CH 14

Chapter 14 – The Soft-Spoken and Warm-Worded Eldest Miss of the Wei Family

“The Wei family’s young lady is truly pitiful. She’s even kneeling down to apologise, yet Anyuan Houfu’s old madam is still unwilling to spare them.”

“The Wei family’s young lady is truly pitiful. At this time, all the masters still present in Wei Xiangfu are dealing with official government business, and I heard that Wei Xiangfu’s matriarch took several of the madams out of the city to Xiangyun Temple1Buddhist temple to redeem a vow. There are no adults with authority at home now, so the Wei family’s Eldest Miss has no choice but to come out here to apologise and plead for leniency for her younger brother.”

“That Third Young Master of the Wei Family did do something wrong. However, one hand can’t clap on its own. Has Anyuan Houfu’s Second Young Master not committed any wrongs?”

……

The discussions of the passersby at the side of the street reached Jiang Mingyue’s ears. This made Jiang Mingyue, who was hurrying on anxiously, suddenly stop in her tracks. At present, everyone already thought that Wei Lanzhi was pitiful…? Then what should Jiang Mingyue go over and do in order to let all of the passersby know that this Wei Lanzhi was just pretending to be pitiful?

At this time, on the main street in front of Fengyang’s entrance, Shen Qi wiped away the sweat that had appeared on his forehead. The Wei family’s eldest miss was still kneeling before the old madam. This young lady cried tears that were like droplets of rain as she apologised in a soft-spoken and warm-worded way. The Shen family’s second son asked himself honestly, would he sympathise with the Wei family’s eldest daughter if he wasn’t the Jiang family’s son-in-law?

“Old Madam,” Old Venerable Su He spoke up again at this moment. He bowed very deeply with his hands cupped together in obeisance and said, “It is hard for youngsters to not let their emotions affect their decisions. Therefore, we thought…”

“What is ‘therefore’?” Old Madam Xu interrupted Old Venerable Su. With one hand on her hip, she said loudly, “This old grandmother can’t understand what your venerable self is saying.”

She was speaking the whole truth. The old madam had a bad attitude when she spoke, but what she said this time was the truth. Old Venerable Su had managed the Imperial Academy for many years and was used to teaching educated people2Back then, it was usually the people of higher status and wealth who studied, i.e. nobles/merchants., so he would use more literary terms3引经据典 – literally, it means to quote the classics in his everyday language. Old Madam Xu didn’t know many words, so how was she supposed to understand what Old Venerable Su said?

This was the reason, but everyone watching clearly didn’t think this way. The surrounding crowd spoke in each other’s ears. Su He had always had the reputation of being just and honest, and he was a famed scholar with students everywhere. And what sort of person was Old Madam Xu? She was well known in the capital for being a vicious old lady. ‘Old Venerable Su is being good-natured and apologising to you, an ignorant peasant woman from the countryside, yet you’re unwilling to forgive or even willing to hear him out?’

Didn’t this mean she was trying to act shamelessly and create a scene to extort the Wei family and Old Venerable Su?

“Grandma, what’s the point of talking so much with them?” Jiang Yu said impatiently. “It’ll be fine if we just give the Third Son of the Wei family another beating.”

“That’s right!” Jiang Xian raised his fists in fierce agreement with his older brother.

“Don’t do it.” Shen Qi used both his hands—one for each boy—to hold back the Jiang brothers. He was afraid these two boys would charge up and beat up the person in question. They were already in a disadvantageous position. If they were to do anything else, perhaps his father-in-law would have to personally head over to Wei Xiangfu and beg for forgiveness upon his return.

“Old Madam,” Wei Lanzhi softly called out to Old Madam Xu while covering her face with the embroidered handkerchief in her hand. She sobbed, “My younger brother did something wrong. If Old Madam hits him or scolds him, he deserves all of it. I just plead that Old Madam doesn’t treat him as someone who cannot be disciplined. If my younger brother understands what he’s done wrong and is willing to change, this young woman would be forever grateful if Old Madam treats him as your nephew.”

As the Wei family’s eldest miss said this, she hurriedly bowed toward Old Madam Xu whilst still on her knees. Then she got up and bowed again.

“My nephew?” Old Madam Xu felt that this girl from the Wei family was joking with her. They weren’t even acquainted. Yet someone whom she had no interaction with was her, Xu Shuying’s, nephew? How did this relationship come about?

“His grandfather, father, cousins, and the Marquis of Anyuan all served as officials of the same court,” Old Venerable Su said. “So this young one should naturally be…”

“It cannot be,” Old Madam Xu once again interrupted Old Venerable Su unceremoniously.

An uproar broke out amongst the surrounding crowd again. Anyuan Houfu’s old madam wasn’t showing Old Venerable Su even the slightest shred of respect. ‘What right do you, this old grandmother whose bad reputation spread even outside the capital, have to do this to him? Do you think you’re on the same level as him?’

Shen Qi was covered in sweat. He had a persistent feeling that their whole family would be doomed if things were to continue like this.

“Grandma, stop talking to them pointlessly.” Jiang Yu blew a breath on his fist. In any case, his Teacher Su would definitely stand on Wei Ziting’s side. This wasn’t the first time anyway. He, the oldest young master of the Jiang family, was already used to it. So what was the point of talking? They just had to fight it out! Jiang Yu shot a signal at Jiang Xian with his eyes. It meant ‘Charge forth with me!’

Shen Qi’s two young brothers-in-law began charging forward together like two calves, and he nearly lost his grip on them. However, he managed to stomp his feet to hold his ground just in time. ‘This isn’t the way to get justice served! The two of you—no, all three of you, grandparent and grandsons, still haven’t realised that you’re soon becoming the unreasonable party?’

“That’s not quite the case.”

Shen Qi heard someone speak from beside him and turned his head to look. Upon finding out that the one who spoke was Zhao Lingyun, the Shen family’s second young master was stunned. What business did the Boss of Delinquents have here?

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