Chapter 23: A United Front

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: A United Front

Unable to see clearly what was happening, He Tuping was already furious. ’What is wrong with this Gu family? They’re a bunch of lunatics, throwing punches over a single word. They’re insane.’

"That’s enough, Seventh." Gu Dashishi secretly despised his son-in-law, but he was also afraid his son would get into trouble. "Let them go."

"Dad, we can’t just let this go." Although Ancient Wen Heng stopped hitting him, his eyes were fixed coldly on He Tuping. "My sister has suffered so much at their hands. The dowry she brought with her can’t even buy a single bowl of water now. They must give us an explanation for this."

One of them was fanning the flames while the other actually tried to throw a punch, so naturally, Ancient Wen Heng wasn’t going to be polite anymore.

The other brothers didn’t want to get bogged down by this family. As for Eldest Sister-in-law and the other wives, they had all silently formed a united front ever since their sister-in-law had started this commotion.

Gu Yuanjin and his brothers all stepped forward together. "It’s time we went and questioned the He family. When our sixth sister married into their family, she had a dowry of over ten taels of silver. Now she can’t even produce two coins. That’s unacceptable."

"I already told you, she spent it all herself! Our family never took a single coin from her."

Xie Ruyi clapped her hands. "What a fine explanation. But, brother-in-law, I just don’t understand how your brain works. Isn’t my sister-in-law’s silver the same as money in your pocket? You’re so generous."

He Tuping said, "We’re all one family living together. Why get so hung up on the details?"

This was too much for even Li Cuicui. She rushed forward and kicked him. "Back then, people said you were filial and that your character must be good. If I had known you were so foolishly devoted to your own parents, I would have never married my daughter to you!

"And you, you troublemaker!" she continued, turning on her daughter. "You didn’t breathe a word of this for years. Now that you can’t survive anymore, you come running back to your family to cause a scene? Is that how I taught you to behave?"

She didn’t give a second thought to hitting her son-in-law. With so many sons and grandsons in her own family, why would she be afraid of the two He family brothers?

Gu Yuanfeng struggled free and rushed over to help He Tuping to his feet. But she must have been clumsy, because all anyone heard was He Tuping whimpering in pain.

The moment He Tuping was back on his feet, he shoved Gu Yuanfeng away. "Get lost, you useless—"

"Hm?" The moment Ancient Wen Heng’s gaze landed on him, He Tuping shut his mouth.

"You boys," Li Cuicui commanded her sons, "bring their whole family with you. We’re going to the He family to demand an explanation." After she spoke, she shot a fierce glare at Gu Yuanfeng.

He Tuping’s heart trembled. The moment his old mother-in-law spoke, his various brothers-in-law and their tall, sturdy sons immediately surrounded him.

As Ancient Wen Heng left with the others, he didn’t forget to turn back and tell his wife, "Don’t worry, just stay here with your sisters-in-law. As long as they’re here, no one will dare do anything to you."

This bit of flattery pleased the sisters-in-law. Xie Ruyi waved a hand. "Go on, hurry up! We Gu family members don’t let ourselves be bullied."

＆

"They’re not actually going to fight, are they?" Jin Qianqian couldn’t help but worry as she watched the large, confrontational procession.

"Don’t worry, a fight won’t break out." Hong Daya did a little tidying up, then lay down next to Gule Shun. She was simply exhausted. "The He family only has two brothers. At a time like this, not even their own clansmen will stand up for them. Besides, they’re completely in the wrong on this matter."

"Exactly. The Gu family brothers have never lost a fight, and this is just teaching their own in-law a lesson." Wang Caiyue wasn’t worried at all that their men would get the short end of the stick. Instead, she was frowning, clutching two empty bamboo tubes. With all this delay, she worried they wouldn’t be able to get in line to buy water.

"You married into the family more recently," Xie Ruyi began, adopting the authoritative air of the eldest sister-in-law as she spoke meaningfully to Jin Qianqian, "but there are some things I must tell you. No matter how much we might squabble at home, or what disagreements we sisters-in-law might have, when we need to face outsiders, no one is allowed to hold the family back."

Jin Qianqian gave her a sweet, obedient smile. "I listen to my husband."

Liu Liu pursed her lips. "Don’t be so naive, listening to everything Seventh says. Did you give him all the silver coins you got from selling your dowry?"

Jin Qianqian lowered her head shyly. "It’s safer with my husband."

Liu Liu was at a loss for words. She couldn’t tell if Jin Qianqian was genuinely clueless or just pretending. She turned and yelled at Gu Lehua, "Hurry up and clear these rocks off the ground! Your father will need to rest when he gets back. Such a big girl, and not an ounce of sense in your head."

Having been awake for a full day and night, Jin Qianqian had no energy to deal with such petty matters. She found a spot not far from Hong Daya and began to arrange her things.

＆

"Wanyu, you should stop competing with your elder sister," Aunt Liu said, wiping her tears. "It’s my fault. As your mother, I’m only a concubine and don’t have a powerful family to rely on."

Xiao Wanyu clenched the embroidered handkerchief in her hand. "We are both Father’s daughters. Why must I always be a step below her in everything? She puts on such a magnanimous and tolerant act in public, but in private, she looks down on us, the daughters of concubines."

Frightened, Aunt Liu quickly moved to cover Xiao Wanyu’s mouth. "Hush, my dear child, you can’t say things like that! While it’s true the Madam can’t treat you the same as the Eldest Miss, she hasn’t treated us poorly either.

It’s your fate, having been born from a concubine’s womb."

"I don’t care about fate! All I know is that I am also Father’s daughter, the Second Miss of the Magistrate’s house! How dare some lowly merchant show me such disrespect?"

The more Xiao Wanyu thought about the mirror she had seen at Sister Zhai’s, the more furious she became.

"A mirror is just for fixing your appearance. You have maids to attend to you, so it doesn’t matter if you have one or not." Aunt Liu couldn’t understand it. It was just a little trinket, yet her daughter had been fussing over it for days.

"You don’t understand! The Madam herself said it’s a rare treasure, that even she has never seen anything like it before.

Furthermore, the pawnshop controlled by the Tian family only acquired two such mirrors, and Xiao Shi Yu has one of them.

You haven’t seen it! The reflection is perfectly identical to what you see with your own eyes—even the color of a single strand of hair is the same! Why does she get all the best things?"

Aunt Liu said timidly, "But weren’t there two mirrors? Why don’t you go and ask the Master? Surely the Tian family wouldn’t dare to refuse him."

Xiao Wanyu’s expression grew even uglier. "What makes you think I haven’t tried? Father flatly refuses to ask. He said the other mirror has already been sent up to a superior, and asking for it now would be a great offense."

The moment she left her sister’s room that day, she had gone straight to her father. But no matter how much she pleaded or how aggrieved she acted, Xiao Yunhai would not budge.

He merely told her that if she was that curious, she should visit her sister more often. It would be a good way to cultivate their bond as sisters, so they could support each other in the future.