The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 798 Honeydew Melon
“A few days ago, my uncle sent the steward to the Gao family, wanting me to go back to the Su family to serve the old lady for a while. He said that the maids and servants in the mansion were not satisfied with the old lady's service, and she didn't even want to eat. She had gotten used to my service.”

Lu Yin'er laughed when she said this.

Tong Huaqiong was speechless for a moment.

Su Shihang is truly a leopard can't change its spots. He's been used to others making way for him and serving him since he was young, and he still hasn't changed.

Lu Yin'er is already a daughter-in-law of the Gao family, yet he can still brazenly go to her door and ask her to go back and serve Old Madam Su. He really has a thick skin.

Lu Yin'er cursed, "My cheap uncle has lost his mind. He has no manners at all when asking for favors, and he doesn't offer any benefits. He just orders me to go back and take care of his mother. After eating at his house for a few years, does he really think I'm his maid? I don't know what he's thinking. My mother was so angry that she scolded the Su family steward who came to the door. My father wanted to go to the Su residence to demand an explanation, but I stopped him. I was afraid that the Su family would dirty my father's feet."

Lu Yin'er's parents were so angry that they couldn't sleep.

It was only after arriving in Shengjing that Lu's parents learned what kind of life Lu Yin'er had lived in the Su family before.

They always assumed that Lu Yin'er was living the life of a pampered young lady in the Su family, and every time Madam Lu brought home news, she would recount how well Lu Yin'er was living.

Lu Yin'er's parents were both angry and remorseful that their daughter was treated worse than a maid in the Su family.

What angered them was that Lu had deceived them.

He felt guilty for believing Lu's words so easily.

After arriving in Shengjing, Lu's parents learned that Lu had been sent back to her hometown by Su Shihang and was being looked after by Su's family.

They received no news at all back in their hometown.

It must be said that Su Shihang was ruthless and merciless.

Lu's father hated Su Shihang to death. He originally wanted to go to the Su residence to demand an explanation from Su Shihang, since Lu was his only sister. Before his death, his father had just learned that Su Shihang had divorced his wife and remarried, so he held his father's hand and asked him to treat Lu Shi well.

Mr. Lu wanted to go to the Su residence to ask Su Shihang what he meant by sending Mrs. Lu back to her hometown, whether it was a divorce or, like last time, a separation and remarriage.

After hearing about Lu Yin'er's experiences in Shengjing over the past few years, Lu's mother hated her sister-in-law's hypocrisy and desperately stopped Lu's father from going to the Su residence to demand an explanation for Lu's family.

Mother Lu said, "When Su Shihang divorced his wife and remarried, we saw through his heartlessness. We brought her back to the Lu family and said we wouldn't mind supporting her for life, or that we would support her if she wanted to remarry. She could have lived a good life in the Lu family, but she was unwilling to accept that even as a concubine, she came to Shengjing to follow Su Shihang. Later, when Su Shihang's first wife passed away, she became the first wife. When she returned to her hometown, she threw a grand banquet. Did she care about our lives at all? When Su Shihang came to Shengjing to take the imperial examination, he squeezed all our money dry, but she didn't ask to pay it back at all. How could I have listened to you and believed such a heartless sister-in-law?"

“When she brought Yin’er to Shengjing for upbringing, I was unwilling. It was you who said that there was not enough food in the countryside and that Yin’er could at least live a good life with your sister, so I let Yin’er come to Shengjing. I don’t expect Yin’er to live the life of a rich young lady in the Su family, but you can’t treat Yin’er as a pawn to be used at will.”

Lu's mother had always harbored prejudice against her sister-in-law.

However, she never said it in front of men.

She accepted that her sister-in-law took advantage of them, but she couldn't stand that her sister-in-law used her daughter as a pawn.

"Don't even mention that Yin'er has been eating at the Su family's house for several years. Before Su Shihang passed the imperial examination, your father almost gave up the whole family to support him. He owes us a lot. Your sister and Su Shihang can't even sleep in the same bed. You're going to their house? You're going to their house to seek justice for your sister. When your sister finds out, she won't be grateful to you. Instead, she'll say you're meddling. She's back in her hometown now, thinking about how to please the Su family and how to get back to Shengjing. If she finds out you went to see Su Shihang, she'll blame you for not being able to return to the capital."

Mother Lu forbade Father Lu from going to the Su residence to demand an explanation from his sister-in-law.

My sister-in-law is a person who can't distinguish right from wrong. She has been controlled by Su Shihang for half her life and doesn't care about anyone else.

Going to their door to demand an explanation will only get you nothing but trouble.

Mr. Lu felt embarrassed after hearing these words.

His wife was right; his sister was indeed that kind of person.

But he only had one younger sister, and he couldn't just leave her unattended. Father Lu decided to find an excuse to go and ask his nephew Su Chengji about the situation in a few days. After all, his sister had given birth to a son for the Su family, and the Su family shouldn't be treating her like this.

Just as Lu Yin'er was saying that her father was going to the Su residence to demand an explanation and that her mother was stopping him, Su Chengmin, with his long legs, stepped into the house, carrying two large boxes in his hands and shaking off the snow.

Su Chengmin saw that Lu Yin'er's smile had completely vanished.

Seeing that Su Chengmin was still very afraid, Lu Yin'er couldn't help but move closer to Tong Huaqiong.

Gu Taohua then went into the house and took off her shawl.

The two people appeared out of nowhere, carrying with them a chilling aura.

Tong Huaqiong quickly told Gu Taohua to move closer to the stove to warm herself, and had a maid pour hot tea for the two of them.

"Aunt Tong, this is a honeydew melon."

Su Chengmin didn't rush to drink tea. He placed two large wooden boxes on the open ground in front of Tong Huaqiong, then opened the lids. Inside were five white honeydew melons with patterns.

When ripe melons are smoked over charcoal, they release a sweet aroma.

It smells so good it makes your mouth water.

Tong Huaqiong asked curiously, "Where did the honeydew melon come from?"

In those days, preservation technology was underdeveloped, and most fruits were seasonal. In the dead of winter, only the imperial family and even wealthy families could easily afford to eat melons.

Su Chengmin said, "It was the Prince of Jingnan who came to Shengjing to attend his younger brother's wedding. He brought two cartloads of melons to present to His Majesty. Each palace received two, but the Crown Prince received more than he should. The Crown Prince gave one to Master Su, and I will use the rest to pay my respects to you."

Tong Huaqiong smiled so broadly her eyes disappeared; the grandson of the emperor had not been raised in vain.

In those days, transportation was difficult, and fresh fruits from Yunnan rarely reached Shengjing unless a huge amount of manpower and resources were spent.

Rulers who aren't completely brainless won't do anything that wastes resources and harms the people.

It was only when the son of the Prince of Jingnan came to Shengjing that two cartloads of melons were presented as tribute.

Eating honeydew melon around a fireplace in the dead of winter sounds wonderful.

Tong Huaqiong clamored for someone to invite Hong Shi, Zhao Shi, and Gu Baishuang Tong Pandi, as she was about to cut and eat the melon.

Gu Taohua said, "Mother, what's the rush? Big brother hasn't arrived yet. Let's eat together when he gets here."

Tong Huaqiong thought for a moment and decided that there was no time to be a gossipmonger.

There were five melons in total. Tong Huaqiong ordered someone to send one to Lu Zhaoyang and Huang Jingshan, and one to Aunt Tang and Lian Hengruo.

There were three melons left. While hesitating whether to give one to Lu Yin'er, Su Chengmin said to Lu Yin'er, "You should go back quickly. The Emperor has given Gao Ming a melon."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself that Su Chengmin's excuse for kicking people out was quite unique.

Lu Yin'er suddenly stood up and asked, "Cousin, what happened to Gao Ming?"

Su Chengmin glanced at Lu Yin'er with surprise and said, "Gao Ming was injured while saving the emperor today."