Chapter 122: Lin Jiaojiao, Shunned by All

A lady walked toward Chu Mu. Chu Mu recognized her; she was Madam Pang, the hostess of the banquet.

Madam Pang took Chu Mu’s hand quite naturally and looked her up and down with great satisfaction. Up close, she was even more radiant and spirited than she had appeared from a distance. Her unflappable temperament was particularly endearing; she was truly a match for her son, Jin.

Chu Mu instinctively pulled his hand away from Madam Pang’s grasp. The look in Madam Pang’s eyes was strange—it held a mix of joy and satisfaction as she looked at Zhao. It made him feel wary; as expected, there wasn't a single decent person in the Pang family.

"This junior greets Madam Pang," Lin Jiaojiao’s voice rang out from behind Chu Mu.

Madam Pang glanced at Lin Jiaojiao and gave a slight, perfunctory nod, offering no reply. While she intended to use the girl, she would never conspire with her—she wasn't worthy. One’s appearance reflects one’s heart; this Miss Lin possessed a sharp, mean-spirited, and vixen-like countenance. She was clearly no good. Living as a guest in someone else’s home while harborng delusions of ousting the rightful wife to take her place—she lacked even the slightest sense of gratitude.

"Sister, why don't you pay your respects to Madam Pang? This isn't the General’s Mansion, where everything can be done according to your whims," Lin Jiaojiao feigned surprise.

The noblewomen and young ladies nearby cast strange looks at Lin Jiaojiao. Was this girl a fool? The hostess hadn't said a word, yet here she was, arriving with the other lady only to undermine her own party. Even if they were on bad terms at home, one had to maintain basic decorum in public. If one truly wished to scheme, it should be done in private, not in front of everyone. Did she not understand that they shared the same reputation?

Madam Pang grew even more displeased with Lin Jiaojiao, losing even the desire to use her. How could someone be this stupid?

Chu Mu restrained himself over and over. He truly wanted to crack open Lin Jiaojiao’s skull to see if there was anything inside. Seeing the ashen, furious expression on Shen’s face, Lin Jiaojiao felt a surge of delight. This fool, Shen, was no match for her at all; she had managed to manipulate her easily as soon as they entered the Pang residence. She wondered how the other ladies would view her now—as someone utterly ignorant of etiquette.

Continuing to stir the pot, Lin Jiaojiao added, "Sister, as Madam Pang is an elder, you really should pay your respects to her as I have. Everyone is watching you. Please, Sister, do not ruin the reputation of our Great General’s Mansion. If others see this, they will think our General’s Mansion lacks proper upbringing."

Chu Mu’s face grew increasingly unsightly. This idiot—the others weren't watching him; they were watching this fool make a spectacle of herself.

"Shut your mouth!" Chu Mu hissed coldly.

Madam Pang’s expression also darkened. How had she suddenly become an "elder"? Yes, she wanted Miss Shen to be her eldest daughter-in-law, but at this moment, Miss Shen was still Madam Chu, an equal to her. This Miss Lin had malicious intent; while accusing Miss Shen of being ill-mannered, she was simultaneously implying that she, Madam Pang, was old.

The ladies and young noblewomen present shared a common thought: they would stay far away from this brainless girl later.

Lin Jiaojiao did not expect Shen to dare humiliate her in public and tell her to shut up. Did she not know they had arrived together? For her to be so fierce—was she trying to make the General’s Mansion a laughingstock?

With reddened eyes, Lin Jiaojiao said, "Sister, even if you dislike me, you should still consider Brother Mu’s reputation. At the General’s Mansion, no matter how you bully me, I have never said a word against you. After all, I am a lonely girl living as a guest in your home. I don't mind suffering, but we are guests in someone else’s house now. Can’t you be more tolerant of me? Must you blacken the name of the General’s Mansion and let the world know what kind of ungrateful and unreasonable wife Brother Mu has married before you are satisfied?" As she spoke, she began to wipe away tears.

At the General’s Mansion, this performance would have garnered sympathy. But here, the ladies were soft-hearted, and they would surely pity her, an orphan.

However, the gazes of the crowd did indeed fall upon Lin Jiaojiao—not with the sympathy she expected, but with scorn and contempt. They now knew exactly who these two women were. The rumors were true: the wife of the General was being pushed to the point of self-demotion by a girl living as a guest. This Madam Chu was truly a person of good temper to be able to bring such a woman, who slandered her at every turn, to a banquet.

Lin Jiaojiao sobbed quietly, growing anxious inside. Why hadn't anyone stepped forward to comfort her and condemn Shen? Did these people have no compassion? Or was her performance not pathetic enough?

"Sister, Jiaojiao was wrong. I shouldn't have pointed out your faults in public. You can punish me however you like when we return to the mansion. I only hope you don't make yourself ill because of me. Every mistake is mine."

At this moment, Chu Mu just wanted to sew Lin Jiaojiao’s mouth shut. Who was truly blackening the name of the General’s Mansion? Who was the one causing him to lose face? How long would she keep slandering Zhao? When had Zhao ever punished her? It was always her fault that Zhao was the one being criticized.

Before Chu Mu could lash out, a crisp, charming voice rang out from the crowd.

"Which family is this girl from? Does she not know the rules of being a guest? What kind of behavior is this, weeping and wailing at someone else’s house? She calls her 'Sister' at every turn, yet every word is a trap. Being your sister must be a stroke of terrible luck."

Chen Baoyi stepped out from the crowd. She, too, was wearing a red dress today. Pampered by the Duke’s Mansion, Chen Baoyi was breathtakingly beautiful. The red dress made her look radiant; when the two stood together, one was stunningly beautiful, while the other was completely overshadowed by the red, looking nothing more than garish.

Lin Jiaojiao’s face turned ghastly. It was particularly infuriating that this meddlesome girl, who wore red just like her, looked so effortless. The girl’s dress was simple, with few accessories, yet she wore it with an incomparable flair, as if she were born for this vibrant crimson.

Chen Baoyi looked at Lin Jiaojiao with disdain. She had heard the whispers around her—wondering who this girl was, the one who so openly displayed such malicious intent. So, this was Lin Jiaojiao, the sweetheart of Brother Chu. An orphan living as a guest at the General’s Mansion. And the lady she was harassing was Brother Chu’s rightful wife.

For some reason, she did not feel annoyed by Madam Chu; instead, she felt a pang of sympathy. If Lin Jiaojiao dared to trip her up and stir trouble even here, in someone else’s home, one could only imagine how much suffering and grievance this Madam Chu had endured at the General’s Mansion.

Chen Baoyi glanced at Chu Mu with pity. Although she had only been back in the capital for two days, she had heard the rumors. This Madam Chu was not favored by Brother Chu and had even been cold-shouldered for two years. She truly could not fathom why Brother Chu would take a fancy to such a pretentious woman as Lin Jiaojiao.

Chu Mu looked at Chen Baoyi. Why did this girl look at Zhao with such pity? Was she an old acquaintance of hers?