RATMOFANF: Chapter 102

 Glossary

·Xu Wanning (徐婉宁): Li Xian's wife.

·Li Xian (李显): The eldest son of the Zhenguo Duke Manor.

·Meiniang (媚娘): Li Xian's favored concubine.

·Shen Jingxiu (沈静姝): The Female Lead, the household manager.

·Li Ling (李陵): The Male Lead.

·Old Madam Li (老夫人): Li Ling's grandmother.

·Xu Mama (徐嬷嬷): Old Madam Li's servant.

·Nanny Qiu (秋嬷嬷): A senior servant in Xu Wanning's household.

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Chapter 102: Meiniang Is Expelled from the Manor

Jingxiu discreetly examined Xu Wanning. Seeing that aside from her clothes being badly torn during the scuffle, she was unhurt, Jingxiu finally set her mind at ease. She poured a cup of tea and handed it to Xu Wanning, persuading, "Have a sip of tea to calm your anger."

Xu Wanning took the cup, drained it in one go, then slammed it heavily onto the table. Pointing at Li Xian, she scolded, "I don't want to live with a heartless lecher like you anymore. Let's separate today."

Li Xian, standing nearby, glared at his wife and said resentfully, "Separate then! Who's afraid?"

He ground his teeth and cursed, "Shrew!"

Meiniang slowly stepped forward, using a handkerchief to dab Li Xian's face, which was crisscrossed with scratches from Xu Wanning, and wept, "The Mistress is too cruel. How could she scratch the master like this?"

Jingxiu shot a sharp glance at Meiniang and said coldly, "The nation has its laws, the family its rules. In the principal wife's chambers, it's not your place to speak."

Seeing Jingxiu rebuke his beloved concubine, Li Xian, though inclined to defend her, could not very well retort to his sister-in-law. He could only stand to the side, fuming in silence.

Relying on Li Xian's favoritism, Meiniang dared to provoke even Xu Wanning, the principal wife. How could she possibly regard Jingxiu with respect? She raised a fine eyebrow and said disdainfully, "I am a concubine bestowed upon the First Master by His Majesty himself. Even if I were at fault, it is not the Second Mistress's place to reprimand me."

Jingxiu said sternly, "Even if you were bestowed by His Majesty, now that you are in the Zhenguo Duke Manor, you must abide by its rules. I am the mistress of this household. You showed no respect and contradicted the principal wife, committing a grave act of disrespect. Since you have broken the rules, I have the authority to discipline you."

As she spoke, she turned to Nanny Qiu standing nearby. "Throw her out of the manor."

Hearing this, Nanny Qiu immediately rolled up her sleeves to seize Meiniang. Terrified, Meiniang hid behind Li Xian, clutching his clothes desperately. "First Master, save me! Save me!"

Seeing this, Li Xian could no longer play deaf and dumb. He looked at Jingxiu and said, "Shen-shi, this is a matter within my courtyard. It's not for you to decide."

Jingxiu replied, "Grandmother has never mentioned dividing the family estate. Since the family is not yet divided, matters within Elder Brother's courtyard are also matters of the Zhenguo Duke Manor. Since it is a household matter, I naturally have the authority to manage it."

Li Xian was rebutted until his face flushed red. He stammered in reply, "You are overreaching your authority."

As soon as Li Xian's words fell, a voice came from outside. "Who dares to say Jingxiu is overreaching?"

The Old Madam entered the room, supported by Xu Mama. Seeing the mess all around, the old lady directly reprimanded Li Xian, "You've really outdone yourself now—beating your wife and rebuking your sister-in-law. If you have skill, use it outside! Throwing your weight around at home counts for nothing!"

Jingxiu and Xu Wanning stepped forward to help the Old Madam sit down. The Old Madam pulled Xu Wanning closer and, seeing her granddaughter-in-law's disheveled state, scolded Li Xian again in annoyance, "Wretched creature! How dare you beat your wife like this!"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Li Xian wore an expression of grievance. He retorted, "I didn't hit her. She started it." As he spoke, he stepped forward and pointed to the scratches on his face, saying indignantly to the Old Madam, "Look how this woman has scratched me!"

The Old Madam glanced at the crisscrossing red welts on her eldest grandson's face and snorted coldly. "Serves you right!"

Li Xian said, feeling wronged, "Grandmother, by backing her like this, you only encourage her further."

The Old Madam replied, "Should I not encourage her? Should I instead encourage you to continue this farce by favoring a concubine over your wife?"

Li Xian's face showed embarrassment. He defended himself, "When have I ever done what you said, Grandmother? Meiniang was bestowed by His Majesty. I treat her well out of respect for the Emperor. What's wrong with that?"

The Old Madam spat metaphorically at her eldest grandson, scolding, "Don't try to fob me off with that talk. Did His Majesty bestow her upon you so you could dote on a concubine and neglect your wife?"

Li Xian muttered, "Meiniang has always been well-behaved and knows her place. It's Xu-shi who is arrogant, jealous, and cannot tolerate her."

Hearing Li Xian say this, Xu Wanning pointed at him, fuming as she cursed, "You're talking nonsense! How am I jealous?"

Li Xian roared at his wife, "If you're not jealous, why did you punish Meiniang without cause this morning?"

Seeing Li Xian single-mindedly shielding his concubine, Xu Wanning said furiously, "I am the principal wife. What does it matter if I hit her? Does that make your doting on a concubine and neglecting your wife justified?"

Li Xian replied, "You shrew! I will divorce you!"

Xu Wanning replied, "As if I care about staying with you!"

Li Xian: "You are rude!"

Xu Wanning: "You are shameless!"

Li Xian: "You are crude!"

Xu Wanning: "You are vile!"

Right in front of the Old Madam, Xu Wanning and Li Xian began quarreling heatedly again.

Seeing this, Meiniang stepped forward, putting on a delicate, harmless appearance. She tugged at Li Xian's lapel and urged, "It is all this concubine's fault. Please do not argue with the Mistress anymore, First Master."

It made her seem like the reasonable one.

Noticing the Old Madam's gradually furrowing brows, Jingxiu said to Meiniang, "Of course it is your fault."

As she spoke, Jingxiu stepped forward and addressed the Old Madam. "Grandmother, this Meiniang relies on her status as one bestowed by the Emperor to show no respect. She has repeatedly been disrespectful to Sister-in-law and has sown discord between Elder Brother and his wife in every way possible, causing marital strife and domestic unrest."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Grandmother, in your granddaughter-in-law's opinion, even if such a person was bestowed by His Majesty, for the sake of the family's peace, she should not remain in the manor."

Xu Wanning was brave but lacked strategy. Once angered, she became even more reckless. At the moment, she was arguing fiercely with Li Xian, her sharp tongue almost reaching his eight generations of ancestors.

Hearing Jingxiu's words and glancing at the Old Madam's gradually darkening face, Xu Wanning belatedly reacted.

What good would it do to turn the world upside down arguing with her husband? She still had young children and absolutely could not divorce him. Whatever Li Xian's faults, he was still the Old Madam's eldest grandson. If she, as a granddaughter-in-law, continued to make a scene without restraint, even the Old Madam might lose patience. Wouldn't that play right into that vixen's scheme?

Xu Wanning stopped arguing with her husband. She knelt before the Old Madam and wept, "Just as Sister-in-law said, this Meiniang is extremely troublesome. I beg you, Grandmother, to make the decision and send this palace courtesan out of the manor."

The Old Madam helped her granddaughter-in-law up and nodded to Jingxiu. "Have her driven out."

Hearing this, Meiniang no longer had the mind to put on an act. She immediately knelt straight down, pleading, "I beg you, Old Madam, to show mercy."

Li Xian also said urgently, "Grandmother, Meiniang has not done anything wrong. To expel her rashly—if those with ill intentions find out and use this to make an issue before His Majesty, your grandson's future could be ruined."

He had just received his nomination to the Grand Secretariat and was under review. Countless eyes, both open and hidden, were watching him. He could not afford the slightest negligence.

The Old Madam glared at her eldest grandson and scolded angrily, "Now you remember your future? Look at what you've done! If you can't even handle this bit of trouble in your own household, what future can someone like you have?"

"Calling yourself a refined scholar who reads books? I think all that knowledge went straight to the dogs."

The Old Madam scolded until her mouth was dry. Jingxiu, standing nearby, promptly and timely poured tea for her grandmother.

The Old Madam took two sips of tea, moistening her throat, and continued scolding, "For this woman, you've been quarreling for over half a year with your wife. Do you think I don't know?"

The Old Madam sighed. "Guo-shi, for all her faults, is still your birth mother. With your birth mother taking precedence, I didn't wish to interfere much in your domestic affairs. Little did I think you would become more and more improper, actually losing your mind over a concubine."

"If your father were still here and saw you like this, he would have beaten you to death, you unfilial son."

Li Xian was scolded until sweat poured off him but dared not utter a single word in reply.

As was universally desired, Meiniang was indeed driven out. However, since she was ultimately bestowed by His Majesty, and for the sake of the Emperor's face if not the monk's, the Old Madam ultimately considered her eldest grandson's future. As they left, she coldly instructed Li Xian, "Send her to a manor estate, or find another residence outside. In any case, she is never to set foot in this manor again."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

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Li Xian @Li Ling: Your wife is quietly wicked.

Li Ling: How is my wife quietly wicked?

Li Xian: Grandmother was scolding me, and she served her tea. Isn't that wicked?

Xu Wanning: I was seeing red today. If I'd known that was an option, I'd have had Sister-in-law pass a knife to Grandmother.

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(End of Chapter)

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