The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

Xia Mianwan had just returned to her courtyard and sat down to drink a cup of tea when she heard Chai'er come to report that the Marquis' wife and the prince from the Marquis of Jinyang Mansion had arrived. Xia Mianwan frowned slightly, thinking that there was indeed a traitor in the mansion.

"I understand. Serve the tea first." Xia Mianwan ordered.

Xia Mianwan deliberately changed into a plain jacket and went to the front hall after getting dressed properly. It took her fifteen minutes to finish the preparation. When Lady Jinyang Marquis saw Xia Mianwan, a hint of displeasure flashed in her eyes.

"Madam Pei asked us to wait for a long time." The wife of Marquis Jinyang smiled wryly and complained sarcastically that Xia Mianwan had made them wait for a long time.

Xia Mianwan curled the corners of her lips slightly and said, "It's my fault. My mother-in-law was sick and I was serving her personally. I didn't expect the Marquis's wife to come without sending a letter." This was a subtle criticism that the Marquis's wife was unruly.

The wife of Marquis Jinyang had never dealt with Xia Mianwan before. After this contact, she realized that Mrs. Pei Xia Mianwan was indeed unwilling to suffer any loss. She cheered up and said, "This is my useless son."

Xia Mianwan smiled slightly, took a sip of tea tactically and did not respond.

Seeing that Xia Mianwan didn't respond, the people from the Jinyang Marquis' Mansion secretly cursed Xia Mianwan for not knowing how to give face to others, so they said, "It's our fault that you came here suddenly today, but there are indeed reasons. It's all my useless son who made the mistake. But don't worry, we are not a shameless family. Since my son has done such an undignified thing, he will definitely take responsibility. When the time comes, the two families will cover it up together, and the matter will be over. At first, my son was beaten half to death by the Marquis, but I changed my mind and thought that as long as this matter is handled well, it can be regarded as a good relationship. That's why I thought of coming to ask you for a word."

Xia Mianwan despised the Marquis's actions in her heart, but she looked surprised. "Madam Marquis, you really confused me. I don't know what you are referring to? The prince made a mistake... What does it have to do with my family? What is a good marriage? Could Madam Marquis be mistaken..."

The wife of Marquis Jinyang expected Xia Mian to play dumb in the evening, so she said, "I know that family disgrace should not be made public, but Madam Pei, this is a matter of life and death, so I hope Madam Pei will help."

Xia Mianwan still looked puzzled. "Madam Hou is so weird. You came to my house in the first month of the year and said some weird things. It's a family scandal and a life. You put such a big pot on my head and didn't explain clearly what it was. Isn't it a bit unreasonable?"

The wife of Marquis Jinyang and the prince looked at each other. After understanding each other's intentions, the prince of Marquis Jinyang took a step forward and said, "Sister-in-law, it's my fault. I made the second young lady feel wronged."

Xia Mianwan's face darkened and his expression changed, "Prince, don't talk nonsense! We are not related to each other and we are not worthy of you calling us sister-in-law."

The face of the Marquis of Jinyang changed slightly, and he said shamefully: "Sister-in-law, the second young lady and I are already husband and wife and have a child. Please help us!"

Seeing that the Marquis of Jinyang's son spoke so directly, Xia Mianwan thought that they must have come to the Pei Mansion today to make the matter acknowledged. The shadow last night was indeed the Marquis of Jinyang's accomplice. Thinking of this, Xia Mianwan raised her eyebrows slightly, "Did the prince make a mistake? The second daughter of the Pei family has already gone to Yanzhou... How can you be married to her? The Marquis's Mansion is really so arrogant that they came to my Pei family on New Year's Day to talk nonsense. Does the prince think that his reputation has not been bad enough in recent years that he can even say such nonsense?"

The wife of Marquis Jinyang thought Xia Mianwan was trying to make trouble, so she signaled her son to leave first with her eyes. Then she smiled and said to Xia Mianwan, "Madam Pei, please don't be angry. It's my mansion that's rude. But the story between my son and the second young lady of your family is true. Every family has one or two ignorant people. Although my son already has a wife, he has never thought of asking the second young lady of your family to be a concubine. Our mansion is sincere. You will be my concubine first, but I can guarantee that the prince must be born by a young lady from the Pei family. How about that?"

Xia Mianwan was a little displeased when she heard this. "Madam Hou, this is really a huge joke. May I ask when and where did the prince meet my second daughter? Why are you spreading rumors about my daughter for no reason? Even if you look down on the status of my Pei family... you don't have to rush to make my daughter a concubine. A concubine and a noble concubine are both concubines. We don't have this rule in our Pei family."

"Your daughter used to live in that courtyard. How did it become a rumor?"

Xia Mianwan sighed and said, "Madam Hou, to be honest, there are many people in the capital who are swindling. Could it be that... the prince was deceived? My second daughter went to Yanzhou before the New Year and has not returned yet."

Madam Hou couldn't believe that Xia Mianwan dared to lie like that. "The Second Miss was with me before she returned to the mansion. Madam Pei, the Second Miss is pregnant with the future prince of our mansion. How dare you lie like that?"

"Madam Pei, as the second young lady, you are marrying up to be the mother of our future young master..." the Marquis's wife continued.

Xia Mianwan's eyes widened in disbelief, "You... your prince's wife is still alive, and your legitimate son is also smart, how dare you speak so bluntly? Have you lost your mind? You are so weird, since you said that my second daughter is marrying up, why are you rushing to let my family marry up? Isn't this your intention?"

The Marquis' wife was speechless. It was indeed not a shameful thing. She was unwilling to do it when the Marquis of Jinyang asked her son to do it, so as not to drag down her son's reputation. But... Cui was the wife of the Crown Prince, so there was nothing she could do about it. If it weren't for this, there would be no need to ruin her son's reputation.

"Mrs. Pei, Ah Qi and I have discussed this. After she came to the Pei residence, she has not returned to the courtyard where we lived together. She and I truly love each other. You don't need to test our sincerity. I am serious."

Xia Mianwan was confused by what he said, and spread her hands and said, "I really don't know what you are talking about. Our girl did go to Yanzhou a long time ago."

Seeing that Xia Mianwan refused to give in, the prince Shen Yicheng had no choice but to point at Xia Mianwan's nose and angrily scolded: "You are lying. Aqi is clearly in Qiufeng Courtyard. You have asked many people to watch her. What do you want to do? Madam Pei, there is no sister-in-law as cruel as you in this world! I want to ask Master Pei why you allow Madam to treat your own sister so harshly!"

Shen Yicheng's righteous words surprised Xia Mianwan. The young master... had a good ability to react on the spot.