Chapter 8
“Brother, while Sister-in-law isn’t around, don’t blame your younger sister for speaking badly.” Xiao Baoxin suppressed her disdain and immediately put on a sincere face. However, it didn’t seem to have much effect. She wasn’t someone who was good at disguising herself. She looked down on him, so it was inevitable that her expression would reveal a little.
“Even if you don’t care about your title as an official, you’re still married to Sister-in-law and should be indebted to her. Sister-in-law has helped the Xiao Family to bear children and should be credited for that. Even if you’re angry, you can’t deny that.”
“Whether the two of you are playing tricks or really having a conflict, both of you know it well. However, the people around you don’t know. It’s hard to tell whether it’s real or fake. If the Cai family feels bad for Sister-in-law, they might cause a scene and make a fool out of everyone. Family harmony is not something that can be maintained with anger.”
Xiao Baoxin spoke sarcastically. She was just short of pointing at his nose and saying that he only cared about his reputation. If he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, then he shouldn’t rush to the stage like a fighting chicken. If Madam Cai really made a big deal out of it, his reputation would be ruined first.
Putting aside the fact whether she had pushed his mistress and caused her miscarriage, no matter what Madam Cai was the main wife. If the two of them really got into a fight, he would be named the one for doting on his concubine and exterminating his wife!
He was not her real brother after all. If it was Xiao Baoshu, she would have beaten him to death!
The Cai Family was an aristocratic family, and their reputation was especially important to them. It was impossible for them to sit by and watch Xiao Baoshan spout nonsense and ruin their family’s reputation. Therefore, it was obvious that they would stand on Madam Cai’s side and protect the interests of the main wife and the family’s reputation.
One could only imagine what Xiao Baoshan was going to face and what the Xiao Family was going to face.
She was straightforward enough, but the problem was that Xiao Baoshan was really brainless. As if he didn’t understand anything, he exploded after hearing her words.
“Cai family would cause trouble? Can’t they tell? Their daughter killed my son! Eldest Miss, you’re also a woman—of course, you’re still young, but there was such a large pool of blood and my son was gone in the blink of an eye!”
He was just short of scolding her for being cold-blooded.
Hearing this, Madam Xie couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled a long face that almost smashed to the ground.
“Eldest Master, should you be saying this to your younger sister? Your wife was the one who pushed your mistress and you were the one who raised a mistress. Your younger sister saw that the two of you had gone overboard and just could not stand it anymore. For the sake of your future, she gave you ideas behind your wife’s back. Why can’t you differentiate between good and bad?”
Who gave him the courage to act like this?
“Baoxin, go back to your yard. This is an adult’s matter. Don’t get involved as a young lady. Forget it if no one appreciates your help. Otherwise, all the anger might even be directed at you!”
“We can’t do anything about this. Since the Cai family is here, let your brother talk to them himself!”
She was not going to care anymore.
That was how protective Madam Xie was!
Usually, for the sake of the Xiao Residence’s reputation, she would be afraid that she would be criticized if she made a mistake. As a concubine family, they had no rules and always looked up to the big families. But when it came to her children, no matter how shameless she was, she would not give face to anyone!
After she finished speaking, she glared at Xie Baoxin as if she was annoyed that she was too slow.
Alright, Xiao Baoxin decisively turned around and left.
It was fine if her help was unappreciated. She had always kept her distance from people who would vent their anger on others at any moment. She had no interest in finding trouble with them.
How frustrating it was that she could not beat or scold him.
The mother-daughter pair left Xiao Baoshan hanging there. The servants who were busy in the courtyard were also not so polite to him. They glanced at him, as though watching a show.
Xiao Baoshan’s face was flushed red. This was all because he did not have a mother!
If this was his biological mother, she wouldn’t make things difficult for him. His own sister would not dare to make things difficult for him, otherwise wouldn’t she be asking for a beating?
But!
Who asked his mother to die early and his father to be promoted so quickly? He didn’t even have a good day, yet he made room for another wife so quickly.
Unexpectedly, the speed at which he was slapped in the face was even faster. Before Xiao Baoxin could leave, he saw the butler, Jia Yong, gritting his teeth as he entered the courtyard. He was in his thirties and had an average appearance. Only his eyes were darting around, looking very shrewd.
“Madam.” When he entered the courtyard, he immediately called out to Madam Xie. Ever since the Xiao family entered Jiankang City and the emperor rewarded this mansion, he knew who had the final say in the family. When the Master was at home, he would listen to him and when the Master wasn’t around, he listened to the Madam.
“— The eldest and second son of the Cai family are here. They don’t look pleased and demand the Eldest Young Master to meet them!”
Upon hearing that, Xiao Baoxin knew that the Cai family did not mean to keep the peace.
If they wanted to resolve this matter peacefully, only Madam Cai would do it. The woman would be the one to resolve this matter and keep the matter under control at the back of the house. However, the men from the Cai family were involved, which meant that they were going head-on against them. If Xiao Baoshan and the Xiao family did not give a satisfying response, there might be a battle between the two families.
At this point, no matter how stupid Xiao Baoshan was, he knew that this matter had completely escalated—
The eldest son of the Cai family was already 27 or 28 years old. He was an assistant minister in the Ministry of Official Personnel. His appearance could only be considered upright, and his figure was short, only reaching his younger brother, Second Young Master’s shoulder. The Second Young Master had a straight nose and a wide mouth. He was tall and strong, and was different from the reserved and steady Eldest Young Master. He had a loud and boisterous personality and loved to drink. He loved to brag and joke around with people after drinking, attracting all kinds of people. Wherever there was a scene he would be there. If there was nothing going on, he would look for trouble himself. He was such a person who demanded a beating.
Xiao Baoshan had always respected these two brothers-in-laws. It wasn’t because of anything else, but purely because of the illustrious reputation of the Cai family. They didn’t have their own aura, but their imposing manner was enough to make people bow down to them.
… Well, even if he was impressed, he would probably be beaten up by the Second Young Master.
“Madam, save me!” Xiao Baoshan couldn’t care less about embarrassing himself. He stopped Madam Xie from leaving.
Madam Xie thought to herself, “This person is so despicable. If I don’t hit him, he won’t know pain.”
Just a moment ago, he was still acting like a huge powerful wolf with the two of them, claiming that his son had been killed and insisted on seeking justice. He looked as if he would not rest until one of them was dead. But in the end, when his in-laws came, he immediately cowered.
Even if he could hold on for a while longer, she would still admire him!
However, Madam Xie was only putting on an act on the surface, and it was impossible for her to really ignore him. Firstly, she would be unable to explain to Xiao Yun, and secondly, it was difficult for her to stop everyone from gossiping about the family.
Although she didn’t like this lowly son of hers, she had to do what she had to do. She and Xiao Baoshan went to the front hall one after another.
Xiao Baoshan had just stepped through the door, and before he could raise his hind legs, he saw a person rushing towards him like a gust of wind, mixed with a faint smell of alcohol. A fist smashed onto Xiao Baoshan’s face, and he screamed and fell to the ground. Who would have thought that this was not the end, and immediately he was kicked continuously—
“You beast! Back then, when you married my sister, you spoke so extravagantly and said that my sister was the best person on earth. Now that she’s pregnant with your child, you actually dare to lay your hands on her! Who do you think the Cai family is? Do you think that you can bully and humiliate us as you please?! Do you really think that your father can be lawless just because he’s invincible in battles everywhere?!”
“You hit my sister and caused her to miscarry. You’re a husband and a father! I’ll beat you to death!”
Madam Xie said, “Is there… some misunderstanding here? Mingzhu wasn’t the one who had a miscarriage. She was the one who… pushed someone down and caused her miscarriage.”
It was the most frightening when there was a sudden silence.