Chapter 128

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty: Harvest (Part Two)

Having been married for over a decade, they were already familiar with each other in every way.

As Xu Lingning's imposing demeanor faded, the Third Madam immediately noticed it.

The slight guilt and fear she had felt earlier vanished without a trace.

She rushed at him: "You hit me, you hit me... I bore your children, I managed the household for you, and you actually hit me..." Despite her words, her hands dared not land on Xu Lingning's face. Afraid of being discovered, she grabbed his arm instead.

The stinging pain brought Xu Lingning back to his senses.

He grabbed the Third Madam's hand and lowered his voice: "Enough. Do you want everyone to find out?"

"Doesn't everyone already know about it?" The Third Madam's eyes welled up with tears, "What is there to fear!"

"You know what you did was shameful!" Xu Lingning looked at his disheveled wife and pulled her towards the door, "Clean yourself up, and we'll go apologize to the elder madam."

Standing by the window, Sister Autumn Silk listened in fear and quickly gestured to the maids and older women standing far away in the covered walkway.

The maids and older women immediately retreated quietly.

Sister Autumn Silk thought for a moment, then went to close the moon gate. She turned to the maids and older women standing in the courtyard and said, "All of you, go back to your rooms and shut the doors tightly. If I find anyone peeking, I'll report it to the madam immediately!" Her voice was unusually harsh.

The maids and older women exchanged glances, all responding with "Yes," and each returned to their rooms, closing the doors.

Sister Autumn Silk shook her head lightly and stood guard at the entrance of the main hall.

Meanwhile, the Third Madam, hearing Xu Lingning's words, felt her heart drop.

"Shameful? What shameful thing did I do? Who in this family doesn't have their own little plans? Did I steal or rob? Is what I did shameful? What about the Second and Fifth branches? They openly opened shops on West and East Streets. That's considered proper, and what I did is shameful? Your Xu family just looks down on my humble background and steps on me when something happens!" She grew more agitated as she spoke, "Shall we go confront the elder madam? Let's see what shameful thing I did? Those refugees, as long as they have food, what difference does it make between June snow and moldy rice? It's not just our family dealing with moldy rice? Do you think the Marquis of Weibei's family is so clean? What I did was just to save some money for the Xu family—what's so shameful about that?"

"You're still making excuses!" Xu Lingning's face turned livid with anger, "Can our family be compared to those other families? Our family is connected to the imperial family? If this is discovered, it won't end well? We could even lose our titles..."

"Imperial family! Imperial family! All you know is 'imperial family.'"

The resentment that had been buried deep in the Third Madam's heart could no longer be suppressed, "When things are good, we don't benefit, but when things go bad, we have to suffer together. Why? Why? I want to split the family! You're a concubine's son, by the rules we should have been independent long ago. Why should we stay here, acting as the green leaves to make them look good?" She wiped the corners of her eyes and cried softly, "Have I had an easy time these years? My father was a concubine's son, and my uncle, for the sake of face, refused to split the family, but only gave us twenty taels of silver each year. With the family's large expenses and social obligations, it was never enough. When I got married, my mother emptied the family treasury to save face for me. On the day I returned home, the jewelry my mother wore was borrowed from my fifth aunt... When I married into your family, I couldn't compete with the Second Madam, I couldn't compete with the Eldest Miss, I wasn't qualified to compete with Dan County, and now I can't even speak my mind freely to that little Eleven Miss? Am I any less than anyone else? Am I inferior to anyone else? What the Second Madam can do, what the Eldest Miss can do, haven't I done just as well?"

The Third Madam's words struck a nerve with Xu Lingning.

He was the son of a concubine. Although the elder madam treated him well, when the weather was hot and she brought out a bowl of chilled plum water, the maids would always serve Lord Xu and Xu Lingkuan first... He had always wanted to live independently, and he had never let his concubines have children, not wanting his own children to suffer the same awkwardness. When the Xu family was in trouble, he deliberately didn't contribute his share of the silver, hoping the elder madam would kick him out. But seeing the usually shrewd and capable elder madam lying weakly in bed, hearing Lord Xu call him "Third Brother," he changed his mind... His wife, though fierce and bold, had always been gentle and considerate towards him, and caring towards their children. She had only wanted to live independently, free from the judgmental eyes of others, having spent her life in the Gan family watching others' expressions... In truth, it was he who had wronged her!

Xu Lingning thought, growing more despondent: "I've wronged you, but you can't do something like this to disgrace the Xu family!" His voice was filled with both helplessness and despair.

Seeing her husband's pitiful state, the Third Madam's already burning anger flared even higher.

"Have I reached this point for my own sake? When my younger brother got married, besides the Xu family's gift, I only privately added twenty taels of silver. Being unwelcome in both my natal and marital families, what is it all for? Isn't it all for you, Third Young Master? For Brother Qin and Brother Jian!" Her voice grew louder, "Do you know how much a house in Baoda Lane costs? Do you know how much a house in Huanghua Lane costs? Do you know how much a house in Xianyi Lane costs? Don't forget, you have two sons! Are you going to let them live at the foot of Luoye Mountain?" She grew more indignant as she spoke, "You always say that children will have their own fortunes, that they should study hard and earn their own merits, not only not needing help from the family, but even helping the family in return. So everyone knows you have good sons. But is earning merits that easy? Look at my father, who took the exams for over twenty years and only became a provincial scholar. And look at you, why didn't you continue to take the exams? Wasn't it because Father said that people like us don't need it? They don't need it, but we can't even get it!" Thinking of this, her grievances poured out, and she began to mock sarcastically, "But then again, it's my fault. Who made my father a poor scholar who repeatedly failed the exams? Who made me not have a dowry like Dan County's? Who made me not have my own money to support you in keeping actresses?"

Before she could finish, Xu Lingning jumped up: "Talk about yourself, why drag others into it!" His voice was very cold.

For a moment, the Third Madam thought it was Lord Xu speaking...

She paused, coldly "hmm"ed, and ultimately didn't bring it up again.

"What do we do now?" Xu Lingning slumped into the armchair, "Fourth Brother has given me until noon tomorrow to sort everything out and give him an explanation!"

The Third Madam thought of her husband not returning home last night, saying he was going to settle accounts with the chief steward. She had thought he was dragged off by the stewards coming to pay their respects to drink and enjoy himself. Little did she know he was actually settling accounts... She realized the seriousness of the situation and couldn't help but anxiously say, "Isn't he the one who cares most about face? How could he..."

So that's why his wife acted so recklessly?

Xu Lingning's brows were etched with weariness.

Third Madam stood there, her face alternating between green and white.

After a long pause, she gritted her teeth: "Let's go see Elder Madam! I'll take responsibility for what I've done, and I won't drag anyone else into it!" She added, "Isn't the money I saved still in the ledger?" She continued, "Isn't this all about saving a bit of money?" There was one more thing she didn't say aloud—after all, she was the mother of Brother Qin and Brother Jian, and Elder Madam would surely give them some face for their sake.

What's the big deal if I stop managing this household!

On the other hand, if it had been a month ago, she would have been reluctant to give up this position where she was welcomed and respected wherever she went, and where everyone would carefully gauge her mood before speaking. But now it was different. She hadn't realized the rice business had so many tricks and such great profits. No wonder her aunts were all trying to find ways to do business... "After all, I'm now relying on the Yongping Marquis's name, which is inconvenient. If only..."

Her mind raced. Xu Lingning, however, sighed softly: "Now, there's no other way!"

Suddenly, someone knocked on the window: "Third Young Master, Third Madam, Yongping Marquis has arrived!"

It was Autumn Silk's panicked voice.

Caught off guard, the couple exchanged a startled glance.

Xu Lingning, being a man and having managed the Xu family's affairs for years, was experienced and quickly composed himself. He said in a deep voice, "Please come in quickly," then turned to instruct Third Madam, "Go and tidy up."

Third Madam flusteredly said "Oh" and hurried into the inner chamber. Finding it empty, she remembered that the maids and older women had retreated after seeing the couple's tense looks. She ran out to call Autumn Silk.

Autumn Silk had already opened the main hall door and instructed the maids to welcome Lord Xu and prepare tea. Hearing Third Madam call her, she knew Third Madam wanted to freshen up. She responded and personally led the maids who usually attended her, bringing water into the inner chamber. From a distance, Lord Xu saw Third Madam's door tightly shut. Remembering that he had given Xu Lingning until noon the next day to clarify matters, he guessed the couple must have had a quarrel. He knocked on the door and deliberately slowed his steps, giving Third Madam time to retreat.

At this point, what more was there to say!

Seeing Lord Xu, Xu Lingning couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Fourth Brother, have a seat!"

Lord Xu, however, smiled and said, "Never mind, I won't stay. Fan Weigang is back and has invited us to a play. It's freezing, and I see Third Brother isn't busy. Why not come along?"

Xu Lingning was stunned.

"It's been a long time since we brothers had a chance to talk alone," Lord Xu said directly. "Since Weigang is hosting, let's go grab a drink." Xu Lingning understood that Lord Xu wanted to speak with him privately.

But why the urgency, and with such a flawless excuse... What was he planning?

The thought crossed his mind, and he felt a deep sense of melancholy.

Even if he had a plan, what could he do? After all, the fault lay with him!

He stood up and instructed the maid beside him, "I'm going out for a drink with the Marquis. Inform the madam!"

The maid hurried to the inner chamber, and Xu Lingning grabbed a cloak: "Let's go!"

Lord Xu looked at his slightly disheveled brother and remembered how he had led him to catch crickets in the backyard as a child. He thought of the bitterly cold snowy day after their father's death when they stood together at the entrance of Luo family's alley waiting for Elder Luo to return from his duties... He couldn't help but softly call out, "Third Brother, your hair is messy. Let the maids help you tidy it up."

Xu Lingning touched his temples and remained silent for a long time, his eyes glistening with moisture.

He thought of the year their father died, when they stood together at the entrance of Luo family's alley waiting for Elder Luo to return from his duties. His younger brother, who had not yet inherited the title of Yongping Marquis, stood silently beside him and said to him, who was stomping his feet from the cold, "Third Brother, don't worry, I will definitely make you proud. I'll make sure people only smile when they see you, and only dare to smile..."

What had he thought at that time? What had he said?

He hadn't believed it.

But he hadn't wanted to dismiss his brother's determination, so he nodded seriously: "Alright! I'll look forward to the day when my Fourth Brother brings me honor. Then we brothers will strut through Yanjing."

When had those days disappeared?