Chapter 61: Returning to Her Maternal Home

Madam Xue wanted to leave, but no one in the mansion dared to move.

Although she had been blocked at the door that day, she had already realized that the power she held as the mistress was nothing compared to Xue Chengdong’s.

But today truly opened Madam Xue’s eyes.

Before, they hadn’t torn their faces off, so they didn’t know the harsh and cold reality of it all.

Madam Xue sneered, “Fine, now none of you dare to command me.”

“Madam, why don’t you wait until Master comes back and talk to him properly, like before?” The old woman beside her said with a distressed expression.

Madam Xue took a step forward, feeling her vision blur.

At this moment, Xue Qingyin reached out and supported her, saying, “Nong Xia, go and call those soldiers back.”

Nong Xia was Xue Qingyin’s personal maid. Her mother had been Xue Qingyin’s wet nurse when she was young, so their relationship was naturally closer.

She hesitated for a moment, knowing that the time to make a choice had come.

“I’ll go!” She said gritting her teeth.

The people from the Duke Zhao’s mansion hadn’t gone far when they were called back.

Xue Qingyin stood there, taking on the mantle of leadership. She calmly directed them to move the chests outside.

“Bring out anything valuable from Mother’s room as well,” Xue Qingyin said.

Madam Xue was stunned for a moment before she vaguely sensed Xue Qingyin’s intentions. She couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Are we… not coming back?”

Xue Qingyin knew that even if Madam Xue had many grievances against Xue Chengdong, with her background and upbringing, she wouldn’t think of being separated from him for the rest of her life, never to communicate again.

As for something like divorce, it was even more unthinkable.

So Xue Qingyin simply reassured her, “Father will coax Mother back when he comes.”

Madam Xue didn’t say anything more.

The servants hurriedly packed their things and sent them onto the carriage.

Madam Xue didn’t bring any of the servants from the mansion with her, only the people she had brought from her maternal home.

Xue Qingyin was different. She brought all of the people He Songning had given her.

The leader was a maid named Zhishu, who was a little older. She knew some martial arts and was usually very steady. But today, she was a little flustered, wanting to rush to the suburban manor to report to He Songning.

She advised, “Miss, think carefully! If you and Madam leave, you will push things to an irrecoverable point.”

Xue Qingyin simply asked her, “Are you coming or not?”

Zhishu gritted her teeth.

“Big Brother gave you to me, so naturally you have to obey my orders.” Xue Qingyin didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

Zhishu lowered her head and didn’t dare to argue anymore.

The carriage wheels rolled.

Xue Qingyin, with Madam Xue, clothes, jewelry, books, and even the screen and inkstone Xue Chengdong had given her last time, as well as the gifts He Songning had brought back from other places, all went with them.

The scale was so grand, it was like a whole family moving.

Thank goodness for the Duke Zhao’s mansion’s soldiers, otherwise, even if she wanted to give her father a slap in the face, she wouldn’t be able to!

The carriage ran fast, as if afraid of being chased.

Madam Xue worried that Xue Qingyin would be jostled, so she hugged her close. After a long time, she said, “With your father’s temper, he probably won’t lower himself to come and pick us up. If we leave, we might become a laughingstock.”

Xue Qingyin was a little surprised. She looked up at Madam Xue, “But Mother still decided to leave with me.”

Madam Xue was lost in thought for a moment, then said softly, “Perhaps I’ve grown tired of it all these years. It’s Qingyin who gave Mother the courage. The Duke Zhao’s mansion truly treats you sincerely and flawlessly. I don’t have to worry about your brother’s future anymore. We don’t have to rely on your father for everything.”

As she said the last sentence, Madam Xue also let out a long sigh, as if she had released all the suppressed resentment she had held in her heart for years.

Leaving today, leaving decisively, was also fulfilling Madam Xue’s wish to do something she had wanted to do but couldn’t because of various constraints!

Xue Qingyin nestled closer to her, “Mother has me.”

She wouldn’t let Madam Xue end up like she did in the original story.

A good mother should have a good ending, shouldn’t she?

The Xu family lived in the south of the city.

The mansion was even bigger than the Xue family’s.

After all, Xue Chengdong had branched out from the main family early on. When he was appointed as a Minister of the Ministry of Households, he built his own mansion.

The Xu family, on the other hand, had a lot of money, and all the hundreds of people lived together, so naturally they had to build a larger mansion.

When Xue Qingyin and her group arrived at the Xu family’s door, they immediately alerted the people inside.

“The young lady is back!”

“Where’s the young master? Did the young master come back too?”

For a while, the whole Xu family was in an uproar.

When Xue Qingyin got off the carriage, she saw a crowd of people.

At the front was a middle-aged man, Xue Qingyin’s second uncle, whose full name was Xu Qi. It was said that the Xu family originally ran a pharmacy, so many of the Xu family descendants were named after medicinal herbs.

Xu Qi was named after “Huang Qi” .

And Madam Xue’s maiden name was Xu Zhi, named after “Bai Zhi” .

“What day is it today? My sister actually brought my good niece back. My wife and I were so happy when we heard, we immediately came out.” Xu Qi spoke rapidly, hardly giving anyone a chance to interrupt.

Immediately after, he asked, “Where’s your brother-in-law?”

Xue Qingyin vaguely had a bad feeling.

The Xu family might not be a reliable maternal home either.

“We had a fight, only Qingyin and I came back,” Madam Xue said lightly.

Xu Qi’s expression froze, “Why are you fighting? Is it because of that concubine again? How many times have I told you, why do you have to…”

Madam Xue’s face gradually turned ugly.

Seeing this, Xue Qingyin interrupted in a sweet voice, “Uncle, we can’t just stand here and talk, I can’t stand for long.”

Xu Qi forced a smile, “Alright, let’s go inside first. Our Qingyin can’t take the cold.”

Xu Qi thought to himself that Xue Qingyin was naturally weak, which was the only “handle” his sister could use to control her husband.

“Are these all the gifts my sister brought back?” A woman’s voice suddenly interjected.

Xue Qingyin turned to look.

It was her aunt, Gui Shi.

Gui Shi was a few years older than Xu Qi, with deep lines at the corners of her eyes and between her brows. She had a round face, and some of her youthful charm remained in her eyebrows. This smile made the flesh on her cheeks squeeze together, making her look overly flattering.

Xue Qingyin struggled to recall some memories.

Her aunt and uncle’s relationship was not good.

Back then, she had a lucky face and was good at giving birth, so the old master of the Xu family decided to marry her into the Xu family.

“Qingyin, why are you staring at me today? Is there something wrong with my face?” Gui Shi quickly touched her cheek.

Xue Qingyin smiled, “Aunt is getting prettier.”

Gui Shi thought to herself, how could she ever hear a word of praise from this little ancestor in the past? She immediately laughed so hard that her mouth was about to reach her ears.

Xue Qingyin then ordered the soldiers to carry the chests inside, while asking, “Are we still staying in the same courtyard as before? These are all my and Mother’s clothes, food, and necessities.”

The smile on Gui Shi’s face instantly disappeared.

Xu Qi also asked solemnly, “Sister, how long are you going to stay this time?”

Madam Xue pretended not to see their expressions and said, “At least three months, maybe half a year, maybe a year, I can’t say for sure.”

Xu Qi’s face changed drastically, “How can that be? How can a married daughter-in-law stay at her maternal home for so long?”

Xue Qingyin pouted, unhappy, “Uncle, are you trying to drive us away?”

“Naturally… naturally not.”

“Then that’s good, we don’t talk about two families when we’re all family.” Xue Qingyin waved her hand, “Carry them all in.”

Only then did Xu Qi see that the people following behind were all soldiers.

His heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, “These are…”

Although Xue Chengdong was the Minister of the Ministry of Households and very powerful, where could he command so many soldiers?

“Soldiers from the Duke Zhao’s mansion.” Xue Qingyin smiled sweetly, “I thought these chests were too heavy and couldn’t be carried, so I borrowed them from my grandfather.”

Xu Qi was even more terrified when he heard the first half.

Merchants are like that, they fear officials and they also fear soldiers.

After hearing the second half, Xu Qi couldn’t help but wonder, “How could Old Master Xue lend you the Duke’s men?”

“Who said it was that grandfather? The Duke Zhao, my grandfather, the new one!” Xue Qingyin said firmly.

Xu Qi was completely stunned.

Can this thing be divided into new and old?