Chapter 121

Chapter 121: A Secret Rendezvous Qingshan followed County Princess Rongjia out and quickly learned that she had gone to a small courtyard. "The County Mistress's people were guarding the entrance, so I didn't dare get close," Qingshan said cautiously. "After the County Mistress left, I crouched there for quite a while and didn't see anyone come out. I don't know who lives inside." Song Shulan's mind roared at the news. As the old saying went, a second spouse could never match the first—could County Princess Rongjia be having an affair? He didn't want to believe it. After all, every time she was with him, County Princess Rongjia was nothing but devoted and considerate, never once speaking a word of complaint. But instead of going to the shop, County Princess Rongjia had gone to a small courtyard for a secret meeting. Just thinking about it was enough to drive Song Shulan to the brink of collapse. "Marquis, please don't rush to conclusions. Perhaps there's a misunderstanding. We should first find out who lives there before we know what's really going on," Qingshan said hurriedly. Song Shulan's face turned ashen. "You go keep watch for me. Investigate every single person who comes and goes!" He couldn't accept that County Princess Rongjia was being unfaithful. She had said her heart belonged only to him, that their reunion was a gift from heaven—surely it couldn't all have been lies? For the first time, as a matter of a man's dignity, Song Shulan felt his heart race with an urgent, restless ache. After dispatching Qingshan, Song Shulan didn't sleep a wink all night. The next day, Nanny Qiu came by to deliver summer clothes and noticed the Marquis looked haggard. She returned and reported this to her mistress. "All our careful planning wasn't in vain—we finally got Lord Gao to see the County Mistress's carriage. With Lord Gao as the one to reveal it, we're free of any suspicion of scheming with Mrs. Luo," Nanny Qiu said. Cui Lingrong wasn't afraid of confronting County Princess Rongjia directly, but this matter involved You Shuyi, and she didn't want to drag You Shuyi into trouble. Otherwise, she could have gone to Song Shulan herself and led him to catch them in the act—there was no need to wait so long. "Exactly. Qingshan knows the County Mistress went to the small courtyard, but he doesn't know who she met there, so the Marquis is bound to be suspicious," Cui Lingrong said with a faint smile. "Once a lie is confirmed, the trust between people collapses." Nanny Qiu smiled and agreed. "We'll just wait and see what the Marquis does once he learns why the County Mistress went to see Mrs. Luo." Of the many things that had happened before, if they could prove that County Princess Rongjia couldn't bear children, it would confirm she was the mastermind. So Cui Lingrong had Huadie fan the flames, and secretly guided Gao Jingzhi to catch sight of the County Mistress's carriage. She was patient, not acting impulsively, waiting for the perfect moment. Over the following days, she waited for news from her brother while keeping track of when County Princess Rongjia would next visit You Shuyi. The weather gradually grew warmer, and Cui Lingrong managed the household while living her own quiet life. As for other people's affairs—as long as they didn't come knocking at her door, she pretended not to know. It wasn't until Huadie sought out Zhuqing and the two got into a fight that she was forced to step in and see what was going on. As soon as she entered the room, she saw the long scratch marks on Huadie's neck, then looked at the slap mark on Zhuqing's face. Cui Lingrong's expression darkened as she asked what had happened. "Boo-hoo, Great Mistress!" Huadie crawled over on her knees, looking wronged. "You must do right by me! She may have been taken into the Marquis's bed, but she's still just a maidservant. She dares to fight back today—tomorrow she'll be climbing right over your head!" Cui Lingrong turned to look at Zhuqing. Zhuqing immediately defended herself. "That's not true, Great Mistress. Concubine Huadie insulted me first—she said I'd die after giving birth. That's why we argued." Huadie had indeed said those words. Seeing that the Marquis had been spending all his nights in Zhuqing's and Lanxin's rooms lately, she felt bitter and had come over deliberately to stir up trouble. But she hadn't expected Zhuqing to talk back, saying that Huadie couldn't even keep her own child and was now trying to sow discord. In a fit of rage, she slapped Zhuqing across the face. "Great Mistress, I was only trying to help her out of the goodness of my heart, but she doesn't know a good deed when she sees one. You know as well as I do, the County Mistress..." Before Huadie could finish, Chen De's Wife's voice came from outside, and County Princess Rongjia entered with her attendants. Seeing the County Mistress arrive, Zhuqing felt emboldened. "County Mistress, save me! Concubine Huadie is trying to beat me to death!" "What's going on?" County Princess Rongjia had long wanted to punish Huadie, that traitor. Zhuqing explained what had happened, and County Princess Rongjia raised an elegant brow. "Is that so, Huadie? Am I really the kind of person who can't tolerate others?" Huadie frowned deeply. She turned to look at the Great Mistress instead of answering. "What, you won't even answer my question? Do you not see me as your mistress at all?" County Princess Rongjia's temper flared. Huadie didn't dare argue with the County Mistress after all. "That's not what I meant. It's just that Zhuqing was too arrogant, so I said we'd see once she actually got pregnant." Zhuqing: "You definitely said it!" Huadie: "I did not!" Seeing the two about to start fighting again, County Princess Rongjia turned to Cui Lingrong. "Sister Cui is managing the household now. One is my maidservant, and the other... well. Sister Cui, why don't you handle it?" Cui Lingrong said, "Today's incident was started by Huadie. She'll have one month's allowance docked and be confined to her quarters for half a month to reflect. As for Zhuqing—Huadie is still a concubine, and you raised your hand against her. That's striking above your station. You're demoted to a menial maid." At the mention of becoming a menial maid, Zhuqing's face turned pale instantly, and she tearfully begged County Princess Rongjia to help her. County Princess Rongjia said, "Sister Cui, isn't this punishment too harsh? Zhuqing is after all someone from the Rong Prince Mansion. Aren't you afraid the Marquis will be angry if you demote her to a menial maid?" Her implication was that Zhuqing had been with the Marquis and was already his woman. But Cui Lingrong said, "Even if she's been given a title, she's still a maid. If the County Mistress wants to protect Zhuqing, why not give her a proper status instead of just letting her be a bedchamber maid?" As she said this, Cui Lingrong's tone rose at the end, carrying a hint of provocation. Zhuqing also slightly raised her head to observe County Princess Rongjia's expression. Indeed, why not give her a proper status? If she were a concubine, would she have suffered today? County Princess Rongjia hadn't given Zhuqing a proper status in order to keep both Zhuqing and Lanxin under her control. Now that Cui Lingrong had brought it up, she found Cui Lingrong even more detestable. "A proper status isn't something I alone can decide." "Oh? Since the County Mistress mentioned the Marquis, when he returns, I will report this to him and let him make the decision." Cui Lingrong didn't really care about Zhuqing's fate. To avoid endless bickering, she simply let Song Shulan decide. County Princess Rongjia couldn't out-argue Cui Lingrong. Watching Cui Lingrong leave with her people, she then glared viciously at Huadie. "I can't deal with you today, but you just wait. One day I'll make you wish you were dead!" Huadie's body trembled. After County Princess Rongjia left with her people, she clenched her fists tightly. She had thoroughly offended the County Mistress, and from now on she would have to rely even more on the Eldest Madam and the Marquis. She silently prayed in her heart that the Eldest Madam would definitely find some leverage against the County Mistress, or else she didn't know how long she could survive in the Marquis's household. After County Princess Rongjia left, she sent people to wait in the front courtyard for Song Shulan, intending to lodge her complaint first. But when Song Shulan learned that Cui Lingrong was looking for him, he turned and headed to Qiushuang Zhai instead. He didn't want to face County Princess Rongjia. Cui Lingrong told him about Zhuqing and Huadie. "The County Mistress said the Marquis would be angry, so let the Marquis make the decision, lest I be accused of mistreating the people of Wutong Courtyard." Song Shulan felt annoyed just thinking about County Princess Rongjia now. Upon learning that Zhuqing had been disrespectful, he said to punish her as Cui Lingrong had suggested. A maid was just a maid—merely a plaything for daily amusement. Song Shulan had never taken concubines seriously. Nanny Qiu went to Wutong Courtyard to relay the Marquis's orders. County Princess Rongjia had thought Song Shulan would side with her, but instead he had followed Cui Lingrong's suggestion. After Nanny Qiu left, she roared on the spot, "That bitch Cui Lingrong opposes me at every turn. What will it take to make her die?" "County Mistress, keep your voice down," Chen De's Wife said urgently. "What am I afraid of? Who in this courtyard would dare spread rumors?" County Princess Rongjia, burning with rage, called for Wang Hechun's Wife. "Didn't you say Caiyue could be bought? Take some silver and go find her. If you can't extract any useful information, then you're useless!" Wang Hechun's Wife's heart trembled. Knowing her mistress was in a terrible rage, she quickly responded with a "Yes" and set about finding a way to approach Caiyue.