The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 1602 - 1597: Shifting the Blame

Wang Yongzhu roughly understood.

Although Sixth Master Gao might have had ambitions of social climbing initially, he seemed to have felt some genuine affection for County Monarch Rongyi.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been so sweet and loving for about six months after their marriage.

The problem probably arose from County Monarch Rongyi’s maternal family? Did they do something to the Gao Family or Sixth Master Gao, causing discord between the couple?

But this is ultimately a private matter of the Gao Family, so she deemed it inappropriate to probe further.

Lady Gao also understood.

Throughout the years, she often asked her mother why they didn’t divorce, given their estrangement from her father.

In this dynasty, divorce isn’t necessarily stigmatized.

Many women who remarry after divorce live quite well.

If her mother truly couldn’t live with her father, and took the initiative to propose divorce to the Zongren Mansion, the Gao Family wouldn’t dare to defy them, would they?

However, each time her mother heard her say this, she always showed a complex expression and would say, "You don’t understand," then changed the subject.

After several instances, Lady Gao knew this was probably her mother’s emotional knot, and so she refrained from asking further.

Listening to this now, she pondered for a moment and motioned for the maid to help Sixth Master Gao up.

Everyone saw Sixth Master Gao’s face, smeared with snot, tears, and blood—a face completely devoid of the former grace and elegance.

Lady Gao coughed and gave a signal for someone to bring a basin of water to clean Sixth Master Gao’s face.

The maid, brought over by Lady Gao for her strength, usually handled rough tasks like dumping chamber pots and cleaning latrines, and was quite inexperienced with delicate tasks.

Wringing out the cloth, she used the same vigor and force as cleaning a latrine, and gave Sixth Master Gao a thorough scrub.

When she removed the cloth, the snot, tears, and blood on Sixth Master Gao’s face were wiped clean, but his skin was rubbed raw.

Especially the large welt on his forehead, almost rubbed flat by the maid.

Sixth Master Gao, accustomed to a life of luxury, was always attended to by young, attractive maids, with hands like soft jade, skin like creamy fat, in utmost care.

Even the wash water had to be at the perfect temperature, the washcloth the softest cotton, used with fragrant soap.

Never had he been handled so roughly.

He was hurting and twitching on the spot; the maid’s coarse hands and the extremely hot water, freshly ladled from the pot, steamed up as it was slapped onto his face. It was known to wash the face, but could be mistaken for scalding pig bristles.

It was both painful and scalding; if not for the last shred of dignity, Sixth Master Gao would have screamed aloud.

Once the maid finished his face, seeing Sixth Master Gao looking wretched, Lady Gao felt an array of emotions.

A father usually aloof and contemptuous towards her and her mother, who conducted himself elegantly outside while ordering them around inside, revealed that underneath his aura, he was merely a pathetic, incompetent old man.

Yet this very person caused her and her mother years of pain.

Lady Gao was stunned.

Wang Yongzhu approached, looked Sixth Master Gao up and down in his miserable state, and couldn’t help but laugh.

"Sixth Master Gao in such a state truly should be seen by all your female companions. Tsk, tsk..." She spoke while shaking her head.

Sixth Master Gao felt his face was cooked under the cloth, and now completely numb and hot, with the cold wind blowing in from outside, stinging him into a sweat of pain.

The booze-induced haze gradually cleared from his mind due to the pain.

Seeing Lady Gao indifferent nearby and Wang Yongzhu blatantly enjoying his misfortune.

A wise man knows not to suffer immediate loss; these two women here are merciless and will not let him go easily today. If he resists, he fears things will turn for the worse.

Perhaps he should concede and placate them to set him free, then he’ll go to the Song Family to demand answers from his son-in-law Song Hong.

Surely, his son-in-law can handle Seventh Miss?

Resolving this, Sixth Master Gao clenched his teeth, causing both the inside of his mouth and the outside of his face to hurt, crumpling his facial expression in pain.

Due to losing two front teeth, he spoke slower than usual: "What do you really want?"

Wang Yongzhu glanced at Lady Gao.

Lady Gao deliberated for a moment before replying: "I have some questions for you—"

"What do you want to ask?" Sixth Master Gao warily gazed at Lady Gao.

As Lady Gao was about to speak, Wang Yongzhu interjected: "It concerns County Monarch’s past affairs; I should avoid it—" With that, she left the room, unwilling to listen.

Lady Gao was taken aback but quickly regained her composure, signaling one of the two maids who served County Monarch Rongyi to follow. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Once that maid led others out, leaving only Lady Gao and Sixth Master Gao inside, the discerning maid closed the door.

Wang Yongzhu wandered the yard; it was now March, the season when plants sprout green and spring flowers begin to bloom. Although gardeners had carefully pruned the flowers in the yard, just the sight of green leaves could brighten one’s mood.

Squatting far in the corner, watching orchids planted in moss pots, she soon saw the maid who previously spoke enter.

After bowing and greeting Wang Yongzhu, the maid sincerely expressed gratitude: "Today, thanks to the Wife of the Heir-Apparent speaking up for County Monarch—"

With that, she was about to kneel and kowtow to Wang Yongzhu.

Wang Yongzhu quickly extended a hand to stop her, saying only: "I’m not defending County Monarch, just simply couldn’t stand Sixth Master Gao’s shamelessness. A person shouldn’t be so despicable! Gobbling the meat and then criticizing one’s benefactors, right? Really, you needn’t thank me!"

But the maid insisted on kowtowing: "Wife of the Heir-Apparent needn’t be modest! You know, in the Capital City, though nobody spoke negatively in front of County Monarch, behind her back, who doesn’t call County Monarch a shrew? Everyone says it must be County Monarch’s arrogance and cruelty that drove Sixth Master to lavishly spend on a courtesan rather than converse nicely with County Monarch."

"County Monarch is strong, and cares about face; after having Miss, for Miss’s sake, she could no longer speak. The Gao Family took both good reputation and advantage, then turned around, blaming everything on County Monarch!"

"Though we know County Monarch is wronged, we are mere servants, insignificant with powerless voices; who listens to what we say? Even if we wished to argue for County Monarch, we could only keep it in our hearts. Today, the Wife of the Heir-Apparent’s words were truly refreshing! Seeing Sixth Master’s aggrieved look, pardon my disrespect, this old servant feels gratified!"

"County Monarch struggles with words; when she argues with Sixth Master, he outtalks her, leaving her unable to retort, always feeling it’s her fault. Thinking clearly afterward, it’s all Sixth Master’s sophistry; County Monarch gets upset and can’t out-argue Sixth Master, then resorts to using her whip. Over time, everyone learns County Monarch is a tigress, though they don’t know County Monarch’s plight; she has nowhere to express it—"

The maid grew increasingly sorrowful as she talked, her eyes rimmed with redness.