Who Cares About Being the Matriarch? My Rebellious Husband Secured Me a Noble Rank! - Chapter 81

Madam Chi’s second wife was still trying to explain, “Perhaps they were delayed on the road, that’s also possible?”
But Shen Tangning knew better — Madame Hou’s words were no lie.
Usually, the top three scorers in the imperial exams had official messengers sent promptly to their families to deliver the good news — called a “victory dispatch.”
Because the family would reward these messengers with silver, many scrambled eagerly to be the first to deliver such news, ensuring the family got the message without delay.
But this time, the speed was unusually slow. The messenger was supposed to have arrived by now on a fast horse, yet no one had come to announce the news. Unless something went wrong along the way.
A bad feeling immediately crept into Shen Tangning’s heart.
The cheating scandal might have been exposed.
Almost to confirm Shen Tangning’s suspicion, a flustered servant burst through the door, barely catching his breath, and said hurriedly, “Bad news! Bad news, Old Madam, Madam Hou! I heard… the yellow notice on the Dragon and Tiger Wall has been taken down. The Ministry of Rites said they just discovered cheating on the imperial exam — someone deliberately leaked exam questions and sold them to candidates. His Majesty demands a thorough investigation!”
Silence instantly fell over the room.
Madam Hou’s eyes flickered with a subtle smile at the corner of her lips.
Old Madam exploded with rage, grabbing a teacup and throwing it at Chi Yan, her voice full of hatred: “You scoundrel! The scandal is breaking out and you still won’t admit it!”
Despite her fury, a hint of satisfaction glimmered beneath — she had said it all along. That woman’s son could never compare to her Jingyu!
Rotten mud is always rotten mud, never worth saving!
Chi Yan didn’t dodge. The teacup smashed against his temple, instantly leaving a red swollen mark. Scalding tea spilled all over him, making him look utterly dishevelled.
Shen Tangning and Madam Chi’s second wife gasped.
Shen Tangning suddenly clenched her handkerchief, ready to help wipe the tea off him. But a strange, inexplicable anger bubbled inside her — one she couldn’t quite understand herself.
After all, one thing was clear —
Her husband wasn’t someone anyone else could scold!
But Chi Yan was faster. Wiping the tea from his face, he calmly asked, “Grandmother, are you so sure I got the top rank by cheating?”
Shen Tangning froze, watching silently.
Old Madam gave him a cold glare. “Or do you want me to believe you guessed all the answers by pure luck?”
Chi Yan curled his lips, eyes turning cold. “Grandmother has prejudice against me. I have nothing to say.”
“You insolent child! How dare you speak to your elders like that?” Old Madam’s face turned ashen with fury.
Suddenly, a voice came from outside.
“Old Madam, Lord Hou and the Second Master have returned.”
Old Madam glanced at the arriving Second Master and sneered, “Second son, you came just in time. I can’t control this rebellious child of yours! He’s done something to disgrace this family. Today, I will disown him. Do you have any objections?”
The Second Master was stunned, his face pale.
Clearly, he had heard the rumors outside.
He looked to his elder brother for help, hoping his words might carry some weight. But the Marquis of Ningyuan’s expression was heavy, full of helplessness as he said in a low voice:
“Second brother, this is no small matter. Cheating on the imperial exams is a serious crime — at best, disqualification; at worst, death by slicing. The Chi family can’t afford to take this risk!”
The Second Master’s face turned gray. “But Yan may not have been involved in cheating…”
The Marquis sighed deeply, voice heavy with meaning: “Then how else could he have gotten the top rank? The scholars at the Imperial Academy praised Chu Mingyu’s essays, even the Grand Tutor spoke highly of him, yet he couldn’t surpass Yan.”
The Second Master was speechless.
He believed his son was innocent, but how could he convince others?
Shen Tangning’s eyes flickered as she thought to herself:
This might be the perfect time — time to propose splitting the family. To avoid being dragged into this scandal, the Chi family would be eager to kick out the second branch!
Unexpectedly, the usually quiet Madam Chi suddenly spoke up, her eyes cold and resolute:
“If Old Madam wants to disown my son, then let’s just split the family! Once we separate, whatever accusations come our way won’t implicate the main branch!”
Everyone was stunned. Madam Chi was known to endure a lot — no one expected her to propose splitting the family!
Shen Tangning’s lips twitched into a small smile. All those times she subtly fed her mother-in-law ideas about how unfair Old Madam was, and about splitting the family early — it hadn’t been in vain.
At first, Madam Chi was shocked. After all, in Daqing, filial piety ruled the country — as the saying went, “While parents live, no splitting of the family.”
Old Madam was still alive; splitting the family would be like publicly announcing the household was fractured. For a younger generation to propose such a thing was downright rebellious!
She reminded Shen Tangning, “You can say this to Mother, but don’t let others hear it. Otherwise, how would anyone view our second branch?”
But maybe Shen Tangning’s words had gotten through, because Madam Chi began to entertain the idea.
Seeing her son treated this way, if she kept quiet and endured, it would only get worse.
No longer willing to suffer in silence, she finally stood tall and outright proposed splitting the family!
Everyone snapped back to reality.
Old Madam was the first to lash out. To her, Madam Chi’s move was a direct challenge to her authority.
“You poisonous woman! I’m still alive, and you already think about splitting the family — what do you really want?”
She glared fiercely at the Second Master. “This is the good wife you married!”
Madam Hou’s eyes flickered several times as she spoke softly but sharply:
“Second sister-in-law, splitting the family is no joke. And what would outsiders think of the Chi family? They’d think the brothers are at each other’s throats!”
“Mother, please calm down.” The Second Master pursed his lips, unusually not immediately backing down. He wanted to hear what his wife had to say.
Madam Chi seemed to gain confidence, struggling to keep her composure: “I’ve been married into the Chi family for decades. I’ve always treated my mother-in-law with respect and humility. I know my lowly origins and have always been careful, worried about not doing well enough!”
But her eyes betrayed a trace of bitterness. “But if I put myself in your shoes, have you been fair? My husband isn’t your biological son — I understand you don’t care for him. But whenever something happens, you immediately threaten to disown him. Pity the hearts of all parents: if it were the heir, your own grandson, would you choose to abandon him so easily?”
Old Madam’s eyes widened, breathing quickened, her voice filled with anger and shame: “How dare you! Are you accusing me of favoritism?”
Madam Chi took a deep breath, eyes unwavering: “Yes! If Mother could be fair, I’d have nothing to say!”
Old Madam suddenly stood, trembling fingers pointed at her: “Second son, this is what your wife thinks of me! I didn’t know she held such resentment! Today, I want you to divorce this wicked woman. Will you obey?”
The Second Master closed his eyes briefly, then stepped forward and knelt: “Manniang is blameless. I do not wish to divorce her. If you insist on disowning my son today, then disown our whole family!”