Yang Suian knelt heavily before Hua Zhi. "Cousin, I beg you to send someone to take my mother away from the Yang family!"
He wasn't seeking help from his own maternal grandmother but from Hua Zhi instead. The funeral proceedings had made it clear enough for him to see who was truly in charge of the Hua family now.
Had Hua Zhi been merely a woman who could only manage household affairs, Yang Suian wouldn't have come to beg her. But he knew his cousin was different! She dared to bar her own paternal aunt from entering the family home, she dared to defy convention by allowing women to keep vigil before the spirit tablet, she dared to travel thousands of miles to the northern borderlands. He believed such a cousin would protect family members, even those who had married out.
All eyes were on Hua Zhi, wondering what this newly empowered head of the family would do.
Hua Zhi's expression showed no change, as if this matter didn't surprise her at all - and indeed it didn't. When a woman's natal family fell from power, married-out daughters who couldn't control their husbands often faced unfortunate outcomes. And her second aunt had never been one who could control her husband.
"Don't be anxious. First stand up and tell me the details carefully."
Yang Suian didn't want to air the family's dirty laundry, but for his mother's sake, he could care about nothing else now. "Yesterday when we returned... my father was still treating my mother and me quite well. When Grandmother criticized my mother, he even defended her. But this morning when I went to pay respects to my mother, I found all the servants waiting outside while my mother was crying inside. When I tried to enter, the servants blocked me. We got into a conflict, and only when Guizi helped me restrain them could I rush in. I saw my mother... her clothes weren't properly fastened, and her face and neck were covered with injuries. Father said if she couldn't get the Hua family to make connections for him, he would divorce her. Cousin, my mother can't stay in the Yang family anymore. For the past few months, they've been tormenting her - even the kitchen dares to withhold her food. Her health was already weak to begin with - she won't last long like this. Cousin, I beg you."
As he spoke, Yang Suian knelt down again. He didn't mind kneeling before a woman if she could rescue his mother from that living hell.
"A man's knees are worth gold - he should only kneel to heaven and earth, ancestors, and teachers. I don't qualify for such respect. Quickly stand up. A natal family naturally shouldn't stand by and watch their married daughters suffer humiliation. If we ignored this, what good days would the Hua family's daughters have in the future?"
Yang Suian's eyes reddened. He had feared his cousin would respond that a married daughter was like spilled water - beyond her concern. Fortunately, fortunately his cousin wasn't that kind of irresponsible person.
"Liu Xiang, go call Berlin here."
"Yes."
Yang Suian was taken aback. Why call his younger cousin...
"If I were to intervene personally, the Yang family would likely laugh at the Hua family for having no men. Although Berlin is young, he's currently the eldest male in the Hua family. It's proper for him to handle this. However, there are still some questions I need to ask you."
"Please ask, cousin."
"Is your mother willing to leave the Yang family?"
Yang Suian bit his lip. His mother was naturally unwilling - he had tried to persuade her many times. Although the Hua family had fallen, its foundation remained, and it wasn't the kind of family that didn't care for its daughters. Her life back home wouldn't necessarily be unbearable. But his usually meek mother remained unyielding on this matter.
Hua Zhi sighed softly. "She might not actually be unwilling - she's just worried about you. In the Yang family, she can desperately protect you, doing her utmost to shield you from harm. But once she's gone, all those troubles will fall on your shoulders. Have you considered this?"Yang Suian was stunned; he had always thought his mother was unwilling to leave because she couldn't bear to part from his father.
"Do you want your mother to leave? Even if you'll have to endure all that after she's gone?"
"Yes." Yang Suian answered without hesitation. "I bear the Yang surname—for the sake of their own reputation, they wouldn't dare do anything to me. Moreover, if Mother is no longer in the Yang family, I can simply move into the academy. The only concern is that Mother's dowry might not be protected—much of it has already been taken over the years."
"Those are just material possessions. If they're gone, they're gone. If the Hua family doesn't rise again, those things will eventually end up with the Yangs anyway. But if the Hua family recovers, the Yangs will have no choice but to make up for the dowry in full—they wouldn't dare withhold a single copper coin."
Yang Suian nodded firmly.
Hua Zhi found this cousin quite agreeable. She wasn't afraid of cleaning up others' messes—she had grown accustomed to it in her past life—but she also hoped that the person she helped wasn't beyond redemption, so her efforts would hold some value.
Hua Bolin arrived quickly. Though surprised to see Yang Suian in such a state, he was no longer the impulsive, noisy boy he used to be. He bowed respectfully to the elders at the doorway, then went straight to his elder sister. "Elder Sister."
"Second Aunt has been mistreated by the Yang family. Go ask Steward Xu for men—take forty sturdy servants. Even if you have to use force, bring Second Aunt back for me. Su Momo, take a few strong matrons with you."
Su Momo represented the dignity of the late Old Madam; even the Yang family matriarch wouldn't dare slight her. Understanding the young lady's intention, she respectfully acknowledged the order.
"Suian."
Yang Suian immediately straightened his back. "Yes, Cousin."
"If Second Aunt refuses to leave, use yourself as leverage. Decide how to handle it."
"Yes, I know what to do."
Hua Zhi turned to Third Aunt. "What do you think of this arrangement?"
Third Aunt's eyes were red, but she smiled. "The young lady has handled it perfectly."
"Berlin, you are the man who must uphold the Hua family's honor. When you step outside, you represent the Hua family. Your attitude reflects the family's stance, and you are the backbone of the Hua family's married women. Whether they can stand tall depends on whether you have the ability to support them. Therefore, you must not show weakness—do you understand?"
Hua Bolin nodded, his gaze resolute. "I understand. Rest assured, Elder Sister, I will definitely bring Second Aunt back."
"Go."
Hua Bolin turned and strode away. Yang Suian bowed solemnly to Hua Zhi before quickly following.
Once the two had left, the room fell into silence. Accustomed to Old Madam's gentle and deliberate ways, everyone found their hearts racing at the young lady's swift and decisive approach. They clutched their handkerchiefs tightly, yet felt a sense of exhilaration.
Who said women must be weak? Their young lady was anything but!
"By the way, I've been so busy since returning that I forgot another matter. I brought back many things from the north. I'll have them delivered to everyone later. Fourth Aunt, please deliver the portions for the other three branches."
Not only Wu Shi, but everyone else understood Hua Zhi's arrangement: henceforth, Wu Shi would be responsible for maintaining relations with the collateral branches.
Wu Shi accepted the task and took the opportunity to bring up matters concerning the collateral branches. "Our branch is the main lineage. Previously, Mother was the clan matriarch. Now that you are managing the household, you have inherited that role. By custom, the women from the collateral branches should formally pay their respects. Should we arrange a time for them to come?""No rush, let them bring it up themselves." Perhaps Grandfather and the others would return soon? When that time came, the matriarch position would inevitably fall upon a daughter-in-law of the Hua family. Though her mother was weak, by tradition this role should be hers to bear. When the time came, she would just need to offer some support from the sidelines.
Wu Shi wanted to say more, but Xia Shi subtly shook her head at her. She had finally realized—the young lady had very firm ideas of her own. She had been foolish before, contending with her over such matters. Compared to the young lady, her petty schemes were truly inadequate. These affairs were beyond her capacity to handle anyway.
PS: This update makes up for yesterday's. Kongkong won't post another one today, but feel free to check in—you might be pleasantly surprised!
OpenNovel