Chapter 34: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
.png)
Chapter 34: A Mother and Son’s Heart-to-Heart
Yan Zhigao stormed into the old Madam Yan’s room, his face filled with anger. Upon entering, he was surprised by the quiet atmosphere inside. Apart from the old Madam and her servant, Aunt Sun, there wasn’t a single soul present.
Aunt Sun, seeing Yan Zhigao enter, gave him a respectful bow before quietly leaving the room. She even took the care to close the door behind her.
This left Yan Zhigao momentarily stunned.
“Where did you come from?” The old Madam’s voice rang out, devoid of emotion.
Yan Zhigao looked up at her. Seeing that she wasn’t even looking at him, he couldn’t gauge her mood and hesitated before responding, “I just returned from the magistrate’s office.”
The old Madam glanced at her eldest son, still visibly upset, and asked lightly, “If you’ve just returned, why are you in this state? Is there some unresolved matter at the office?”
Shaking his head, Yan Zhigao moved to a chair below his mother and sat down. “It’s not about the office. I heard that Daohua openly contradicted Teacher Qin, to the point of enraging her so much he couldn’t continue the lesson. That’s why I’m angry.”
The old Madam asked, “Who told you that?”
“Lin shi mentioned it,” Yan Zhigao answered without much thought. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake. Sure enough, a loud bang followed as the old Madam slammed her hand on the table.
“Well, well,” she exclaimed, her voice sharp, “for the sake of a concubine, you even dare to deceive your own mother?”
Startled, Yan Zhigao hurriedly said, “Mother, what are you saying? How could I dare to deceive you?”
The old Madam sneered, “Dare not? Then why didn’t you admit just now that you came straight from Lin shi’s quarters when I asked where you were coming from?”
Yan Zhigao hesitated. “I... I thought you have opinions about Lin shi, so I...”
This explanation only deepened the old Madam’s anger. “Oh, so in your eyes, I’m a petty and narrow-minded person? Is that why you’re hiding things for Lin shi? What are you afraid of? Afraid I’ll beat her? Or scold her?”
“Mother!” Yan Zhigao protested anxiously. “That’s not what I meant!”
The old Madam’s expression grew colder as she gave him a disappointed look. “You only know I have opinions about Lin shi, but have you ever wondered why?”
Yan Zhigao glanced at his mother, genuinely puzzled.
Lin shi was educated, gentle, and virtuous, the kind of woman who should easily win his mother’s favor. Yet, since arriving, the old Madam had never shown her a pleasant face.
He didn’t dare directly ask his mother about it, nor could he risk praising Lin shi, fearing it might backfire. Thus, he stayed silent.
The room fell into a brief silence.
Feeling the tension, Yan Zhigao changed the topic. “Mother, it’s almost time for dinner. Why hasn’t anyone come over yet?”
The old Madam snorted. “You know very well that everyone gathers here for dinner at this time. Yet you storm in here brimming with anger, ready to confront Daohua. What exactly were you planning? Were you going to scold her harshly in front of everyone again?”
“For the sake of your Lin shi, you can deceive me. But why can’t you spare a thought for Daohua? Publicly reprimanding her in front of so many people—do you want her to feel so humiliated that she can’t stay in this household anymore?”
Yan Zhigao sighed helplessly. “Mother, it’s not that I want to scold Daohua, but she truly crossed the line this time. Publicly contradicting her teacher is disrespectful and unruly. How can I not address it?”
The old Madam’s expression darkened. “Daohua was raised by me. If you say she’s unruly, are you not criticizing my upbringing?”
Frustrated, Yan Zhigao said, “Mother, please don’t twist my words. Let’s discuss the matter at hand reasonably, shall we?”
Bang!
The old Madam slammed the table again. “Who’s twisting words here? Is it me, or is it you who listens to only one side of the story?”
Yan Zhigao opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but upon seeing his mother’s furious expression, he could only lower his head in silence.
The old Madam sneered. “I’m not senile yet. Over these past days, I’ve seen it clearly—those three in Shuangxin Courtyard are the apples of your eye. Let me ask you this: You know Daohua contradicted her teacher, but did you ever bother to ask why?”
Yan Zhigao muttered, “No matter the reason, she shouldn’t have disrespected her teacher.”
The old Madam gave him a sharp look and explained what had happened in the classroom. “You’re the county magistrate, skilled at handling cases. Tell me, did Teacher Qin fulfill her duties as a teacher?”
Yan Zhigao was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Teacher Qin to target his eldest daughter. Tentatively, he asked, “Could there be some misunderstanding?”
The old Madam snorted. “There were many students present during the class. If you don’t believe me, go ask them.”
“This...” Yan Zhigao was perplexed. “But why would Teacher Qin do this?”
Daohua was his eldest daughter. Targeting her was as good as disrespecting him.
The old Madam sighed and looked at her son. “Zhigao, you’ve always excelled in academics and work, but when it comes to dealing with people, you still have much to learn.”
“I know you’ve always looked down on Li shi because of her merchant background. But ask yourself this: Over the years, if not for her managing the household, would you have been able to focus on your duties in the front hall?”
Yan Zhigao hesitated before weakly countering, “Mother, ever since Wenxiu and Wenkai were born, I’ve stopped disdaining Li shi.”
In his younger, more arrogant years, he indeed despised merchants, viewing them as the lowest class. But now that Li shi had given him two sons and a daughter, he no longer cared much about her background.
The old Madam narrowed her eyes. “Then why did you take Lin shi as a concubine? Wasn’t it because she has a scholar father and you fancied her knowledge, thinking she’d make a good companion for reading and conversation?”
Her words made Yan Zhigao uncomfortable. Lowering his head, he said nothing.
The old Madam continued, “I don’t care about your affairs in the inner courtyard. You may dote on your concubine, but you absolutely must not neglect your wife and her children. Mark my words: excessive favoritism is the root of a household’s downfall.”
Yan Zhigao couldn't hold back anymore: "Mother, when have I ever ignored Li Shi and Wenxiu?"
Old Madam Yan gave him a sidelong glance: "I'm not blind. You know perfectly well yourself. Think about how you treat Wenbin and Yishuang compared to Wenxiu, Wenkai, and Daohua."
"Yes, Li Shi's background isn't high, but over the years, she has managed the household meticulously. Even if she hasn't achieved great merit, she's worked hard. And as for your concubine, what has she ever done to help you?"
"Zhigao, one must not forget their roots. If I hadn't intervened today, you would have scolded Daohua without even asking questions, wouldn't you?"
"I don't know much about your other children, but Daohua, that girl has a strong temper. What happened in class today was her being wronged. If you blame her without distinguishing right from wrong, you risk alienating her."
Yan Zhigao frowned: "Mother, you're spoiling Daohua too much. Yes, I was wrong not to investigate what happened in class today. But no matter the reason, it's improper for Daohua to confront her teacher."
Old Madam Yan replied, "Would this have happened without your concubine's meddling?"
Yan Zhigao sighed helplessly: "Mother, we're talking about Daohua. Why are you dragging Lin Shi into this?"
Old Madam Yan snorted coldly: "Do you think this has nothing to do with her? That Teacher Qin dares to treat Daohua like that because Lin Shi supports her from behind. Go tell Lin Shi to behave herself. A concubine has no business meddling in the upbringing of the girls. And taking liberties with the teacher and her brother—does she think the Yan family is hers?"
Yan Zhigao explained: "Mother, if Li Shi had been able to hire a teacher back then, I wouldn't have listened to Lin Shi's suggestion to bring Teacher Qin in. As for Lin Shi's brother, he’s quite learned and has indeed been helpful to me."
Hearing this, Old Madam Yan sighed inwardly.
A woman’s position in her husband’s household is often tied to her natal family. Compared to Lin Shi’s family, Li Shi’s background was indeed inferior. Just Lin Shi’s brother, a county advisor, overshadowed all of Li Shi's merchant brothers.
"Regardless, you need to remind Lin Shi to stay in her place. As a concubine, she shouldn’t interfere in the upbringing of the daughters. And you—yes, you're the father, but children have their own thoughts, especially Daohua. She wasn't raised by your side and is already somewhat distant. If you handle problems by scolding her outright, you’ll only push her further away."
Yan Zhigao was exasperated: "Aren't you worried she’ll push me further away?"
Old Madam Yan said bluntly: "If that happens, it’ll be your fault."
Yan Zhigao had nothing more to say: "Mother, I’ve finally figured it out. Daohua is your favorite."
Old Madam Yan glared at him: "You just realized that? Your eyesight must really be failing you!"
“…”
Yan Zhigao surrendered completely.
Old Madam Yan waved her hand in irritation: "Get out of here. Tonight, everyone will eat in their own rooms. Go wherever you want."
"Your son will take his leave!"
With a headache, Yan Zhigao left the Songhe Courtyard. Instinctively, he headed toward Shuangxin Courtyard. But as he approached the entrance, he recalled his mother's words, hesitated, and changed direction toward the main courtyard.
As soon as he stepped into the main courtyard, he heard cheerful laughter coming from the main house.
(End of Chapter)
►►CLICK HERE FOR ADVANCE CHAPTERS◄◄
Comments
Post a Comment