The young woman’s voice wasn’t soft like Concubine Kang’s, but rather had the crisp boldness of a market woman.
Old Madam Ren didn’t respond immediately. After a period of silence in the outer room, she was finally heard saying coolly: “I don’t deserve such courtesy.”
Sister-in-law Kang immediately laughed: “You do deserve it, you do! You’re the old ancestor—there’s nothing you don’t deserve.”
This Sister-in-law Kang, seemed to have a formidable personality, but she was still somewhat restrained in front of Old Madam Ren. Old Madam Ren was deliberately giving her a cold shoulder, so she spoke with underlying unease.
This was exactly the effect Old Madam Ren wanted. She immediately interrupted Sister-in-law Kang coolly: “I have other guests coming later. If there’s nothing urgent, you may withdraw first. Nanny Gui, have the kitchen prepare a table of food for the Kang family visitors to eat before they leave.”
Old Madam Ren was sending them away.
Sister-in-law Kang had finally managed to see the person in charge—how could she be willing to leave? She immediately smiled apologetically: “Old Ancestor, this humble woman has matters to request an audience with you.”
“What matters do you have?”
“This… could you have the people around you withdraw first?” Sister-in-law Kang seemed somewhat hesitant.
Old Madam Ren paused: “No need. Speak.”
The servants and maids remaining by Old Madam Ren’s side were all her confidants.
Seeing Old Madam Ren say this, Sister-in-law Kang didn’t insist further, only saying: “How is my sister-in-law doing?”
Old Madam Ren didn’t speak. Nanny Gui, who was attending nearby, said: “Our Old Madam treats Concubine Kang very well. If you’re worried, you can go see her.”
Sister-in-law Kang quickly said, “No, no, I’m not worried. What kind of family is the Ren family? How could they mistreat my sister-in-law?”
“If that’s the case, Sister-in-law Kang, why have you come?” It was still Nanny Gui speaking for Old Madam Ren.
Sister-in-law Kang smiled: “I’ve come to take my sister-in-law back to her maternal home.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the outer room fell silent. Even Ren Yaoqi and the others in the inner room paused slightly in their needlework.
“Concubine Kang is still weak, and it’s inconvenient for her to return home to visit relatives now. Moreover, she’s still a concubine of our Ren family. If she wants to return, she should first get permission from our Old Madam and her mistress, Fifth Madam. Otherwise, wouldn’t that break all the rules?” Nanny Gui said.
Nanny Gui thought the Kang family believed their daughter had been wronged by the Ren family, so they were making this scene to stand up for their daughter. But Concubine Kang was just a concubine—even if she had miscarried, it had nothing to do with the Kang family. Nanny Gui was reminding Sister-in-law Kang to recognize Concubine Kang’s status.
Old Madam Ren thought the same.
Unexpectedly, Sister-in-law Kang said, “That’s not what I mean. What I mean is… since our sister-in-law lost her child, she’s too embarrassed to remain at the Ren family. I’ve come to take her home.”
“Preposterous!” Old Madam Ren lost her temper and scolded: “What do you think our Ren family is? A theater troupe? Come when you want, leave when you want?”
Nanny Gui quickly stepped forward to comfort Old Madam Ren, serving tea and water.
Sister-in-law Kang was just an ordinary market woman. Seeing Old Madam Ren’s anger, she was still somewhat frightened and forced a smile: “Old Madam, please don’t be angry. I’m doing this for the good of your Ren family, too.”
Old Madam Ren snorted coldly.
Sister-in-law Kang stammered: “Originally, our sister-in-law being able to enter the Ren family’s door was her good fortune, and our whole family was happy for her. But… but yesterday, my mother-in-law’s family suddenly came looking for us. My mother-in-law is no longer alive, but her family’s surname is Liu, is also from Jizhou. They’re from the neighboring county, and since it’s not too far, we’ve maintained contact with them regularly. But when they stated their purpose yesterday, it gave us quite a shock—”
Sister-in-law Kang had reached this point when someone else came running hurriedly from outside, interrupting her words.
Old Madam Ren was already somewhat impatient listening to Sister-in-law Kang’s rambling explanation. Hearing the hurried footsteps coming to report, she said coldly: “What’s happened now?”
This time, it was another servant who entered.
“Old Madam, those Liu family people outside are making trouble again, saying if our Ren family and the Kang family don’t give them an explanation, they… they’ll go report to the authorities!”
At these words, everyone in the room was shocked.
Old Madam Ren was so angry she laughed: “An explanation? What explanation does our Ren family owe them? Strangers with no connection to us, yet they dare to be so presumptuous! Go, throw them all out!”
Just as the servant was about to comply, Sister-in-law Kang quickly intervened: “Old Ancestor, please calm your anger—you can’t throw them out! If they report to the authorities, this… what face would your Ren family have left?”
Though Old Madam Ren was still angry, she wasn’t an impulsive person by nature. Hearing Sister-in-law Kang’s words, she sensed there might be some scheme behind this matter. Finally, restraining her anger, she dismissed the servant first.
“Speak up! What exactly is this all about!” Now, Old Madam Ren’s tone had become much calmer.
Sister-in-law Kang said: “I was just trying to tell you—the Liu family came yesterday to demand someone from us.”
“Demand what person?” Old Madam Ren asked in a deep voice.
“They… they came to demand my sister-in-law and… and the child in her belly,” Sister-in-law Kang stammered.
Even with Old Madam Ren’s deep composure, she couldn’t help but be somewhat stunned at this moment.
Ren Yaoqi sat in the inner room, seeing that Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaohua beside her were both frowning simultaneously, seeming somewhat restless. She lowered her head slightly, looking at the embroidery basket in her arms with a dazed expression, as if not knowing how to react.
Sister-in-law Kang’s words from outside came through the bamboo curtain intermittently.
The Liu family is our maternal relatives and can be considered a wealthy household in Jizhou. When my mother-in-law was still alive, she arranged a childhood betrothal for my sister-in-law to the only son of Uncle Liu. But after both Old Madam Liu and my mother-in-law passed away, Aunt Liu looked down on my sister-in-law for having no dowry and sent people to our house to steal the betrothal token. At the time of the betrothal, there were no written documents, just verbal agreement plus a pair of betrothal jade pendants. Later, when the pendants went missing and the Liu family refused to acknowledge the engagement, the marriage couldn’t proceed.”
Such incidents of despising the poor and loving the rich while breaking engagements were common and nothing surprising. However, when the Ren family had investigated Concubine Kang previously, they hadn’t discovered that she had once been betrothed.
As if knowing Old Madam Ren’s suspicions, Sister-in-law Kang explained: “This happened two or three years ago. Fearing that if people knew, it would damage my sister-in-law’s reputation, my father-in-law strictly forbade us from spreading this matter. So, except for a few in-law families, outsiders didn’t know my sister-in-law had once been betrothed to Young Master Liu.”
“Since you had a falling out, how do your two families still maintain contact?” Nanny Gui asked.
“My father-in-law has a gentle nature. Plus, Uncle Liu said that the matter was done by Aunt Liu without his knowledge, so he came to apologize several times afterward. My father-in-law, considering my deceased mother-in-law’s face, let it go.”
Though Sister-in-law Kang spoke nicely, everyone present understood that such matters couldn’t just be endured by saying so. Most likely when Old Uncle Liu came to apologize, he gave considerable compensation, which is why the Kang family let the matter rest without making trouble.
“Originally, this engagement was broken off, and my sister-in-law and Young Master Liu each married separately with no further connection. But recently, Young Master Liu went out riding with friends and accidentally fell from his horse. This fall damaged both his legs and made him simple-minded.”
Sister-in-law Kang paused, then continued: “After our family head heard about it, he even went to visit once. When he returned, he said… said Young Master Liu not only damaged his legs but probably can’t father children in the future.”
“…”
“Uncle Liu had three daughters and only this one son, Young Master Liu, whom he always treasured like the apple of his eye. Who would have thought such a thing would happen?” Sister-in-law Kang sighed heavily. “Though we felt it was unfortunate, we considered it fate, right? So we didn’t think much of it. Until yesterday, when the Liu family came to our door saying they wanted to bring my sister-in-law through their gates.”
The room fell silent again. The three young ladies in the inner room unconsciously held their breath and looked at each other somewhat awkwardly.
“The Liu family said that when Young Master Liu came to our house for my father-in-law’s birthday celebration, he and my sister-in-law… uh… became very close, and then… then,” Sister-in-law Kang said as if throwing caution to the wind, “then they said the child in my sister-in-law’s belly was the Liu family’s offspring!”
As soon as these words fell, the sound of porcelain being violently smashed to the ground came from next door, frightening Sister-in-law Kang into crying out.
“Nonsense!” Old Madam Ren said angrily.
Old Madam Ren felt somewhat humiliated after hearing this, as she had been the one to decide to bring Concubine Kang in. If what Sister-in-law Kang said was true, what face would she have left?
Old Madam Ren had presided over the Ren family for many years and had her dignity. Sister-in-law Kang was truly startled by her. However, she still gathered courage to say: “I also think this matter is somewhat absurd, but the Liu family insists the child belongs to their young master. They even brought Young Master Liu’s servant to testify, saying my sister-in-law had secretly met with the sixth young master several times. At the time, fearing the Liu family would make a big scene that would look bad for everyone, I told the Liu family people that my sister-in-law had miscarried and the child wasn’t saved. But the Liu family wouldn’t listen and even produced the betrothal token they had stolen back then, saying that if we don’t hand over the person, they’ll report to the authorities. My father-in-law was already in poor health, and now he’s fainted from anger. I had no choice but to bring people here. Old Ancestor, what do you think should be done about this matter?”
Sister-in-law Kang had thrown the ball to the Ren family.
Old Madam Ren was truly enraged now and laughed coldly: “You’re asking me what to do? I’d like to ask you! Originally, it was Concubine Kang herself who came to our door saying she was carrying our Ren family’s child, and now, some inexplicable Liu family appears. When you collected the betrothal money, weren’t your hands soft then? You want to report to the authorities? Go ahead! I’d like to see who’s really in the wrong!”