Chapter 432: Jia Zheng Scolds His Wife

Yuan Chun and Tan Chun's hearts skipped a beat, then they hurried to stand; one helped Lady Wang up, the other blocked the ashen‑faced Jia Zheng.

Lady Wang covered her cheek, let out a painful whimper; although Jia Zheng's slap was not heavy, it made her feel deep humiliation and anger!

So many years!

Since marrying into the Jia Mansion, this is still her first time being struck by Jia Zheng!

Moreover, it was in front of so many people in the mansion and her sister‑in‑law from her natal family!

Her dignity as the principal wife of the second branch and head lady of the house is, from today, completely gone!

Thinking of this, Lady Wang couldn't help tears welling in her eyes, her limbs cold, she said shamefully and angrily:

"Sir! People often say that marriage is a great matter, dictated by parents' wishes and matchmakers' words! Third Miss is my daughter; as her mother, shouldn't I be able to decide for her? Yet you are so ruthless, disregarding years of marital propriety to beat and scold me!"

By the end, tears streamed down her face, her countenance full of sorrow!

There's not even a trace left of the dignified, pleasant noblewoman she used to be!

Tan Chun looked concernedly at Jia Zheng, twitched her lips, and swallowed the words of consolation she had ready.

Under Daiyu's smoky brows, her lacquered bright eyes held a hint of liveliness; she seemed startled, forgetting to speak up to advise.

Aunt Xue's face showed a moment of shock; she hadn't expected her usually refined brother‑in‑law to actually lay a hand on someone!

He opened his mouth to advise, but felt his elbow being tugged by the obedient girl,

turning back, he saw his obedient girl, whose pear‑blossom‑white face showed disapproval; he sighed inwardly and said no more!

Meanwhile, Feng Jie and Mrs. Xing were flushed, eyes wide, hands over their mouths, the smile at the corners of their eyes and brows unable to be suppressed.

Especially Feng Jie trembled slightly all over, her delicate frame shaking, as she let out a burst of long‑suppressed vile breath.

Had it not been Ping Er tugging her sleeve from behind, signaling her to restrain herself, she might have laughed out loud.

Jia Mu saw this scene, her eyes flashed, she suppressed her astonishment, hurried to stand, and with a hoarse sigh said:

"Oh dear! What sin have I committed? Between husband and wife, what deep hatred could justify this? Why resort to violence? Can't we just speak the matter?"

Yuan Chun's face was sorrowful, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, she urged in a trembling voice:

"Father, Mother is also getting old! If there is any oversight, just speak to her properly; why resort to violence?"

Jia Zheng's face flushed red, he said angrily:

"Haven't I spoken to her? Just last month we finished a dispute; I told her, I punished her; if she doesn't reflect and amend, that's fine! Yet she always interferes with outside matters!"

"What kind of person is that Jing Ge'er, judging me? He's just a dandy like Baoyu, even worse than Baoyu."

"Not studying or advancing is one thing, but recently he forced a maid in his household, causing her to jump into a well and die, causing a huge uproar—did you think I hadn't heard?"

"Such an unprincipled scoundrel, you still want to marry Third Miss to him; what kind of good heart do you have?"

Lady Wang opened her mouth: "I..."

Jia Zheng, seeing this, grew angrier and shouted:

"Now Shenjing City is in a tumultuous autumn; in the court, winds and clouds shift, power changes hands, countless great families are being toppled, and many noble houses face extermination."

"In just this one month, hundreds of official families have been ruined, men dead, women sent to the entertainment bureau; such danger—are your eyes blind, unable to see any of this?"

"Now outside, so many are watching my family; even I, a man from outside, am terrified, closing doors, bowing my head, fearing that a slip will drag the clan into a bottomless abyss!"

"But you, a lady of the inner chambers, know nothing of the heavens or earth, clueless about court affairs, yet you keep stirring trouble, defying Jing Ge'er's orders, seeking alliances everywhere, inviting disaster—are you only afraid that the Jia family won't perish?"

Lady Wang, at this moment, lifted her pallid face, limbs icy, heart shaking, felt Jia Zheng's words like knives stabbing her heart.

"I act recklessly, stirring wind and rain?"

"I have no good intentions, only fearing chaos?"

"I bring disaster and trouble, only fearing the Jia family won't perish?"

"This… no, no, that's not it! That's not true…"

Yuan Chun, standing beside, helped Lady Wang, her expression complicated, said;

"Mother, from now on listen to Father!"

If the last time Jia Zheng scolded Lady Wang for being unclear and pampered could still be counted as a minor spat over child‑rearing between husband and wife,

then this time, the unrelenting beating is truly a severe accusation and indictment!

It almost tore away Lady Wang's hypocritical veneer of daily vegetarian piety, exposing the weak, foolish, and wicked character hidden within!

Jia Mu sighed, her expression shifting, and said to Jia Zheng:

"Baoyu's mother, within the inner chambers, may not understand the outside situation at times; mistakes in haste happen!"

"As her husband, just clarify it with her! Good fellow, you beat and scold her again in front of so many in the mansion; where will she keep her dignity as head lady?"

Jia Zheng let out a long sigh, and said:

"Mother, why don't you understand! Some matters in the inner chambers she can act recklessly, that's fine; even though Baoyu is spoiled by her, I never struck her."

"But the outside matters involve too many things, too risky, concerning the lives of hundreds to thousands of Jia Family members and the rise and fall of the clan; moving a single hair can affect the whole body, so caution is never enough!"

"Now the court is in a transition of old and new, endless struggles… no room for any misstep!"

"Don't think that Jing Ge'er, now holding great power and imperial favor, is safe; daily he faces countless visible and hidden attacks, many wish his death, many hope he shows a flaw—he walks on thin ice."

"Why does he strictly control the mansion and the clan? Do you think he's heartless or cowardly??"

"In fact, he knows the outside situation is severe, fearing those court enemies will strike the Jia Family from within, endangering the whole clan!"

"And this foolish woman, ignorant of the times, always harbors reckless thoughts, wanting to duel Jing Ge'er on stage!"

"I cannot let Jing Ge'er deal with outside turmoil every day and then come home to worry about her!"

Jia Mu, hearing this, her face paused, suppressed the swirling thoughts, advised:

"Zheng'er, you speak too harshly! Baoyu's mother is also momentarily confused, overly worried about her children's safety, not intending to duel Jing Ge'er!"

"We are only discussing this for now, no decision yet; we will first ask you and Jing Ge'er for opinions! Don't blame her too much!"

Jia Zheng, hearing this, resolutely said word by word:

"Don't say it's just discussion; even the thought is unacceptable! The men of the Jia Family are not extinct yet, it's not her turn to interfere in outside affairs!"