Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family - Chapter 274: The Death of Ms. Yang

Chapter 274: Chapter 274: The Death of Ms. Yang

“You ignorant fool! You’ve forgotten your own name so quickly. You shouldn’t have come. If this continues, I swear I’ll divorce you!” Xiao Ce cursed, then flung his sleeves and stormed away.

Ms. Jiang stood there in a daze for a while before covering her face and slumping back into her chair.

Her mind kept echoing Xiao Ce’s last words: “If this continues, I’ll divorce you.”

“SOB SOB SOB…”

Ms. Jiang started to cry. She had lived a comfortable life in Capital City, but then one day, she left with Xiao Ce, enduring hardships as they wandered from place to place, finally settling in Qinghe Village and living a precarious life. Just when things were looking up, her son became the Emperor here, and she finally began to enjoy a life of luxury and prestige. What had she done to be called arrogant and ignorant? She was the Empress Dowager! Wasn’t it her right to discipline her own daughter-in-law? And now, her husband actually wanted to divorce her!

The more Ms. Jiang thought about it, the more indignant she became. She hurried out of Cixi Palace and headed toward Xiao Yunfeng’s Imperial Study. She needed her son to help her get justice.

「Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Study, Xiao Yunfeng and Xiao Ce were sitting opposite each other.」

After a long silence, Xiao Yunfeng spoke, “Father, is this what brought you here?”

Xiao Ce nodded.

Xiao Yunfeng stood up and paced the room. “Father, do you still believe the Emperor should be Third Brother, not me? Father, Second Brother and I are your biological sons. I can’t understand why you favor an outsider. Besides, what are you worried about? Am I not doing a good job as Emperor?”

Xiao Ce sighed. “It’s not that I favor him, Son. You simply don’t have the necessary temperament. Don’t you understand?” It’s only been a few months, and not only has he failed to fulfill his duties, but his arrogance has soared. How long can he possibly hold onto this empire? Once Xiao Yunjing no longer concerns himself with this place, the former Beijiang imperial family will surely stage a comeback. What will our family face then? The annihilation of our entire clan!

Hearing this, Xiao Yunfeng was furious. If the man before him weren’t his own father, he would have had him dragged out and torn apart by five horses! What nonsense about not having the right temperament? Since when did being an emperor require so much temperament, so many scruples? Might makes right; my fist does the talking!

BANG!

Xiao Yunfeng slammed his fist on the table, punching a hole through it.

Ms. Jiang, who had just arrived outside the Imperial Study, heard the noise. She immediately ordered the eunuch to push open the doors without announcing her.

The doors opened, and Ms. Jiang rushed in. Spotting Xiao Ce, she stormed up to him, pointed a finger, and yelled, “Wasn’t it enough for you to throw your weight around in my palace? Now you’ve come to bother our son? Xiao Ce, what exactly are you trying to do?”

Xiao Yunfeng looked at Ms. Jiang. “Mother, what happened?”

So that’s why Father came to lecture him for no reason, he thought. It turned out his parents were having a tiff and were taking it out on him!

“Humph! What happened? It’s all because of you!” Ms. Jiang snorted coldly.

“Because of me? What have I done?” Xiao Yunfeng wondered. What did I do?

“Isn’t it because of your wife? I had her come to see me, and she wore that deadpan face. When I scolded her a bit, she was still defiant, so I made her kneel and reflect. Then your father showed up, took her side, slapped me, and called me arrogant and ignorant! How am I arrogant and ignorant? Eldest, you must stand up for your mother! Your father actually wants to divorce me!”

Ms. Jiang finished her tirade, then shot a fierce glare at Xiao Ce, lifting her chin defiantly. Just you wait, she thought. My son will definitely stand up for me.

Xiao Yunfeng listened, pressing his temples. So, it all started with Ms. Yang, he thought. That woman… A surge of fury rose within him, and he called out, “Someone, come!”

A pale-faced eunuch in his thirties immediately entered and bowed. “Your Majesty.”

“Summon the Empress.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Your servant obeys,” the eunuch replied and hurried away.

“Why are you calling Eldest’s wife?” Ms. Jiang asked Xiao Yunfeng. Wasn’t he supposed to be supporting her?

“Mother, please don’t worry. Father won’t divorce you,” Xiao Yunfeng comforted Ms. Jiang, helping her to a seat. “This is all Ms. Yang’s fault. If she hadn’t stirred up trouble, we wouldn’t be having these conflicts.”

In truth, Xiao Yunfeng still respected Ms. Yang. However, Ms. Jiang had always treated him better since childhood. As long as his mother could vent her anger, it would be fine. He was completely unaware that he had gone astray; his own incompetence as an emperor had very little to do with Ms. Yang.

「Meanwhile, Ms. Yang had returned to her quarters.」

She felt unwell and lay down on the long couch, instructing Xiaoxi to call her if Xiao Han arrived.

Xiao Han didn’t appear, but a eunuch who served the Emperor did. Xiaoxi quickly woke Ms. Yang.

Ms. Yang had no choice but to get up. Frowning, she walked out to the main hall.

“This servant pays respects to Her Majesty, the Empress,” the eunuch bowed immediately.

“Eunuch Quan, please rise. What brings you here?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Emperor requests your presence in the Imperial Study.”

“Oh. Well then, let’s go.” Ms. Yang asked Xiaoxi to fetch her cloak. After putting it on, she accompanied Eunuch Quan to the Imperial Study.

She didn’t particularly care why Xiao Yunfeng had summoned her. It was probably related to what had happened earlier in Cixi Palace. After all, whenever she and Xiao Yunfeng had a disagreement, Ms. Jiang would invariably summon her for a lecture. Being summoned to the Imperial Study today likely meant Xiao Yunfeng intended to scold her again.

Ms. Yang was thoroughly tired of such days. She deeply missed their time in Qinghe Village. Though life had been poor then, there were no disputes, only warmth and tranquility.

Upon arriving, Ms. Yang saw the people in the room. Just as I thought, she mused with a bitter smile.

“Kneel!” Xiao Yunfeng roared.

Ms. Yang merely glanced at him and silently knelt.

“Apologize to Mother!”

Ms. Yang kowtowed. “Mother, I apologize,” she said calmly.

BANG! The sound of a teacup smashing on the floor.

Ms. Jiang, Xiao Yunfeng, and Ms. Yang all looked at Xiao Ce, the one who had thrown it.

“Simply preposterous,” Xiao Ce cursed, closing his eyes. For such a person to be emperor was simply the greatest joke in the world!

He stood up, strode over to Xiao Yunfeng, grabbed him by the collar, and jabbed a finger at his nose. “You imbecile! Are today’s problems Ms. Yang’s fault? With that pig brain of yours, you’re bound to lose the throne sooner or later! Listen to me! An emperor must possess courage and strategy, magnanimity and responsibility, and understand the way of a ruler! You? Humph!”

Xiao Ce finished speaking and shoved Xiao Yunfeng to the ground. He then turned towards Ms. Jiang. Ms. Jiang had never seen Xiao Ce so enraged; her legs had long since gone weak with fright.

“Listen to me!” Xiao Ce said to her. “If you want your son to keep his throne secure, stop being such a shit-stirrer!”

After scolding Ms. Jiang, Xiao Ce looked at Ms. Yang, who was still on the ground, and said, “If you don’t like it here, there’s no need to endure it. Go wherever you wish.”

With that, Xiao Ce left the Imperial Study. He went straight to his palace, packed a bag, and walked out of the Imperial Palace.

The three people remaining in the Imperial Study were still stunned. Ms. Yang looked at the dumbstruck mother and son. Xiao Ce’s words replayed in her mind, bringing a moment of sudden enlightenment. Without a word to anyone, she rose to her feet and returned to Fengqi Palace. There, she too packed her belongings, left letters for her two sons, and prepared to depart.