Once Wen Ningchen faced the family punishment, the matter became far more serious. This was primarily due to an unwritten rule in the Wen family: if a descendant committed a grave error warranting corporal punishment, it would be recorded in a family ledger, meaning the incident would never be forgotten in their lifetime.

Furthermore, applying the family law now meant facing various severe forms of punishment, likely ensuring Wen Ningchen would not recover for ten days or half a month; marriage would certainly be impossible in the short term. Consequently, the gossip would linger longer. When Old Master Wen finally returned, even if he handled the matter swiftly, he would inevitably hear family members discussing it. If nothing else, it would cause him to lose face, and each mention would deepen his disappointment in Wen Ningchen.

It was likely for these very reasons that Concubine Luo insisted on punishing Wen Ningxuan. On one hand, she ensured everyone remembered Wen Ningchen’s transgression; on the other, she signaled that Madam Wen could not properly discipline her sons. For Concubine Luo, the benefits were manifold: one less competitor for her own son, and a noticeable erosion of Madam Wen’s authority.

And this matter was not solely driven by Concubine Luo; the Second Madam was also lending her support. Lin He suspected that no matter how much authority Madam Wen currently wielded, suppressing this incident today would prove impossible.

As expected, seeing that her arguments had failed to elicit a response from the Old Madam, Concubine Luo spoke again: “Mother, if, as Madam stated, we were merely summoned today to be notified of Ningchen’s marriage, I naturally have no right to interject, nor would I dare speak further; you may proceed as you wish—I am merely a secondary wife. However, Mother summoned us to discuss matters, and if we are discussing, we are entitled to speak.”

“I believe Ningchen’s current affair cannot simply be dismissed. Do you recall when He’er first joined the family, and due to her situation with Qingmo, Mother once stated that our Wen family adheres strictly to rewards and punishments? Therefore, merit should be rewarded, and mistakes must be punished. I see Ningchen’s actions this time as clearly wrong, so he must be punished. Otherwise, what purpose do our Wen family rules serve?”

As soon as Concubine Luo finished speaking, Madam Wen finally broke in: “Concubine Luo, so you acknowledge that you are but a concubine? Strictly speaking, a concubine is a lesser spouse and has no right to speak. Yet you have spoken at length—have you not overstepped your bounds?”

Concubine Luo was in no way intimidated by Madam Wen’s outburst. A faint smile played on her lips as she addressed Madam Wen with firm conviction: “Madam, your statement is incorrect. Though I am a secondary wife, thankfully the Master and Mother treat me as part of the family. Moreover, I believe that if a statement is sound, anyone should be allowed to voice it. Does Madam not frequently have Xu Mama relay important matters to us? We do not dismiss her words because she is a servant. This shows that our Wen family judges matters based on reason, not status.”

Watching this, Lin He felt that Concubine Luo appeared like an envoy of justice, almost haloed; she suppressed a laugh, finding the situation amusing but inappropriate for the moment.

“Then, in Concubine Luo’s opinion, how should he be disciplined?” Madam Wen asked, her teeth almost grinding as she glared at Concubine Luo’s demeanor.

“Ha, Madam is mistaken again. How this matter is handled is for Mother and the Master to decide. Since the Master is absent, it naturally falls to Mother. Mother is a person of fairness and severity; whatever she decrees, none of us will object,” Concubine Luo replied with a smile.

At this, everyone in the room shifted their gaze toward the Old Madam. The Old Madam appeared composed, as if unmoved by the exchange between Concubine Luo and Madam Wen. Her eyes remained fixed on a distant point, lost in thought.

After a considerable silence, the Old Madam still had not spoken. Wen Shixiang, seated diagonally opposite Lin He, finally interjected: “Mother, what are you contemplating? Everyone awaits your words. If you find it difficult to manage, perhaps we should wait for Elder Brother to return. After all, this concerns his wife and son; it would be fairest for him to decide, and no one would object.”

The Old Madam seemed to snap back to attention. She glanced at Wen Shixiang, then turned her gaze toward Wen Ningxuan, who was seated nearby, suddenly asking in what seemed like casual query: “Xuan’er, in your view, how should this matter be resolved?”

Wen Ningxuan maintained his previous posture, one hand resting on the small table beside him, his head propped by his fingers. He looked toward the Old Madam, his expression placid, and stated: “Grandmother, family affairs are not my domain. The resolution is your concern. I am here only to accompany my wife and observe the spectacle.”

After speaking, Wen Ningxuan abruptly stood up. “Grandmother, since matters seem sufficiently discussed, my wife and I have nothing more to do here. We have engagements elsewhere and shall take our leave now.” With that, he took Lin He’s hand and moved toward the door.

Lin He was less audacious than Wen Ningxuan; she sought the Old Madam’s permission with her eyes. This time, the Old Madam did not appear angry, merely waving her hand: “Everyone disperse for today. I will take a few days to consider this matter. Ningchen’s marriage arrangements will also wait until Jie’er returns.”

As soon as the Old Madam finished speaking, Madam Wen’s face shifted, and she called out softly, “Mother, this…”

“No need to say more. Both the words of the Second Household and Yu Lian [Concubine Luo’s given name] hold merit. Ningchen taking a secondary principal wife is no small affair; it is best decided when Jie’er returns. Ningnuo is your adopted daughter; you must appease her side. Our Wen family will certainly not treat her unfairly.” Having spoken, the Old Madam was escorted toward the inner chambers by her attendant.

Once the Old Madam departed, Madam Wen fixed her gaze on Concubine Luo, nearly striking her. She had almost managed to coax the Old Madam into agreement, but this wretch had ruined everything and created substantial trouble for her.

Madam Wen had originally intended to finalize the matter quickly while the Master was away, dispatching envoys to Ningnuo’s maternal family to settle affairs. That way, even if the Master returned angered, he would have to consider the face of Ningnuo’s family, and with the decision made, the Master naturally wouldn't escalate a minor issue.

But now the situation was complicated. Firstly, passing the Master’s scrutiny would be difficult, and the family punishment likely couldn't be avoided. Secondly, Ningnuo’s side was pressuring her, forcing her to expend significant effort just to persuade Ningnuo.

However, Concubine Luo showed no fear seeing Madam Wen’s fury. She leaned in with a small, mocking smile: “Madam, hurry back and check on your precious son. Who knows what nonsense he’s engaged in now; perhaps he’ll require another secondary principal wife before long.” With that, Concubine Luo departed, her face radiating sarcasm.

Wen Ningxuan noticed Lin He still standing frozen, so he took her hand and led her out the door. Once they cleared the courtyard, Lin He remained preoccupied with the events in the main hall, walking along without noticing their destination. Wen Ningxuan chuckled, tapped her forehead lightly with his finger, and said, “What are you thinking about so intensely? Do you still want to go out?”

Lin He finally snapped back to reality and nodded quickly: “Go out, go out! I’ve been waiting long enough. Let’s leave right now.”