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Chapter 3: Third Branch\n“I’ll…I’ll go help” said the Third Branch Master with red-rimmed eyes that guiltily looked at Li Ciying (Grandmother). Feeling responsible for his weak and slim wife who was still heavily pregnant, he consoled his family members before finally trustworthily saying, “My child’s mother, please wipe and wash the bloodstains off of Bailian’s face!”\n
With a heavy heart and misty eyes, Madam Zhao sluggishly got up and with a hand supporting her cumbersome belly, went in search of a clean cloth and water.\n
Yuhang tenderly patted the blanket and comforted Bailian, “Older sister, you can take it easy and rest all you want in the warm bed, younger brother and I will go feed the pigs in the yard” and darted outside with the younger brother in tow.\n
The corners of Bailian’s mouth twitched in annoyance and indignation for the two scrawny young boys. The Li Family was really good at exploiting their family members ah, these two boys were only five or six and were expected to do such hard labor already!\n
With the brothers gone, Bailian could finally closely inspect the room she had been staying in. The room was clean and rather small with simple, shabby furnishings. Everything seemed to be dilapidated and battered, the room, the bed, and the patched-up clothes on the bed were no exception–all old and run-down.\n
As to why the clothes were placed on the bed, it was because of the lack of furniture in the small room. There was only the timeworn bed against the wall and a wobbly, crooked table that would stagger from side to side if one leaned against it. There was nothing else in the room. \n
From the original owner’s memories, Bailian identified that this was the shared bedroom that Grandmother Li Ciying and her both resided in. Although this room was shabby with nothing to look at, in reality, this was the Third Branch’s best room.\n
In the Li Residence, the Third Branch was only granted the three smallest rooms in the right wing for the family to live in. One room was shared by Grandmother Li Ciying and Bailian. Her brothers shared one room and the Third Branch’s Couple shared the last room.\n
The Li Residence was infamous in the village for it’s sturdy and practical furnishings not commonly seen in villages. It was known to be one of the best residences in the entire village! This was all thanks to Grandmother Li Ciying’s father who was extremely hard-working when he was younger and was a diligent Steward who worked for a noble household. When he retired from his position, he moved out to the Wuming Village to care for his elderly parents in their old age.\n
Unfortunately, Li Ciying’s father never expected for his own daughter to be saved from death’s door by the Li Young Master. As a result, he could only grit his teeth and gift all his hard-earned properties and assets in hopes that it would help his daughter get a position that was equal to that of the main wife in the Li household.\n
Over the decades, LI Ciying’s plentiful and highly coveted dowry diminished until anything and everything that was of value had long been snatched away by the vicious and greedy Matriarch Wang. Even the residence, which was originally part of her dowry, had its legal paperwork and official documents stolen from Li Ciying, so that she was forced to live in the most run-down and unfurnished section of the large residence.\n
Bailian exhaled slowly, feeling that her future looked quite bleak ah! After all, her fiance was a top talent who had witnessed the original owner’s blunder at the banquet without knowing the full story…\n
…with his skill and pride, would he still agree to marry Bailian? \n
The original owner had long fallen head over heels for Scholar Zhang’s handsome and dashing looks that were only further enhanced by his devotedness to academia and aptitude for learning. Sadly, Bailian didn’t even feel anything for this fellow, apart from seeing him in his memory, she hadn’t even met this bookworm in person yet!\n
Reflecting on the day’s events, Bailian’s eyes glinted with a dark look of understanding. If it wasn’t for the older twin sister shoving her, how would the originally meek and weak Bailian possess the courage to throw herself into some old bachelor’s arms? ,\n
Fine, you want a piece of this little lady? Let’s see who will have the last laugh!\n
Just as Bailian was silently cursing her enemies to die a gruesome death in her head, the heavily pregnant Madam Zhao unsteadily entered the room, her hands trembling from carrying an old-looking earthenware basin that had a few chips and holes on the basin’s rim. Although the basin was battered with cracks in multiple places, it was very clean and had been obviously scrubbed to be as neat as a button. Bailian felt that it was rather commendable that although this family lived in such desolate and extreme conditions, they did not let themselves go and maintained their hygiene. They were rather nimble and resourceful ah!\n
The Third Branch was long up before sunrise, bustling like busy bees to finish the numerous chores they were assigned. Otherwise, they would get scolded or beaten by the other branches. Most of the hard chores and exhausting labor of the Li Residence should have been left to the servants or at least equally shared between family, but the stingy and greedy Matriarch Wang forced the Third Branch to work instead, nitpicking on them at every turn. Now that their precious eldest son had become a scholar, he became the pride and treasure of the Li Family. The second son was a successful merchant, a person who was rich and willful. Although the fourth son was not yet married, he possessed an outstanding, elegant, and romantic appearance, that greatly resembled the Li Patriarch in his prime. The youngest and fifth child was a daughter, born to the Li Couple at an old age and as such was rather spoiled by her parents. Naturally, she hadn’t experienced much hardship as a delicate, pampered lady.\n
As a result, the Third Branch was often demeaned for its lowly origin as the third son was concubine-born. The other branches often deliberately and openly ridiculed them with harsh words and criticisms.\n
“Fifth, does it still hurt?” Madam Zhao set the basin on the bed and dipped a clean, but worn cloth into the lukewarm water. She cautiously wiped the bloodstains from Bailian’s pale face, but one could obviously tell that she still felt deeply distressed for her daughter, looking uneasy.\n
Now that Bailian had woken up, the Li Family reasoned that there was nothing wrong with the child and there was no need to send for a physician. In addition, the Third Branch didn’t have any copper coins or money to pay for one. Even if they were able to borrow money from others, the petty Matriarch Wang would never permit the physician to enter, and she might even steal their copper coins instead…\n
“ I’m fine, you…don’t worry too much”\n
Bailian smiled slightly, but still couldn’t comfortably call the lady in front of her ‘mother’. Bailian stared intently at Madam Zhao, thinking that although she looked very tired and dejected, she was still in her twenties and possessed kind eyes and gentle face. Madam Zhao wasn’t much older than her in her previous life, so it felt quite unnatural to her.\n
Feeling the woman in front of her face wiping at her face gently as if it was her own, she was touched by the other’s obvious maternal love. Every time the warm cloth touched Bailian’s face, it felt as if Madam Zhao was cleaning a precious and rare treasure. These actions deeply softened and warmed her heart.\n
In her previous life, as a secret service agent, she was used to pain and injuries were common in that line of work, so the current pain she was experiencing was nothing…\n
Bailian then came to a decision. Since nothing could be done as she already transmigrated into this weak and frail eight-year old’s body, she might as well keep a low profile and stay here!\n
Even though the rest of the Li family were outlandish trash, the Third Branch were all honest and kind hearted. Even if she wanted to escape, her body was still weak and lacking energy. Who knows what was lying in wait outside of this house?! With the tigers lying in wait outside, if she left now, she might die without even knowing just how she died!\n
Besides…it had been many years since she experienced the affection and goodwill of a family. Deep down, she had yearned for a family and now that one was in front of her, she could not easily forget them or leave them.\n
“Fifth…you..” Madam Zhao had suddenly stopped wiping Bailian’s forehead and her words trailed off after seeing that Bailian was laughing quietly.\n
Bailian curiously asked, “What’s the matter?”\n
Madam Zhao’s eyes became red again, thinking that her daughter’s mental state had taken a deep blow, “It’s nothing…you have a naturally weak constitution so just stay home and fully recover….don’t go outside anymore.”\n
Bailian had never ventured outside much as a child of the Third Branch. Although Madam Zhao and her husband had carefully carried Bailian back to avoid the gossiping and judging gazes of the other villagers, she could already imagine the harsh rumors that would be spread about her daughter.\n
Madam Zhao felt very agonized and frustrated as she didn’t want others to laugh at her daughter. A daughter’s reputation was paramount, but that old woman still disregarded her granddaughter’s honor and still defamed her young, naive daughter…\n
Thinking of this, Madam Zhao was very much disheartened and resignedly thought of her suffering family. But they were of concubine-birth, what else could they do? It’s not like she could blame their hardship and adversities on anyone else.\n
However, her daughter is different, she has a chance to make her life better and live the rest of her days in comfort! She was engaged to Zhang Youen, who was now the top talent Scholar Zhang. Once she married him, she would never have to suffer like she is now!\n
But…with Bailian’s current reputation, this marriage….\n
“I know.” Bailian softly smiled, but didn’t care to elaborate on what she meant.\n
Bailian had long guessed what Madam Zhao was worrying about, but personally, she thought that annulling this marriage would be for the best anyway. She would get her freedom back and live life as how she saw fit! After all, what can she not do? Even without marriage, she can still fight, make money, do chores, and make food! What’s the use of men?\n
Of course, this would not be possible.\n
This was because, in Bailian’s memory, the original owner was a highly introverted and timid person who never dared to go against the words of others.\n
Madam Zhao sighed faintly, she thought that her daughter had not yet realized the seriousness and gravity of her own situation yet. Evidently, Madam Zhao didn’t know that the Bailian sitting in front of her was no longer the Balian she knew.\n
It took another quarter of an hour later for Madam Zhao to completely clean the bloodstains from Bailian’s face. In the middle of the space between her eyebrow, there was a small bump. It looked a bright, ghastly red and was shocking to the eyes of others. It invoked pity in the hearts of others with just one glance.\n
“Mother will quickly go ask Madam Ming if there’s any remedy, it will be okay!” Madam Zhao gently touched Bailian’s wound with an anxious expression.\n
Bailian felt a vague itching feeling in the middle of her eyebrows, but since there wasn’t any pain, she didn’t really care if the wound was there or not.\n
Bailian smiled and assured Madam Zhao “It’s okay, I’ll be fine.” Besides, it was better to be a little ugly in ancient times. If you were too outstanding and beautiful, it could lead to disaster.\n
Naturally, Bailian was not afraid of what others thought of her, but as of right now she couldn’t even do anything, she didn’t know when her tiny and weak body would collapse again ah!\n
“Sleep for a while, and when we find something to eat, get up and eat something.” Madam Zhao lovingly stroked her daughter’s fragile, haggard hair and warmly tucked the blanket over Bailian’s little body.\n
“Okay!” Bailian nodded slightly.\n
Madam Zhao tenderly washed the cloth used to wipe Bailian’s face in the half-full chipped basin, wrung out the excess water, and placed the small cloth on top of the rickety table to dry and exited the room with the earthenware basin in hand.\n
Bailian glanced at the drying cloth on the table and frowned slightly. If she remembered correctly, this cloth had actually been torn from the hem of Madam Zhao’s own threadbare clothing.\n
Only after the cloth was done drying could Madam Zhao sew the strip back onto her clothes.\n
Bailian was dumbfounded by the Third Branch’s frugal and dismal lifestyle. The Li Family was quite well off, after all Li Ciying’s Father got many benefits from the master he served and later on all his wealth had been transferred over as his daughter’s dowry. \n
Unfortunately, the Master of the Third Branch was in dire financial straits and often got the worst benefits out of his siblings due to his concubine-born status. As a result, from a young age, he had to do hard work to support his family. He wasn’t given the opportunity to study and become a scholar like his Eldest Brother, oor learn business like his Second Eldest Brother nor could he be as carefree as his Fourth Eldest Brother either.\n
They were already quite fortunate that they had not starved to death. After all, if they died, who would do the chores?\n