Chapter 47: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 47: Slapping Faces
Upon seeing Concubine Lin and Yan Yishuang entering the main courtyard, Daohua instinctively frowned.
From the first day she saw her father’s concubine at the county office gate, Daohua had disliked her deeply. Whether it was her stealing the chance to meet Old Madam Yan before Madam Li, or her series of actions in the backyard afterward, everything showed that beneath her delicate appearance, she harbored an unsettled ambition.
Moreover, she enjoyed playing the fragile role, very much like the white lotuses and green teas in novels from Daohua's past life.
Seeing that Daohua and the others were present, Concubine Lin’s eyes flashed briefly, and then, leading Yan Yishuang, she stepped up to the door. She smiled at Yan Wenxiu, then took several bolts of fabric from the maid’s hands and quickly entered the main room.
Daohua saw her eldest brother nodding at Concubine Lin with an easy smile, raising an eyebrow in response.
Beside her, Yan Yile noticed that Concubine Lin was holding more fabric than they had received. She immediately glanced at Yan Yishuang, who was standing quietly next to Yan Wenxiu, and her lips moved slightly.
Logically, if the fabric distribution was based on the number of female relatives, it should have been them receiving the most.
Sure enough, her uncle was biased toward Concubine Lin and her daughter.
With this thought, Yan Yile suddenly looked up at Daohua, secretly smiling in her heart.
So what if Daohua was the eldest daughter of the Yan family? If she wasn’t favored by Uncle, she couldn’t even get fabric for making clothes.
Daohua noticed the malicious glee mixed with a hint of sympathy in Yan Yile’s gaze. She sighed inwardly. People in ancient times matured quickly; Yan Yile, though not yet eight years old, already had no shortage of scheming thoughts.
Ignoring her, Daohua shifted her focus back to the room.
After Concubine Lin entered, everything seemed fine at first, but then, something seemed to go awry. Yan Zhigao suddenly stormed out of the main room, pulling the tearful Concubine Lin along with him.
Seeing this, the younger generation outside was startled.
However, Daohua remained unfazed, calmly watching as her father dragged the fragile Concubine Lin out, thinking to herself that this person had surely caused some trouble again.
Concubine Lin cried as she said, "My Lord, I spoke wrongly. I am just a lowly concubine. Yishuang is my daughter, a lowborn girl. She isn’t worthy to be compared with the eldest daughter."
Yan Zhigao angrily retorted, "What’s the difference between legitimate daughters and illegitimate ones? To me, they are all the same. You shouldn’t belittle yourself. Yishuang is no worse than anyone else. From now on, where there is Daohua, there will be Yishuang."
Madam Li, who had just stepped out of the room, staggered upon hearing this and nearly collapsed, but was caught by Sun Shi and Wu Shi, who were following behind.
Seeing this, Daohua immediately stepped forward and grasped Madam Li’s cold hand.
Looking at her mother’s pale face, Daohua glanced indifferently at her father in the courtyard, thinking to herself: What about the legitimate wife who managed the household and brought in a generous dowry?
Yan Zhigao, realizing his words had been harsh, moved his lips as if to say something but hesitated, unable to lower his head in front of his wife. He stood frozen, unable to speak.
Concubine Lin, seeing Yan Zhigao’s guilt, lowered her head and continued crying, "My Lord, please don’t say that. I know my place. I don’t dare to expect anything. Precious things like Floating Light Brocade should only be worn by the eldest daughter. Yishuang doesn’t deserve it."
Upon hearing this, Yan Zhigao’s fleeting moment of guilt disappeared, but just as he was about to speak again, Daohua intervened.
"Concubine Lin, as my father’s concubine, I, as his daughter, should not interfere with your matters. But, you’ve spoken so much about the eldest daughter in front of so many people, I am curious—have I offended you in some way, that you always need to take jabs at me, whether directly or indirectly?"
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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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Concubine Lin opened her mouth to explain, but Daohua did not give her a chance.
"Also, I find your words rather confusing. They say that no mother in this world doesn’t love her children. Though my third sister’s mother is my own, you are still her birth mother, and she has been living under your roof. How heartless must you be, to not even care about her feelings, to so blatantly degrade her?"
Daohua glanced at the stunned Yan Yishuang, continuing, "Her father is the Magistrate of Linyi County. How is it that she doesn’t deserve to wear Floating Light Brocade?" She then turned to Yan Yishuang, "Has my mother ever treated you badly? As far as I know, you’ve never lacked for food or clothes."
Because of Daohua's questions, everyone in the courtyard turned to look at Yan Yishuang.
Suddenly under the spotlight, Yan Yishuang grew nervous. She didn’t dare look at Concubine Lin and simply nodded in response.
Seeing this, Daohua smirked at Concubine Lin. "Concubine Lin, look, even Yishuang admits that my mother has never wronged her. From beginning to end, it was you—you are the one who’s been degrading your own daughter."
"No, I haven’t!" Concubine Lin tried to deny it, but Daohua cut her off again.
"When I was in the old house, I once heard someone say that some people, when they’re poor and fearful, like to covet other people's things and want to take them for themselves. But how could other people’s things ever belong to outsiders? Not fools, right? Good things should stay with one’s own people. So, those people resort to all sorts of tricks. There’s one trick they love to use most."
"Do you know what it is?"
"Feigning weakness to dominate the strong!"
"They use their fragile appearance to gain others’ sympathy, fulfilling their hidden motives."
"Concubine Lin, don’t you think such people are disgusting?"
Silence!
A deathly silence filled the courtyard!
Everyone stared at Daohua, standing beside Madam Li, as if they never expected her to be so direct and merciless in tearing off Concubine Lin’s mask.
Just then, Yan Zhiyuan, who had just arrived, heard Daohua’s words and looked at her with admiration, realizing that this moment was when he truly understood his niece.
Impressive!
He had always thought highly of her, especially when he saw how she helped with charity donations during a relief effort for refugees, but now watching her reduce the ever-deceptive Concubine Lin to trembling, he was truly impressed.
Yan Zhigao, the person involved, was equally shocked, even forgetting that Concubine Lin was swaying beside him.
Bang!
In the end, unable to bear the embarrassment, Concubine Lin fainted to avoid facing everyone.
But just before she fell, Daohua’s voice rang out again.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, whenever things go awry, this type of person always pretends to faint."
Already "fainting," Concubine Lin’s tightly shut eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
Only then did Yan Zhigao snap out of his daze and quickly squat down to support Concubine Lin, casting a displeased look at Daohua.
"You, a girl, where did you learn these vile words?"
Daohua smiled, "Third Uncle told me. He said, ‘The world is hard for women. The more you see and hear, the better. It’s useful for avoiding the clutches of scoundrels and recognizing those who can’t see clearly.’"
Hearing this, Yan Zhigao suddenly felt his cheeks and ears burn with embarrassment. He also felt as though the others in the courtyard were sneaking glances at him, which made him even more enraged.
He sharply turned toward Madam Li.
"Look at the daughter you raised. Now, even I, her father, am disregarded."
Madam Li was about to retort, but Daohua squeezed her hand, smiling at Yan Zhigao.
"Father, I think you’re mistaken. It’s always the children who are unfilial, not the parents. I’ve never heard of unfilial children blaming their mothers. You should reflect on yourself."
"You!"
Yan Zhigao stared at Daohua, speechless in disbelief.
"Alright, everyone shut up!"
Old Madam Yan, supported by Aunt Sun, stepped out and gave Daohua a stern look.
Seeing her grandmother’s displeased expression, Daohua quickly shrank her neck and hid behind Madam Li.
Old Madam Yan rolled her eyes at her and then turned her disapproving gaze toward her son, who could not even argue with his daughter, and scolded, "What’s the use of all these servants? You’re letting a concubine faint, and you have to squat on the ground to help her?"
She turned to look at everyone else in the courtyard.
"And all of you, what are you standing around for? Waiting for a meal? Get out of here! You’re all annoying!"
Instantly, everyone scattered in all directions.
(End of Chapter)
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