Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Reputation Even within the grand estates there were many intricacies, and whether one's days passed comfortably depended entirely on one's own abilities. One either had to be favored, or hold power in hand. Within just a few days of her return, Cui Lingrong could sense that both Old Madame and Song Shulan favored Commandery Princess Rongjia. She was merely the daughter of a minor official, and it was only after marrying into the Song family that her natal family began to regard her more highly. She could not compare to Commandery Princess Rongjia's noble status. Commandery Princess Rongjia wanted dignity, and Cui Lingrong wanted it too. Er Shun arrived quickly. Cui Lingrong gave a few instructions and had Caixia summon a physician—her illness would not be recovering anytime soon. After seeing the physician, Cui Lingrong learned that her daughter had returned and shut herself in her room. She called for Nanny Qiu. "When I was young, I was disciplined quite strictly. I thought that since Yu-jie was the legitimate daughter of a marquis, she wouldn't need to work as hard as I did to secure a good marriage, so I was lenient with her. But times have changed—she'll be fourteen after the New Year. Go and tell her that starting tomorrow, she should come to me in the morning and observe how I handle matters. To outsiders, we'll say she's attending to my illness, which will also earn her a reputation for filial piety." For daughters of noble families, prospective matches would begin to be considered before the Ji-pin ceremony. Families would slowly investigate and inquire, carefully selecting the most suitable candidate before becoming engaged. Cui Lingrong had only one daughter, and she hoped her daughter's marriage would go smoothly. She could not help but worry. Nanny Qiu had just left when Wang Shanxi's Wife arrived with the month's allowance, intercepted by Caixia in the outer room. "The Commandery Princess learned that the Eldest Young Madam had summoned a physician again, so she specially sent me to check in. If the Eldest Young Madam needs anything, please don't hesitate to say so. Even if the household doesn't have it, the Commandery Princess will purchase it from outside for the Eldest Young Madam." As Wang Shanxi's Wife spoke, she kept glancing toward the inner room. "There's one more matter. The Commandery Princess investigated and found that the gatekeeper from some days ago, taking advantage of the fact that she was newly in charge of household affairs, had been slacking off for quite some time, which caused the Eldest Young Madam to suffer grievances upon returning home. That kind of insolent servant has already been dealt with and sold off by the Commandery Princess." A mere gatekeeper had simply been following orders. Yet after the deed was done, the one who had instigated it turned her face away and denied everything, even casting herself as the victim. Caixia had now witnessed firsthand how formidable Commandery Princess Rongjia was. Fortunately, Nanny Qiu had instructed them in advance, so facing Wang Shanxi's Wife, she could still respond with composure. "In a great family like ours, selling him off might not be the best course. A person has a mouth, and who knows when he might go out and speak recklessly. Better to send him to one of the estates and have the estate manager keep an eye on him—that would be more secure." "Miss Caixia can rest assured—he absolutely will not speak a single word about the Marquis household." This matter counted as the Commandery Princess giving the Eldest Young Madam an explanation. The message had been delivered, and Wang Shanxi's Wife had no desire to linger in Qiushuang Zhai. She was merely the daughter of a fallen family who had been lucky enough to become the Marchioness—did she truly think she could stand on equal footing with the Commandery Princess? As Wang Shanxi's Wife walked out of Qiushuang Zhai, her expression changed instantly, and she returned to Wutong Yuan with her chin held high. Caixia went to see the Eldest Young Madam with confusion. "Eldest Young Madam, what did Mama Wang mean by that?" Cui Lingrong did not know either. She had Caixia take some silver to inquire. Half an hour later, Caixia returned with a pale face. "Eldest Young Madam, they say Sande had his tongue cut out. The Commandery Princess even specially had all the front-courtyard servants go and watch, saying that anyone who showed you disrespect again would meet the same fate as Sande. The others told this servant that Sande screamed terribly, blood spilled all over the ground, and after being sent to the slave trader, he likely won't survive." This was Commandery Princess Rongjia establishing her authority. It was also a show of force against Cui Lingrong. A warning that Cui Lingrong should not contend with her—otherwise, Sande's fate could also be Cui Lingrong's ending. Caixia had not seen the tongue being cut out, but she had seen the bloodstains on the ground, and she was truly frightened. In the past, beatings with a board had been the most severe punishment in the Marquis household; this was the first time she had encountered tongue-cutting. Just thinking about it made her scalp tingle. Cui Lingrong's brows furrowed slightly. Such ruthless methods were something she had not anticipated. When Nanny Qiu returned, she too had learned of Sande's matter. "On the way back, this old servant noticed that all the maids and matrons were avoiding me. Finding it strange, this old servant grabbed a timid one and questioned her, and only then learned that the one who carried out the punishment had done so in your name, to vent your anger, punishing Sande. Anyone who didn't know the truth would probably think it was you who was ruthless. The Commandery Princess truly knows how to turn things around and shift the blame." Caixia grew anxious. "Sande was dealt with by the Commandery Princess—how could it be attributed to the Eldest Young Madam?" Cui Lingrong analyzed calmly, "Because it was I who was slighted, and I who asked the Commandery Princess for an explanation. So everything the Commandery Princess did was supposedly to appease me. Sande failed in his duties, but his crime did not warrant such punishment. When outsiders hear of it, they will form a cruel impression of me." "But from beginning to end, you never asked the Commandery Princess to cut out Sande's tongue!" Caixia felt there was no way to defend against this, and wished she could go out right now to explain on her mistress's behalf. "What outsiders see is the result. As for the process, they will only make wild speculations." Cui Lingrong told Caixia not to panic. "The Commandery Princess was too eager to suppress me, and this matter was not handled well. Nanny Qiu, quietly buy Sande and bring him to my estate to be cared for. The Commandery Princess wants to ruin my reputation—let's turn her scheme against her." Caixia did not understand. "Do you intend to have Sande testify against the Commandery Princess?" "Since Sande has had his tongue cut out and cannot read or write, how can he identify the Commandery Princess?" Cui Lingrong had another plan in mind and beckoned Nanny Qiu closer. "Go find Er Shun and tell him to..." "Madam, will it work?" Cui Lingrong said with certainty, "Old Madame values face above all else. Since Commandery Princess Rongjia wants to ruin my reputation, let's add fuel to the fire and make it burn even brighter. As long as Sande stays alive, these rumors about me will naturally fall apart on their own." Having received her instructions, Nanny Qiu first went to buy Sande's freedom, then sought out Er Shun. Three days later, Cui Lingrong's bosom friend, Yuan Mingzhu—the second daughter-in-law of General Jiang's household—came rushing over in a panic. Seeing Cui Lingrong still leisurely sipping tea, she pressed down on the teacup. "You can still drink tea? Do you know what people in Bianjing are saying about you?" "I can probably guess." "Then how can you sit there so calmly?" Yuan Mingzhu was the complete opposite of Cui Lingrong—she had a fiery temper. "They're saying you only pretended to be easygoing before, and only after learning that Marquis Song was taking an Equal Wife did you reveal your true nature and start taking out your anger on the servants. Listen to that—how nasty is that?" Yuan Mingzhu and Cui Lingrong had known each other since childhood, and she refused to believe Cui Lingrong could do such a thing. "I actually wanted to come see you much earlier, but you know how my mother-in-law keeps a tight leash on me. Today she finally went to burn incense, so I seized the chance to find you. Don't just sit there listening to me—say something! Are you trying to worry me to death?" While Yuan Mingzhu was speaking, Caixia and the others had withdrawn, leaving only Nanny Qiu to attend to them. Nanny Qiu listened with her brows furrowed. "That's utter nonsense. It was the Commandery Princess who ordered the gates shut tight to intimidate our Madam. The servant was also dealt with by the Commandery Princess, without even consulting our Madam." "I knew it was something like that!" Yuan Mingzhu felt a knot of anger in her chest. "Come on, I'll take you to confront her. Those rumors about you must have been spread by her too. Otherwise, who would make such a fuss over a household disciplining a servant?" Such matters were normally kept tightly under wraps—letting them leak out would become a family scandal. Who would want that shame? Cui Lingrong pulled Yuan Mingzhu to sit down. "Dear sister, I know you're acting entirely for my sake, but this is exactly the outcome I wanted." "Cui Lingrong, have you lost your mind?" Yuan Mingzhu reached out to feel Cui Lingrong's forehead. "Your reputation is practically ruined, and you're sitting here smiling. Tell me the truth—are you dissatisfied with Marquis Song taking an Equal Wife, and do you want him to give you a Mutual Divorce, so you've stopped caring about consequences?" When she had learned that the emperor had bestowed a marriage upon Song Shulan and Commandery Princess Rongjia, Yuan Mingzhu had cursed angrily at home. Others might say "better to demolish ten temples than destroy one marriage," but the emperor had destroyed a marriage and done great harm. She had wanted to warn Cui Lingrong, but her mother-in-law had intercepted all her messengers, forbidding her from meddling. Seeing Cui Lingrong shake her head, Yuan Mingzhu grew even more restless. Her father was a military officer, her mother came from a military family, and she had married a military man herself. Despite living in Bianjing for years, she had never learned the gentle, demure ways of a proper lady. She pressed both hands on Cui Lingrong's shoulders. "If you don't explain yourself clearly, I swear I'll go smash Commandery Princess Rongjia's roof!" "I believe you, I believe you." Cui Lingrong patted Yuan Mingzhu's hand, gesturing for her to drink some tea and calm down. "Let me ask you—who manages the Song household now?" "You have the nerve to ask? Your husband was stolen, and your authority over the household was stolen too. Where's your skill? Did you leave it all in Suzhou?" Yuan Mingzhu said irritably. "Let me ask you another thing—since the rumors about me spread out from the Song household, whose failure in management does that reflect?" At this, Cui Lingrong smiled faintly. "It's Commandery Princess Rongjia's." Yuan Mingzhu was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter. "Oh, you! I've known since we were young—you seem peaceful and unassuming, but inside you're full of mischief. That's why we get along. On the surface, you've lost face, but in reality, it's Commandery Princess Rongjia who failed to control her household, allowing rumors to leak out of the Song residence. And since you're Marquis Song's original wife, if you lose face, the Song family loses face too. And your Old Madame values face above all else—now it's Commandery Princess Rongjia's turn to explain herself to Old Madame Song." At this point, Yuan Mingzhu thought of something and pressed further. "But this concerns your reputation—do you have a backup plan?" Cui Lingrong said, "Of course," then had Nanny Qiu bring out some pastries for Yuan Mingzhu.