Chapter Seven, What a big hat

Bai Ye Jinghang slammed the table, and suddenly the entire room full of women fell silent. She stood up, her eyebrows slightly raised, and everyone in the room felt as if she was looking at them, instinctively avoiding her gaze. She scanned the room and said sternly: "I, an old man, do not understand the rules, but you all do! How ridiculous that you claim to be from a prestigious and prosperous family! Did Jiang Qingliu bring a wife home just to serve you tea and water every day?"

If Jiang Qingliu were here, Bo Ye Jingxing would have already slammed the table in anger. Yet, she presents herself like a little wife. Bo Ye Jingxing leaned closer to her: "Are you crying?" Shan Wanchen quickly reached up to touch her face, and Bo Ye Jingxing waved his hand: "Go ahead and cry, why are you crying? Hmph, but your esteemed great-grandmother certainly has a big attitude, let me pay my respects to her..."

Isn't that so..." Banye Jingxing was filled with doubts: "Are you, the young lady, still responsible for doing the laundry?"

A woman, relying on her seniority, interjected at that moment: "She is showing filial piety to her elders, what is wrong with that? What qualifications do you have to speak here? You are merely a minor figure in the Qingliu household"

Zhou instructed the other women to leave, and then signaled Shan Wanchan to come over: "Grandmother knows that you feel wronged, but for men, having three wives and four concubines is quite common. Qingliu has already considered you well by welcoming you in this way."

Bai Ye Jinghang is not patient with the long wait, and before Zhou's sweet soup has been sipped a second time, she shoots a glare at the servant standing nearby: "Are you blind? Can't you see that I am still standing here?"

At this moment, everyone sat firmly like Mount Tai, and no one offered a seat to Shan Wanchan. Bo Ye Jingxing glanced around, finding it difficult for this room, which was packed with dozens of people, to have any available seats. He then boldly sat down on the chair next to the matriarch.

"Tsk, who taught you this?" Bo Ye Jingxing said with a "kind" expression, "A woman who is too understanding does not attract affection."

Dan Wan Chan lowered her head, and after a long while, she finally murmured: "But Qing Liu did not tell Wan Chan..."

In the quiet of the wilderness, Jinghang Bo found herself with nothing to do, and she began to worry idly: "Why is there still no offspring?"

"As the river flows away, how can you not follow?" He plucked a leaf from the pear tree and played with it absentmindedly. Shan Wanchan's voice was gentle: "My husband has important matters to attend to, and I, as a mere woman, cannot be of much help. Naturally, I will stay at home to manage household affairs."

The position next to Zhou's desk is Jiang Yintian's spot, and ordinarily, no one would dare to sit there! She cleared her throat lightly, clearly displeased: "Did I invite you to sit down?"

... ...

After a full quarter of an hour, Hakuya Yukikage finally realized that he could not understand: "So? Please, even if I am a guest at the Jiang family, there is no reason to send the guest to pay respects so early, right?"

Bai Ye Jinghang looked over and said: "I am a person, I have a mouth, why can't I speak here?!" She clearly did not understand the term "little one." "Dan Wanchan is the young mistress of the Jiang family. In the future, when Jiang Qingliu succeeds as the clan leader, she will be the clan leader's wife! Why do you treat her like a maid, making her serve tea and water? What are your intentions?"

Dan Wanchan laughed so hard that she couldn't straighten her back: "If your husband hears you say this, he will be furious. Come on, take your clothes and let's go to the back mountain."

Bai Ye Jinghang also ignored her: "I am hungry. Looking at that group of gossiping women, I would rather fight with the Three Swords of Kunlun."

Zhou sighed lightly: "You will have to get used to it sooner or later, good child. Bring her to grandmother's place tomorrow. You must truly present yourself as the mistress of the house and not allow others to ride roughshod over you"

This... this is not for you to drink

On a single evening, Chan Mei lowered her eyes: "Great-grandmother... let you and me go together to pay our respects to her venerable self."

He hurried back through the night, and then he heard the maid say: "The lady has taken the young lady to the back mountain for a bath"

Dan Wanchan did not expect her to be so straightforward, and her face immediately turned red: "I... I don't know either"

She followed Shan Wanchan all the way and saw Shan Wanchan carrying more than ten bowls of sweet soup with her maid on a tray. Unable to resist, she casually picked up a bowl, took a sip, and suddenly remembered that she could not eat anything indiscriminately at the moment, so she spat it back out.

Ah? Dan Wanchan was taken aback, and Zhou immediately became displeased: "Qingliu is the legitimate eldest son of the Jiang family, you are his legal wife, and you do not know how to manage family affairs. Shouldn't the family members teach you?"

The remaining flowers, you can plant them yourself

Dan Wanchan hurriedly took two steps inside, first inquiring about the old lady's well-being, and then serving the sweet soup to the elders. Although these individuals dared not show disrespect to the great-grandmother, Madam Zhou, they did not regard Dan Wanchan with any significance.

It has been seven years; I married into the Jiang family at the age of fourteen

At that time, Dan Wanchan was planting flowers in Banye Jingxing's small courtyard. She used a small hoe to loosen the soil, then applied fertilizer for the flowers and sowed the seeds. Banye Jingxing leaned against the pear tree nearby

The other women cast varying glances, and Zhou glanced at Li, saying: "As a mother, why don't you offer any guidance?"

Dan Wanchan is not like Bo Ye Jinghang, who has nothing to do every day. She gets up at the first hour of the morning, and after dressing and washing up, she first goes to greet her great-grandmother. At this time, her grandmother, Li, is usually also with the great-grandmother. Other female relatives from both the legitimate and illegitimate branches of the family also come over. Dan Wanchan cannot go to greet them empty-handed, so she occasionally makes some sweet soups that suit their tastes.

Zhou threw the spoon and coldly snorted, "He brought someone back from outside, still the same person. Do you not understand what that means? You don't understand, and you don't even know to ask?"

Shan Wanchan pulled her along, taking her own two sets of clothes, and fluttered like a butterfly towards the back mountain. Surprisingly, there was a hot spring there, exclusively for the women of Chenbi Villa. Shan Wanchan instructed the maid to keep watch and took Haya Jingxing inside: "My husband said you are weak, and often come here to soak in the books, which is good for your health."

At this moment, the women from various parties exchanged glances, each displaying a mix of surprise and disdain. Zhou also felt a chill—what kind of young lady was this, so utterly lacking in propriety

A few long-tongued women, if they truly anger me, I will cut off their tongues. You, my girl, do not be afraid; if anyone dares to bully you in the future, you tell me.

Bohong Jingxing leaned over and asked: "Is there a problem with Jiang Qingliu?"

Ah, Bo Ye Jinghang still knows shame. As for my name, it is better left unsaid. How many years have you been married to Jiang Qingliu?

Today, the ladies have arrived in great numbers, with a total of forty-six members from both legitimate and illegitimate branches of the family, all of whom are daughters-in-law of the Zhou family. When Wan Chan arrived, before she even entered the door, she heard a cacophony of voices inside: "Oh, it seems that the younger generation has become quite lax; it's already this late and they still haven't come. We are waiting for our old matriarch to come and invite them."

She clutched the hem of her clothes, and when the time came, there was nothing she could do: "Lingyin, go to the kitchen and get another bowl."

Dan Wanchan's face turned slightly red: "Don't make fun of me. By the way, what is your surname and given name?"

Once everyone was settled, the person who originally intended to set rules for her found it hard to speak up. The room was filled with people exchanging some trivial remarks, and then Zhou used fatigue as an excuse to dismiss everyone.

Then he immediately remembered—this old thief is still in his house, and he even sent his own wife to "take care of" him. Damn it, with such character, the old thief better not let his own wife be "taken care of"!

Lingyin is the maid accompanying Dan Wanchan, and she is quite clever; however, at this moment, she is also in a predicament: "Miss, there is no yam soup left in the kitchen"

As Dan Wanchan sat uncomfortably like a needle on a mat, Grandma Zhou took a sip of sweet soup, disregarding the others, and calmly remarked: "The words may be coarse, but the reasoning is indeed valid."

Dozens of clan women brought their children over, underestimating her youth and not taking her seriously. On this day, when Shan Wanchan was paying her respects to the matriarch, Madam Zhou, in front of all the women, Madam Zhou suddenly asked, "Where is that young one from Qingliu? Why didn't she come with you?"

Now everyone is set ablaze: "Reversed, reversed, what does this girl think she is, so ignorant of the rules!"

Dan Wanchan stamped her foot and said, "Then let's have the red date soup, it's getting late."

It was already early summer in May, yet she still felt a bit chilly, wearing Jiang Qingliu's spring shirt, made of plain silk with intricate patterns. The man's clothing appeared somewhat loose on her, accentuating her slender figure.

Shan Wanchan was frightened and unable to move, while Bo Ye Jingxing extended his hand to her, saying, "Come here, girl." He held Shan Wanchan's hand and pulled her to his side, his expression stern. Shan Wanchan tugged at the hem of her clothes, saying, "They are all elders..."

Zhou's youth was also that of a chivalrous woman, and she was not skilled in these matters. After marrying, everything was decided by the Zhou family, and she hardly dealt with household affairs, making it difficult for her to speak up at that time

Dan Wanchan chuckled softly and took her hand: "You are truly an interesting person, but you shouldn't always refer to me as 'old man.' It's not appropriate for a girl to say such things all the time"

Bohyeo Jinghang waved his hand and said: "The chairs are placed here, what is the point of having them if no one is allowed to sit? Wan Chan, stop being busy; does the whole room of people have no hands or feet? Do you need to serve each one of them individually?"

Bai Ye Jinghang also sighed, "Indeed, the martial world is truly beyond salvation"

The servants in the great-grandmother's room are indeed quite precious. Usually, who would dare to ask them to do anything? Yet at this moment, they were startled and hurriedly moved a chair. ... After moving it, they regretted it again—after all, she is just a minor concubine in the master's house, what is there to be afraid of ...

Ling Yin responded with a sound, and the two of them, master and servant, busied themselves for half a day. On this day, they went together with Bo Ye Jing Hang to meet the great-grandmother, Madam Zhou.

Even Wan Chan is about to cry, Zhou Shi gently pats her hand and says: "You are also a good person, and grandmother truly likes you. However, Wan Chan, to be the mistress of the house, it is not enough to just be obedient. You are so weak that even if grandmother were to leave, she would not feel at ease.

Grandmother! At that moment, Dan Wanchan's eyes turned red. She entered the Jiang family at the age of fourteen, just a little girl at the time, what did she understand? She only saw Jiang Qingliu, who was handsome and acted with a certain chivalrous spirit, and devoted all her heart to her husband. Now, Jiang Qingliu has brought back a girl of unknown origin and told her that she is not a concubine, and she believed it without a doubt. But was it not already clear as day to others?

In the lush greenery of the mountains behind, Lord Jiang seemed to see a hat that matched the color of the green hills

Bai Ye Jinghang coldly snorted: "Elders are supposed to be virtuous and esteemed, but without virtue and conduct, how can they be considered elders? You sit down here!" She stood up and pushed Shan Wanchan down onto the chair she had just vacated, "Since ancient times, men have been responsible for external affairs while women manage the household. Now you even have your great-grandmother in charge. If you do not learn the proper etiquette now, what will happen when your great-grandmother is no longer around? Will they not rebel against the heavens?"

When Jiang Qingliu hurried back, he went straight to look for Bo Ye Jingxing without stopping. Of course, Bo Ye Jingxing was not there, so he went to find Shan Wanchan. He had heard Gong Zizai mention the old stories of his master from years ago, and that was when he realized that this old rascal was still alive and well!

As they stepped out, Dan Wanchan took the initiative to hold onto Bo Ye Jingxing, still shaken, and said: "You have quite the audacity; that group of people is not easy to offend."

Having said that, she began to unfasten her clothing... Akihiro Soya stared intently at her chest...

On the second day, Hakuya Kei was still asleep when Dan Wanchan came to find her. Her peaceful slumber was disturbed, and she was in a bad mood: "You little girl, how can you be so inconsiderate? It's not even dawn, and you're interrupting my sweet dreams!"

However, she was unaware that with this greeting, her status as a concubine of Jiang Qingliu had been firmly established

A single smile from Wan Chan is like a spring spring breaking the ice: "The Kunlun Three Swordsmen were masters from over thirty years ago. Now, it is Qing Liu, Mei Yingxue, and Gong Zizai who are the three of them.

She dropped the hoe and ran away. Bo Ye Jingxing shook his head: "The young lady of the Jiang family has such thin skin, tsk tsk."

Dan Wan Chan felt quite troubled: "Great-grandmother is an elder, will you accompany me for a visit?"