In the blink of аn еуе, it wаs alreadу thе hour of Shеn. Outside, thе sрring sunlight wаs bright аnd bеаutiful, but the citу gate tunnel had grown somеwhаt dim. Li Jingfu had vаnished withоut а trасe sinсе lеаving thе housе, and Li Dalang, whо hаd gonе to fetch Grаndfather Li аnd Grandmothеr Li, hаd уеt tо rеturn.
Zhаo Shi anхiоusly расed аround thе smаll courtуаrd, while Zhеn Niang stood оutside the doоr, gаzing intо the distаnce.
"Mоthеr, sistеr-in-law, sесоnd sistеr, thе Тian fаmilу is herе!" Xi Gе'er cаme running bасk frоm outsidе, раnting hеavily as hе called out to Zhаo Shi and Li Zhenniаng.
Zhao Shi's fаcе рalеd. The ones who should have come hadn't arrived, while those who shouldn't have were now here. She hurriedly shouted for Xi Ge'er and Zhen Niang to close the gate, but the Tian family had clearly followed Xi Ge'er. Leading them was Madam Tian, supported by the third young lady of the family, Tian Ronghua, and the second young master, Tian Rongchang, followed by a group of servants.
They were absolutely menacing, clearly coming with ill intentions.
Zhao Shi looked again at her own gate, full of cracks and gaps—how could it possibly hold back the Tian family? Seeing that each of them carried long sticks, she knew that once they entered, the house would likely be smashed to pieces. The thought made her heart ache; even a single broken tile would pain her deeply.
So, quick as lightning, she grabbed a machete leaning against the courtyard wall and stood firmly in the middle of the doorway, adopting a stance of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot breach it," blocking their entry.
Seeing her mother like this, Zhen Niang didn't hesitate either. She dashed into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Shi.
"You foolish girl, do you still care about your reputation? What are you doing out here?" Zhao Shi scolded Zhen Niang angrily.
"Mother, after the commotion the Tian family is causing today, what reputation do I even have left? It's already come to this—there's no need to hold back," Zhen Niang replied bluntly.
In this part of the city gate tunnel, a poor family's daughter must act with integrity, take responsibility, get things done, and speak with conviction. Only then can she be considered capable of managing a household and taking charge. If she constantly hides behind her family, she may be called gentle and meek, but in the struggle for survival among the poor, one must contend with fate. Constantly hiding behind others would only invite disdain.
Zhao Shi thought it over and realized it was true. She considered how difficult it would be in the future to secure a good bride price for her daughter, as the label of a "widow before marriage" would still deter respectable families. She might even have to provide a generous dowry to compensate. The thought of such losses, both incoming and outgoing, made her grit her teeth in anger. Blocking someone's path to wealth is like killing their parents. Instantly, her resolve surged, and she unleashed her fiercest temper, glaring venomously at the Tian family. "Madam Tian, what is the meaning of this? Are you here to kill?"
Madam Tian, her face haggard and eyes bloodshot, didn't respond directly. Instead, she pointed at Zhen Niang and snarled at the servants, "It's her! Seize her! She brought misfortune upon my Chang'er, and I want her to be buried with him."
Well, this time they weren't even talking about breaking off the engagement—it was straight to burial.
"Bah! Your son died from his own fall. What does it have to do with my Zhen Niang? If any of you dare take another step forward, I'll fight you to the death!" Zhao Shi raised her knife, her resolve unwavering.
Often in arguments, if you lose your nerve, you lose the fight.
"You shut your mouth! My Chang'er was always perfectly fine. It was you, you shrew, who made a mountain out of a molehill, forcing us to fulfill the marriage agreement. And just one month after it was settled, Chang'er met with misfortune. If it wasn't your daughter who brought this misfortune, then who was it?" Madam Tian retorted through gritted teeth.Madam Tian clung to the matter of the forced betrothal, causing Zhao Shi to falter, her breath catching as a twinge of guilt crept in.
Zhen Niang saw this and thought, "This won't do. At this point, we have to be bold. After all, we have nothing to lose."
"Madam Tian, as a junior, I shouldn’t speak today, but this concerns my life and death, so I must. The engagement was arranged by our elders. If you tried to break it before, that would be unfilial and unjust. So, my mother’s actions were justified. Besides, we must see the living or the dead. Is Young Master Tian truly dead? I have a feeling he’s still alive..."
"Nonsense! He fell from Feilai Rock—how could he possibly survive? Our people searched Huangshan for over ten days. Don’t use 'see the living or the dead' as an excuse. Over the years, how many pine gatherers and smoke burners who died on Huangshan were ever found?" Tian Rongchang retorted angrily.
"Hah, ten days is a long time? For something like this, you should search for at least a year or two. There are mountain villagers, hunters, and herb gatherers around Huangshan who make their living there. Who’s to say Young Master Tian wasn’t rescued by someone? Are you certain you’ve searched everywhere? Better safe than sorry—unless you have other motives?" Zhen Niang’s eyes hinted at something deeper, planting a subtle trap.
"Rubbish! Don’t slander me here," Tian Rongchang fumed. He was not Madam Tian’s son but born of a concubine. If Zhen Niang’s words stirred any suspicion in Madam Tian, his future would be difficult.
Madam Tian, no longer as agitated as before, pondered whether her son might still be alive.
Seeing her expression, Tian Rongchang grew anxious, fearing she might misunderstand. "Mother, the Li family is full of gamblers and shrews—not a single decent one among them. We needn’t waste words with them." He then turned to the servants. "What are you waiting for? Seize them!"
Immediately, several Tian family servants rushed forward.
"Is that so? The Li family started with ink-making and has passed down propriety and righteousness through generations. We’ve never neglected benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, or trust. In Huizhou, most speak well of the Li family’s virtue. I didn’t know outsiders now see us as gamblers and shrews. Tian Er, you’d better explain this to me—it concerns the Li family’s reputation. Don’t blame me for pulling rank in my old age."
At that moment, a slightly hoarse yet authoritative woman’s voice rang out.
Everyone looked over to see a line of carts laden with pine logs, some as thick as half a person, occasionally even thicker. They had been stopped by the crowd of onlookers blocking the road.
"Ah, it’s the Li family’s Seventh Grandmother! She must have just brought goods into the city from outside. Haha, the Tian family has met their match this time. Who would have thought the Li family’s matriarch would step in?" The onlookers breathed a sigh of relief for Zhen Niang.
For some reason, as soon as Zhen Niang saw Seventh Grandmother standing there, her expression steady, her heart settled. Beside her, Zhao Shi also looked delighted. With Seventh Grandmother involved, today’s ordeal would be easier to bear.Zhao Shi snatched the cleaver from Zhen Niang's hand and threw it aside along with her own chopping knife. Then, she led Zhen Niang in a slight curtsy toward the old woman.
Old Madam Li merely gave a faint nod before turning her gaze back to the Tian family.
"Greetings, Old Madam Li," the Tian family members all bowed in respect. Though the Li family was gradually declining, the imperial surname "Li" and the plaque inscribed with "Gold is easy to obtain, but Li Mo is hard to find"—both bestowed by the emperor—ensured that no one dared to look down on them.
Then, Madam Tian turned to Tian Rongchang and said, "Kneel."
Tian Rongchang wore an expression of reluctance, but he dared not defy Madam Tian's order and knelt down.
Madam Tian continued, "Madam, you have misunderstood. When my second son mentioned 'the Li family,' he was referring specifically to the Li family living by the city gate. The man is a gambler, and the woman is a shrew—that much is true."
Her words did not sound like an apology.
"Is that so? I am old and can no longer discern the nuances of speech. I only hope that in the future, when Tian Er speaks, he will add a qualifier, such as 'the Li family by the city gate,' so that this old woman can understand clearly." Old Madam Li's gaze was sharp as a blade.
"Yes, I will remember your instruction, Madam," Tian Rongchang replied, sweat beading on his forehead under Old Madam Li's piercing stare.
After a long moment, Old Madam Li finally waved her hand. "Rise. Now, tell me what exactly is happening here?"
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