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In a courtyard to the west of the Marquis of Yongning’s residence, Second Madam, Li was glaring at the plate of golden cakes with resentment, instructing, “Take this broken stuff and feed it to that useless cat.”
The “useless cat” referred to Li’s pet cat, named Gun.
Second Master Chu, Chu Ling’an, quickly interjected, “Mother, don’t waste it. If you don’t want it, I’ll have it. Even Third Aunt mentioned that Sister-in-law’s cooking rivals that of the imperial chefs.”
Li scolded him with a finger tap, saying, “You’re so easily bought over by this measly stuff.”
Chu Ling’an sighed, “Mother, please listen to your son’s advice. You’ve already offended everyone in this mansion. Don’t sour your relationship with Sister-in-law further. If you do, Grandfather will dislike you even more, and Father will become angrier. Before Grandmother passed away, she left us quite a bit of private wealth, and in recent years, Father has let you have your way with a lot of it. I estimate you have at least fifty thousand taels of silver in hand. Once we distribute our share and add the division money, life won’t be hard.”
After turning seven, Chu Ling’an was taken to the outer courtyard by the old Marquis. Although the old Marquis didn’t personally teach him every day, he hired good tutors for his grandson. He didn’t want his son and daughter-in-law to spoil his grandson, as it would spell the end of the Second Branch.
Chu Ling’an struggled academically and didn’t even pass the imperial examinations for minor officials. Last year, Third Master Chu arranged a job for him in the Imperial Guards. While he lacked the abilities of Chu Lingxuan, he was decent, steady, and without ulterior motives, making the old Marquis quite fond of him.
Li despised her son’s approach and was disappointed in his lack of ambition, resembling his father. She retorted, “Feel content after giving it away? Once it’s divided, we’ll just be a branch of the Marquis of Yongning. Your father doesn’t even hold a real position, and you’re just a seventh-rank minor official. Our branch will have completely fallen from grace.”
The thought of leaving the Marquis’s residence felt like a needle pricking Li’s heart. When she first married into the Marquis’s mansion, she had used some tactics to secure her position from her sister. Her husband’s disability was inconsequential, she became the mistress of the Marquis’s mansion, and that was what mattered most.
Later, when the main house faced troubles, she outwardly flattered Princess Rong Zhao while secretly taking advantage of the situation within the mansion, gaining many benefits. Several years later, seeing that Princess Rong Zhao had not borne a child, and Chu Lingxuan dared not return to the capital after having a daughter and seemingly going mad, she contemplated her next move.
Her gaze darkened as she spoke, “It’s all the old Marquis’s favoritism, he is too meddlesome. It’s only natural for a daughter-in-law to serve her in-laws, but they’ve turned it into a mess. If that Chen girl enters the princess’s mansion, it will be worse than what Ma endured back then. She probably won’t even survive childbirth, let alone keep her life.” Her pained expression twitched, adding, “What a pity… If Princess Rong Zhao fails to bear a son and the same fate befalls Lingxuan, then your uncle’s title will be yours. Once you inherit the title, we…”
“Foolish mother!” Chu Ling’an interjected sharply, rising to peek out the window and reassure himself that no one was eavesdropping. He then returned and whispered, “Mother, please abandon these foolish ideas. If these words spread, Grandfather, the main branch, the third branch, and Princess Rong Zhao won’t spare you. They won’t spare our family.”
His anxious demeanor amused Li, and she teased, “Look at you, getting so worked up over a few words. How will you handle bigger matters?” She added, chuckling, “I wonder how the Chen girl reacted to the red packet I gave her. Ha, I can’t stand her. A magistrate’s illegitimate daughter, ignorant of filial piety, unable to win over her younger sister-in-law, and only worth a measly sum of silver.”
Upon hearing that his mother had only given Chen Feng twenty taels of silver, Chu Ling’an sighed and remarked, “If Father finds out how you’ve acted, he will stay away for a year.”
Li retorted, “Don’t worry, that Chen girl won’t dare speak of it. The elders giving her twenty taels of silver as a greeting gift is clearly a snub, a slap in the face. She wouldn’t dare admit to being slapped in the face…”
In the evening, Chu Lingxuan returned to Bamboo Pavilion, and they went to Anrong Hall for dinner once again. Apart from festivals, the Chu family usually dined in their own rooms, but today, being a special occasion with new family ties, dinner was held here.
Chu Hua’s family had spent the day in Anrong Hall. Chu Hua had been living with Third Madam since she was ten years old, and their bond was strong, akin to mother and daughter, or sisters.
The men conversed in the main hall, while the women gathered in the west side room. Third Madam sat on the couch, playing with Heng, her young son. Chen Feng joined them at Third Madam’s invitation, and they shared laughter.
Meanwhile, Second Madam, Li engaged in quiet conversation with Chu Zhen, with the two illegitimate daughters sitting nearby, and Chu Lingqi’s wife, Young Madam Song, standing behind Li, ready to assist.
Li kept changing her mind, asking for tea one moment, fruits the next, and then complaining of shoulder pain, keeping Madam Song busy. It seemed like they had an agreement, with only Madam Song bustling around while the other servants stood idly by.
Finally, Second Madam, Li turned to Third Madam with a satisfied smile, remarking, “Lingqi’s wife is so virtuous. She knows how to serve her mother-in-law and be respectful to her younger sister-in-law. She’s a clever and well-behaved child.”
Taking a sip of tea, Third Madam chuckled, “I can’t keep up with what Sister-in-law believes. Just the other day, you complained that Lingqi’s wife was as blunt as a hammer, and now you say she’s clever?”
These remarks left Li red-faced, torn between wanting to retort and holding back. She awkwardly replied, “It was just a joke, but you took it seriously, sister.”
Third Madam quipped, “Oh, I’m such a gullible person. I tend to believe everything. However, I remember that when our mother-in-law was alive, she was renowned for her charity and never imposed strict rules on daughters-in-law. She always said that daughters-in-law were raised with love and care, just like their own children. With so many servants in the mansion, are we to treat daughters-in-law as mere servants?” She added with a serious tone, “Sister-in-law, now that I oversee this household, if there are any servants mistreating their superiors, or if you find any uncooperative servants, just let me know. I’ll have them sold off immediately.”
This statement not only embarrassed Madam Song but also sent shivers down the spines of the few servants behind Second Madam Li.
The battle of wits between the two was like a mosquito challenging an elephant. Li, thoroughly defeated, remained silent, sipping her tea with feigned innocence.
Watching the spectacle, Chu Hua chuckled and whispered to Chen Feng, “If Second Aunt Li dares to bully Sister-in-law, don’t hesitate to stand up for yourself. Third Aunt will have your back.”
Chen Feng nodded with a smile. She had only been staying here for half a month and preferred not to get involved unnecessarily. However, if Second Madam Li crossed a line, she wouldn’t hesitate to intervene.
The dinner was set in the flower hall of the inner courtyard, with men at one table and women and children at another.
Madam Song stood behind Li, serving and assisting her, while Chu Third Madam continued, “Lingqi’s wife, please sit and eat. Show respect to your mother-in-law, or gently guide your daughter-in-law. Here, I see servants standing idle while the masters are busy, making me feel tempted to discipline them.”