Chapter 271

Chapter 271: Too Late Now, this was Cui Lingrong's true threat. "The reason I allowed you to stay for a while is so that you could see for yourselves—with Madam's discernment, with the upbringing the Cui family gives its children, and with your own utterly unrefined conduct—just how far you would get in Bianjing." If she didn't let them experience it themselves, Cui Lingrong would have to find ways to suppress them. Cui Lingying couldn't bear such humiliation. She rose to her feet and glared over. "Don't look down on people, Eldest Sister. Thirty years east, thirty years west—you're just a bit luckier. Could it be that I don't have that same luck?" "Luck?" Cui Lingrong had never believed she relied on luck. "Cui Lingying, if I were lucky, I would have grown up basking in my parents' affection. Then I would have married a husband devoted to me alone—no Equal Wife, no messy complications." She had never had luck. Everything she had today came from her own scheming. "If you weren't lucky, how could you have married into the Marquis Mansion?" Cui Lingying still seemed unable to understand what Cui Lingrong was saying. Cui Lingrong simply turned her gaze to Mrs. Cai. "Madam, you are a woman of experience. A wise person knows when to yield. If you don't believe me, why not go find County Princess Rongjia again and ask her to arrange an easier post for Junyan in the military camp? Such a small matter, she can certainly manage it. See whether she avoids you as she did last time, or whether she truly helps." "Oh, and one more thing—when Junyan was arrested, County Princess Rongjia was right there at Rong Prince Mansion. She hadn't gone anywhere." Cui Lingrong left those words behind and departed. Cui Lingying refused to believe it. "Mother, don't listen to her. She definitely doesn't want what's good for us! She wishes we were dead!" Mrs. Cai shook her head. "She wants us to do poorly, but not poorly in Bianjing—otherwise your father and the Cui family wouldn't let her off. Cui Lingrong is cunning. She won't move against us directly, so she can still answer to the Cui family without giving County Princess Rongjia any leverage." Only now, at this moment, did Mrs. Cai begin to understand. But it was too late. How had she not realized it? How could County Princess Rongjia possibly have been well-intentioned toward them? When her daughter asked whether they should go see County Princess Rongjia, Mrs. Cai was about to refuse when Dongyun entered to deliver a message. "The Eldest Young Madam has already sent word to the Cui family, explaining the situation in Bianjing. The Eldest Young Madam asks Madam to consider—when Master Cui learns of Young Master Yan's affairs, what will his reaction be?" This was the first move in Cui Lingrong's counterattack, and Mrs. Cai's face changed instantly. Her son's reputation was ruined, her daughter had been rejected multiple times—this trip to Bianjing had lost her the sesame seed and gained her no watermelon either. Inside the room, Cui Lingying was still complaining about not wanting to return in disgrace, but the more Mrs. Cai came to her senses, the more her scalp tingled. At Qiushuang Zhai, Cui Lingrong had just sat down when Mama Xu arrived. These past days, the affairs of the Cui family had also reached Shouan Tang. Mama Xu had come to deliver the eviction notice. "The in-law Madam has been staying at the Marquis Mansion for quite some time now. The weather is growing colder by the day, and snow may fall at any moment. I wonder when they plan to depart? Old Madame would like to arrange someone to see them off." "Old Madame still cares so much about face, spinning things so prettily. The truth is simply that their deeds are unsavory, and she wants them gone, isn't that so?" Cui Lingrong smiled as she looked over. Mama Xu's expression suddenly froze. Cui Lingrong continued, "I too wish they would leave, but County Princess Rongjia is so warm toward our Madam that no matter how I advise her, it does no good. Why don't you go to Wutong Yuan and try persuading my Madam yourself?" If Mama Xu went to see Mrs. Cai, it would look bad—people would say the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion was petty, unable to tolerate relatives who had only just arrived. That was precisely why Mama Xu had come to Qiushuang Zhai instead. "The Eldest Young Madam jests. That's not what Old Madame means. Madam Cui is the mistress of her household—she must return eventually. Surely she wouldn't spend the New Year in someone else's home, would she?" Mama Xu asked. "That's not certain. They came to Bianjing to seek a marriage match. If my younger sister's marriage doesn't come through, wouldn't the trip have been in vain?" Cui Lingrong now enjoyed watching people like Mama Xu squirm. "Mama Xu, go find County Princess Rongjia quickly—don't let her take them running around everywhere again. Speaking of which, my younger brother and sister's troubles can all be blamed on County Princess Rongjia. If not for her meddling, how could things have come to this?" Seeing that the Eldest Young Madam refused to think of a solution, Mama Xu had no choice but to return to Shouan Tang. After hearing the report, Old Madame Song cursed both Cui Lingrong and County Princess Rongjia. "Neither of them is any good. Other families' daughters-in-law think only of what's best for their husband's household. Those two only think of internal strife—neither of them spares a thought for the Marquis Mansion's reputation!" Mama Xu thought to herself that in the old days, when there was only the Eldest Young Madam, the Marquis Mansion had none of these troubles. But such words, she dared not speak aloud. "Go to Wutong Yuan and warn County Princess Rongjia—tell her to stop entertaining the Cais. Does she really think no one sees through her little schemes?" Old Madame Song had been feeling tightness in her chest lately, all from anger. Several people had come to inquire about the Cui family's affairs, and even her own natal family had sent reminders that she should send the Cui family away sooner rather than later. But she couldn't do anything about Cui Lingrong and County Princess Rongjia right now. County Princess Rongjia held an honored status, backed by the Rong Prince Mansion. And now that Cui Lingrong had found herself a patron, she couldn't easily offend Cui Zeyu either. Just thinking about it made Old Madame Song feel stifled. She wasn't acting like a mother-in-law at all—more like a child bride in her own household. Mama Xu had no choice but to make another trip to Wutong Courtyard. When County Princess Rongjia learned of Mama Xu's purpose, she said with displeasure, "I was only thinking that we're all relatives. Who knew they couldn't handle themselves? Old Madame needn't have said anything—I wouldn't have bothered with them again anyway." No sooner had Mama Xu left than Cui Lingying came looking for her. County Princess Rongjia simply sent Wang Hechun's Wife to deal with her. "Don't bother being polite. Those mother and daughter are useless—I gave them so many chances, and they couldn't even scheme against Zhao Zhongfu." She had originally planned to have Zhao Zhongfu ruin Cui Lingying's reputation, which would have allowed the Rong Prince Mansion to impeach the Wu Prince Mansion—killing two birds with one stone. But Cui Lingying hadn't even gotten close to Zhao Zhongfu, let alone Du Cheng. Today, Du Cheng had deliberately waited by the carriage and actually questioned her—why had she arranged a matchmaking meeting for him? At the time, County Princess Rongjia had been stunned. She'd asked Du Cheng in return, "You go running to the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion day after day—isn't that because you want me to acknowledge you as my son? Now that I'm doing these things for you, shouldn't you be happy?" "Son? Happy? Does the County Princess truly think I want to be your son?" Du Cheng's whole body was trembling, as if his bones might shatter from rage. County Princess Rongjia didn't understand what Du Cheng was accusing her of. "Fine then—don't come looking for me anymore. I'd be glad to have you far away from me. If you're capable, don't stay at the Rong Prince Mansion either!" "Fine, I won't stay! At least I won't be used as a pawn and foolishly think the County Princess changed my residence because she'd changed her opinion of me. Turns out it was all my own wishful thinking. From today on, I'll move out on my own!" Du Cheng finished speaking and left. This left County Princess Rongjia utterly bewildered. She truly hadn't expected the day when Du Cheng would give her the cold shoulder. Even now, County Princess Rongjia was still wondering—what exactly was Du Cheng angry about? And more than that, what right did Du Cheng have to be angry? County Princess Rongjia couldn't figure it out, and then she heard Cui Lingying's voice from outside. Annoyed by the sound, she thought to herself that Wang Hechun's Wife simply wasn't as competent as her mother-in-law. Wang Hechun's Wife had been speaking with Cui Lingying outside the courtyard, but when Cui Lingying insisted on barging in, she could only darken her face and say, "Miss Lingying, you're an unmarried young lady—you should preserve some dignity for yourself. The County Princess has always treated you well. Now that she's resting, you come barging into Wutong Courtyard. Is this how the Cui family has raised you?" "I... I just have some questions I want to ask the County Princess." "Then you have quite the airs. What, do you expect the County Princess to get up just to hear what you have to say?" "No, that's not what I meant. It's just that my eldest sister said County Princess Rongjia has been harming us all along, and I wanted to ask for clarification." Cui Lingying spoke without thinking. Wang Hechun's Wife immediately called for people to throw Cui Lingying out. "What nonsense! Our County Princess has been nothing but sincere with you. Who do you think you are? Why would the County Princess bother harming you?" Two maids grabbed Cui Lingying and dragged her out. When Wang Hechun's Wife entered the room, before she could speak, she saw the County Princess laughing. "Haha, Cui Lingrong is such a clever person—how does she have such a stupid sister?" County Princess Rongjia raised an eyebrow. "Since Cui Lingying doesn't believe Cui Lingrong, then let's give her a little information. Tell her where Du Cheng is right now. I hope she doesn't disappoint me."