Chapter 21: Sisterly Discord

  "Zhen Er, did you hear everything we said?" Ye Baiji entered the house and asked directly.

  Qī Zhēnér's face turned red for a moment, and she smiled awkwardly, without denying it.

  The east wing has only a few rooms, and the two families are already quite crowded. The house was thinking that when the girl grew up, she would need her own space, so they separated two single rooms. The room is not big, and the soundproofing is naturally not good either.

  Qī Zhēnér saw that Yè Bái zhǐ hadn't been beaten, so she returned to her room with a sense of relief. She had originally planned to take a nap, as she was still feeling a bit unwell after going out for a stroll today. However, as she lay in bed, the conversation between Sūn shì and Yè Bái zhǐ clearly reached her ears. She hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but this allowed her to understand the whole situation clearly.

  This time, Ye Bai Zhi asked directly, and Qi Zhen'er really didn't know how to answer. After all, this was a family matter of the Ye family. Moreover, the one who wanted to take a concubine was her father, who was very good to her siblings and spoke very directly, which made Qi Zhen'er even more embarrassed.

  "I'm not blaming you, what's with the awkwardness? I've always liked your personality, don't learn from those hypocritical people who are sweet-tongued but bitter-hearted, saying all sorts of good things about you, and even if they sell you out, you'd still have to be grateful. They're just counting their money." Ye Baiji said.

  Ye Baiji's words seemed to have a hidden meaning, but Qizhen didn't ask any questions or dwell on the issue. Instead, she asked, "Sister Baiji, what brings you here?" It probably wasn't about warning her not to spread rumors or anything like that. After all, Qizhen lived with the Ye family and only interacted with them, even when going out, she wouldn't be so tactless as to gossip about their family affairs. Besides, she wasn't the type of person who liked to talk excessively.

  Ye Baiji didn't beat around the bush and directly stated her plan: "Tomorrow is the market day, I want you to accompany me to town to ask around. I've been thinking that something doesn't feel right. If the Liao family really has power and influence like my third uncle said, why wouldn't they find a husband for their own daughter to marry off as the legitimate wife, instead of taking a liking to us, a declining household that was driven out to the countryside?"

  Zi Zhen'er listened to Ye Baiji's analysis and couldn't help but admit that it was not easy for Ye Baiji to have such insight at a young age. This was also because her mother was too weak, forcing her to grow up quickly.

  However, Ye Baiju's analysis is not bad either. With the Liao family's power and wealth supporting a honest and reliable person as a brother-in-law, it's not that difficult, so what does the Ye family have to attract them? And what did Ye Baiju mean by being driven back to the countryside as a declining household?

  Ye Baiji helped Qi Zhen'er's sister and brother with so many things, of course she also wanted to repay her. If nothing else, helping to gather information was still possible, and being able to go into the city to take a look would be good for Qi Zhen'er too. Qi Zhen'er nodded immediately.

  "They think no one knows their true nature, a bunch of people who won't get up early without profit. Are they planning to sell our second house to pave the way for their own success? What a beautiful dream!" Seeing that Qizhen agreed with her, Ye Baiju let out a sigh of relief, but still felt indignant and complained to Qizhen in passing.

  Qī Zhēn'ér listened to her complaints and was immediately at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. No wonder she liked Yè Bái Jí the moment she met her, this refreshing and straightforward girl; it turned out that they both had a spirit of "it's better to be shattered jade than to be unbroken pottery", which is also why they were drawn to each other.

  "Should we discuss this with Aunt?" Qizhen'er said.

  Ye Baiqi waved her hand generously, "No need." It was clear that Ye Baiqi usually took charge of things for her mother.

  Qizhen'er thought for a moment and said: "Then let Auntie avoid people for the next few days, whatever it is we can make plans after we return from the city tomorrow."

  Ye Baiji was somewhat unhappy when she heard Qi Zhen'er telling her mother to avoid people, but after hearing the words behind, she knew what it meant. Now her father and Sanfang are both staring at her mother, if her mother did something wrong, she would be in trouble. Her mother is a soft-hearted person, and in the end, she will do whatever they say.

  Having thought it through, Ye Baiji pinched Qi Zhen'er's face and praised: "Sister Zhen'er, unexpectedly, at such a young age, you have quite a lot of ideas."

  Qī Zhēnér was pinched on the face by her, wanting to refute but couldn't say a word, and instead made her face look even more distorted, which also amused Yè Bái Jí.

  After fooling around for a while, Ye Baiji was just about to go out and remind her mother to be more careful recently when she heard her sister Ye Baiki's voice coming from the other side.

  Qī Zhēnér also knew that their sisterly relationship was not harmonious, so she quickly pulled back Yè Bái zhǐ who wanted to leave. Firstly, she didn't want the sisters to quarrel, and secondly, she wanted to hear what Yè Bái jiàn had to say next. Just now, she saw Yè Bái jiàn go to the west wing, so her words now represented the attitude of the third house.

  Ye Baiji saw Qi Zhen'er making eyes at her and understood what she meant, so she calmed down and listened carefully.

  The sound from next door was still coming continuously.

  "Girl, if Grandfather asks you about Father taking a concubine, just agree with him, got it?" This was Ye Baiji's voice.

  Qī Zhēnér didn't know what kind of mood Sūn Shì was in after hearing her daughter say that, but she was somewhat annoyed. In her heart, she secretly thought, if this were her own daughter, she would have strangled her to death at birth. Of course, what she thought more about was that she must not raise her daughter to be like this, without even a bit of brains, no wonder Yè Bái Jí had said "sold and still helped count the silver".

  Take another look at Ye Baiji, also with a look of wanting to strangle Ye Baiji to death.

  "Why?" It was Sun's voice, filled with sorrow and despair. "Bai Yu, wasn't your mother good to you? Do you really want a stepmother?"

  "It's not like that, Mother. All these years you haven't given birth to a son for Father, and Father can't hold his head up outside, let alone the fact that people used to bully me because I didn't have an older or younger brother to stand up for me?"

  Before Sun could retort, Ye Baiji's voice came again, "Besides, Lao Lao married into the Liao family as a concubine. What is a concubine? Isn't it just a servant girl, a plaything? If she can bear sons, that's fine. But if she can't even bear sons, she can't even speak up for herself. She came to serve you, Mother!"

  This hasn't happened yet, and Ye Baigui has already called out to Auntie. If such a person really enters the door, it's only necessary to change one word, and even the title will not be wrong.

  Qī Zhēn ér couldn't help but cover her forehead, no wonder Yè Bái zhǐ didn't get along with her own sister, such a clever person had a sister who was being used by others like a gun, it's a wonder she didn't hit the wall!

  "Mother doesn't need anyone to serve her. Mother can take care of your father and also your sisters. Mother does not agree with your father taking a concubine."

  In front of the children, Sun still had a bit of a hard air and dared to express her own will, but this tone made people feel unresolute no matter how they listened.

  "Girl, you don't want me to speak directly either. You just agree and also advise my grandfather on this matter. It doesn't involve my father or Third Uncle's family, even Aunt Liao will thank you for it. Who wouldn't praise your kindness after you leave? Why can't you understand?"

  This time, Sun didn't say a word, she just cried. Maybe that sentence about being virtuous hit her sore spot.

  Hearing Sun's cry, Ye Baiji finally couldn't bear it anymore, lifted the curtain and rushed out, without saying a word, she slapped Ye Baiji.

  Zijin'er heard the noise on this side, sighed, and had to go out to mediate. Holding back her sighs, she put on her shoes and got out of bed.

  Ye Baiji covered her face and glared at Ye Baizhi, shouting: "Ye Baizhi, what makes you hit me?"

  "What's wrong with you?" Ye Baiji sneered, "I'm your sister! Ye Baiki, speak properly to me, have some manners! You don't even know how to call out 'sister' anymore? Think carefully about what you just said, is that something a daughter can say to her own mother? Is this the result of all those years of studying the classics on female virtues and filial piety, being able to speak disrespectfully to your parents and sister?"

  Ye Baiji was asked by Ye Baizhi and became somewhat embarrassed, but he insisted on his own reason: "Ye Baizhi, don't you see that you are not worthy of being my sister? What have you done for me? Now what are you pretending to be the boss here? Who gave you the right to hit me? My father said that our family has no rules about hitting daughters!"

  Ye Baiji saw her being stubborn and was about to discipline her, but was stopped by Sun Shi, "Forget it, she's your sister, she's still young and doesn't understand things, why do you hit her?"

  "She's already ten years old, still young? Zhen'er is about the same age and can take care of her brother, what about her? Besides learning some gossipy and meddling skills, what else can she do?"

  Here is the translation:

  "Right, this topic has shifted to her again. Qi Zhen'er couldn't help but want to retract her praise for Ye Baiju. At a time when she was already angry, she was being used as a positive example, wasn't that just making her a target?"

  It turned out that Ye Baiji had discovered her and glared at her with hatred, shouting loudly: "Since you like her so much, let her be your daughter or sister! Who wants to stay in the most useless Ye family's second house?" After finishing, she covered her face and ran away crying.

  Sun stretched out her hand to pull back Ye Baiji, but only saw her figure disappear outside the door. The hand that was stretched out too forcefully almost fell off the bed, fortunately Ye Baiji quickly supported her mother.

  Qizhen'er cried out in terror: "Auntie, what's wrong with you?"