Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Heartache_1 Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Heartache_1 Yang ngchen did not insist further, even though Long Xuanmo hurt her several more tis, she didn’t make a sound; after all, with Long Xuanmo’s mood being so unpredictable, it was wiser to go along with him.
“I’m planning to request from Father to promote Xiao Hongtao to Magistrate of Qinghe Prefecture,” Long Xuanmo suddenly said.
Without thinking, Yang ngchen objected, “That cannot be!”
“Didn’t you say Xiao Hongtao is an upright and honest official, but his salary is low and he lives a ager life?” Long Xuanmo’s gaze darkened, yet his hands did not cease their movents, “If Xiao Hongtao becos Magistrate, his salary will increase, and he will be able to help more people. You should be happy, so why do you not wish for it?”
“Uncle Xiao once said that he must lead the people of Anping County to prosperity. If he leaves now, he will certainly have lifelong regrets.” Yang ngchen was not lying; Xiao Hongtao indeed had such determination, but sotis fate does not comply with one’s wishes.
“Anping County is under the jurisdiction of Qinghe Prefecture. As long as Xiao Hongtao develops Qinghe well, Anping County will naturally beco prosperous too.”
“It’s not the sa.”
“I can’t see any difference.”
“Uncle Xiao has put his heart and soul into flourishing Anping County, yet the results are not satisfying. The affairs of Qinghe Prefecture are complicated, and naturally it’s not the sa as focusing all his energy solely on Anping County.”
“I’ve asked around; Xiao Hongtao is exceptionally capable and in his pri years, there is definitely no problem for him to handle the affairs of Qinghe Prefecture.”
Facing Long Xuanmo’s relentless push, Yang ngchen, after a mont of contemplation, said, “These are secondary reasons. The main reason is that Uncle Xiao is not suitable to leave right now.”
“Reason,” Long Xuanmo raised an eyebrow.
“It’s all because of the Prince,” said Yang ngchen with a hint of reproach, “All these years, Old Lady Xiao acted as if Uncle Xiao did not exist, indifferent to him. Yet not long after the Prince left last ti, soone secretly reported to Old Lady Xiao about Uncle Xiao eting with the Prince. Seeing potential benefits, she pretended to care about Uncle Xiao’s offspring and arranged for a niece and a distant relative to beco Uncle Xiao’s concubines, even intending to harm Aunty Xiao and Sister Wanxue;
rely after one eting with the Prince, Old Lady Xiao calculated against Uncle Xiao to such an extent. If she knew the Prince recomnded Uncle Xiao to beco the Magistrate of Qinghe Prefecture, Uncle Xiao would never have peace from then on.”
Long Xuanmo seed unconcerned, “Just two won. If Xiao Hongtao does not like them, he can simply refuse.”
“Easy for you to say, standing there without any pain,” Yang ngchen rolled her eyes, “Old Lady Xiao clearly intends to use those two won to force Uncle Xiao into seeking benefits for her. Old Master Xiao has also always disliked Uncle Xiao. If Uncle Xiao refuses, Old Lady Xiao will surely use the Emperor’s advocacy of filial piety at this ti to label Uncle Xiao as unfilial. At that point, it won’t just be being an official that’s difficult for Uncle Xiao, but even living will be arduous.”
“Then I will have soone warn Old Lady Xiao.” The Emperor has indeed been advocating the values of filial piety and benevolence in recent years.
“Absolutely not! If the Prince intervenes in the Xiao family’s dostic affairs, it will embarrass Uncle Xiao and implicate the Prince’s reputation as well,” she said.
“You care about a lot?”
Yang ngchen was startled. When did she start caring about Long Xuanmo?
“If you did not care about , you would not advise against getting involved in the Xiao family’s affairs, thus avoiding any harm to my reputation,” Long Xuanmo explained in a very good mood.
“Your Highness has misunderstood,” said Yang ngchen, unable to comprehend why Long Xuanmo would think that she cared about him. “I’m rely concerned that, due to Your Highness’s well-intended actions, Uncle Xiao might end up in a difficult situation, which is why I advised Your Highness not to intervene.”
“Is that all?”
Sensing sothing off in Long Xuanmo’s tone, Yang ngchen replied with a mix of confusion and candor, “That’s all.”
The look on Long Xuanmo’s face darkened.
If it weren’t for ngchen’s regard for Xiao Hongtao, he wouldn’t bother himself with whether Xiao Hongtao was good or bad. Yet, she was ungrateful, which infuriated him!
Furthermore, he had clearly observed during the day how Lady Luo’s deanor changed to one of great joy at ngchen’s subtle gestures. He was eager to know what could have caused the usually composed Lady Luo to lose her composure. Despite his probing, ngchen kept beating around the bush, turning out to be an elusive little girl!
It seed that without a drastic asure, she had no intention of speaking out.
“In fact, it’s quite normal for Old Lady Xiao to arrange a concubine for Xiao Hongtao. After all, despite being of age, Xiao Hongtao has only one daughter, and with Lady Xiao being childless and prone to jealousy, she has already violated one of the seven grounds for divorce, giving the Xiao family ample reason to cast her aside!”
Long Xuanmo’s intention was to force Yang ngchen to reveal the truth, but his approach accidentally struck deep at the wound buried in her heart, like a sharp knife cruelly jabbing her.
“Who dares!” Forgetting that her hair was still caught in Long Xuanmo’s grasp, Yang ngchen stood up abruptly, turned to face him, and in doing so, snapped a small clump of her beautiful hair. The pain brought tears to her eyes, but she didn’t care at all. Lifting her head slightly, she glared at Long Xuanmo with biting words, “Whoever dares to force Uncle Xiao to divorce Aunty Xiao, I will make sure they die without a place to be buried!”
In her past life, because she was unable to bear children, her mother-in-law had done everything to force her to divorce her husband. She even arranged for a woman she approved of to contrive an affair with her husband, and deliberately let her witness it.
She believed her husband was innocent and didn’t want to leave him, so she endured unbearable pain and bitterness, continuing to take dicine and injections.
Unfortunately, she never did conceive, and a little over a month later, the other woman beca pregnant. Her mother-in-law joyfully brought the woman into their ho while ridiculing her every day, pressuring her to initiate the divorce.
Finally, ignoring her husband’s desperate pleas, she hardened her heart and signed the divorce papers.
But that deep, unforgettable pain beca an indelible mark on her soul, forever freezing her heart.
Long Xuanmo never expected Yang ngchen to react so violently. As he looked at her, her eyes red, tears streaming down her face, his breath caught, and his chest felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hamr. The pain was unbearable, and he wished he could comfort her by holding her close, but to uncover the truth, he had to remain cold-hearted, “It is considered the greatest filial impiety to be without descendants. Lady Xiao, unable to birth a male heir, should duly offer to leave!”
His right hand tightly clutching that small clump of hair, Long Xuanmo’s face was as still as water. ngchen was barely in her teens; why did she give off a feeling of deep, sorrowful experience?
“Aunty Xiao is not incapable of bearing male offspring; she has been sched against, injured at her core, which prevented her from conceiving for many years! Why can’t you all tolerate Aunty Xiao? Why is everyone pressuring her? Why?” Yang ngchen asked hysterically, then slumped to the ground, her tear-filled eyes empty and spiritless, her body radiating the profound sadness of a heart ripped apart, “Moreover…”
Long Xuanmo imdiately pressed on, “Moreover, what?” The truth seed on the verge of revealing itself, and he felt an inexplicable nervousness.
“Moreover, Aunty Xiao has just been diagnosed with a pregnancy, and it is highly likely to be a legitimate son! Yet at this ti, you all are forcing Uncle Xiao to divorce Aunty Xiao, clearly aiming to kill both Aunty Xiao and the child in her womb. How cruel can you be?” Imrsed in the sorrows of her past and present lives, Yang ngchen unconsciously vented the pain in her heart.
So it was true!
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