Proofread by Peter Gong
Looking at the violent and bitchy people, Ma Tian’en smiled and said, “What’s the matter ? Did you help me find concubine Zhao?”
At the time, Mrs. Ma heard the news and went to the main hall. When she saw Concubine Zhao, she understood that something had gone wrong.
“My husband is still in prison. I don’t know why everyone came to my house. If it is not urgent, please go back and wait until my husband is set free.”
“I am afraid not. If we don’t come, Ma family will be destroyed in your hand.” Ma Tailai said in anger. Then he sat on the chair in the main hall as if he came here in order to reprimand Mrs. Ma publicly for justice.
“I don’t understand what you are saying. I am a woman. Why am I unforgivable? My husband is not in the house. Do you want to bully me and my son?” Mrs. Ma was not afraid of anything. To begin with, she planned to tell Concubine Zhao the truth. But now she should lead clansmen to threaten Mrs. Ma. Luckily, she hadn’t told her the truth yet.
“Concubine Zhao, tell us what you know. We can support you for justice.” Ma Tailai said and it seemed that he stood firm for the cause of justice.
“Yes.” Concubine Zhao knelt down reverently.
“In Ma family, it will never be your turn — Concubine Zhao, a lowly concubine—-to say such words. Servants, carry her out and beat her to death with sticks.” Mrs. Ma was in a fury.
“Mrs. Ma, don’t be anxious. Just hear her out. If she says something wrong, we would kill her in person right now. But now she does not say anything, you want to kill her. Do you want to kill her to cover your tricks?” The second uncle of Ma Tian’en said.
“You ……” Mrs. Ma was so angry that she couldn’t say a word.
Looking at the crowd, she felt disappointed at their behaviors. Her father devoted all his life to Ma family. Now he was in prison, but those relatives caused trouble in her house to jockey for position. No wonder her father would rather make her dress like a boy than adopt a child from one of the relatives.
“I know I am a lowly person. However, I can’t bear to see Master Ma cheated by madam Ma. You all know that I bore a boy who was dead when he was born. All these years, I think it is my bad. But now I know it is Mrs. Ma who is so narrow-minded that she killed my son. She killed the true heir of Ma family.”
“There’s no truth in her words. Do you have any evidence? ” Mrs. Ma said disdainfully.
“I really don’t have the evidence. However, I know another thing that could prove that Mrs. Ma wanted to destroy the lineage of Ma family purposely.” She stared at Mrs. Ma and glanced at Ma Tian’en. Concubine said while feeling a little guilty for Ma Tian’en, “Ma Tian’en, the childe of Ma family is a girl.”
Mrs. Ma was shocked. Concubine Zhao should tell everyone that Ma Tian’en was a girl. How did she know that? Without hesitating, Mrs. Ma was so angry that she kicked Concubine Zhao. Mrs. Ma used to practice Kongfu. Although she was a little weak recently, she was still a woman of great strength. Concubine Zhao was kicked a few feet away and fell to the ground.
“Mrs. Ma, you shouldn’t do that. Whether Ma Tian’en is a boy or not, we can check it. Why ……” The uncle of Ma Tian’en said. But he was interrupted by Mrs. Ma.
“Ma Tian’en was the owner of Ma family. Depending on some words, you want to check my son without any evidence. Who dares? Anybody? Send the guests out.” Mrs. Ma refused determinedly. The servants came to the main hall including someone who could do Kongfu. The crowd was a little frightened when they found that Mrs. Ma was going to use force.
How dare you? You little woman. You should drive the clansmen out of the door. Want proof? There’s a midwife. Look, who is she?” Ma Tailai pointed at an old woman. Mrs. Ma found that there was an old woman standing among the clansmen.
The old woman knelt down when she saw the Mrs. Ma. One could feel the quiver in her voice. “Mrs. Ma, I am sorry. At that time, I delivered the childe. No, no. I delivered the young girl. Normally, I have taken your money, so I shouldn’t sell you out. But justice made me feel guilty. I don’t want to die with the secret. You had better tell the truth.” Mrs. Ma knew that the justice in her mouth was just that Guo Qi gave her more money and her family was threatened so she dared to testify.
“Where did the mad woman come from? Kick all of them out. You can check if you want. If you are wrong, you all will be expelled from Ma Family. How do you think about it? Afterwards, the business of Ma Family has nothing to do with you all forever.” Mrs. Ma found that Ma Tian’en wanted to admit, so she glared at her. She was afraid Ma Tian’en admitted that she was a girl when her husband was still in prison. She had had a bad reputation already. Even though she offended all of the clansmen, the fact that Ma Tian’en was girl couldn’t be exposed at this special time.
After hearing that possible banishment, the clansmen were a little hesitant. After all, no one was sure of it. They just heard from Concubine Zhao and they wanted to take the opportunity to get some benefits from it.
At that moment, Concubine Zhao stood up, smiling, “Mrs. Ma, there is justice in the world. You can’t control everything. Today, I am willing to die for it.” She bumped against the pillar after she finished her words. It was too late to stop her. Concubine Zhao was lying on the ground with blood gushing out.
Mrs. Ma was stunned. Concubine Zhao should threaten her with her own life. Ma Family was stimulated in a second. If Concubine Zhao died and Mrs. Ma still did not allow the crowd to check, in that case, Ma Tian must be a girl.
“Stop it. I am a girl. What can you do? Anybody? Save Concubine Zhao.” Ma Tian’en said suddenly. Servants went forward, carrying Concubine Zhao out and asked for a doctor for her.
“Tian’en!” Mrs. Ma was shocked and angry. It was too late to stop her admitting that she was a girl.
“Since you are a girl. You have no rights to control the business of our family and you can’t become the leader of our family. That you cheated all the clansmen was a terrible crime.” Ma Tialai said with confidence when Ma Tian’en admitted everything.
“Yes, give the business of our family to us right now. Or you will be thrown into the river to feed the fish.” The uncle of Ma Tian’en echoed.
“My father has not investigated it further. It is none of your business. Now my father is still in prison. You are clansmen of our family. Don’t you feel ashamed to come here to rob business instead of rescuing my father from danger? Are you able to control the business if we give it to you? Ugh.” Ma Tian’en was bad-tempered. Now she felt so angry that she began to abuse them.
“You dare to be so arrogant! You are a girl. How could you inherit the business of our family? You will marry a man later. Don’t you take the property to your husband’s family?” Ma Tailai was a little guilty. After all, all of the clansmen depended on Ma Chaosheng. They wanted to rob the business for the reason that Ma Tian’en was a girl when Ma Chaosheng was still in prison. But they forgot that Ma Tian’en was bad-tempered and violent.
“My father was the leader of the family. Is there anyone who can represent opinions of the clan? Wait till my father is released. As for the business of my family, it’s none of your business. Please leave my house.”
Ma Tian’en was a bit tough. However, the clansmen were not weak. They had offended Madam Ma openly so they didn’t want to give up easily.
“You and your mother are going to destroy the continuity of our family. At worst, we lose the face of our Ma family. We will go to the office to accuse you. If we investigate that you killed the inheritor of our family, we will punish you severely.” Ma Tailai threatened Mrs. Ma and Ma Tian’en directly. That Concubine Zhao tried to kill herself made him believe that the son of her was killed by Mrs. Ma.
Mrs. Ma was not afraid at all because she didn’t kill the son of Concubine Zhao. Even though they found that she changed the son, they couldn’t kill her just because she changed a son of a concubine. And that it had nothing to do with Ma Tian’en. As long as Ma Tian’en was safe, she didn’t fear anything.
“Go. You can accuse me. Go. I accept all the result judged by the office.”
Looking at Mrs. Ma, they weren’t completely sure now. Even though they accused Mrs. Ma of murder successfully, the official would not sentence first wife to death to atone for life of a son of the concubine. And no one cared about the son of Concubine Zhao. The most important thing was to rob the business of Ma family.
“We are all one family. Although Ma Tian’en is a girl, we won’t corner your mother. But Ma Tian’en will marry one day. When a woman gets married into her husband’s family, she belongs to her husband’s family. The business of our family could not be given to others. How about we talk with our brother about adopting a boy from relatives?” The hard tactic was a failure, so they decided to take the soft one. The third uncle of Ma Tian’en was the most clever person of the clansmen. Mrs. Ma was a little hesitant. After all, a girl would marry one day.
“Who says that I will marry?” Ma Tian’en smiled disdainfully.
“Tian’en. Don’t be silly. A woman must marry.”
“I won’t marry. I will have my husband move into our family!”
These people were so shocked that they didn’t know what to say. After a moment, they began to oppose the idea.
“Our family have men. How could we allow you to make your husband move in?”
“A woman just shouted out that she wanted to find a husband who can move into her house after the marriage. You have no shame.”
At the moment, Mrs. Ma shouted and became unconscious, lying on the ground. Looking at her unconscious mother, she was freaking out, “Go away now. Get out of my house or I will kill all of you!”
Ma Tian’en was bad-tempered all the time. Just because she had to control the business of the family, so she became peaceful in recent days. Now, she lost her temper, so everyone was frightened. They figured out an excuse and left in a hurry.
“OK, OK. We are gonna go find Ma Chaosheng. A girl can not be in charge of Ma Family.” Ma Tailai and other clansmen left with anger.
“Mom, how about you? Where is the doctor?” Ma Tian’en rushed to her mom, holding her mother from the servants.
“Nothing. I am a little painful when I fell down.” Mrs. Ma opened her eyes when other people left, smiling to her daughter awkwardly.