Chapter 239: Creating Trouble

Upon seeing Chen Feng, the old lady was filled with bitterness. Clenching her teeth, she asked, “Didn’t you say this family is a den of wolves? What are you doing here again?”

Initially, Chen Feng intended to heed Madam Jiang’s advice and not overtly defy the old lady. However, upon hearing her fierce tone and seeing her expression, memories of the years of suffering endured by her mother Wang, the deceased foolish Feng, and herself surged within her, sparking a surge of anger. She had endured so much wrong, and yet here was the old lady, unabashedly shouting at her. With a stern face, she said, “I didn’t want to come here, and I certainly didn’t want to see you! But I was brought here by my father’s insistence. For the sake of my father, I’ve endured many things, including the trouble you’ve caused…”

“A’Feng…” Chen Shiying quickly interjected, “A’Feng, don’t speak like that.”

The old lady slammed the kang table and shouted, “Outrageous! Your defiance must be instigated by that Wang. That woman, despite her seemingly delicate appearance, engages in despicable deeds that are beneath contempt.”

The old lady intended to incite Chen Feng’s temper, hoping that if she retorted, it would be seen as defiance and impiety. She wanted her son and daughter-in-law to witness her true nature, hoping they wouldn’t allow her to acknowledge her lineage or be registered under Madam Jiang’s name.

Chen Shiying waved his hand, ordering all the servants out, and Chen Yuhui and her siblings retreated to the side room. Frowning, he addressed the old lady, “Mother, how did I talk to you yesterday? Why are you behaving this way?”

Pointing at Chen Feng, the old lady Zhao said, “This ungrateful girl is so disrespectful. Are you still supporting her?”

Chen Shiying urged Chen Feng once more, “A’Feng, please, as we agreed, you must respect your grandmother. She’s getting old. Come, come and bow to her and offer tea.”

Hearing the old lady disparage her mother in such a manner, Chen Feng couldn’t bring herself to bow to her. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t kneel to this old lady.

Shaking her head, she said, “I won’t offer tea to a wicked woman who caused her own husband’s death.”

This time, the old lady was genuinely angry and scolded, “How insolent! You wretched girl, spouting nonsense. Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution striking you down?”

Chen Shiying, too, disapproved and said, “A’Feng, how can you speak to your grandmother in this manner?”

Chen Feng said, “Am I wrong? Father is very clever, so you must have thought and known what kind of a person she is, but she is your mother and dared not think otherwise, so you’ve been living in self-deception, deceiving yourself and letting your mother ruined everything. Think about your real father, my grandfather. A high-ranking monk predicted that he would live longer if he had a joyous event. But how did this old lady act?” She pointed at the old lady and continued, “She took my mother, deceived my grandfather, and claimed she was bought as a child bride for my father to have a joyous event. But in reality, she never even registered her at the county office, instead, she used my mother as a laborer. She had planned from the start to dismiss my mother once my father passed the imperial examination. My grandfather and father were deceived by her, but the Bodhisattva wouldn’t be deceived. That’s why my grandfather only lived a few more years before he died. And my father’s condition worsened after marrying my mother after the joyous event, but he past the critical time and live and gets better because of my mother. So, my grandfather’s premature death was caused by her. She not only caused the death of her own man but also harmed her own son. If someone exposes her actions, my father’s career will be in peril…”

In ancient times, people were superstitious, often referring to the Bodhisattva in discussions.

Chen Shiying had similar thoughts, but he quickly suppressed them, feeling it was disrespectful to think that way about his mother. However, when Chen Feng voiced her thoughts, he felt a surge of anger towards his mother for concealing the truth for her own selfish desires. Regardless of the monk’s prediction, since the joyous event was announced, it should have been genuine to fulfill his father’s wishes…

The old lady, consumed by rage, picked up a teacup and hurled it at Chen Feng, shouting, “Insolent, insolent, you ungrateful and disrespectful thing!”

Chen Feng dodged the teacup and coldly said, “I know you wish for my death. But think, if I reveal your actions to the elders of the Chen family, what would they do to you?”

Chen Feng had indeed considered this move, but before she could employ it, the old lady was so furious that she openly mentioned it.

The old lady was so infuriated that she fainted on the spot.

Chen Shiying and Madam Jiang hurriedly helped her to the bedroom. Chen Shiying noticed a slight movement in the old lady’s eyelids and knew she hadn’t truly fainted.

After laying the old lady down on the bed, Chen Shiying quietly whispered in her ear, “Mother, let it go. If you push A’Feng too far and she reveals those matters to the authorities, not only would I face demotion, but my prospects for future promotion would also be jeopardized. If she brings those matters back to our hometown, Mother, we won’t fare well either.”

The old lady opened her cloudy eyes and gritted her teeth, saying, “Drown her and claim she was mischievous, that she accidentally fell into the river. Only the dead can keep secrets. As for the Chu family, let Yuhui take her place. Shiying, we can’t keep this trouble at home, or we won’t know when it will harm the entire family.”

Chen Shiying exclaimed, “Mother, A’Feng is your biological granddaughter. How can you say such things?”

Madam Jiang blinked, finding the old lady exceedingly ruthless, understanding why she even disregarded her own man’s life.

The old lady sneered, “This old woman can’t afford such a granddaughter. Did you hear what she just said? Is that how a granddaughter speaks to her grandmother?”

Chen Feng’s words had already struck a chord in Chen Shiying’s heart, but he couldn’t voice it. He shook his head and said, “Mother, can’t you see? A’Feng is not like Wang Juan and not someone you can manipulate at will. The Chu family surely won’t allow you to switch her out. When A’Feng came to our home, the Chu family sent several people to protect her, and there are even two martial arts experts residing in the outer courtyard. Your plan will not only harm yourself but also your son.”

The old lady’s eyes flickered and she continued, “We can’t let this wicked girl acknowledge her lineage, and we certainly cannot register her under your wife’s name. If she is an illegitimate child, I doubt the Chu family will still marry her!”

Chen Shiying sighed and said, “The Chu family has thoroughly investigated A’Feng’s background. They truly don’t care if she’s my daughter or not. Mother, rest in your room, those matters, I understand well.”

He had the servants attend to the old lady and then returned to the main hall with Madam Jiang, where Chen Feng was sitting in a chair, gazing at the sky.

He said to Chen Feng, “A’Feng, your grandmother is confused. Don’t argue with her.”

Chen Feng didn’t want to escalate the situation further today and simply nodded.

Chen Shiying then summoned the children and said, “Your grandmother is resting due to overexcitement. From now on, A’Feng is the eldest daughter of our Chen family, Hui is the second daughter, Qing is the third daughter, and Xia is the fourth daughter…”