My Lady Always Lacks Ambition
Chapter 141 - 140: Facing Difficulties, Liu Xi Takes Action

Chapter 141: Chapter 140: Facing Difficulties, Liu Xi Takes Action

The sunset gradually tilted to the west.

Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Xie, however, had not yet returned to the mansion. Old Mrs. Qin sent someone to inquire, prompting Qin Liuxi to have Chief Li take Chen Pi to hire a carriage and wait at the city gate. But before long, Chen Pi galloped back to report that Madam and the others had gotten into a conflict at the city gate.

"It’s Assistant Zhao’s family members. It seems that there was a failure to yield when everyone wanted to enter the city, and Second Madam couldn’t hold back her temper and started arguing. Now the people from the Zhao family who came to pick them up are blocking them, insisting that Madam and the others must kneel and apologize or else they’ll be arrested for offending the officials’ family," said Chen Pi, glancing at Qin Liuxi’s face.

Qin Liuxi’s brows slightly furrowed. Assistant Zhao, she seemed to have heard vaguely of him. Who within the Meng Family was he related by marriage to precisely— she couldn’t quite remember.

Approaching the city gate, Qin Liuxi told Chen Pi to ask City Guardian Mr. Yu for a favor: "Tell him that it’s Taoist Buqiu from Qingping Temple who is asking him for a personal favor, and that the Lady is a member of my family."

"Yes."

Chen Pi dismounted from the carriage, swiftly dashed off, and quickly disappeared from sight.

Qin Liuxi then instructed the driver to continue towards the city gate. By now it was twilight; people at the city gate were crowded to one side to watch the excitement. A lonely horse carriage was waiting beside the gate, blocking the way in front of Mrs. Wang, and if it wasn’t Li Cheng, who else could it be?

On the other side, there was a servant dressed like a steward, who was staring arrogantly at Mrs. Xie, moving her mouth, with a haughty expression. Behind the servant, there was a carriage bearing the emblem of the Zhao Residence, very ostentatious.

Qin Liuxi’s carriage drew closer and she could hear the servant’s shrill voice, pointing at Mrs. Xie: "...Merely the family of a criminal official, yet daring to contend for the road with our lady’s kin. Do you really think you are still from the household of a third-rank official? Truly overestimating yourself!"

Mrs. Xie was so angered that her face turned red. She opened her mouth wanting to retort, but Mrs. Wang pulled her behind and calmly addressed the servant: "We did not contend for the road, but queued in accordance with the rules to enter the city. It was your mansion’s carriage that collided with us without reason first; we had no intention of pursuing the matter, and yet your side is being aggressively oppressive. Is it because you rely on being an official’s family to bully others?"

Qin Liuxi looked at Mrs. Wang and saw she was dressed in a cotton robe, draped in the mink cloak she had given her, her raven hair simply secured with a single Jade hairpin, yet her waist was held erect. The way she spoke to the servant did not carry an ounce of meekness or disadvantage.

Some people’s grace is cultivated from childhood; even when brought low, they lose none of it.

Mrs. Wang, born into the prestigious Qin family, was such a person. Now reduced to a commoner, even a servant from an official’s family dared to insult her, but she showed not a hint of panic or humility.

The servant, feeling scrutinized, became short of breath and a touch of panic fluttered in her heart, instinctively looking back. Then she thought, why panic? The other party was but a mere fallen woman.

"You vile woman, still daring to slander the official’s family?"

"It is not slander but reasoning based on the facts. You were the ones who rammed into us, we did not pursue it, and even were willing to step aside. It is you who are unwilling to let the matter rest," said Mrs. Wang, looking towards the carriage. "Moreover, you call me a fallen woman; yet the Holy Emperor has already shown grace to the Qin family, confiscated our property, banished male members above twelve years of age, and sent female family members back to their hometown without a verdict. Is your mansion questioning the Holy Emperor’s grace? Or does your mansion have the authority to convict the women of the Qin family on the Holy Emperor’s behalf?"

The servant was not stupid and turned pale upon hearing this— who would dare to take that on?

"You, don’t falsely accuse others," the servant said with a trembling mouth, with more bluster than conviction.

Mrs. Wang looked towards the carriage and calmly said, "To show mercy where one can is a virtue. I believe your mansion conducts itself magnanimously, and Lord Zhao is even more so a good official who loves his people like his own children, and not one who would allow his family to deliberately make things difficult for the common folk."

This dual level of implication put the person on the spot!

This legitimate mother indeed had some interesting points.

The corners of Qin Liuxi’s lips curled up, she donned her veiled hat, stepped down from the carriage, and walked over: "Mother."

Mrs. Wang’s countenance shifted upon seeing her and she asked, "Why have you come?"

"As dusk falls and it has been a long while since Grandmother has seen Mother and Second Aunt, she’s worried, so I’ve come to pick you up," Qin Liuxi said. "The wind is picking up soon, so to avoid catching a cold, Mother, please get on the horse-drawn carriage. Li Cheng, drive the carriage back to the mansion."

"Yes, Miss."

Mrs. Xie was stunned to see that she did not take the current tension seriously at all and her headache intensified. Does this girl not understand the situation? Can they just leave whenever they want?

Mrs. Wang had the same thought. The other party was dead set on causing trouble and seeking to find fault. It seemed it would not be easy to leave.

Indeed, upon hearing the conversation from the opposite carriage, the servant declared, "You are not allowed to leave without apologizing and showing proper respect, otherwise, you’ll be charged with contempt of official kin."

Qin Liuxi’s expression turned cold as she lifted her veil from the canopy hat to look at the servant, her voice frosty, "Charged with contempt of official kin? Do you have official documents? Do you have evidence? And under what legal standards of Da Feng do you conclude their crime of contempt?"

"I... you all..."

"Merely a pest, such grandiosity," a haughty and arrogant female voice came from inside the carriage. The curtain was then lifted to reveal a beautiful woman with a finely featured face full of red hairpins. When her gaze first landed on the plainly dressed Mrs. Wang, it was filled with disdain. However, when her eyes met Qin Liuxi, her pupils shook.

Qin Liuxi also caught a glimpse of the beautiful woman’s features, smiling enigmatically.

With narrow and swollen philtrums marred by a mole and crossed by oblique lines—this woman was unfaithful in marriage, possessed an overwhelming desire for control, had a narrow and extreme nature, selfish and lacking in magnanimity, indulgent in promiscuity that spawned evil spirits. With a gloomy hall of tears, this woman would soon be harmed by the tao flower evil spirit.

The beautiful woman, upon seeing Qin Liuxi’s eyes, inexplicably felt a jolt in her heart and became panicked as if her secrets were laid bare by the opponent, with nowhere to hide, instinctively wanting to dodge.

Realizing this, she became infuriated and embarrassed. Who did the other party think she was? A mere girl, and yet she succumbed to intimidation!

The beautiful woman yelled at the guards beside the carriage, "What are you waiting for? Go get the official’s token!"

Mrs. Wang became anxious and said to Qin Liuxi, "Xixi, let it be, just apologize, and you go back first."

Otherwise, I’m afraid we might not be able to leave soon.

Qin Liuxi smiled lightly, "Mother, don’t worry, we can leave."

Her words barely finished when the sound of galloping hooves approached from the city gate—indeed, it was Mr. Yu, the City Guardian.

"What are you all congesting the area for? The city gate is about to close. Hurry and enter. Otherwise, stay out," Yu Qiucai loudly declared.

Seeing Mr. Yu in his official attire, the Zhao family recognized him as the City Guard General of Li City and hurried forward to greet him, "Mr. Yu, we are kin of Lord Zhao..."

Although Mr. Yu was a military officer, his rank was higher than that of Deputy Magistrate Zhao. More importantly, he was backed by the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, the third son of the current famous General, Marquis Zhenbei—born of distinguished lineage.

"No matter who you are, hurry and get into the city. There’s a VIP coming in soon, don’t block the way. Guards, clear them out," Mr. Yu ordered the guards behind him to disperse the crowd.

The Zhao family’s faces turned somewhat green.

This Mr. Yu really didn’t give face to the Zhao family at all.