Chapter Twenty: Deception

  Ye Baiji was startled by this question, lowered her head and didn't speak.

  Ye Baihe was never good at tolerating things, and Ye Baixiu in front of her was like a little servant girl, obeying her every command. In the past, her good sister in town even envied her for having an obedient follower. So she had never thought that Ye Baixiu needed to show respect in front of her. Now seeing that she didn't answer, she asked again impatiently: "I'm asking you a question, are you mute?"

  Ye Baiyi had just said this to Qizhen, and she didn't expect it to come back to her so quickly. However, she didn't realize the meaning behind these words at all.

  Intimidated by Ye Baihe's tone, Ye Baixi muttered: "Why did my father want to take a concubine?"

  Ye Baihe was stunned by this question for a moment. Her parents usually told her everything, and sometimes they would even listen to her thoughts. This time, the matter of the second room taking a concubine, her parents must have known about it, and they had also played a role in it, as for why they didn't tell her beforehand, Ye Baihe thought about it and understood.

  She is a young girl who has not yet reached the age of marriage, and even if her parents hold her in high esteem, it would still be impossible to discuss such topics with her.

  As for the reason for taking a concubine, the only reason that can be said openly is that the second wife has no son. The common saying goes, "There are three unfilial acts, and having no descendants is the worst." Now there are only two daughters in the second uncle's family, and the second aunt has been quiet for over a decade, it seems hopeless to have children, so taking a concubine to have a son is not unreasonable. As for the benefits of this matter to their family, they should be able to return to the town, after all, staying in the countryside makes them feel stifled.

  "Second Uncle doesn't have a son, he wants one, of course he has to take a concubine!" Ye Baihe said.

  "Yè Bái wiped the corner of her clothes and whispered: "But, but my father already has me and my sister, and my mother is still here, why does he need to take a concubine?"

  Ye Baihe was amused by her words: "What can you and your sister do? Can you hold up the gate or bring glory to our ancestors? My dad and his brothers are three, only your family doesn't have a son. My second uncle can't even lift his head when he goes out, don't you know? Besides, if your mother could give birth again, wouldn't there be some movement in over ten years?"

  Ye Baiji has always been indecisive, she has always thought that Ye Baizhou is knowledgeable and familiar with several rich families' young ladies in the city. This time, the daughter of the Qian general store wants to enter a wealthy family as a concubine, and specially invites her to gather together. So now when Ye Baizhou asks her questions, she doesn't know how to answer well, "Sister Baizhou, do you think my father should take a concubine?"

  Ye Baihe listened to her question and sneered in her heart, thinking that this was a careless person who would agree with whatever she said. She thought that if most people at home agreed with this matter, then Grandfather wouldn't be able to oppose it either. This matter first required the consent of the second house, so she asked solemnly: "Bai Ji, do you think Sister is good to you?"

  Although Ye didn't know what she was asking, she nodded affirmatively: "Of course Baiji sister is good to me!" Whenever Baiji sister had something delicious or nice-looking, she would bring a share for me. She would also give me her old clothes and never scolded me. Of course, she's good to me! Ye added in her heart.

  "That's what your sister is saying. Second Uncle has taken a concubine and had a son with her, so your family's fortunes will rise from now on. After you get married, there'll be someone to rely on at home, right? Besides, the Liao family that Second Uncle is taking as his concubine is a big household in town, so the dowry won't be small either. In the future, relying on the Liao family, even if you go back to town, it won't be a problem. When the time comes and you find a husband's family in town, that'll be much better than these country bumpkins. My mother always says you're a good girl, and marrying into a rich family as a wife would also be okay, but if this were in the countryside..." Yebai's words trailed off, her face filled with regret, and the rest of what she was going to say wasn't hard to guess.

  After listening to Ye Baijiu's analysis, Ye Baixiu's small face turned pale, and his heart was also somewhat restless. If they could really return to the town, then his father taking a concubine wouldn't be a big deal. Besides, their second branch still had to produce a son.

  "Does Sister Bai think Father should take a concubine?" Ye Baiji asked with full expectation.

  "I don't know about this, we can't make decisions on our own, we're just good sisters, I'm just chatting with you. You won't tell anyone else, will you?" Ye Baihe couldn't dare to say this out loud, if Ye Baizhi were to expose her in the future, she would be in trouble.

  Yè Bái Jì heard this and knew that Yè Bái Zhuó also agreed with her father's decision to take a concubine, nodded and said: "Don't worry, White Zhuó sister, I won't tell anyone what we talked about."

  Ye Baihe finally felt at ease. After saying a few casual words, Ye Baihe gave her two pieces of silk flowers that she had brought back from the city and sent Ye Baiki away.

  In the western wing, Ye Baiyi led Sun Shi into her own room, handed her a handkerchief to wipe her face, and poured her a cup of tea to calm her nerves. When Sun Shi had calmed down slightly, she spoke up.

  "What's going on today? Mother, you'd better tell me clearly."

  Sun was barely able to suppress the sadness in her heart, but Ye Baiji's words stirred up the pain within her again, and she involuntarily began to sob.

  Ye Baiji couldn't help but rub her forehead when she saw her mother like this. Her mother was always so soft-hearted, whenever something happened she couldn't make up her mind and was especially weak, besides crying all the time, no wonder the third house would take advantage of her.

  "Mother, don't cry." Ye Baiji was annoyed by her mother's crying and had a somewhat impatient tone. Seeing that her mother was scared, she could only soften her voice and comfortingly said: "Mother, I'm not scolding you, I just want to figure out what happened first, we need to think of a solution."

  Judging from the actions of Sanfang and her father today, they will not easily dispel the idea of letting her father take a concubine. It's just unknown what extent they will go to, after all, she only heard the second half of their conversation.

  Sun washed her face again and finally stopped the urge to cry. She calmed down and began to tell what had happened in the house today.

  Originally, Ye Baiji took Qi Zhener out for a stroll today, and the third house returned. It is said that they still returned in a very luxurious carriage, which caused a small stir in the village.

  Ye Baiji and they might have gone far away so they didn't notice the situation here.

  After the people of the three houses returned, they first went to the upper house to see the old master. Jiang Shi then took Ye Baihe back to the west wing, and Ye Baixi also immediately entered her role and followed Ye Baihe to the west wing.

  In the upper house, there were only Ye Lao Yezi, Ye Shixian brothers, and Sun Shi left.

  Ye Shiyuan first told the old master that they went to the city to attend Qian Laoban's daughter's wedding banquet, and then said that they met Liao Jia's master, who was full of praise for Liao Jia as a family of benevolence and righteousness, with a good reputation in Jiayang County.

  Of course, this is to cater to Old Master Ye's preferences, specially mentioned. Who doesn't know that in the past, when Old Master Ye was running a pharmacy in town and often provided free medical treatment and medicine, he loved doing good deeds? As for whether the Liao family really has a reputation for benevolence, anyway, Old Master Ye had never heard of it.

  Liao's family head treated them with great kindness, calling the elder brother "benevolent older brother" and the younger brother "virtuous younger brother", making both of them feel respected. Some people who had initially mocked them for being sent back to their hometown now looked at them with admiration and tried to curry favor with them.

  Ye Shixie also said that after all these years, he still doesn't have a son, and outsiders mock him for not having a child to carry on his legacy.

  Ye Lao Yezi also knew that their words were again mixed with water, and such vicious curses, except for someone who had a deep grudge against the Ye family, who would be so black-hearted to curse him? But Ye Lao Yezi also knew that they still had an unspoken purpose, and it was time to reveal their intentions. Indeed, what followed was Ye Shixian's words, which made Ye Lao Yezi angry.

  Ye Shixie heard that Liao Dangjia's sister had divorced her husband two months ago, and he also knew that the Liao family was of high social status. Even if their daughter got a divorce, she wouldn't have to worry about finding another husband. However, what Liao Dangjia meant between the lines was actually referring to Ye Shixie himself, not even minding that he already had a wife and daughter. His sister was willing to become a concubine, which also showed that they valued the Ye family's social status as well as Ye Shixie's own talent.

  The old man disagreed, and Ye Shiyan spoke up, saying that the Liao family had said that their dowry was very generous, and they could also let Ye Shixian's brothers return to the city. He even cried out that his brothers were so old and still had nothing to show for it, and even the family's shop had been taken away by force. If they didn't take it back, how would they have the face to go out in public in the future?

  But anyway, Old Master still disagreed with Ye Shixian taking a concubine.

  Later on, Ye Baiji also found out about it.

  After hearing Sun's words, Ye Baiji scolded loudly and said angrily: "Is this still called not having the face to go out and see people? What are they doing with their three houses, dressed up so brightly and beautifully? In the past year or more, have they ever stopped for a moment? Today they go to the city to take a look at the handkerchief exchange, tomorrow they go to buy some clothing materials, and the day after tomorrow they make an appointment with some madam or lady to go burn incense and pray for blessings. Who doesn't know what kind of idea they have in mind? A family that can't even keep their own house in order dares to say they don't dare go out, who are they trying to intimidate? Which concubine does he want to take in? Does he think his brother's room is a place where he can just put his hand in?"

  As Ye Baiji's voice grew louder, Sun Shi hastily pulled her back, "Baiji, stop it. Your father has taken this to heart, blaming others won't do any good." As she spoke, tears fell again.

  Ye Baiji saw that she didn't scold her, carefully coaxed her mother, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She stared at the west wing for a while before going to Qi Zhen'er's room.

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