Chapter 12: Instigation

“You!” Madam Zhuang was so angry she was speechless.

“You what you? Where were you hiding when humans were evolving? I think your brain didn’t fully develop, and your cerebellum is off-balance and tilted, too.”

“You think you’re so capable, rushing to point fingers at us. Mind your own business; where do you get off with all this nonsense trying to lecture others?”

“If you have this much leisure time, you’d be better off thinking about your own future. Stop being so fond of playing teacher; no one here needs your instruction.” While Xie Ninglan retorted, her hands didn’t slow down, and she quickly finished popping the blisters on her cheap little son’s feet.

Madam Zhuang’s face flushed from the scolding, and after her husband, Xin Wen’an, turned and glared at her, she retreated in chagrin.

“Fourth Brother, you two should pay some attention to your reputation. Fourth Sister-in-law is being far too presumptuous. After all, Madam Zhuang is her Third Sister-in-law; how can she be so unreasonable?” Xin Wen’an truly couldn’t bear to look at this couple.

In the past, the Fourth Branch might have been unreliable, but they had never been this ignorant of social graces! At the very least, on the surface, the sisters-in-law had maintained a decent relationship.

Xin Wenyuan retorted unpleasantly, “We’re already exiled; how much better can our reputation get? You don’t need to worry about our affairs, Third Brother. I’ll spoil my wife as I please; what does it have to do with you two? You’re just doing something unnecessary.”

“You!” Xin Wen’an glared at his stubborn younger brother, his liver aching with rage.

“Stop with the ‘you, you, me, me’ nonsense, Third Brother. Hurry up and sit back down; the bailiffs will be handing out dinner soon. Don’t keep whining, or you’ll miss a meal and have nowhere to cry about it.”

Xin Wen’an opened his mouth wide, looked at his fourth brother, then at his fourth sister-in-law, and turned away with a dark face.

Is the fourth brother crazy too? They’ve only been on the road for a day—has the entire Fourth Branch gone mad in just one day?

In the past, the Fourth Branch acted without rhyme or reason and were hated by everyone, but at least they could put on a front in public, upholding the dignity of the Duke’s mansion and maintaining a facade of peace.

Now, they’ve only been exiled for a day, and they’ve all… they’re too lazy to even pretend anymore??

Xin Wen’an returned to where the Xin family members were gathered, fuming. Madam Zhuang had already tried to poison the Old Madam’s mind against Xie Ninglan twice.

Unfortunately, the Old Madam had been put through the wringer today and was exhausted; she lacked the energy to respond to her at all.

Madam Zhuang wouldn’t give up and continued to chatter incessantly.

The Old Madam couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted, “Madam Zhuang, if you really have nothing to do, go outside and see if you can find us a basin of hot water.”

Madam Zhuang’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she exclaimed, “Mother, didn’t A-Zhong go ask just a moment ago? That basin of hot water costs eight wen! Where would I get money?”

Her eyes darted around. “Fourth Sister-in-law, on the other hand, must have been given plenty of silver by her maiden family, right? She didn’t even blink when she ordered two basins of hot water, yet we didn’t see them send one over to Mother.”

“I peeked just now; the in-laws sent a cart full of things—food, drink, and supplies, everything you could need.”

“Logically speaking, the eldest son’s wife is still in charge of the household; the family’s supplies should be distributed by her.”

The young woman sitting nearby, holding her son, felt her eyelids twitch. Without thinking, she replied, “Third Aunt, you really are joking. In our current situation, how could a junior like me make any decisions? Everything must be left to Grandmother.”

“Besides, the things Fourth Aunt’s family sent are practically her dowry; there’s no way I, a junior, could reach out and manage them. Third Aunt, please spare me.”

“Eldest son’s wife, how can you say that? I’m just thinking that since you are the mistress of our Duke’s mansion, shouldn’t we listen to your opinion on everything?”

“Third Aunt, you are really putting this niece in a difficult spot. I am a junior and cannot make decisions for anyone. If Third Aunt wants the supplies from Fourth Aunt’s family, you should discuss it with her personally.” Lin Xiuyi lowered her head slightly while holding her son, masking the disdain and disgust in her eyes.

She wanted to take advantage of others but tried to drag someone else into it, using her as a shield—it was simply laughable. Did she think everyone else was as stupid as she was?

“Say less.” Xin Wen’an’s expression was ugly as he glared fiercely at his wife.

Madam Zhuang failed to stir up trouble and was rebuffed by her niece-in-law, leaving her looking somewhat sheepish. Just then, the bailiffs came in to distribute the evening meal, so she took the opportunity to shut her mouth.

The evening meal was still half a piece of coarse grain cake.

The bailiff, Little Jia, held his chin high. “Hot water is eight wen a basin. Those who want some can come and line up.”

“Eat and rest early. We depart at the hour of the Tiger tomorrow. Anyone who dares to dawdle and delay the schedule will be met with the whip.”

“Officer, could you please trouble yourself to give us some cold water to go with the cake?”

Little Jia raised his slanted eyebrows. “Cold water is two wen a pot.”

Xin Nian looked up and saw that the exile who had asked the question looked as if he were about to shatter; he stood there swaying precariously.

“Officer, we were penniless when we left. Could you please make an exception?”

“If you have no money, what nonsense are you spouting??” Little Jia scolded angrily. “You want to drink without money? You won’t die from skipping a drink for a day or night. If you have no money, just wait. We’ll pass by streams and rivers tomorrow; you can drink your fill then.”

The young man collapsed to the ground with a thud and began to wail.

His crying triggered the three women of different ages beside him to start sobbing uncontrollably as well.

An elderly woman, presumably his mother, slapped her thighs and howled, “You heartless wretches, you won’t even give us a drop of water! You’re trying to thirst us to death. My son passed the imperial examination and was the second-place scholar of the current dynasty…”

Little Jia lashed out with his whip at the old woman, scaring her into scrambling to her feet and nimbly hiding behind her son.

“I don’t care if you’re the second-place scholar or the third; once you’re on the road, you’re all just exiles! You old hag, try nagging me again? Open your dog eyes and look clearly—among this batch of exiles, who isn’t a high-ranking official?”

“Never mind your little second-place scholar; even Earls, Marquises, and Dukes have to obediently let us escort them into exile!”

Xie Ninglan silently wiped her feet clean and put her shoes back on. No matter how chaotic things got elsewhere, her family was used to turning a blind eye.

She was applying medicine to her cheap little son’s feet, blowing on them as she did so. “Wait until your sister prepares better medicine tomorrow, and Mom… Mother will apply it for you again.”

Little Xin Mohuan was very happy, grinning at them.

Although his feet hurt a lot from walking, his mother had just held him while they washed their feet together and even applied medicine for him.

His mother cared for him just like she cared for his sister, which finally brought peace to his anxious heart.

He shouldn’t be a child picked up by his parents, right? Definitely not.

Over there, after the other bailiffs came and pulled Little Jia away, the women from the Wang scholar’s family finally let out their desolate cries.

Everyone else was gnawing on their dry cakes, occasionally glancing in their direction.

Xin Wen’an helped the Old Madam up and shuffled step by step toward Xin Nian and the others.

Xin Wenyuan quickly stood up, shielding his wife and daughter like a mother hen. “Xin Wen’an, you just got your cake; why aren’t you eating it? Are you here to cause trouble for me again?”

Xin Wen’an glared at him. “Do you think I want to come over? It’s Mother; she wants to beg you to ask for the imperial physician, Taiyi Cheng. Third girl’s back injury has worsened, and she has fainted again.”