Chapter 322.1: Farce-like Humiliation
Quite a few people of the Pei clan main residence were all aware that something might have happened. Usually, whenever this Min family old master came over, which time wasn’t getting treated with great hospitality, more grandly and warmly than many people. The clan leader would even personally order the back kitchen to prepare a certain few dishes.
Today, never mind coming and then just leaving, immediately after, several people just got dealt with. Each and every one’s heart drummed. Never mind the servants, even the other masters all slightly restrained themselves, not daring to cause trouble at this time.
Of course, towards the people in the manor that lived in slightly remote areas because of not being favored, they rather didn’t have that worry. In any case, they on normal days were also just invisible people.
Just as expected, a few days later, in this county seat called Pei County, more than half the county seat all arose in uproar. Beating the gongs and playing the drums, there were more than several streets of generous gifts. To want to not cause a disturbance was all very difficult. The outsiders living in Pei County, nine out of ten were all people related to the Pei clan, even if just a distant relative’s distant relative, or just the family members of certain servants in the Pei clan main residence that obtained favor and released from slave status. Compared with the people of other places, their days can absolutely be considered rich, not having people like beggars and such existing. After all, that kind of person simply was unable to come in. Towards the Pei clan main residence, they naturally all had a bit of concern, regardless whether it was due to curiosity, or just joining in on the excitement.
(T/N: The county is precisely named after the Pei family, though given that more than half the county is the Pei family’s own backyard, it’s not that surprising.)
“This is probably someone of another large influential family coming to proposal marriage?”
“Most likely, just this time, seeing that it’s more grand than in the past, probably coming for the fourth generation’s eldest miss?”
Someone expectedly nodded their head, “The eldest miss has a good reputation outside, and is this generation of the Pei clan’s most outstanding young lady. This kind of grandness naturally is deserved.”
…………
Those outside that were completely unaware of the situation were all happily discussing, yet how would they know that inside the Pei clan main residence, the people that received the news can be said to be densely covered in dark clouds. Gathered by the Pei clan leader’s side were also the clansmen living outside of the main residence. Some were even the Pei clan leader’s elder, though their age was younger than him. As for what kind of mindset these people harbored in coming, one was unable to find out. However, it’s no wonder that this many people knew. One has to know, not just in this main residence, but also in the manors of the other Pei clan clansmen outside of the main residence, the people married over from the Min clan were definitely too many to count on one hand. These people had gotten directly informed by the people sent by the Min clan. With such great fanfare, naturally it was more and more people becoming aware, to the extent that it was about to spread to all the Pei clan clansmen in Pei County.
Of course, the ones with the guts to gather by the Pei clan leader’s side, regardless whether it’s genuinely concerned about this matter, or just coming to watch a play, the number of people wasn’t particularly many.
Especially the ones married over from the Min clan, at this time, further harbored worry. After all, if the Pei clan and the Min clan develop animosity, as Pei Min-s.h.i.+[1], they will be put in the most difficult position. Perhaps they will even be shunned and disdained in all kinds of ways by everyone of their husband’s family. For the older generation, it was still okay. After all, they’ve long taken root. But as the new wives, it’ll be the most difficult. That’s why, at this time, not only will they not gather forward, they’ll even produce all kinds of resentment towards Min Yu Han from the bottom of their hearts. In reality, this also can’t be blamed on them, nothing more than just human nature.
“Clan leader, what exactly does Min Yu Han want to do? Never mind that he’s someone of Xiu Ying’s grandparent’s generation, this age is also the same. This is practically not having our Pei clan taken seriously.” Someone said, filled with righteous indignation. This was probably someone that had the Pei clan’s prestige completely tied together with oneself.
The others also b.u.t.ted in with seven mouths and eight tongues, and there was no lack of those taking pleasure in another’s misfortune. One has to know, even if coming from the same clan, it still doesn’t mean that everyone was all of one mind, willing to work together. Under one roof, there was already severe differentiating treatment, let alone just a family name. The side branches and the di branch’s treatment naturally was also like heaven and earth, so for there to be jealousy, that is also only natural. To be able to see the main family make a fool of themselves, this kind of opportunity was truly hard to come by. As such, how could they easily pa.s.s by?
The Pei clan leader, on normal days, was gentle and scholarly, even generous and easy to talk to, yet this while, his gaze coldly swept through. Even the people that bounced around the most and hopped the most happily on normal days, at this time, also immediately shut up, keeping quiet out of fear, not daring to look directly at the Pei clan leader, seamlessly backing away. “What are you all staying here for, go do whatever you should be doing.”
The people circling around the Pei clan leader looked to one another, suddenly feeling limitlessly dull, unhappily leaving one by one.
The Pei clan leader’s mood certainly wasn’t that wonderful either. In his eyes, after that day, Min Yu Han probably won’t do anything anymore, yet unexpectedly, things far surpa.s.sed his expectations, not only having a follow-up, but even with such great fanfare. As such, he had reason to believe that what Min Yu Han knew was perhaps even more than he’d predicted, even having things that he didn’t know.
Also, what made the Pei clan leader further concerned was that Min Yu Han was actually just someone who has chosen a solitary path. That year, after his father pa.s.sed away, he and his brothers divided the family, but his father was also angry at him for being immersed in romantic love, so on his deathbed, repeatedly warned to not leave this unfilial son a single copper coin. However, Min Yu Han’s brothers for better or worse won’t really disregard this brother, so the food and clothing expenses never lacked his share, and moreover, all buying the best. However, there weren’t any more than this, not having private a.s.sets, not having a personal residence. Setting aside whether his older brother was just following their father’s order, or haunted by selfish desire, Min Yu Han also didn’t have the need. This time, having such great fanfare, it was easy to see that this wasn’t Min Yu Han’s action alone. He was unable to bring forth this kind of wealth.
Then, the Pei clan leader had reason to suspect that this already wasn’t Min Yu Han going against him, but rather the Min clan wanting to go against the Pei clan!
The severity of the problem rose by more than one level! With the Min clan in front, the other in-law families that have long began to stir perhaps will also use this opportunity to make a move.
The Pei clan leader’s eyes were covered with malice, as if a violent beast desiring to devour someone.
The Pei clan leader was able to easily drive away these people circling around him, but on Pei Xiu Ying’s side, it wasn’t this easy. She was the fourth generation’s eldest sister. For an influential family that was strict with ranking, brus.h.i.+ng off her younger sisters naturally was easy, and those sisters of the side branches were also easy to deal with, but for the paternal aunts that were a generation above her, the ones that still haven’t married similarly weren’t in the minority. The shu-born ones would still restrain themselves a little, and at this time, merely just secretly mocked a few words. The ones that were truly disagreeable with her was that pair of di born twin sisters. They were a generation above Pei Xiu Ying, yet they were younger than her. Their mother was a second wife, her family background not that high. In the beginning, because they were twins, they were actually very much valued as a rarity for quite some time, but as they grew in age, in terms of appearance, they lost to Pei Xiu Ying, and after they began schooling, they further got compared until there was nothing left. It was like this in all aspects.
Twins were very attractive, but with Pei Xiu Ying, this gem, in front, they naturally just got covered up. Moreover, as the head of the family, the Pei clan leader’s fondness towards Pei Xiu Ying was known to all. As such, even without grudges, they still became enemies.
But how could one not know that for a lot of hatred, it precisely originates from ‘jealousy’, originates from ‘why’.
[1] Pei Min-s.h.i.+ – Basically all the women of the Min clan that marry into the Pei clan will all be called Pei Min-s.h.i.+.
T/N: I was just thinking about the size of the Pei clan leader’s own branch of the family, since he has 156 grandchildren, then counting his children, and also his other great-grandchildren, as well as the wives and concubines of everyone, there’s got to be at least 1000 people. It also goes to show that despite being on the decline, the Pei clan is still pretty wealthy to be able to provide for this many people, with some even living in luxury.
Then if you include the servants, it’s easily 3-5 times that number. No wonder they need a whole county to house everyone, and this is just the Pei clan’s main branch, there are still other branch families of the Pei clan. A part of me feels like they’re even bigger than the imperial family in size, although the imperial family has relatively effective ‘population control’.