Quick Transmigration: Drama Queen's Daily Life Chapter 1599 - 1588: Honest Fool

Hearing Wang Yong’s words, Old Lady Wang’s proud expression froze, while Niu Xue Mei’s face slowly broke into a relaxed smile.

She turned her head and asked, "Did he really say that?"

"Of course he did." Wang Yong adored Ye Qiu, and once he started talking about Ye Qiu he went on and on. "Not just General Li’s granddaughter, but also the Disciple of the Think Tank, spies from Xin Country and so on—who among them isn’t openly or secretly trying to curry favor with the Great General? But the Great General remains completely unmoved. Even when the Holy Emperor bestowed two palace maids to attend to his daily life, he refused them."

With every sentence he spoke, the smile on Niu Xue Mei’s face grew brighter; in contrast, Old Lady Wang grew more and more embarrassed. Wang Yong was saying all this on purpose, wasn’t he, just to refute what she’d said earlier? And how could such an ordinary woman as Niu Xue Mei possibly be fit to be the General’s Wife?

Looking at Niu Xue Mei’s poised sitting posture, Old Lady Wang suddenly realized that this daughter-in-law and the timid, submissive woman from before were practically not the same person at all. When had she changed?

What made Old Lady Wang truly feel Heart Palpitation was that her son refused to recognize her, yet was so loyal to his own wife. Wouldn’t that mean that from now on she herself would not even measure up to her daughter-in-law? That she would have to live watching her daughter-in-law’s mood?

"Nonsense! What man in this world doesn’t love young women? Niu Xue Mei can’t bear a son. Even if he doesn’t divorce her in the future, I’ll still have my son take a concubine." Old Lady Wang loudly retorted, as if sheer volume alone made her right.

Niu Xue Mei’s expression cooled, her eyes full of sarcasm. "Mother, you must have forgotten what you did to our whole family before. Now that you see Ye Qiu making something of himself, you want to act like his mother again. But Ye Qiu and I haven’t forgotten. Are you really sure he’ll listen to you?"

Thinking of the way things had once blown up so decisively, Old Lady Wang’s vision went black for a moment, but she forced herself to stay calm. "No matter what, I’m still his birth mother. In the past, no matter how reluctant he was, he still did as I wished, and in the future it’ll be the same."

"Really? Mother, are you planning to threaten him with your life again? Don’t forget that agreement you and Father and Eldest Brother signed." This time Niu Xue Mei didn’t back down. She’d had enough of the days of being controlled by Old Lady Wang—especially now that Old Lady Wang actually wanted to secretly sell her daughter. That had completely crossed Niu Xue Mei’s bottom line.

If Ye Qiu hadn’t become the Great General, if Wang Yong hadn’t arrived in time, then Cong Ying and Cong Zi might truly have ended up as maidservants of the Qian Family, losing their freedom forever.

"Mother, if you want to bully us, fine, but at least think of Eldest Brother and Fourth Brother, will you? Aren’t they your two favorite sons? And Cong Hui and Cong Huang—are you not going to think about their futures anymore?"

Listening to this faintly threatening speech, County Magistrate Zhu pretended he wasn’t there, and Wang Yong also stared off at the sky and the ground. Though it didn’t quite accord with filial piety, they very much understood Niu Xue Mei. And now that Ye Qiu had been personally granted the title of Heroic General by the Holy Emperor, the entire northern border of Lan Country depended on him to guard it. Even if he had some flaws, no one dared to say much.

Besides, he held in his hands a formal agreement severing ties with his parents and brothers. Since ancient times, there had been no shortage of officials and prominent families who didn’t fully follow the path of filial piety; most of them had their reasons, and no one had seen them suffer too much censure because of it. Ye Qiu truly didn’t need to worry about Old Lady Wang’s threats.

On the contrary, it was Old Lady Wang who had to choose: would she pick the third son who had a grudge against her and no son of his own, or the eldest and fourth sons on whom she had pinned great hopes and showered with affection?

In the past, when Ye Qiu had no power and no status, the lot of you could bully him as you pleased. Now that he’s accomplished something, do you really think he’ll still be willing to support you? With the power and position he has now, if he wanted you to live badly, it would be the easiest thing in the world.

So, as she listened to Niu Xue Mei’s words, Old Lady Wang stopped short. She glared at her bitterly, but at this moment, no sharp retort would come out.

"My Lord, the village chief of Wang Family Village has arrived, together with the Great General’s elder sister-in-law and fourth brother." Just then, a Government Official led the village chief inside, and Wang Yong immediately dropped to his knees in front of the village chief.

"Grandfather, your grandson greets you." Wang Yong kowtowed, overcome with emotion.

"Good child, it really is you." The village chief looked at his grandson through a blur of tears, then helped him up and carefully looked him over. "It’s so wonderful that you’re all right. This way your father and mother can finally be at ease."

"It’s all thanks to the Great General’s care. Without him, I might have died on the battlefield long ago." Wang Yong bared his teeth in a grin, the look he gave the village chief full of the happiness of returning home covered in honor.

The village chief then asked him excitedly, "Ye Qiu really became the Great General?"

"He really did. Even my own position as a seventh-rank Colonel is thanks to the Great General’s promotion!"

"Good, very good!" The village chief was almost at a loss for words. "I always knew that child would make something of himself, that he’d be grateful and loyal. You must follow the Great General and serve him well, and you must be loyal to him, do you understand?"

"Grandfather, don’t worry. The Great General values me so highly—my life from now on belongs to the Great General."

Watching this scene, Ye Chun’s heart twisted with a sour ache. The village chief’s grandson, who didn’t have much to do with Ye Qiu at all, could be promoted by him to a seventh-rank Colonel. Then what about him, the elder brother by blood?

Thinking of what Niu Xue Mei had said just now, he was seized by a wave of fear, followed by deep regret and resentment. If he’d known Ye Qiu would achieve what he had today, why had he fallen out with Ye Qiu over that paltry bit of benefit back then? If he’d known Ye Qiu would become the Great General, why had he deliberately broken his own leg to escape military service?

If he had obediently gone to war back then, would he now, like Wang Yong, be holding a Colonel’s post? No—he was Ye Qiu’s birth elder brother. He might even have become a General.

Ye Chun regretted it now, bitterly regretted it. He regretted ever running away. Now he not only had no future, but had lost a leg, and had to watch outsiders become officials while all he could do was endure the pain whenever it rained.

"Mother, I heard people say that the third son is the Heroic General?" Wang Hong, not noticing her husband’s strange mood, ran over in high spirits. "Will our family be able to go live in a big house in the capital from now on? And Cong Hui and Cong Huang can study at that Imperial College?"

Niu Xue Mei looked at Wang Hong’s excitement and sneered. "Elder sister-in-law must be dreaming!"

Seeing the look on her face, Wang Hong instinctively retorted, "What’s it got to do with you? Who said you get to talk here?"

Niu Xue Mei didn’t get angry. She smiled brightly instead. "How does it not concern me? The one who’s made something of himself is my husband. Elder sister-in-law, instead of thinking how to win my favor, you still despise me like before. Do you really think I, the General’s Wife, will just let your vile attitude slide?"

Wang Hong’s face went pale. She’d just acted on impulse and forgotten that the one who benefited most from Ye Qiu’s success was Niu Xue Mei. Thinking that from now on everything would have to go through Niu Xue Mei, she felt deeply unwilling.

"You, a woman who can’t bear a son—do you really expect that once Ye Qiu has made something of himself he won’t divorce you?" One had to admit, this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law really did snort out of the same nostril; even their words were identical.

Niu Xue Mei only let out a mocking little laugh. Ye Chun found the sound grating and flushed red with anger, shouting at Wang Hong, "If you can’t speak properly, then shut up."