met free Chapter 85 The Duchess Angers Dai Hao
Chapter 85 The Duchess Angers Dai Hao
Chapter 85 The Duchess Angers Dai Hao
The Duke's return to the manor naturally caused a stir throughout the household.
The stewards and servants rushed out to greet her. Even more surprisingly, Duchess Jumant, who had been bedridden for a long time, also managed to enter the front hall, supported by her maids. Her face was pale, and her brows bore the marks of illness and a lingering melancholy.
When she saw Dai Youheng walking in right after Dai Hao, a look of surprise and a barely perceptible shadow flashed across her sickly face.
She never expected that the person her husband brought back today was this illegitimate son she had never taken seriously!
A little further behind the Duchess stood a gentle and beautiful middle-aged woman, and a boy who looked younger than Huo Yuhao, with curiosity and timidity in his eyes.
It was Bai Wanning, the biological mother of Dai Youheng's predecessor, and his younger brother Dai Luoli.
"My lord, you're back." Duchess Jumant forced a smile.
"Greetings, my lord." Bai Wanning immediately stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and greeted him with utmost humility.
The difference in status between the principal wife and the concubine was fully demonstrated in this greeting.
When Dai Hao saw his wife come out looking unwell, he frowned slightly. "Manman, you're not feeling well. You don't need to come out to greet me personally. You should rest."
He then looked at Bai Wanning, his tone softening, "Wanning, thank you for taking care of Manman these past few days."
The Duchess's full name is Zhu Man, and she is a direct descendant of the Zhu family. Dai Youheng's birth mother, Bai Wanning, although also born into nobility, is only a minor noble. She is cautious and timid in the mansion and is responsible for taking care of the Duchess's daily life year-round.
During this time, the Duchess was ill, and she was busy taking care of her. Even so, she still couldn't avoid being harassed by the jealous Duchess.
Overall, however, she was much higher in status than Huo Yuhao's maid mother. The Duchess's attitude towards Bai Wanning was just bad, and she would make things difficult for her in family matters, but she would not beat or scold her excessively or even persecute her.
Bai Wanning quickly lowered her head and said, "My lord, you flatter me. It is my duty to be filial to my sister. I dare not complain about the hardship."
Dai Hao nodded, then turned his gaze to Dai Youheng behind him, his tone carrying a hint of parental authority, "Youheng, you've come all this way, why don't you greet your stepmother and your mother?"
Dai Youheng stepped forward, his gaze first falling on the gentle woman, and called out in a calm tone, "Mother."
Although his soul was no longer the original owner's, he had taken over everything from that sycophant. The cause and effect were still there, so it was no big deal for him to address the original owner's birth mother, who had given him life and was gentle in nature.
When Bai Wanning saw her son, her eyes immediately showed concern and joy. "Youheng, you've worked hard outside."
I heard you returned to Xingluo City a long time ago. Why haven't you come home to visit?
Her words carried a mother's longing and a hint of slight resentment.
"I've been busy with some trivial matters outside and haven't been able to get away," Dai Youheng explained simply.
However, these words drew a sickly yet sharp sneer from the Duchess beside her. "Heh, what trivial matters could a son of a concubine possibly have to attend to? He doesn't even go home to pay his respects to his parents upon returning to the city, and once home, he only knows his birth mother and not his legal mother. Does he have no sense of hierarchy or seniority? He's a typical example of filial impiety!"
She was using this as an excuse to accuse Dai Youheng of only greeting his birth mother, Bai Wanning, while ignoring his legal mother, who held a higher position, thus being disrespectful and unfilial.
Dai Youheng turned to look at her, her eyes calm and expressionless, but her words were like knives piercing her heart. "I've been quite busy, for example—cleaning up the mess left by certain people. Both of someone's precious sons have become half-crippled, leaving Shrek Academy with no one to use. I had no choice but to reluctantly represent Shrek and clean up their mess. Unfortunately, in today's match, that person's crippled son lost again, while I won."
"You—!" Duchess Juman was instantly enraged, her face turning from white to green, her breathing becoming rapid, her finger trembling as she pointed at Dai Youheng, her chest heaving violently.
The fact that Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin were severely injured and crippled was her greatest pain and sore spot. Now that Dai Youheng had ruthlessly exposed it to her face, it was even more painful than killing her.
"Stop with the 'you, you, you'." Dai Youheng interrupted her without any politeness, his tone icy. "If you're sick, just lie down and rest. If you're not dead, save yourself some breath so you don't die halfway through your journey to hell. That would be such a waste."
These words were extremely vicious, practically cursing Dai Hao to die young and never be reborn!
"Youheng, how dare you! Don't be so rude!" Dai Hao's face darkened, and he shouted sternly. He knew that Dai Youheng had a bad relationship with his stepmother, but he never expected that he would dare to openly contradict him like this, and that his words would be so harsh and vicious.
Dai Youheng merely glanced at Dai Hao indifferently, as if he hadn't heard his reprimand. He waved his hand dismissively, his tone as casual as if he were dismissing someone unimportant, "Stop dawdling here. Didn't you call me back to have a proper talk? Fine, let's talk then. I'll wait for you in the study. Come on over."
After saying that, he ignored the trembling Duchess and the ashen-faced Dai Hao, turned around and walked straight toward the Duke's study, as if he were the master of the place.
This scene left all the servants, the two ladies, and the young boy Dai Luoli speechless, unable to believe their eyes!
Is this still the same Dai Youheng who was unknown and even somewhat timid within the Duke's mansion, and known outside as "Princess Jiu Jiu's simp"? It's as if she's a completely different person! So assertive, so arrogant, she even dares to confront the Duke and Duchess to their faces!
Dai Luoli's eyes lit up, her little fists clenching secretly as she watched her brother's departing figure, filled with admiration. Her brother was so handsome! It was the first time she had ever seen anyone dare to speak to her dignified father and her always aloof stepmother like that!
"Husband, look at him! He—how dare he curse me like that, and be so disrespectful!" Duchess Zhu Man finally caught her breath, pointing in the direction Dai Youheng had left. Her voice was shrill, and she was trembling with rage. If it weren't for her maid supporting her, she would have almost fainted. The pain of her two sons being deposed, coupled with today's humiliation, brought her hatred for Dai Youheng to its peak.
Dai Hao's face was also extremely ugly, but he took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.
Dai Youheng's performance on the field today was too astonishing. His eternal fourth ring crushed Ye Wuqing. This guy has undergone a complete transformation and is hiding a huge secret. Now is not the time to concern ourselves with these formalities.
He waved his hand, his voice tinged with weariness. "Alright, Manman, go back to your room and rest. Your health is the most important thing. I know what I'm doing. I'll teach him a lesson later."
He had intended to give a lecture, but considering Dai Youheng's attitude earlier, he changed it to "teaching a lesson" instead.
Seeing that her husband seemed inclined to let it go easily, Zhu Man felt even more resentful. However, knowing Dai Hao's temper, she dared not disobey him openly. She could only swallow her anger, and with the help of a maid, glared hatefully at Bai Wanning before turning and returning to the inner courtyard. But she had already made a solemn vow in her heart: this little beast must not be allowed to live! Her son was crippled, and he wouldn't have an easy time either; sooner or later, she would make sure he died a horrible death!
So that he won't surpass her two sons in the future.
It must be said that Dai Huabin's obsessive and ruthless personality is truly inherited from his mother.
Dai Hao rubbed his temples, glanced at Bai Wanning with a worried expression and Dai Luoli with a timid look in her eyes, and sighed, "Wanning, take Luoli downstairs."
"Yes, my lord." Bai Wanning glanced worriedly in the direction of the study, bowed respectfully, and left with Dai Luoli, who kept turning back to look at her.
The front hall finally quieted down. Dai Hao stood there, silent for a moment, sorting out his emotions and thoughts that had been disturbed by Dai Youheng, before taking heavy steps toward the study.
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