Chapter 164

Chapter 164: Concubine Strife Cui Lingrong said she wouldn't go. "I've fallen out with the Duchess of Dingguo. If I go again, it will only make her angrier." "When did this happen?" "Just recently. Wasn't there talk of Zeyu being unfilial? I asked her a few questions about it, and she took offense." To keep Song Shulan from repeatedly bringing up the matter of currying favor with the Dingguo Duke's household, Cui Lingrong simply claimed that she and Madam Qin were at odds. Song Shulan's face fell instantly. "You're being foolish. If Cui Zeyu doesn't understand things, do you have to be just as clueless?" Cui Lingrong said nothing. "You should be trying even harder to please the Duchess of Dingguo for Cui Zeyu's sake. Acting like this—how can you expect a good outcome?" Song Shulan was baffled. "You've always been so thorough before. Why are you being so obtuse when it comes to the Dingguo Duke's household? Tell me—are you hiding something from me?" Cui Lingrong said no. "It is what it is. I'll send someone with gifts, but as for us going in person—better not. Otherwise word will spread that we're eagerly chasing after their favor. You're thinking of your future, Marquis, but the more that's at stake, the less we should grovel for their approval. Otherwise we'll only be looked down upon." She didn't want to say more. It was already dark, and Cui Lingrong said she needed to go check on Yu-jie. Song Shulan was left alone in the room, feeling rather put out. He thought of going to Lanxin, only to learn that Lanxin had made a mistake and been sent off to the estate by County Princess Rongjia. "When did this happen?" Song Shulan asked with displeasure. The one answering was Wang Hechun's Wife. She knew why the County Mistress had sent Lanxin away, but she hadn't been able to get close to the County Mistress lately. Sensing the Marquis's displeasure, she decided to drag Chen De's Wife into it. "This servant doesn't know the details, Marquis. Lately it's been Chen De's Wife who attends the County Mistress personally. Many of the decisions have been her suggestions to the County Mistress." Zhuqing was pregnant, Song Shulan was at odds with County Princess Rongjia, and the only one who could give him any pleasure was Lanxin—and now she'd been sent away. He wasn't deeply attached to Lanxin, but she was still his woman, and County Princess Rongjia had sent her off without so much as a word. It rankled him. Song Shulan said crossly, "Have Mama Chen come see me!" Before long, Chen De's Wife was brought in. She gave the excuse she'd prepared—that Lanxin had sticky fingers and had secretly cursed the County Mistress. "The County Mistress was kind enough to promote her to serve you, Marquis, but she didn't know her place, so the County Mistress sent her away. The County Mistress thought she was only a bedchamber maid, so she didn't make a fuss. If you disagree, Marquis, this servant can go fetch her back." "No need." Song Shulan hadn't expected Lanxin to have such ill intentions. What a pity—he'd wanted to see her continue to dote on him so obediently. He waved his hand and dismissed Chen De's Wife, feeling restless and irritable. After thinking it over, he finally went to Concubine Zhang's quarters. Huadie and Zhuqing were both too obviously eager to please him. Tonight he had no desire for intimacy—he just wanted someone to listen quietly as he talked, and Concubine Zhang was a good listener. But since he'd already come to Concubine Zhang's room, and it had been a long while since he'd been intimate with her, he ended up undressing and getting into bed anyway. The bed frame creaked and groaned a few times. The next morning after Song Shulan left, Concubine Zhang thought back on the night before and said to herself that the Marquis was getting on in years—nowhere near what he used to be. But such matters touched on the Marquis's dignity, so Concubine Zhang only thought about it and didn't feel comfortable mentioning it to anyone else. When she went to Qiushuang Zhai to pay her respects, Zhuqing and Huadie happened to arrive as well. By seniority, she should have sat at the front, but Zhuqing took her seat. Concubine Zhang knew she wasn't favored and never stirred up trouble, so she quietly sat down across from Zhuqing. The Eldest Young Madam hadn't come out yet. Zhuqing took a sip of tea, her eyes sizing up Concubine Zhang unabashedly. "Sister must be tired from serving the Marquis last night—why bother coming to pay respects? Though the Eldest Young Madam said I didn't need to come, I thought since I'm still early in my pregnancy, I ought to come anyway." Concubine Zhang gave a faint smile and said nothing. Zhuqing's jab landed on cotton, which annoyed her. She continued to needle Concubine Zhang. "My apologies, sister. I forgot you can't conceive—you wouldn't understand how tiring it is." Concubine Zhang's hand paused. The teacup had just touched her lips, but the bitterness went down her throat first. Huadie couldn't listen any longer. She'd never gotten along with Zhuqing anyway, so she snorted. "Some people are too pleased with themselves. Being able to get pregnant is one thing—having the fortune to actually carry the child to term is what truly counts as good luck." "What did you say?" Zhuqing glared at her, then let out a cold laugh. "Well, that's true. Not everyone is like Sister Huadie—can't hold onto a child and loses the Marquis's favor to boot. I'll certainly learn from your lesson and never follow the same path." That struck Huadie right in the gut. How could she endure it? She stood up and pointed at Zhuqing, about to let loose. "Why is sister so worked up? I'm only speaking the truth!" Zhuqing remained as brazen as ever. She had County Princess Rongjia as her backer now, and she was carrying the Marquis's child. Even the Eldest Young Madam would have to show her some respect. Huadie grew even angrier and rushed forward, raising her hand to strike, but Nanny Qiu shouted her to a stop. Turning to see the eldest young mistress emerge, she tearfully begged her for justice. "Eldest Young Mistress, Zhuqing has gone too far. I was already grieving the loss of my child, yet she used that very matter to mock me—truly vicious." Zhuqing curled her lip. "Sister Huadie, don't fling accusations at me. I only spoke the truth; I didn't make anything up." Cui Lingrong swept her gaze over them. "I heard everything you both said just now. Zhuqing, you are pregnant, but the moment you walked in, you first mocked Concubine Zhang, then berated Huadie. Both of them entered the marquis's household long before you. Do you truly think being pregnant makes you a Death-Exemption Medal?" Hearing this, Zhuqing's heart trembled involuntarily. "Eldest Young Mistress, what do you mean by that? I can't take such fright." "Exactly what I said. You are arrogant and insolent beyond measure right now, so go kneel in the ancestral hall for an hour." As soon as Cui Lingrong finished speaking, Nanny Qiu immediately gestured to Zhuqing. Zhuqing panicked. "Eldest Young Mistress, I'm carrying a child! If anything happens to the baby, the Marquis will be furious..." "Zhuqing, you're mistaken. The Marquis does not lack for children from you. Today I punish you with proper justification, and even if the Marquis learns of it, he will not be angry with me." After all, Song Shulan was currently eager to curry favor with the Duke of Dingguo's household. Cui Lingrong inwardly cursed Zhuqing for her foolishness. "You should have remembered County Princess Rongjia's words and not come to Qiushuang Zhai. But you were too eager to show off. Since that's the case, I'll oblige you. Kneeling for an hour won't do any harm—it won't affect the child." Cui Lingrong had no desire to hear Zhuqing argue further. She simply signaled Nanny Qiu with a look, and Zhuqing was forcibly escorted away. She then turned to Huadie. "It's good that you spoke up for Concubine Zhang, so I won't punish you. But harmony among concubines should come first—let this be the last time." Huadie quickly said she understood, delighted inwardly, hoping Zhuqing's child would simply miscarry so that Zhuqing would stop being so arrogant. But just as Cui Lingrong had said, kneeling for an hour would not harm the child—at most, it would leave her knees sore. Still, Zhuqing used the opportunity to faint, and by the time County Princess Rongjia arrived, she launched into a tearful tirade. County Princess Rongjia naturally would not let the chance slip. She summoned Song Shulan and recounted how Cui Lingrong had behaved, claiming she cared nothing for Song Shulan's progeny. All of this happened in the evening, and Cui Lingrong was not yet aware of it. What she learned first was another piece of news: Nanny Zheng had once introduced Zheng Side to Zhuqing. The two had even exchanged betrothal gifts, and only the final step of having County Princess Rongjia formally approve the match remained—when Zhuqing discovered she was pregnant. "Eldest Young Mistress, setting aside the matter of the child, if word of Zhuqing's impending betrothal to Zheng Side ever reaches the Marquis's ears, he will never accept it," Nanny Qiu said. "Even if this child is born, the Marquis will not let County Princess Rongjia raise it. Concubine Zhuqing is far too pleased with herself, but she forgets—there is no wall that the wind cannot pass through." "Indeed. I heard she even sent people to the estate, but they came back empty-handed. She certainly never imagined that I would send Nanny Zheng to Zheng Side's place," Cui Lingrong said. "How have Nanny Zheng and her brother been lately?" Nanny Qiu said Nanny Zheng's health had improved somewhat, and Zheng Side came to deliver vegetables to the marquis's household at intervals. "A couple of days ago, Zheng Side seemed to want to see Concubine Zhuqing, but he didn't get the chance." "Create an opportunity for them—let them meet." Cui Lingrong had to ensure that this child could never inherit the marquis's household. What belonged to her child, no one else could take away.