Chapter 513 - 515: Grievance

Chapter 513: Chapter 515: Grievance

Tian Mi felt utterly wronged, but her feelings were of no consequence to anyone else. She was the only one moved by her own plight.

"Excuse me, young man. Could you please announce us? We’re looking for the Third Young Madam of your household."

The gatekeeper looked them up and down. "Our Third Young Madam isn’t someone you can see just by asking. Do you have a calling card?"

Lady Tian shook her head. They had been in such a rush that they hadn’t even had time to freshen up, let alone prepare a calling card.

Li Yong, who often accompanied his masters on their travels, saw that his two mistresses were proving rather inept and didn’t seem to know the proper etiquette for such situations.

He had no choice but to step forward. Forcing a smile, he pulled a silver ingot from his robes and pressed it into the gatekeeper’s hand. "My good man, please do us the favor of announcing us. My mistress is the Third Young Madam’s aunt from her mother’s side. We’ve come on urgent business, so we must ask you to pass on the message."

The gatekeeper hesitated. "...Our Third Young Madam’s maternal uncle is a famous, wealthy merchant. You expect me to believe you’re his family?"

’Looking at how they’re dressed, they don’t seem like the family who used to send gifts to the mansion by the carriage-load. They aren’t here to run a scam, are they?’

Tian Mi looked down at her silk dress. Its original pastel color was now completely unrecognizable.

When she moved, there was no fragrant scent, only a strange odor that even she found hard to endure.

Pouting with grievance, she retorted, "If you want to know whether we’re telling the truth, just let my cousin come out and see us, won’t you?

Would we really dare to come to a place like this and falsely claim to be relatives?"

The gatekeeper considered this. ’That makes sense,’ he thought. He tightened his grip on the silver ingot. "Alright, you wait here. I’ll send someone to announce you. But if you’re trying to trick me, you’ll be in for a world of hurt."

"We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare," Li Yong said quickly. "They are genuine relatives, otherwise we wouldn’t presume to show up at your gate like this.

If Mrs. Xiao is also in the mansion, please inform her as well. She is our master’s paternal aunt."

The gatekeeper was now more inclined to believe them. Ordinary people wouldn’t dare to come to the Minister’s Mansion to cause trouble. Besides, their story had specific details—they even knew that Mrs. Xiao was currently in residence.

Although the Third Young Madam wasn’t in charge of the household, she was still one of its masters. So, he not only sent someone to report to Madam Huang, but also had a messenger go to the Third Young Madam’s courtyard to inform her.

Madam Huang narrowed her eyes and said to the matron beside her, "Go and keep an eye on them. See if they’re really relatives of Huang Tong’s wife."

"Yes, Madam," the matron said without another word and immediately withdrew.

"Madam Huang," a trusted servant asked cautiously, "I thought the Third Young Madam’s maternal family were renowned merchants. Why do they look so disheveled?"

"Who knows," Madam Huang replied. "I just hope they don’t cause any trouble. Otherwise, I might just..."

Xiao Shi Yu also received the report, a look of confusion on her face. ’Didn’t my uncle’s family just send a gift not long ago? Why would they be visiting now?’

"Should we inform Mrs. Xiao?" a maidservant asked, steadying her.

"Send someone to my mother’s courtyard to let her know," Xiao Shi Yu said. "It’s possible my uncle’s family really has come here because of some trouble."

Since Tian Lanfen was a guest in the Huang Mansion, her courtyard was in a rather remote corner. By the time she and her daughter met, another fifteen minutes had passed.

Waiting outside the main gate, Tian Mi was growing impatient. ’Even if this estate is enormous, my cousin should be out by now,’ she thought. ’She’s not looking down on us and putting on airs now that we’re destitute, is she?’

"Mother, do you think my cousin will be willing to help us?"

"She should," Lady Tian replied. "After all, we’ve never treated her poorly over the years. Our family provided most of her wedding dowry.

And we’ve sent plenty of gifts over the years. When you see her, be careful what you say. Don’t offend your cousin."

"Why would I offend her? You and Father always told me to defer to her. Haven’t I given in to her enough all these years?"

"I know you’ve been wronged, dear, but don’t forget, your father is in jail right now. All our hopes rest on your cousin. If she refuses to help, we’re done for."

Tian Mi hesitated for a moment before nodding heavily. "I understand. If she won’t help, we still have my aunt. She can’t possibly watch her own brother’s family be destroyed."

Just as mother and daughter were comforting each other, a side door next to the main gate creaked open.

Seeing the richly-adorned mother and daughter walk out together, Lady Tian and Tian Mi could no longer contain themselves, and tears began to stream down their faces.

"Lanfen, you have to save your brother!" Lady Tian cried out as if she’d found her savior, lunging toward Tian Lanfen.

Startled, Tian Lanfen covered her nose and backed away repeatedly as her maid, Wu Chan, quickly stepped in front to shield her.

"Who are you? How can you be so forward?"

Lady Tian thought of her own haggard face. They had been on the road for days without a moment’s rest. She hadn’t even had a chance to properly clean herself up, let alone apply any makeup.

"Lanfen, it’s me! I’ve come to find you with Tian Mi." Lady Tian pulled Tian Mi forward. ’It’s one thing if she doesn’t recognize me,’ she thought, ’but surely she must recognize her own niece.’

"Sister-in-law?" A jolt went through Tian Lanfen. The voice was all too familiar.

She pushed Wu Chan aside. "Why do you and Tian Mi look like this? Where is my brother?"

At this, all of Lady Tian’s pent-up grievances came flooding out. Heedless of her appearance, she sank to the ground right at the entrance of the Huang Mansion and began to wail.

"You have to save your brother! If you don’t help us, our family is ruined!"

Xiao Shi Yu’s face flushed with embarrassment. ’What’s wrong with my aunt?’ she thought. ’She used to be so forthright and generous. Why is she acting like a common shrew now?’

’Doesn’t she realize where she is? How can she make such a scene here?’

Just as she was composing her features to speak, the gatekeeper emerged and bowed respectfully. "Third Young Madam, Madam Huang has sent a message. She says to please settle your own relatives properly, as the reputation of the Huang Mansion is at stake."

Xiao Shi Yu was speechless. ’I knew the main branch was having me watched, but I never expected them to be so blatant about it.’

Looking at her ragged relatives, Xiao Shi Yu felt a surge of indignation. ’After today,’ she thought, ’I’ll be the laughingstock of the entire mansion again.’

"Aunt," she said, "please compose yourself. Let’s go inside, sit down, and talk things through. Wailing like this won’t solve anything."

"Yes, your niece is right," Tian Lanfen said, finally noticing the many assessing glances from outside the gate. "Let’s hurry inside and get you cleaned up. We can talk later." ’If word of this gets out,’ she thought, ’my standing in Shangjing will be completely destroyed.’

But just then, the matron from Madam Huang’s staff blocked the entrance. "Third Young Madam, please take them in through the side door."

"This is my aunt," Xiao Shi Yu protested. She couldn’t believe how quickly their attitudes had changed. ’When my aunt’s family used to send lavish gifts, these people wore completely different faces.’

’Even Madam Huang’s matrons were the same, all just hoping for a share of the presents.’