Chapter 472: Assistance

Chapter 472: Chapter 472: Assistance

The maids and old women serving the madams knew exactly why they were here today. They had long been unable to stand watching, so now that they had a chance to contribute, they rushed forward without a word. They slapped the two unfamiliar maids Mrs. Lin had just pointed out right to the ground. Although they avoided hitting their faces, the two maids still howled and screamed.

An older servant woman, finding them an eyesore, pulled a handkerchief from her bosom and shoved it straight into their mouths. "You little thieves! You refuse to confess and even dare to resist! It’s not like we’ve done much to you anyway. Screaming like that—are you trying to frame us?"

Tears streamed down the two maids’ faces. They had only been bought into the Lin Mansion recently and had just served the madam for a few days. What was going on? How did they suddenly become thieves?

Lin Dali, who had hurried over, saw the scene and immediately shouted, "Stop! Stop it, all of you!"

Several madams blocked his way. "Don’t be so anxious, Mr. Lin. Mrs. Lin has just caught some thieves."

"Exactly. The state of your mansion is absolutely disgraceful. They even dared to steal Mrs. Lin’s dowry! If you ask me, you should cripple them and send them straight to the authorities before they disgust anyone else."

The words carried a double meaning, but the panicked Mr. Lin failed to catch the implication. "This is all a misunderstanding! The person you’re beating is Ming Li! She didn’t steal the madam’s things; she just borrowed them for a bit."

"May I ask who this Ming Li is? A daughter of the Lin Family?" one madam asked with a cold expression, feigning ignorance.

"Mrs. Xiao, even a daughter of the Lin Family shouldn’t take someone else’s dowry. What kind of upbringing is that?"

"Exactly. No one is that shameless except a thief..."

Bai Suihe held Gu Xingyang in her arms, watching the scene unfold. She thought that this live-action drama was definitely much more vivid. Looking at the panic and heartache on Mr. Lin’s face, she wondered if the old fool had truly fallen head over heels.

"Madam, tell them to stop hitting her! That’s Ming Li..."

Hearing his voice, Ma Mingli, who was still taking a beating, felt as if she had found her savior. She immediately shrieked, "Sir, hurry and drive them all away! They’re beating me to death!"

"OHO, quite arrogant, isn’t she?" Mrs. Jiang said mockingly to Hu Waner. "This Lin Family of yours is such a prestigious household, threatening to kick us out just like that."

"Please don’t mind her, Mrs. Jiang. There’s no need to pay attention to the yapping of stray cats and dogs," Hu Waner replied. "I am still the lady of the Lin Family, though I’m afraid I’ve made you all watch a joke today."

"Then you’re quite pitiful. It looks like Mr. Lin knows this woman?"

"It’s a family misfortune." Hu Waner lightly dabbed the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief. "I’m sorry for making you two suffer along with me. It’s my own incompetence for failing to protect my own dowry."

Lin Dali felt a bit guilty. Previously, unable to withstand Ming Li’s pleading, and combined with news from the county town that his wife was gravely ill, he figured the courtyard was empty anyway and let her stay there for a while. He also knew that she had been wearing his wife’s jewelry over the past two days.

But when Ming Li coquettishly asked him whether the jewelry looked better on her or his wife, his bones had practically melted. How could he possibly remember that it was his wife’s dowry?

As soon as the two young madams of the Hu Family let go, Ma Mingli stumbled to her feet and threw herself at Lin Dali.

"Sir, you have to seek justice for me..."

That overly contrived voice startled the madams, causing their eyes to widen. They had concubines in their own households, but none possessed such disgraceful manners. Lin Dali’s tastes were truly peculiar. Upon comparison, they suddenly felt that the women in their own backyards weren’t quite so abhorrent after all.

"Madam, you are indeed going too far..."

"What do you mean by that, Mr. Lin?"

The eldest young madam of the Hu Family stepped forward, holding up the jewelry they had just yanked off. "This is the dowry we prepared for our sister. Why is it on her head? And who exactly is she? Why is she in our sister’s courtyard?"

The barrage of questions made Lin Dali fly into a humiliated rage. He wondered what was wrong with the Hu Family and if they were going to deny him any dignity whatsoever.

He wanted to lash out, but seeing the numerous madams standing in the courtyard, his reason instantly returned. "These are all misunderstandings. Ming Li is only staying here temporarily. It’s my fault for not making it clear to her that these ornaments are my wife’s dowry. I will have someone melt them down and remake them later."

"Hah! You still haven’t answered me. Who is she?"

Hu Waner stepped forward at this moment, looking Ma Mingli up and down. "Oh, it turns out to be Widow Ma. Blame my blinding anger earlier; I didn’t realize it was you.

"However, taking without asking makes one a thief. Given your status, you shouldn’t be in the main courtyard anyway."

"Mr. Lin agreed to this..." Ma Mingli, looking at the many madams around, didn’t quite dare to act as arrogantly as before. But hiding behind Lin Dali, she instantly felt emboldened again. "Besides, I was just trying it on! It’s not like I was going to keep it."

This shameless excuse made Hu Waner laugh out of pure anger. "In what capacity are you trying it on? This is the dowry the Hu Family prepared for me. Even my husband has no right to lay a finger on it."

Bai Suihe didn’t want to listen to them drag this out any further. She worried that this widow might just manage to escape unscathed. Feigning curiosity, she asked, "Mrs. Lin, is this the newly taken concubine that Mr. Lin mentioned earlier?"

"That’s her," Hu Waner replied. "I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you all."

Since Bai Suihe had opened the floodgates, the other madams immediately chimed in. "TSK TSK TSK. The rules of your mansion are truly hard to agree with. A mere concubine actually dared to stay in the legal wife’s courtyard, and even dared to wear the mistress’s jewelry."

"I’m not a concubine!" Ma Mingli roared. "I won’t be a concubine!"

Mrs. Jiang stared at her in immediate shock. "You’re not a concubine? So you entered the Lin Mansion without name or status? Does that make you a mistress kept on the outside, or...?"

She raised her pitch on the final word, eyeing Ma Mingli with deep contempt, her implication painfully obvious.

The other madams covered their mouths and chuckled, murmuring that this would actually make sense. After all, men occasionally seeking out women was nothing new. However, using a wife’s dowry to pay a prostitute—Mr. Lin was certainly the first of his kind.

The man and woman trapped in the middle were practically fuming with embarrassment. If these words spread, they could forget about ever showing their faces in the area again. Ma Mingli, in particular, clung tightly to Lin Dali’s arm. "Sir, you must stand up for me!"

"Stop talking nonsense," Lin Dali said, closing his eyes. He had already made a decision in his heart.

He could dote on Ma Mingli and agree to a few harmless demands, but his reputation was paramount.

"This is the concubine I am preparing to take in. Ming Li, come out and greet the madams."

"Oh my god, she’s a concubine?"

Bai Suihe couldn’t help but look over. The exaggerated performance was too comical; she could hardly hold back her laughter. Gu Xingyang had no such reservations; she was going HEHEHE and laughing aloud right there.

"Yes, she is a concubine," Lin Dali said, turning his head to glare warningly at Ma Mingli. The chilling coldness in his eyes made her pout and lower her head in utter resentment.