Chapter 112

Chapter 112: The Chambermaid Concubine In the fifteen years since Cui Lingrong married Song Shulan, she had always believed their relationship was good—until County Princess Rongjia married into the household. All those years of shared affection meant nothing compared to a County Princess who appeared out of nowhere. Perhaps, in a man's eyes, his official career mattered far more than his wife. The thought that had just surfaced startled Cui Lingrong. She had actually considered making it so Song Shulan could never have more children—a sign of just how much resentment had accumulated in her heart. Nanny Qiu, however, thought it feasible. "You already have three children, so you don't need more to secure your position. If no one else can bear children, County Princess Rongjia can hardly come and snatch yours. She'll never have a child of her own." Cui Lingrong was tempted. "Why not wait until Mrs. Luo arrives in Bianjing, then find an opportunity to ask her?" Neither Nanny Qiu nor her mistress understood medicine. Though they had identified a direction, they had no workable plan. And this kind of matter couldn't be taken to an outside physician. One careless mistake could ruin Cui Lingrong's reputation. They needed someone trustworthy. "Mm." Cui Lingrong nodded. A few more days passed, and Lanxin and Zhuqing came together to pay their respects to Cui Lingrong, signaling that Song Shulan had taken them into his bed. Nanny Qiu brought over tea. "You are servants attending the County Mistress, but you also serve the Marquis. The Madam appreciates your hard work, so she has prepared this tea brewed with ginseng and other tonics." Lanxin lowered her head to look at the dark, murky bowl. The bitter smell of medicine assailed her nose, and she didn't know whether she should drink it. Zhuqing, relying on her status as someone from the Rong Prince Mansion, set the bowl back down. "Thank you for your concern, Madam, but this servant is terribly afraid of bitter things and truly cannot drink it. Better to leave it for someone else, so as not to waste such fine goods." Cui Lingrong said nothing. What Nanny Qiu had brought was, of course, genuine tonic. If she openly forced the medicine down Lanxin's and Zhuqing's throats, County Princess Rongjia would spread the word, and her reputation would be ruined. But this bowl of tonic was meant as a test. Nanny Qiu continued, "Good medicine tastes bitter, but this is the Madam's kind gesture. If you young ladies refuse to drink, wouldn't that be disrespectful?" The Madam was the mistress of the household. Lanxin and Zhuqing were merely bedchamber maids—not even concubines. How dare they disobey their mistress? Lanxin thought it over, then took a small sip, followed by drinking the rest in one go. Zhuqing, however, barely touched her lips to the bowl before crying out, "Oh!" and knocking the medicine bowl over. "Madam, forgive me! This servant's hands slipped and I knocked the bowl over." "It's fine. Have Nanny Qiu bring another bowl." Cui Lingrong said. "No need!" Zhuqing blurted out instinctively. Cui Lingrong looked at her appraisingly. "What, do you think I would give you poison?" The moment she finished asking, she saw the panic in Zhuqing's eyes and knew that was exactly what Zhuqing had been thinking. "So that's what you think of me?" "This servant wouldn't dare. This servant is truly useless." Zhuqing knelt down. Before she came, Mama Chen had repeatedly warned her to be careful of anything the Madam gave her and of what she said. Now she understood why Mama Chen had given such instructions. In a matter of moments, a fine sweat broke out on Zhuqing's back. Cui Lingrong stared steadily at Zhuqing, then called for Nanny Qiu, who brought another bowl of tonic. Even if Zhuqing was someone arranged by County Princess Rongjia, now that she was Song Shulan's bedchamber maid, she had to address Cui Lingrong as her mistress. It was necessary to give the people of Wutong Courtyard a show of authority. Zhuqing looked at the dark bowl of medicine before her and bit her lip hard. "It seems the young lady still doesn't dare to drink. Then take it back and have the County Mistress examine it." Nanny Qiu finished speaking and placed the bowl in Zhuqing's hands. Cui Lingrong waved her hand dismissively. Zhuqing walked out of Qiushuang Zhai carrying the bowl, her back completely soaked with sweat. Along the way, many people looked at her curiously, especially at the bowl in her hands. Some heard it was tonic, but that Zhuqing refused to drink it. For a time, everyone who saw her had something to say. Zhuqing had completely lost face. Returning to Wutong Courtyard, she knelt before County Princess Rongjia and wept loudly. "This servant remembered Mama Chen's words—how could I dare drink anything the Madam gave me? But she made me bring it back, and so many people saw me along the way. How am I supposed to hold my head up after this?" Mama Chen had been right—the Madam was not a good person. Today she made her lose face; who knew when she might do something even worse? County Princess Rongjia was actually annoyed by both Zhuqing and Lanxin as well. If it hadn't been absolutely necessary, she would never have arranged two bedchamber maids for Song Shulan. Now hearing Zhuqing's sniveling cries only irritated her further, but on the surface she still had to play the magnanimous mistress. "Stop crying. Being cautious was not wrong of you. You are one of my people—if anyone dares speak ill of you, just slap them across the face. I'll back you up." Zhuqing sniffled and wiped her tears. Lanxin remained silent throughout. She had been bought from outside. If her family hadn't been so destitute, she would never have agreed to become a bedchamber maid in a wealthy household. County Princess Rongjia looked at the two pretty maids and truly didn't want to say more. She glanced at Chen De's Wife, who led the two women out. After a moment, Chen De's Wife returned. "County Mistress, the physician has examined it. What the Madam gave was genuine tonic, not a miscarriage-inducing drug." "Impressive, Cui Lingrong managed to scare Zhuqing into a daze. That fool Zhuqing must have thought it was a miscarriage-inducing drug and didn't dare take a single sip." After finishing with Zhuqing, County Princess Rongjia was also dissatisfied with Lanxin's actions. "Someone bought from outside is no match for a born-slave after all. Wasn't she afraid it really was a miscarriage-inducing drug?" She had brought Lanxin and the other into the household to bear children, yet Lanxin had gone and drunk whatever Cui Lingrong gave her. "Lanxin is from outside. It's only natural she'd be afraid when she sees the eldest madam," Chen De's Wife said. "Anyway, their indentures are both in your hands. This time, they absolutely won't end up like Huadie." Mentioning Huadie made County Princess Rongjia furious all over again, and thinking about two more women coming to share her husband's favor only soured her mood further. She snorted. "Enough. Don't keep saying things I don't want to hear." Chen De's Wife immediately understood and shifted the topic to the Duke of Dingguo's household. "The Duchess of Dingguo sent us an invitation, saying it's for spring flower viewing. This old servant heard that the Duchess of Dingguo has found several young boys from the clan and wants to present them before everyone. Will you go?" "I'll go. I've been dreadfully bored these days. Of course I want to see the good show at the Duke of Dingguo's household. By the way, was the invitation sent only to me, or did Qiushuang Zhai receive one too?" County Princess Rongjia asked. Chen De's Wife said, "It was sent only to you." This pleased County Princess Rongjia. "At least the duchess has good sense, knowing that Cui Lingrong isn't fit to appear in public." Cui Lingrong had also heard about this matter at the Duke of Dingguo's household. Yuan Mingzhu had sent her son to deliver some things to Cui Lingrong, along with a letter. Yuan Mingzhu's belly was growing bigger by the day, and the Jiang family wouldn't let her go out, but whenever she learned of something interesting, she couldn't wait to share it. "Mother said that when the Marchioness Song has free time, she must come visit her. She has prepared many things to say and wants to talk with you." Yuan Mingzhu's eldest son said with a laugh. Cui Lingrong agreed. "Go tell your mother that once Xuan-ge goes to take the prefectural examination, I'll go see her." After settling on the time, Cui Lingrong read Yuan Mingzhu's letter again and learned that the Duke and Duchess of Dingguo were embroiled in a terrible quarrel. She merely treated it as an amusing piece of gossip. It wasn't until the next day, when an invitation from the Duchess of Dingguo arrived at her door—not inviting her to a banquet, but requesting a private meeting over tea—that she found it rather strange. Sister Yuan had already returned to Suzhou, and she had never had any dealings with the Duchess of Dingguo. Why would she want to meet with her?