Sun Old Madam calmly got up and moved back. The Ding Duchess just instantly fell onto the ground, falling in a sorry state.
The people outside, hearing the movements, inwardly communicated with one another, eventually unable to bear it anymore and entering. Seeing that scene, they momentarily blanked, unsure as to what to do.
Sun Old Madam rather turned her head, “Come in, and have your madam helped up.”
Hearing this, they also didn’t dare slight, swiftly entering. However, they all subconsciously and carefully avoided Sun Old Madam, just feeling this old madam was truly too scary. Their madam that had all of them tormented to exhaustion, in front of old madam, was just like a clown baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, yet the old madam didn’t even crease a single brow.
Once they had the person placed back, Sun Old Madam immediately called for them to get lost again. The Ding Duchess actually wanted to reach out to stop them, but as a result, the one that was within reach directly brushed her hand aside. After blanking for a moment, she began throwing a tantrum again.
Sun Old Madam poured a cup of lukewarm tea from the table and just lightly took a sip. Afterwards, she walked to the side of the recliner, pouring the whole cup over her head. “This kind of thing, I’ve also only personally done in those few years after marrying, and haven’t done in several decades. Bestowing it to you now, you should feel honored.”
The tea water dripped downwards, not just wetting her hair, but also her whole face. Even her eyes seemingly all weren’t able to open.
Sun Old Madam had the cup placed back, then returning, “Calmed down?”
The Ding Duchess wiped the water droplets from her face, silent without a word.
“En?” Sun Old Madam questioned again.
“Calmed down, mother, this daughter-in-law has calmed down.” The Ding Duchess strangely felt the cold air spring up everywhere, shivering once, as she hurriedly opened her mouth.
“It’s good that you’ve calmed down. When nicely speaking with you, you won’t listen, and insist on forcing me to use such methods. Perhaps, in the past, I was too benevolent towards you, and didn’t have you educated properly, that’s why you would become like this today?”
Those words in front were considered ‘nicely speaking’? Then what would ‘not nicely speaking’ look like? The Ding Duchess tugged the corner of her mouth. She has married into the Ding Duke Manor for several decades already, yet today was her first time seeing this mother-in-law actually having such a side to her. Then, thinking back to her words earlier, as expected, she was muddled in the head, no different from looking for death. She lowered her head, shrinking back.
“However, regardless what you’re like now, I’m also too lazy to bother with you anymore. Where’s the thing?”
“That sandalwood jewelry box on the dressing table has a hidden layer underneath.” The Ding Duchess mumbled.
Sun Old Madam walked over, picking up the jewelry box and directly flipping it over. Knocking on it, there weren’t any hollow sound, however the sound wasn’t the same as with when knocking in other areas. Having it moved over the candle light, and carefully looking it over, she found the way to open it. Turns out, the inside was stuffed tightly by corks. No matter how it was shook, it all won’t let out a sound. Sun Old Madam took out the brocade pouch, just using her hand through the cloth to feel around, and afterwards, just placed it into her sleeve. The jewelry box was returned to normal, and shortly after, without a second word, she just directly left.
The entire process, the Ding Duchess just blankly watched from the side, but she could only just watch, and couldn’t say a single word. She had a feeling, if she really dared to refuse, then she’ll really be swept out the door, and Yi Lin will really be dragged into hell with her, and her maiden family will also consider her a disgrace. Everything will all collapse. Turns out, the one that she thought was an amiable mother-in-law, when ruthless can even disregard the Ding Duke Manor reputation, and can even abandon her most beloved grandson.
As for whether or not her mother-in-law will have the thing given to Yi Jia, she didn’t have the right to question. Regardless whether it was her mother-in-law, or Yi Jia, she all didn’t have the qualifications.
As she was about to reach the door, Sun Old Madam suddenly turned back again, standing three steps away from the Ding Duchess, looking down on her from high above. Her face was no longer amicable, but rather genuinely cold and stern, “For you to be able to sit securely and stably for several decades in the Ding Duke Manor, this mud pit, it can be seen, you’re not a stupid one. Then, it can only mean that Yi Lin and Yi Jia are actually the same. When having yet to anger you, he can be loved, can be pampered, and you can care very much, but when he goes against your will, he similarly can be abandoned. Don’t use ‘for his sake’ as an excuse for everything, and don’t have yourself flaunted as someone that noble, that selfless. One has to know, your true nature just happens to be the opposite. However, no matter how much more is said, it’s all useless. Yi Lin probably also said quite a few things to you before, and at the time, perhaps you even reflected upon yourself once. But afterwards? You would just remember getting disobeyed. Truly unreasonable to the extreme.
If saying is useless, then it’s just to take action. If you settle down a little and know your place, I’ll let you die of old age in the Ding Duke Manor. If you’re restless, then I’ll let you suddenly die of an illness and throw your corpse into the messy corpse pit[1] to feed the wild dogs. Finding a corpse to take your place in getting buried into the Sun family ancestral tombs isn’t anything too troublesome either. This last chance, you better think carefully. Otherwise, even if I die first, before dying, I’ll still dispose of you first. Also, don’t think to pretend to be quiet now, and wait for me to die to stir up trouble. You can greatly rest assured, regardless of what scenario, I will all have your arrangements taken care of ‘appropriately’.”
The Ding Duchess watched her figure disappear through the door. Outside the door, it was already pitch black, unable to see anything. She violently trembled, her body going limp.
For people, after dying, it was all about ‘the falling leaf returning to its roots’, entering the earth to rest, and enjoying the incenses offered by one’s descendants. This mother-in-law would rather randomly find someone to replace her, than to leave her a way out, insisting on severing all her paths! Comparing means, who can compete against her?
She selfishly thought having managed the Ding Duke Manor for this many years, even if not controlled air-tight, she at least still had more than half of the power in hand. But, just look at the people serving by her side, the ones that were viewed as her trusted aide. From their attitude in front of the old madam, one can just know, the things she assumed were all just a joke. Only when she doesn’t have that power taken seriously, you are able to wield it in hand. But when she takes it seriously, then you can just move to the side.
Prior to the current emperor ascending the throne, there similarly was a bloody struggle. Her father-in-law was much stronger than her husband, the current Ding Duke, but in the end, wasn’t the Ding Duke Manor was still single-handedly dominated by her mother-in-law. Because one had seen her ‘amicable’ face for too long, just assumed that she really was amiable? And just because she didn’t hinder, just believed that she wasn’t skilled in schemes and tricks? Heh…………
Her weak body appeared lifeless and empty. Was she really that kind of person?
——–Yet turns out, the one you care about the most is yourself. You don’t allow others to ignore you, don’t allow others to disobey you. Once we cross your bottom line, you will go mad, losing your rationality, disregarding all consequences, only wanting to satisfy yourself.
Sun Yi Lin’s words repeatedly echoed by her ear. What once were unconcerning words, treated as the wind by her ear, forgetting with a turn of her head, right now, was instead like having been carved into her heart. She wanted to deny with all her might, telling herself, she really was just wholeheartedly considering for Yi Lin. However, the truth was actually, if she really considered for him, then she should have helped him marry back the girl he liked, letting him carry a happy smile, letting him give birth to a chubby grandson for her sooner, she holding her grandson, and they, this couple, watching with a smile to the side………
Imagining that kind of scene, her tears uncontrollably slipped out from the corner of her eye, disappearing into her hair.
Also, Yi Jia, she originally should be able to hold an outer grandson after several months……………
Because the place was small, the courtyards were naturally limited. The Ding Duchess was sick, thus they didn’t have her arranged in the same courtyard as the Ding Duke. Moreover, the Ding Duke right now also exceptionally disdained seeing her.
[1] Basically for people who don’t have anyone to help bury them or when there’s a lot of deaths and not enough burial sites, the corpses are just all thrown into a pile and buried. This is often done for executed criminals and servants.
