Chapter 280

Chapter 280: Keeping Her to Sleep Cui Lingrong had been preoccupied with Yuan Mingzhu's matter to begin with, and after quarreling with Song Shulan today, she tossed and turned all night, drifting in and out of sleep. She rose at the first crack of dawn. After washing and dressing, Cui Lingrong had just stepped into the courtyard when she noticed an extra maidservant—Cuiyun, one of Song Shulan's people. "Eldest Young Madam, this servant has received the Marquis's orders. He instructed me to serve at Qiushuang Zhai from now on." Cuiyun kept her head lowered, and Cui Lingrong could only see the top of her head. "The Marquis sent you to keep an eye on me?" Cui Lingrong was nearly amused despite her irritation this early in the morning. Leave it to Song Shulan to come up with such a scheme—sending someone to spy on her. Cuiyun dared not speak. "Fine then. You'll be in charge of sweeping the courtyard. I won't make things difficult for you, but you'd best have some sense of propriety—there's no need for you in the inner chambers." Cui Lingrong finished speaking and made to leave, but when she saw Cuiyun about to follow, she turned back. "What? Did the Marquis order you to shadow my every step?" Cuiyun nodded in confirmation. Cui Lingrong was speechless. She hadn't expected Song Shulan to issue such an order. But on second thought, an idea came to her. She brought Cuiyun along to Shouan Tang. She hadn't returned for several days, and Old Madame Song was sure to be displeased. It was proper to make an appearance. Just as she arrived, County Princess Rongjia also appeared. County Princess Rongjia spotted Cuiyun behind Cui Lingrong at a glance. As she looked puzzled, Cui Lingrong took the initiative to explain, "The Marquis is truly considerate of me. He thought my courtyard had too few servants, so he specially assigned his personal attendant Cuiyun to me. He said once my courtyard gains more staff, Cuiyun can return." Qiushuang Zhai and Wutong Yuan had the same number of servants. Song Shulan thought Cui Lingrong had too few, yet never considered adding one for County Princess Rongjia. By all logic, County Princess Rongjia should have been jealous and dissatisfied. But County Princess Rongjia merely glanced at Cuiyun without the anger or outburst Cui Lingrong had expected. "She's just a maidservant—nothing worth discussing." Old Madame Song snorted. "As for you, Cui, have you forgotten your place?" "This daughter-in-law has not forgotten." "Then why did you stay at the Jiang residence for so long? If not for us holding things together on your behalf, who knows what ugly rumors outsiders would be spreading!" Old Madame Song warned. "A married woman follows her husband. If you don't understand such a simple principle, go copy out Lessons for Women and Admonitions for Women!" After finishing with Cui Lingrong, Old Madame Song turned to County Princess Rongjia. "And you—why have you been going out so often lately? Though you don't manage household affairs and have no children to tend to, you must still be mindful of gossip. Running out every few days—what is that about?" County Princess Rongjia had met Du Cheng just yesterday and had little energy today, so whatever Old Madame said, she simply nodded and went along with it. Until Old Madame Song, trying to keep the peace, added, "County Princess, don't be jealous either. Since Cui has received Cuiyun, let Cuixi go to Wutong Yuan. One each—no one gets to fight over it!" Old Madame Song didn't want more trouble in the marquis's household. Seeing that County Princess Rongjia's expression was blank, she assumed the princess was upset over the Cuiyun matter, so she made the decision to send another of Song Shulan's maidservants to attend to County Princess Rongjia. County Princess Rongjia immediately said it wasn't necessary. Realizing Old Madame Song and Cui Lingrong were both looking at her, she hastily explained, "Old Madame, I'm hardly so petty. The Marquis giving away a maidservant—it's not gold or silver mountains. I don't need it." County Princess Rongjia spoke casually, but both Old Madame Song and Cui Lingrong found it strange. County Princess Rongjia claiming she wasn't a petty person? Even Old Madame Song didn't believe that. Old Madame Song assumed County Princess Rongjia was just saying empty pleasantries and insisted on sending Cuixi to serve at Wutong Yuan. In the past, it was precisely because the scales weren't balanced that the marquis's household had so many troubles. As for the Cuiyun matter, Old Madame Song also felt her son had handled it poorly. Having said her piece, Old Madame Song dismissed County Princess Rongjia and the others. Cui Lingrong had originally hoped to use County Princess Rongjia's hand to get rid of Cuiyun, but instead County Princess Rongjia ended up with an extra Cuixi. What surprised Cui Lingrong, however, was that County Princess Rongjia didn't seem to care about Song Shulan's favor or lack thereof toward her. Could it be that because Song Shulan was no longer capable, County Princess Rongjia's feelings for him had faded as well? There was nothing for it—Cui Lingrong would have to think of another way. As for County Princess Rongjia, she was forced to bring Cuixi back with her, her face dark the entire way. The moment she arrived at Wutong Yuan, she vented her anger at Cuixi. "Old Madame sent you here, and you couldn't even speak up for yourself. You're like a block of wood—what good are you?" Cuixi felt wronged inside. She had been suddenly assigned to Wutong Yuan with no idea what was happening. Now hearing County Princess Rongjia berate her, Cuixi didn't dare talk back, because County Princess Rongjia was notorious for her bad temper. "Cat got your tongue? You couldn't speak at Shouan Tang, and you can't speak at Wutong Yuan either. What use are you? Go back to where you came from—I don't need an extra person to wait on me." County Princess Rongjia ordered Cuixi to return to serve Song Shulan. Cuixi didn't know whether to stay or leave. After a long while, it was Wang Hechun's Wife who came out and told Cuixi to go back to the Marquis. Only then did Cuixi leave. After Song Shulan returned, Old Madame Song called him over for a few words of admonishment, reminding him that he could not show favoritism, or the marquis household would not remain peaceful. What Song Shulan had in mind was that Cui Lingrong needed watching, and he could also plant someone at County Princess Rongjia's side. When he saw Cuixi, Song Shulan told her to return to Wutong Court. "My lord, it's not that I don't want to obey you, it's that the County Princess doesn't want me there." Cuixi was on the verge of tears. She had been doing well here at the marquis's side, and now she was being sent to Wutong Court, with the marquis asking her to keep an eye on County Princess Rongjia's daily activities—just thinking about it terrified her. "How could that be? You were sent by me; the County Princess will do me the courtesy." Song Shulan thought it over and decided to personally escort Cuixi to Wutong Court. When he saw County Princess Rongjia, Song Shulan first pulled her into his arms to soothe her. "It's my fault. I should have sent Cuixi over at the same time. Don't be angry anymore." "No, my lord, I'm truly not angry." County Princess Rongjia pulled Song Shulan's hands away. She herself didn't realize that she had been avoiding Song Shulan's intimate touches. "Just let Cuixi go back. I don't need so many people attending to me here." Song Shulan assumed County Princess Rongjia was throwing a tantrum—after all, she was the most petty-minded person—and insisted on keeping Cuixi. "She's already been sent over. You can stuff her wherever you like, but I'm not taking her back." Song Shulan also stated that he would be staying the night. Even if they couldn't do that sort of thing, he could still hold County Princess Rongjia in his arms. Little did he know, County Princess Rongjia wanted nothing more than for him not to stay. Beneath her clothes, from her chest down to her waist, were many love marks left by Du Cheng. If Song Shulan were to see those, how would she explain herself?