Chapter 4: Legitimate and Concubine-born (Part 1)

Stalemate ensued, and Xia Jinshi had no choice but to shout from outside, "Pang-shi, come out and answer me!"

Pang Ruxue had been dragged into the room by her two daughters; at this moment, she could not get out even if she wanted to. She replied, "Mother... the door won't open!"

Xia Jinshi: "Pang-shi, do you remember what I just said to you? Just speak properly with those two girls. I have already cleaned the courtyard over there for you; move in before tonight!"

Pang Ruxue looked at her two daughters, wanting to speak but hesitating. Seeing this, Xia Yiqing did not bother asking her anything. She walked straight to a window, opened it, and looked at Xia Jinshi outside, saying

"I was just wondering how Grandmother could be so kind-hearted as to take the initiative to make plans for my mother, letting my sister and me go out of the city to offer incense to the Goddess of Childbearing, only to find out this was the real play! Taking advantage of my sister's and my absence, you want to force my mother to move out of the South Courtyard, don't you? For a long time, Grandmother and the Second Madam, who manages the household, have only known how to withhold the food and supplies of the South Courtyard, but you didn't know that because my mother has been bedridden for many years, she had long since handed the management rights of this South Courtyard over to me! I am the one who makes the decisions; without my consent, nothing counts! You came here today to turn the South Courtyard into this mess; please give me an explanation. Why do you want us to move? Please, tell me!"

Xia Jinshi's goldfish eyes glared, her mouth twitching, but she spoke to Tong-shi behind her instead: "You go tell her. Her mother is a good-for-nothing. Teach her that as a daughter of the Xia family, one must know how to conduct oneself properly!"

Tong-shi usually feigned hypocrisy and acted like a good person, and Xia Yiqing never called her out, addressing her as Second Aunt with a very submissive attitude. Today, however, she was publicly ridiculed and even slapped by Xia Yiqing. She could not swallow this insult no matter what. She stepped out from behind Xia Jinshi, her eyes burning with rage, teeth clenched, wishing she could devour Xia Yiqing.

Xia Yiqing said indifferently, "You hate me, don't you? But can it compare to my hatred for you? Since you took over the household, how much silver have you withheld from our South Courtyard? If my mother's illness had to wait for the money you took to treat it, she would have died long ago! You want to bite me? I want to eat you alive! There's no need for this act; no one is afraid of anyone! The Old Lady told you to speak to me. Please, go ahead, I am listening!"

Tong-shi was once again infuriated. She pointed at Xia Yiqing and sneered, "Don't get cocky! So what if you've gained the upper hand for now? You're nothing more than a daughter born of a concubine, a mere legitimate daughter of a concubine! What right do you have to act like a Grand Miss? When people come to arrange marriages, won't they go directly to the legitimate daughter? They won't even spare you a glance!"

Xia Yiqing froze, her brows furrowing. "My mother and my father are original spouses. It wasn't until I was two years old that Huang-shi was brought into the family. Everyone knows my mother is the legitimate wife and Auntie Huang is the concubine!"

"Getting anxious, are we? Just wait until you're biting your tongue and acting sharp; there will come a time when you'll be the one crying!"

Seeing Xia Yiqing's expression change, Tong-shi immediately gloated, "What kind of legitimate wife does Pang-shi count as? Has the Xia family ever said Pang-shi is the primary wife of Eldest Master Xia? The people of this city only saw the Grand Madam, Huang-shi, being carried into our Xia family in a grand, decorated sedan chair, celebrating her wedding with Eldest Brother and offering toasts at the banquet, before going to their shared quarters to live as a devoted couple for over ten years without ever parting... Who saw Pang-shi's sedan chair enter the gate? Commands of parents, words of matchmakers, the three formal ceremonies and six rites—Pang-shi, which one of those does she have?"

Xia Leqing's face turned pale. She shook Pang Ruxue, "Mother, where is the marriage contract? Where is the marriage contract between you and Father?"

Pang Ruxue's face was filled with grief, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Child, Mother has failed you all. The marriage contract... back then, along with the banknotes, it was all handed over to the Old Lady for safekeeping!"

Xia Jinshi snorted and turned her face away.

Tong-shi laughed, "Pang-shi, don't talk nonsense. What banknotes? There's no such thing! And there is no so-called marriage contract! However, there is indeed a document stating that my Eldest Brother took a concubine! In a family like ours, it is common for young masters to have a chambermaid before marriage or take a concubine before marrying a primary wife and having a few children; it's nothing worth making a fuss about! You two sisters are, quite literally, daughters of a concubine!"

Xia Yiqing was stunned on the spot. The thing she had always feared had happened. The Xia family truly had no conscience; they were bullying her mother because she had no natal family, trying to reverse black and white to designate Huang-shi as the primary wife!

Behind her, Pang Ruxue sobbed quietly, and Xia Leqing wiped her tears, muttering indignantly, "Mother! Mother, this isn't true! Mother, say it quickly: You aren't a concubine, and Sister and I aren't born of a concubine!"

Xia Yiqing looked at the triumphant Tong-shi, then turned her gaze to Xia Jinshi. "Has the Second Madam finished her speech? Does the Old Lady have anything to add?"

Xia Jinshi's goldfish eyes glared over. "As expected, those born of a concubine are far inferior; they lack upbringing and discipline. Even speaking makes one half-understand! Ai-zhi and Xi-zhi are so clever and bright, speaking with propriety and gentleness! They are a hundred times better than you two! Their mother comes from a noble background; their maternal grandfather has already been promoted to a fifth-rank Prefect! Those two legitimate granddaughters are my precious treasures; they are both well-behaved and respectful. Every time they return, they kowtow to me and the Old Master, and they shower us with good food and fine things, calling me 'Grandmother' so sweetly that it warms my heart... That is filial piety. Do you know how to do that? Huh?"

Xia Leqing ran to the window and shouted, "We can too! If you didn't withhold our money and supplies, if you didn't beat and scold us, and if you used the money to treat my mother's illness, Sister and I could do even better than them!"

"Shut up!"

Xia Jinshi barked, "What kind of family are we? Our ancestors didn't pass down mountains of gold and silver. You receive the share allotted to the children of a concubine, and that is all. No one has ever withheld anything from you; it's a miracle you were raised full and fed. What more do you want? Ai-zhi and Xi-zhi eat and dress well because their mother has a dowry to subsidize them, and their maternal family has power and influence to look after your father's career! Without the support of their in-laws, how would your father be promoted in the future? You ought to be grateful and properly honor your mother, Huang-shi! Your mother is kind-hearted and will find good marriages for you two sisters in the future. As for your Auntie Pang and the one in her womb, as long as they behave and listen, they certainly won't suffer!"

Xia Leqing took two steps back, turned, and hugged Xia Yiqing's waist, her body trembling. "Sister! Sister! What are we to do? In the blink of an eye, we've really become concubine's daughters? In the future, we have to call Huang-shi 'Mother'? Heavens! No! Don't let it be like this! I... I..."

She raised her hand and slapped herself hard, saying through tears, "It's all me, it's all my big mouth talking nonsense!"

Xia Yiqing grabbed Xia Leqing's hand, looked back at Pang Ruxue, who was leaning against the table crying like a person made of tears, and said, "This isn't your fault! Don't worry, as long as you stay with me, we will never let Mother become a concubine, and we sisters will never be inferior concubine's daughters! Go, go check on Mother first. I will have a word with that old hag!"

Hearing this, Xia Leqing wiped her tears with her sleeve and ran to tend to Pang Ruxue.

Xia Yiqing met Xia Jinshi's goldfish eyes and smiled. "The Old Lady just said that Huang-yiang's two daughters, Ai-zhi and Xi-zhi, can eat and dress well because their mother has a dowry and they have an extraordinary maternal grandfather! Then let me ask: when my mother married my father, where did the full ten thousand taels of dowry silver she brought go? Huang-yiang's dowry can be kept to subsidize her two daughters' food and drink, but my mother's dowry filled the bottomless pit of your Xia family! Whose contribution was greater? Naturally, my mother's! If you harbor ill intentions, disregard the facts, swallow the silver, and then refuse to admit it, we granddaughters might not be able to do anything to you, but you should beware of the Thunder God in the heavens! You may have taken my parents' marriage contract and made unauthorized changes or simply destroyed it—that can only be blamed on my mother being too naive and easily deceived—but a marriage contract has always been issued in duplicate. One copy is kept in the official government archives; I doubt you can modify that one, Old Lady!"

Once again, Xia Jinshi's neck swelled with rage from Xia Yiqing's words. Her finger trembled as she pointed at her. "You... you sharp-tongued, rebellious, and unfilial thing!"

Tong-shi stepped closer and said, "It is one thing to disrespect your elders, but do not make unreasonable demands and spout falsehoods! When Eldest Brother took Pang-shi as a concubine, you weren't even born. How do you know Pang-shi had ten thousand taels of dowry silver? Without proof, who would believe you? If I said I had a dowry of a hundred thousand taels right now, would it be true? Since you are a daughter of the Xia family, you should understand reason and think more of your father—your father is about to go to the capital to report on his duties, which is a great opportunity for promotion! Your maternal grandfather, the Huang family..."

Xia Yiqing mimicked her and spat, "Your maternal grandfather's surname is Huang! My mother's surname is Pang, so my maternal grandfather is naturally of the Pang family!"

Tong-shi stared at Xia Yiqing with venomous eyes and continued, "The in-law, Prefect Huang, has made it clear that he will support Eldest Brother with all his might. When Eldest Brother goes to the capital to report, the affairs below will naturally be handled by the in-law. The in-law also has old acquaintances in the capital; when the time comes, he will write several personal letters for Eldest Brother to take to the capital to ask for help from those friends and relatives, and the matter will be settled with certainty!"

Xia Yiqing said, "Isn't that a good thing? Prefect Huang benefits too. Although his daughter is a concubine, currently, she is the only one who can manage my father's salary! The higher my father's official rank, the more bountiful his salary will be. When the time comes, the silver and goods offered in filial piety to the Huang family will only increase. This is called mutual benefit; people aren't stupid!"

"What do you know?"

Xia Jinshi calmed her breathing and couldn't help but step forward to interject, "The Huang family has been in officialdom for three generations; they are a wealthy and noble family. Why would he covet your father's meager silver? But your father is his son-in-law, so it is only reasonable to show some filial respect! Once your father is promoted, our Xia family will gain another layer of glory... Your second uncle and third uncle will both be able to secure positions in the government offices. Your second uncle's sons, Jun-ge'er and Pei-ge'er, are currently studying under your grandfather and will enter officialdom in the future. With your father looking after them, their path will be much smoother! In the future, our Xia family will be a prominent household in Huzhou City, and you girls will be able to secure good marriages through such connections!"

Xia Yiqing snorted coldly: What kind of logic did this old lady have? She was already fifteen this year; if she had to wait until "the future" to marry, would she even be able to marry at all?