Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 497 Succeed

Just then, a series of hurried and familiar footsteps came from outside the door, accompanied by Madam He's unique voice, filled with deep worry and anxiety: "Hong'er! Jinxiu! What's wrong now? I heard wailing and crying from inside the house from afar! What happened?"

Before she could finish speaking, Madam He rushed in and immediately saw her niece collapsed in her mother's arms, crying so hard she was barely breathing and her face was pale. Meanwhile, her son stood to the side with a pained and conflicted expression, as if he were forcing Liangshan.

When Cao Jinxiu saw her aunt arrive, it was like a drowning person seeing the last straw. Her cries suddenly rose and became even more shrill and desperate. She struggled to get out of her mother's arms and crawled to Madam He's feet, almost using both hands and feet. She hugged her leg tightly and sobbed uncontrollably!
"Aunt...Aunt...I can't bear to part with you..."

Cao Jinxiu didn't speak, only repeatedly saying she couldn't bear to part with her aunt. But Cao's eldest daughter-in-law spoke up, clutching her handkerchief and wiping away tears, shrilly, "Auntie, your eldest nephew... he's trying to drive us away... he's trying to force us to our deaths..."

"My poor daughter..."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Madam He's face immediately darkened. She looked up at her son, her voice filled with obvious reproach and displeasure: "Hong'er! Is this really true?"

"Why do you insist on driving your aunt and cousin away? They are orphans and widows, helpless in this world. How are they supposed to live without the He family? Are you trying to force them to their deaths?"

She was soft-hearted and valued her family's last remaining bloodline. Seeing her niece crying so pitifully, her heart was already completely biased.

He Hongwen felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly explained, "Mother, it's not what you think!"

"I just... I just want to find a more stable and comfortable place for my aunt and cousin to live, close to the He family's residence. All supplies and servants will be provided, and there will be nothing lacking. I don't mean to drive them away..."

"What's the difference between that and kicking him out!" Madam He interrupted him before he could finish, tears streaming down her face. "Jinxiu's health is so weak, can she withstand such torment?"

“Without me by her side, can those servants take good care of her? How scared and lonely she must be! Hong’er, when did you become so heartless? Is it...is it because the Sheng family put pressure on you? What did they say?”

She naturally attributed all the reasons to Sheng Minglan, who was not yet married into the family.

After all, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law have never gotten along. Even though nothing was going to happen yet, Madam He felt a little uncomfortable knowing that her mother-in-law had this plan.

Before He Hongwen could speak, Cao Jinxiu raised her tear-streaked face and blurted out, her tone so "sincere" and humble it was heartbreaking: "Aunt! It's not my cousin's fault! Nor is it the Sheng family's fault!"

"It's all my fault! I was so immature and an eyesore to others! Aunt, Jinxiu knows she was wrong... Jinxiu shouldn't have had any delusions, and she shouldn't have ruined her cousin's promising marriage... Jinxiu is willing to leave! She really is!"

Her tone suddenly shifted, and she gripped Madam He's hand tightly, as if clinging to the last piece of driftwood, her eyes filled with "sacrifice" and "pleading."

"But... Aunt, please, please persuade my cousin, please don't marry me off so easily!"

“With my body and my past, I’d be dead no matter which family I marry into! I… I’d rather never marry! I’d rather… I’d rather stay in the He family, even if… even if I become a lowly maidservant serving tea and water and sweeping the courtyard for my cousin and the Sheng family’s daughter! Even if I become the lowest and most humble concubine! I would be willing!”

"I only ask for a safe place to shelter from the wind and rain, and to see my aunt and cousin safe and healthy every day, so that I can repay even a fraction of your great kindness... Then I will be content and have no regrets in this life!"

Her words, which were so "righteous" and "self-sacrificing," moved Madam He to tears, and at the same time, they accurately struck at another secret and selfish calculation deep in Madam He's heart.

Madam He hugged Cao Jinxiu tightly, crying out "My darling!" between sobs as she said to He Hongwen, "Listen to this! Listen to this! How sensible Jinxiu is! How considerate she is of you!"

"She's already compromised to this extent! She'd rather be a slave than leave the He family, what more do you want from her?"

“Hong’er, it’s not that I’m criticizing you, but that Sheng family girl is certainly wonderful in every way. However, once she marries into the family, she will be a proper mistress with a noble status. She will need someone who knows her well, is considerate, and can take good care of her for you, right?”

“Jinxiu is her own cousin. She is gentle and obedient, and... she can no longer have children. She will never hinder Miss Sheng’s offspring or threaten her position!”

"With her by your side to serve you, we can fulfill our duty of caring for relatives and prevent outsiders from saying that the He family is heartless. She can also better serve you and your husband in the future, so that you have no worries. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

Mother He's scheme was now completely exposed.

She was reluctant to part with her niece from her maternal family, feeling that only by keeping her firmly by her son's side and taking care of her personally could she feel at ease. At the same time, she secretly thought that it wouldn't be bad for her son to have a caring woman by his side, especially one who was completely under her and her maternal family's control. Moreover, in her view, Cao Jinxiu's inability to bear children was not a disadvantage, but rather a great advantage—it eliminated the potential for favoring a concubine over the wife and undermining the legitimate son's position, and it also made it easier for the Sheng family to accept and reduce resistance.

She even felt that this was a "thoughtful" and "thoughtful" arrangement by her as a future mother-in-law for her future daughter-in-law.

He Hongwen was dumbfounded by his mother's self-righteous and absurd reasoning. He wanted to refute her loudly, saying that Lan, with her proud, clean, and resolute character, would never accept such an absurd and shameless arrangement!

This is not a win-win situation at all; it is a blatant insult to Minglan! It is also a disgrace to the He family!
Moreover, he only felt a sense of responsibility and pity for his cousin, and had no romantic feelings for her whatsoever!
However, looking at her mother's unquestionable expression, which seemed to imply that she was entirely right, looking at her cousin's innocent and naive demeanor as if she had suffered a great injustice but was still "pretending to be sensible," and feeling the pitiful and pleading look from her aunt beside her...

He Hongwen felt a deep, suffocating sense of powerlessness completely grip him, and all words seemed so pale.

On one side are tears, family ties, moral blackmail, and the mother's strong support; on the other side are rationality, warnings, and that beautiful figure who may never understand or accept this matter.

The scales have tipped completely.

All the struggles and all the determination crumbled completely after the mother joined the battle and threw out this so-called "win-win" "good idea".

Is he really going to defy his mother, drive his cousin to her death, and make his aunt sick for the sake of a wife he's not yet married to, only to end up with a reputation for being abandoned by everyone and cold-blooded?

He couldn't do it; he wasn't the kind of person who could be decisive and ruthless.

He Hongwen took a step back dejectedly, his face drained of color. His lips moved a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word. He simply shook his head very slowly and heavily, as if this simple action had exhausted all his strength. He exuded a deep sense of exhaustion and despair.

Seeing his dejected and resigned appearance, Madam He felt a little relieved. Thinking she had persuaded her son, she hugged Cao Jinxiu even tighter and gently comforted her, "Alright, alright, my darling, don't cry anymore. Your cousin just misunderstood for a moment. He won't kick you out. From now on, you can live peacefully at home. With your aunt here, no one will mistreat you..."

Cao Jinxiu nestled in Madam He's arms, her sobs gradually subsiding into low whimpers. But at an angle no one could see, a fleeting, swift, and subtle smirk played on her lips, a hint of cold triumph flashing across her face.

He Hongwen turned around dejectedly, like a defeated soldier, staggering away from this suffocating and distorted place. His figure disappeared into the shadows of the porch outside the door, as if taking away his last struggle and hope with him.

Inside the west wing, the storm had finally passed temporarily.

Madam He was still rambling on, comforting her niece and painting a picture of a "win-win" future. Madam Cao, standing to the side, was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, forcing a smile, and repeatedly saying, "Thank you so much, Auntie! You are truly our savior..."

Words of gratitude poured out like they were free.

Cao Jinxiu nestled meekly in Madam He's arms, appearing completely obedient and grateful for her aunt's arrangements, her lowered eyelashes concealing all her emotions.

After Madam He calmed down a bit, she gave a few more instructions such as "Take good rest" and "Don't overthink things," and then got up to leave. She was exhausted today and needed to go back and rest.

Madam Cao hurriedly rose to see her off, showering her with flattering words, and escorted Madam He to the door. Just as Madam He turned to leave, taking the hand of her personal maid—

Madam Cao's humble and grateful smile remained unchanged, but her eyes quickly and subtly glanced at the meek maid behind Madam He.

The maid nodded very slightly, almost imperceptibly, her eyes meeting Cao's for a fleeting moment before she resumed her obedient and honest demeanor, carefully helping He's mother away.

The curtain fell, separating the inside from the outside.

Madam Cao turned around, her back to the door. The sorrowful and distressed expression on her face vanished instantly, leaving only a calculating calm and a hint of relief after her plan had succeeded. She slowly walked back into the room and looked at her daughter, who had already sat up from the bed.

The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, needing no words.

it is more than words.

It turns out that Madam He's arrival at such a "timely" moment was not a coincidence.