Chapter 126: Argument, who wins the counter? (1/2)

Chapter 126: Argument, who wins the counter? Original and most updated translations are from volare. If read elsewhere, this chapter has been stolen. Please stop supporting theft.

It was perfectly normal for Murong Wanru to create difficulties for Han Yunxi. As for Mu Liuyue, Lady Xu had heard from Han Ruoxue that she had some sort of bet with Han Yunxi. But she didn’t know the details. With these noble ladies of high status protecting her, Lady Xu was free to make a big fuss.

She was still the daughter of a rich and influential family, so despite creating such a ruckus, she still bowed politely to Grand Concubine Yi and the rest when they emerged. “This commoner Lady Xu of the Han household greets Grand Concubine Yi and Qin Wangfei.”

Grand Concubine Yi was ready to kick this shrew aside, but she suppressed her anger to maintain her self-possession. She gave a disdainful look from her lofty position and asked, “Lady Xu, do you know the punishment for inciting a mob before the Duke of Qin’s estate?”

At this, Lady Xu immediately sank to her knees, the sound loud enough to create a thump in the silence. “I’ve been treated unjustly, ah! Grand Concubine Yi, this commoner had no other way to appeal for redress! I was too impatient to wait, so I came to these gates to plead for help. This commoner didn’t do it on purpose!”

Lady Xu spoke loudly, her voice causing all the rest of the citizens to kneel as well and plead together.

Plead for help?

This group of people were obviously viciously slandering and vilifying them to stir up the crowd. Was this called ‘pleading for help?’

“Lady Xu, just then, you were clearly…” Han Yunxi was about to retort when Grand Concubine Yi cut her off.

“What are you pleading for, why did you have to come to our front doors to do it?”

At Grand Concubine Yi’s words, the surrounding people grew astonished as they muttered amongst themselves. Could it be that Grand Concubine Yi has no idea why Lady Xu came? In that case, they’d all misunderstood that Grand Concubine Yi was competing for family properties. Looks like this was only Han Yunxi’s doing.

At the same time, Murong Wanru’s eyes flashed with a cold satisfaction. She opened her mouth to speak, not with the arrogant air of an aristocratic young Miss, but the amiable, approachable tone of a genial-looking person. “Lady Xu, you’re not an unreasonable person. There must be an important reason for you to kick up a row here. Since you’re here now, you should say it. My mufei will definitely act as a judge for you.”

Hearing Murong Wanru’s words further convinced the crowd that Grand Concubine Yi wasn’t the master behind the scenes controlling Han Yunxi. Murong Wanru also cleared all suspicion from herself. It seemed like everything was Han Yunxi’s mistake, while Grand Concubine Yi and Murong Wanru were completely ignorant of the matter.

When Murong Wanru was speaking, she’d shoot looks into the crowd. There was a sudden shout. “Grand Concubine Yi, Lady Xu came for the sake of the Han Family properties. The matter must be handled impartially!”

“Grand Concubine Yi, we’ve long heard that you’re just and fair-minded, earning much praise from the previous emperor. Today you must back up Lady Xu!”

……

Grand Concubine Yi hadn’t kicked Lady Xu aside when she came outside, but held her anger in check to ask her what was the matter. This was exactly the result she wanted! The Han Family’s affairs weren’t as important as her reputation and innocence. No matter what, she had to absolve herself of suspicion first. Murong Wanru’s words, added to the outbursts from the crowd, immediately elevated Grand Concubine Yi’s standing in their eyes. Her temper towards Lady Xu had finally started to settle as well.

After winning the support of the people, her next step was to naturally take care of things in a “fair” manner.

“Han Family properties? What’s going on?” she asked while knowing the answer.

Lady Xu hastened to report. “Esteemed Imperial Concubine, our Han house has a storehouse key. Whoever holds the key is the head of house and has the authority to oversee all the family properties, including the Han’s most precious codex of medicine. My family’s old master had the misfortune of being imprisoned. According to tradition, the key should’ve been handed over to the young master so he could be head. Since it was still with the old master, this commoner and her sisters tried multiple times to see him and discuss things, but were denied each time. The justice courts said there was someone up top preventing us from visiting.”

Murong Wanru interrupted her with a face full of indignation. “Why is that? Even if it’s lifelong imprisonment, the prisoner can still have visits once or twice a year! Who’s the person on top bending the rules and abusing authority?”

Murong Wanru’s words once again absolved suspicions from Grand Concubine Yi, who struck while the iron was hot to ask, “Speak, who is it?”

Lady Xu hung her head, purposely hesitating with her words. “This commoner doesn’t know, but…but…”

“But what? Just say it, I’ll take the responsibility for you!” Grand Concubine Yi replied, all stern righteousness.

Lady Xu lifted her head to look at Han Yunxi before timidly speaking, “This commoner doesn’t know who it is, but the Han Family’s storehouse key is with…with…”

Everyone had fallen quiet at her words, even holding their breath to wait for Lady Xu to say ‘Han Yunxi.’

The law couldn’t call the crowd into account when the Duke of Qin’s doors were closed. They could hide together and murmur things under their breath, or say things without scruples when they were excited. But now that Grand Concubine Yi and Qin Wangfei were both standing at the entrance, no one tried for idle gossip. It still took courage to single out Qin Wangfei right in front of her.

Grand Concubine Yi followed Lady Xu’s line of sight to Han Yunxi and hypocritically asked, “What now, the Han Family’s storehouse key is in Qin Wangfei’s hands?”

Lady Xu hastened to explain. “To reply esteemed Imperial Concubine, my Han Family’s storehouse key is indeed with Qin Wangfei! This commoner begged time and again for for the key but Qin Wangfei wouldn’t give it over. She said the old master handed it to her and agreed to bring me and a few young masters of the Han house to see our old master yesterday. But all of us waited for her the entire day without her ever showing up. This commoner didn’t see her when I dropped by last night either, so I came here to plead as a last resort.”

As she spoke, she kowtowed and cried out, “Grand Concubine Yi, this commoner doesn’t dare to make trouble, but this commoner has been wronged. There are difficulties that are hard to mention. I beseech Grand Concubine Yi to help out the Han Family! This commoner just wants to see my family’s old master.”