Chapter 42

Chapter 42: A Stab in the Back At this moment in Shouan Tang, Old Madame Song lay reclining on her bed. She had just finished her ginseng tea when the couple from the second branch started arguing again outside. "Mama Xu, go tell them to shut up!" Her head ached terribly. Why hadn't Cui Lingrong arrived yet? In the outer room, Song Shucheng's cheek had been scratched open. He angrily rebuked Jiang Shi, "How can you act like some shrew? What's wrong with me being close to my cousin? You can't even bear children, and now I'm the laughingstock because of you!" "I... how can you say I can't bear children?" Jiang Shi had cried several times already, her eyes swollen from weeping. "Song Shucheng, can you have some shame? It was bad enough that you ruined the maids around me, but how dare you sleep with my cousin?" One was her most beloved cousin, the other was the man who shared her bed. Yet they had both betrayed her together. "Why not?" Song Shucheng despised Jiang Shi. When he saw He Pingping crying that day, he'd already thought about seducing her. Actually, in the early days of their marriage, the two had shared moments of passion and tenderness. Jiang Shi had a bit of a temper, but during their newlywed period, Song Shucheng found it charming. He would yield to Jiang Shi, coax her, and promise to treat her well for the rest of his life. When had he begun to tire of her? It seemed to start when he took a fancy to a maid, and Jiang Shi slapped that maid ten times across the face. Then, while he was away from home, she married the maid off to a servant boy. One incident after another piled up. The rift between them grew deeper and deeper. "Anyone but her!" Jiang Shi had just finished shouting when Mama Xu came out to tell them to quiet down. Jiang Shi cried, "I beg the Old Madame to seek justice for me! My father is a second-rank official—how can I endure such humiliation?" "Second Madam, please stop crying. The Old Madame said we'll discuss this once the Eldest Madam arrives," Mama Xu said, shaking her head at the Second Madam. The Second Madam was not very clever—there were many times she could have eased her relationship with the Second Master, but she insisted on meeting force with force. Hearing that Cui Lingrong would handle the matter, Jiang Shi shook her head vigorously. "This has nothing to do with Sister-in-law. Why should she be involved? Can't Mother just settle this for me?" Mama Xu thought to herself that the Old Madame had already been angered into a fainting spell once and had no energy left to deal with this matter. Hearing voices outside announcing the Eldest Madam's arrival, Mama Xu silently breathed a sigh of relief. When Cui Lingrong entered the room, she saw the three people kneeling on the ground. She first went into the inner chamber to pay her respects to the Old Madame. "How is the Old Madame? Are you still feeling unwell?" Cui Lingrong asked. Old Madame Song waved her hand. "What a sin. How did I give birth to such a rebellious son? Cui Shi, you are now the mistress of the household. Think of a thorough solution." Her meaning was that since things had come to this point, the second son should take He Pingping as a concubine—but Jiang Shi wouldn't agree. Yet He Pingping had already lost her chastity, and she wasn't a household maid who could be sold off far away. If the Marquis household didn't give the He family some explanation, and they made a scene, what would happen to the household's reputation? Just thinking about it gave Old Madame Song a headache. Before Cui Lingrong could answer, Princess Rongjia arrived. "Why have you come?" Old Madame Song urged Princess Rongjia to sit down quickly. "You're with child. Let Cui Shi worry about matters here. Don't involve yourself." "I came to visit Mother. I heard you had fainted from anger, and I was so worried that I couldn't sit still in Wutong Yuan without coming to see you." Princess Rongjia sat on the edge of the bed and solicitously asked if the Old Madame had any other discomfort. Old Madame Song was quite pleased. "With such filial devotion from you, all my ailments are cured. Go sit down quickly. That scoundrel of a second son—I wish I could get up and slap him twice." Princess Rongjia told Old Madame Song not to be angry. "Men are like that, really. It's understandable. Miss He was always in the second branch's quarters, so it's only natural that she and the Second Master developed feelings. If you ask me, since the deed is done, we should give Miss He a proper status. Otherwise, if word gets out, people will say the Marquis household bullies others." In Princess Rongjia's view, this was the only way to resolve the matter. Previously, when she had managed the household, she had disappointed the Old Madame. Now she wanted to prove her usefulness. "That's what I think too, but Jiang Shi won't agree." Old Madame Song sighed. Cui Lingrong understood Jiang Shi well—when she was angry, she was extremely stubborn. Since Princess Rongjia wanted to take the lead, Cui Lingrong voluntarily said, "In the past, the Second Sister-in-law often visited Wutong Yuan. I imagine she has a good relationship with the Princess. Since the Princess shares this view, why not try persuading her?" Princess Rongjia had been waiting for exactly these words. She rose and went to the outer room. Jiang Shi could hear some of what was said in the inner chamber. She shook her head forcefully. "Princess, I don't agree." "Dear sister, you're being foolish." Princess Rongjia reached out to support Jiang Shi and had her sit down together with her. "The Second Master has never had a son. The Old Madame will eventually give him a concubine regardless. Rather than letting some stranger into the household, why not let Miss He be with the Second Master? You two are close sisters who know each other well—wouldn't it be wonderful to serve the same husband together?" Wang Shanxi's Wife chimed in as well, "Yes, Second Madam. The Second Master and Miss He have already done this deed. If you don't agree, how will we explain it to the He family?" Princess Rongjia continued, "Be magnanimous about this. Perhaps the Second Master will soften toward you because of it. And besides—if this becomes a public scandal, what will the Jiang family think?" Madame Jiang only had a stepmother, not her own mother—how could she care about her? But the more Princess Rongjia said such things, the more pitiful she felt. She bit her lip until it nearly bled, yet still refused to relent. "No! Anyone but that vile woman!" "Why?" Princess Rongjia looked puzzled. "If someone closest to you tried to snatch the Marquis away, would you be willing?" Madame Jiang blurted out recklessly. The moment she said it, Princess Rongjia's expression changed instantly. But Princess Rongjia quickly recovered her smile. "As long as the Marquis is willing, I naturally wouldn't stand in the way." Behind the scenes, however, she would certainly have the woman killed—she would never tolerate betrayal from those close to her. Madame Jiang saw through Princess Rongjia's lie and smiled bitterly. "If what you say is sincere, then you truly are virtuous and magnanimous. But I cannot do the same!" Princess Rongjia talked until her mouth went dry, yet still failed to persuade Madame Jiang. Inside the room, Old Madame Song grew anxious listening to the commotion and sent Mama Xu to fetch Cui Lingrong. "Tell her to stop watching the show. If this keeps up, I'll be furious enough to die." The princess still lacked the skill to convince Madame Jiang. Only after Mama Xu prompted her did Cui Lingrong speak up, asking Madame Jiang, "Then what do you want to do? Send Miss He away?" Madame Jiang said she never wanted to see He Pingping again. Cui Lingrong thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Everyone in the room stared at Cui Lingrong in astonishment. No one could have imagined that the always rule-abiding Cui Lingrong would say such a thing. Even Madame Jiang was stunned. "Truly?" "Yes. You are the Second Young Madam of the Marquis household; the dignity owed to you can be granted." Cui Lingrong did not care for Madame Jiang, but as a fellow woman, she found Song Shucheng and He Pingping's behavior even more disgusting. After all, Madame Jiang had indeed treated He Pingping well. Just as Madame Jiang had said—anyone but He Pingping. Princess Rongjia frowned and looked over. "Sister Cui, have you lost your senses? Miss He won't agree to that." Inside the room, Old Madame Song also held her breath, unable to swallow it down. Could it be that Lady Cui had truly lost her mind? It was then that Cui Lingrong finally turned her gaze to He Pingping, who was kneeling by the door. She took a deep breath and walked over. "Miss He, Second Sister-in-law says you willingly lay with Second Brother. Is that true?" He Pingping: "I..." She looked up at Lady Cui, then immediately lowered her head, biting her lips and saying nothing. Seeing He Pingping like this, Cui Lingrong understood everything.