Chapter 59 – Lifting a Stone and Stumbling on Your Own Foot

Two days later, Xia Tian placed the framed Tigers Descending the Mountain with her personal stamp on it and took it to Yayi Studio for consignment. She made a deal with the shopkeeper, agreeing that the minimum price would not be lower than 300 taels of silver. The higher it sold for, the greater her share of the profits would be.

The shopkeeper naturally agreed.

However, it remained to be seen whether anyone would want to buy the painting at 300 taels, since it wasn’t a masterpiece by a renowned artist, and the shopkeeper was uncertain whether it could fetch a high price.

The day after tomorrow marked the end of the month, and it was time for the Wu’an Marquis’ household’s bi-weekly family gathering, an event that most people would attend.

At any given time, the various masters of the household were either busy with their duties or attending school, making it difficult for everyone to sit down and dine together. Furthermore, everyone had different eating habits, so often, individuals would dine in their own courtyards. Family gatherings typically happened on holidays, to demonstrate the family’s unity and status.

Thus, the family gatherings on non-holidays were scheduled during the noon hours of the male masters’ bi-weekly holidays.

For the past two days, Xia Tian hadn’t gone out. She spent her time painting in her room and studying. Since dealing with Shen Hui’s trouble, no one had come looking for trouble, and life had become much more peaceful.

The day of the family gathering soon arrived.

When Shen Nian and Xia Tian arrived at the old lady’s Ruixuan Hall, everyone had already arrived except for the Wu’an Marquis.

After greeting the old lady and exchanging pleasantries with the others, they each took their seats.

“Big brother, you finally came! I’ve missed you so much!” A young man of about sixteen or seventeen in a brocade robe cheerfully squeezed over and threw his arms around Shen Nian’s arm.

“Hmm, stand still.” Shen Nian’s face was serious as he calmly pulled his arm out of the embrace.

The young man was none other than the eldest son of the Liu family, the fourth young master of the Marquis’ household, Shen Ke.

Currently studying at a school in the capital, Shen Ke usually lived at the academy and could only return home during the ten-day holidays.

Seeing that his older brother wasn’t as enthusiastic as before, Shen Ke’s eyes flicked to Xia Tian, who was sitting beside Shen Nian. Cheerfully, he asked, “Big brother, is this my sister-in-law? I’ve never met her before.”

“Hmm.” Shen Nian’s expression softened for a moment when he heard Shen Ke call her “sister-in-law,” but he only replied with a single word.

Not receiving an introduction from his older brother, Shen Ke took the initiative to smile at Xia Tian and greeted her, “Sister-in-law, I’m Shen Ke, the fourth in the family.”

As the saying goes, “You don’t strike someone who’s smiling,” and Xia Tian smiled back, greeting him, “Fourth brother,” before falling silent.

Shen Ke noticed that his older brother remained expressionless, so he wisely sat down without further pursuit.

After a while, the Wu’an Marquis arrived, and everyone stood and greeted him before sitting down according to age.

Since it was a family meal, there were no separate tables for men and women.

Liu Shi turned to the steward and said, “Serve the dishes.”

When the table was filled with a variety of dishes, the Wu’an Marquis picked up his chopsticks and took a bite before everyone began eating with the maidservants’ assistance.

With the delicious food before them, unfortunately, someone still wanted to make a scene.

“Hey, the elders haven’t finished eating, how can the daughter-in-law start eating first? It’s so disrespectful,” said Madam Ye, sitting diagonally across from Xia Tian, with a sharp look in her eyes.

At the sudden interruption, everyone at the table immediately turned to look at Xia Tian.

Xia Tian raised her head, her expression puzzled. Was she being spoken to?

Seeing Xia Tian’s confused face, Madam Ye sneered, “A country bumpkin is still a country bumpkin. You don’t know any manners. The elders are speaking to you, and that’s your reaction?”

Xia Tian couldn’t believe that they were disrupting the meal just like this.

“Third aunt, are you talking about me?” Xia Tian pointed at herself.

“Who else could it be? Is there anyone else here who doesn’t understand manners?” Madam Ye sneered.

“Third aunt, what exactly do you want to say?” Shen Nian put down his chopsticks and asked coldly.

“Ni’er, you’re the heir of the Marquis’ household, but you shouldn’t be so protective of someone who doesn’t understand manners,” Madam Ye scolded.

Shen Nian was about to speak, but Xia Tian discreetly tugged at his hand under the table. She then smiled and calmly asked Madam Ye, “Third aunt, how am I being disrespectful? Could you please explain?”

“You’re eating on your own while your elders haven’t finished eating yet. Isn’t that disrespectful?” Madam Ye said with a mocking tone.

Seeing Madam Ye intentionally embarrassing her in front of everyone, no one in the room, except for Shen Nian, spoke up in her defense.

Xia Tian sneered inwardly, thinking that it might be a little too soon for Madam Ye to celebrate her victory.

She then put on a sweet smile and said, “Oh, there are such rules in the Marquis’ household? I’m sorry, I just entered the house and wasn’t aware of them. Thank you for reminding me, third aunt.”

Saying this, Xia Tian stood up, walked over to Liu Shi, and used a pair of serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish that was placed a little too far from her, putting it in Liu Shi’s bowl.

With a smile, she said, “Mother, please have some fish. I was unaware of the rules earlier, but from now on, I’ll make sure to serve my elders properly.”

Liu Shi, who didn’t particularly like fish, frowned when the fish was placed in her bowl. But Xia Tian pretended not to notice. She turned to Madam Zheng and Madam Ye and said, “Aunt Zheng, Aunt Ye, please hurry up, don’t keep grandmother waiting.”

Before Madam Zheng and Madam Ye could respond, she turned back to the old lady and said, “Grandmother, you can’t eat alone. My mother, Aunt Zheng, and Aunt Ye haven’t even started serving yet. If people hear about this, they’ll say they don’t know how to behave.”

When she saw that Madam Ye and Madam Zheng remained seated, she continued, “Hurry up, Aunt Zheng, Aunt Ye. My mother is seated close by. Why are you still sitting there? Grandmother is waiting, and it will be said that you’re not filial if this goes on.”

With that, without waiting for them to reply, she turned back to the old lady and said, “Grandmother, don’t mind them. Aunt Zheng and Aunt Ye will serve you soon.”

While speaking, she didn’t forget to place a piece of braised pork in the old lady’s bowl.

“Grandmother, I’m so sorry on behalf of my mother. She must be so happy to see me being so thoughtful that she doesn’t know how to react,” Xia Tian said with a smile.

She then gently nudged Liu Shi and said, “Mother, don’t just sit there. Serve grandmother some food.”

Everyone in the room was wide-eyed at Xia Tian’s actions, mouths agape, not knowing how to react.

When they finally came to their senses, they saw Xia Tian continuing to serve her aunts, and everyone quickly lowered their heads, desperately trying to hold back their laughter. Upon closer inspection, one could see the shoulders of the others trembling with suppressed laughter.

Shen Nian lowered his gaze, clenching his fists to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Even Madam Ye was taken aback by Xia Tian’s behavior. When she finally regained her composure, she angrily scolded, “Xia Shiji, you have some nerve! How dare you speak like that to your elders?”

“I didn’t say anything to my elders. I was just following the rules of the Marquis’ household, just like third aunt said. The daughter-in-law should serve the elders. I was only reminding you and Aunt Zheng,” Xia Tian said innocently.

With a look of feigned innocence, she turned to the Wu’an Marquis and asked, “Father, isn’t this the rule of our household? Why is third aunt accusing me?”

Before the Wu’an Marquis could respond, Madam Ye lost her temper again, “Xia Shiji, I told you to establish rules, not to involve me and Aunt Zheng!”

“Third aunt, you were the one who said that the daughter-in-law should serve the elders, so aren’t you and my mother and Aunt Zheng also the daughters-in-law of grandmother?” Xia Tian asked, her voice full of feigned confusion.

“I…” Madam Ye was left speechless for a moment, realizing that she had just shot herself in the foot.