The Female Supporting Role Shows Out

Chapter 5

Translator: NovelMultiverse

As soon as Lin Dan had settled Lady Qi down, a group of people came to the inn and yelled to see her. The shopkeeper stopped them from entering as he was afraid that these people would destroy the inn if he let them in. Those people started crying at the entrance and attracted passers-by to stop and watch.

Lin Dan pushed the window slightly and peeked at what was happening. She saw that the person who was leading the group was an old woman who looked desolate. She wore a set of garments that had turned pale from overwashing and she was not wearing any ornaments on her head. Yan Shouye kept yelling "mother" as he held her and looked extremely sad.

She seemed to be the wife of Lin Baotian's master, Yan Bo. This meant that Lin Dan should address her as Madam Grandmaster. But Lin Dan was likely unable to address her in that respectful manner because what this old woman did was enough to overturn all her previous efforts of cleaning up Lin Baotian's reputation.

The old woman beat her chest and cried, "Damn you, Lin Baotian! I don't care if you bullied me and my child, how can you make your daughter do the same thing to us too?! Your daughter said that you are a filial man who took care of the old man's funeral? That's nonsense! How could you lie without batting an eye! The old man was lying on the bed for several months, and Lin Baotian didn't even pour a glass of water for him, not to mention taking care of him! I was the one who arranged everything. I asked Lin Baotian to send a letter to my son, he agreed to do so on the surface, but he burned the letter as he was afraid that my son would appear and fight for the old man's inheritance! This was why my son could not make it back in time to see his father for the last time. Isn't he a vicious man? My son should be the one to inherit the family business, what gave him the right to stop my son from doing so? When the old man died and didn't have a son to complete the rites for him, Lin Baotian took the chance to threaten me into giving him all the family's assets, or he would not let the old man rest in peace. I had no one to turn to and there's nothing I could do! The old man's coffin was still at home, I only wanted him to rest in peace..."

The heartbroken look of the old woman drew the passers-by to tears. If this continued, Lin Dan reckoned that what she did to clear up Lin Baotian's reputation would have gone to waste.

Lady Qi, who finally could rest, woke up and said angrily, "She is talking nonsense! That was all lies! When your grandmaster was ill, your father had wanted to inform Yan Shouye immediately. It was her who stopped your father as she didn't want to distract Yan Shouye who was about to take the imperial examinations. Little did she know that your grandmaster's health deteriorated quickly and went into a coma just in two weeks. When your father wanted to contact Yan Shouye, he had already gone out to study and nobody knew where he went. Your father took care of all your grandmaster's needs, cleaning his piss and poop, prepared medicine for him, and even had to support the family. Your father was the one who did all the hard work, while your madam avoided taking care of him because she didn't want to dirty her hands and tire herself. When your grandmaster died, she said all the money was used to fund her son's studies, and she couldn't fork out any extra money for the funeral of your grandmaster. She cried and begged your father to find a way, and eventually, your father used all his savings to pay 50 taels of interest so that your grandmaster could be buried in peace. In order to repay the debt, your father had no rest and went out to work immediately one day after the burial. He came to the capital in the end and had been sending money back. It's unfortunate that there was no proof of what he did. We can't even prove our innocence!"

Lady Qi opened her bag and took out two memorial tablets. She cried, "Your father was a good person, but why is he not rewarded for being a good person!"

She also wanted to run out and argue with the old woman, but the old woman was the wife of Lin Baotian's master who had raised him since he was a child. It would be difficult for Lady Qi to argue with the old woman due to her seniority and the kindness they had shown Lin Baotian. If she had argued, it would make her seem as though she was unkind and disrespectful to the elders. This was how the world worked – it was acceptable for seniors to beat up and reprimand the juniors, but the juniors could never disobey the seniors. The word "filial piety" was enough to crush people alive. Besides, she was not an eloquent speaker, she could easily be deceived by others, let alone speaking up for her wronged, deceased husband.