After the banquet, the Great Young Madam’s position in the inner courtyard became even more secure. Not only had she moved in to live with the Prince as husband and wife, but she had also won the Marquis Dingxi’s favor. The poem the Young Madam recited at the Mid-Autumn banquet was personally written down by the Marquis Dingxi, framed, and hung in his room.
“She even smiled and asked the Marquis for that calligraphy, saying she wanted to hang her father’s precious work in her room to absorb some literary talent…” Nanny Su said to Madam Xie.
Madam Xie let out a snorting laugh through her nose.
“The Marquis is truly satisfied now. This beautiful daughter-in-law is finally both talented and beautiful.”
She said this while slowly turning the teacup in her hands.
Indeed, the Marquis had laughed heartily at the time, and Concubine Zhou had also joined in to please him.
“That lowly slave is also satisfied. Her scheming wasn’t in vain,” Madam Xie said with cold laughter, placing her teacup heavily on the kang table.
“The Young Madam also…” Nanny Su continued.
Just as she began speaking, a maid outside announced that the Second Madam had arrived.
When the Second Madam entered the courtyard, she saw Madam Xie come down the steps to personally support her.
“If there’s anything, just send someone to call me, and I’ll come over. Why did you come out yourself again?” Madam Xie said with some worried reproach.
Chen Shi smiled and took her hand.
“I’m fine. I just came to see how sister-in-law is doing,” she said.
Madam Xie pulled her into the room, and they sat down as host and guest. A’Luan personally served tea.
“Second Madam can’t have this tea,” Madam Xie said.
“Yes, this servant remembers. This is Tongmu Pass tea,” A’Luan said with a smile.
Only then did Madam Xie nod with relief.
“You’re so thoughtful, child,” Chen Shi said with a smile, looking at Madam Xie. “Thank you, sister-in-law.”
“What are you saying?” Madam Xie looked at her and sighed. “Your health was getting better, but back then it was for my sake that things became like this…”
Speaking of this, she smiled bitterly again.
“After all, you suffered for nothing,” she said, her expression unable to hide her grief and anger.
Nanny Su was perceptive and waved her hand, leading the maids out of the room, leaving only A’Luan and the Second Madam’s senior maid Cai Qing to attend nearby.
“Sister-in-law, I heard that elder brother is becoming more and more fond of Yueniang?” Chen Shi began.
The children from the West Mansion had all been at the banquet that day and naturally saw how that lowly slave had delighted the Marquis Dingxi.
Madam Xie laughed mockingly.
“It would be strange if he weren’t fond of her,” she said. “Any beautiful woman looks good to him. That’s also why that old witch was so confident back then.”
She stopped herself after saying “old witch.”
Chen Shi seemed not to hear and sighed gently.
The room fell silent for a moment.
“I heard about last night, so I specially came to see sister-in-law,” Chen Shi said, looking at Madam Xie. “Sister-in-law, don’t let anger harm yourself. You must know that harming yourself will only please those people more.”
Madam Xie’s constantly tense expression gradually relaxed, and the sadness on her face could no longer be concealed.
“I’m not angry, I’m just unwilling to accept it,” she said slowly, her voice trembling. “I’m unwilling, I’m unwilling!”
Chen Shi’s eyes filled with tears as she walked to her and grasped her hands.
“Sister-in-law, we still have options, we still have options,” she consoled.
“What options are there? It’s a marriage decreed by the Emperor—she can’t be divorced. That old witch blocked all paths. Unless… unless that lowly slave dies,” Madam Xie murmured. When she reached the word “dies,” her eyes lit up.
Chen Shi noticed the hands she was holding had clenched into fists and quickly called out “Sister-in-law.”
“Sister-in-law, you mustn’t, you mustn’t. For this woman, you can’t take risks. If anything happens to you, Cheng-ge’er won’t escape involvement either. Don’t look at how cold and ignored Qiu Tong Courtyard seems—secretly, so many eyes are watching,” she hurriedly whispered.
Madam Xie’s clenched hands finally relaxed.
“Even if she died, what good family’s daughter would be willing to come as a second wife?” She returned to sadness, tears falling. “Our Cheng-ge’er is ultimately ruined by her.”
“No, no. Our Cheng-ge’er has both looks and status. Young and already favored by the Emperor—you couldn’t find such a good match even with a lantern. So many families dream of joining us. Not to mention as a legitimate wife, even to be a concubine, they’d fight over it,” Chen Shi quickly said with a smile. “These days I’ve suddenly received many invitations—some inviting me to visit, others wanting to visit our home. I was puzzled why I suddenly became so popular after being ill for so long. It was clever Cai Qing who figured out that they weren’t coming to see me at all—they were clearly looking for opportunities to come to our home, hoping to be noticed by you, sister-in-law…”
Madam Xie couldn’t help but laugh at her amusing description.
“How could you demean yourself like that? You were always popular,” she said with a laugh, patting Chen Shi’s hand and wiping her tears with a handkerchief, calling to Cai Qing. “Since you’re said to be clever, why don’t you quickly support your mistress instead of letting her stand for so long?”
Cai Qing was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, not particularly beautiful, but with dimples when she smiled that made her very endearing. She smiled and quickly helped the Second Madam back to her seat.
With this crying, laughing, and talking, Madam Xie felt the depression in her heart had indeed dissipated considerably. Looking at Chen Shi’s frail and sickly appearance, she sighed.
“There will be a way, sister-in-law. Don’t worry,” Chen Shi said with a slight smile.
Madam Xie let out a long breath.
“That lowly slave has been taught by that lowly woman to become increasingly cunning. She stirs up trouble in this mansion, winning over the Marquis with just a few words…”
She continued: “Everyone in the family has seen it—she’s won the Marquis’s favor and moved into Cheng-ge’er’s courtyard. Who can do anything about her now…”
“By the way,” Chen Shi interrupted her question upon hearing this, quickly asking, “How did Cheng-ge’er let her…”
Madam Xie glanced at her.