Chapter 050
Chapter 50: The Son Fears His Wife
Xia Meng Yan suddenly laughed; her voice held both mockery and a chill, like a bucket of ice water dumped over everyone, making them shiver: “Hahaha.”
Old Madam Xia forced down a stab of fear and snapped: “What nonsense is this.”
Xia Meng Yan kept smiling as her bright gaze swept the room, then said, playful yet clear: “I’m laughing because Grandmother got fooled by Consort Ping. Do you all know how many shops face the main street that the main branch owns? No, I should say: how many shops on the main street belong to my mother.”
The few words wiped the color from Old Madam Xia’s face. Madam Wan was so embarrassed she did not dare meet Xia Meng Yan’s eyes.
They knew those shops were part of Madam Lin’s dowry. They just never thought Xia Meng Yan would lay it bare like this. A mother’s dowry should go to her own daughter, not her niece.
Xia Meng Yan said, calm and unhurried: “In the capital, noble houses stand one after another. My maternal grandfather feared my mother would be bullied after marrying in, so he gave her every shop the Lin Family held in the capital. Grandmother just mentioned the ones along the main street. If I remember right, there are eleven. Those eleven include a restaurant, a tea shop, a clothing shop, a grain store, a cloth shop. All the everyday needs are covered among them.”
She added with a cool smile: “Forget Consort Ping. Anyone with a bit of sense would not open their mouth to ask for them. Those shops have been in the capital for years. Everyone knows they belong to the Lin Family. If they suddenly change owners, and change all at once, anyone would investigate what happened.”
She looked right at Old Madam Xia and concluded: “Grandmother, you were tricked by the Wan Family. Consort Ping is famous for being kind. Why would the people of the capital point at her back in secret and scold her.”
Old Madam Xia wanted to retort, to say it was none of her business and to just hand the shops over. But the words stuck in her throat. Eleven shops were not one shop. If this spread, outsiders would not blame Consort Ping; they would blame her. [If I force this, I will be the one shamed.]
Madam Wan tried a soft tone: “If you don’t talk and the Wan Family doesn’t talk, who would know, unless you just don’t want to give them.”
Xia Meng Yan answered without hesitation: “I really don’t want to give them.”
Madam Wan pressed: “At least you finally speak the truth. She is your sister. How can you hurt your sisterly bond over a few shops.”
Xia Meng Yan’s smile cooled as she asked: “When I married, how much did Grandmother add to my dowry? How much did Second Aunt add? Did you think about our sisterly bond then.” Then she looked at her second uncle. “Second Uncle, if you want to sell your daughter for a post, that’s your family’s choice. Just don’t drag us into it.”
Xia Xing Yan shot back at once, his face hot: “I am not selling my daughter. The Lu Family is the best noble house we could ever hope to reach. If the Wan Family hadn’t come to our door, Qing Yao would only be able to marry a small sixth-rank official as a legal wife.”
Xia Meng Yan frowned: “So you would rather she be a noble house’s concubine than the wife of a poorer man.”
“I…” Xia Xing Yan choked on the words, both angry and anxious, and could not defend himself. The main branch would not bend, and the official post he almost had in hand was slipping away.
He turned to his mother and pleaded: “Mother, say something. It’s just a few shops. I can borrow them. I’ll repay them, all right.”
Old Madam Xia was worried too, but the shops were Madam Lin’s dowry. To seize them in front of the whole family would sound awful if it got out. She smoothed it over: “Eldest daughter-in-law, let the second one write an IOU. Treat it like renting your shops. Sooner or later he will return them. It isn’t easy for Qing Yao to catch the eye of the Lu Family. We should not ruin her match.”
Madam Lin, who had held back all night, could not endure it any longer. She said with a chilly smile: “Why not have Second Brother go ask each shop in person and see if they will rent to him. I have never seen someone chase so hard to become a concubine. I might as well donate my shops to the court. His Majesty might even reward me with a Golden Imperial Pardon Token. If the master of my house commits a crime one day, it could save his life. Take that as my contribution to you.”
She went on, sharper now: “Saying ‘we are one family’ sounds nice. Since Yan’er came back, how have you treated her. Have you not done enough things that betray your own household. Today, in front of everyone, I will make it clear once. Whether Yan’er marries or not, my dowry belongs to her. No one is allowed to scheme for it.”
Old Madam Xia gasped and appealed to her eldest son: “You, eldest one, control your wife. This is—”
Xia Ping Yuan cut her off with a faint, helpless smile: “Mother, your son fears his wife.”
With that, he took his wife and daughter by the hand and left.
Xia Xing Yan slapped his chopsticks on the table with a sharp crack, sounding more like a child denied candy than the head of a household: “Mother, how are we going to explain this to the Wan Family.”
Old Madam Xia anxiously checked his hand for injury and soothed: “Are you hurt. They are only shops. I still have a few. They are not as good as the ones on the main street, but they do make money. Take them to show respect to the Lu Family for Consort Ping. They should be willing to find you a post.”
Xia Xing Yan pulled his hand back, annoyed: “The Wan Family asked for Madam Lin’s shops. How will you explain yours. The locations and the number do not match at all. Giving them will be a waste.”
Madam Wan had a headache. At first she did not agree either. Qing Yao was her first child, and she had cherished her for years. But the temptation from the Lu Family was too strong: a post as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Given Xia Xing Yan’s ability, being allowed to patch and fix things around the Hanlin Academy would already be a blessing. One side was her husband’s career, the other was her daughter’s future. She was torn.
At last she said in a low voice: “Mother, why not let Consort Ping try.”
Old Madam Xia blinked, then understood Madam Wan’s meaning. A cold smile curved her mouth as she nodded: “You are right.”
In the front courtyard study, Song Mo shut the door. Only a family of three remained inside.
Xia Meng Yan asked her father, steady and direct: “Father, what do you think about today.”
For years, Second Uncle Xia Xing Yan had tried to transfer into the capital and kept searching for a way in. Father had many political enemies at court who often made trouble out of this matter, but each time Father saw through them. No one expected that, this time, the trouble would involve a Your Highness in the Imperial Palace.
Xia Ping Yuan did not look worried. He served before the Emperor by using his brains, not by fawning. He said, calm as ever: “The Xia Family has been targeted.”
Madam Lin jolted, then looked from her daughter to her husband, stunned by how calm they both seemed: “The Xia Family is being targeted, and you two are not nervous.”
Xia Ping Yuan corrected gently: “Mother-in-law’s family, to be exact, the Lin Family, is being targeted.”
“What do you mean, the Lin Family.” Madam Lin stood at once. It concerned her maiden family; she had to be clear.
Xia Meng Yan motioned for her mother to sit and set a cup of tea in her hands: “Mother, don’t worry. Listen to me slowly.” She explained in an even voice: “On the surface, this looks like the second branch’s marriage. But the people behind it asked by name for your main-street shops. That means they had their eyes on them long ago and were only waiting for a chance. Normally, the Lin Family is not based in the capital. If someone wanted to deal with the Lin Family, they could have gone straight to Grandfather. Why trouble us in the capital. Because of me.”
Madam Lin blinked in confusion: “How did this come back to you.”
Xia Ping Yuan sighed and answered for his daughter: “Because of those two hundred thousand taels.”
Xia Meng Yan nodded: “Because of me, Father agreed to give the Marquis of Ping An two hundred thousand taels. People with motives saw a crack. The main-branch couple is affectionate. If you squeeze either of us, you can knock out silver. Why go far when the near target is easier. The Lin Family has no base in the capital. If Mother opened her mouth, even if Grandfather did not want to, he would give the money out of respect for Father. Then they could keep coming back to pinch us again and again, and silver would flow without end.”
Madam Lin’s face darkened: “Those scoundrels. To have such a rotten idea.” [So even a loving marriage can become a weakness.]
Xia Ping Yuan added, regret in his eyes: “Not only that. Yan’er’s marriage will also be harder in the future.” Years ago the Lin Family used money to pave his road. After he earned the Emperor’s trust, he had hoped to return some favor. He never thought it would drag the Lin Family down instead.
The more Madam Lin listened, the more afraid she grew. [How did things become like this.] Noble houses and rich families filled the capital. Why did the plotters have to choose the Lin Family.
Xia Meng Yan understood well: they had their eyes not only on the Lin Family behind her mother, but also on her father’s ability. She just did not understand one thing. [Why target Xia Qing Yao first, and not me.]