The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 103

“Jinzhi!” Bai Jintong pretended to pull at her.

Bai Jinzhi flung off Bai Jintong’s hand and angrily demanded, “Why did Eldest Aunt agree to this villain’s blackmail?! Unless our Zhenguo Duke’s residence bankrupts itself, how could we possibly gather 450,000 taels? How could Eldest Aunt agree to this?! If we truly ruin ourselves financially… What will become of the widows of our Zhenguo Duke’s residence?!”

“Little Fourth!” Bai Jinxiu spoke with a choked voice, trying to stop her.

But Bai Jinzhi grew even more angry, “Moreover, if this matter was true, why didn’t Grandfather tell us about it?! When this clan uncle arrived, he didn’t even pay respects, but instead claimed that the widows of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence must rely on the clan’s protection, and demanded that we pay money to buy our safety. He behaved just like a bandit! Eldest Aunt is such a strong-willed person, why would she yield?! And why should our Zhenguo Duke’s residence yield?! Hasn’t the clan taken enough money from our Zhenguo Duke’s residence over the years? Grandfather, Eldest Uncle, Father, Uncles, elder and younger brothers only just passed away, and already the people of the clan are forcing us orphans and widows to hand over money to buy peace! How is this any different from the bullying of village ruffians?!”

Bai Jinzhi’s voice was naturally loud, having also trained in martial arts. With this roar, she drew all the guests in the courtyard and the commoners outside to come over and watch the commotion.

The entire family’s men had perished in Nanjiang. Earlier that morning, the military records had been brought back at the cost of loyal servants’ lives. Then, at the Wude Gate of the imperial palace, the common folk had already raised a stir!

At this moment, every citizen of the capital was concerned for the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, unwilling to see another mishap occur.

Just now, when the people of the clan had arrived, they had neither bowed nor offered incense, but rushed straight into the inner courtyard instead. The civilians and the guests had seen this.

After all that clamour, they were rushing to force the Bai family’s widows into paying money for their safety?!

Bai Qiyun’s eyes widened, “What nonsense is this junior spouting?! Who said the Zhenguo Duke’s residence must pay money to buy safety?! This was something your grandfather, the Zhenguo Duke, and First Master had already agreed upon with the clan long ago. It was originally set to be arranged during this year’s New Year’s offerings. The Duke often said… As the most distinguished family in the clan, the Zhenguo Duke’s residence ought to contribute, and in years past the Duke had always taken all such matters upon himself. Whenever the clan leader advised the Duke to let other clansmen share some of the burden, the Duke only said that it was for the glory of the clan that our Bai family could become even more prosperous! The clan leader worried that during the Duke’s mourning period you would still be concerned for clan affairs without spare hands to manage it, so he sent me here! Not only are you, a little girl, confusing what’s right and what’s wrong, but how can you speak like this to an elder?!”

Although Bai Qiyun liked to put on airs, he was not completely foolish. In front of so many outsiders, how could he use the same bullying attitude he had worn when pressing Dong-shi inside the hall earlier and give others a chance to criticize him?!

Naturally, he praised the Duke highly, and said the clan leader had sent him here out of consideration for the Duke’s devotion to the clan’s honour and future.

“Little Fourth! Stand down! How can you make a racket before more than twenty heroic spirits of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence?!” Bai Jintong pulled Bai Jinzhi back and with both hands presented the incense to Bai Qiyun. “Please, Uncle, offer incense to my Grandfather, Eldest Uncle, Father, Uncles, and brothers!”

Bai Qiyun looked at Bai Jinzhi, who had been restrained by Bai Jintong, and muttered, “Lacking proper upbringing!”

“You…”

Bai Jinzhi was about to step forward to argue further, but Bai Jintong held her wrist tightly.

Bai Qiyun held the incense sticks and bowed three times. Just as he was about to place them, all three sticks suddenly broke in half.

“They broke…”

“How did the incense break?!”

“This is… the Duke refusing to accept his incense!”

The civilians burst into discussion, unable to resist moving forward to watch the scene unfold.

Bai Qiyun’s face looked unpleasant. He raised his head toward the Zhenguo Duke’s black lacquer memorial tablet and, panic rising in his heart, instinctively took two steps back.

Although people should not speak of strange forces and apparitions, he had come to the Zhenguo Duke’s residence to try and blackmail the widows while the Duke’s bones were not yet cold. He was already guilty in conscience. Now the incense had snapped in two, how could he not be alarmed?

Bai Jinxiu saw the trick Bai Jintong used when presenting the incense. She lowered her eyes and said nothing.

“Perhaps the incense was damp. Uncle, we’ll relight the incense!” Bai Jintong lowered her eyes, hiding the smile in them, and relit three sticks of incense which she handed to him. “Uncle, please offer incense!”

Bai Qiyun forced down his unease and bowed three times even more respectfully. When he stepped forward to offer incense again, the three sticks in his hand once more snapped cleanly and fell to the ground, startling Bai Qiyun into repeatedly backing away.

“I told you Grandfather never instructed the Zhenguo Duke’s residence to hand over all its property to the clan!” Bai Jinzhi immediately fell to her knees before the ancestral tablet and began to cry out, “Grandfather! Grandfather, you’ve returned, haven’t you? You see the clan bullying us orphans and widows. Grandfather, you’re speaking up for us,
so you won’t accept their incense, right?!

The candle flames before the ancestral tablet suddenly shifted violently, and the tablet’s shadow began to flail about wildly on the wall. There was no wind blowing in through the door, so for a moment everyone was on edge.

“The Zhenguo Duke has appeared!”

“It’s the Zhenguo Duke!”

“Zhenguo Duke!”

The people outside the gate suddenly began to wail and kneel down. The household servants, eyes full of tears, fell to their knees and cried out the Duke’s name.

Bai Qiyun’s face went deathly pale. He clutched the broken ends of the three incense sticks and took two more steps back.

Bai Jinzhi knelt before the coffin and kowtowed, “Grandfather! First there was Prince Xin’s slander, now the clan is forcing us. The widows of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence face one hardship after another. Grandfather, as the younger generation, what should we do?!”

“The clan is so shameless!” An old man’s voice resounding like a bell startled Bai Qiyun further back.

Elderly Mr Gu, supported by a servant, trembled as he walked out. His eyes were red and his hair bristled with anger.

Elderly Mr Gu rushed over. Seeing the Duke’s restless spirit, his heart clenched and he angrily pointed at Bai Qiyun’s nose, scolding, “Does the clan still have any shame?! Huh?!”

“Elderly… Elderly Mr Gu?!” Bai Qiyun called softly.

Elderly Mr Gu struck his cane on the blue stone floor with a loud thud, “For years I have managed the accounts of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence. I am the most clear about the residence’s support to the clan! Every year’s revenues, including His Majesty’s rewards… When has the Duke not thought of the clan? When has he not sent half of it away to the clan?”

Saying this, Elderly Mr Gu dropped to his knees before the spirit tablet, beat his chest and cried out, “I should have advised the Duke and the First Master long ago! A measure of rice repays a favor, a bushel breeds resentment. This clan’s appetite has inflated indeed, and now they demand 450,000 taels as soon as they open their mouths! The Zhenguo Duke’s residence has given half its revenue to the clan year after year. How could we possibly produce 450,000 taels?! Since we can’t come up with the money, they force First Madam to sell off all the Zhenguo Duke’s residence’s shops and farms! If those are all sold, then in future… How will the hundreds of people of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence survive? It’s all the old servant’s fault… for not speaking my mind! This old servant… This old servant is ashamed before the Duke’s trust and ashamed before the residence. This old servant might as well just die!”