CHAPTER 487: CHAPTER 249: A GOOD THING (PART 2)

Gu Fangzi coughed lightly and replied with a smile, "Auntie, have you forgotten? I mentioned before that I had arranged a job for Sang family’s Second Master in Qingzhou. He should be there by now! It’s just odd, why would he come to see you for no reason?"

"Look at my memory!" Mrs. Wang suddenly realized and smiled, then said, "Please let him in! He must have something important."

After all, he was the natal family of her daughter-in-law, how could Mrs. Wang think otherwise? She even asked Gu Fangzi and Mrs. Jiang to help check if her clothes and appearance were proper.

To her surprise, as soon as Sang Pingliang entered, he "thump" knelt before her, bowed his head and cried out, "Madam, I know I was wrong, please have mercy and spare me this once! I won’t dare to do it again! Please, Madam!"

The entire room, including Mrs. Wang and excluding Gu Fangzi and her maid, was dumbfounded and fell silent in an instant; only Sang Pingliang cried and begged pitifully with loud sobs.

Feigning surprise, Gu Fangzi lifted her handkerchief to cover her face, actually hiding her struggle to keep from laughing aloud. Sharing a conspiratorial glance with Lan Xiang, Gu Fangzi was inwardly overjoyed!

Who knew how this mischievous girl had spoken to Sang Pingliang to cause such a scene. It would be weird if Auntie wasn’t terrified after witnessing this!

"Madam, please say something! I know I was wrong, I truly admit my mistake, please spare me, leave me some dignity! I won’t dare again, I promise, never again! You are as compassionate as a Bodhisattva, why stoop to my level..." Seeing that Mrs. Wang had no reaction, Sang Pingliang’s pleas became even more fervent as he flattered her to the skies, deprecating himself to worthlessness!

"Heavens, Bodhisattva! What... what on earth is going on here!" Mrs. Wang gasped in shock.

She was truly frightened! Sang family’s Second Master was her daughter-in-law’s own uncle, and with her parents deceased, he was properly her elder and equal in status. Yet the man prostrated himself before her, pleading and crying like a slave, leaving her utterly confused!

Gu Fangzi, feeling things had gone on long enough, coughed loudly and raised her voice, "Second Master of the in-laws, please hold on, let’s talk this out slowly, what on earth has happened! If you don’t make it clear, how can Auntie make a decision for you?"

"Yes, please, what exactly has happened!" Mrs. Wang, feeling uneasy, frowned as she looked at Sang Pingliang, who exhibited crude manners riddled with groveling and sleaziness, not at all pleasing to the eye; she had a very bad impression of him.

Sang Pingliang glanced at Gu Fangzi in reassurance, his heart steadied. He thought to himself that the young miss had not abandoned him, not hesitating to speak on his behalf right away!

"Ah, I’ll tell now!" Sang Pingliang raised his sleeve to wipe his tears and said, "I, I——"

"Hold on!" Gu Fangzi swept her gaze across everyone and said, "Auntie, perhaps it’s better if the servants leave the room for a bit!" If the servants start talking, this place would become even livelier! She watched to see if Sang Wan still had any face left, secretly sneering to herself.

"Hmm!" Mrs. Wang nodded her head and waved her hand, dismissing all but Mrs. Jiang. She then said to Sang Pingliang, "You may also get up!"

The words "Second Master of the in-laws" felt awkward for Mrs. Wang, she couldn’t bring herself to say it anymore.

"I will still say so! I’ve wronged the Shi family, wronged you, Madam; I have no face to stand up!" Hearing the Madam asking him to rise, Sang Pingliang felt a surge of hope: the Madam’s heart is truly not bad!

He insisted on kneeling, which Mrs. Wang normally wouldn’t mind, but considering his status and seeing him kneeling before her made it particularly irksome to her, furrowing her brow slightly.

Gu Fangzi quickly smiled and said, "Second Master, please stand up! You are our big madam’s own uncle, no matter how significant the matter, there is no need for kneeling!" She signaled Lan Xiang to come forward and help him up.

"Fang’er is right; come on, rise and have a seat to talk!" Mrs. Wang said indifferently.

"Ah, thank you, Madam! Thank you, Miss Cousin!" Sang Pingliang didn’t wait for Lan Xiang to actually help him, and Lan Xiang did not really intend to help him either, merely making a faint gesture besides him.

Sang Pingliang got up and after bowing and thanking Mrs. Wang and Gu Fangzi again, he sat down under Lan Xiang’s guidance.

Sang Pingliang thought he was being exceedingly polite, unaware that he had demeaned his status to the lowest. Yet his position should not have been so lowly; the more overly polite he was, the less Mrs. Wang thought of him. At first, she was merely put off, now she felt disgust.

"Auntie has the kindest heart, don’t hide anything, just say it!" Gu Fangzi kindly prompted again.

"Ah, ah!" Sang Pingliang hurriedly nodded and gave an accompanying smile.

Reflecting on the disgraceful actions he, himself, had committed, Sang Pingliang found it quite embarrassing to speak out, hesitating several times with his face turning red first. At last, he steeled himself, thinking that if he did not speak up, today’s visit would be for naught and later things would only look worse.

"Madam, this matter, this matter is really an embarrassment to mention! Ultimately, it’s all my fault, all my mistake, I should not have been blinded by greed, dazzled by folly..."

Sang Pingliang stammered out what he had done, and then couldn’t help but stand up again, "Madam, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! I beg you to forgive me this once! If this matter is made public, if I lose face in front of everyone, how can I continue in the future? Moreover, Miss Wan will also lose face, isn’t that so! I swear, I will never do it again!"