Chapter 256: Family Scandals - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 256: Family Scandals

"Don’t worry elder brother. The influential people’s ship won’t capsize so easily. Perhaps, in the end, we might even climb to new heights and see a change in the ruler of Jinling."

Such words, if overheard, would be considered treasonous.

However, the two brothers had long been aligned with powerful figures and were not afraid of risks.

Not far away, the elders of the Chi family, who should have been joyfully preparing for the marriage of their daughter, were causing a commotion in the ancestral home.

"Chi Zimo, you dare to act like this after only a few years in charge of the Chi family? Are you not afraid that Father will come to you in a dream and take your life?"

The speaker was the Fifth Master of the Chi family, tall and handsome. Despite being over forty, he looked very youthful, appearing almost as young as Chi Zimo.

Beside him, the Fifth Madam of the Chi family was crying uncontrollably. She came from a merchant family and was connected to the Zhu family by marriage, which led to the arrangement of this marriage.

Now, the couple was causing a ruckus, one showing anger and the other grief, primarily over the dowry.

Chi Zimo, however, watched their performance with a cold gaze, showing no sign of concern or urgency. It was clear he was not intimidated by their theatrics.

Since the Chi family’s 21st-generation head, Chi Chengxu, revitalized the family, it had gradually grown stronger.

Being merchants, they were unrestrained in taking concubines. Believing in the old practice of having many sons and grandsons, the family had numerous branches and relatives.

The 22nd-generation head, Chi Shang, had countless wives and concubines.

He had three main wives, not to mention numerous concubines and secondary rooms. His primary wife, the Dong family’s daughter, passed away a few years after giving birth to their legitimate sons, the eldest and second sons.

Worried that the two grandsons wouldn’t survive in the Chi family’s ruthless environment, Master Dong had them sent to Yunqi Academy a thousand miles away, where they stayed for over a decade.

Though the academy was austere, it spared them from the internal conflicts of their family. However, upon their return, they were no longer as close to their father as they once were.

After the death of his first wife, the Chi patriarch married Zhao Xiucai’s daughter as his successor, due to the family’s need for a female head.

Zhao was respectful, gentle, and devoted to her husband. She cared for the concubines but was unfamiliar with the family business. As a result, she was exploited during her pregnancy.

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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com

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The exploiter was the Fifth Master’s biological mother, the once-favored Concubine Lan.

Concubine Lan, born into a modest merchant family, was exceptionally capable. Despite her young age, she made a name for herself in the business world and used her connections to become the Chi patriarch’s most favored and trusted concubine.

When Zhao Xiucai discovered this, she initially welcomed Lan as a sister, but it ultimately cost her life.

During Zhao’s childbirth, no one was there to care for her. By the time Concubine Lan returned from social engagements with the patriarch, Zhao had died, along with the baby she was carrying.

Within half a month, Concubine Lan was promoted to the principal wife, and six months later, she gave birth to the current Fifth Master.

Raised by the patriarch from a young age, the Fifth Master was particularly favored and developed a spoiled and willful personality. He became notorious throughout Jinling for his reckless behavior, knowing the Chi family would cover for him.

Although he wasn’t as esteemed as the sons born to the first wife, he was still recognized as a legitimate heir, and thus wielded considerable influence in the family.

Mother and son believed that with time, they would be able to claim the vast family fortune.

However, the legitimate eldest and second sons returned home, married cousins from the Dong family, and lived harmoniously, fostering a close relationship.

The patriarch, feeling proud, found solace in this.

Chi Zimo, born during this period, was showered with affection from birth. As such, Concubine Lan and the Fifth Master were anxious, seeing their opportunity slipping away. The patriarch’s position, family power, and control were all threatened. They couldn’t tolerate this.

Determined to act, they conspired with mountain bandits to kill the First and Second Masters of the Chi family, leaving no intact bodies behind.

When Chi Zimo was only eight years old, he lost both his parents. The patriarch, who had already lost his wife and now his sons, was deeply affected, leaving him in a fragile state.

He took Chi Zimo into his own quarters and raised him personally, while sending Concubine Lan to live in another residence.

This change in attitude was obvious to those who had relied on the patriarch. They no longer gave as much attention or flattery to Concubine Lan and her son.

As the saying goes, “It’s easy to move from frugality to luxury but hard to go from luxury to frugality.” The mother and son, used to being pampered, found it hard to accept the 'neglect,' and gradually directed their resentment towards young Chi Zimo.

With the patriarch and Chi Zimo being ill and weak, facing off against the still-vibrant Concubine Lan and the Fifth Master was challenging.

Moreover, the patriarch’s over-reliance on Concubine Lan had allowed her to gain significant power, enabling her to compete with him.

By the time Chi Zimo was eighteen, the patriarch entrusted most of the family’s assets to him before passing away. The Fifth Master only received a portion of the remaining assets.

Even so, the Chi family’s remaining assets were enough to ensure their comfort.

But human greed is insatiable. Concubine Lan, now the Chi matriarch, was even more displeased.

For ten years, she had used various methods to eliminate or drive Chi Zimo away, but all attempts were thwarted. The influence she once wielded was now being taken back by Chi Zimo, leaving her with only a shell of her former self.

Thus, she seized this opportunity to make a scene, hoping to show the rest of the family how Chi Zimo, the so-called head of the family, mistreated his elders and disregarded his siblings.

Though she hoped to pull him down, sullying his reputation was also a victory.

While the Chi family had many branches, the main line was always the primary branch. For instance, the secret maritime passage, the family’s retained soldiers, and nearly 80% of the family assets were all inherited by the main branch.

How could they accept the vast disparity in inheritance between their branch and the primary one?

The Fifth Master and his wife were arguing, one cursing and the other crying, making everyone present uncomfortable.