The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 16

It was only when the maids and servants outside regained their composure, calling out “Eldest Miss Bai” respectfully, that she relaxed and tidied up her clothing.

By the time the maids came in and reported that Eldest Miss Bai had arrived, the, Marquis’ Madam Jiang-shi was already sitting upright. The two young ladies of the Marquis’ family were wiping their tears in handkerchiefs as they trembled, their hair messy.

“Eldest Miss Bai, please come in,” Marquis’ Madam Jiang-shi said, taking a hand warmer into her hands. There was a hint of gloom in her eyes.

The Zhenguo Duke’s residence had been unruly in the capital for too many years, ever since the establishment of the Great Jin Kingdom, so much so that a mere fourth miss from the Bai family dared to wield a whip against her daughters in their Zhongyong Marquis’s residence!

However, times were changing. Half a month ago, Jiang-shi heard a secret from the Zhongyong Marquis. She learned that soon, the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, an aristocratic family of a hundred years, would fall together with the Zhenguo Duke. In the future, the head of the great aristocratic families in the capital would be their Zhongyong Marquis’s family.

So what if Qin Lang married the daughter of the Zhenguo Duke? In the future, when the Zhenguo Duke’s residence fell, the Bai family’s daughter would just become a burden to him. Sooner or later, their inheritance would belong to her son.

Seeing Bai Qingyan entering the room and curtseying, the Marquis’ Madam Jiang-shi no longer feared the Bai family. She became dignified and said, “Eldest Miss Bai understands proper etiquette after all. The Bai and Qin families are connected by marriage, and as the Madam of this mansion, I can be considered your elder. Let me say a few words today. Even if the maternal family had grievances, it’s absolutely inappropriate for a junior to wield a whip in front of her elders. How could Fourth Miss Bai have such a presumptuous upbringing ? How is her behaviour different to those shrews at the market?”

Thinking about the whip marks on her two daughters, Jiang-shi felt so distressed that she wished she could have someone slap Bai Jinzhi twice.

“Your daughters injured my Second Sister and pushed her into the lake and now it’s uncertain if she’ll live or die! Your Zhongyong Marquis’s residence is truly displaying impeccable upbringing by plotting murder!” Fourth Miss Bai Jinzhi showed no fear of the Madam’s authority.

In the capital city, the Fourth Miss Bai Jinzhi from the Zhenguo Duke’s residence was known for her chivalrous and righteous heart. She once cracked her whip against a dandy who was recklessly riding a horse and injured an elderly person on the street. Today, she was not hesitant to risk her reputation to seek justice for Bai Jinxiu.

Bai Jinzhi did not care, but Bai Qingyan did.

If Jiang-shi were to pin these words on Bai Jinzhi today, Bai Jinzhi’s reputation might be tarnished.

Without waiting for Jiang-shi to speak, Bai Qingyan stood up straight. Her clear and cold eyes fixed on Lady Jiang and she asked, “Since Madam understands etiquette so well and considers yourself an elder advising the upbringing of our family in the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, then how can the two young ladies of your Marquis’ residence be raised so maliciously? Plotting to murder one’s own sister-in-law, how are such actions different from wild beasts?!”

“You!” Jiang-shi originally wanted to vent her anger but found herself choking on her own breath. Her hands gripped the edge of the kang bed tightly. Her gaze turned increasingly unfriendly and she suppressed her anger, “My daughters were just playing around with their sister-in-law. A crime like murdering one’s sister-in-law, Eldest Miss Bai, you can’t casually accuse our young ladies of the Marquis’ residence.”

Bai Jinzhi was about to erupt but Bai Qingyan held her back. Her eyes darkened, suppressing the urge to skin Jiang-shi alive, though a hint of murderous intent flickered in her eyes.

Feeling somewhat afraid under Bai Qingyan’s scrutiny, Jiang-shi adjusted her collar awkwardly.

Bai Qingyan curled her lips into a sneer as she spoke leisurely, “My Second Sister has such a large bloody hole in her head and her life is hanging by a thread. Yet, Madam calls it playing between the sisters-in-law! Now the two young ladies of Zhongyong Marquis’ residence only had their skin scratched, but Madam labelled Fourth Sister as being uncivilised, uneducated, and behaving like market shrews. Does Madam think we, being younger, are easy targets for bullying?! How about I have someone invite my grandmother, the Princess Dowager, to settle this matter?”

At the mention of the Bai family’s matriarch, the Princess Dowager, Jiang-shi realised she had lost all authority. Even if all the male members of the Bai family were extinguished, they still had the Princess Dowager of the current imperial court.

Suppressing her emotions, Jiang-shi used her handkerchief to pat the corner of her lips. Unable to contain her frustration, she retorted to Bai Qingyan, “Eldest Miss Bai, you are eloquent indeed. However, words can stir up trouble. Eldest Miss Bai is already 19 years old this year, yet no one has gone to your door to propose. Eldest Miss Bai originally has difficulty bearing heirs, but if your reputation spreads for being fond of verbal sparring, who would dare to seek Eldest Miss Bai’s hand in marriage? I’m saying all this for your own good, Eldest Miss Bai!”

Reputation was something Bai Qingyan had long ceased to care about, but Bai Jinzhi was infuriated and her face turned crimson, “You…”

She heard Bai Qingyan’s ice-cold tone, neither hurried nor annoyed, saying, “Marquis’ Madam had better keep this in mind… Think more about your two daughters and son! My second sister has only married into the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence for three days. First, the two young ladies of your Marquis’ family plotted to kill her and then you meddled in my second sister’s dowry. If this gets out… I wonder who would dare to marry a daughter of the Qin family and who would dare to marry the son of the Qin family?!”

Jiang-shi broke out into a cold sweat. She had given birth to two daughters before finally having a son, and she cherished him like the apple of her eye.

To protect her two daughters, she had followed Aunty Wu’s plan to sell the maids around Bai Jinxiu. However, in her desperation, she forgot that those maids were part of Bai Jinxiu’s dowry.

If this was to be considered seriously, her son’s marriage prospects would be bleak.

“I forgot to inform Marquis’ Madam that your maid, Aunty Wu, confessed it herself… That the two young ladies of your residence had a verbal dispute with my second sister and physically hurt her. I’ve already had someone tie her up and send her to where Second Madam is. Aunty Jiang has also returned to the Zhenguo Duke’s residence to consult with my grandmother. Marquis’ Madam… You take care of yourself.”

Having said that, Bai Qingyan curtseyed to Jiang-shi and led Bai Jinzhi out of the room.

“Mother!” The eldest daughter, who had caused injury, was shaking like a sieve. The Marquis’ Madam of Zhongyong Jiang-shi was panicking, “What should we do?”

“Mom!” The second daughter was so frightened that cried out.

Although it was the second daughter who had quarrelled with Bai Jinxiu, it was the eldest daughter who struck her on the head, then the second daughter had pushed her into the water.

Jiang-shi knew she had to endure things a little longer. The Bai family of Zhenguo Duke’s residence was currently the most influential family in the capital. If she wanted to resolve this peacefully, she would have to endure the humiliation, “Quickly, go fetch the Marquis!”

Before Jiang-shi could rush over and mediate the situation, the Second Madam of the Bai family had already issued orders to carry Bai Jinxiu out of the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence. Aunty Jiang had brought the Princess Dowager’s carriage to bring Bai Jinxiu back home with great fanfare.

Hearing this, Jiang-shi’s heart pounded. It was beyond her expectations that Second Madam Liu-shi of the Bai family would so recklessly disregard Bai Jinxiu’s future, tearing off all pretences and abandoning her reputation.

That day, the second young miss of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence had gotten married with a ten li red dowry. The eldest son of the Zhongyong Marquis had been personable and handsome and the well-matched two were still the talk of the city today. Unexpectedly, they would hear that the second young miss of the Bai family’s life was hanging by a thread as she returned home today.

Outside Zhongyong Marquis’ residence, a crowd of onlookers had gathered, discussing the matter with great enthusiasm.

The Zhongyong Marquis’ Madam Jiang-shi, surrounded by maids and servants, hurriedly followed suit, displaying a humble attitude in front of everyone. Tearfully, she cried, “Second Madam! Second Madam… It’s snowing heavily and moving Jinxiu back to Zhenguo Duke’s residence may not be helpful to her condition. Just now, the Fourth Miss even whipped my two daughters severely. They know they were wrong… They will never dare to play with their sister-in-law near the lake again! If there’s anything else I’ve neglected to take care of, please, Second Madam, point it out! Please, you must not do this!”