The weather was getting hotter day by day, and going to court became a chore.
It was freezing cold in the coldest months of winter, but once the weather got warmer, people didn't feel much better. Originally, the grand court meetings were the biggest headache for the ministers who lived far away.
But recently, officials in the capital have been behaving out of character, and each of them is more anxious to go to court than to hold their son in arms.
There was no other reason, it's just that attending court has become an interesting thing recently. A few days ago, they happened to see Duke Cheng and the son of Marquis Guangping having a fight.
If you live long enough, you can see everything.
The feud between the two families was also a well-known matter. After the quarrel, Duke Chengguo and the son of Marquis Guangping went back with bruised faces and noses. It was said that they were both scolded by the emperor, but no one said what happened.
Since the situation is at a stalemate and there is no explanation, how can the parties involved just pretend nothing happened
Recently, anyone who was close to the Xu family had someone from the family come to report the death.
A son died at once, and then a daughter-in-law died. Although the Xu family had done many unjust things before, they had suffered so much that naturally no one mentioned Zhang Linghui's matter again.
Besides, although Master Zhang was not a good-for-nothing, he is already dead.
Now everyone feels more sympathy for the Xu family than they did in the beginning.
Besides, people who went to the Xu family to pay their respects said that Mrs. Xu had aged more than ten years in an instant.
Everyone knew how much Mrs. Xu doted on her youngest son, so at this moment, everyone felt even more sympathetic towards the Xu family.
Princess Mingchang, who came to the palace at this time, was one of the people who could not bear it. When she saw Madam Xu, she was shocked. Madam Xu used to take good care of herself. Although she was a grandmother, she looked like a woman in her forties at most. But now she had white hair on her temples and her face was sallow. She looked like she had lost all her former refinement.
Her eyes suddenly felt sore for no reason, and she sighed, "Why are you doing this?"
Madam Xu smiled bitterly and hurried forward to pay her respects. Princess Mingchang supported her and she choked up and said, "It's embarrassing to say that my son has made such a big mistake. Although he is not a good person, he is my son after all. Now he has lost his life... I feel so sad..."
Princess Mingchang's husband was also from the Li family in Zhangzhou, and was somewhat related to Madam Xu. Later, the husband lost his life in a rebellion, but the relationship between the two families was still close.
Seeing Madam Xu crying like this, Princess Mingchang felt bad. She handed the handkerchief to her and shook her head, saying, "Aying, this child is really too bold this time. How could she do such a thing?"
After all, the Song family is the emperor's uncle's family. It is too arrogant to make trouble for them.
Mrs. Xu choked up and said, "Blame me, it's all my fault. If I hadn't blindly protected him and indulged him, this child wouldn't be so ignorant. He just wanted to play too much. After being taught a lesson by Song Heng once, he always wanted to get back at him... We are so far away from each other, how could we have expected that he would be so impulsive? But now, even if I want to beat him or scold him, it's impossible..."
Mrs. Xu burst into tears.
Seeing her crying so hard that she could hardly stand up straight, Princess Mingchang felt a little soft in her heart and couldn't help but said, "It has already happened, you should think more positively. The dead cannot be resurrected. If you grieve too much, won't the child be even more restless in the underworld?"
Madam Xu covered her face with her sleeves, and finally stopped crying after a long while. She smiled bitterly with red and swollen eyes, "Yes, one is gone, and another one follows. If I don't hold on, will the whole family be burdened by the Duke? He is getting older, how can he withstand such hardships?"
More people came to pay their respects. Madam Xu held Princess Mingchang's hand with dry lips and said in a low voice: "Thanks to my second brother and his wife for helping me, otherwise, how could I have survived until now?"
The Duke's Mansion was once a distinguished and noble place, but now it has fallen to this state. Princess Mingchang couldn't help but sigh: "Speaking of which, your daughter-in-law is also unlucky. Where else in the capital can you find such a good mother-in-law like you? But she can't stand it..."
There was no regret in his words for Zhang Linghui's death.
This is exactly the effect that Madam Xu wanted. Only when Zhang Linghui died would those pedantic civil officials and the noble ladies who had attended the Spring Banquet be satisfied.
Fortunately, in this world, no matter whether the affairs between men and women are right or wrong, in the end, the blame will always be placed on the woman.
Madam Xu was silent for a moment, then said silently: "Back then, the Zhang family only told us that she had broken off the engagement, and it was the Su family who didn't want to delay her. I knew A Rui's personality, but I thought that since he liked her, family background didn't matter. After all, although Master Zhang was not that great, the old master had a good reputation... Who knew that the Zhang family was deceiving their superiors and subordinates like this behind the scenes..."
As she was speaking, Mother Li reported that Second Madam Xu had arrived. Madam Xu hurriedly wiped the tears from her face and looked at Princess Mingchang apologetically. Seeing that Princess Mingchang did not mind, she let Second Madam Xu in.
Madam Xu came in hurriedly, her face pale and pale. She bowed to Princess Mingchang first, then turned to Madam Xu. She hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Sister-in-law, Madam Zhang and her people are crying outside, saying that we..."
When Princess Mingchang heard the word "Zhang family", she subconsciously frowned in disgust.
Mrs. Xu also coughed, then suppressed her annoyance and pursed her lips and said, "They say that our daughter-in-law is mean and demanding of our in-laws, and they keep saying that they want to find Tongzhou and Tongji..."
Madam Xu grabbed the handle of the chair in shock, stood up hastily, looked at Princess Mingchang with a flushed face and shame and uneasiness, moved her lips but could not say anything, bowed to Princess Mingchang, held back her tears and turned to leave, but her feet went weak and she almost fell.
Princess Mingchang frowned and could not help but snorted, saying bluntly: "You are really good-tempered! This season is the most difficult time for you. They are not only coming to help you in times of need, but they are simply adding fuel to the fire. It is really despicable! Don't you understand that they are deliberately asking for benefits?"
The daughter had just died, and her body was still warm, but they, as her family, not only did not make any plans for her daughter and grandchildren, but they even came here to ask for benefits, as if they were afraid that after her daughter died, she would no longer be able to benefit from the Xu family. It was really greedy.
Even Princess Mingchang was a little fed up with it.
She couldn't help but shook her head: "If you continue like this, you will really harm your two grandsons."
Mrs. Xu's tears suddenly started flowing again, and she shook her head with sobs.