Chapter 27 Tofu Dropped in Ashes

Chapter 27: Tofu Dropped in the Ashes

"You cursed wretch, you took so much silver from your ma and still aren't satisfied? You had to clean her out completely before you'd stop, and you didn't even think to leave—"

"And you didn't even think to leave some for your bastard sons and daughters? Sorry, not sorry—what do they have to do with me, or with my mom?"

Master Xi's beard practically curled up in fury: "Those are my sons and daughters! Your mother, as their legal mother, must fulfill her maternal duty! Your mother has been completely brainwashed by you, giving all her silver to you, this worthless good-for-nothing!"

Xi Qianyue laughed instead of getting angry: "Pretty mad, aren't you? Your bastards and concubines are all mad too, huh? Good, get mad! That's the whole point! I'm not leaving a thing for you!"

Master Xi was genuinely about to lose his mind. He couldn't understand how his once-docile daughter had seemingly gone crazy.

He then turned to Zeng Shi: "Are you crazy too, just like this good-for-nothing? This boy—I don't recognize him as my son!"

"Whether you recognize him or not doesn't matter. Bottom line, he's my legitimate son. If you refuse to recognize him, then the father's name field will just be left blank."

Having just heard her husband call her beloved daughter a "good-for-nothing," how could Zeng Shi feel the slightest guilt toward him?

"You've married into the Marquis's household—the sky's the limit for you. Why are you still bothering with the Xi family's petty little profits?"

Seeing that Zeng Shi was unmoved, Master Xi trained his sights on Xi Qianyue, hoping her conscience would kick in.

"Well, I'm going to dump my entire fortune into that black hole of the Marquis's household, help them get back on their feet, and then dutifully raise my husband's bastard sons and daughters, being a virtuous wife and good mother..."

Master Xi's eyes bulged. This was beyond comprehension.

"Is there water in your brain? You actually want to fill that black hole! You're willingly lowering yourself!"

"That's right—I'm learning from my mom, filling the Xi family's black hole and raising bastard sons and daughters. What's wrong with that? So you know it's degrading yourself?!"

Beaten at his own game, Master Xi was left speechless.

"You double-standard hypocrite!"

"What did you say, you little brat?" Master Xi didn't understand, but he knew it was nothing good.

"What's so wrong with my mom leaving all her property to me? The rest goes to this little brother of mine. This brother is clever, lively, and grateful—unlike those ungrateful ingrates who can never be satisfied."

Xi Qianyue then turned to Zeng Shi: "Let's go, Mom. We've made an appointment with the clan chief and the elders. If Master Xi doesn't want to come, fine. Let him go keep his bastard sons and daughters company."

"You cursed wretch, you won't even call me Dad!" Master Xi roared again.

"You've already called me a good-for-nothing—what am I supposed to call you then? Since you've said it, I might as well live up to the name you gave me. What's the harm in making it real?"

Nanny Li and Zeng Shi clicked their tongues in amazement. How had Qianyue gotten so fierce? Would she anger her father into a stroke or something?

But Zeng Shi said nothing, picked up Xun Geer herself, and headed for the ancestral hall.

Just as they stepped out of the courtyard gate, a whole crowd came swarming over—the concubines leading the bastard sons and daughters.

"Big sister, how could you do this? If you're choosing a legitimate son, you should choose Zhixing or Zhiyuan—at least they're the master's own flesh and blood! But this child is neither kith nor kin to us..."

Concubine Tao's face was still swollen. Combined with her anxious expression, Xi Qianyue found it quite...

"Don't talk nonsense in front of my son. This is my legitimate son, and I won't allow you to provoke him. I've let it slide before, but from now on, if you show any disrespect to Xun Geer, I will use my authority as the head wife and punish you severely."

Zeng Shi's face was icy cold. Once her love for Master Xi had faded, she became clear-eyed and cold-hearted—no longer the woman who was all smiles and gentleness with the concubines.

"Don't you know the difference between legitimate and illegitimate? Why aren't you hopping around anymore? We're about to open the ancestral hall—you concubines and bastards shouldn't tag along, lest the clan chief say my father has no manners."

Xi Qianyue added more fuel to the fire again.

Xi Zhixing glared at her hatefully: "Big sister, are you afraid that when I grow up, I'll take your stuff? Is that why you want to eliminate me?"

Xi Qianyue was momentarily surprised: "Have you been reading too many novels? Eliminate you? You're beneath my notice. Just stick with your mother and don't go after my mom's stuff. As for anything else, I can't be bothered."

"Eldest Miss, Zhixing is your own blood brother—how can you..."

Before she could finish, Xi Qianyue gave a cold sneer: "All of you are so noisy—did we not hit you hard enough last time, or what? Don't you all want this old man? My mom doesn't even want him—he's all yours. Go fight over him, but don't make a racket in front of the three of us."

Such blunt talk-back left all the concubines red in the face. Even Master Xi had an uncomfortable look on his.

They were indeed always preening and fighting over Master Xi, and had even mouthed off in front of Zeng Shi, the head wife. If they could catch a glimpse of pain in Zeng Shi's eyes, they'd be even more smug.

Now, Miss Xi had bluntly stated that the three of them didn't want this... old man, and told them to go fight over him. It took all the fun out of it.

And Miss Xi was already married—even Master Xi couldn't easily discipline her anymore. Scolding her was useless; she'd fire back ten words for every one of yours.

Beating her was even more out of the question—no one knew how she'd gotten so many martial-arts-trained people.

She could hit others, but there was absolutely no way anyone could hit her.

Punish her? Make her kneel, starve her, punish her...? She'd only respond with a big sneer.

Earnest advice? Carrot and stick? Kind words? Playing the victim?

None of it worked. She'd just find them noisy.

She was a total wild card! Like tofu dropped in ashes—can't pat it, can't hit it.

Zeng Shi also let a faint smile show: "Husband, do whatever you want. I have silver, a legitimate son and daughter, and my position as the head wife of the Xi family! I'll live just fine—no need for you to worry. And of course, I won't concern myself with your affairs anymore. You run the Xi family business well on your own—my brothers will only be helping me from now on."

"How can that be! Husband and wife are one body—why are you being so cold and distant with me?"

Master Xi panicked. The Xi family business depended heavily on the Zeng family.

If Zeng Shi no longer wanted her family to help him, how much would he lose?

"To the ancestral hall." Zeng Shi said no more and turned to leave without hesitation.

Master Xi, with his lifeline in her grip, turned back to scold the other women: "What are you following for? Have you no manners?"

He quickened his pace to catch up, wearing a fawning smile.

Xi Qianyue sighed to herself. Mother should have done this a long time ago. She always wanted to make up with Master Xi, thinking of their years together, giving in again and again... Did it do any good?

Only self-interest works!

At the ancestral hall, the clan chief and the clan elders were already there.

Because Xi Qianyue had married into the Marquis's household, they were all smiles and courtesy toward her.

Seeing that both Master Xi and Zeng Shi had no objections, they smoothly registered Xi Qianxun as their legitimate son.

After the matter was settled, Master Xi was seen following Zeng Shi back to the main courtyard.

Zeng Shi found it ironic: "Husband, don't you have business to attend to?"