Chapter 27: Verbal Sparring

Watching the Marquis's people leave, the Hua family was still immersed in the sadness and reluctance of Hua Wuniang's departure, when Zhong Shi suddenly started to cause trouble.

"Brother Bin, if you were unwilling for Wuniang to become a concubine in the Marquis's residence, you should have told us earlier. Would we have forced you?"

"Your family's Jiuniang is really capable. Even my husband and I wouldn't dare slight the Marquis's steward and matron, but she just ran out and talked nonsense, directly offending Steward Kong and Matron Shen."

"Just wait and see. Jiuniang made a scene today—she'll be fine herself, but Wuniang, who's gone into the Marquis's residence, will have a hard time."

Hearing this, the fourth branch grew anxious, and Old Master Hua and Old Madam Hua also darkened their faces. Yao Shi was about to defend her daughter, but unexpectedly, Hua Changxi spoke first.

"Elder Aunt, do you take us all for fools?"

"You should know even better than us why my fifth sister became a concubine in the Marquis's residence."

"If you've acted as a go-between and secretly profited, then you have to own up to it. Don't put on an innocent act afterward, as if we were the ones begging you."

"Stupid things like being sold and still counting the money for the seller—not everyone does that. At least our Hua family won't."

"As for you not daring to offend the Marquis's steward and matron, that's because you have something to seek from the Marquis's residence, while I have nothing."

"I have only one thought: I won't let the Marquis's residence look down on my fifth sister. I want the Marquis's residence to know that my fifth sister has a natal family to rely on."

Upon hearing this, the fourth branch, which had originally held some resentment toward Hua Changxi, all froze with stiff expressions.

At this point, Hua Changxi suddenly turned her gaze toward Hua Tai, who had been standing silently to the side: "Elder Grandfather, you must have seen with your own eyes how the Marquis's people slighted my Hua family and my fifth sister."

"My fifth sister was formally taken in as a proper concubine of the Marquis, not as a servant who doesn't fight back when hit or retort when scolded. Even if the gap between our family and the Marquis's residence is rather large, that doesn't mean we have to grovel and fawn over two servants of the Marquis, does it?"

Hua Tai looked at Hua Changxi with great interest.

"Groveling and fawning over two servants of the Marquis..."

Was she satirizing him and Zhong Shi for lacking backbone and not standing tall?

"Hahaha~"

Hua Tai laughed a few times: "So you're Jiuniang. No wonder my mother couldn't stop thinking about you after seeing you once."

As he spoke, he turned and smiled at Old Master Hua and the others.

"There are very few young ladies my mother remembers. Seeing you today, your family's Jiuniang is indeed extraordinary—truly unforgettable."

Old Master Hua forced a smile. Of course he understood the verbal sparring between Hua Tai and his ninth granddaughter, but it wasn't easy for him to say anything.

No matter what, his ninth granddaughter was standing up for the Hua family.

Hua Changxi also laughed in response: "My last visit to the senior elder's hometown was also unforgettable for me. If not for that trip, I might never have entered the Medicine Department."

Hua Tai put on the posture of an elder: "Jiuniang, you're a young lady. A young lady should stay properly at home. Tell me, running off to be a menial in the Medicine Department—doesn't that just cause needless worry for your grandparents and parents?"

Then, Hua Tai looked at Yao Shi: "Minghe's wife, I think highly of your Jiuniang. Teach her well, and in the future, I'll definitely have my mother pick a good marriage for her."

Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi laughed out loud. Then she withdrew her smile and looked calmly at Hua Tai: "Elder Grandfather, I've suddenly thought of a story."

Hua Tai obligingly looked curious: "What story?"

Hua Changxi: "The story of raising pigs. You pen them up in a sty, fatten them up nice and white, and just wait for them to grow big so you can sell and slaughter them."

Hua Tai's smile didn't fade: "Pigs, once they're grown, are meant to be sold. Otherwise, why raise pigs?"

Clan members are the clan's resources—it's been that way since ancient times. Want to resist? Hah...

Hua Changxi: "Elder Uncle Hua Tai must not have heard the saying: 'First pigs, then bears, then tigers.' Sometimes, when you run into a pig, even the fierce tiger and bear have to give way."

Hua Tai continued smiling amiably: "Is that so? That's my ignorance—I really haven't heard that before."

He treated the threat in Hua Changxi's words as nothing, as if she had only told a joke.

Hua Changxi stared back without blinking: "Elder Uncle Hua Tai, you've heard it today, and you'll surely see it one day."

Hua Tai looked at Hua Changxi, and the dismissive smile on his face finally faded a few degrees.

Zhong Shi was deeply dissatisfied that Hua Changxi had even dared to threaten their family. Knowing Hua Changxi could argue, she turned her attack toward Old Master Hua and Old Madam Hua.

"Is it you running this household, or is it Jiuniang? Are you just going to let a young girl spout nonsense in front of visiting elders?"

Seeing Hua Tai's expression also change, Old Master Hua knew he couldn't let his ninth granddaughter keep stirring things up. He immediately said to Yao Shi: "Take Jiuniang back to her room to rest."

This time, Hua Changxi didn't resist. She had said all she needed to say, and let Yao Shi pull her into the Hua family courtyard.

Even though his own granddaughter had torn off the fig leaf of decency, Old Master Hua still smiled apologetically at Hua Tai and his wife: "Nine-Niang has always been wild and undisciplined; don't take what she says to heart, Brother Tai and sister-in-law."

Madam Zhong snorted, ready to scold a few words, but Hua Tai stopped her: "What are you saying? I actually like Ninth Miss's temperament very much. It's just a pity..."

"If she were a man, our Hua clan would probably produce another capable person."

Saying this, Hua Tai looked at Hua Shiyi Lang: "My family also has a few sons who will be entering the martial academy. Shiyi Lang can go with them then."

Hearing this, Fourth Uncle Hua and Fourth Aunt Hua quickly bowed in thanks.

Hua Tai smiled lightly—this was the attitude clan members should have toward them. As for that Hua Ninth Miss...

"Alright, Fifth Miss has already been taken away. Your sister-in-law and I will be heading back now. If anything comes up, feel free to come to my house and find me. If I can help, I certainly will."

"Take care, Brother Tai and sister-in-law!"

The Hua family watched as Hua Tai and his wife's carriage drove away.

Inside the carriage, the more Madam Zhong thought about it, the angrier she became: "That Hua Ninth Miss has no manners at all; she simply doesn't put us in her eyes. That Hua Bin family stood right there and didn't even stop her—they have no sense at all. No wonder they're getting worse and worse."

At this point, Hua Tai's expression also turned cold: "...Fortunately, she's just a young lady."

Madam Zhong was startled: "What? You actually think highly of her?"

Hua Tai looked at his wife: "If she were really a man, with the courage she showed to openly confront me and Steward Kong, she would never live an ordinary life."

Madam Zhong scoffed: "Hua Minghe was daring enough, wasn't he? Now isn't he still just a low-level constable?"

Mentioning this, Hua Tai's face grew serious: "What exactly is Yao's family background? She's already married, yet someone still sends a person of influence to suppress her husband's family?"

Madam Zhong looked curious: "Have you found out which influential person is suppressing Hua Minghe?"

Hua Tai shook his head: "I don't know."

Madam Zhong's eyes widened: "Even the Earl's Manor couldn't find out?"

Hua Tai hummed in affirmation.

Madam Zhong's expression also turned serious: "If even the Earl's Manor can't find out who it is, how deep must their background be?"

Hua Tai sighed: "Now do you understand why Mother and Father repeatedly reminded us not to go too far with Hua Bin's family?"

Madam Zhong was somewhat dismissive: "Even if Yao's family has a strong background, that's in the past. She's been married into the Hua family for over twenty years now. In all those twenty-plus years, if her family truly had any influence, they wouldn't have abandoned her."

"In my opinion, Yao's family probably has no one left."

"You don't know this, but Hua Bin's wife has never given her eldest daughter-in-law much good face. Over the years, Yao has suffered more grievances than any of the other three daughters-in-law."

"Why is that?"

"Isn't it because she has no family to rely on, and she herself has no backing?"

Although Hua Tai felt his wife's words were reasonable, he always liked to keep one hand behind his back. He still decided to follow his parents' advice: he wouldn't go too far with Hua Bin's family, but he also wouldn't help them too much. He would just continue keeping them at a moderate distance.