Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 149 Catching a Cold or Falling into the Water!

Jiang Mansion.

Long Pavilion.

The shallow stream murmurs over the stones.

A pot of clear tea sits on a stone table, its sweet aroma refreshing the senses.

Jiang Zhao and Sheng Hong sat facing each other.

Jiang Huaijin held a glass of honey water and led the little dog, running around from time to time.

The younger Jiang Xun followed her older brother with a smile.

Apart from two innocent children and the faint sound of flowing water, there was an indescribable sense of oppression at the pavilion.

Flames billowed from the brocade cage, casting dappled light and shadow that illuminated half of Jiang Zhao's face.

His emotions were subtle and indistinct, making it impossible for others to discern his true feelings.

Sheng Hong held the teacup, his head slightly lowered, not daring to look directly at his son-in-law.

An unspeakable burden weighed heavily on him.

Even breathing became extremely difficult.

After a while, Jiang Zhao picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"Father-in-law, why are you so anxious?"

Sheng Hong felt uneasy, lowered his head, and dared not utter a sound.

The silent pressure made him break out in a cold sweat and feel restless.

Jiang Zhao glanced at him: "Silence solves nothing. I wonder if Father-in-law has anything to say to his son-in-law?"

“My dear son-in-law,” Sheng Hong said tentatively. “When Mo’er fell, Liang Han helped her up, which was indeed indecent.”

When it comes to family traditions, Sheng Hong couldn't help but feel a sense of侥幸 (a sense of getting away with something).

Compared to adultery, helping someone up is nothing.

"It's not just about helping someone up, is it?"

Jiang Zhao gave him a deep look.

Sheng Hong's body trembled.

Finish the calf!
What can he say if his daughter commits adultery?
"Why is my father-in-law sweating so profusely?" Jiang Zhao asked three times.

Sheng Hong wiped his sweat and was about to speak up to explain when Jiang Zhao slowly stood up.

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a white silk ribbon.

"Wipe it."

He handed over the white silk.

Sheng Hong was startled, his legs went weak involuntarily, and he lost all his strength.

"A good son-in-law."

In just a moment, Sheng Hong was drenched in sweat, his hands and feet trembled, and he slipped and fell to the ground, landing in a half-kneeling position.

"Hua'er is a good child!"

“My dear son-in-law—” Sheng Hong had much less strength to speak, and said with difficulty, “It’s all my fault.”

"I am not the legitimate son, but the illegitimate son. I have been neglected since childhood and have often been bullied by my father's favorite concubine."

Thus, when they passed the imperial examinations, established themselves in families and careers, and became officials in their regions, they often recalled their childhood experiences and feared that their illegitimate sons and daughters would suffer the same fate and be treated unfairly, so they gave them extra attention.

With tears streaming down his face, Sheng Hong explained, "Who would have thought that I would become so biased? I, who was bullied by a favored concubine since childhood, have ended up raising a favored concubine myself."

“The concubine was arrogant and unwilling to let Mo’er marry a scholar from a family that valued farming and scholarship. She secretly plotted something wicked and caused a great disaster.”

As he spoke, Sheng Hong said regretfully, "But apart from Mo Lan, the rest are all good children. Chang Bai is well-educated and upright, and your son-in-law knows this!"

"My dear son-in-law, Hua'er grew up in a harsh and cold place. She is well-behaved and sensible. When we got married, Mo Lan, Ru Lan, and Ming Lan were only five or six years old!"

Sheng Hong slumped down, his eyes red-rimmed.

Jiang Zhao glanced at it.

Sheng Hong's words were quite insightful.

He claimed to be born of a concubine, mainly to explain why he favored his concubine over his wife, thus revealing that Sheng Molan was "spoiled" and that she was the only one who was corrupted by the concubine, leading to a major mistake.

Mentioning Sheng Changbai proves that the Sheng family has a virtuous tradition and can raise children with upright character.

Ultimately, he spoke up for his eldest daughter, Sheng Hualan. She grew up in a harsh, cold place, and when she married, her younger sisters were only five or six years old, which was enough to prove that she hadn't been raised badly.

Not a single word of his wasted.

Moreover, it was surprisingly sincere, making one feel genuine emotion.

"My dear son-in-law, Hua'er has also given birth to Huaijin and Xun'er for you!"

Sheng Hong wiped away his tears, his eyes red, and spoke haltingly.

He was terrified that Jiang Zhao might be plotting to kill his wife.

"Hua'er is already pregnant with my two children. The couple is harmonious and will not be affected by Mo Lan."

"However, the decision on how to deal with Mo Lan and Lin Shi, whether they fell into the water or simply caught a cold, rests with my father-in-law." With that, he tossed the white silk ribbon aside.

With a brisk, breezy stride, Jiang Zhao strode away.

Sheng Hong held the white silk in his hands, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"Grandfather, the ground is cold, get up and rest."

Jiang Huaijin and Jiang Xun, leading the small dog, stepped forward to offer their concern.

Sheng Hong nodded, trying his best to appear as a kind grandfather.

After a while, Sheng Hong stood up, leaning on the stone table. He gripped the white silk tightly and walked out step by step.

Main hall.

Sheng Hualan, dressed in a light blue brocade robe, silently brewed tea.

Originally, she intended to resolve this matter as soon as possible without letting her husband know.

There's nothing we can do; no one can guarantee what the husband's reaction will be if he finds out.

Adultery is a heinous act.

As a result, Jiang Zhao surprisingly asked her about the inside story of Mo Lan.

Therefore, she had no choice but to tell the truth.

Jiang Zhao held his cup of tea and shook his head silently.

Actually, the practice of favoring concubines is not unusual.

However, it is relatively rare for a favored concubine to cause a major disaster.

Given Sheng Hong's personality, if he hadn't given him a push, Sheng Hong might have actually let Liang Han propose marriage.

Unfortunately, this approach is too indecisive and is destined to have endless consequences.

Getting into trouble once could lead to getting into trouble twice.

Once Sheng Molan gets a taste of success from this, who knows what trouble she might cause in the future?
Indecisiveness leads to disaster.

"My lord," Sheng Hualan called softly, her heart filled with worry.

Jiang Zhao took his wife's small hand and comforted her, "It's alright."

"Let Liang Han join the army, and just give him an eighth-rank official position to keep him quiet."

"At that time, let him go to the border for a year or two, and my wife will refute the rumors. Gradually, no one will say anything."

Mo Lan's affair led some to speculate that they were "hugging and cuddling." Once this was debunked, the two main characters, one died of illness and the other became an official in the border region. After a period of keeping a low profile, naturally no one mentioned these matters anymore.

Sheng Hualan nodded, looked outside, and sighed inwardly.

In the future, I should try to have less contact with my younger sisters.

First there was Minglan and the young master, causing a lot of trouble, and then there was Molan, who committed adultery and tried to force him into marriage.

If she hadn't already given birth to two children, securing her position as the matriarch, and if the couple hadn't always supported and respected each other, she might not have been able to withstand two such major upheavals in a row.

What a trap!
The Sheng Mansion, Shou'an Hall.

Old Madam Sheng, Wang Ruofu, Sheng Changbai, Sheng Changfeng, Sheng Rulan, Sheng Minglan, and Madam Hai all gathered together, their faces somewhat embarrassed.

Among them, Sheng Rulan and Hai Shi were the most outstanding.

Sheng Rulan has been engaged and is currently going through the formalities.

Now, Mo Lan has suddenly pulled off a daring move.

If public opinion is well controlled and the situation is handled promptly, the impact on her may be negligible.

But if the situation isn't handled well, then she won't have to get married; she might as well become a nun in a Taoist temple.

Hai sighed, "My brother-in-law asked my father-in-law to go and have some tea. Let's wait for his news."

Who would have thought that a family of such high moral character would have so many frivolous pursuits?
Inside the hall, there was a profound silence.

After a while, a person strode in.

"Official!"

"Father!"

"Dad!"

Several people stood up and bowed in succession.

Sheng Hong didn't say anything, and silently unfolded the white silk.

A few days passed.

Sheng Molan had marks on her neck from being strangled; she unfortunately fell into the water.

Lin was devastated and wept for a long time, but unfortunately caught a cold.

Liang Han got engaged and decided to pursue his career, so he went to the border to serve in the army.

……

(End of this chapter)