Chapter 83 – Rebirth: The Poisonous Concubine (24)
Madam Bai remained firm in her stance, unmoved no matter how Xiao Tao tried to argue in her defense.
“Xiao Tao… Xiao Tao knows her mistakes now. I won’t dare to do it again. Please, Madam, don’t drive me away. Ever since you saved me and brought me into the manor, I’ve felt the warmth of a home again…”
Before Madam Yu, Xiao Tao no longer referred to herself as “I” in an arrogant manner, yet she still refused to lower her “noble” head.
Madam Bai let out a cold scoff. A home? Of course, it was a home—to her own people, she showed warmth and affection, while to outsiders, she wielded cold and cutting words.
“Was it the warmth of being able to order the Yu Manor servants around, making them spin in circles while you enjoyed the pleasure of acting like a mistress? Or was it the warmth of climbing into someone’s bed, hoping to become the lady of the house?” Yu Chenyi bluntly exposed Xiao Tao’s intentions without any pretense.
Some people simply do not deserve kindness—even if given, they wouldn’t appreciate it.
“N-No, that’s not it! Madam has shown me immense kindness—she is like a mother to me in my heart…”
Oh? Mother now, is it? She wasn’t her biological daughter, nor had she ever been officially adopted as one. The only person who could rightfully call Madam Yu “mother” was a daughter-in-law. Xiao Tao’s ambitions were plain for all to see.
“I cannot bear such a title—I have no daughter,” Madam Yu said angrily as she glared at Xiao Tao. “Leave. I will have the steward settle your wages for this month. You must go today.”
Madam Yu had yet to realize just how repulsive Xiao Tao’s actions were, but Yu Chenyi did. He had no intention of letting her off so easily. However, since Madam Yu had already decided on a punishment, he didn’t want to oppose her and risk making her lose face.
Meanwhile, Madam Bai continued sipping her tea, remaining silent and indifferent.
Xiao Tao, unwilling to accept her fate, crawled forward a few steps on her knees and clung to Madam Yu’s leg, her voice pitiful. “Madam, please don’t send me away. I have always respected you as if you were my own mother. I have no other intentions…”
At that moment, Bai Mo entered the hall with Jin Xin, and the first thing he heard was Xiaotao’s “mother” nonsense.
He strode in with large steps, frowned, and asked coldly, “Do you not have a mother of your own? Why are you so eager to force yourself into someone else’s family?”
That remark was sharp—straight out of the “Zu’an Snow Mink”1 playbook, an online roasting session in progress.
Xiao Bobao, which had been searching for ways to deal with “green tea b*tches,” silently put down the tablet in its hand. What does it feel like when the host doesn’t even need system assistance to complete the task?
Thanks for the invite. Currently in Jin State, the plot is more than halfway through—the female lead has lost her support, and the scheming female antagonist has suffered a humiliating defeat.
At this moment, there’s only one word to describe the feeling—satisfying. Extremely satisfying, like drinking an ice-cold Coke on a scorching 30-degree summer day.
“Mother, Madam.” Bai Mo might quarrel with Yu Chenyi, but when it comes to showing respect to elders, he never fails. He bowed properly, displaying perfect manners. Compared to the tear-streaked, miserable Xiao Tao, Yu Furen (Madam Yu) was more than satisfied with Bai Mo.
“Mo Mo, come here.” Madam Bai beckoned Bai Mo to sit beside her, holding onto her beloved youngest son as she inquired, “Mo Mo, don’t be afraid. Your father and I have your back. Tell me—how has Yu Chenyi treated you? Has he bullied you?”
The ancients tended to speak euphemistically. Even in romantic novels and illustrated spring scrolls2, the word bully was often used to describe intimate situations. Bai Mo’s memories immediately flashed back to last night, to those moments of intimacy with his dear husband.
A tempting shade of pink spread across his cheeks. The young man lowered his head and gently shook it.
Yu Chenyi breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness—Mo Mo still cared for him.
“Madam, I will never let Mo Mo down,” Yu Chenyi took the opportunity to hold Bai Mo’s hand, swearing his loyalty. If Mo Mo really left with his mother-in-law, he wouldn’t even have a place to cry.
Seeing this, Madam Bai said no more.
With so many witnesses present, Xiao Tao had no way to refute the accusations. When Madam Yu ordered her to be taken away, she cried out loudly, “Madam, have mercy! If Miss Wei finds out that I’ve been thrown out like this, she will beat me to death!”
Xiao Bobao muttered, “Oh? Now she remembers to call herself a humble servant? So she does understand the rules, after all.”
“Wait.”
Anyone could ignore the surname Wei, but Yu Chenyi could not. Wei… Miss Wei… A face appeared in Yu Chenyi’s mind—the Prime Minister’s daughter, Wei Yuyan.
“What is your relationship with Wei Yuyan of the Prime Minister’s residence?” Yu Chenyi asked suspiciously. The person who caused trouble on his wedding day was most likely Wei Yuyan.
Xiao Tao immediately knelt down and kowtowed, sobbing, “I was originally a maidservant by the Prime Minister’s daughter’s side, but I was expelled for making a mistake…”
The female lead—again. Do these female leads exist solely to make trouble for him?
Bai Mo pouted, losing interest in continuing the conversation.
Among them, Madam Bai hated Wei Yuyan the most. First, she framed Mo Mo at the Empress Dowager’s flower appreciation banquet, and now she had sent a maid to sabotage Mo Mo’s happiness. Wei Yuyan had repeatedly crossed Madam Bai’s bottom line.
“If my in-laws don’t mind, I’ll take this person with me,” Madam Bai said with a fake smile.
Seeing Madam Bai’s expression, Madam Yu immediately understood that someone was about to suffer. Following the principle of better a dead enemy than a dead ally, she smiled and agreed, “Sister-in-law, do as you please—it’s just a mere servant.”
That smile was as dignified as could be, as if she hadn’t been the one who personally brought Xiao Tao back, arranged everything for her, and treated her with warmth and care.
Xiao Tao felt a chill in her heart. Over the years, she had sent Madam Yu small gifts during holidays and festivals. Even a stray cat or dog would develop feelings after so long. Yet Madam Yu discarded her without a second thought. Now that she had fallen into Madam Bai’s hands, how could she expect a good outcome?
No matter how much Xiaotao pleaded, her mouth was still gagged, and she was thrown onto a carriage by the guards.
Madam Bai had arrived with eight people, but she left with more than ten. The extras were young maidservants whose indenture contracts Bai Mo had acquired. Xiao Tao had bullied them for a long time, and now that Madam Bai was taking her away, Bai Mo quickly asked her to take these maids along as well. Whether they worked in the estate or on the farm, it was best if they were placed close to Xiao Tao—so they could take revenge in whatever way they saw fit.
Madam Bai almost never refused Bai Mo’s requests. She simply reminded him to come home for dinner in two days and then left in grand fashion with her entourage.
A mother-in-law was definitely not someone to be trifled with. Even someone like Yu Chenyi—who never backed down, not even before the Emperor—felt nervous when facing Madam Bai’s scrutiny. He feared that if she became unhappy, she would take Bai Mo away.
“Mo Mo, I promise I’ll only be good to you. Xiao Tao, Xiao Li, Xiao Hua—I won’t even look at them. Please don’t leave me…” Yu Chenyi held Bai Mo’s hand tightly, his palm slightly damp with nervous sweat.
The young man tilted his head slightly, pouted his rosy lips, and said, “Let’s see how you behave, then~”
Having dealt with another potential rival, Bai Mo was in a great mood. What pleased him the most was Yu Chenyi’s attitude—he had tied Xiaotao up like a criminal, showing no sign of affection whatsoever.
After seeing Madam Bai off, Madam Yu first apologized to Bai Mo, then dragged Yu Chenyi aside for a scolding.
“How could you let Mo Mo misunderstand you in a situation like this?! If anyone is going to lose their spouse, of course it’s going to be you!”
“And next time,” she continued, “don’t tell people you’re my son. I used to think you were smart—how did you suddenly become so stupid?”
Yu Chenyi could only reply with a meek “Yes,” his head hanging low as he endured Madam Yu’s scolding—looking very much like a big dog sulking after being reprimanded by its owner.
Bai Mo had originally wanted to keep a firm stance and remind Yu Chenyi that kindness isn’t always the right approach, but seeing him like this, his heart softened instantly.
Forget it. Brother Chenyi was having a pretty rough day. First, he got scolded by me, then by mother-in-law, and after that, his own mother dragged him off by the ear. Thank goodness father was at court, or else Brother Chenyi would have walked straight into a full-blown hellscape.
That day, Yu Chenyi may not have entered hell, but it was close. When the Censor returned home from court and overheard half the conversation, he immediately assumed Yu Chenyi had wronged Bai Mo. Being a man who valued loyalty in relationships, he refused to let his son become a scumbag—since Yu Chenyi had signed a commitment letter pledging his loyalty to Bai Mo alone, he had to stick to his word. A real man doesn’t go back on his promises.
After enduring Madam Yu’s scolding, Yu Chenyi stumbled out of the room, only to come face-to-face with his father, who was storming toward him, cane in hand, furious and ready for action.
Yu Chenyi: “!”
Bai Mo: “?”
Xiao Bobao: “Wow! A live-action father-son disciplinary session? This is gonna be good~”
After a round of chaos, yelling, and running for dear life, the Censor finally cooled down, and the misunderstanding was cleared up.
But Bai Mo wasn’t taking any chances. Afraid his father-in-law might pick up the cane again, he quickly stepped in front of Yu Chenyi to shield him. As long as he was standing there, even if the Censor was still angry, he wouldn’t strike an innocent person—after all, he was known for his strict sense of fairness.
“Father, this is Brother Chenyi’s first time dealing with something like this. He doesn’t have your wisdom and experience, so he was just a little slow to react. Mother has already scolded him, so please don’t be angry anymore…”
Bai Mo’s smooth, strategic flattery—along with his subtle defense of Yu Chenyi—pleased the Censor greatly. It was like that old saying: You can criticize your own child all you want, but if someone else does, you’re cursing their entire bloodline in your heart.
As for Yu Chenyi, the moment Bai Mo called him “Brother Chenyi,” he completely melted. He had been scolded by every single member of his family, yet he didn’t mind at all—
As long as Mo Mo was happy, nothing else mattered.
Bai Mo carefully held a boiled egg, gently pressing it against Yu Chenyi’s injury.
Xiao Bobao caught a fleeting smile at the corner of Yu Chenyi’s lips and immediately tattled to Bai Mo:
“Mo Mo, he’s faking it! I just saw him smirk.”
Well, well, a sympathy ploy. Bai Mo had wondered—given Yu Chenyi’s agility, how could he possibly fail to dodge the Censor’s cane? Turns out, he took the hit on purpose just to gain Mo Mo’s pity. How devious.
“But… Brother Chenyi’s injury is real, too,” Bai Mo mumbled.
No one is perfect. Yu Chenyi wasn’t a machine; it was normal for him to have flaws. But now, that handsome face had an ugly bruise, and no matter how Bai Mo looked at it, it was an eyesore—like a crack on a flawless masterpiece. The value was still there, but its beauty had been diminished.
With a long, melancholic sigh, Bai Mo stared straight at Yu Chenyi’s face, his expression filled with sorrow. The sudden shift in mood made Yu Chenyi panic.
“Mo Mo, what’s wrong?” he asked cautiously, as if afraid that the hard-won forgiveness he had just earned would slip away.
“Your face is ruined… you’re not as good-looking anymore,” Bai Mo stated matter-of-factly, fixating on Yu Chenyi’s face.
In the past, Bai Mo had been a total face-lover (Xiao Bobao had called him that). He loved admiring beautiful faces, and apparently, people like him were nicknamed face-dogs. But ever since he had fallen for his dear husband, his standards had loosened—even if Yu Chenyi wasn’t as stunning as before, he still loved him.
But still… he really wasn’t as good-looking anymore.
Without a beautiful face, Bai Mo felt like even his appetite would suffer.
“Sigh, I just like pretty things~” Bai Mo muttered absentmindedly while tidying up after rolling the boiled egg over Yu Chenyi’s bruise.
Yu Chenyi’s mind exploded.
Mo Mo liked good-looking people.
His face was injured, so he was no longer good-looking.
That meant… Mo Mo might start looking for someone else?!
Yu Chenyi: “!!!” No. Absolutely not.
“It’s just a small injury, it’ll heal soon,” Yu Chenyi quickly reassured him, grabbing Bai Mo’s hand.
A mere whip mark—he normally wouldn’t have cared. A real man valued talent over looks, after all.
But now, he realized he had been wrong. A true man should have both talent and good looks to achieve great things.
Decision made—tomorrow, he would send a request for the Imperial Physician to take a look at his injury.
Note :
- “Zu’an Snow Mink” (祖安雪貂) is a humorous internet term in Chinese. It combines “Zu’an” (祖安)—a reference to a notorious online gaming community known for its sharp-tongued insults—and “Snow Mink” (雪貂), which represents a cute but feisty animal. ↩︎
- Erotic paintings ↩︎