The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 183 A Concubine is Better than a Mistress (1)_1

Chapter 183: Chapter 183 A Concubine is Better than a Mistress (1)_1

Pei Qin was to return to the Pei family first, and after recognizing Pei Zongli, Qian Wanxiu, as a Scholar, would perform the rites of a continuing wife and acknowledge her step-daughter.

This matter seemed easy to handle, but when it came to Pei Qin, it was not so simple. After all, Pei Qin had previously mentioned promoting a concubine to the principal wife.

However, Old Pei thought it was negotiable, and it was also a good opportunity to test Pei Qin – whether she really wanted to return to the Pei family or was just playing them again. Promoting a concubine to principal wife was too humiliating for Qian Wanxiu!

Such a demand had been made, and without needing Pei Qin to speak, Old Scholar Fang directly suppressed it with a sentence, "Even though the Pei family has produced a few literates and a rich family, you don’t even understand the basic rites and rules!?"

No matter if it’s a poor family or an aristocratic family, to marry a continuing wife, one must first pay respects to the spirit tablet of the principal wife to establish the order of seniority.

Old Pei opened his mouth to explain that they would follow the customs sooner or later.

Old Scholar Fang looked at him coldly, "What kind of family is this, leaving several children in your care? What kind of morals will you teach them!?"

Old Pei’s face turned dark with anger, and his eyes turned to Pei Qin. If it weren’t for the presence of the Fang Qian family, if they could just coax Da Ya and the others into agreeing, everything would have been easy!

Pei Zongli called out, "Qinqin."

Someone was also calling for Pei Qin outside.

Grandma Miao’s shrill voice, "... Your family has visitors! The young master from Chang’s house is here! Come out quickly!"

Pei Qin raised her eyebrows – Chang Yonglin was here!? After nodding and greeting Old Scholar Fang and Grandma Fang, she strode out.

The faces of those sitting in Old Pei’s House all changed.

Upon hearing of the young master from Chang’s house, Fang Liyi’s spirits lifted, "Dad! Mom! Let’s go out and have a look too!"

Old Scholar Fang thought it over, looked at the people from Old Pei’s House, stood up, and led the way out.

Chang Yonglin arrived with his companions, sitting in a carriage that stopped on the street near their small courtyard.

When Grandma Miao saw Pei Qin, her eyes were both bright and eager, "Look, the young master from Chang’s house has come to see you!"

Most of the villagers were outside, waiting to see Fang family and Old Pei’s House settle the score, but now the young master from Chang’s house had come to find Pei Qin, clearly as backup!

As Chang Yonglin stepped down from the carriage with his servants, he asked the approaching Pei Qin, "What’s going on? You said you’d be here today, but something came up and you couldn’t make it, and you had a servant come over to give me a heads up to continue tomorrow, yet they said your mother was driven to death!?"

Pei Qin fell silent, "My mother passed away a few days ago."

Chang Yonglin frowned. He had his servant inquire, and it was said that Pei Qin’s mother had been discarded by eldest uncle Jian Shen, and their family’s reputation was very bad. However, there was an inside story to the discarding. Her father, who had been dead for more than ten years, had returned and married a young lady from a wealthy family, producing two sons. Upon his return, the Pei family drove Pei Qin’s mother to her death.

Si Ya was delighted, initially thinking that both the Wang family and Chang’s house were rich families and out of their league, but here was Chang’s house’s young master coming in person! She thought the people from the old residence couldn’t look down on them or bully them anymore!

The gate of Old Pei’s House opened, and Fang Li and Old Scholar Fang, among others, came out.

Seeing Chang Yonglin in his luxurious brocade robe, looking fine and noble, Fang Li approached with a smile and greeted him, introducing, "... I am Qinqin’s eldest uncle! This is Qinqin’s grandfather! Grandmother!"

Chang Yonglin nodded slightly, and as another group came out, he was sure these were the people from the Pei family. He expressed his displeasure, "Nothing but a wealthy concubine who’s returned home and now has to observe the rites of a concubine, yet managed to drive the principal wife to death!"

With a single sentence, he demoted Qian Wanxiu to the status of a mere concubine, even less than a proper concubine.

Qian Wanxiu did not go out to be surrounded, but listening in the yard, her fingernails viciously dug into her flesh. She had never suffered such a great humiliation! She would not let today’s disgrace slide!