By the afternoon watch, despite the brilliant spring sunshine outside, the city gate tunnel had already grown dim. Li Jingfu had vanished after leaving the house, and Li Dalang hadn’t returned from fetching Grandfather and Grandmother Li.
Madam Zhao paced anxiously in the small courtyard while Zhenniang stood at the door, gazing outward.
“Mother, Sister-in-law, Second Sister, the Tian family is coming!” Xi’er came running back, panting as he called to Madam Zhao and Li Zhenniang.
Madam Zhao’s face changed color—those who should have come hadn’t come, while those who shouldn’t have arrived. She hurriedly called for Xi’er and Zhenniang to close the door, but the Tian family had followed Xi’er. Leading them was Madam Tian, supported by their Third Miss Tian Ronghua and Second Young Master Tian Rongchang, followed by a group of servants.
Their aggressive manner clearly showed they hadn’t come with good intentions.
Madam Zhao looked at their rickety gate, knowing it couldn’t stop the Tian family. Seeing they all carried long staffs, she worried about how much damage they might do to the house—even a single broken tile would pain her heart.
Acting quickly, she grabbed a cleaver from beneath the courtyard wall and stood in the doorway, presenting a “one shall not pass” stance, blocking their entry.
Seeing her mother’s stance, Zhenniang didn’t hesitate. She darted into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Madam Zhao.
“You foolish girl, don’t you care about your reputation anymore? Why did you come out?” Madam Zhao scolded Zhenniang.
“Mother, after the Tian family’s drama today, what reputation do I have left? Things have come to this point—there’s no need to worry about appearances,” Zhenniang replied frankly.
In the gate tunnel district, a poor family’s daughter had to walk straight, bear burdens, handle matters, and speak up—these were the marks of one who could manage a household. If you always hid behind family members, you might be considered gentle-natured, but poor folks had to struggle against heaven to make a living. Always hiding behind family would only invite contempt.
Madam Zhao realized this was true. Thinking that they’d likely never get good betrothal gifts for her daughter again—after all, who would want to marry a widow-to-be without a substantial dowry to sweeten the deal—she grew furious at the loss. Blocking someone’s path to wealth was like killing their parents. Her fierce spirit surged as she growled at the Tian family: “Madam Tian, what do you think you’re doing? Looking to commit murder?”
Madam Tian’s face was haggard, her eyes bloodshot. Without responding directly, she pointed at Zhenniang and snarled at her servants: “That’s her! Grab her! She brought death to my Changer. I’ll make her join him in death!”
Well, they weren’t even talking about breaking the engagement anymore—straight to demanding her life.
“Pah! Your son fell to his death by himself. What does it have to do with my Zhenniang? Take one step closer, and I’ll fight you to the death!” Madam Zhao brandished her cleaver, her spirit not weakening one bit.
Often in confrontations, if you showed weakness in spirit, you’d already lost the argument.
“Shut your mouth! My Changer was perfectly fine until you, you shrew, wielded a chicken feather-like an imperial decree, forcing us to honor the engagement. Just one month after setting the date, Changer met with disaster. If your daughter didn’t bring this curse, who did?” Madam Tian spat back through gritted teeth.
Reminded of how she’d forced the engagement, Madam Zhao’s breath caught, feeling somewhat guilty.
Zhenniang saw this wouldn’t do. At this point, they had to be brazen—after all, those with nothing to lose didn’t fear those who had everything.
“Madam Tian, by rights, I’m the younger generation and shouldn’t speak today. But since this concerns my life and death, I must speak. The engagement was arranged by our elders—when Madam Tian tried to renege earlier, that was unfilial and dishonorable. So my mother’s actions were entirely justified. Moreover, ‘see the person if alive, see the body if dead’—is Young Master Tian dead? Somehow, I feel he’s still alive…”
“Nonsense! Falling from Flying Rock—how could anyone survive? Our people have been searching for Huangshan for over ten days. Don’t use ‘see the person if alive, see the body if dead’ as an excuse. Over the years, how many pine collectors who died on Huangshan ever had their bodies recovered?” Tian Rongchang interrupted furiously.
“Heh, is ten days that long? For something like this, shouldn’t you search for at least half a year? There are mountain villagers, hunters, and herb gatherers all making their living in Huangshan. Perhaps someone rescued Young Master Tian? Are you sure you’ve searched everywhere? Better safe than sorry… or do you have other motives?” Zhenniang’s gaze carried implications, subtly laying a trap.
“Nonsense! Stop spewing poisonous accusations!” Tian Rongchang raged. He wasn’t Madam Tian’s son but born to a concubine. If Zhenniang’s words caused Madam Tian to grow suspicious, his life would become difficult.
Madam Tian wasn’t as agitated as before, pondering whether her son might be alive.
Seeing Madam Tian’s expression, Tian Rongchang worried she might get the wrong idea. He anxiously said, “Mother, these Li family people are all worthless—just gamblers and shrews. We shouldn’t waste words on them.” Then he called to the servants: “What are you waiting for? Grab her!”
Immediately, several Tian family servants charged forward.
“Oh really? The Li family built its foundation on ink-making, and to this day we’re known for our propriety. We’ve never dared neglect benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, or trust. In Huizhou, most praise the Li family’s righteousness. This old woman wasn’t aware that outsiders now view all Li family members as gamblers and shrews. Young Master Tian, please explain this thoroughly to this old woman—this concerns the Li family’s reputation. Don’t blame this old woman for pulling rank.”
Just then, a hoarse but authoritative female voice rang out.
Everyone looked over to see a line of horse carts loaded with pine logs as thick as a person’s waist, some even thicker. They had been stopped by the crowd of onlookers.
“Ah, it’s the Li family’s Seventh Great-Aunt! She must be bringing goods in from outside the city. Haha, the Tian family has met their match now—unexpectedly, the Li family’s direct lineage matriarch has stepped in…” The surrounding spectators breathed sighs of relief for Zhenniang and her family.
For some reason, when Zhenniang saw this Seventh Great-Aunt standing there with her steady bearing, her heart settled. Beside her, Madam Zhao’s face lit with joy—with Seventh Great-Aunt intervening, today’s trouble would be resolved.
Madam Zhao quickly tossed aside both Zhenniang’s kitchen knife and her own cleaver, then led Zhenniang in a curtsey to the old matriarch.
Old Madam Li merely nodded slightly, then turned her gaze back to the Tian family.
“Greetings to Old Madam Li.” The Tian family all bowed. Though the Li family was gradually declining, their imperial-granted surname and the imperial plaque reading “Gold is easy to obtain, Li ink is hard to seek” commanded universal respect.
Then Madam Tian turned to Tian Rongchang and ordered: “Kneel.”
Tian Rongchang’s face showed unwillingness, but he dared not disobey Madam Tian and knelt.
Madam Tian continued: “Old Madam has misunderstood. When my son said ‘Li family people,’ he was referring specifically to this household in the gate tunnel—the husband is indeed a gambler, the wife a shrew. That much is true.”
Madam Tian’s words hardly seemed apologetic.
“Is that so? This old woman is aged now, and can’t distinguish such subtle meanings. I just hope that young Master Tian will add qualifying words in the future when being specific—for instance, ‘the gate tunnel Li family.’ That way this old woman can better understand the meaning.” Old Madam Li’s gaze cut like a knife.
“Yes, I will remember Old Madam’s teaching.” Tian Rongchang’s forehead broke out in sweat under Old Madam Li’s gaze.
After a while, Old Madam Li waved her hand: “You may rise. Now tell me what’s happening here?”