Chapter 197 Neither Side

Chapter 197 Neither Side

Yuan Zhuo's mother stubbornly refused to acknowledge the marriage between Yuan Zhuo and Xie Jingshu. She not only pointed at Xie Jingshu's nose and cursed her as shameless, promiscuous, self-degrading, and eager to climb into a man's bed, but also threatened to kill herself to force Yuan Zhuo to marry a girl from a high-class family.

Yuan Zhuo agreed. When his family proposed marriage to the Xie family, he had repeatedly said that they were "childhood sweethearts and had been in love for a long time," but now that was just a joke.

All he left Xie Jingshu with was a seemingly helpless but utterly despicable excuse: "My mother threatened to kill herself, what could I do? But don't worry, in my heart, you and I are truly husband and wife. After so many years of affection, do you really think I would neglect you for a strange woman?"

Xie Jingshu, who hadn't given up hope even after being scolded by Yuan Zhuo's mother, was completely disheartened by Yuan Zhuo's words. She asked for a divorce agreement and went to the Taoist temple without looking back.

Yuan Zhuo was furious and embarrassed, feeling that Xie Jingshu was ungrateful. However, his mother was very happy that Xie Jingshu was so sensible.

She was planning to find another noblewoman for her son, so what was the point of keeping Xie Jingshu at home?

If it weren't for the presence of her parents-in-law and the people left behind by the eldest son in the mansion, preventing her from being too blatant in her evil deeds, she would have already taken action against the extremely annoying Xie Jingshu eight hundred years ago.

Xie Jingshu was willing to leave on her own, saving her the trouble of clearing obstacles. She was overjoyed and would never allow her son to continue entangled with the other party just because the other party had asked to leave.

Later, Yuan Zhuo married his current wife under his mother's arrangement, while Xie Jingshu gave birth to Xie Wanniang with great difficulty in a Taoist temple.

The mother and daughter lived a very hard life for a while until Xie Daoheng, who received her message, risked dying on the way and brought them back to the clan. Only then did Xie Wanniang's diet change from rice soup to goat milk.

Xie Jingshu did not stay in the Xie family for long. After recovering, she registered the child under her brother and sister-in-law's names and moved to a Taoist temple closer to home to continue her spiritual practice.

Xie Jingshu, unaware that Xie Wanniang was a reincarnated person, was completely unaware that Xie Wanniang was actually well aware of her early experiences, and therefore harbored a deep hatred for Yuan Zhuo's family.

She never spoke ill of her biological father's family in front of Xie Wanniang. To be precise, she hadn't even told Xie Wanniang about the basic situation of her biological father's family.

Only her brother Xie Daoheng and her deceased mother heard her tell the story of the pain and humiliation that the Yuan family had inflicted on her.

Because of her request, neither of them even told Madam Hu, so naturally they wouldn't tell Xie Wanniang, who was nominally Xie Daoheng's daughter. They both hoped that Xie Wanniang could grow up healthy and happy, instead of having her mind twisted by hatred at such a young age.

Therefore, Xie Jingshu always thought that Xie Wanniang's knowledge of those old stories was just hearsay and her own speculation.

She underestimated Xie Wanniang's hatred and rejection of her biological father's family, and stubbornly wanted to give Xie Wanniang the wealth and glory that her biological mother could never give her in her lifetime by recognizing her ancestors.

Of course, only Xie Jingshu herself knows how much of her hidden motives—wanting to get revenge on Yuan Zhuo and his mother, and to disgust Yuan Zhuo's current wife—were involved.

Completely disappointed in her, Xie Wanniang no longer cared about her true thoughts.

Whether they disagreed on how to take revenge, or whether she was willing to push her own daughter into a fire pit for revenge, it no longer mattered to Xie Wanniang.

She is her own person, and she will not let anyone influence her thoughts and decisions, even if that "anyone" is her biological mother whom she was once very grateful to and sympathetic to.

She will no longer try to reason with Xie Jingshu, nor will she seek Xie Jingshu's understanding, trust, change, or support. The only thing she will do next is to ensure that Xie Jingshu and her biological father's family no longer have the ability or right to manipulate her destiny.

Thanks to Jiang Yuan, she was inspired once again and found a new way to make a name for herself.

She briefly told Madam Hou about the Yuan family's betrayal and how, after discovering that Yuan Zhuo could not leave any offspring, the Yuan family shamelessly wanted to take her back and have her marry into their family. Then, she was suddenly chased outside the village and had to jump into the water to save herself. From then on, she could not return home and could only wander outside and struggle on her own.

Hearing her say that she was coerced by Xie Jingshu under the guise of doing it for her own good, and because she was worried about bringing trouble to her family, she had no choice but to go into hiding after narrowly escaping death and seek refuge with Jiang Yuan, a boy she had never met before, both Lady Hou and Chang Yuan couldn't help but tear up.

Lady Hou did not try to persuade her to forgive Xie Jingshu. In Lady Hou's view, Xie Jingshu was indeed somewhat obsessed, so much so that she disregarded the feelings and life or death of her only blood relative.

She asked Xie Wanniang, "So you want His Majesty to intervene and order them to stop interfering in your private life?"

Lady Hou was somewhat troubled, because even the emperor was not in a position to interfere in the family affairs of his subjects.

Constrained by traditional social norms, he couldn't legitimately stop parents from arranging their children's future lives. The only things he could rightfully interfere with were those explicitly prohibited by law.

Clutching the thin sheet of paper in her hand, Lady Hou was secretly wondering if the Emperor would consider Xie Wan Niang's talent and sacrifice his own reputation for her sake when Xie Wan Niang shook her head and spoke again.

She spoke softly, "No, I just hope that His Majesty, the Crown Prince, and the ladies of the palace can stand aside and not take sides, considering that I have made some contributions."

Lady Hou was slightly taken aback.

Xie Wanniang explained, "I can let it go with my birth mother, but I'm worried that Yuan Zhuo will go directly to the palace to ask for permission."

The emperor, empress, and crown prince are unlikely to concern themselves with the messy affairs of Yuan Zhuo's family. However, if the benefits are sufficient, the emperor's other concubines and the crown princess, these nobles with their own stances, might take a different stance, and that remains to be seen.

Lady Hou clearly understood this as well. She looked at Xie Wanniang and said, "So, you mean that if your biological parents don't take this matter to the palace, you won't need His Majesty to give you any reward?"

Xie Wanniang nodded, "It's just a little trick for purifying wine. I'm afraid the court officials will have objections to whatever His Majesty rewards me with."

Yes, what she gave to the Lady of the Marquis was a method for purifying wine.

This merit is neither too great nor too small, and it is indeed inappropriate to reward her too generously. However, if the emperor were to only give her gold, silver, cloth, or a manor, she might as well ask the emperor for a promise.

Lady Hou sighed, "Alright, I will definitely help you get this done."