Chapter 047
Chapter 47: The Wan Family Arrives
Outside, wind and rain raged, but Xia Meng Yan did not feel them.
Afraid that his mother and brother would bother his daughter, Xia Ping Yuan gave strict orders: no one from the second branch was allowed to leave their own yard, and any servant who let them out in secret would be sold on the spot. The servants were so scared by “sold on the spot” that they took long detours to avoid that courtyard.
For a while, the servants of the second branch were miserable. The masters could not leave the yard, so they vented their anger on them.
Madam Lin was unwell and had not managed the household for the last few days.
The next day, as she strolled in the yard and heard maids whispering, Madam Lin called the head maid Shuang Hua over. After pressing her, she finally learned that her daughter had been kidnapped.
When Madam Lin heard that Xia Ping Yuan demanded Xia Xing Yan cut off an arm, the tight breath in her chest eased a little, and she said coolly: “Old madam has favored the second branch since she was young. How could she bear to let Xia Xing Yan lose an arm?”
Shuang Hua handed over calming tea and stood by her side as she said: “Madam is thoughtful, but Master is truly angry this time. He told the steward that if he does not see Second Master’s severed arm within three days, he will take it as the second branch choosing to leave the house.”
Madam Lin did not doubt her husband; she doubted Old Madam Xia. She gave orders in a clear voice: “Pass this down: split all household affairs between the main and second branches completely. If the second branch does not give silver, the main kitchen must not cook for them. As for Old Madam’s courtyard, tell Su Ran to say this: my daughter’s hand was almost broken, and I am about to demand a divorce. If not, I will take my daughter and leave the house.”
Shuang Hua understood at once that the message was for Old Madam Xia, to keep her busy with fear and shame. Without Old Madam’s shelter, the second branch was nothing.
The maid bowed and said: “Maid will do it at once.”
By the time Xia Meng Yan sat down to eat, the second branch was already in an uproar. Chun Yue laughed so hard her mouth could not close and said: “The second branch deserves it. Now even Old Madam will not help them. Let us see how they live.”
Xia Meng Yan agreed. The second branch relied on the main branch for everything. Second Uncle ate dry and wiped clean. If he had ten taels of silver, he refused to look at anything under five. Now that the two branches’ duties were split so cleanly, the second branch might not even have money for food.
Only, Father’s lie would not hold for long. The kidnapping had not alarmed the Dali Court at all, so where did this talk of “being taken away” come from?
She asked calmly: “What about the Marquis of Ping An?”
Chun Yue shook her head and reported: “Maid went out and did not hear any gossip about the Ping An Marquis Manor.” When she spoke of Lin Ye Lan, Chun Yue wished she could tear him apart, and she asked, eyes fierce: “Miss, should we hire someone to beat the Marquis of Ping An?”
For a man like that, she felt he should die early.
Xia Meng Yan frowned. The kidnappers and Lin Ye Lan had been knocked out, stripped, and thrown on the official road. Even at night there were always people passing by. How could there be no rumor at all? She thought, [Is someone covering it up from behind?] Then she ordered: “Send people to check again.”
Seeing the miss’s gloomy face, Chun Yue dared not say more and left with the order.
Nanny Song carefully checked Xia Meng Yan’s injury. Seeing the deep red dent on her wrist, she cursed under her breath and said: “Chun Yue is right. The Marquis of Ping An hurt you so badly. If we cannot deal with him in the open, then let us find someone to beat him in secret.”
“What is the point of beating him once?” Xia Meng Yan’s voice was quiet and steady as she said: “Lin Ye Lan is still a marquis. The Marquis Manor is only down for now. That cannot uproot him.” She wanted Lin Ye Lan to lose everything.
A maid rushed in, breathless, and blurted without saluting: “Miss, bad news. Second Master stabbed his own thigh. He is bleeding a lot. Second Madam is making a scene in the yard.”
When she heard the word “thigh,” Xia Meng Yan’s lips curled coldly. Second Uncle could not bear to lose an arm. He stabbed himself once and called it an apology? Ridiculous.
Nanny Song bent close and whispered a warning: “There are many mouths in the manor. If this spreads, it will hurt the main branch’s name.”
“Send people to invite a physician with a lot of noise,” Xia Meng Yan said. “There is no need to hurry back.”
Nanny Song understood she meant to delay treatment, not refuse it, and answered: “The old servant understands.”
She sent a trusted maid out of the house to fetch a physician.
“Let’s go take a look,” Xia Meng Yan said as she stood, straightened her dress, and added in a calm voice: “Tell Mother not to worry about it.”
“Yes.” Nanny Song glanced toward the door. A maid understood and slipped away to carry the message.
When Xia Meng Yan arrived at the second branch, Madam Wan stood at the door, pacing and waiting for the physician. Seeing Xia Meng Yan, she lunged like a madwoman, but a serving lad at the gate blocked her. She pointed and screamed: “You jinx. If not for you, Second Master would not be hurt. Since you came back, the Xia Family has been in chaos every day. Now someone will die. Xia Meng Yan, did you feed your conscience to the dogs?”
“Fed to the dogs?” Xia Meng Yan stood outside, watching her jump like a chicken behind a fence, and said in a light, cold voice: “Second Aunt must have no conscience while she speaks. Do not forget this: the betrothal gifts for your marriage to Second Uncle were paid by my mother. After you entered this house, all the second branch’s expenses were also covered by my mother. By your way of talking, you and Second Uncle do not have enough conscience to feed a dog.”
Madam Wan showed no shame, lifted her chin, and shouted back: “That was your mother’s choice. What does it have to do with our second branch? If she did not want to pay, she could have said it to our face. Playing tricks behind our backs, what kind of person is that?”
Hearing this, Xia Meng Yan lowered her eyes and gave a short laugh. A moment later her look turned icy as she said: “People, throw the second branch’s things outside.”
Madam Wan jumped and shrieked: “Xia Meng Yan, you dare? We are your elders, and your second uncle is hurt. If you dare drive me out, I will let the whole Capital know what kind of person you are.”
“It does not matter,” Xia Meng Yan said as she walked toward Madam Wan. Just then a crowd hurried in. Someone shouted: “Stop.”
“Mother, save Xing Yan,” Madam Wan cried when she saw Old Madam Xia, as if she had found her backbone. “They are bullying him to death.”
Old Madam Xia had been shaken by the news that Madam Lin was ready to demand a divorce. She had to admit that everything the Xia Family had today came from Madam Lin’s dowry. Life looked easy now, but the eldest was stubborn and never lined his own pockets. In the end, they still relied on Madam Lin. If the two really divorced, the Xia Family would be like any common household. But when she heard that the second son had stabbed himself to stay, her heart leaned toward him again.
She glared at Xia Meng Yan and shouted: “Wretch, you want to force your second uncle’s whole family to death. He already stabbed himself. What more do you want? If anything happens to him, I will hang myself at the Xia Family gate and see how you have the face to go out.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Xia Meng Yan saw that many servants had gathered outside the yard. She knew Old Madam Xia wanted to use public opinion to press her down. In her past life, she would not have cared, but now she had to think of her father.
“Grandmother, do you want me to explain the whole thing from start to finish?” she asked.
Old Madam Xia clutched her prayer beads and glared with fierce eyes.
Just then the steward rushed over and said: “Old Madam, the Wan Family has come.”
Hearing that her own family had arrived, Madam Wan cried even louder, wishing her relatives would teach Xia Meng Yan a harsh lesson at once.
Xia Meng Yan frowned. The Wan Family coming at this time made her suspect they had heard some news.
Old Madam Xia was overjoyed. She looked at Xia Meng Yan and said: “Go back. Do not shame us in front of outsiders.” Then she told Madam Wan to tidy up quickly and not keep her family waiting. The two women leaned on each other and felt they had a pillar to rely on.
But after all this noise, neither of them asked why the physician had not come yet.
Xia Meng Yan raised her hand. Chun Yue leaned close to receive a whisper, then turned and left at once.
The Wan Family’s sudden visit also surprised Madam Lin.
“Wan Family?” Xia Meng Yan did not return to Autumn Lotus Court. She went to her mother to ask about Second Aunt’s family. Madam Lin explained in a calm voice: “The Wan Family is the head family behind the second branch. Your second aunt is the legitimate second daughter of the Wan Family’s third branch. The Wan Family’s situation is much like ours. The other two branches do not accept them. On the surface they seem at peace, but in secret they fight hard.”
In her last life, Xia Meng Yan had thrown herself into Lin Ye Lan and had paid no attention to the second branch. Hearing her mother now and thinking of the recent events, she knew the Wan Family’s visit at this time could not be a good thing.