Chapter 3: 3. Chapter 3: Reveal Her Origins!

Chapter 3: Tell Us Her Origins!

The Zhang family refers to Lu Jia’s uncle—Zhang Qi, the eldest son born to Lu Jia’s maternal grandfather Zhang Hong’s second wife, and his wife, the eldest daughter-in-law, Madam He.

The Xie family’s ancestors were from Tanzhou Prefecture. After making their fortune in trade, they moved to the capital, but later offended someone, causing their business to collapse and their family savings to be wiped out. After laying the old Master Xie to rest, Madam Zhang and her husband, Xie Zhang, accepted an invitation from her father, Zhang Hong, to settle down in Shawan, under the jurisdiction of Tanzhou Prefecture. A decade had passed in the blink of an eye.

Why was it said that they were trying to "sell" Lu Jia? It was because the Zhang family had arranged a match for her without ever breathing a word of it to her mother, Madam Zhang.

And what kind of person was this Li Er?

Relying on a few shops owned by his family, this scoundrel spent his days in debauchery, cockfighting, and dog racing. He was either flirting with the girls at this theater troupe or blocking the path of the seamstresses at that embroidery workshop.

Three days ago, while Lu Jia was rowing her small boat to sell needlework at the Shawan wharf, her "good" uncle had someone bring Li Er over. To get a better look at her, that scoundrel had actually tipped her boat over!

In the biting cold of early spring, Lu Jia swallowed several mouthfuls of river water, fell into a coma, and had been bedridden ever since.

Only now were the Zhang couple’s sinister intentions fully exposed.

In her previous life, Madam Zhang had also gone to confront them like this, but Zhang Qi and his wife denied everything. Later, they hypocritically claimed it was for Lu Jia’s own good, saying they saw how hard it was for Madam Zhang to raise her children alone and, as her uncle and aunt, they couldn't bear to watch, so they pointed her toward a good marriage where she wouldn't have to worry about food or clothing!

Madam Zhang was so furious that, as the story goes, she grabbed Madam He by the hair and beat her on the spot. Of course, with so many servants in the Zhang household, Madam He didn't let herself be bested; she injured Madam Zhang’s leg, which took over half a month to heal.

The reason it was "as the story goes" was that in her previous life, Lu Jia was still in a coma at this time. She had slept for four full days, meaning she wouldn't have woken up until tomorrow afternoon.

In this life, Lu Jia had woken up just in time, and she couldn't just watch her mother suffer.

She looked at the brightening sky and immediately called out to Xie Yi, "Let's go. We’re going to bring Mother back."

As soon as she stood up, a black cloud swam before her eyes, and she collapsed back into her chair with a thud.

Xie Yi hurriedly steadied her. "Just stay put! You haven't eaten in days; what can you do if you go? I'll go!"

He had been planning to tell Madam Zhang the good news that Lu Jia had woken up. After saying this, he brewed a cup of tea by Lu Jia’s bed, fiddled with two porcelain jars on the table, and fished out a few broken pieces of cake to stuff into her hands before rushing off.

Exiting the front gate and circling to the house next door, Xie Yi saw the Zhang family’s gate was left ajar and walked straight in.

The Zhang residence was the ancestral home, built by the great-grandfather of her maternal grandfather, Zhang Hong, consisting of five courtyards from front to back.

Although most of the servants sided with their masters, they were all from poor backgrounds; when the Zhang family acted inhumanely, there were always those who felt uneasy about it.

A cleaning woman secretly pointed Xie Yi toward the main courtyard. Xie Yi understood and bolted in that direction.

Before he even reached the door, Madam He’s angry shouting could be heard: "...The Zhang family has fed you for so many years, and yet you dare to come here and throw a tantrum! You husband-killing, child-killing jinx! You’ve already ruined the Xie family, and now you want to curse the Zhang family too? Someone! Hold her down and beat her to death!"

Xie Yi’s heart felt like it was exploding. He grabbed a door bolt from nearby and charged in without a word: "If you dare lay a hand on her, I’ll fight you to the death!"

In the courtyard, Madam He’s hair bun was disheveled, several gold hairpins had fallen to the ground or were hanging precariously from her temples, and a slap mark was visible on her left cheek—a truly pathetic sight.

At that moment, she was screaming while viciously gripping Madam Zhang’s arm, simultaneously ordering the maids to beat Madam Zhang’s legs.

There were already two bloody scratches on the back of Madam Zhang’s hand. Fortunately, Xie Yi was quick-witted and blocked Madam He’s raised right hand. With a loud *bang*, Madam Zhang was left unharmed, while Madam He began to shriek, shaking her right hand in pain!

Xie Yi quickly helped Madam Zhang to the side.

Madam Zhang asked anxiously, "Why are you here? Where is your sister?"

Before Xie Yi could answer, Madam He grabbed him and began to curse: "You scoundrel, you dare hit me? I am your aunt! You’re defying the heavens!"

Xie Yi sneered, "After our grandfather was buried, you were the one who said that the two families should have no further contact! Now you remember you’re our aunt? When grandfather died, you blocked the door the very next day!

"And another thing—secretly colluding with that scoundrel from the Li family to harm my sister, is that something you’re capable of too?

"What kind of aunt are you? You’re a wolf!"

Madam He couldn't even out-argue him!

She turned her rage back toward Madam Zhang: "What daughter doesn't get married once she turns fifteen? She has no father, so shouldn't I, as her aunt, look out for her?

"The Li family is a wealthy household with four or five oil shops. Once she marries in, she’ll be a young mistress, eating and drinking well every day—isn't that better than staying at her mother’s house?

"When that time comes, you two can come over every few days to beg for favors; that would be enough for you to live in comfort!

"I’m doing this for your own good, and you treat my kindness like a donkey’s liver and lungs!"

Madam Zhang cursed in anger: "You shameless thing! If it’s such a comfortable life, why don't you send your own daughter?"

Madam He shrieked: "Our Ru-jie is a proper young lady of the Zhang family! How can your Jia-jie compare to her?!"

"A crooked bamboo cannot produce a straight shoot! Can someone as shameless as you raise a 'proper' young lady? You’re making a laughingstock of yourself!"

Madam He’s face turned a sickly grey. She screamed and rushed forward: "Let’s stop beating around the bush. I’ll ask you: is Jia-jie really the daughter you and Xie Zhang gave birth to?"

Madam Zhang spat in her face: "Go to hell! If she isn't my daughter, is she yours? I’m telling you, if anything happens to my daughter, I will make your entire family pay with your lives!"

Madam He gritted her teeth: "Zhang Qiuniang, don't take me for a fool!

"That girl looks nothing like either of you! Before Father let you return to Shawan, you never mentioned a word about having a daughter!

"And after you returned, she just inexplicably appeared by your side as a five-year-old!

"When you lived in the capital, we were thousands of miles apart and only communicated by letter, that’s true. But giving birth to a firstborn daughter is such a major event—why didn't you tell us? What proof do you have that she is yours?"

Hearing this, Xie Yi stood with his mouth agape, looking at his mother.

Madam Zhang’s facial muscles twitched: "Stop trying to distract me with this nonsense. Do you think you can fool me? No way!

"You colluded with Li Er and caused my daughter to fall into a coma. If you don't give me an explanation today, I’m going to the county office to beat the drum!"

With that, she turned to leave.

Madam He rushed forward in three steps, grabbed her, and violently pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve, unfolding it: "Who is the one trying to distract from the issue?

"Open your eyes and look carefully! I found this when I was clearing out the old man’s belongings the other day!

"It records the three hundred taels of silver spent to register Jia-jie at the Shawan county office.

"I ask you, why would it cost three hundred taels to register someone? If she were your biological child, why would you need to come to Shawan to register her?

"If she were truly yours, why didn't you register her in the capital? If she wasn't registered, how did you bring her out of the city?

"This is the old man’s own handwriting, and his thumbprint is on it. The Zhang family paid that three hundred taels, so don't even think about denying it!"

Madam Zhang looked at the handwriting on the document. Whether from anger or something else, her eyes instantly turned red.

When Zhang Hong was young, he had raised his eldest daughter, Madam Zhang, like a lady of status. He had the clan leader give her the formal name Qiuniang and hired a tutor to teach her to read.

Therefore, she not only recognized the characters on the document, but she also recognized at a glance that it was indeed the stub left behind by Zhang Hong when he filed the papers at the county office!...

"Mother, what is this about?" Xie Yi looked on, bewildered.

"You fool!" Madam He sneered at him. "Your parents treat that wild seed like a treasure, while they treat you, their own flesh and blood, like grass. You’re still being kept in the dark, serving a girl of unknown origin like a Bodhisattva!"

Xie Yi glared at her: "I wasn't talking to you!"

Zhang Qiuniang lunged forward to tear at her mouth: "My Jia-jie is not of 'unknown origin'!"

"Then tell us her origins!"

Madam He shoved her away: "She even looks down on a wealthy heir like the Li family’s son—I want to see what kind of 'extraordinary' background she has!"

(End of chapter)