After the noble lady was reborn, the whole mansion begged her for forgiveness

Inside the hall, time seemed to stand still as a strange silence spread quietly.

Only the flickering and crackling candlelight sounded like a whisper, adding a subtle and tense melody to this invisible contest.

Old Madam Qi sat upright, a fleeting hint of reproach flashed across her eyes, like the most inconspicuous meteor in the night sky, fleeting, yet clear and perceptible.

She lowered her eyes slightly, as if searching for the answer in deep thought, and then slowly raised them, her face full of solemnity and dignity, as unshakable as a mountain.

"Well," she slowly opened her lips, each word was like a heavy hammer, hitting people's hearts, revealing an unquestionable authority and determination, "Let's let the past go with the wind and never mention it again. But speaking of Xiao Cui, she has been with me since childhood, her temperament is as gentle as water, and her manners are dignified and decent. Why do you become jealous and harshly criticize her just because she is a little more beautiful, and even drive her out of the house? Have you ever thought about how this behavior will be judged by outsiders, and how they will regard you as a jealous and narrow-minded woman?"

When Qin Suling heard this, her expression suddenly changed, like a frosted leaf in autumn, instantly losing all color and temperature.

In shock, she involuntarily covered her lips with her hands, a trace of panic flashed in her eyes, like a frightened bird, but she quickly forced herself to be calm and tried to defend herself with words: "Madam, I...how could I bear to do this? In fact, there is another hidden story. Xiao Cui...she..."

She seemed a little incoherent in her words, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, revealing the turbulent waves and struggles in her heart.

Old Madam Qi's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's as she stared straight at Qin Suling, as if she could see into the deepest secrets of people's hearts.

"My Shen Mansion is not a place that harbors filth and does not tolerate any dirty things. If Xiao Cui really wants to serve General Shen, she can just do it openly and I will handle it properly. Why do you have to act on your own initiative and do something shameful? What's worse, Ting Xue dared to disregard etiquette and seduce the general when he returned. Such behavior is simply disrespectful and immoral!"

Every word was like an icy blade, piercing Qin Suling's heart.

Qin Suling felt mixed emotions.

She knew very well that what the old lady said was true, but because of her face and self-esteem, she still tried to make a final struggle: "Old lady, my husband... he has a strong temper. Seeing such immoral behavior, he is naturally furious and wants to punish severely to correct the family tradition. I think of Xiao Cui who was once close to the old lady, so I ask for forgiveness. I hope the old lady will understand."

After hearing this, Madam Qi's expression changed slightly. She knew the deep meaning behind Qin Suling's words, and her anger increased a little, but she suppressed it and said coldly: "What a sharp-tongued person you are. Now I, your elder, want to teach you a lesson, but it takes so much effort. You can say ten things with one word. Do you really take me seriously?"

Qin Suling quickly bowed and saluted, extremely humble: "Granddaughter-in-law dare not, granddaughter-in-law knows the crime."

However, in the depths of those lowered eyes, there flashed an imperceptible sly smile, like a firefly in the dark night, small but not to be ignored.

Seeing this, the old lady became even angrier. She took a deep breath, tried to calm herself down, and said in a deep voice, "The general is old and has no children. I am selecting a maid for the sake of the bloodline of the Qi family. As the wife of the first wife, you should take this seriously and do your best, instead of indulging in those meaningless fights for favor and losing your sense of propriety and tolerance."

Upon hearing this, Qin Suling pretended to be confused and whispered, "Could it be that the old lady wants me to persuade my husband to take a concubine first to stabilize the family's foundation? If so, I, your granddaughter-in-law, should obey the old lady's wishes and handle this matter with all my heart." There was a subtle hint of teasing and provocation in her words, but she pretended to be enlightened and convinced, making it difficult to guess her true thoughts.

The old lady stood in front of the hall and witnessed this scene. Her face instantly turned cold and ashen, her eyes were as fierce as torches, as if she could see through the deepest secrets of people's hearts.

Her chest rose and fell violently, and she almost couldn't hold back her anger, and she shouted at Qin Suling, but in the end, she took a deep breath, turned her anger into a touch of cold frost, and said softly: "You are new to my Qi Mansion, and you may still have many questions about the rules of this mansion. In this aristocratic family, there is indeed an old rule that the wife cannot have an heir, and the concubine cannot get pregnant. However, you don't need to worry too much, I know how to deal with this matter, and I will make a proper arrangement for you."

Upon hearing this, Qin Suling's lips curled up into an imperceptible smile, but then quickly retracted it, putting on a humble and docile look, and replied with lowered eyebrows and a pleasing look: "What the old lady said is very right. My granddaughter-in-law has just arrived, and I am unfamiliar with all the rules in the mansion. There are indeed many things I don't understand. When I return home today, I will do my best to persuade my husband so as not to disappoint the old lady's high expectations." Her words sounded sincere and a little apologetic, but the cunning flashing in her eyes made the old lady's heart sink, as if a thousand-pound stone was pressing on her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe.

The old lady thought to herself: When did Qin Suling become so sharp and sharp in her words? Was her gentle and docile appearance in the past just an illusion?

Seeing this, Nanny Wu at the side became even more furious. She strode forward, her finger almost poking Qin Suling's nose, her voice full of indignation: "Look how angry you have made the old lady! You should be humble and accept the admonitions of your elders. How dare you be so rebellious and rude!" After saying that, she did not forget to turn around and look at the old lady with concern, fearing that she might make a mistake.

Qin Suling's expression did not change, and her tone was calm and clear, like a clear mountain spring, gurgling and flowing, without any impatience: "If there is really something wrong, I will be happy to be punished by the old lady. But my granddaughter-in-law is indeed confused and doesn't know where I went wrong. Madam regards herself as an elder, but her behavior is a bit domineering, which may not be the way for family harmony. As for Xiao Cui's matter, although she was rude, I did not punish her severely for the sake of the old lady's face. I am already magnanimous."

Her eyes were gentle yet firm, as if they could see into the deepest secrets of people's hearts, making it impossible to look directly at them.

When the second lady heard this, her face suddenly changed and her eyes widened with disbelief.

She seemed to be struck by Qin Suling's words, and for a moment she was stunned and speechless. After a moment, she finally came to her senses, stood up angrily, pointed at Qin Suling, and her voice was full of anger and unwillingness: "You just make a light statement and completely deny the fault. It's really unreasonable!"

Qin Suling's lips curled up with a hint of indifferent sarcasm. She slowly said, "Could it be that Second Aunt wants me to personally cry in front of the old lady and ask for forgiveness? I am not the head of the family and have no right to interfere in such trivial household affairs. If Second Aunt feels that this matter is difficult to resolve, she can report it to the eldest sister-in-law and let her decide it. Why bother disturbing the old lady's peace here?"

After saying this, she turned around lightly, leaving behind a back that was both lonely and resolute, as if nothing in this world could shake her in the slightest.