Chapter 270

Chapter 270: Analysis "Cui Lingrong, why are you here?" Mrs. Cai was taken aback. "Did I say you could come in?" "Yes, eldest sister, why didn't you knock? Where are your manners?" Cui Lingying also looked over warily. Cui Lingrong smiled. "This is the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, and I am the mistress of this household. Naturally, I may come and go as I please. You haven't answered my question from earlier, madam. Even now, do you still believe that County Princess Rongjia truly has your best interests at heart?" "If not, then why would she harm us?" Mrs. Cai countered. Even Nanny Qiu shook her head at this. "Madam, why would County Princess Rongjia want to harm you? Naturally, it's to harm the eldest young mistress." "What do we have to do with Cui Lingr—" Mrs. Cai stopped mid-sentence. Previously, whenever Mrs. Cai chatted with County Princess Rongjia, they would always say that they couldn't let Cui Lingrong be branded with a reputation of unfilial conduct, since Cui Lingrong was also a daughter of the Cui family, and if anything went wrong, it would taint the entire family. Seeing Mrs. Cai freeze, Cui Lingrong smiled. "Has madam finally realized it now?" "No, what exactly are you trying to say?" Mrs. Cai was confused. Cui Lingrong said, "Madam probably doesn't know that after my aunt's funeral, when I returned to Bianjing from Suzhou, County Princess Rongjia schemed against me time and again—plotting to harm Yu-jie, then plotting against Xuan-ge. She regards me as a thorn in her side, a nail in her flesh." "Of course, I too wish nothing more than her death." "So I used no small number of methods to reduce her from Commandery Princess to County Mistress, to ruin her reputation before the Emperor and have her placed under house arrest. I also spread the news of her inability to bear children throughout Bianjing." "So, madam, do you now understand just how much County Princess Rongjia hates me?" Mrs. Cai truly hadn't known any of this. She had only assumed that since County Princess Rongjia and Cui Lingrong shared the same husband, their relationship must be poor—but she never imagined so much had happened between them. "So what? What does any of this have to do with us mother and daughter?" "Because County Princess Rongjia can't get the better of me. Every scheme she tries fails against me. Since you happened to arrive, she thought to use you instead." Cui Lingrong paused to think, choosing not to speak too harshly. "You came from Yangzhou and don't understand the ways of the world in Bianjing. Lingying and Junyan haven't seen much of high society, so they're easily deceived about people. County Princess Rongjia exploited exactly that—taking you out to social events and letting people make a spectacle of you." Nanny Qiu added, "If your reputation suffers, it also affects the eldest young mistress's reputation, since you're all members of the Cui family." Mrs. Cai began to understand somewhat, but Cui Lingying still refused to believe the words of Cui Lingrong and her servant. "If County Princess Rongjia had ill intentions from the start, then why didn't eldest sister warn us earlier? Why didn't you tell us not to trust her?" "If I had told you, would you have believed me?" Cui Lingrong countered. "I also said that the friends Junyan was keeping were bad people—did madam believe me?" Not only had Mrs. Cai not believed her, she had even thought Cui Lingrong was jealous and didn't want to see Cui Junyan do well. Only now did Mrs. Cai realize belatedly that in the eyes of outsiders, she and Cui Lingrong were one family. How could County Princess Rongjia possibly want what was good for her? Moreover, wouldn't ruining their family's reputation drag down Cui Lingrong as well? Mrs. Cai was filled with regret, but many things could not be undone. She gritted her teeth and looked at Cui Lingrong. "So why are you telling us all this now?" "I want you to return to Yangzhou," Cui Lingrong said. "If you were to die in a foreign land, Father and the Cui family would surely come looking for trouble with me. My life, as you can see, already requires me to guard against too many things. So I've come to urge you to go back to Yangzhou." Nanny Qiu produced two bank notes as she spoke. "These are travel expenses the eldest young mistress has prepared for you—one hundred taels for your journey, and another hundred taels for Young Master Yan's arrangements. It's the eldest young mistress's goodwill." The two hundred taels had to be given; otherwise, word would spread unpleasantly, and Cui Lingrong still needed to maintain the appearance of peace. Cui Lingrong disliked Mrs. Cai and the others, but she didn't hate them enough to wish them dead. Now that they had learned their lesson, it would be enough to make them regret it for the rest of their lives. Cui Lingying, however, sneered at the amount. "Eldest sister guards such a vast estate as the mistress of a marquis mansion, yet only gives two hundred taels of silver? Are you sending away beggars? And besides—I'm younger than you, and prettier too. Why shouldn't I be able to marry into a high-ranking family?" Cui Lingying refused to accept it. To return to Yangzhou like this would surely make her the laughingstock of her sisters. "Because you have no learning to speak of, no ability to read the room, an unpleasant disposition, and you're accomplished in none of the arts—qin, chess, calligraphy, or painting. What, shall I list even more of your shortcomings?" Cui Lingrong smiled at Cui Lingying. "We're sisters, so I won't mince words. I was able to marry into the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion for two reasons. First, the marquis mansion was destitute back then—what they ate and used at home wasn't even as good as what the Zhuang family had. Second, from music and calligraphy to household management and personal conduct, I was among the very best of my generation. But you, Cui Lingying—can you even calculate the annual income of our household?" "I..." Cui Lingying was indeed hopeless at accounting and found herself momentarily speechless. "How can you make me sound so worthless?" "If you had any strengths, why would you be hitting walls at every turn?" Cui Lingrong pressed mercilessly. Mrs. Cai couldn't bear to listen any longer. "Cui Lingrong, my Lingying is perfectly fine. Aren't you just saying we've brought shame on you? Even if County Princess Rongjia has ill intentions, what about you? Aren't you the same?" "You wrong me, madam. Since you arrived in Bianjing, I have never interfered with anything." Cui Lingrong's smile faded. "If you insist on staying and refusing to leave, then..." Mrs. Cai: "What will you do?" "It's not about what I will do—it's that your past deeds have already made it impossible for you to gain a foothold in Bianjing." Cui Lingrong analyzed. "Fu Ze became a eunuch and is being sent into military exile. Do you really think the Fu family will believe that a mere Xiao Wan was behind it?" Mrs. Cai furrowed her brow. "Wasn't it?" "Yes and no. Fu Ze offended too many people, but a mere Xiao Wan certainly wouldn't have the ability to make a move on Fu Ze and then frame Junyan. The Fu family isn't stupid—they will surely seek revenge in secret. The Fu family alone is enough to give you a hard time. And today you've offended the Prince Wu's mansion as well. Princess Consort Wu is not someone easy to get along with. As long as the Prince Wu's heir returns and says a word, Princess Consort Wu can not only ensure Lingying never marries, but also drench her in filth." Cui Lingrong took a sip of tea, then emphasized, "And as for me—do you truly think I've spent all these years in Bianjing for nothing?"