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CHAPTER 13
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On that evening, Tan Ting stayed in the outer courtyard's study. Xiang Yi waited up with a lamp until the night grew late, listening to the sound of the night watch drums echoing. Not seeing any signs of him, she understood Tan Ting's intentions and went to bed herself.
Early the next morning, someone from the main courtyard took the chance when no one was paying attention and hurriedly went to the Tan family's side branch residence. Upon hearing the news, Mrs. Qiu was in high spirits and headed over to Mrs. Fu's place.
Mrs. Fu hadn't slept well the previous night, and her eyes were a bit puffy. When she saw Mrs. Qiu approaching, she initially wanted to ignore her. But thinking that they were now in the same boat, she decided to let her join her for breakfast.
Upon entertaining Mrs. Qiu's with breakfast, Mrs. Qiu was quite pleased. She shared the morning's news with her.
"Yesterday, the Young Master left the main courtyard in a fit of anger, sleeves swaying, and spent the night in the outer courtyard's study. He never returned to the main courtyard that night."
Mrs. Fu was surprised by how well-informed Mrs. Qiu was. "Is that true? Do you know the reason?"
Of course, Mrs. Qiu didn't have access to such detailed information. She guessed, "It's probably related to the lady from the Zhongqing Marquis' Mansion that the Second Master recently married."
Mrs. Fu didn't immediately grasp the implications, but then Mrs. Qiu added another piece of information.
"But there's another important piece of news. The Master composed a poem titled 'On Bribery' that night and had it framed to hang in the room."
With these words, Mrs. Fu gave herself a slight start. After a moment's thought, she seemed to understand.
"Are you saying the poem is meant for the Xiang family?"
Mrs. Qiu smiled. "At least it's not meant for us. We don't have that kind of authority, do we?"
Mrs. Fu cleared her throat uncomfortably. Upon further consideration, she realized that the Xiang family's financial situation was dire, and they had been occupying their current high position for three years. It was unlikely they were squeaky clean; their hands were probably not clean of bribes...
With this new piece of information, Mrs. Fu lost her appetite for breakfast. She immediately sent someone to summon her cousin, Fu An.
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Autumn Radiance Courtyard.
The red plum blossoms in Madam Madam Zhao's courtyard were in full bloom, their branches lively and brimming with festive cheer. Filled with joy, she called everyone to gather for a meal at noon.
When Xiang Yi arrived, the others hadn't yet come. Just then, a young maid accidentally spilled water on Madam Madam Zhao's skirt. Madam Madam Zhao was changing clothes in her inner chamber at that moment.
The maid served tea and left. Xiang Yi was left sitting in the hall, waiting alone. However, before Madam Madam Zhao emerged, another person arrived.
Xiang Yi heard the footsteps and lowered her head. As the person entered the hall, she greeted them as usual and remained silent.
There were no other people in the hall, and Tan Ting looked at his wife. Thinking about her actions from the previous day, he pressed his lips into a thin line and coldly took a seat at the upper end.
He didn't speak, and no one else in the hall spoke either. The young maid served tea and quickly retreated.
The atmosphere in the room was stifling. Even Madam Madam Zhao in the inner chamber sensed it and quietly asked Wu Mama what was going on.
Wu Mama had spent a long time in the main residence, and she was naturally more well-informed than Mrs. Qiu. She explained yesterday's events to Madam Zhao.
"As I see it, it's probably a misunderstanding."
What kind of person Xiang Yi was might be unclear to others, but the person in charge of the Autumn Radiance Courtyard should surely be aware, right?
Hearing this, Madam Madam Zhao sighed. "Why did such a misunderstanding arise again? Xiang Yi really can't lower her pride a bit and explain gently to Brother Ting a few words? Brother Ting isn't unreasonable or tyrannical."
Wu Mama didn't want to say too much. "Well, Madam, you also have a bit of a stubborn temper."
Madam Zhao sighed and said, "I suppose I'll have to step in and offer some advice."
She glanced outside and saw that no one had spoken yet in the hall. It would seem as if no one was there..
Not wanting to go out at this moment, Madam Zhao rubbed her forehead and asked why the others hadn't arrived yet.
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"Young Miss went to the carpenter's workshop to get new patterns for her paintings. She should be back soon. As for the second master's side..."
The words weren't finished when there were voices outside; Tan Jian and Yang Zhen's voices. Yang Zhen was a girl from a military family and had quite a loud voice. Though the specifics weren't clear, her voice had reached the hall from the outside courtyard.
In the courtyard, Tan Jian quickly signaled for Yang Zhen to lower her voice. "Madam, speak softly, there's no rush. Take your time to say whatever you want, no need to hurry..."
"Why shouldn't I hurry?" Yang Zhen glared at him, "I heard today that after I left the main hall yesterday, Big Brother wrote a poem called 'On Bribery.' Isn't this a complete misunderstanding of Sister-in-law?"
As she spoke, she snorted at Tan Jian, "I can't stand by any longer, I have to speak up for Sister-in-law!"
She began to walk faster, leaving Tan Jian almost struggling to keep up, wiping his sweat. He feared that his wife might not explain clearly and would instead make things worse for Sister-in-law. Before they could reach the entrance, Yang Zhen pushed the curtain aside but hadn't spoken yet when a burst of crying suddenly came from behind.
This crying was urgent, not only startling Yang Zhen and Tan Jian, but even in the hall, Xiang Yi and Tan Ting were momentarily stunned. Before they could even see who it was, they saw Tan Rong running toward them in tears. "Mother! Eldest Brother, Second Brother!"
As she ran and cried, she entered the hall, then turned and rushed into Madam Zhao Shi's arms. "Mother!"
"My child, why are you crying like this? Who upset you?!" Everything else could be put aside for Madam Zhao Shi, but not her daughter's matters. She hurriedly brought her daughter to the couch, saying, "What happened exactly?!"
Tan Rong was crying uncontrollably, so much so that she couldn't speak properly. Madam Zhao Shi also grew anxious. Tan Ting walked over, gestured for Old Wu mama to wipe away Tan Rong's tears first, and gently called her. "Don't cry, little sister. What happened? Take your time and tell us."
His voice naturally carried a reassuring power that belonged to a young master and an elder brother. As Tan Rong listened, her crying gradually subsided.
Observing the situation, Xiang Yi refrained from speaking further and offered a handkerchief to Old Wu mama. On the other hand, Yang Zhen had a more impatient temperament. She called out to Tan Rong, "Little sister, what exactly happened? Finish your story first, and then continue crying if needed..."
Before her words could fully settle, Tan Jian urgently tugged at her sleeve. What did it mean to finish speaking before crying?...
Fortunately, Tan Rong finally calmed down from her sobbing. But as she began to speak, she said, "Mother, Big Brother, please quickly dismiss those new craftsmen. Today, I went to the workshop to oversee their work. When I returned, someone was lurking nearby and attempted to... to behave inappropriately towards me!"
With that said, Tan Rong covered her face and began crying again. Everyone was shocked. Tan Rong was the eldest daughter of the Tan family, and her reputation was well-known. Not only within the Tan family, but even in the entire Qinglong County, no one dared to touch her. Yet today, there were craftsmen who dared to act inappropriately towards her?
The key point was that these craftsmen were indeed different from the old ones. They were new rural craftsmen recommended by Xiang Yi. Inside, Xiang Yi's heart skipped a beat, and her eyelids twitched erratically.
In the next moment, Madam Zhao Shi's gaze fixed on Xiang Yi. "What's the meaning of this group you've brought?"
With Madam Zhao Shi's question, everyone's attention shifted, and even Tan Ting's brow furrowed. Xiang Yi herself wasn't entirely sure what was happening. She had met those craftsmen, and even inquired about them from the storekeeper Jiang. He vouched that they were reliable.
"Mother, please calm down."
She quickly turned to Tan Rong, urging her, "Little sister, could you please explain the situation in detail?"
Sniffling, Tan Rong wiped her tears and said, "When I returned from the workshop today, just as I had walked a short distance, a man suddenly emerged from the side. He had a greasy, chubby face, and he smiled lecherously at me. He even called me 'Miss Rong' and asked if I wanted him to serve me intimately."
Recalling the incident, Tan Rong's crying intensified, "And that man was wearing the attire of a craftsman from the workshop!"
As Tan Rong sobbed, Madam Zhao Shi's heart ached in sympathy, and she continued to hold and console her daughter. Amidst Tan Rong's account, Xiang Yi detected a slightly different implication. She couldn't help but say, "Mother, could you have all those people come here so that my little sister can identify the one responsible?"
Unexpectedly, Tan Rong trembled all over and turned pale at Xiang Yi's suggestion. She repeatedly burrowed into Madam Zhao Shi's embrace. Such an incident had never happened to Tan Rong before. Madam Zhao Shi's heart twisted in sympathy. Hearing Xiang Yi about to speak again, she suddenly grew angry.
"How dare you make Rong'er identify them? Do you want to scare your sister to death? You brought these people here. Are you trying to blame Rong'er for provoking them?!"
With each furious question hurled at Xiang Yi, she fell silent for a moment. "Daughter-in-law doesn't dare."
She didn't speak further, lowering her head and retreating to the side. Tan Jian and Yang Zhen were both taken aback by Madam Zhao Shi's outburst, unsure of how to respond. The sound of sobbing continued, and Madam Zhao Shi's frustration only grew with each passing moment.
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Tan Ting's gaze swept across Xiang Yi, and the events of the past few days surged through his mind uncontrollably. He called out to Tan Jian in a deep voice. "Summon those craftsmen. You should inquire about who caused this incident. We need to get to the bottom of this matter."
As he spoke, he glanced once more at Xiang Yi, who stood with her hands hanging at her sides. "We must not only understand what happened, but also how these ill-mannered craftsmen managed to enter the Tan family's premises."
With his words, the room fell into silence. Nearly everyone's eyes were fixed on Xiang Yi.
Uneasily, Tan Jian swallowed a mouthful of saliva, about to respond, when a messenger arrived from outside. They announced that Madam Fu and Madam Qiu had arrived.
Qiu Shi's excitement was nearly impossible to conceal. Without waiting for Madam Fu to speak, she exclaimed in a hurry, "Good heavens, how could such a thing happen? The matter with Chu Xinggu hasn't even been resolved yet!"
She glanced specifically at Xiang Yi, "Is our respected family's Madam involved in this again? Family's old matriarch, family's master, could our family's madam..."
She purposely left her words unfinished, covering her mouth, "I can't speak recklessly without evidence..."
However, Madam Fu didn't let her continue this one-woman show. "With the family heads present, I wanted to discuss this matter. If there were any wrongdoings among the previous craftsmen, they should have been disciplined. But how did these unruly new carpenters suddenly enter?"
As she spoke, she snorted, "I've heard that these people all came in through the family's young madam. She hurriedly brought such unscrupulous craftsmen into the Tan family. I wonder what her intentions are?"
She glanced at Xiang Yi and thought about how her previously thriving business had been disrupted by the Xiang family. This fueled her momentum. Then, she quickly turned her gaze toward the family's young master, and seeing that he had no intention of protecting Xiang Yi, she stepped forward.
"In fact, I wanted to ask on behalf of our Tan family members today. Could it be that the family's madam has accepted bribes from these people? Could it be that her involvement in other matters isn't as clean as it seems?"
If Tan Ting's questioning had been veiled earlier, now Madam Fu and Madam Qiu were making it quite explicit. Neither of them feared offending the family's consort. Especially after the incident involving Chu Xinggu, Qiu Shi's relationship with the family's young madamhad already deteriorated, and as for Madam Fu, anyone who interfered with her finances was an enemy.
Both women nearly echoed each other, "Perhaps the family should investigate Madam Xiang's accounts!"
Investigate the accounts, they both suggested in almost the same breath.
Hearing this, Xiang Yi couldn't help but chuckle softly inside. Still, she maintained her composure, standing without any visible change, awaiting the attitude of her spouse, the family's master.
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