With Steward Yu taking the lead, the servants behind him all bowed low.
`「In the present.」`
Old Madam Bai raised her walking stick and ruthlessly struck Kuang Yunqiao several times. Unable to dodge, Kuang Yunqiao had no choice but to forcefully endure the blows.
"Look at the fine children you’ve raised! Unfilial, unrighteous wretches! You commit a wrong yourselves, yet dare to push the blame onto your elder brother!
"This shameless behavior is entirely the toxic influence of your Kuang family!"
Bai Jinglie supported the Old Madam from the side, doing his best to keep her steady, while his eyes locked coldly onto Bai Jingyang.
On the very first day Bai Jinglie returned, Marquis Wu’an had summoned him to his courtyard and immediately demanded a share of the sea trade.
The implication was clear: since Bai Jinglie managed the sea trade, he could easily manipulate things behind the scenes without anyone noticing.
Did they not think it through? The Holy Emperor had entrusted him with such a massive enterprise; how could there not be imperial eyes watching him?
When the time came, they would reap the profits, but he would be the one taking the blame.
It was divine justice. Bai Yugang had already been blazing with anger. Being further provoked by Bai Jingyang and his sister had driven his fury to new heights, delivering a fatal blow to his health.
It wasn’t that he was unfilial, but upon hearing the bad news of Bai Yugang’s death, he actually felt a wave of relief.
If there hadn’t been outsiders present at the time, he would have loved to throw his head back and laugh out loud.
"You really were raised single-handedly by your mother," Old Madam Bai spat, indiscriminately attacking everyone in her grief over losing her son in her old age.
Even if she had harbored some affection for these grandchildren in the past, she no longer cared about any of it. She pointed right at their noses and cursed, "You saw that your father was physically unwell in the courtyard! Instead of getting a doctor immediately, you ran away!
"My poor son spent all his energy planning for your futures, and how did you repay him?"
Her hands trembled with agitation as she continued. "And you have the sheer audacity to spread rumors everywhere, pushing all the blame onto your elder brother!
"Both of you, go kneel in the mourning hall! You are not permitted to rise without my permission!"
Gripping Bai Jinglie’s arm tightly, Old Madam Bai ordered, "Go invite the clan members over. We must settle this matter clearly."
Kuang Yunqiao could hold out no longer. Her knees buckled as she fell directly to the ground. "Old Madam, the Marquis’s bones have not yet grown cold! Are you going to help this unfilial son drive us out of the Marquis Mansion?"
Old Madam Bai closed her eyes, panting heavily. "While I still draw breath, I will not let you continue to run amok in the Marquis Wu’an Mansion.
"Have the steward bring the Clan Leader and the clan members here. I want to split the household."
Supporting Old Madam Bai, Bai Jinglie hurriedly beckoned for the mansion doctor waiting nearby to help ease her distress.
Meanwhile, his personal attendants had already rushed off to fetch the people according to the Old Madam’s orders.
Kuang Yunqiao glared at Bai Jinglie with eyes full of hatred. "Even if the household is split, I am still the Old Madam of the Marquis Mansion! You cannot be unfilial to me!"
Bai Jinglie cast a sidelong glance at her. "My mother’s memorial tablet is still resting in the Bai Family Ancestral Hall."
Struck speechless, Kuang Yunqiao’s subsequent tearful complaints came to an abrupt halt. She was a second wife, and one elevated from a lowly concubine at that. In earlier years, Bai Yugang had intended to enter her name into the family genealogy, but in recent years, it was as if he had completely forgotten.
Bai Jinglie’s words served as a stark reminder. Her face turned even paler.
She turned and threw herself over the coffin in the mourning hall, weeping bitterly. "Marquis, how could you leave us behind, a widow and orphans? Where is there any place for us in this Marquis Mansion now...?"
Old Madam Bai had also recovered her breath by now. Bai Jinglie’s words reminded her as well.
When it came down to it, Kuang Yunqiao’s status as Marchioness was a bit illegitimate and unjustified.
According to the genealogy records, she wasn’t even a recognized second wife.
Thinking of her years of opposition and the assistance of the clan elders, Old Madam Bai cemented her resolve.
`「A few days later.」`
When news from the Marquis Wu’an Mansion spread once again, it shocked everyone.
"So, there was never a legitimate Marchioness! All these years, Ms. Kuang had no idea she was never entered into the family genealogy.
"Then what about the children she gave birth to?"
"They are in the genealogy," a person with inside knowledge said mysteriously. "She entered the mansion as a lowly concubine back then, so the children naturally remain under her name."
"So the Second Young Master and that Eldest Young Miss are both concubine-born." Upon hearing the gossip, more and more people gathered around.
"Exactly. Now that Marquis Bai and Madam Bai are no longer alive, the Old Madam in the mansion is taking charge. She plans to split the household as soon as the funeral is over. The documents have already been drafted."
"And what about the former Marchioness?"
"Naturally, she’ll be taken out and provided for by her own son. Since he was originally considered a legitimate son, he could have received thirty percent of the family estate. Now, it looks like he won’t even get ten percent.
"It’s a pity for the family engaged to him. Who knows if they’ll back out of the marriage after this."
As qualified gossips, their thoughts began to wander far and wide. While no one else had considered it yet, someone was already thinking much further ahead.