Harassing a young lady and getting beaten up for it—if such a matter were taken to the officials, the Zhao family would gladly pay for medicine and treatment. After all, they could afford it and would gain a good reputation, while the Zhou family would become a laughingstock.
Unable to file an official complaint, Mrs. Zhou’s anger turned toward Yang Jingyuan.
“First Madam, the Zhao family may be in the right, but my Seventh Son was wrongly beaten!” Mrs. Zhou contained her anger, pulled out her handkerchief to cover her face, and cried out, “If it weren’t for your Yang Third Young Master, my son wouldn’t have been beaten like this!”
Madam Shi’s expression darkened as she coldly repeated Zhou Seventh Young Master’s words: “Wasn’t it Three Culverts’ Zhao Second Young Master who ordered the beating? What does this have to do with Third Young Master?”
“This trouble was caused by Yang Third Young Master…”
Madam Shi sat steadily in her huanghuali armchair without speaking, listening to Mrs. Zhou’s complaints as if watching a play.
Having already vented at Second Madam Yang, Mrs. Zhou’s second round of complaints had lost some steam. After speaking for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea with still no response from Madam Shi, she glared at her daughter-in-law.
Young Mistress Yang had no choice but to signal her mother with her eyes.
“Elder Sister-in-law.” Having brought everyone here, Madam Yang Zou had to maintain her stance, immediately saying, “You really must discipline Third Young Master properly. I’m not just siding with the in-laws. How can it be right for the Third Young Master to cause trouble and let Zhou Seventh Young Master take the beating?”
Madam Shi’s hands, which had been resting quietly on her knees, finally moved slightly. She admired the fresh nail polish on her fingers and spoke leisurely: “I understand Mrs. Zhou’s words. So it seems Zhou Seventh Young Master was beaten to this state because of my Third Young Master.”
“My Seventh Son is just simple-minded. Yang Third Young Master wanted to harass that young lady—what did it have to do with him? As soon as Yang’s Third Young Master instigated him, he foolishly helped block her path. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been chased and beaten.” Mrs. Zhou looked at Zhou Seventh Young Master’s multicolored face and wiped away more tears.
Just then, Yang Jingyuan arrived.
He too wore a new purple brocade robe with small floral patterns, and a matching jade-studded ribbon across his forehead, making his complexion appear jade-like. A full head taller than Zhou Seventh Young Master, he cut a handsome, spirited figure as he stood in the hall.
Comparing him to her son, Mrs. Zhou felt even worse: “First Madam, look, just look at him… oh, my poor Seventh Son!”
Yang Jingyuan couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of Zhou Seventh Young Master: “My goodness, Seventh Young Master, your face looks like a dye shop! Were you beaten that badly?”
Zhou Seventh Young Master, burning with shame and anger, jumped up and shouted: “Why didn’t you pull me along when you ran?”
Yang Jingyuan laughed, shrugging his shoulders: “If I’d pulled you along, could I have escaped? Didn’t you see over a hundred people against our dozen or so? Lucky I ran fast, otherwise I’d have a dye shop on my face just like you.”
“Listen to that! Yang Third Young Master admits it himself! The Seventh Son was beaten because of him. Yet he just ran away by himself. Madam, you must give me an explanation today!” Mrs. Zhou was furious.
From the moment Yang Jingyuan entered, the ice in Madam Shi’s eyes had completely melted. As if she hadn’t heard Mrs. Zhou’s roar, she smiled and beckoned to Yang Jingyuan: “My son, come to mother.”
Yang Jingyuan gave a smiling bow and walked to Madam Shi’s side.
Madam Shi took his hand and her sharp eyes caught sight of a bruise. Knowing it was from fighting, she felt distressed: “Does it hurt?”
“Didn’t hurt while fighting, but hurts afterward.”
Madam Shi immediately instructed Xueqing: “Go call a physician to examine Third Young Master’s injuries. Tell the kitchen to prepare blood-nourishing, restorative dishes for Third Young Master these days. Oh, since Third Young Master is injured, bring the sedan chair. Later, send him back to Mingyue Residence.”
Even Yang Jingyuan’s thick skin couldn’t quite maintain composure, and he suppressed a laugh while quietly reminding Madam Shi: “Mother, my legs aren’t injured.”
Madam Shi justified herself: “The main courtyard is too far from Mingyue Residence. You’ve been frightened and injured—don’t tire yourself walking.”
Yang Jingyuan agreed with a grin, not forgetting to raise his eyebrows at Zhou Seventh Young Master in triumph, making the latter grind his teeth in anger.
The hall fell silent, and the mother-son conversation reached everyone’s ears. Mrs. Zhou nearly fainted. It was just a peanut-sized bruise on his hand—yet they called for a physician and arranged a sedan chair? Is your Third Young Master a precious treasure while my Seventh Son is just a clod of dirt?
Madam Yang Zou also lost her composure. My Sister-in-law was giving her the cold shoulder too. How could she show so little respect for the Second Branch? With a dark face, she said: “Elder Sister-in-law, now that Third Young Master is here, shouldn’t you give Madam In-law an explanation?”
Madam Shi patted Yang Jingyuan’s hand, signaling him not to worry. She raised an eyebrow and said irritably: “Sister-in-law, what do you mean? There were over a hundred men—did you expect my Third Young Master to fight them all alone to save Zhou Seventh Young Master? Do you take my Third Young Master for a fool? I’m just grateful he ran fast enough.”
“It was Yang Third Young Master harassing the young lady that caused this trouble, implicating my Seventh Son.” Mrs. Zhou’s voice trembled, “First Madam, are you saying my Seventh Son should just accept his bad luck?”
“Mother, it was Zhou Seventh Young Master who wanted to harass her, it had nothing to do with me!” Yang Jingyuan said dissatisfied.
Zhou Seventh Young Master refused to take the blame, shouting: “It was you, it was you, you threw the stone into the water first!”
Yang Jingyuan scoffed: “I just threw a stone into the river. I didn’t rush forward to block her path. I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen and rushed forward to get taught a lesson—who can you blame?”
“Third Young Master!”
Hearing Madam Shi speak, Yang Jingyuan snorted and stopped arguing with Zhou Seventh Young Master.
“Madam In-law, I know you care for Seventh Young Master. Who doesn’t care for their child? It’s just a small dispute between children. Not worth getting angry over. You must also understand my feelings as a mother. How about this?”
Seeing Madam Shi’s sincere expression, Mrs. Zhou contained her anger to hear how she would handle it.
“The Yang family will cover all of Zhou Seventh Young Master’s medical expenses. Is Mrs. Zhou satisfied?”
Just paying for some medicine to dismiss her? Mrs. Zhou was so angry she nearly fell backward: “The Zhou family isn’t short of money! First Madam, if you don’t discipline Yang Third Young Master today, this matter between the Zhou and Yang families isn’t over!”
“How isn’t it over?!” Madam Shi looked at Mrs. Zhou with a cold smile, “Madam In-law, Zhou Seventh Young Master wasn’t beaten by my Third Young Master. The Yang family is willing to pay for medicine only because our families are connected by marriage. You say Zhou Seventh Young Master was kicked into the river for helping my Third Young Master block the young lady’s path. Heh, how can one help with such things? Harassing a young lady is just for fun. Your Seventh Son went forward to block the young lady’s path and got his fun—surely you don’t expect my Third Young Master to go forward and take a kick into the river too?”
Mrs. Zhou was left speechless, momentarily not knowing how to argue. She reached out and pinched her daughter-in-law hard.
Young Mistress Yang winced in pain but forced herself to speak for the Zhou family: “First Aunt, Third Young Master shouldn’t have abandoned Seventh Young Master. He returned home unscathed, but look at my Seventh Brother’s miserable state!”
Madam Shi’s face darkened: “First Young Mistress, you married into the Zhou family and are now one of them, so it’s right for you to speak for them. As your aunt, I’ll forgive you this time for speaking out of turn in the presence of elders.”
With Madam Shi’s rebuke, Young Mistress Yang fell silent and covered her face, wiping away tears.
Second Madam couldn’t stand it anymore: “Elder Sister-in-law, blame me if you must! What else can we expect when the Second Branch has so little standing in the family that we can’t even speak up?”
She too pulled out her handkerchief and began crying.
Yang Jingyuan couldn’t take it anymore. They always pushed everything onto him—no wonder Second Miss Ji taught them a lesson. This wasn’t the first time they tried to make him take the blame; did they think he was easy to push around? He strode over and lifted Zhou Seventh Young Master from his chair: “Tell the truth, didn’t I warn you not to harass her?”
With his mother present, Zhou Seventh Young Master stuck out his neck and shouted: “No! You just enjoyed watching me make a fool of myself!”
Seeing her son dangling like a chick in Yang Jingyuan’s hand, Mrs. Zhou was terrified: “Don’t hurt my Seventh Son!”
Yang Jingyuan tossed Zhou Seventh Young Master back into his chair and lifted his chin: “Right, I caused the trouble that got Zhou Seventh Young Master beaten. I even ran away. What are you going to do about it?”
Immediately, Mrs. Zhou, Madam Yang Zou, Young Mistress Yang, and Zhou Seventh Young Master all looked at Madam Shi. Their faces clearly said: He’s admitted it, hurry up and bring out the punishment rod.
“Would beating my Third Young Master heal Zhou Seventh Young Master’s injuries?” Madam Shi stood up and said disdainfully, “Mrs. Zhou, let me say something unpleasant. Even if my Third Young Master caused the trouble, blame your Seventh Son for being stupid and slow, and his servants for failing to protect him. I’m busy with household affairs, so I won’t keep you. Xueqing takes two hundred taels of silver from the treasury to comfort Zhou Young Master. Someone, send Third Young Master back to rest and recover.”
After speaking, Madam Shi left with all the maids and servants in tow.
Yang Jingyuan made a face at Zhou Seventh Young Master, got into the sedan chair outside, and left.
“Fine, fine, you Shi!” Mrs. Zhou collapsed into her chair, breathing heavily.
Madam Yang Zou was dumbfounded. She had guessed Madam Shi wouldn’t punish Yang Third Young Master but hadn’t expected her to show any face at all to herself and Mrs. Zhou.
With Madam Shi gone, she still had to comfort Mrs. Zhou for her daughter’s sake. Madam Yang Zou contained her anger and said: “Madam In-law, you’ve seen it yourself. Yang Third Young Master is spoiled beyond control by my elder sister-in-law. In the future, don’t let Seventh Young Master associate with him to avoid being implicated.”
Mrs. Zhou shook off her hand and said angrily: “Your Yang family goes too far! Just you wait!”
Without even calling for her daughter-in-law, she pulled her son along and left directly.
Young Mistress Yang stood stunned for a while, looked at her mother, and cried with her face covered: “Mother, mother-in-law abandoned me and left.”
“Useless thing!” Madam Yang Zou jabbed her finger hard at her daughter, arranged for people to send her daughter back by carriage, and spat words through gritted teeth, “I don’t believe that old witch can run the household forever!”