Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Lady Tan trembled. Forcing herself to remain kneeling, she kowtowed and argued, “This daughter-in-law is guilty and dares not defy Father. But I cannot bear to see Baozhu treated this way. I beg Father to hear me out.”
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said flatly, “Speak.”
Lady Tan wept as she said, “Lady Tang tampered with the Ma Family bloodline and caused Mingyue to spend eleven years lost outside. She deserves ten thousand deaths. The Li Family knew the truth but concealed it. Rather than compensating Mingyue, they repeatedly abused her and even tried to use her in an exchange marriage for one of the Li sons. Their crimes are unforgivable. But Baozhu was only an infant then. She knew nothing. This daughter-in-law raised her for more than ten years, and our bond is deep. How could I sever it overnight? I beg Father to show mercy. Treat it as no more than one extra mouth to feed and grant her a place to live!”
Zhu Yuanzhang neither agreed nor objected. He smiled. “You raised her for more than ten years and cannot bear to send her away. Is that right?”
Lady Tan gritted her teeth. “Father sees clearly.”
Zhu Yuanzhang asked, “You believe she knew nothing back then and was innocent. Is that right?”
Lady Tan nodded.
Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, “You wish to keep her as your adopted daughter and let her continue living with the Ma Family?”
Lady Tan knew this must violate the old man’s deepest taboo and dared not ask too much. “This daughter-in-law would not dare entertain such a thought. I only wish to give her enough food to live…”
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and asked, “You are the one whose heart cannot bear it. You are the one reluctant to part with her. You are the compassionate and kind one. Yet this old man has done the accounting, and something seems badly wrong. If Baozhu remains with the Ma Family, all you appear to have done is move your lips. The Ma Family must pay to support her. The Ma Family must provide people to serve her. Our Mingyue must suffer grievance and exclusion. The young ladies of the Ma Family suddenly gain an illegitimate girl as their sister. The Ma Family bears every loss while you claim every benefit. If this is such a virtuous and charitable deed, why not have your maiden family perform it?”
The question silenced Lady Tan as completely as if her tongue had frozen. Her face shifted between green and white for a long while before she finally stammered, “This daughter-in-law did not consider the matter thoroughly enough. Since Father has put it this way today, I will give you a firm answer. Baozhu’s allowance will come from my own share in the future, and I will assign people from among my own servants to attend her. As for her status, naturally, we can no longer call her a young lady of the Ma Family. Perhaps… perhaps we can call her my foster daughter…”
“From your own share?”
Zhu Yuanzhang repeated the words softly and suddenly laughed. Then his smile vanished. He exploded in fury and slammed his palm onto the table. “What fucking share do you have? That money comes from the Ma Family in the first place. Every scrap of food you eat and every stitch of clothing you wear comes from us. What right do you have to shamelessly tell me it will come from your share?!”
He pointed at Lady Bai and Lady Wang and sneered. “It would be one thing for Second’s wife or Third’s wife to say that. They are proper daughters-in-law whom I formally brought into this family. Their maiden families provided seventy-two full chests of dowry, and the entire city saw them depart for their weddings. They have money of their own and can speak with confidence. But you? You are a fool from a ruined household. If you had not exchanged private promises with your man, slept with him, and then performed your little routine of weeping, making scenes, and threatening to hang yourself, would you ever have married into the Ma Family?! You entered with practically nothing. Did you think I could not see through your petty schemes? You carried only a few tattered bundles across our threshold. I doubt anyone could have squeezed two ounces of oil from the lot!”
Lady Wang could not hold back and burst out laughing. Afraid of drawing attention, she hurriedly covered her mouth and turned away. Lady Bai bit her lip to suppress her own laughter.
There was a reason the old man and old lady had disliked Eldest Sister-in-law from the beginning. The Tan Family’s decline was no great issue. The Ma Family had once been poor as well and possessed far less illustrious foundations than the Tan Family. The old couple looked down on Eldest Sister-in-law purely because they despised her entire family.
As the elder sister, she had never behaved like one. Even after her parents died, she had no idea how to manage the household. If she had not found herself a capable man, the Tan Family’s remaining wealth would have been hollowed out by its stewards and servants.
Her two younger brothers were equally worthless. They refused to study and would not learn martial arts. Instead, they spent every day among painted women. Once they latched onto their brother-in-law, they committed every kind of evil under his protection.
The old couple had opposed the marriage from the beginning, but their eldest son insisted. When his parents refused absolutely, he finally laid his cards on the table: he and Lady Tan had already been physically intimate. He had to marry her, or she would hang herself outside the Ma Family’s gate.
The old couple nearly died of rage but had no choice except to swallow their resentment and agree. After all, this was their eldest son’s marriage, so they provided lavish betrothal gifts. Yet Lady Tan’s heart truly leaned entirely toward her two brothers. She brought practically nothing as her dowry and left everything else to them.
It would have been one thing if the Tan Family had been so poor they pissed blood. But its ancestors’ legacy remained, and it was still a family of comfortable means. Who was Lady Tan trying to disgust with such a display?
Lady Tan had never expected her father-in-law to show her so little mercy. Matters unmentioned for years were now dragged into the open before her husband’s brothers and their wives. Her face flushed scarlet. She lowered her head in humiliation as tears fell steadily.
“You are crying? You still have the nerve to cry?!”
Zhu Yuanzhang made no attempt to hide his contempt. “Look no farther than our own family. Look at the wives of your husband’s two full brothers, then at his younger brothers’ wives. Which of them spends all day sighing over spring and grieving over autumn, crying without end like you? You cannot manage a household. You failed to restrain your brothers. You have been no virtuous help to your husband. You spoiled your own children. In all the years since you married into the Ma Family, have you ever accomplished a single useful thing?! You came from a respectable family. Where did you learn this set of brothel tricks, always weeping, making scenes, and threatening to hang yourself, posing like some pitiful maid? You contemptible creature who steals from your husband’s family to feed your own!”
The accusations were true, but they were also exceptionally sharp and vicious.
Lady Tan had been kneeling and weeping. She raised her head in shock and asked in disbelief, “Father, how can you say such things about me?”
“Which part did I get wrong?! Were you not the one who behaved indecently before marriage? After that alone, do you still expect me to regard you as a respectable woman? Yes, it takes two. My son was no decent thing, and neither were you. You were merely two rotten creatures who took one look at each other and found a match!”
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. “Before you entered this family, my wife urged me to let the matter go rather than drive someone to death. Besides, ours was the son and the fault lay with our family. That was why I swallowed my disgust and accepted you. Had I known what would follow, I never would have arranged a proper marriage. I would have brought you in directly as a concubine instead. That would have suited all your coquettish posturing and petty ways!”
Lady Tan bit her lips until they bled. Her body trembled as though two mountains pressed upon her shoulders.
Zhu Yuanzhang scoffed. “Mingyue is your biological daughter and the rightful young lady of the Ma Family, yet you dislike her. Baozhu is Lady Tang’s illegitimate daughter, yet you treasure her. You keep claiming that you treat them equally, but is this a matter of equal treatment?! That impostor owes my granddaughter, and she must repay her! What kind of mother are you? Is your brain packed with shit? And you jumped into a well. That entire well held less water than your head!”
Lady Tan sobbed without daring to speak. She merely looked timidly at her husband for help. The Deposed Heir saw her but did not step forward or say a word.
“And then there are those two worthless brothers of yours!”
Still unsatisfied, Zhu Yuanzhang continued, “Those two bastards cannot accomplish anything and ruin everything they touch. How many vile acts have they committed by relying on your power? If you had possessed any decency, you would have restrained them. You could have made them study at home or follow Eldest and perform some practical work. What did you do instead? You indulged and favored them until they caused a catastrophe!”
A faint taste of blood already filled Lady Tan’s mouth. When she remembered the brother who had been taken away, she could endure no longer. She kowtowed repeatedly. “Father is right. This daughter-in-law knows her mistake. Please give me another chance and allow me to discipline my brother properly. I will not let him offend again!”
“Give you another chance? Dream on!”
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. “In all your years married into the Ma Family, have you ever considered yourself one of us? You pinch every coin when it comes to your husband’s family and fling gold by the handful at your maiden family. Are those two bastards your brothers or your sons? The second Tan brother is dead, and speaking of him brings bad luck, so we will set him aside. Let us discuss your eldest brother. He dared make improper advances toward someone serving his niece inside the Commandery Prince’s residence. Does he not deserve ten thousand deaths?!”
Lady Tan dared not claim before him that the maid had been the seducer, much less invent lies freely. She only begged for mercy again and again. “He was drunk and lost his senses for a moment. This daughter-in-law will discipline him properly. I beg Father to show mercy…”
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered without answering. He watched until she split her forehead against the floor tiles and blood flowed freely, then asked the Prince of Changshan, “Second, when you are drunk, do you run off and behave like this toward someone serving your niece?”
“Your son would not dare!” the Prince of Changshan hurriedly replied. “If I did, how could your son ever face his sister again?”
Zhu Yuanzhang asked the Prince of Wu’an, “Would you?”
The Prince of Wu’an shook his head vigorously. “When your son is drunk, he only wants to sleep. He could not summon the strength.”
Zhu Yuanzhang turned toward the Deposed Heir and narrowed his eyes. “Eldest?”
The Deposed Heir pressed his lips together and answered respectfully, “Your son would not dare either.”
Dark clouds gathered in Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes, his gaze cold and severe. “He was not drunk. He simply never possessed any restraint. His sister spoiled him until he believed she could smooth over anything! He is courting death!”
Lady Tan’s heart clenched, followed by a burst of agony. She was about to plead for mercy when Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly softened his voice and asked, “Do you know how your second brother died?”
Lady Tan recalled the chaos and heartbreak of the night she learned of her younger brother’s death. She shook her head woodenly. “Was he… was he not killed by bandits?”
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled gently. “No.”
Lady Tan’s expression stiffened slightly.
Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, “Do you truly believe Lady Tang is pitiable?”
A muscle twitched in Lady Tan’s face. She dared not answer.
Zhu Yuanzhang stared at her for a long while, until her legs trembled and she looked away. Only then did he order, “Attendants! Take her to see her brother, and let her meet Lady Tang as well!”
A cold smile lingered between his brows. “As his elder sister, you failed to discipline your brother and allowed him to offend time and again. I will help you discipline him. You are tenderhearted and believe Lady Tang is pitiable, so I will show mercy and let her stay beside you as a companion from now on. Are you happy?”
Lady Tan knew the old man’s meanings of “discipline” and “companion” could not be anything good. She simply did not yet know how terrible they would be. Her teeth chattered as she forced out a single answer. “Happy.”
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled in satisfaction. After some thought, he added, “Oh, your brother can remain beside you as a companion from now on as well. You need not worry about him going out and causing trouble again.”
Lady Tan trembled with terror. The inner hall was utterly silent. Only the old man remained cheerful as he waved to the attendants. “Take her away.”
Lady Tan was led out, but no one in the inner hall made a sound. The Prince of Changshan secretly glanced at Lady Bai, while Lady Wang stole a glance at her husband beside her. A chilling darkness practically poured from the Deposed Heir’s eyes, and no one dared look at him.
They all harbored the same suspicion, yet surely the old man would not be that brutal… would he?
Only Ma Mingyue did not understand. Seeing her father, uncles, and aunts all silent, she found the atmosphere strange and cautiously called, “Grandfather?”
Zhu Yuanzhang answered amiably, “Good child, what is it?”
Ma Mingyue asked softly, “What did you do to Lady Tang and my eldest uncle?”
Afraid of frightening the child, Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a moment and asked indirectly, “Do you know how your younger uncle died?”
Ma Mingyue shook her head blankly.
Everyone else’s eyelids twitched sharply.
“You do not know? Then forget it.” Zhu Yuanzhang clicked his tongue in disappointment. After another moment’s thought, he said vaguely, “I merely had them empty their minds and find another version of themselves.”
Ma Mingyue: “????”
Everyone else was speechless.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued, “Then we filled up those empty selves.”
Ma Mingyue: “????”
Everyone else was speechless.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued, “After the wind blows over them and the sun shines on them, they can keep your mother company forever.”
Ma Mingyue: “????”
Everyone else was speechless.
Lady Bai’s hands had grown cold. She took a sip of the hot tea beside her and finally felt a little better. Then she carefully reminded him, “Eldest Sister-in-law is in poor health. I fear she cannot endure such eternal companionship. Besides, she previously jumped into a well…”
The sight would haunt any normal person for life, let alone a fragile little troublemaker like Eldest Sister-in-law. Lady Tang was one thing, but after watching her brother die horribly before her eyes, Lady Tan might dash herself against a pillar and die on the spot.
“She will not.” Zhu Yuanzhang said confidently, “If she dares kill herself, I will hang Baozhu immediately afterward. I already had someone deliver the message.”
Lady Bai was speechless.
Good heavens. Eldest Sister-in-law, why could you never understand and insist on opposing the old man?!
Satisfied now?!
Lady Wang uneasily stroked the bracelet on her wrist and said softly, “Eldest Sister-in-law is in poor health. Even if she does not kill herself, I fear she will not last much longer.”
“Oh, I nearly forgot until you mentioned it.” Zhu Yuanzhang realized. “Where is Doctor Liu? Bring him here at once!”
An attendant led Doctor Liu in from outside. The physician was about to bow when Zhu Yuanzhang stopped him.
Rubbing his hands together like a fly, Zhu Yuanzhang asked eagerly, “It is nothing important. I merely want to know whether there is some drastic medicine that can extend a person’s life while causing great pain. Most importantly, it must be cheap!”
Doctor Liu was speechless.
You are asking the impossible of me!