Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

38. A sheep Falls into a Tiger’s Mouth

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Hearing that, Dowager Xiao almost slumped down on her chair, Mammy Qin supported Dowager Xiao’s arms and comforted her, “Your Ladyship, your health comes first, please take care. Young kids tend to be wayward these days, they fight, it’s no big deal.”

With that Mammy Qin gave Dowager Xiao a meaningful look.

Dowager Xiao heaved a sigh of relief, she knew the Royal Jade Ruyi in Cao Le hand was not the real deal now.

Dowager Xiao put on a serious face and said, “You better tell me what’s going on in full detail. Jin is such a good boy, why did he had a fight with Childe Cao over a page? Ask Liu Heng to come see me, that Mohua boy has been his page, yeah? Like master, like page, they must be frivolous.”

Moqin didn’t expect Dowager Xiao would blame Liu Heng for this farce, he panicked, “Your Ladyship, this is none of the Third Lady’s business, the Second Master begged him for Mohua, please ask the Second Master for full details.”

Mammy Qin rebuked Moqin, “Who do you think you are, just get out and bring your Third Lady here.”

Moqin had to withdraw the room.

Mammy Qin sent a young page to fetch Xiao Jin after Moqin left, Xiao Jin looked like a drowned rat when he came, there were scratches on his face and hands.

Dowager Xiao rose to her feet and touched Xiao Jin’s face, “Tell grandma what happened, why do you look like this, my grandson?”

Xiao Jin cried out, “Grandma, it’s Cao Le who has beaten me up, look at my arms and my faces, he scratched my face!”

Dowager Xiao pushed Xiao Jin away and said, “You think you can fool me, what have you taken me for? Some senile muddlehead? Quit your shenanigans and tell me the truth already.”

Xiao Jin made a face and replied, “It’s my older brother, he begged me to ask a page called Mohua from Third Aunt, it just so happens Third Aunt arranged Mohua to serve Cao Le, Cao Le made such a scene over nothing, he just refuse to let Mohua go.”

Dowager Xiao ordered, “Mammy Qin, go ask Lady Lu and that page Mohua come see me, I’m so curious what’s the fuss over a little page.”

Xiao Li who was hiding in the inner chamber wouldn’t let go of such a great opportunity to set Cao Mo up, she chimed in, “It must be my brother-in-law Cao Mo who is behind the scenes, my brother Yi has never looked for trouble before, he is the opposite, he likes to patch up a quarrel and reconcile the parties concerned.”

“Mother, Li is right, it must be that Cao Mo. he has never ceased starting trouble ever since he married into our family, he is sowing discords between Yi and Jin, he needs to be punished.” it was Lady Lu entering the room and said that.

“Come and take a seat, don’t jump to the conclusion yet, we are finding out the truth.” said Dowager Xiao with indifference.

In Magnolia House.

Cao Mo visited Mohua in his room, poor Mohua, his thighs were still bleeding and he was having a fever even though Moqi had applied the ointment on the wounds already.

Cao Mo sent for a doctor and asked the doctor to make a prescription for Mohua, he kept waiting on Mohua until he took the medicine.

Pages from Cunxi Hall knocked on Cao Mo’s door, asking him and Mohua to see Dowager Xiao.

Cao Mo had seen it coming and he was ready for it, but Mohua needed rest at the moment, he told the page, “Mohua needs to rest for he is heavily injured, I will bring him to Dowager Xiao and ask for punishment when he gets better. And I can go with you and explain this to Dowager Xiao in person, how about that?”

Xiao Yi walked out from the room and said, “Mo, I’m so worried, what if grandmother believes Xiao Jin and Lady Lu’s one side story and decides to punish you?”

Cao Mo chuckled, “It’s all right, bottom line is I’m not the one who has thrown the Royal Jade Ruyi on the ground, I wasn’t even there when the Ruyi was ruined. Don’t worry.”

“Mo, just keep this in mind, Third Lady has promised you to give you Mohua a long time ago, don’t even mention we asked Xiao Jin to help us, all right?”

Xiao Yi regretted it so much that he listened to Cao Mo and get involved in this, Xiao Jin and Lady Lu surely would take advantage of this opportunity and find out a charge against Cao Mo.

Cao Mo comforted Xiao Yi and went to Cunxi Hall.

Xiao Yi asked Qingxue to keep on eye on Cunxi Hall and ordered Moqi to find Xiao Yuzhen.

In Cunxi Hall.

Dowager Xiao was sitting on seat of honor, Lady Lu, Xiao Jin and Xiao Li sitting on either side of the hall.

Ouch.

Cao Mo felt like he were a sheep fell into a tiger’s mouth — such a hopeless situation this was.

Cao Mo bowed to Dowager Xiao and asked reverently, “Greetings to grandmother, Mo is here, what can I do for you today?”

“I dare not to ask you to do anything! I asked you one favor though, I asked you to bring Mohua with you, but I see no Mohua.” sneered Dowager Xiao.

Cao Mo replied, “To reply to grandmother, Mohua couldn’t walk from all the beating and flogging, plus I know grandmother has the most kind heart and worships Buddha, so I dare not to bring Mohua here to make you sad. I will bring Mohua to you when he is better, I know grandmother won’t find fault with a little page.”

Lady Lu sprang from her seat before Dowager Xiao could even reply, “What a sharp-tongued flunkey you are! Sowing discord between Jin and your own brother Cao Le! Ruining the Royal Jade Ruyi! Are you courting death?”

Cao Mo knelt down, “Lady Lu, I have no idea what you are talking about, I am grounded with Yi, we haven’t even stepped out of our house!”

Lady Lu gnashed her teeth and said, “Is it true or not you asked my son Jin to ask a page called Mohua from Lotus House?”

Cao Mo played dumb, “Mohua now is in my house, but he was given to me by Third Lady, I didn’t bother Jin.”

“What nonsense, you asked your husband Xiao Yi to involve my son Jin in this, there’s no difference whether is was you or Xiao Yi who has asked Jin!” fumed Lady Lu.

Xiao Li chimed in, “Exactly, brother Yi listens to you on everything. Grandmother asked you to bring Mohua to Cunxi Hall, and what have you done? Disobeying grandmother? How very dare you?”