Madam Zhang suddenly lifted her head. The viciousness in her eyes could no longer be concealed. This damned Madam Xu.
The old madam took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. Her voice turned dark and heavy as she asked, “How much?”
Madam Xu seemed almost like she would not be satisfied until she angered the old madam to death. She smiled sweetly and said, “Five taels.”
“What?!” The old madam truly jumped up this time, even blurting out a local dialect in shock. “Only five taels?!”
She immediately turned her furious gaze toward Madam Zhang, who was still kneeling and wiping her tears. This time, she could no longer restrain herself. Grabbing the tea cup that the old maid had just placed beside her, she hurled it at Madam Zhang.
Madam Zhang never expected the old madam would actually strike her with a cup. She was still kneeling, and by the time she saw it flying toward her face, it was too late to dodge.
“Aah—!” she screamed.
The teacup smashed directly into her face, and the scalding tea inside splashed all over her.
The cup shattered on the floor as she collapsed in pain, clutching her face and screaming in terror. “Help! Help me! Quickly—call the family physician! My face—my face! Ahhh!”
Her voice was full of panic. If her face was ruined, what would she have left? Already not favored in the household, how could she ever maintain her position in the second branch again?
“Mother!”
Second Miss Lin Feifei, who had been quietly standing at the side like a background figure, suddenly dropped from her chair and knelt beside Madam Zhang. Tears streamed down her face as she supported her mother—yet dared not touch her injured face. She shouted angrily, “Grandmother, no matter what, you cannot ruin my mother’s face! Quickly, summon the physician!”
The old madam looked at Madam Zhang’s state and felt a flicker of fear. Her anger lessened slightly, though her expression remained cold as she slowly returned to her seat.
“Is this how you speak to your grandmother?” she said coldly to Lin Feifei.
“I would not dare,” Lin Feifei replied, though her eyes were full of stubbornness.
Then she turned to Madam Xu, crying, “Aunt-in-law, is this the outcome you wanted by returning? My mother has already been punished—are you satisfied now?”
“Ha…” Madam Xu almost laughed out loud in anger. “So your mother makes mistakes, others say a few words, and she cries—and suddenly she’s the one in the right? If I cry a few times, does that mean I’d be even more justified?”
“Aunt-in-law need not speak like this. Let us wait until the physician has examined my mother’s injury,” Lin Feifei replied, both aggrieved and helpless, as if all reason stood on her side.
Lin Yoyo, who had been standing nearby, looked at the kneeling Lin Feifei and smiled faintly.
“Sister means to blame Grandmother for harming your mother?”
Lin Feifei glanced at the old madam and shook her head. At this point, she could not afford to offend her—she was their biggest support in the Lin household.
“I would not dare think that way,” she said.
But Lin Yoyo smiled.
“Speaking of which, Sister is also benefiting, aren’t you? Look at the hairpin on your head—that is the most expensive piece from my mother’s dowry. Just that one alone is worth five thousand taels. And the pink pearl on your pouch—that’s also from my mother’s dowry, worth over ten thousand taels. Not to mention the clothes and shoes you wear. Just those two items alone are worth fifteen thousand taels.”
The old madam’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Lin Feifei’s hairpin and pouch. These items, which once seemed ordinary, were actually so valuable?
Lin Yoyo seemed to think the shock was still not enough and continued calmly.
“The rest of what she wears adds up to several thousand more taels. Her entire outfit alone is worth twenty thousand taels. And Second Aunt’s belongings add up to several thousand more as well.”
She covered her mouth and laughed lightly, but to the kneeling mother and daughter, it sounded like the most sinister and chilling laughter.
“Could it be that Second Uncle’s dealings have all been ‘handled’ through you two mother and daughter? Quite the ability, hm?”
Her words were dripping with sarcasm. Everyone in the room understood the implication, and their gazes toward the mother and daughter turned strange.
Madam Zhang snapped angrily, “What nonsense are you talking about, you little brat!”
Lin Yoyo smiled innocently. “What did I say? Second Aunt, why are you so sensitive? Sister, do you think the same?”
“You—!” Lin Feifei burst into tears for real this time, no longer pretending. She had not expected this wretched girl, who grew up in the countryside, to have such a sharp and poisonous tongue.
She was clearly accusing them of seducing the father and siphoning money from him. If word of this got out, how could her reputation survive?
At that moment, the family physician arrived.
Madam Zhang screamed in pain while urging him to examine her face. After checking, the physician cupped his hands and said respectfully, “Old madam, madam, young ladies—fortunately, the tea had cooled slightly before being thrown. The burns are not severe. I will prescribe ointment; she will recover with care and will not be disfigured.”
“That’s good,” both the old madam and Madam Zhang sighed in relief at the same time—one relieved not to gain a bad reputation, the other relieved her face was safe.
The physician, sensing the tense atmosphere, quickly excused himself.
But Madam Xu was not so forgiving.
“As for the shop income over the years, I will not take it—it may be considered support for the family. However, the losses of the shops must be made up by Second Sister-in-law. I also want every single item of my dowry returned to me intact. Otherwise, I will take this to the authorities.”
“You dare!” The old madam shot up again. She absolutely could not allow Madam Xu to go to the authorities—otherwise her son’s future would be ruined.
“Then settle the accounts quickly,” Madam Xu said coldly. “Return my dowry in full. If something is missing, compensate with silver.”
She paused, then added with a faint smile, “I have the dowry list. My family also has a copy. Don’t try to deceive me.”
Her expression turned even colder.
“And don’t try to get the master to change my mind. You all know—he is afraid of me. Besides, a woman’s dowry is not something a man should interfere with.
My patience is limited. Three days. If I do not receive my dowry or equivalent compensation, I will have someone spread this message in the capital:
‘The second madam of the Lin Shilang household has controlled the first madam’s dowry for eight years, handling over 320,000 taels in income, yet now claims it has all been lost—even the dowry is gone.’”
“You dare!” the old madam’s pupils widened, killing intent flashing in her eyes.
Madam Xu was not afraid at all.
“You may try,” she said lightly. “Even if you spread another version first… my shop ledgers are still here. The losses did not happen overnight. Everyone in the capital knows I have not set foot in the capital for eight years.
Tell me—who do you think they will believe?”