253: The second son's lineage

"Child, you have suffered all these years. It is Grandfather who has let you down."

Sensing Jiang Shuwan's gaze, Jiang Qinghe was the first to speak.

Jiang Shuwan merely shook her head. Though she had a thousand words to say, she didn't know what to say.

Only tears continued to flow down her face.

Ye Min naturally felt anger in her heart as well, but given her personality, she didn't speak. She just silently handed a handkerchief to Jiang Shuwan.

As Jiang Shuwan's man, Feng Ming naturally felt great heartache seeing his wife in such a state.

Of course, he was also very angry. He put down his chopsticks and said indifferently, "We have been married for a year, and this is the first time I have seen my wife so sad. Old Master, are all managers of great families as busy as you?"

"If that's the case, I wouldn't even dare to participate in the Trial. After all, if we can't even look after our own Family, what are we even Cultivating for?"

Jiang Qinghe naturally understood the meaning behind Feng Ming's words. Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Bing spoke first.

"Little Friend Feng, seeing how you protect Shuwan, I can rest easy. Actually, what happened back then cannot be entirely blamed on Father. I don't know if other Family managers are busy, but my father was indeed very busy back then."

"At that time, he had just taken over Liang Province, and it happened to coincide with consecutive years of severe drought. The people of Liang Province were destitute, and for three whole years, Father didn't spend a single day at home!"

"We couldn't see him back then either! Later, when the drought stabilized, Third Brother passed away. The pain in the Old Master's heart is something ordinary people can hardly understand!"

"Even seeing the people from Third Brother's residence would make Father incredibly sad and tearful. He had no choice but to avoid seeing them."

Jiang Bing had explained the reason, but could any of this compensate for the hardships and suffering Jiang Shuwan and her mother had endured over the years?

Feng Ming remained indifferent. He looked at Jiang Bing. "Shuwan is my wife, so I will take the liberty of calling you Second Uncle. I come from a small Family—one might even say our Feng Family doesn't even count as a Family. I don't quite understand the way members of your great Family interact with each other."

"Perhaps the Old Master really had his reasons back then. My Feng Family also received the Old Master's protection in the past, so it's not my place to say much. But Shuwan is my wife, and it's only natural for her to be sad after not seeing her grandfather for so many years. I don't intend to ask more about that."

"But..."

Feng Ming's tone paused. "Setting aside Family ties, should we talk about the hardships and grievances my wife and mother-in-law suffered in your Jiang Family?"

"Feng Ming, forget it!"

Ye Min spoke up to stop him, but Feng Ming waved his hand, ignoring Ye Min's words as he spoke directly.

"A few days ago, when I went with my wife to visit my mother-in-law, I found out that in the Jiang Family, someone with my mother-in-law's status actually had to wash clothes for the Legal Wife. They didn't even have candlelight; it could even be cut off."

As he spoke, Feng Ming pointed to the pastries on the dining table.

"It turns out that in the Jiang Family, pastries are not snacks to be tasted during leisure time, but food used to satisfy hunger when one is starving."

"I..."

Jiang Qinghe couldn't help but tremble.

Steward Jiang quickly tried to smooth things over. "Young Master Feng, the Old Master truly didn't know. If he had known, he would never have let the servants do such things."

Feng Ming smiled and nodded. "He didn't know. Fine, I won't say much more. You also know that my mother-in-law is someone who doesn't like to fight with others, and my wife is naturally kind-hearted and afraid of causing trouble. But as their support, if I don't say something, who else can speak up for them?"

Everyone nodded. Jiang Qinghe looked at Jiang Shuwan with a heart full of pain.

Jiang Bing also spoke up quickly, "Don't worry, little friend. I believe Father will definitely investigate the situation you mentioned and give my Younger Brothers Wife and Shuwan an explanation."

The second brother's wife, Ma Hong, also chimed in from the side, "It breaks my heart to hear this. But don't worry, this matter will definitely be cleared up."

Jiang Qinghe looked anxious, wanting to express something but not knowing what to say.

Feng Ming smiled and nodded. "I naturally believe in the Old Master and Second Uncle."

Feng Ming could see that Jiang Bing indeed didn't treat Jiang Shuwan as an outsider; he looked quite pained.

But this didn't negate the fact that they had neglected Jiang Shuwan and her mother.

However, Feng Ming didn't plan to do anything to them. After all, in a great Family, Family ties were weak.

Relatively speaking, interests were more important.

Feng Ming didn't intend to continue arguing with them.

"Actually, I can understand. My mother-in-law and Shuwan were so transparent before that you neglected them, and even the servants treated them based on their status."

"After all, this is a place where strength is respected. So, we also plan to speak with strength, and use this strength to take back the treatment we deserve!"

"Everyone can be harmonious and let strength speak for itself. That should be fine, right?"

At these words, Jiang Qinghe, Steward Jiang, and the others were all bewildered, not knowing what Feng Ming was trying to express.

Even Ye Min didn't understand Feng Ming's meaning.

But Jiang Shuwan understood. She looked moved, but she didn't want Feng Ming to continue.

"Husband, forget it. What's past is past. Now I just want them to agree to let me take Mother away from the Jiang Family, and I'll be satisfied."

Feng Ming waved his hand. "If you want to take your mother away, just like wanting the treatment a Young Miss of the Jiang Family should have, words aren't enough. You need..."

"Old Master, am I right?"

Jiang Qinghe looked embarrassed. "Saying it like that makes us sound so distant! We are all one Family!"

Feng Ming laughed.

"Old Master, I believe your words, but the people below don't. So, to save us all some trouble, I think it's better to let strength speak!"

Jiang Qinghe asked directly, "Then what do you mean?"

Feng Ming didn't speak. Instead, he raised his hand and swapped a plate of cold appetizers in front of Jiang Shuwan with a plate of hot food next to him.

At the same time, he said:

"The weather is getting cold, and our Lian'er has a natural Ice Body! She can't eat cold things anymore; she needs to eat something hot to warm her body!"

As soon as Feng Ming said this.

Everyone present immediately changed their expressions.

Instantly, the faces of everyone seated changed!

Any Family, just like the rules of the Bright Moon Dynasty, follows the principle of respecting the strong.

But so far, among Jiang Qinghe's three sons, the eldest has a son and a daughter; the son's talent is average, while the daughter's talent is decent.

The second son married late and only has a three-year-old daughter named Jiang Shuyu, whose internal aura was previously unclear.

The third son died young, leaving only one concubines daughter, and the Legal Wife had no children.

That's why the position of Acting Head of the Family fell to the eldest son.

But now, with Jiang Shuyu's Innate Chaos Body, the situation in the Jiang Family has changed.

Moreover, there is now also a Jiang Shuwan.

If Jiang Qinghe favored boys over girls, then Jiang Yan's status would be less affected, but he would certainly find a good marriage for Jiang Shuyu.

If he didn't favor boys over girls, he could find a Matrilocal Son-in-law, and the position of Head of the Family would surely fall to Jiang Shuyu.

This way, the one rising would be the Second Brother's Lineage.