Liu Mentang was always straightforward and rarely spoke insincere words unless necessary.
As Miss He was confiding in her privately, Mentang felt that speaking against her conscience might jeopardize the young lady’s future.
So, after some thought, she said frankly, “I don’t know Miss Lian’s intentions, but for her to become so close to you upon first meeting, to the point of wanting to serve the same husband… Forgive my ignorance, but I can’t understand the meaning behind this.”
He Zhen had accompanied her father on business since childhood and was not naive. However, once greed takes hold in one’s heart, it’s easy to become blinded.
She had fallen in love with the Prince of Huaiyang at first sight and had loved only him since. Originally, due to the barrier of social status, she thought they could never be together in this life. But heaven seemed to show mercy, suddenly opening a window of opportunity for her.
This was enough to make her ecstatic, how could she care whether there was an abyss beyond that window?
She had intended to boast to Mrs. Liu that her infatuation wasn’t just a mirage. But hearing Mentang’s cold splash of reality, she felt somewhat deflated and mumbled, “Young ladies from great families like Miss Lian have a broader perspective than ordinary women on the streets. They’re born and raised to be household mistresses. How could they solely focus on romance? Maintaining harmony in the prince’s mansion and allowing the prince to focus on state affairs is most important…”
Mentang felt she might have said too much and gave a dry laugh, “Indeed, common women like us aren’t cut out to be mistresses. Fortunately, my husband is an ordinary citizen, so I don’t need to search far and wide for sisterly confidants or find ways to present them to him for the sake of the world… Here’s the list I’ve compiled over the past two days. The shortcomings you mentioned last time have been addressed. If there’s anything else that needs changing, just send word to my shop.”
Feeling the conversation had turned unproductive, Mentang said she shouldn’t take up any more of Miss He’s time and got off the carriage.
Left alone in the carriage, Miss He felt both angry and anxious, but couldn’t help thinking that Liu Mentang’s words made sense… Unable to decide, she forgot about being annoyed with Mrs. Cui and became lost in her thoughts.
As for Liu Mentang, after a busy day, everything in the North Street residence was back to normal in the evening.
Madam Li had bought fresh venison from a hunter, thinly sliced and smoked with fruitwood to make venison rolls. The soup was a milky-white broth made from simmered beef bones and deer tendon, deliciously garnished with chopped green onions.
To go with the soup, Madam Li had made large, eight-inch flaky flatbreads.
During the meal, the two young maids stood straight beside the masters’ table, balancing books on their heads while serving.
This was Madam Li’s new method to make them stand up straight.
Mentang felt sorry for the two maids who looked unsteady, so she told them to remove the books and eat at the side table first, then resume their posture after eating.
The two maids cautiously looked at Madam Li’s expression. Madam Li, in turn, looked at the prince’s face.
Finally, Cui Jiu spoke up: “This isn’t some deep palace inner court. It’s enough if they learn the etiquette properly.”
With these words, Madam Li finally relaxed her face, and the two young maids went to eat with visible relief.
During the meal, Mentang remembered He Zhen’s strange carriage story about two sisters serving one husband and casually related it to her husband.
Cui Xingzhou had been listening half-heartedly at first, but as he heard more, his expression became increasingly grave, his face darkening in a manner reminiscent of Madam Li.
Mentang was focused on wrapping venison in flatbread with side dishes and didn’t notice her husband’s expression. She continued, “I spoke my mind at the time, but afterward I felt some regret. If Miss He enters the prince’s mansion, the He family will become noble relatives in Zhenzhou. I criticized the He family earlier, not expecting them to rise so quickly. My dear, do you think I should try to mend relations with the He family?”
“Absurd! How could Miss Lian act like this? Could it be that He San has gone mad with delusions?” Cui Jiu put down his chopsticks, speaking with displeasure.
Liu Mentang picked up a large piece of venison for her husband and said, “Gone mad? I don’t think so. Miss He Zhen seemed quite normal to me. I’m just puzzled about how these young ladies from great families think. Even if it’s to secure her position as the principal wife, isn’t this too hasty?”
Cui Xingzhou’s thick eyebrows were almost knotted. After some thought, he understood his cousin’s intentions. She must have heard about his inquiries about He Zhen during his last visit and misunderstood, eagerly wanting to find a concubine for him…
Mentang continued, “But that prince seems quite pitiful. People say he and his cousin are childhood sweethearts. I thought it was a tale of innocent love and deep affection. It turns out to be just a marriage of convenience.”
Cui Jiu drawled, “How would you know, not being from the prince’s household?”
Liu Mentang, sipping her soup, said, “She’s not even married yet and is already eager to find concubines for her husband. How is this behavior any different from the flattering minor officials under high-ranking ones? I don’t see any true feelings. I just think, with the prince being fawned over like this every day, doesn’t his bottom hurt?”
Before she could finish speaking, Cui Jiu smashed the bowl in his hand with a loud crash.
Mentang was stunned. She looked up at her husband’s ashen face, bewildered. It was just a casual chat between husband and wife, why did he suddenly get angry?
Cui Xingzhou, in his anger, had smashed the bowl, but his face remained relatively composed. However, his tone was harsh as he said, “You’re slurping your soup so loudly. I think you should learn some manners from Madam Li!”
With that, he stood up, lifted his robe, and strode out.
Mo Ru, despite having choked on his flatbread, quickly ran after the prince.
Left behind, Mentang held her bowl, speechless, her wide eyes turning to look at Madam Li in confusion.
What a mess! Madam Li, long-tempered in the fires of adversity, had improved her ability to handle such situations. She let out a long sigh and said to Liu Mentang, “My lady, the sound of your soup drinking just now… was indeed a bit loud…”
Meanwhile, the Prince of Huaiyang, having had enough of being scolded to his face by an ignorant woman, rode his horse across the river back to the Zhenzhou prince’s mansion, his face cold.
It wasn’t the usual time for the prince’s return, so his sudden midnight arrival caught the household off guard. Maids and servants filed in and out of the courtyard, preparing water for the prince to change, making the bed, and burning incense.
However, the prince waved everyone away, keeping only Steward Gao.
Steward Gao, having worked in the mansion for a long time, noticed something off about the prince’s demeanor tonight and felt uneasy. He stood to the side, listening as the prince slowly asked questions.
Surprisingly, the prince inquired about some daily matters in the mansion. For instance, whether Miss Lian had recently held tea parties and who had attended.
Steward Gao answered truthfully, remembering that the prince had previously shown interest in the third daughter of the imperial merchant He family, and made sure to emphasize how well Miss Lian and Miss He got along.
Unexpectedly, the prince’s face became increasingly expressionless. Finally, while tapping the table, he admonished Steward Gao: “Since my father’s time, you’ve been the steward of this mansion. Do you know why?”
Steward Gao waited respectfully for the prince to explain. The Prince of Huaiyang continued, “It’s because both my father and I value one thing about you: you know the depth and importance of matters, never carelessly spreading the word of what the master orders. Moreover, you clearly understand who truly runs this prince’s mansion and never associate with sycophants.”
Hearing this, Steward Gao broke out in a cold sweat of fear. He knew the prince was referring to the time during the old prince’s reign when many in the mansion bullied the current Imperial Consort and the young prince. Fortunately, he had heeded his father’s warning then and didn’t join in the wrongdoing. So when the prince took charge later and purged a batch of servants, he was promoted to become the mansion’s steward.
Seeing his expression, Cui Xingzhou knew he understood his meaning. He then said calmly, “When you go down, investigate who was present during our last conversation and who might have spread words that shouldn’t have been spread.”
Having received the prince’s order, Steward Gao immediately withdrew, his mind racing as he recalled the two conversations. Suddenly, everything became clear.
Anyone who could maintain a position in such a noble household was no fool. After careful consideration, Steward Gao’s back began to break out in cold sweat again.
Why would the prince need others to guess his thoughts when he asked questions? Moreover, why would Miss Lian suddenly befriend a merchant’s daughter she had no connection with? Could it be that the words had leaked from him, causing the prince’s displeasure?
Realizing this, Steward Gao couldn’t sleep that night. He immediately began interrogating his servants one by one. These servants were always watching and stepping on each other to gain position, so within two hours, he had gotten to the bottom of the matter.
Steward Gao gave the order, and those servants who dared to spread words to the inner court were tied up.