Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Reckoning Qingxue had just left when Nanny Qiu arrived at Huadie's quarters to deliver fabric. As soon as she entered, Nanny Qiu noticed Huadie sitting in a daze and asked softly, "Did the concubine not rest well?" "Ah?" Huadie blinked blankly. "Nanny Qiu, why are you here?" "The cloth merchant sent some fabrics for the Eldest Young Madam. She said these two bolts have such delicate colors that would suit the concubine's complexion, so she asked me to bring them over." Nanny Qiu set the fabric down. She could see the red veins in Huadie's eyes—she had clearly been crying. Why would she cry? Nanny Qiu was a steady woman. She didn't pry and prepared to leave, but Huadie called out to stop her. "Nanny Qiu, is this fabric only for me, or do others have it too?" "To answer the concubine, naturally all three concubines received some. The Eldest Young Madam is a fair person and wouldn't favor one over another. However, only the concubines of the eldest branch received them—no one else." Nanny Qiu explained that while the Eldest Young Madam no longer managed the household, as the principal wife, she still looked after matters concerning the eldest branch. After Nanny Qiu left, Huadie let out a mocking laugh. The Commandery Princess was narrow-minded and harsh in her dealings—how could she compare to the Eldest Young Madam? Even though she knew Huadie was the Commandery Princess's person, she still spoke up for her and didn't forget her when distributing fabric. She hated that bowl of medicine from this morning. Happiness had been within reach, and then the Commandery Princess's bowl of medicine dragged her back to reality. Huadie stared at the fabric, her mind scheming about how to lodge a complaint with the Marquis. Meanwhile, Nanny Qiu returned to Qiushuang Zhai and reported that Huadie seemed to have been crying. "This old servant found it strange—the Marquis stayed at her quarters last night, so there was no reason for her to cry. I sent someone to investigate and learned that Qingxue had carried a food box to Huadie's place this morning." "If it had been food, Huadie wouldn't have been upset." Cui Lingrong quickly understood what had happened. "This is only to be expected. The Commandery Princess doesn't have a child yet—how could she allow Huadie to give birth?" Princess Rongjia had originally elevated Huadie so that when the Commandery Princess was indisposed, Huadie could keep Song Shulan company. But now that Huadie was pregnant, if the Commandery Princess had her monthly cycle or became pregnant herself, wouldn't she need to install yet another concubine for Song Shulan? Even Cui Lingrong couldn't be that magnanimous, let alone Princess Rongjia. Nanny Qiu nodded in agreement. "Huadie is someone who speaks without thinking—we can take advantage of that." "No need to deliberately get close to her. An ally like that—so foolish—would only hold us back. We just need to know that Huadie is dissatisfied with the Commandery Princess. Don't deliberately distance ourselves on ordinary days, and when necessary, we can say a few words." Cui Lingrong wasn't afraid of formidable opponents; she was afraid of foolish people around her. Associating with fools only brought bad luck. Before the mistress and servant could finish their conversation, Song Yu arrived in high spirits. She was eager to hear news from the estate, but since she had no one to ask, she came to her mother's place. "Didn't I tell you to be more composed? Why can't you hide your excitement?" Cui Lingrong's words were scolding, but her expression was gentle. "Since Old Madame has sent people to investigate, they will get to the bottom of it. It won't be quick—just wait." Two days later, Manager Liu returned with Li Fugui and the people sent by Shouan Tang. When Cui Lingrong arrived at Shouan Tang, she learned that Song Shulan had sent Qingshan to assist Princess Rongjia. The husband and wife sat facing each other, while Princess Rongjia sat beside Song Shulan—the two of them looked like the real married couple. Beneath Cui Lingrong's calm expression, ripples stirred in her heart. Song Shulan had said he knew nothing about the betrothal. Song Shulan had also said he had no romantic feelings for Princess Rongjia—it was only for the Rong Prince Mansion's support. But Song Shulan knew how important her aunt was to her. After she left Bianjing, he had sent only one letter—not asking if she was suffering, not asking if her aunt had recovered, but asking when she would return home. Thinking back now, the date of that letter was when Song Shulan was about to marry Princess Rongjia. Later, when she returned to Bianjing, she waited at the dock for an entire day and night, but Song Shulan never sent anyone to receive her. The pain of her aunt's death had not yet faded, and now she was forced to accept Song Shulan taking an Equal Wife. Even as composed as Cui Lingrong was, she felt the urge to curse. "Lady Cui?" Only after Nanny Qiu patted her shoulder did Cui Lingrong realize Old Madame was calling her. She had actually lost focus. "Old Madame, what did you call your daughter-in-law for?" Cui Lingrong rose to her feet. Old Madame Song frowned slightly. "What's the matter with you? You can lose focus at a time like this?" Was she deliberately showing disrespect? Cui Lingrong could only say she hadn't slept well the night before. Old Madame Song gave a light snort. She had no time to pursue this matter now. She continued, "This year's harvest is indeed poor, so according to precedent, we should reduce the tenant rent somewhat. However, the Marquis's household..." Old Madame Song wouldn't say the Marquis's household was short on money. She needed to maintain face—if she admitted the household was strapped for funds, then in the future when Princess Rongjia needed to economize, she would have no reason to stop her. "However, you know the Marquis's household best. Tell us—how should this matter be handled?" Old Madame Song was dissatisfied with Princess Rongjia's management of the household, so she wanted to use this opportunity to suppress the Commandery Princess's arrogance by elevating Cui Lingrong. "The tenant farmers are indeed struggling, but this matter has blown up too big, and it has truly damaged the Marquis's household's reputation." Cui Lingrong had been waiting for exactly this opening. "The tenant farmers on the estate have served the Marquis's household for years. If we replace them outright, we risk losing their loyalty. The Marquis's household is a distinguished noble family—we must display the proper magnanimity. Since the poor harvest is genuine, we should reduce the tenant rent as in previous years. However, this incident has damaged the household's reputation, so there must also be consequences." "Oh? And what consequences do you propose?" Old Madame Song asked. "After the autumn harvest, the tenant farmers will need to gather firewood for winter, and the Marquis's household will also need to stockpile wood. Since the household owns forested hills, why not have the tenants do the cutting? Let them cut enough to meet the household's winter needs, then permit them three additional days to cut for their own use. In this way, the household saves the cost of winter firewood, the tenants render service to the household, and they still get wood for their own winter. It's a clean solution." Cui Lingrong's voice was gentle—Old Madame valued face, so matters had to be handled elegantly. "This way, the household also earns a reputation for generosity, and the earlier rumors will be overshadowed." Old Madame Song grew more pleased with each word. Back then, she had deliberately not chosen a daughter from a grand family precisely because she recognized Cui Lingrong's exceptional abilities. At that time, the Marquis's household had been an empty shell. The old Marquis had been a mediocre official who loved to squander money. Families of equal standing had only been willing to offer their concubine-born daughters, or daughters from the second or third branch who were not favored—girls with no real capability whatsoever. Old Madame Song had sharp eyes. The first time she met Cui Lingrong, she knew this woman was extraordinary—strategic, composed, and in no way inferior to any legitimate daughter of a great house. That was why she had chosen Cui Lingrong as the daughter-in-law to manage the household. "Good, very good." Old Madame Song finally smiled. But the shift in her attitude was not a good sign in Princess Rongjia's eyes. Princess Rongjia could not help interjecting, "Sister Cui calls it punishment, but it sounds more like a reward to me. After all, these are people Sister Cui has dealt with for years—she is too kind-hearted to truly punish them. But if the Marquis's household does not make an example of someone, how will it establish authority?" The way Old Madame looked at Cui Lingrong made Princess Rongjia's heart race with unease. She again insinuated that Cui Lingrong was colluding with the tenant farmers. But her words only deepened Old Madame Song's irritation. Old Madame Song had sent someone to the estate to investigate, and only then learned that the tenant matter could have been settled long ago—it was Princess Rongjia's mishandling that had caused it to escalate. Moreover, the estate sent game and mountain goods every quarter, and Old Madame Song had just discovered that before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the goods sent to Wutong Yuan had been equal in quantity to those sent to Shouan Tang. Even if the princess's status was special, she was not an imperial princess—how could she presume to stand on equal footing with her mother-in-law? Old Madame Song was simmering with anger, but since the estate tenants were still present, she preserved three parts of Princess Rongjia's face. "The princess is right—when subordinates harbor resentment, it is usually because the manager lacks competence. Manager Liu, since you do not have the ability, you will no longer manage the estate. Let the original manager resume the post." Manager Liu had been promoted by Princess Rongjia. Old Madame Song's rebuke of Manager Liu's incompetence was also a rebuke of Princess Rongjia. Princess Rongjia's face burned instantly, and her hands clenched tightly within her sleeves. Manager Liu hurriedly kowtowed and begged for mercy. "Please, Old Madame, give this humble one another chance! I swear nothing like this will ever happen again!" He was truly unlucky—he had only been manager for a few months when the tenant uprising happened to occur. He hated those tenants to the core. Old Madame Song found Manager Liu's noise irritating and had him dragged away directly. Once she made a decision, no one in the Marquis's household could dispute it. She then looked at Li Fugui. Though she felt some lingering displeasure, Cui Lingrong was right—the household needed to restore its reputation. "Regarding Lady Cui's proposal, do you agree?" Li Fugui glanced at the eldest young mistress, then kowtowed in gratitude. "I agree—this humble one agrees to everything. I thank Old Madame and the eldest young mistress for your generosity. We will remember this kindness forever and be endlessly grateful to the Marquis's household!" "If you know to repay kindness with gratitude, then I can breathe easy." Old Madame Song valued doing things properly and beautifully, so she ordered her private storehouse opened and had two cartloads of miscellaneous cotton sent back with the tenants. Hearing that Old Madame was also granting them cotton as a special favor, Li Fugui kowtowed with even greater sincerity. But he knew this was all thanks to the eldest young mistress—it was her kindness that had made it possible. Had she not helped them devise a solution, they would truly have been forced to sell their children, let alone enjoy the benefits of firewood and cotton now. Li Fugui kowtowed until his forehead was swollen before following the maidservant to Old Madame's private storehouse to collect the cotton. At Shouan Tang, however, the gathering had not dispersed. "Mother—" Song Shulan had barely begun when he met Old Madame's half-lidded eyes. Recalling what she had said to him a few days earlier, he thought better of it and fell silent. Only then did Old Madame Song nod with satisfaction. "There are no outsiders in this room now. There are some things I must make clear."