The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 176: The Concubine Is Promoted (3)_1

Chapter 176: Chapter 176: The Concubine Is Promoted (3)_1

Old Pei also glared over, his eyes cold. He had told her not to make a sound earlier—all the trouble came from that mouth!

Lady Zhu hummed discontentedly and indignantly, "What’s wrong with letting them see!" Her gaze radiated pride, as if just the sight of Qian Wanxiu would blind these lowly, impoverished, pitiful people.

However, Qian Wanxiu didn’t want to face the Fang family people. These vulgar country folks, they would spout all sorts of filthy language when cursing someone. If she went out, the Fang family would surely humiliate her!

Pei Zongli had already read Lady Fang’s blood letter, and he understood the reactions of his father and elder brother. He was well aware of the whole situation. Although he still held the leverage of the Jian Xiao matter, now facing Old Scholar Fang... When Lady Zhu called for Qian Wanxiu, he didn’t say anything.

When her mother-in-law called, Qian Wanxiu suppressed her reluctance and came out to the main hall.

She was wearing a light purple embroidered hibiscus satin jacket, her black hair was done up in a Fall Bun, adorned with a silver-gilt Butterfly Cicada Wing Step Shake and a White Jade Hairpin. Her Gold Bead Earrings dangled, and on her wrists were a pair of Gold bracelets.

She entered the room with dignified elegance, her knees bending slightly as she paid her respects to Old Pei.

Lady Zhu’s eyes gleamed with triumph as she watched Old Scholar Fang and the others, as if expecting their eyes to pop out from shock.

Grandma Fang and Lady Yu, upon seeing Qian Wanxiu like this, felt only a deeper anger and resentment towards Pei Zongli.

Old Scholar Fang’s expression remained unchanged as he sized up Qian Wanxiu, "Indeed, she looks like a spring onion!"

It wasn’t clear whether he meant that Qian Wanxiu was as fresh and delicate as a spring onion or whether he was questioning her significance.

Lady Zhu’s face darkened immediately.

Old Scholar Fang then turned to Pei Zongli with a piercing gaze and asked, "Did you perform the tea ceremony and kowtow to your first wife?"

Pei Zongli’s face changed.

"Even if the first wife has passed away, one must still kowtow to her memorial tablet, right?" Old Scholar Fang pressed on.

Old Pei understood the implication in his words, and his complexion also changed. Asking Qian Wanxiu to perform the tea ceremony signified that Qian Wanxiu was the concubine. To ask her to kowtow would solidify her status as the step-wife, the new mother. It would also force them to acknowledge the details written in Lady Fang’s blood letter regarding Jian Xiao and to give Lady Fang her rightful place.

Using the suppression of Qian Wanxiu as a starting point, they intended to quietly seek justice for Lady Fang. Pei Qin couldn’t help but glance at Old Scholar Fang a few times more.

Lady Zhu burst out, ready to hurl insults.

Pei Zongli stood up and with hands clasped, he addressed Old Scholar Fang, explaining how he was nearly killed by bandits, was rescued by the Qian family, and how he had no choice but to marry Qian Wanxiu in order to repay the life-saving grace and to ensure the safety of his family. He dared not return home.

Grandma Fang and Lady Yu listened with increasing annoyance and fury. What nonsense about being forced! It was clearly because he despised poverty and was attracted to the wealth of a rich family’s daughter, eagerly clinging onto their status, abandoning his humble wife at home. He probably came back after he had thoroughly investigated, intending to use the Jian Xiao as leverage to drive out his wife and children and make room for this new family! He was worse than a pig or a dog!

"If that’s when you got married, then you certainly should have performed the tea ceremony for your official wife!" After listening, Old Scholar Fang simply nodded his head without accusing him further.

Pei Zongli’s face turned purple with anger.

Qian Wanxiu’s face was pale, her slender body swaying slightly as if she could barely stand, her eyes brimming with tears.

Just as Old Pei was about to speak, Lady Zhu couldn’t hold back and screamed, "You, Old Fang! You’re going too far! You’re a Scholar with a title! My son is also a Scholar with a title! Don’t think our family is easy to bully! And don’t think you can bully Wanxiu, the daughter of the Qian family!"

"All this nonsense about equal wives is just something concocted by merchants, taking one wife at home and another outside, without distinguishing between primary and secondary. But once you’re back at the family home, the first wife is the first wife! A concubine is just a concubine!" Old Scholar Fang stood his ground, his gaze deep and sharp.

"You came here to question the death of Lady Fang; why come here to shame an innocent person?" Qian Wanxiu’s body tottered, as she tearfully accused.