Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Promotion "Lingrong, you shouldn't have been so forceful today." Song Shulan set down the book in his hand, looking at Cui Lingrong with a complicated expression. By the candlelight, her features were delicate and lovely—though if one looked closely, one could see a wariness that even Cui Lingrong herself hadn't noticed. Cui Lingrong glanced back at Nanny Qiu and the others, signaling them to withdraw. There were things she wanted to say to Song Shulan as well. Song Shulan's Adam's apple moved slightly. "You've made such a scene with the Commandery Princess—how am I supposed to maintain relations with the Rong Prince Mansion now?" Just thinking about it made his scalp crawl, yet Song Shulan still had to go and curry favor with the Rong Prince Mansion. "Does the Marquis mean for me to go apologize to the Rong Prince Mansion, ingratiate myself, and beg for Prince Rong and his wife's forgiveness?" Cui Lingrong voiced Song Shulan's thoughts in a single sentence. Song Shulan's brows knitted tightly. "I didn't say that. You've really changed. The old you wouldn't have been so aggressive." "Yes, I've changed." Cui Lingrong laughed bitterly, helplessness filling her heart. "How could I not change?" She looked at Song Shulan. "The Commandery Princess said to teach Yu-jie a lesson—that would have meant ruining Yu-jie's reputation completely. Marquis, every one of my children was carried by me for ten months. The children I protect are your children too!" "You should know when to stop and be more magnanimous. Wang Shanxi's Wife is dead—you watched her die. Aren't you afraid?" "Afraid of what? She was vicious and harmed others—should I be afraid of her?" Cui Lingrong found Song Shulan increasingly hard to understand. What exactly did he mean? Coming here specifically to argue with her? Cui Lingrong took a deep breath. "Marquis, if Zeyu hadn't brought General Xie today, Yu-jie and I would have been the ones at a disadvantage. Then the Rong Prince Mansion would have pressed the matter of Yu-jie relentlessly, and I could only have backed down—perhaps even been forced to leave. You say I've become ruthless, but have you ever considered my position?" If she made even one wrong step, she would be crushed to death. Song Shulan looked at Cui Lingrong with disappointment. "Enough. I won't argue with you over this. I came to tell you that the Commandery Princess is not a bad person—she's just a little willful. Let her kneel in the ancestral hall for a few days to suffer a bit, and then let it go. Don't hold on to it." "What does the Marquis mean?" "My meaning is clear. I'll make it up to Yu-jie, and I won't hold today's matter against you. After five or six days, just have the Commandery Princess copy scriptures in the Wutong Pavilion." Song Shulan rose as he finished speaking, not giving Cui Lingrong a chance to argue. When Nanny Qiu entered the room, she saw her mistress staring blankly into space. "Eldest Young Madam, it's getting late—time to rest." Nanny Qiu brought in hot water. "Nanny Qiu, I'm not sleepy." Cui Lingrong couldn't understand it. "The Marquis told me not to dwell on Princess Rongjia's punishment—just go through the motions. Tell me, does he have deep feelings for Princess Rongjia, or is it just as he says—only for the sake of his career?" Nanny Qiu had no answer. She lowered her head. "You see—you can't say either." Cui Lingrong had always believed that Song Shulan was merely devoted to officialdom, and though he wasn't intimately close with her, he still treated her with respect and courtesy. Song Shulan's heart had always been in tune with hers. But ever since she returned from mourning, that belief had been questioned again and again. By today, Cui Lingrong no longer trusted it. Cui Lingrong said she was tired and told Nanny Qiu and the others to go back first—she wanted to be alone. She didn't sleep at all that night. When Nanny Qiu came in the next morning, she saw her mistress reviewing the account books. "Eldest Young Madam, if you're tired or troubled, why not rest for a few days?" Nanny Qiu's heart ached to see her mistress like this. "These trivial matters can wait a day or two." "Nanny Qiu, do you think the Marquis still has me in his heart?" Seeing Nanny Qiu freeze, Cui Lingrong asked again, "And Old Madame must be dissatisfied with me by now, too." Nanny Qiu fell silent once more. "My husband is estranged, my mother-in-law is at odds with me—given my current situation, if I don't do well at the tasks in my hands, what capital would I have left to contend with Princess Rongjia?" Cui Lingrong smiled as she spoke—not a mocking smile, but one of clarity after seeing things through. "Since I cannot win favor, I must grow strong like resilient grass. When I hold more power in my hands and possess abilities no one can oppose, that is when I will have truly won." She finished tallying the accounts before setting down her brush. "Don't worry—such a small matter won't defeat me. I don't need rest. Let's go see Yu-jie." "You're too strong, madam." Nanny Qiu sighed. Cui Lingrong smiled and agreed. "Who else can I rely on but myself?" Since she had returned from mourning, not a single letter had come from the Cui family. When Prince Rong used the Cui family as a threat, Cui Lingrong hadn't felt afraid at that moment—because she didn't care that much about the Cui family's people or affairs. The two went to see Yu-jie. Upon learning that Princess Rongjia had gone to the ancestral hall early that morning, Cui Lingrong only replied with a single "Mm." A few days passed, and soon it was the beginning of October. The Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion received a piece of good news—Song Shulan had been promoted, becoming the Fourth-Rank Vice Minister of Revenue. Qingshan was the first to return with the good news. Old Madame Song, having rested for a few days, immediately ordered Cui Lingrong to prepare celebratory items upon learning of her son's promotion. "I want to hold a grand banquet and distribute free porridge for three days. Heaven has eyes—my son has finally made something of himself." Old Madame Song was beaming with joy. "Lady Cui, take out another sum of silver. I want to reward the household staff handsomely." Cui Lingrong didn't move. "Old Madame, have you forgotten? The household finances are tight—we couldn't even afford a banquet at year's end. If you're willing to open your private coffers, that would be possible." Old Madame Song's smile vanished at once. "Lady Cui, your husband has been promoted—this is your glory. Why are you acting like a miser?" "To answer Old Madame, it's not that your daughter-in-law is stingy, but that our pockets are truly empty. Besides, the Marquis isn't only my husband—he's also Commandery Princess Rongjia's." Just yesterday, Song Shulan hadn't let Princess Rongjia kneel at the ancestral hall, and the thought still made Cui Lingrong sick. Old Madame Song didn't have much money on hand. She said with displeasure, "Fine, fine, you have your excuses ready for me. I'll pay for it myself, alright?" She had Mama Xu fetch a hundred-tael banknote. When the money was handed to Cui Lingrong, she said, "A hundred taels—if the banquet is to be done properly, that covers only seven or eight tables. As for who to invite, perhaps Old Madame could draft a guest list, and your daughter-in-law will send someone to deliver the invitations." Old Madame Song had finally found something to save face with, and hearing Cui Lingrong pinch pennies, she scowled and had Mama Xu fetch another two hundred taels. She couldn't resist adding, "No need to invite the Cui family. By the time they reach Bianjing, the banquet will already be over." She deliberately humiliated Cui Lingrong—after all, since Cui Lingrong wouldn't pay, it was her money, and she could invite whomever she pleased. Cui Lingrong didn't care about that. Taking the money, she summoned the household servants and began giving orders. Meanwhile, when Song Shulan returned, he went straight to Wutong Yuan. He was beaming with pride. Entering the room and seeing Princess Rongjia copying texts, he grasped her hand. "Your hands are so cold—why haven't you gotten a hand warmer?" "It's nothing, I..." Princess Rongjia looked at Song Shulan, tears falling one after another. This was the first time he'd come to see her since the false pregnancy incident. "Master Song, I thought you didn't want me anymore." She threw herself into Song Shulan's arms, sobbing in fits and starts. Chen De's Wife, standing nearby, said, "Winter hasn't even arrived, but the Eldest Young Madam said household expenses must be cut. The Princess said she'd wait until you came before using the charcoal." Since Princess Rongjia wasn't pregnant, Wutong Yuan's allowance was naturally the same as Qiushuang Zhai's. Add to that her house arrest, and without even needing Cui Lingrong's instruction, the household staff had grown less enthusiastic toward Wutong Yuan. "It's just charcoal—how could they be so miserly?" Song Shulan's brows knitted together. "Take from my private funds and buy the Princess some fine silver-thread charcoal!" His promotion this time was thanks to Prince Rong's patronage. Without Prince Rong, he wouldn't have risen, so he had to come check on Princess Rongjia. Princess Rongjia was even more moved. "These past days, I haven't been able to sleep at night, afraid you wouldn't come to me anymore. Master Song, I know I was wrong. From now on, I won't throw tantrums anymore. I'll listen to everything you say, and I won't compete with Sister Cui anymore." "How could I not want you? You're my lawfully wedded wife. What's past is past. Even Yu-jie isn't angry with me anymore. Once your house arrest is over, apologize properly to Yu-jie, and we'll still be a family." "Yes, I'll listen to everything you say." Seeing the woman in his arms so docile and obedient, Song Shulan felt gratified. These days, whenever he saw Cui Lingrong, she always wore a cold face, lacking her former submissiveness toward him. Song Shulan preferred obedient women. He planned to give Cui Lingrong the cold shoulder—given enough time, he didn't believe she wouldn't come to him on her own. On the other side, after arranging the banquet matters, Cui Lingrong had someone deliver an invitation to the Xie household. Nanny Qiu was worried. "General Xie scolded the Marquis and Prince Rong's couple. If you invite him, the Marquis and the others will likely be displeased." "General Xie did me a great favor, and I never had the chance to thank him. This is a good opportunity." Cui Lingrong paused. "Besides, why should I care about making them happy?"