Chapter 120
Chapter 120: Yielding Control
Madam Wang, wearing the look of someone who had seen it all, patted Xia Meng Yan’s hand: “How can a woman not marry? Even if you can bear hardship, what about the child? Do you want people outside to point and whisper at him? It is not easy to be a woman, and many things cannot be solved with money. While you are still young, you should find someone.”
Madam Jia added, her face full of pity: “That is true, Meng Yan, do not blame your maternal aunt for meddling. No matter how well a woman does, she only sets off a man’s brightness, and in the end she still returns to the inner courtyard. Why make yourself suffer and make things hard for others?”
There was so much sorrow on her face that, if not for the flash of mockery in her eyes, Xia Meng Yan might have believed her. [What medicine is my maternal aunt selling in her gourd?] She gave a shy smile and said: “Maternal aunt is right, but it is a bit early to talk about this now,” then she stroked her belly that was close to term: “In my state, who would marry me?”
Madam Jia looked to Madam Wang, and Madam Wang took the hint, coughed lightly, and said: “I happen to know someone suitable. He is the Meng Family’s eldest son. His character, ability, and learning are all quite good, and the Meng Family is on par with the Lin Family. It would be a proper match. It is just that a few years ago he raced horses with someone and hurt his root; in this life it will be hard for him to have children. If you marry him with your child, he will surely treat the child as his own.”
[Meng Family?] Xia Meng Yan raised a brow. The last time she strolled with Lin Qing Wan, they met Meng Huai Ren. [Could it be him? No. From how arrogant he was that day, if he had that kind of injury, how would he dare strut around the street?]
Seeing that Xia Meng Yan did not refuse outright, Madam Jia thought there was hope and pressed on: “If you marry into the Meng Family, you would be the head daughter-in-law as soon as you enter the door. With the Lin Family backing you, they would not dare treat your child poorly. I think this marriage serves both sides. Do not be foolish and miss it.”
She cut them off and asked, her tone cool: “So I would go there to be a living widow?”
Silence fell.
She followed up without mercy: “You just said his root was hurt. Does that mean even the marital bed is impossible? And a man like that counts as a good match?”
“Y?you, you are a miss from a respectable house. How can you be so crude?” Madam Wang lost face, shot Madam Jia a glare, and snapped.
[So they thought I was easy to bully and soft?tempered. Would a soft person say what I just said?]
Even Madam Jia had not expected Xia Meng Yan to be so direct. Her face sank as she said: “Only the Meng Family knows the full truth. If you like him, I will find a way to inquire for you. But you are bringing a child with you. Taking a loss is to be expected.”
This, in her heart, was the daughter Lin Yue raised: shameless.
Xia Meng Yan smiled like a well?behaved girl, as if the sharp words just now had not come from her: “Marrying is like being reborn. I already picked wrong once. If I jump into a fire pit again, even if Father and Mother agreed, I could not get past myself.”
Madam Jia was caught short and did not know what to say. She had not expected Xia Meng Yan to be so quick?tongued. If she kept pushing and something happened later, it might be blamed on her.
Madam Wang rolled her eyes at Madam Jia, disgusted with her for being useless. She could not even hold down a niece, no wonder the Eldest Master’s business tasks had been taken away: “Marriage is a major matter decided by parents and matchmakers. If something is meant to be, it will be. Acting like this will only make your elders worry. Now the Lin Family holds you up, but what about later? Do you plan to trouble your uncle and your maternal aunt forever?”
Seeing this was said in front of Madam Jia, Xia Meng Yan had wanted to save Madam Wang some face, but the woman was using filial duty to press her and trying to force her to leave the Lin Family. She gave up on being polite and said: “Madam Wang is right about one thing, but you made a mistake on another. My surname is Xia, not Lin. If anything happens later, Father and Mother will hold me up. What is more, even if I do marry, it is the Xia Family who will decide for me. It would never be your turn, Madam Wang.”
“You—”
“Meng Yan, Madam Wang is my natal family’s elder sister?in?law, how can you speak to an elder like that,” said Madam Jia, seeing her own side take a hit and dropping the act completely. “I do not object to you giving birth in the Lin Family, but how will people outside view us? What about the Lin Manor’s unmarried misses? If word spreads that their cousin is a divorcée, who will still dare come to propose?”
Xia Meng Yan stood up sharply, her gaze cold: “If maternal aunt has these concerns, you could have said so earlier. The Xia Family is not as rich as the Lin Family, but we can still afford a house. Rest assured, I will move out tomorrow. I will never let my younger sisters in this manor be talked about.”
“You—are you trying to anger me to death?” Madam Jia’s chest heaved. She had prepared this feast today, and tomorrow Xia Meng Yan would move out. What would everyone in the manor think of her?
“I would not dare,” said Xia Meng Yan. She was no longer a soft persimmon. In the Capital she feared imperial power and could endure, but this was Man Lin City. [Why should I endure?] She looked straight at Madam Jia and asked, “Are you trying to push me out because uncle handed all the house business to me?”
Madam Jia hesitated. Madam Wang cursed her as useless in her heart. She was the household matriarch, and the Lin Family should be hers to command. Madam Jia finally said: “Yes and no. You are a woman and do not know how dangerous trade can be. We are afraid you will be wronged and we will have no way to answer to the Xia Family.”
Xia Meng Yan looked at Madam Jia. The woman dropped her head and did not dare meet her eyes. No wonder she had invited her natal family over. She did not dare say it herself. If she angered Xia Meng Yan, she could blame it on her own family speaking out of turn and keep the peace. [Maternal aunt is being clever this time.]
She kept her voice even: “Words like Madam Wang’s should be said to my maternal grandfather, or at least to my uncle. The Lin Family is theirs to command.”
“They just listen to you anyway,” Madam Wang cut in, rejecting that outright. “We are doing this for your sake. You are carrying a child yet you are still managing the Lin Family’s business. If that spreads, who knows what people outside will say.”
“No matter what they say, it will still sound better than what you just said,” Xia Meng Yan replied. At last she understood the purpose of this banquet. The talk of a match was false; taking back control of the Lin Family’s businesses was true. “Since maternal aunt does not trust me, I have a question.”
“Ask,” said Madam Jia.
“If I hand over management, who do you plan to put in charge? Second uncle, third uncle, or someone from a branch of the Lin Family?”
“I…” Madam Jia wavered.
Madam Wang straightened her back and, hating iron that would not turn to steel, answered for her: “Naturally my husband. He is your maternal aunt’s elder brother. The Jia Family may not be as strong as the Lin Family, but in Man Lin City it still ranks among the notable houses. Let my husband manage things for a while so your uncle and maternal aunt can rest easy.”
She nudged Madam Jia, signaling her to speak.
After the scale in her heart tipped back and forth, Madam Jia raised her head and said to Xia Meng Yan: “I am only worried you will overwork and give bad?intentioned people an opening. My elder brother happens to have free time lately. He can lend a hand.”
Arms folded, Xia Meng Yan looked from Madam Jia to Madam Wang. Madam Wang’s abacus was clicking so loudly it might as well be on the table, and Madam Jia had not noticed. [Hand Lin Family business to Master Jia, and in half a month the shop signs will change. Give it a bit more time, and the Lin Family’s properties will be wearing the Jia surname.]
She had thought this ambush feast was masterminded by Madam Jia, but it turned out someone was pushing from behind.
Her cool eyes picked up a thread of displeasure. She avoided Madam Wang’s gaze and asked Madam Jia: “Does maternal aunt know why uncle chose to marry you?”
Madam Jia froze, not understanding why this had turned to her and the Eldest Master.
“I heard from Mother,” said Xia Meng Yan, “that back then Grandmother looked at many noble girls for uncle, including daughters of powerful houses. In the end, she chose you. She said she once met you in the street. A little beggar clung to your leg and dirtied your skirt. You scolded him with your mouth, but you bought him steamed buns. She heard the beggar had younger siblings. You wanted to give him silver but worried he was too young to keep it safe after you left, so you bought him twenty buns and told him not to dirty a noble’s clothes again or he would be beaten.”
Madam Jia’s eyes widened in shock: “Y?you mean the Old Madam was there that day?”