Chapter 280: Sisterly Love

Chapter 280: Sisterly Love

Zhao Yiniang was scolded harshly and told to get lost.

But Zhao Yiniang was not willing to give up.

After returning to her guest courtyard, she saw Nan Xia sitting quietly, lost in thought, which made her even more furious.

"Why are you still sitting here? Come with me to beg the old lady to change her mind and invite the people from Duke Zhao's household back to discuss your marriage proposal!"

Nan Xia looked up at her mother.

Today, she learned that Duke Zhao's household had come to propose marriage, and she was terrified.

She didn't want to marry into Duke Zhao's household.

Especially not as a concubine.

The daughters of the Tong family, her two older sisters, were all married as proper wives.

Even though her second sister married a commoner, she was still the main wife, not a concubine.

The Tong family didn't place much importance on lineage; their daughters rarely became concubines.

Most importantly, she really didn't want to marry Zhao Yanshu.

Fortunately, her grandmother had refused.

"Why are you still daydreaming here!" Zhao Yiniang, seeing Nan Xia silent, became even angrier and poked her head hard. "That's Duke Zhao's household, the foremost of the four great ducal households! A fortune is about to fall on you, the kind of luck you'd only get after several lifetimes as a pig or a sheep! What are you thinking!"

Nan Xia, hurt by her mother's poking, felt even more heartbroken. She thought of all the past incidents, the usual scolding from her mother, and a wave of frustration surged in her chest, making her eyes red. "That's being a concubine!"

"So what if it's being a concubine! I'm a concubine too!" Zhao Yiniang sneered. "Do you think you can be a proper wife? Why don't you take a look at yourself in the mirror, do you even deserve it?"

"You're just a lowly concubine's daughter, a minor branch of the family. A noble young master has taken a fancy to you, offering to make you his concubine, how is that a slight? Do you think you're Tong Nanyuan or Lu Lingyun? Born with a silver spoon, coming from the main wife's womb, destined to be the mistress of a noble household!"

"You're just a lowly girl from my womb! I'm a concubine, and you'll be a lowly concubine too! A lifetime of serving others, living under the thumb of the main wife, a lowly concubine!"

Zhao Yiniang became more and more agitated, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets, wishing she could trample Nan Xia into the mud.

If she could be a concubine, why couldn't her daughter!

At that moment, her door was kicked open with a bang, and a clear female voice rang out.

"Is this how a mother should act!" Tong Nanyuan suddenly appeared.

She stormed in with her maids and nannies, glanced at the tearful Nan Xia, and strode over to her. Right in front of her, she slapped Zhao Yiniang twice across the face.

"Today, I'm telling you, no matter how lowly Nan Xia is, she's still a young miss of the household, a proper mistress. What are you, daring to scold her! Slap! Slap!"

"You're a concubine, you're lowly, but Nan Xia is not! These slaps are for your lowliness!"

"Always stirring up trouble, spreading rumors, these slaps are for your meddling!"

"As a mother, not caring about your daughter's well-being, pushing her to be a concubine, these slaps are for your failure as a mother!"

Slap! Slap! Slap! The crisp sounds of slapping echoed as Zhao Yiniang was hit repeatedly, making her stagger.

Tong Nanyuan slapped until her own hand hurt, finally venting her anger. She then turned to the stunned Nan Xia and pulled her up. "From now on, you'll live with me, with our grandmother!"

She dragged Tong Nanxia away forcefully, and as soon as Tong Nanxia left the courtyard, a heart-wrenching wail came from inside the house.

"Ah! My Nanxia!"

But this time, Tong Nanxia didn’t stop or even glance back at her mother.

When they both arrived at Lu Lingyun's residence, Tong Nanyuan turned to Tong Nanxia and praised, "You finally didn’t put me in a tough spot today."

If Tong Nanxia had still taken her mother’s side, Tong Nanyuan would’ve been furious.

Today, she finally got to let off some steam.

Hearing this, Tong Nanxia was suddenly overwhelmed with sadness. Her eyes instantly welled up, and tears started streaming down her face.

"Why are you crying again? No one’s going to bully you here!" Tong Nanyuan said disdainfully.

Tong Nanxia couldn’t stop crying, sobbing, "I thought you, Third Sister, would never forgive me."

"I was mad at you, but you’re still my sister!" Tong Nanyuan wiped her tears, "What bad luck to have such a useless sister, always getting pushed around by concubines and servants! Totally helpless!"

Tong Nanxia laughed through her tears, "Third Sister, how did you come?"

"Of course, it was Cousin who sent me. She said your mother would definitely give you a hard time today."

Tong Nanyuan had a heart of gold. Although she often scolded Tong Nanxia, she still couldn’t let her go. Today, when Wang Peirong came to discuss the marriage proposal and heard that Tong Nanxia was to become a concubine, she immediately became anxious.

Tong Nanxia was as soft as dough, and she was to marry into a high-ranking family as a concubine. She wouldn’t even know how she’d be mistreated.

Luckily, her grandmother had some sense and turned down the proposal. Just as she sighed in relief, Lu Lingyun told her Tong Nanxia would have a rough time these past few days.

Just as Lu Lingyun predicted, the moment she went to Zhao Yiniang’s place, she heard her cursing like crazy.

"Cousin..."

"From now on, stop siding with your mother. Stick with me and Cousin. We’re the ones who’ll look out for you."

Tong Nanxia’s eyes welled up again, thinking about how cold Lu Lingyun had been to her, "I thought Cousin despised me."

"Who wouldn’t get fed up with your indecisiveness! Even though your mother treats you so badly, why can’t you just leave her! Even though we’re all trying to help you, you still work against us. With that kind of foolishness, who’d want to like you!"

Tong Nanxia hung her head deeply.

"Alright, now you know who the good people are, come with me."

Tong Nanxia pursed her lips slightly, "Yes."

Tong Nanxia moved into Lu Lingyun’s residence.

For the past few days, she’s been avoiding Zhao Yiniang altogether.

After not seeing Zhao Yiniang, she visibly became much happier.

Outside Lu Lingyun's residence, Lady Qin and others were still waiting for news from the Duke of Liu's residence, but for several days, there was no word.

As time passed, everyone became increasingly anxious.

Today, after finishing her meal in Lu Lingyun's residence, Tong Nanxia was strolling outside when she encountered Cheng Qi, who was in a hurry.

He was walking very quickly, and a handkerchief fell from his body.

Tong Nanxia quickly called out, "Tong Er Ye?"

Cheng Qi didn't hear her and kept striding toward Ningxin Courtyard.

When she realized she couldn't catch up with Cheng Qi, Tong Nanxia picked up his handkerchief and paused. She studied the handkerchief embroidered with orchids in front of her, a flicker of confusion crossing her mind. Cheng Qi uses a handkerchief like this?

But soon, she recalled how Cheng Qi had picked up her handkerchief that day, and her pulse quickened. A smile crept onto her face.

At that moment, a voice snapped from behind her, "So that's why you, a lowly girl, turned down the offer to be a concubine... So your heart belongs to someone else! How could you be so brazen and disgraceful!"