Chapter 5: Legitimate and Concubine-born (Part 2)

Not wanting to entangle with them for too long, Xia Yiqing said, "Old Madam, let's keep this brief. It's the same question: why throw our things out? Why are you forcing us to move?"

Tong Shi could not stand Xia Yiqing's elegant and composed manner. Intending to provoke her, she rushed to speak: "You are so young, how can your mind be so dull? We have said so much, do you still not understand? In the Xia family, my sister-in-law Madam Huang is the eldest daughter-in-law of the primary branch. From now on, you must call the Eldest Madam 'Mother,' and Madam Pang can only be called a concubine! The Eldest Madam has stayed by the Eldest Master's side for years, accompanying and serving him. This year, Nanping County, where the Eldest Master is stationed, suffered a drought. Firstly, the Eldest Madam could not endure the heat and dryness there; secondly, after the New Year, the Eldest Master must go to the capital to report on his duties. Once he is promoted, he won't need to return to Nanping County, so the Eldest Madam is bringing the two young ladies back home to live first! Furthermore, a good marriage proposal has come knocking: the Old Madam of Earl Changle in Yangzhou has taken a liking to our legitimate daughter, Aizhi, and wants Aizhi to be her eldest legitimate grandson's wife! The Old Madam of Earl Changle enjoys socializing and traveling. Hearing that our Xia family's ancestral home in Huzhou is scenic and beautiful, with a lovely rose garden planted with all kinds of roses, she was very pleased. She intends to personally visit our Old Madam, view the rose garden, and take the opportunity to exchange the children's birthdate slips to finalize the marriage! With this marriage to the Earl Changle Mansion, the prestige of our Xia family will increase, and the Eldest Master's official career will be even broader in the future! Therefore, you and your children must move out! This ancestral house will be refurbished to serve as the private chambers for the two legitimate young ladies!"

Xia Yiqing remained silent. Xia Leqing ran to the window again and shouted at Tong Shi through her tears, "My mother is the original primary wife! The three of us have lived here for over ten years. A few years ago, this courtyard was empty and desolate; why didn't you want it then? Now that my sister and I have fixed it up, planted flower trees, and set up all sorts of flower trellises, arches, and swings—everything you could want—you come to snatch it away. This is not right!"

Tong Shi snorted coldly, "What is 'not right'? Do you truly think we cannot open this door? When the time comes, we will have the Second Master and Third Master call several house servants to break down the door. Once the men catch you and drag you away, then you will know what embarrassment is! Do you refuse to submit? If you want to blame someone, blame your own bad luck. Pang is a concubine, and a concubine is not worthy of living in the ancestral house! Obediently move to the back courtyard to live!"

Xia Leqing's eyes widened, and she shouted loudly, "Come then! Who dares to come and drag me away? Unless I die, I will not move from the South Courtyard! You'll have to step over my corpse! Otherwise, don't even think about it!"

Tong Shi was stunned. Xia Jinshi was incensed: "Rebellious! You rebellious, unfilial things! Don't waste so much breath on them. Send someone to call the Second and Third sons immediately to bring several servants to drag them and their mother to the back courtyard and lock them up!"

Hearing Leqing speak such resolute words at such a young age, Pang Ruxue's heart was already breaking. Hearing Xia Jinshi's intent to use force, she was on the verge of fainting from crying. Beating her chest, she wailed, "Qing'er, Le'er... Mother has failed you... Mother is useless, so useless!"

"Mother! Don't say that. In the entire Xia family, no one is more capable than you! You are the Eldest Madam of the Xia family, the mistress of the primary branch. This Xia residence was built with your dowry silver; we don't have to fear them!"

Xia Yiqing pulled Xia Leqing aside, signaling her to go care for Pang Ruxue, then pointed at Xia Jinshi and Tong Shi and said, "You want to use force, right? Very well, then let's see if the fish dies or the net breaks today! As it happens, I just bought two jars of lamp oil and bean oil. I'll just pour it all over the curtains, doors, and windows. There are also oilcloth and oil-paper umbrellas in the room; get them ready—if you dare let the men in, my sisters and I will set the whole house ablaze! The three of us mother and daughters... oh, plus the one in my mother's womb, that makes four! We might as well all die together, burned to death in the South Courtyard. Four vengeful ghosts will guard this place, and we'll see how you manage to climb into that Earl Changle's favor then! Even Xia Xiuping won't be able to serve as an official in peace ever again! The death of a pregnant woman carries deep resentment. Leqing and I might be fine, but my mother and the child in her womb will not let him off! And they certainly won't let you off either!"

The women outside were shaken by these words. The Third Madam, Lin Shi, couldn't help but touch her own stomach. She was also four or five months pregnant, and at this moment, she deeply regretted following her mother-in-law and sister-in-law to the South Courtyard to get involved in this mess—pregnant women were supposed to focus on accumulating merit and doing good deeds to build blessings for the fetus to ensure a smooth birth. This eldest young lady was clearly not someone to be trifled with; if something truly happened to the mother and daughters, she wouldn't be able to wash her hands of it either. At that time...

The more she thought, the more uneasy she felt. She couldn't help but tug at Xia Jinshi's sleeve and say timidly, "Mother, we are all family, don't push too hard! It's better to use kind words and slowly persuade the eldest young lady!"

Xia Jinshi and Tong Shi exchanged a glance. After standing there for a long time, Xia Jinshi also felt tired. With a grim face, she said to Xia Yiqing, "You uneducated, stubborn girl, move aside and let your mother come speak to me!"

"I told you before: my mother has already let go of the reins and let me manage things. If you have something to say, say it to me!"

Xia Jinshi ignored her. She peered through the window and said to Pang Ruxue behind her, "Pang, listen well: you are an honest person. You have been married into the Xia family for over ten years, and our Xia family has not mistreated you! My eldest son saved your life and treated you sincerely. Even though you are a concubine, I allowed you to bear children before my eldest son married a legal wife. I originally wanted you to have a son to rely on in your old age, but it was your own bad luck that you couldn't bear a son and were ill for so many years... If you do not manage your daughter well, even if you die, the Xia ancestors will not let you go! Think about what I told you earlier; there are great benefits in it! I am tired today. You unfilial, unvirtuous ones have caused my waist and head pains to flare up. I must go take medicine and rest! When my eldest son returns the day after tomorrow, I will let him explain things to you again!"

After Xia Jinshi finished speaking, supported by Tong Shi and Lin Shi on either side, the group prepared to walk down the steps.

Xia Yiqing called out, "Wait a moment!"

The group turned back. Tong Shi asked, "What do you want?"

Xia Yiqing said, "The Old Madam is old and confused, so as her granddaughter, I must remind her from time to time: please remember, my mother Pang is forever the legal wife of the Xia family's primary branch! If you want to change this fact, it will take a letter of divorce from Xia Xiuping! However, he might not truly be willing to do so, because divorcing a wife without cause means he must return Pang's ten thousand taels of dowry silver! May I ask the Old Madam, will Xia Xiuping truly return the day after tomorrow? Give me a definite answer, because I also want to find him. If he isn't coming back, I will have someone send a message to bring him back!"

"Truly a rebellious daughter! The world can only produce a rebellious daughter like you!"

Xia Jinshi was so angry she felt faint. After cursing Xia Yiqing incessantly for a dozen words, she finally said, "He has written to the family. The date is set to send Madam Huang, Aizhi, and Xizhi back to the ancestral home, so there will naturally be no mistake!"

"That's good! It saves me the trouble!"

Xia Yiqing clapped her hands and said, "Then I must trouble the Old Madam to have your maids and servants pick up everything that was thrown down and place it under the porch at the entrance. Otherwise, I won't want it either. If you sweep it into a pile in the middle of the night and add some firewood to burn it, who knows where the sparks will fly or where they will land?"

Xia Jinshi glared at her with fury, but she was powerless against her: this eldest granddaughter was simply a demoness. She dared to defy the world and her elders, openly demanding her father write a divorce letter to her mother, and she would even resort to physical fighting with her grandmother and aunt. If it came to setting a fire, she would absolutely do it!

In the end, Xia Jinshi made the servants stay behind. Following Xia Yiqing's instructions, they spent a long time cleaning up, and only after the courtyard was thoroughly swept were they allowed to leave.