Pang Yan almost immediately defended himself, "Consort Lian did not do it on purpose."
The Earl of Jinxiang's eyes widened: This fool!
Wang Qingyao looked at Pang Yan with cold eyes, her tone devoid of warmth, "So it is. Then how did you deal with this Consort Lian?"
Pang Yan stammered a few times, his face reddening, unable to speak.
"It was just not dealt with, and we let it go?" Wang Qingyao sneered, "Are the daughters of our Wang family so worthless?"
Pang Yan's face turned even redder, and he said in a low voice, "I already spoke to Consort Lian, and she also feels very apologetic."
Wang Qingyao "Tsked" and said to the Earl and Countess of Jinxiang, "So in the Earl of Jinxiang's manor, when a servant makes a mistake, it's over just by saying something. Heh heh, the masters of your Earl of Jinxiang's manor are truly understanding and magnanimous!"
She turned her head and glanced at Bai Junya, "Sister-in-law, we cannot afford such magnanimity. You must properly tell Uncle and the others when you go back. The Wang family should also learn from this kind of tolerance, not just the Wang family, but our Prince Ding'an's manor," she looked at Wang Qingzhen again, "your Weng family should also learn. It's best to publicize it further, so that all the prestigious families in Duanjing can come and learn from the noble qualities of the Earl of Jinxiang's manor."
Bai Junya and Wang Qingzhen suppressed their laughter and nodded with a serious expression, "Yes."
Although the Earl of Jinxiang was an earl, he had no talent and held a sinecure position. How could he compare to the flourishing Wang family?
The Wang family had a Minister of Revenue, a young talent in the Hanlin Academy, and a Princess, all with brighter futures than the declining Earl of Jinxiang's manor.
As for the Earl of Jinxiang's manor, setting aside other things, whether the title could be passed down was a problem.
Pang Yan had no great skills, but he was a master at doting on his concubines and neglecting his wife.
If this matter reached the Emperor's ears...
The Earl of Jinxiang dared not think further.
Wang Qingyao deliberately poked at his sore spot and continued sarcastically, "Alas, should we also inform Consort Wei? The Emperor is benevolent, and he will likely be very pleased to see such a situation."
The Earl of Jinxiang broke out in a cold sweat and said with a smile, "Princess Ding'an misunderstands. Our Earl of Jinxiang's manor has always distinguished between superiors and inferiors, and our rules are strict. There is no such thing as letting it go with just a word."
He turned to the Countess of Jinxiang, his tone stern, giving her a meaningful look of displeasure, "Daughter-in-law, are you aware of your daughter-in-law's miscarriage? I entrusted the manor to you to manage, and this is how you manage it?"
The Earl of Jinxiang was trying to push the Countess of Jinxiang out to take the blame.
Wang Qingyao's eyes showed sarcasm, and she looked down on the Earl of Jinxiang from the bottom of her heart.
The culprits were clearly Pang Yan and Consort Lian.
The Countess of Jinxiang had no sons, only a daughter who had long been married.
After so many years, she and the Earl of Jinxiang had no marital affection left, and she was unwilling to save him face. She immediately sneered, "My Lord Earl is joking. I manage the manor, but I cannot manage the affairs of Yan'er's courtyard. Back then, you were afraid I would harm Yan'er, and you personally ordered me not to interfere with Songping Courtyard. For so many years, I have been very obedient."
The Countess of Jinxiang was also a formidable character.
Pang Yan's concubine had given birth to the Earl of Jinxiang's only son. She thought she could control the manor and cover the sky with one hand.
Who knew that the Countess of Jinxiang found fault with her and, bit by bit, silently killed her.
Pang Yan was suspicious, but he had no evidence.
As for the Earl of Jinxiang, he only cared about his son, and the death of a concubine did not concern him at all.
Moreover, later, the Countess of Jinxiang even willingly took two beautiful concubines for him.
At this moment, being suddenly exposed by the Countess of Jinxiang, his old face instantly turned red with shame, and he glared at the Countess of Jinxiang with resentment.
The Countess of Jinxiang ignored him and said to Wang Qingyao, "I knew about this. Poor Zhu'er, her first child was lost because of Consort Lian. Because of my Lord Earl, I couldn't punish her, so I just sent some medicinal herbs and told her to rest well."
With these words, she completely cleared herself.
The Earl of Jinxiang stared blankly, unable to speak.
Pang Yan couldn't help but feel indignant for Consort Lian, "Consort Lian did not do it on purpose, she was unintentional."
"Shut up, you damn it!" The Earl of Jinxiang unleashed his anger on Pang Yan.
Wang Qingyao sneered, "Whether she was unintentional or not, she harmed the main wife's child, and that is a fact."
She looked at the Earl of Jinxiang, "My Lord Earl, you did not know about this matter before. Now that you know, how do you think Consort Lian should be dealt with?"
The Earl of Jinxiang, eager to curry favor, said without thinking, "Beat her and sell her off."
"How can that be?" Pang Yan exclaimed, "Consort Lian has given birth to a son and a daughter for me, continuing the bloodline of the Pang family. How can she be sold off just like that?"
The Earl of Jinxiang glared at him again, but Pang Yan was wholeheartedly defending his beloved cousin and did not notice others at all.
Wang Qingyao nodded slightly, "That is also true."
Pang Yan choked, seemingly not expecting Wang Qingyao to be so accommodating.
Wang Qingyao continued, "If not sold off, then send her to the manor in the countryside."
"No," Pang Yan retorted without hesitation.
Wang Qingyao looked at him with amusement, "This won't do, and that won't do either. Why don't you, Fourth Sister's husband, tell me how Consort Lian should be dealt with?"
She chuckled, "Don't tell me you've already spoken to her. What kind of punishment is that?"
Pang Yan only wanted to protect Consort Lian and was unwilling to punish her.
But he knew that without punishing Consort Lian, Wang Qingyao's anger would not be appeased.
After thinking for a moment, he resorted to emotional appeals, begging for Consort Lian.
"Princess Ding'an, you are magnanimous. Consort Lian is kind-hearted, frail, and unable to take care of herself. She truly did not do it on purpose. Zhu'er lost her child, and she is also extremely guilty. Please spare her this once."
Wang Qingyao laughed, "Frail and unable to take care of herself? Does she not know how to use the toilet, or how to eat? Is she perhaps mentally challenged?"
Pang Yan: "..."
Wang Qingzhen really couldn't hold back and burst out laughing with a "pfft."
Wang Qingyao glared at her, why couldn't she hold back?
Wang Qingzhen bit her lip, lowered her head, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
"Whether to spare her or not is not up to me, it's up to Zhu'er. If she comes to kowtow and apologize to Zhu'er, and Zhu'er is willing to forgive her, then this matter will be dropped."
Just like that? The secretly smiling Wang Qingzhen looked up at Wang Qingyao in surprise.
Pang Yan had just breathed a sigh of relief, but then he remembered that Consort Lian's legs had been broken and she was lying on the bed, on the verge of death.
He had come to seek justice for Consort Lian. Wang Qingyao had been rambling about this and that, and his anger had not been unleashed.
Now that he remembered this, his subsided anger flared up again.
It was their fault, Pang Yan's and Consort Lian's, that Wang Qingzhu had miscarried, but Consort Lian's broken legs were not her fault.
Pang Yan immediately sneered, "Kowtowing to apologize is probably something Consort Lian cannot do right now! Princess Ding'an, you are truly cruel. It was clearly Zhu'er who asked Consort Lian to attend the banquet at Prince Rong's manor, yet you, Your Highness, are unable to distinguish right from wrong and are seeking personal revenge, having Consort Lian's legs broken!"
As Pang Yan spoke, his eyes turned red.
His beloved cousin, his kind-hearted, frail cousin who needed protection, would never be able to stand up again in her life.
Pang Yan dared to speak to Wang Qingyao like this. Before Wang Qingyao could react, the Earl of Jinxiang kicked him.
"You beast, how dare you speak to the Princess like that?"
Pang Yan was kicked and almost fell to the ground.
Wang Qingyao sneered, "Fourth Sister's husband is truly devoted to his concubine. You didn't react much when the legitimate wife's child was lost, but you're in a hurry when a servant's leg is broken!"
"What servant? She is my concubine, my cousin!"
The Countess of Jinxiang's lips curled into a mocking smile.
Wang Qingyao glanced in her direction and said, "Tsk," "Countess of Jinxiang, is this Consort Lian the daughter of your brother's family?"
"No."
"Then it's strange. If she's not from the main wife's family, how can she be Young Master Pang's cousin?"
Regardless of Pang Yan's birth mother, only the Countess of Jinxiang could be called his mother.
Only the legitimate wife's relatives were considered proper relatives.
Pang Yan had clearly forgotten this.
Now that Wang Qingyao pointed it out, he was speechless and couldn't say a word.
"Furthermore," Wang Qingyao continued, "regardless of her previous status, since she willingly degraded herself to be a concubine, she is a servant!"
The Countess of Jinxiang showed her approval.
"A servant, let alone that Zhu'er didn't ask her to go, even if Zhu'er really asked her to go, what then? She knew her master made a wrong decision, yet she didn't offer any advice. Is it wrong for me to beat her?"
In ancient times, there were many examples of masters punishing servants for mistakes.
Pang Yan wanted to argue a few points, but although Wang Qingyao was a bit unreasonable, her words were logical.
He opened his mouth and couldn't find a place to start.