Life brings unexpected encounters – this was Zhenniang’s sigh as she entered the cabin.
She hadn’t expected to run into members of the Tian family as soon as she entered – the siblings Tian Rongchang and Tian Ronghua.
Zhenniang had intended to pass by without acknowledgment, but Tian Ronghua greeted her first: “Miss Li.”
Though she offered the greeting, Tian Ronghua’s expression wasn’t pleasant, clearly remembering the friction between the Li and Tian families. After all, how could the Tian family not be angry when the Li family had just sent Lady Tian back to her maiden home?
For Zhenniang, passing by would have been best – exchanging greetings without having anything to say made things more awkward. However, since Tian Ronghua had greeted her first, there was no reason not to respond, so Zhenniang nodded and replied: “Miss Tian.”
Regarding this Tian Ronghua, Zhenniang had some curiosity. After the Luo family’s incident, her engagement to Luo Wenqian seemed to have silently dissolved. As fellow townspeople, gossip was inevitable. Most suggested that when the wall falls, everyone pushes – the Tian family looked down on the fallen Luo family and cast Luo Wenqian aside.
Of course, there were also private rumors suggesting that the Luo family’s downfall was secretly orchestrated by the Tian family. Now the Tian and Luo families were mortal enemies, so naturally the marriage was called off.
However, Zhenniang remembered the last time she saw Luo Wenqian on Fourth Treasure Street. At that time, Luo Wenqian had gotten into a conflict with the Tian brothers, and from their words, Zhenniang believed the latter speculation might be closer to the truth.
“Miss Li, your Li family has treated my aunt too harshly. What wrong did my aunt commit? What right do you have to send her back to her maiden home?” Tian Ronghua continued.
So it seemed she had come to demand justice. Zhenniang replied with a smile: “What makes Miss Tian say this? Wasn’t it your Tian family who brought your aunt back to accompany your grandmother for some time? What does it have to do with my Li family?”
This was the truth, known to everyone in Huizhou. As for Seventh Grandmother’s negotiations with the Tian family, Zhenniang genuinely didn’t know the details and was happy to play ignorant. These words left Tian Ronghua speechless.
“Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Li Zhenniang? Where are you headed? Can’t stay in Huizhou anymore, can you? Indeed, a woman showing her face in public day after day – your reputation is already ruined. I’d say not just Huizhou, but no one anywhere would want you. You might as well find some mountain man in some remote valley to marry into your family.” At this point, upon seeing Li Zhenniang, Tian Rongchang called out mockingly.
“Second Young Master, perhaps even marrying into her family would be too dangerous. We have precedent to consider.” At this moment, Su Shi, standing behind Tian Rongchang, looked at Zhenniang with hatred.
Zhenniang cared nothing for her hatred.
“That’s right, I had forgotten about that. The Li family’s Sixth Branch had a perfectly good son-in-law, but you lot broke his leg and got him entangled in lawsuits until he was exiled to Qiongzhou. The Li family claims to be righteous. Righteous my foot! I say you’re all just thieves and whores. Fortunately, we brought my aunt home early, otherwise, who knows what crimes your Li family would have pinned on her?” Tian Rongchang said.
“Second Brother…” Tian Ronghua frowned slightly, pulling at Tian Rongchang’s sleeve.
Although she had no goodwill toward the Li family, her brother’s words had gone too far. Moreover, although their aunt had been sent back home by the Li family, it was only to care for their mother and fulfill filial duties – she was still technically a Li family daughter-in-law. This much consideration was necessary.
“What filth are you spewing?!” Hearing Tian Rongchang curse the Li family as thieves and whores – words that were extremely vicious in this era – several people from the Li family shouted simultaneously. Ergou and Brother Ma stepped forward, using their bodies to trap Tian Rongchang so he couldn’t move.
Looking at Tian Rongchang’s confrontational expression, Zhenniang frowned and delivered a heavy slap. Since he had presented himself, there was no reason not to strike.
“Li Zhenniang, how dare you strike me?” Tian Rongchang was furious. Indeed, she was that shrew Zhao’s daughter, just as much a shrew.
His face reddened as he tried to lunge forward, but trapped between Brother Ma and Ergou, he couldn’t move. Besides Su Shi, he only had two servants with him.
These two servants, who usually helped with brothel matters, were useless in a real fight – they couldn’t even handle one of Brother Ma’s arms.
This was no joke – everyone who worked in the ink trade was strong as an ox.
So now, the two servants who rushed forward were held back by just one of Brother Ma’s arms.
“Is there no law anymore? Release the Second Young Master at once!” Su Shi screamed from the side.
“Miss Li, my second brother spoke rashly. I apologize on his behalf. Please ask your men to release him,” Tian Ronghua, seeing they were outmatched by the Li family, knew it was better to avoid conflict. She stepped forward and addressed Zhenniang apologetically.
“Miss Tian, some words cannot be spoken rashly,” Zhenniang said calmly, then waved to Brother Ma and Ergou, who finally released Tian Rongchang.
As soon as he was released, Tian Rongchang howled and tried to lunge forward again.
“Second Brother, Elder Brother said to listen to me on this journey to Nanjing. If you continue like this, you’ll have to go back,” Tian Ronghua glared at Tian Rongchang.
Hearing these words, Tian Rongchang finally contained his murderous intent, though he continued to glare hatefully at Zhenniang. He, the noble Second Young Master of the Tian family, had never suffered such humiliation. It was infuriating, and this grudge was now set in stone.
The grudge between the Tian and Li families had long been established. Zhenniang couldn’t be bothered with him and led her people, carrying their luggage, toward the cabin the Li family had reserved in the middle section.
After walking a few steps, Zhenniang suddenly remembered Tian Ronghua mentioning they were also going to Nanjing. She stopped, turned around, and asked Tian Ronghua: “Miss Tian, what business takes you to Nanjing?” She had a premonition that the Tian and Li families might clash again.
“Whatever brings Miss Li to Nanjing brings us there as well,” sure enough, Tian Ronghua replied cryptically.
“Oh…” Zhenniang responded with apparent enlightenment. So the Tian family was also going to open an ink shop in Nanjing, and clearly, this Nanjing venture was entrusted to Tian Rongchang – Old Master Tian wanted to train this second son.
Though the Tian family opening an ink shop in Nanjing wasn’t good news for the Li family, given that the Tian family’s tribute ink status gave them an advantage over the Li family, Old Master Tian sending Tian Rongchang to Nanjing was good news for her.
Compared to Tian Benchang, Tian Rongchang would be much easier to deal with.
What would happen next remained to be seen. The drama in Nanjing was getting more interesting. Zhenniang suddenly found herself looking forward to it.
“What lowborn trash stepped on this young master’s foot? Beat them!” Just then, Tian Rongchang’s shouts rang out again.
“Young Master, I’m so sorry. The boat was crowded, and you were standing in the pathway, so I accidentally stepped on you. Please be merciful, Young Master.” At this moment, a simple, honest-looking man crouched down and used his sleeve to clean Tian Rongchang’s shoe.
“Get lost!” Tian Rongchang said, delivering a heavy kick to the man’s stomach. Still burning with rage from Zhenniang’s slap and with nowhere to vent his anger, he now directed it all at this simple man.
The man hadn’t expected Tian Rongchang to do this and was completely unprepared. The kick landed squarely. With a cry of pain, he rolled several times, and if not for people nearby stopping him, he might have rolled into the river.
“Husband, husband! Are you alright?” A woman carrying a child rushed to the man’s side in panic. The child in her arms was also frightened into loud crying.
“You are being completely unreasonable!” The honest man now helped into a sitting position by his wife, angrily confronted Tian Rongchang.
Tian Rongchang, still wearing a fierce expression, laughed upon hearing the man’s words: “You say I’m unreasonable? Let me show you just how unreasonable I can be.” With that, Tian Rongchang waved to his two servants: “Beat him!”
“What are you trying to do? You’re going too far!” The woman, hearing Tian Rongchang’s words, turned pale with fright. One arm held her child while the other protected her husband as she spoke angrily.
“Miss Zhenniang…” Ergou couldn’t hold back anymore.
Zhenniang nodded at him, naturally permitting him to help when appropriate.
It wasn’t that Zhenniang was saintly, but since her Li family was already at odds with the Tian family, and the path wasn’t smooth, someone had to step up. Most importantly, for them, this kind of intervention was merely lifting a finger. Why not do it?
“Second Brother… what are you still making trouble for? Elder Brother told you not to cause trouble on this journey!” Tian Ronghua, who had been about to return to her cabin, hadn’t expected her brother to create another scene so quickly. Her face was red with anger as she called out.
Tian Rongchang ultimately feared Tian Benchang. Reluctantly, he waved to his two servants: “Forget it, they’re lucky. Back to the cabin.” Then, with a dark face, he turned to Tian Ronghua: “In the future, don’t use Elder Brother to pressure me.”
Then he returned to the cabin with his two servants and Su Shi. Tian Ronghua could only follow with her maid.
Seeing the situation resolved, Zhenniang also led her people back to the middle cabin. After some organizing and settling in, about half an hour had passed since the boat’s departure. The green mountains on both shores and occasional monkey calls made for a refreshing view.
Just then, another commotion arose outside the cabin.
“What’s happening?” Zhenniang wondered – this journey seemed rather turbulent. Thinking this, she took her small maid and opened the cabin’s partition door, walking to the outer corridor.
She saw the man who had been kicked by Tian Rongchang now lying on the deck, continuously coughing up fresh blood. His wife was crying, their child was crying.
“Boatman, please, turn back! My husband is dying, we need to find a doctor!” the woman begged.
“Madam, we’ve been sailing for over half an hour now. How can we turn back? You’d better wait until the next stop to find a doctor,” the boat captain said helplessly. The boat had already traveled halfway – clearly, turning back wasn’t possible.
“Everyone, everyone, is there anyone here who knows medicine? Please come take a look!” The boat captain then called out to the onlookers.
“Let me take a look,” At this moment, a middle-aged scholar pushed through the crowd.
“Thank you, doctor! Please, you must save my husband. If anything happens to him, my child and I won’t survive either,” the woman both thanked and pleaded.
“I’m not a doctor, I just know a little medicine. Sister, there’s no need for this. Let me take a look first,” the middle-aged scholar said.
“Yes, yes, yes.” The woman repeatedly agreed, making way.
“There’s an internal injury. If we can stop the bleeding, it should be fine, but there’s no medicine on the boat, and I don’t know acupuncture methods to stop bleeding. This is difficult,” the scholar checked the pulse and said gravely.
“What can we do?” The woman’s face turned ashen upon hearing the scholar’s words.
“Sister, Sir, I have some medicinal ink here. Perhaps you could see if it might help?” At this point, Zhenniang stepped forward with a piece of medicinal ink. This ink was called Baicao Shuang, known for its ability to stop bleeding, coagulate blood, and treat internal bleeding.