Chapter 202

Chapter 202: Poison Cui Lingrong was in the middle of conversing with Yuan Mingzhu and the others when a distant cry of distress reached her ears, and she turned to see what was happening. Before long, Caiyue returned. "Eldest Young Madam, something is wrong—Concubine Zhuqing has gotten out." "What about the gatekeepers? How many people saw her?" Cui Lingrong asked. "The gatekeeper woman was greedy for wine and fell asleep at her post. Not many people saw her—Concubine Zhuqing had barely shown her face when several maids dragged her back inside. But... some people did catch a glimpse." Caiyue spoke in a hushed voice. Yuan Mingzhu and the others hadn't heard, but Yuan Mingzhu asked anyway, "What's the matter?" Cui Lingrong shook her head. "Nothing serious. Sit here for a while—I'll go take a look." She rose with a smile still on her face, and only when she turned into a secluded spot did her expression darken. "The gatekeeper woman gets ten strokes of the board and is sent to the estate to do rough labor. As for those who saw Zhuqing—if anyone asks, say she was a madwoman, not a real pregnant woman. The Marquis's household kept her out of pity." By the time Cui Lingrong arrived at Zhuqing's courtyard, Mama Xu had also arrived. "Eldest Young Madam, Old Madame sent me to ask—how exactly are you handling matters?" Mama Xu demanded. "This matter is my failure to keep watch. Since Mama Xu is here, come inside with me." Cui Lingrong walked into the room, saw Zhuqing gagged and bound, and had no desire to hear her explanations. She ordered her tied up and sent to the estate. Zhuqing wept and shook her head, but no sound escaped her. She was heavily pregnant—the child in her belly already kicked. Cui Lingrong turned back to Mama Xu. "With this handling, what does Mama Xu think?" "Truly, family disgrace should not be aired abroad. If not for her carrying a child, a single beating to death would be too good for her!" Mama Xu had no objection to how Zhuqing was handled—that wasn't why she'd come. "Old Madame says that Eldest Young Madam has made repeated errors in managing the household lately, and today nearly caused a great disaster. Since you cannot manage it well, why not hand it over and let someone else take charge?" "Does the Marquis share this view?" Cui Lingrong countered. "And who does Old Madame wish to take over? County Princess Rongjia?" Mama Xu said nothing. "If it's the County Princess, Old Madame had best think it over for a few days, lest something goes wrong and she regrets it too late." Cui Lingrong turned and left. Zhuqing's matter was merely a minor episode—she didn't take it to heart. On her way back, she happened to run into Yu-jie and Lou Wanxian. After hearing the full account, she immediately went to interrogate the servants, but as she'd expected, nothing could be extracted from them. "Mother, are we just letting this go?" Song Yu was indignant—Madam Zeng had nearly been schemed against, and then her mother would have been blamed again. Cui Lingrong glanced at Lou Wanxian, who stood not far away. "Of course we can't let it go. No need to guess who did it. Since County Princess Rongjia is so eager to see Lady Lou humiliated, we'll simply prop Lady Lou up. You go back—I'll handle what comes next." She first apologized to Lady Lou, then said that Prince Rong and his wife had arrived, and brought Lady Lou over to greet them. When County Princess Rongjia saw Lady Lou safe and sound, she turned to glare at Chen De's Wife. Chen De's Wife, having failed her task, hung her head in embarrassment. By then, Prince Rong had gone to the men's quarters, leaving only Princess Consort Rong. Cui Lingrong took the initiative to introduce her. "Your Highness may not know—Madam Zeng is also here, isn't she? She's still your niece. How is it you didn't recognize her?" With ordinary relatives, even if the relationship was lukewarm, one would still exchange greetings when meeting at the same gathering. But Princess Consort Rong hadn't mentioned Lou Wanxian at all, and with Cui Lingrong deliberately drawing attention to it now, it made the Princess Consort seem snobbish—favoring the rich and spurning the poor. Either Princess Consort Rong swallowed her temper and spoke kindly to Lou Wanxian, or she remained stiff, letting everyone know the two had a poor relationship. But before Princess Consort Rong could speak, County Princess Rongjia spoke first. "Sister Cui is rather fond of meddling in others' affairs." "With the County Princess saying that, you wound me. We share the same husband—isn't your cousin also my sister?" Cui Lingrong smiled with calm composure, then looked at Princess Consort Rong. "Wouldn't Your Highness agree?" County Princess Rongjia was about to retort when a look from her mother silenced her. At this point, no matter how reluctant Princess Consort Rong was, she had no choice but to make small talk with Lou Wanxian. Yet her reluctance showed—her tone was somewhat stiff. Cui Lingrong sat with Lou Wanxian for a while, then led her away. Once they left the waterside pavilion, Cui Lingrong apologized to Lou Wanxian. "My apologies—I wanted to see Princess Consort Rong and County Princess Rongjia eat crow, so I dragged you along to play along with me." "Marchioness Song needn't be so polite. In truth, when the Princess Consort was left speechless just now, I felt rather pleased myself." Lou Wanxian said. "Speaking of which—does your family have some grudge with the Rong Prince Mansion?" Cui Lingrong had keenly sensed something amiss. At this point, Lou Wanxian saw no need to hide it. "Marchioness Song is perceptive. Princess Consort Rong dislikes my mother—their grievances run deep. That's why, after my mother married, they never had contact again." "But haven't you visited the Rong Prince Mansion?" Cui Lingrong asked. "I had no choice. My husband's leg is broken, and our family truly needs a way forward. We can't spend our whole lives living under someone else's heel." Lou Wanxian spoke of her ambition openly. "Even knowing that Princess Consort Rong doesn't like me, I still went to the Rong Prince Mansion." She could endure many things, as long as it bought her the chance to stand tall and live with dignity. Cui Lingrong understood. "With that kind of ambition in your heart, you will get what you want one day. But about today—I used you to provoke County Princess Rongjia, and she will definitely seek revenge on me. Endure for a few days. I can't say anything now, but in a while, County Princess Rongjia will surely get what she deserves." "Alright, I trust you," Lou Wanxian said. The two returned to the banquet, and nothing more stirred afterward. When the banquet ended, many people began discussing Song Shulan's promotion, while others talked about Zhuqing. When Song Shulan learned that Zhuqing had sneaked out and nearly cost him all his face, he directly had Qingshan deliver a bowl of poison to Zhuqing. What he hadn't anticipated was that someone had long been displeased with him and began impeaching him, accusing him of forcing himself on women and driving a maidservant mad. But Zhuqing was already dead—dead men tell no tales. For a stretch of time afterward, Song Shulan was overwhelmed with troubles. Only then did he recall Cui Lingrong's warning to keep a low profile, but it was too late. His official position had relied entirely on Prince Rong's patronage. Before he could even gain a firm foothold, one incident after another arose, until the Emperor grew quite dissatisfied with him. Up until New Year's Eve, Song Shulan left early and returned late every day. Then, as it happened, the troublesome Song Shucheng got himself arrested again. And the one who arrested Song Shucheng was none other than Cui Zeyu. When Old Madame Song learned that her second son had been taken into custody, she rushed with her people to Qiushuang Zhai, intent on holding Cui Lingrong accountable. "Our marquis household has raised an ungrateful wolf! You brought that Cui Zeyu back when he was ten, fed him and clothed him, and now he dares to arrest someone from our household. Cui Lingrong, if you don't make Cui Zeyu release him, then you can forget about staying in this household!" Old Madame Song's heart was frantic at the thought of her second son locked in the imperial prison. Cui Lingrong took a deep breath. "Old Madame, that's unreasonable of you. Did I tell Second Master to go gamble?" "Don't twist things with me! Shucheng said last time he wouldn't gamble anymore—this must be a misunderstanding!" Old Madame Song insisted. "A misunderstanding?" Cui Lingrong laughed in anger. "If it truly were a misunderstanding, why are you venting your anger at me, Old Madame? Since it's a misunderstanding, he'll be released eventually—why the rush?" She was no longer the good-tempered woman she once was. Song Shucheng had brought this on himself; if he got caught, then he got caught. If they wanted her to go to her younger brother, not a chance!