Chapter 963: Chapter 961: Unbearable
I cannot tell if it is because someone is secretly promoting it or if the nobles of the capital are just too bored. Two days later, everyone with some reputation in the capital almost knew that the Duke An’s Mansion’s Old Master’s concubine-born daughter, now Fourth Grandma Ji, had opened a construction firm and suffered devastating losses; it’s been a long time since workers and craftsmen have been paid.
This is not the main issue; the critical part is that this Fourth Grandma Ji has a generous dowry but is unwilling to take out any silver to pay the workers. Instead, she instigates the workers at the construction firm to pester her father, Ye Hongyang, causing him to helplessly instruct his servants to steal items from the mansion to pawn.
There are even rumors that the construction firm under Fourth Grandma Ji’s name was also deceived out of her father, by selling off the family estate of the Duke An’s Mansion, to obtain the silver to start it.
Such a daughter who scams her father is jaw-dropping in this era that prioritizes males over females. In a short time, this matter has been spread far and wide.
The broad masses of people employ extraordinary imagination, concocting various splendid versions, none failing to depict Fourth Grandma Ji’s lack of virtue and filial piety.
Remember this critical point: people criticize Fourth Grandma Ji, but instead, the Ye Family raised by Duke An’s Mansion is the victim.
Madam Zhou has already received several days of strange looks, bewildered about what’s happening, why many female relatives’ eyes seem to have a problem these days?
It wasn’t until her personal nanny hesitantly spoke of the outside rumors.
The personal nanny told her that originally Fourth Grandma Ji was also innocent and didn’t intend to dodge paying the wages. Instead, due to the stern family tradition of the Ji family, she dared not use the dowry kept in the Ji family for business and craftsmanship-related matters.
Thus, it was reasonable for those craftsmen to approach the Old Master of Duke An’s Mansion.
Madam Zhou trembled with anger, "Ye Xinyi committed such deeds, yet she is excusable, all because of their Ji family, being unkind, harsh upon her, even scheming upon her dowry?"
In utter annoyance, Madam Zhou immediately summoned Ye Xinyi for questioning; this still not relieving her anger, she called upon the nearby nanny for a thorough instruction.
Since Dongze Construction Firm is no longer viable, Ye Xinyi truly does not intend to carry out any rescue. As for the wages, she is even less willing to pay.
Originally, she thought, since her father Ye Hongyang is at least someone from the Duke’s Mansion, if he can advance the wages, of course, the best; she could conveniently sell off the construction firm.
Even if Ye Hongyang couldn’t pay, the poor craftsmen reliant on labor for their livelihood would not dare confront noblemen of the capital city.
But how could she know there is someone pushing this matter from behind, even if the wages are paid, trouble can arise; not to mention she even wishes to renege.
Madam Zhou didn’t know those rumors, but she knew early on. From the moment she heard vague rumors, she was worried about the time Madam Zhou would summon her.
Now, she is thoroughly shunned by Madam Zhou; even the most valued morning and evening greetings are exempted, sparing her alone.
If it were in the past, when Ye Hongyang was still the heir apparent, having such a good thing, Ye Xinyi would have been overjoyed. But now, it is apparent that the mother-in-law doesn’t even want to look at her, that’s why she is isolated from the Zhou family’s affairs.
The senior maid Qing Lian, of Madam Zhou, waited outside the room, and Ye Xinyi was changing clothes inside while anxiously watching the hourglass. Damn it, why does the mother-in-law choose to lash out now? If her son, Brother Sheng, were here, she could bring him to meet the mother-in-law; perhaps the mother-in-law might restrain herself slightly in front of Brother Sheng.
But Brother Sheng went to clan school for enlightenment, at this time, there’s still a while before school ends. Meanwhile, her husband is preparing for next year’s imperial exam, also not in the mansion, so there is no hope.
Qing Lian’s voice came through the door: "Qingqing, I wonder how long it will take Fourth Madam to leave; Madam is waiting."
Ye Xinyi gritted her teeth privately, as the saying goes: No matter if you stretch your neck, it’s a cut, or if you shrink it, it’s a cut, since you can’t escape, let’s go.
Madam Zhou was usually very strict; at this moment, her face was even more unprecedentedly severe and stern. In the room were also the other three daughter-in-laws of the Ji family, sitting in order on brocade stools, with their maids standing behind.
Ye Xinyi also came with maids, but her two maids were blocked outside the door. She had no choice but to enter alone, according to the rules, to greet Madam Zhou.
Madam Zhou lowered her eyelids and coldly said: "Stand up."
Ye Xinyi stood up, lowered her head, and did not look at the sisters-in-law watching her from the side.
In the past, when her father was still the heir apparent, she always sat on the brocade stool closest to Madam Zhou, the other elder sisters-in-law had to sit below her.
Back then, Madam Zhou said it was because she was young, and she accommodated her somewhat. Now thinking back, it was really laughable.
The room remained silent for quite some time, the atmosphere extremely heavy and awkward.
Ye Xinyi felt like she couldn’t catch her breath before Madam Zhou opened her mouth, still in a chilly tone: "I told you before, to give that construction firm to whoever it should go to, how did you handle it?"
"I, daughter-in-law," Ye Xinyi pondered and said, "that day when mother instructed me, I immediately told the manager to let the people from the construction firm go to Duke An’s Mansion if there was anything."
Madam Zhou slammed her hand on the table and angrily said: "Wasn’t that construction firm under your name? You pushed the matter cleanly!"
Ye Xinyi took a breath and said: "Originally, that construction firm was bought by my father from my natal family, it’s under the daughter-in-law’s name just for convenience in managing things."
This was the excuse she had thought of long ago; she thought with the Ji family’s reputation so high, even if her father were unyielding, the Ji family would not dare to privately confront Duke An’s Mansion’s son.
Moreover, most of the silver for purchasing this construction firm was provided by her father; her statement could completely hold ground.
Madam Zhou was even more furious in her heart; that day at Cien Temple, Ye Xinyan had mentioned her fourth daughter-in-law had bought this construction firm to deal with her legitimate elder sister, and had deceived Ye Hongyang to privately sell family items to get silver.
Now, the rumors align with Ye Xinyan’s words and Ye Xinyi’s excuses unwittingly, what does that signify? It indicates Ye Xinyan’s words were true.
"That is the father who gave birth to you, raised you, and loved you. How black-hearted must you be to cruelly deceive him?" Madam Zhou angrily shouted.
Ye Xinyi bowed her head, her face flushed with heat. Without raising her head, she knew how elated her three sisters-in-law were now. When she was favored in the Ji family, her three elder sisters-in-law were as pleased as now with her downfall.
Only because her father was no longer the Duke’s heir apparent, unable to inherit Duke An’s title in the future, her status in the Ji family plummeted, she no longer needed to save face, and she could be publicly rebuked in front of others!
This was the Ji family known for generations of scholarly prestige and noble reputation!
Next, Madam Zhou uttered even harsher words: "How blind I was back then, how could I not see you were such an unvirtuous and unfilial woman?"
Ye Xinyi looked up in shock, incredulous, at Madam Zhou: "Mother, mother..." The mother-in-law has always boasted about her supreme virtue and upbringing; how can she say such words?
What was said next was even more unimaginable, beyond her acceptance.