Chapter 027
Chapter 27: Inside and Outside in Collusion
Xia Meng Yan told her people to watch the news outside while she hid in the study with the account books.
She was not running away. Until the matter was clear, staying still was better than moving.
Chun Yue rushed in and blurted: “Eldest Miss, this is bad…” Before she could finish, an unpleasant voice sounded from outside, scolding: “Now you know shame. What were you doing before?”
Xia Meng Yan frowned slightly. Before she could speak, Madam Wan led Old Madam Xia into the room.
She set down the account book, stood, and saluted with calm manners: “Grandmother, Second Aunt.”
Even if she disliked them, her upbringing would not let her be rude first.
Old Madam Xia glanced around the room. Jealousy flashed in her eyes, and her words were as annoying as ever as she said: “What, Heir Apparent Duan is under the Eldest Princess’s punishment and cannot help you now, so you dare not go out?”
Chun Yue could not bear it and spoke up for her master: “Eldest Miss is your own granddaughter. Old Madam, how can you kick her when she is down?”
Old Madam Xia snapped and looked to Madam Wan, ordering harshly: “Who do you think you are? When the master speaks, you have no place to interrupt. Slap her.”
Madam Wan stepped forward and struck.
Xia Meng Yan caught Chun Yue and, before Madam Wan could retreat, returned a slap of her own.
Madam Wan cried out. She had just been pleased at the thought of Xia Meng Yan being humiliated and did not expect the bite to come back so fast.
Old Madam Xia slammed the table and shouted: “Wicked girl, how dare you strike an elder. Do you think I do not exist?”
Xia Meng Yan checked Chun Yue’s face. Five clear red finger marks stood out. She said coolly: “You both know my temper, Grandmother and Second Aunt. You came here looking for trouble, which is the same as asking for a beating.”
Madam Wan flushed with anger and ran back to Old Madam Xia, complaining: “Mother, do you hear her? She speaks such unfilial words. If she marries into a family, they will laugh that the Xia Family failed to teach her.”
Old Madam Xia grabbed a teacup from the table and flung it at Xia Meng Yan as she cried: “I have always worried about your marriage, and this is how you treat me.”
Chun Yue was quick and raised her hand to block it.
Xia Meng Yan’s gaze turned cold as she asked: “Are you burned?”
Chun Yue shook her head: “This maid is fine.” The tea was only warm, so it did not hurt.
Xia Meng Yan faced Old Madam Xia and said evenly: “Grandmother, speak plainly. Swagger does not work on me.”
Old Madam Xia snorted and grew impatient as she said: “You are carrying Marquis Ping An’s child. Wanting to marry someone else is harder than climbing to heaven. Every day you stay here, people will laugh at the Xia Family for one more day. I heard Marquis Ping An returned to the Capital yesterday. You should go and admit you were wrong, ask Divine Physician Luo to cure Grand Madam Lin’s facial paralysis, and Marquis Ping An will look at the child and agree to remarry you.”
Xia Meng Yan glanced at Chun Yue. Chun Yue nodded. So that was why Chun Yue had rushed in earlier. Lin Ye Lan had already returned to the Capital.
Xia Meng Yan’s voice was gentle, yet a hard edge ran through it as she said: “So according to Grandmother, I must not only cure Grand Madam Lin’s facial paralysis, but also admit my fault before the whole Capital and help Marquis Ping An raise his mistress?”
Old Madam Xia glared and snapped: “What mistress? Marquis Ping An and the young lady of the Huo Family are clean and proper. You are just jealous and talking nonsense.” She added sharply, “I heard that young lady of the Huo Family has entered the Capital, and His Majesty plans to grant her a marriage. With the Huo Family’s hundred-year reputation, she could marry a prince.”
Xia Meng Yan replied softly: “So something other people do not want is what Grandmother thinks is good.”
“Insolent,” Old Madam Xia shot back, “I am thinking of you and the child. The first marriage is best. Besides, Marquis Ping An will not let his own child call another man father. If that happens, they will use your child to control you, and you will have to listen to everything they say.”
Xia Meng Yan met Old Madam Xia’s eyes and answered coldly: “Grandmother just said it is my child. Why should I hand my child to Marquis Ping An?” She paused and added, clear and direct, “Do not tell me someone promised Second Uncle a post again, and Grandmother plans to sell me one more time.”
Old Madam Xia choked and could not speak. Xia Meng Yan was right. Someone had indeed sent word to the second branch that if Xia Meng Yan returned to the Ping An Marquis Manor, Xia Xing Yan would be given an appointment.
Madam Wan took a deep breath. The soft approach used to work on this niece, but now Xia Meng Yan would not bend. Madam Wan tried again and said: “We are thinking of you. You cannot stay in this residence forever.”
Xia Meng Yan answered without a ripple: “This residence is from my mother’s dowry. If Second Aunt does not like living here, you can move out.” She turned to Old Madam Xia and added, “If Grandmother and the second branch are used to living together and want to leave together, you can do that too.”
Old Madam Xia stamped her foot. Last time was the split of the family. This time she was being driven out. She snapped: “You want to drive me away? Are you not afraid the entire Capital will point their fingers at your back?”
Xia Meng Yan stood before her and spoke in a soft voice: “When Grandmother sold her own granddaughter, no one pointed at your back. Compared to that, what is this?”
If it were not for Xia Xing Yan’s future, Old Madam Xia would never have come to see this granddaughter. She stiffened and tried again: “Whether you are willing or not, you must return to the Ping An Marquis Manor. I asked around. The Separation Letter in your hand was written by Grand Madam Lin. As long as Marquis Ping An does not acknowledge it, you two are not considered divorced.”
Xia Meng Yan walked slowly to the doorway and looked at the green pines in the garden, as if nothing around them had anything to do with them, and said: “Then I will wait for Marquis Ping An to come to my door. By then, Grandmother will know whether the Separation Letter counts.”
Madam Wan saw that Old Madam Xia could only splutter “you, you, you,” and their goal today had not been met. Just as she was about to speak, she spotted a figure in dark clothes at the gate. Her eyes rolled, and she fell to her knees, changing her tone at once as she said: “Meng Yan, even if you are angry, you should not vent it on Old Madam. We are thinking of you. With your current status, you cannot marry Heir Apparent Duan. For the child’s sake, you should remarry Marquis Ping An.”
Xia Meng Yan raised an eyebrow, wondering why Second Aunt had suddenly changed her stance, and said calmly: “If Second Aunt thinks Marquis Ping An is so good, then marry Second Sister to him.”
Madam Wan forced a weeping voice and said: “Marquis Ping An is a pillar of the court. We know our place and dare not dream of that. We do not seek great wealth. We only hope your sister can marry a good man and live in harmony as husband and wife. Then we can die with our eyes closed.”
Xia Meng Yan said without changing expression: “I will say it again. If Second Aunt believes I am holding Second Sister back, then move out of the Xia Family, because…”
A cold voice cut her off from outside the door as it said: “Xia Meng Yan, so this is the kind of woman you are.”
Hearing the familiar voice, Xia Meng Yan instinctively stepped back. A wave of disgust rose inside her.
Lin Ye Lan strode in, helped Madam Wan up, and glared at Xia Meng Yan as he said: “You use your silver to control your elders. Xia Meng Yan, when did you turn into this? It is truly hateful.”
He had returned to the Capital only yesterday and heard first that the Ping An Marquis Manor had caught fire. He saw his mother’s mouth twisted to one side, with only a maid by her side. After asking around, he learned that after Xia Meng Yan returned from the Northern Fortress Pass, she had gone back to her natal home.
Worse, Xia Meng Yan had forced his mother to write a Separation Letter and wanted to take his child with her. He would never allow that.
He came closer step by step, his mind filled with Capital rumors and Madam Wan’s words just now. No wonder Xia Meng Yan had made a scene at the Northern Fortress Pass and then forced his mother to write the Separation Letter when she returned. So she wanted to climb higher.
He stopped and stared at Xia Meng Yan’s belly.
Everyone in the Capital knew that Heir Apparent Duan and Xia Meng Yan grew up together. It only takes one time to make a child. Could this child be Duan Yi Chen’s?
So Xia Meng Yan had rushed to divorce because she feared the truth would come out.
He questioned her coldly: “Xia Meng Yan, whose child is this?”
Xia Meng Yan was startled, her eyes going blank for a moment. Whose child? Did Lin Ye Lan think she had put a green hat on him?
How laughable. He had been unclear with another woman, yet he suspected her.
She had thought that if she saw him again she would be furious, but when she heard his question, the last bit of old feeling she had for him disappeared completely.