The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 100

Bai Qingyan beckoned with her hand, signaling them to come closer. When the three sisters huddled together, she said, “I want you to cause a scene.”
Aunty Tong stood with her hands folded neatly in front of her, watching the three sisters discuss, her face full of worry.
After Bai Qingyan explained in detail, Bai Jinzhi’s eyes lit up: “Eldest Sister knows me, I’ve never feared for my reputation! What’s more, we’re in the right this time! Eldest Sister, rest assured, I absolutely won’t ruin things this time, I’ll restrain myself!”
With that said, Bai Jinzhi rushed straight into the hall in two quick strides. After a hasty greeting to Dong-shi, she turned her head and glared, “Our Bai family is in great mourning, there are more than twenty coffins in the courtyard, the Bai family widows are struggling, and yet you, as clansmen, not only are you not helping, but instead you’re seizing this chance to rob money from our Bai family! Do you even have any shame?!”
“Little Four! Stand down…”
Bai Qingyan and Bai Jintong entered the main hall hand in hand and gave their respects to Dong-shi.
The two concubine-born clan elders from Shuoyang, upon seeing Bai Qingyan, still felt somewhat pressured. This legitimate eldest daughter of the Zhenguo Duke’s household was truly formidable. She had even dared to force the Emperor’s legitimate son to his death. How could she not make them terrified?
“I will not step back! Who the hell are they to dare point fingers at Eldest Aunt?! In terms of status and rank… Eldest Aunt is a first-rank titled lady! And he, at his age, is merely an intermediate scholar. What right does he have to act arrogant before Eldest Aunt?! In terms of clan lineage, heh…” Bai Jinzhi sneered, “Back then, my great-great-grandfather had four legitimate sons. Aside from the eldest legitimate son, who was my great-grandfather, the other legitimate sons all died in battle without leaving descendants! My great-grandfather felt that since he held the Zhenguo Duke title and guarded Great Jin, he could not simultaneously serve as clan leader, and so he registered a concubine-born son under my great-great-grandmother’s name as a legitimate son to assume the clan leader position. That concubine-born son was none other than my great-uncle’s grandfather! So at the root, your entire branch was originally concubine-born! What right do you have to shout at the proper, legitimate eldest daughter-in-law of the Bai family?!”
All his life, Bai Qiyun hated the most for anyone to bring up his grandfather’s concubine-born origin. When he was young, whenever clan affairs arose, those so-called Fourth-Granduncles and Sixth-Granduncles would always use his grandfather’s status to bully him!
Now this little girl Bai Jinzhi was also bringing up his grandfather’s origin. Bai Qiyun was furious, “You! Dong-shi… Is this the kind of child your Zhenguo Duke household raised?!”
“Even if a concubine-born child was granted the title of legitimate heir, to not be raised by the main wife since childhood… It’s evident that such upbringing would still lack the proper decorum! It’s bad enough that you’ve been brought up inappropriately, but you’re also bringing disaster to your descendants!” Bai Jintong said.
In the Zhenguo Duke’s household, the rules regarding the upbringing of concubine-born children were extremely strict. Concubine-born offspring were forbidden from being raised by their birth mothers. Instead, they were raised by wet nurses at the side of the legitimate mothers. Concubine-born children were never permitted to meet their birth mothers before the New Year. If a concubine’s child was caught meeting their birth mother in private, the mother will be beaten to death.
The Zhenguo Duke had established this family rule out of concern that if the legitimate children all perished in battle as the previous generation had, then if concubine-born children were not close to their legitimate mothers, the legitimate mothers would suffer hardship in old age.
Concubines in the Bai family were no more than higher-ranked servants. Though they had someone attending to them, a servant was still a servant. No matter how one dressed up, a servant could only ever be a servant.
Even illegitimate children of the Bai family were masters.
Master and servant could not be spoken of on the same level.
Bai Jintong herself was concubine-born. From birth she had been raised at the side of Li-shi. Although in terms of clothing and daily expenses, she was inferior to the legitimate daughters, this was expected. Moreover, her legitimate mother had never mistreated her, so she held no resentment.
“Dong-shi! Are you just going to watch your Zhenguo Duke household’s little concubine-born girl insult the clan leader?!” Bai Qiyun, emboldened by his status, refused to argue with two children and so targeted Dong-shi instead.
“Dong-shi is not someone you can call by name!” Bai Jinzhi instinctively reached for her waist, only to realize her whip was not there.
“If Uncle still wishes to discuss clan matters, then first respectfully apologise to my mother and fix your attitude, and then we can talk…” Bai Qingyan sat directly at the seat below Dong-shi.
The two concubine-born clan elders lifted their teacups and pretended to drink, saying nothing. Only Bai Qiyun gave Bai Qingyan a cold look, “When elders speak, how can a junior like you interrupt?”
“You…” Bai Jinzhi could not bear anyone showing disrespect to her Eldest Sister.
“I am the legitimate eldest daughter of the Zhenguo Duke’s household, my name bearing the character ‘Qing’ in place of a son’s rank! I have set foot on the battlefield, I have cut down enemy generals’ heads, I have destroyed Shu Kingdom! Grandfather, father, uncles, brothers have all died in Nanjiang. From today onwards, the glory of the Zhenguo Duke’s household will be borne by me!” She raised her calm, deep gaze toward Bai Qiyun, the murderous aura not restrained in the least. “When it concerns our Zhenguo Duke’s household, there is nothing I cannot speak on.”
That murderous aura, returning from mountains of corpses and seas of bl00d, spread silently through the hall, making spines chill.
“Aunty Tong, take Bai Jintong and Bai Jinzhi… to the spirits of Grandfather and Father, and the uncles, bow to ask forgiveness. Since at that time Uncle was already recorded under our great-great-grandmother’s name as a legitimate son, then he is legitimate. This matter shall not be raised again! If it’s violated again… You will be given ten lashes!”
“Eldest Sister…” Bai Jinzhi stiffened her neck. “I refuse to accept it!”
Bai Jintong frowned, pulling Bai Jinzhi out, “Let’s go! Don’t anger Eldest Sister!”
Aunty Tong, standing at the side, also urged, “If Fourth Miss does not go, once Eldest Miss calls for Lu Ping, Fourth Miss will not escape this round of lashes.”
Bai Jinzhi’s eyes were red, yet she was dragged out by Bai Jintong. Even outside the door she argued stubbornly, “I refuse to accept! I just refuse to accept it! The clan is clearly robbing us because it sees that we are left as widows and orphans!”
The two concubine-born clan elders’ faces turned green then white, their heads lowered, saying nothing.
“Uncle, do you still wish to continue? If not… My mother and I shall return to the mourning hall to keep vigil.” Bai Qingyan spoke slowly.
This was forcing Bai Qiyun to apologize to Dong-shi.
Dong-shi smoothed out her skirt, “Qingyan, let us go!”
Bai Qiyun’s expression was unsightly. He turned his head aside, bowed toward Dong-shi’s direction, “First Madam, pardon me!”
Only then did Bai Qingyan turn her body toward Dong-shi and say, “Mother, matters of the clan are also great matters. Since Uncle is in such a hurry to talk before even offering incense to Grandfather, Father, and the uncles, then let us talk. After we finish… Uncle, please go and properly pay respects to my Grandfather, Father, and uncles.”
The two concubine-born clan elders from Shuoyang hurriedly said, “Naturally! Naturally!”
“Mother, since this time the three uncles came to our Zhenguo Duke’s household not to offer condolences, but to demand money to repair the ancestral hall, the ancestral graves, and the school, oh… yes, and also to purchase land for the clan! I just heard Uncle say that we can’t skimp on the materials used for the place to enshrine ancestral tablets… So even the ancestral temple must also be renovated? Is that what this means?”
Dong-shi looked toward Bai Qingyan, not understanding her daughter’s intent. She pursed her lips and silently waited to see what would happen.