Chapter 113

Fourth Uncle Ye was furious and slapped his thigh, "It's all Second Uncle's fault!""Letting a young lady grow up in the army camp, what was he thinking?"

"When she started leading tribal regiments at fourteen, we thought she was just playing around. Young ladies eventually marry out, better they're capable so they won't be bullied later. So we didn't stop her. Who would have thought..."

Ye Suijin had been hanging around the army camp since she was eight or nine. At fourteen she started taking charge of regiments, helping out her father.

The stability of Deng Prefecture was thanks to her contributions.

By the time she was seventeen and Ye Er suddenly passed away, the thousand regiments of the Ye Family Fort were firmly in her grasp.

Now the generals Feng Wang, Cheng Quan, Gao Youfu, Wu Fengsou, Wang Laixi under Ye Suijin were originally called Ye Wang, Ye Quan, Ye Youfu, Ye Fengshou, Ye Laixi.

They were household servants who had been granted the Ye surname.

During peaceful times, servants, even if they became stewards, could not influence the inheritance of the masters.

Because back then the government still existed to restrain the master-servant relations.

But by then there was no longer any government that could intervene in the Ye Family's affairs.

At that time, with turmoil outside and waves of refugees passing through Deng Prefecture. It was said that Deng Prefecture was stable.

Why was Deng Prefecture stable? Because these people made it so.

The generals controlled the regiments, and Ye Suijin controlled the generals.

They all submitted to her.

Now, under Ye Suijin's leadership, the middle and younger generations of the Ye men had risen up. It seemed the household generals no longer stood out.

But back then, if she couldn't control them, the thousand Ye regiments could also revolt.

These people didn't even have their own surnames. They took on whatever surname their masters had. They didn't actually care what surname the Ye Family Fort would have in the future. What mattered more to them was who was above them.

These people had all been cultivated by Ye Suijin's father.

They recognized Ye Suijin. Not just because of Ye Suijin's exceptional abilities, but also because with Ye Suijin in charge, the structure of the Ye Family regiments would remain stable. Their current interests and powers would be protected.

But with a new person like Fourth Uncle in charge, he would certainly need to cultivate his own trusted subordinates.

Everyone's interests would suffer losses.

So the generals banded together behind Ye Suijin.

Relying on her control over the thousand Ye regiments, Ye Suijin dared to wrestle her uncle for the position of family head as a daughter. And she won.

...

Twelfth Sister felt that her childhood seemed far away now.

She was familiar with all the people Fourth Uncle mentioned. When she saw them, they would greet her cheerfully. When they were with Fourth Uncle, it was as if nothing had happened between them. Everyone could still smile amiably.

But she now realized there were so many vested interests hidden behind the scenes.

Twelfth Sister had thought that reading so many documents and learning about the ugliness of human nature had made her wiser than girls her age, no longer a child.

But only now, truly understanding the complex web of interests between these people around her, did she take a step into the adult world.

"What's wrong?" Fourth Uncle stroked her forehead, "No fever, so why the low spirits?"

He said, "The matters between Sixth Sister and I, they're all in the past now. Now we all recognize that Sixth Sister is simply more capable than me, and I admit defeat wholeheartedly. Sixth Sister has also made it clear, in the future the ancestral property of the Ye Family Fort will still go to A Gui.

What she took from me, returning it to A Gui, can be considered giving it back to our family. So from now on, let bygones be bygones, everyone should look forward, understand? Don't bring it up again."

He repeatedly emphasized this, and Twelfth Sister nodded, "Mm."

Fourth Uncle said, "I still have things to do. Go find your mother. Also learn more about the mourning arrangements at Fifth Uncle's home. In the future when you marry out and become someone's wife, you'll inevitably have to manage things like this inside and out. You're not young anymore, time to start learning. No more running around randomly."

Twelfth Sister didn't feel like arguing as usual, only asking, "When is Sixth Sister coming back?"

"She should be back soon. She must know Yuan Ling is back." Fourth Uncle said, "Fourth Sister-in-Law's funeral arrangements will be done in two days, just in time for her to return after."

Twelfth Sister was thus dismissed to the rear courtyards.

In the rear courtyards, Fourth Madam and two daughters-in-law were talking.

There was a funeral at Fourth Young Master's home. Usually after a son married, funeral arrangements and managing red and white events, social interactions, and so on, should all be handled by the daughter-in-law.

But this time's funeral was for Fourth Young Master's wife, Madam Tong. And Fifth Madam had also fallen ill. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴovᴇlꜰirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

So Fourth Madam could only take the two daughters-in-law to help manage things.

Fortunately in recent years Fourth Madam had essentially taken on the duties of matriarch, and was very experienced handling such matters.

Following her, Tong Niang had also become very capable. This time, it was a good opportunity for the younger daughter-in-law to learn.

Lan Niang was born very delicate and pleasing to the eye. But her character seemed rather dainty. Fortunately when choosing a daughter-in-law, Tong Niang had been selected with the standards for an elder daughter-in-law and matriarch in mind, very steady and gentle, and could be tolerant and accommodating of her sister-in-law.

The sisters-in-law got along harmoniously.

But now, everyone's mood was bleak.

Madam Tong's death had truly shocked the women of the rear courtyards. Especially Tong Niang and Lan Niang, who still found it hard to believe even now.

Yet they knew this was real.

Just a few days ago, they had still been chatting and laughing together with their sister-in-law, but now she was gone.

Her mother-in-law had even been unwilling to arrange her funeral, only doing so at Fourth Young Master's insistence. In the end, they had still held funeral rites, since they were husband and wife.

Fourth Madam understood Fifth Madam's intent, keeping everything simple. But the Ye Family was different now. Even a "simple" funeral now was much grander than back at Ye Family Fort.

At least Madam Tong's dignity was preserved.

But this was the first time the women directly faced Ye Suijin's ruthlessness.

Of course they had heard many things about her in the past. But those were all "it is said...". Living in the sheltered rear courtyards, they had never personally witnessed or experienced such things. When the men returned, they also did not discuss much with them.

The Ye Suijin they saw was the Ye Suijin who made people feel like basking in spring sunshine.

She could have served as matriarch of any great family.

She was always smiling, making every person who spoke with her feel valued.

She was very intimate and caring with peers who were her sisters-in-law and younger sisters. Apart from the past conflicts the men had with her, judging her alone, both Tong Niang and Lan Niang liked her.

They truly could not have imagined that Ye Suijin could order the killing of Madam Tong's own father and Fourth Young Master's father-in-law, people so closely related to them, with just a word.

And also the head of the Zhongyuan Hall, the patriarch of a household.

The final executions demonstrated rule of law, but the refusal to allow redemption demonstrated Ye Suijin's cold heart.

No family couldn't have paid the money. If they redeemed the sentences, no one needed to die.

But she let these people close to them die.

Tong Niang, Lan Niang, even Fourth Madam, were all shocked.

This was the first time they saw Ye Suijin's other side, the side they rarely saw.

It made them feel fear.

When Twelfth Sister arrived, Fourth Madam was still murmuring: "You weren't at your teacher's during all that, right?"

Twelfth Sister perfunctorily replied: "No, I was studying every day."

Only then was Fourth Madam reassured.

As the women talked, it was mostly trifling funeral matters like tallying condolence money, checking items, incense and candles.

Twelfth Sister remained silent, only listening.

Lan Niang looked over at her with concern and asked: "Not feeling well? You seem really low-spirited."

Twelfth Sister vaguely answered: "Just no appetite."

Fourth Madam also said: "Let's not keep talking about it, it's these events upsetting everyone, I haven't had much appetite these days either."

As she spoke she sighed.

Tong Niang and Lan Niang also sighed along.

Lan Niang said: "I still haven't returned the embroidery patterns I borrowed from Fourth Sister-in-Law."

Her eyes grew wet with tears.

Tong Niang's eyes also reddened.

Only Twelfth Sister remained wooden-faced.

Fourth Madam noticed and worried the daughters-in-law would think Twelfth Sister was hard-hearted if word got out, which would be bad for her reputation. So she said: "Look at this child, she's gone silly already. Sigh, it will take some time for it to sink in for her."

Twelfth Sister did not refute this.

Tong Niang and Lan Niang sighed as well.

Fourth Madam casually remarked: "Suijin's heart is just too hard. Why didn't she allow redemption, sigh."

Twelfth Sister suddenly looked up: "What else could be done?"

"If everyone redeemed their sentences, without any cost to life?" she said, "Why did the people from Yang Prefecture come? To lance a festering sore. If the sore isn't cleaned out, how is that any different from not lancing it at all?"

"If they could be redeemed, who would still fear?"

"The larger Sister Six's territory grows, the more troops she has, and the more evil these people dare to commit!"

"How much effort Sister Six spent to attract more population!"

"What is population? Every commoner is part of the population! Whether Tang Prefecture and Deng Prefecture can prosper depends firstly on having enough population."

"The population that Sister Six worked so hard to nurture and grow - they didn't come here to be mistreated like this! Not a single one!"

Twelfth Sister's chest heaved as she faced her mother and sisters-in-law.

Fourth Madam, Tong Niang, and Lan Niang were all shocked into silence.

Tong Niang reacted quickly, patting Twelfth Sister's arm and saying, "Just casual chatter, no need to get so angry over it."

Fourth Madam also said, "What are you yelling about? I didn't say anything. Just spewing nonsense for no reason, all this talk about population and territory - is that something for you to worry about? If you have time for that, wouldn't it be better to embroider some pillowcases and sew pairs of socks for your sisters-in-law? A Gui is so big already, yet his Auntie hasn't made him a single hand-sewn new garment."

Tong Niang turned to try and placate her mother-in-law: "Mother, Mother..."

Lan Niang looked around uneasily. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were sniping at each other, and she didn't know which side she should support. It would be best...to just stay silent.

Twelfth Sister looked at the three women closest to her.

Their eyes held various emotions, but not a single one had truly listened to the words she'd just said.

She knew she had let her emotions get out of control just now. She wanted to calm down.

But Fourth Madam went on, "All I meant was, if Sixth Sister had agreed to reduce their ransom, Sister Yuening wouldn't have had to die."

Twelfth Sister felt her blood vessels about to burst again.

She was sad that Fourth Sister was gone too.

But she understood very clearly why Fourth Sister had died.

Was it Ye Suijin who had made Fourth Sister's father commit shameful, evil acts? If he had behaved properly and righteously, Fourth Sister would never have died, and Little Sprout would not have perished so young.

But they felt it was because Sixth Sister's heart was too hardened, refusing to reduce the ransom, that led to Fourth Sister's death.

They didn't know that Sixth Sister had to be hard-hearted in order to properly manage the entire great Ye clan.

Only by managing the clan well and helping it prosper could they sit here in peace and lament others' hard-heartedness.

They also didn't care about what she had just said, about populations, Tang and Deng Prefectures, whether they prospered or not - everything outside the compound walls was men's business.

They didn't bother with such things.

What they cared about was which family's madam shouldn't have worn vermilion bangles to someone else's funeral, and which daughter-in-law's shoes were too gaudy beneath her plain clothes.

She looked at them.

They were all gentle, kind women, and they all cherished her.

But for some reason, Twelfth Sister felt that every breath she took while sitting here with them was suffocating.

She felt as if she might die at any moment.

This feeling persisted until finally, Ye Suijin returned.

Her Sixth Sister had come back.