Chapter 285 — Chickens Fly
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Wei Fan and Dou Ming were still in the first flush of newlywed bliss, and at these words he could not help but hesitate—and his hesitation did not escape Dou Ming's eyes.
No wonder Mother said a man must not be spoiled. I gave him my whole heart, offended my own uncle and aunt for his sake, and not only does he spare me a single tender word—the moment something displeases him, he turns his temper on me… For whom am I weaving this bridal dress?
The thought had barely crossed her mind before the tears came pattering down. "For whom have I done all this? Day after day running to my uncle's house, listening to my aunt's endless carping… My grandfather is past sixty, yet for the sake of a grandson-in-law he bows his head and begs favors of others… You are an ingrate that no kindness can ever tame…"
Wei Fan was dumbfounded. "What are you talking about? These past days you have gone to Liuye Alley every single day—did you not say you were visiting your mother? How does this suddenly become my fault?"
Because of this mother-in-law of his, sent back to her natal home by his father-in-law, he had borne no small share of his elder sister's displeasure, and some of that resentment had rubbed off on him.
Tell me, you are a second wife raised to the position of principal—could you not attend to your husband and children properly? What business have you stirring up so much trouble?
His brother-in-law was not in the good graces of the Duchess of Jingguo, and for his sister, as a daughter-in-law of that house, life had grown all the harder. It must have cost her untold effort to finally gain a firm footing, and now, because of his mother-in-law, she had been caught in others' snares and was forever being mocked by her sisters-in-law and in-laws. Had his mother-in-law remained in Yunqi Temple Alley, it would have been one thing—but no, she had to move into Liuye Alley, so that his sister lacked the confidence to speak up and could only feign deafness or smile and bear it. How could his sister not be furious!
"When is Father-in-law going to take your mother back?" Wei Fan asked, somewhat displeased. "A couple who have shared youth should share their old age. Father-in-law and your mother cannot go on living apart like this forever, surely? You had better think of some way to persuade your mother to admit her fault to Father-in-law and go back to Guimeng Temple Alley. Why keep up this standoff and make everyone look bad?"
"Your mother, your mother—is my mother not your mother-in-law?" Dou Ming's heart gave a painful twist with anger. "Has your sister been whispering in your ear again? What exactly does she mean by it? Why can she not bear to see us live well? Is there any sister-in-law in this world who behaves as she does?"
"Say what you like, but why drag my sister into it?" The veins stood out on Wei Fan's temples. He thought of how a few days ago his mother had hidden in her room weeping quietly, saying things like "Other families' brothers and sisters-in-law, even in their straits, find ways to put a shine on the married daughters' faces—only in our house does she eat our food and drink our drink and then heap more grief on us." The fire in his heart leapt up. "What about my sister? Has my sister not treated you well? She cannot bear to eat the least delicacy herself—half of it must be sent over to you. Though she is the heir's wife of the Jingguo Estate, every few days she returns to her natal home to wash and bathe Mother with her own hands… She is a daughter who has married out; you are a bride brought into this house. While she was doing all that, what were you doing?"
With those words he had dragged the matter onto the ground of filial piety. If Dou Ming showed weakness now, the cap of unfiliality would be fixed on her head for good.