The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 27

Early the next day, Bai Qingyan had just finished her breakfast when a little maid came to report that the families of the five maids who accompanied Bai Jinxiu were kneeling at the gate, begging Bai Jinxiu to inform them where their daughters had been sold.

They had heard that Second Miss Bai was kind-hearted and allowed Mingyu’s family to redeem their daughter despite her having betrayed her mistress. They thought that their daughters who were loyal, though not serving well enough and ended up being sold, would at least be sold back to their own families.

Poor families were often unwilling to send their daughters to brothels. Out of desperation, they sent their daughters to wealthy households as maids, hoping that they would at least have enough to eat and not starve to death.

The Zhenguo Duke’s residence had been a benevolent and righteous family for generations. The fact that their daughters could follow Second Miss Bai was considered a blessing. However, if they were resold, they feared their daughters might end up like Mingyu, sold into a brothel to live in utter misery, unable to hope for either life or death.

Bai Qingyan used a handkerchief to cover her mouth as she spat mouthwash into a spittoon. Then she spoke, “Chuntao, go to Second Miss and get the contracts of those five maids. Give them to Housekeeper Hao and have him assign someone with a sharp tongue to return the contracts to the parents of those five maids. Just tell them that after Second Miss Bai fell into the water, she was unconscious and unaware of where the five maids were sold. Currently, our Duke’s residence is also sending people to inquire… Who dared to take them away and sell them without showing their contracts? If the five dowry maids cannot be found, the Duke’s residence will be the first to report to the authorities seeking justice.”

“Yes!” Chuntao responded promptly and hurried towards Bai Jinxiu’s Qingzhu Pavilion.

Housekeeper Hao followed the instructions and sent Steward Liu, who handled procurement, to the front gate with the contracts.

Before Steward Liu left, Housekeeper Hao stroked his beard and thought for a moment, then said, “Early this morning, I received instructions from Eldest Madam to specifically send someone to find those brokers in the city… To inquire about the whereabouts of Second Miss Bai’s dowry maids. Eldest Madam did not ask the Zhongyong Marquis’ wife, but Instead directed us to investigate on our own. Moreover, Young Master has already voluntarily given up the position of heir! The situation… It seems like our residence is bound to have a falling out with the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence. So, when you go later, don’t worry about the Marquis being our in-laws. Just explain Second Miss’ grievances clearly!”

“Housekeeper Hao, rest assured!” Steward Liu was extremely perceptive.

As soon as Steward Liu stepped out of the Duke’s residence, apart from the parents of the five dowry maids who had accompanied Second Miss Bai, he saw a crowd of onlookers gathered at the gate. He immediately had his subordinates help the parents up.

Steward Liu’s eyes turned red as he spoke, “Everyone… We are truly sorry! Our Second Miss suffered a great disaster. She was knocked unconscious and pushed into the lake. Her life and death were uncertain until she was carried back to our residence… Several imperial physicians did their utmost, and only then did they snatch Second Miss back from the brink of death! When Second Miss woke up and learned that the maids who had been with her since childhood had been sold by her mother-in-law, she cried until she fainted again! Upon waking up, she refused to believe it, saying that the maids’ contracts were still in our Second Miss’ possession. Who would dare to take someone away without their contract? So today… Early in the morning, our Eldest Madam had already sent people to question those brokers in the city.”

As he spoke, Steward Liu took out the contracts of the five maids and asked the parents to come forward and claim them.

After delivering the contracts, Steward Liu continued, “Our Second Miss ordered me to return the contracts of her dowry maids to you. Once your daughters are found, if they are willing to stay and serve Second Miss, she will treat them like her own family members and will love them dearly. If they don’t want to stay, Second Miss will send them back to your homes. When they get married, Second Miss will definitely provide a generous dowry to maintain the friendship between mistress and maid. Our Eldest Miss is grateful to your daughters… For they had been sold for protecting our Second Miss. We’ve sent people to the registrars of your families to free them from servitude. When your daughters return, they will be officially registered citizens.”

“Eldest Miss and Second Miss have immense grace and virtue!”

The parents of the maids instantly kowtowed and expressed their gratitude.

“But… We’re just afraid our poor daughters won’t be found!”

Steward Liu cupped his fists, “Rest assured, everyone. In any case, these dowry maids came from the Duke’s residence. If we can’t find them, our Duke’s residence will definitely report to the authorities!”

The onlookers praised the noble righteousness of the Bai family.

“Look at the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, they’re devoted and loyal to the common folks, treating their servants with righteousness! The five dowry maids accompanying Second Miss Bai were sold, and not only are they trying to find them, but they also freed these five girls from their servitude. This is truly a great act of kindness.”

“Bai family’s Second Miss has truly encountered misfortune, marrying into such a family!”

“The Zhongyong Marquis’ wife sure has such a great moral character. Those maids are the dowry of her daughter-in-law. To sell them without even getting their contracts in hand, pah! Truly shameless!”

“What do you all know?! There must be an inside story here!” Some onlookers crossed their arms, pretending to be serious, “Think about it. The Duke’s residence fought so hard against the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence to bring home the half-dead Second Miss. Moreover, one of the maids accompanying her, Mingyu, was found from the Marquis’ wife’s countryside dowry estate. Of the six dowry maids… Only she wasn’t sold by the Marquis’ wife! Can’t you see there’s something fishy here?!”

“Exactly, and then there’s Young Master Qin carrying a thorny branch to apologise, and voluntarily stepping down from his position as the heir! Tsk, tsk, tsk… These noble families sure are complicated!”

“It’s true that with a stepmother, you get a stepfather! Young Master Qin didn’t have it easy either! The girls from the Zhenguo Duke’s residence are unyielding. Perhaps the Marquis’ wife was afraid she wouldn’t be able to control her daughter-in-law, so she used the excuse of two daughters, wanting to…” Someone made a throat-cutting gesture.

“Those five maids have probably lost their lives already! Just think, the contracts are still in Bai family’s Second Miss’ possession! Being sold… Who would dare take them? There’s something dirty about this, and only the Marquis’ wife knows.”

“And the previous maid accompanying Second Miss Bai, she definitely knew the truth… The one who betrayed her mistress, Mingyu, who had her legs broken by her brother and was sold to a brothel. What a pity that she’s gone crazy and nobody can ask her anything. She just babbles and smiles foolishly, saying that the Marquis’ wife promised she would be Young Master Qin’s concubine.”

“You know the details so well, did you go and visit that brothel?”

The spectators burst into laughter. Someone with keen eyes spotted the carriage from the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence from afar and exclaimed, “Isn’t that the Zhongyong Marquis’ carriage?!”

“Oh, the Zhongyong Marquis’ wife actually has the audacity to come to the Zhenguo Duke’s residence!”

“Shh! Do you want to die?! What kind of family is the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence? It’s one thing to gossip behind their backs, but if they hear it, and hold a grudge, we might not even know where to cry when our lives are in danger! Better keep quiet!”

As the carriage from the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence stopped in front of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, the onlookers fell silent, casting disdainful glances at the Zhongyong Marquis’ wife as she disembarked from the carriage.