Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Bottom Line After Huadie left, Caixia was fuming. Upon learning that the Commandery Princess had summoned the Second Madam, and that the Second Madam had gone to Shouan Tang, she felt wronged on her mistress's behalf and somewhat worried. "First Madam, it seems the Commandery Princess sent Second Madam to see Old Madame. What if Old Madame pressures you and insists you hand over the money?" Cui Lingrong said that wouldn't happen. "Old Madame is someone who values face more than her own life. No matter what she thinks privately, she won't send anyone to pressure me. Not only that, she'll show considerate concern for me, saying I should have done this long ago." Having lived among the Song family for over a decade, Cui Lingrong knew these people inside and out. Since Princess Rongjia wanted to contend with her for authority, and Song Shulan favored Princess Rongjia, Cui Lingrong would yield for a time. Let's see how capable Princess Rongjia really was. While mistress and maid were talking, Caiyue came in, saying that Nanny Qiu had gotten into an argument with the people from Wutong Yuan. Cui Lingrong's expression turned stern. "What happened?" "Huadie brought people and insisted on taking the two young masters to Wutong Yuan first. Nanny Qiu refused, and after some shoving back and forth, Nanny Qiu fell." Caiyue's forehead was beaded with sweat. "The Commandery Princess is really sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. Xuan-ge and Jin-ge are your children—she's meddling for no reason at all!" Cui Lingrong immediately led her people toward the front courtyard. Just as she turned past the round gate, she heard Huadie cursing, "The Commandery Princess is also the legal mother of the two young masters. She kindly prepared food for them, yet in the mouth of you old hag, the Commandery Princess has ill intentions?" Nanny Qiu's face was red with anger. She was First Madam's trusted confidante. What the Commandery Princess was doing by sending Huadie wasn't just trying to take the two young masters—it was stepping on First Madam's face. "Xuan-ge and the others are First Madam's children. By rules and by propriety, they should go to see First Madam first. You keep saying you're acting on the Commandery Princess's orders—I doubt that. The Commandery Princess is kind and gentle; how could she stoop so low as to snatch someone's children? I suspect it's you, you base slave, paying lip service while acting behind her back, using her authority as a banner for your own mischief!" Nanny Qiu couldn't speak ill of the mistress—cursing the Commandery Princess would only bring trouble to First Madam. But she could curse Huadie, and anyone with half a brain would understand she was really talking about the Commandery Princess. "How dare you call me a base slave?" Huadie, having already been taken by the Marquis, considered herself above others. She raised her hand to lunge forward, but before she could strike Nanny Qiu, she heard a stern call of "Huadie" and turned to see First Madam approaching with a dark expression. Cui Lingrong descended the steps. "Since when did the rules of the Marquis's household fall into such disarray that you're allowed to shout and carry on here, and even presume to discipline my people?" Seeing First Madam, Huadie's heart immediately quailed, but then she thought of the Commandery Princess backing her and stiffened her resolve. "Reporting to First Madam, this servant would never forget the rules. The Commandery Princess kindly invited the two young masters over for a visit, nothing more." "That's rather impatient of her, isn't it?" As Cui Lingrong spoke, Nanny Qiu had already brought the two young masters behind her. Looking at her two sons, she told Nanny Qiu to take them back to Qiushuang Zhai first, then she herself stood in front of Huadie. "What, can't I even take my own sons back?" "It's not that..." "Then what is it?" Cui Lingrong was rarely aggressive, but this time, Princess Rongjia had touched her bottom line. "Are you saying the Commandery Princess loves the children more than I do, that I, their own mother, don't matter, and the Commandery Princess matters more?" Cui Lingrong's presence was overwhelming, pressing down on Huadie until she couldn't answer. Seeing that Huadie was a fool, Cui Lingrong curled a faint smile and dropped a hint. "I heard that right after the Commandery Princess married into the family, she had you serve the Marquis. You're younger than both the Commandery Princess and me. The Marquis must treat you well, no? When does the Commandery Princess plan to elevate you to concubine?" Huadie dreamed of having a proper title, but since the Commandery Princess never brought it up, she didn't dare ask on her own. "How about I ask for you?" Cui Lingrong's brows and eyes were gentle, the kind that easily put people off their guard. Huadie asked instinctively, "Really?" "Of course." Cui Lingrong said she would go to Wutong Yuan right away to secure that title for Huadie. Huadie was dazed, her mind filled with thoughts of becoming a concubine, not noticing anything amiss. This was the first time Cui Lingrong had set foot in Wutong Yuan since Princess Rongjia married into the Marquis's household. The moment she entered the courtyard, everyone looked over, all wearing expressions of shock. The maidservant at the door saw her and couldn't think of what to call her for a moment, stumbling over her words. "You... why have you come?" "The Commandery Princess has shown concern for Xuan-ge and Jin-ge. As their own mother, of course I must come to express my gratitude." As Cui Lingrong spoke, Caiyue proactively lifted the curtain, and without waiting for anyone in Wutong Yuan to announce her, Cui Lingrong walked in herself. Princess Rongjia hurried out from inside, her face wreathed in smiles. "Elder Sister, why have you come? Please, do sit. I'm so happy you're here. Qingxue, go bring out the Da Hong Pao I received this year." She looked at Cui Lingrong with eager warmth, as if they truly shared deep sisterly affection. Huadie glanced at the Commandery Princess, then darted her eyes to First Madam, her heart racing with excitement, then gradually growing uneasy—what if the Commandery Princess refused? Cui Lingrong noticed Huadie's subtle movements and showed no intention of drinking the black tea that had been brought over. "Just now, Huadie went to receive people. I was worried that the servants below might have spread rumors, and since we live under the same roof, I thought it better to avoid misunderstandings. Huadie said the Princess had sent her to wait for Xuan-ge and his brother—I wonder if that's true or not?" "Oh dear, look at my memory—I forgot Sister Cui had already returned. I was thinking the boys must be tired from their studies, so I prepared some snacks for them. During the time you were away, they were both filial and sensible, and I've grown quite fond of them from the bottom of my heart." Princess Rongjia laughed heartily twice. "Sister Cui is right—you are their birth mother, so I should have gone to see you first. Sister Cui won't blame me, will she? I was just so concerned that I lost my head." Cui Lingrong said she wouldn't blame her. "I'm also glad that the Princess treats them well. But the Princess has never been a mother, so you may not understand how I feel as their biological mother. Every child is the apple of their mother's eye, and I hope they'll always be closest to me." The fact that Princess Rongjia had never borne children was no secret—every prominent household in Bianjing knew of it. As Cui Lingrong finished speaking, she noticed Princess Rongjia's smile stiffen slightly. She then turned the conversation to Huadie. "Speaking of which, besides myself, the other two concubines by the Marquis's side are also long-serving members of his household. Huadie is the Princess's person, and if the Princess has seen fit to promote her, she must be quite capable. If I may say so—if both the Princess and the Marquis are satisfied with Huadie, why not give her an official title? That way she can serve the Marquis with full dedication. What do you think?" The women in Song Shulan's household were not numerous. After Cui Lingrong married into the family, she had elevated Song Shulan's bedchamber maid to the rank of concubine. Two years later, a colleague of Song Shulan's gifted him a beautiful concubine. Apart from that, there were no other concubines. Neither of the two concubines had borne children. Concubine Zhang, when she was still a chambermaid concubine, had been forced to drink too much safflower by Old Madame and could no longer conceive. Concubine Zhao had once been pregnant, but her constitution was weak, and after a miscarriage she never conceived again. Cui Lingrong was not a petty mistress of the household. As long as those beneath her were sensible and obedient, she never treated the two concubines harshly. Before marrying Song Shulan, her aunt had repeatedly emphasized to her: do not expect a man's love—instead, obtain a man's money and power. Love can change; money and power do not. Though the younger Cui Lingrong had been unable to live by this principle, she now gradually saw things clearly. She took in the expressions on Princess Rongjia's and Huadie's faces. Since Princess Rongjia wanted to interfere in matters concerning her children, Cui Lingrong would let the Princess taste what it felt like to have someone else meddle in the affairs of Wutong Court. The room fell silent for a while. Cui Lingrong then turned to offer an apology. "Oh dear, I've been meddling in matters that don't concern me. Huadie is the Princess's person, so surely the Princess has your own arrangements. Miss Huadie, I've said everything I promised you. Xuan-ge and his brother have just returned to the residence, so I won't stay longer. I'll come another time to chat with the Princess." As she rose to leave, the tea had gone cold, its steam long dissipated. After Cui Lingrong departed, Princess Rongjia cast a glance over. Huadie's heart trembled violently—before she could even figure out what was wrong, Princess Rongjia delivered a vicious slap across her face. "Smack." It was extremely crisp and loud.