Chapter 60
Playing Dirty

Huai Su said, “I don’t like her either, but the Marquis favors her.”

She had served Jiang Xingjian since childhood and knew him well. She didn’t believe Jiang Xingjian would like someone like Lin Jiayue, but now he was infatuated with her, which Huai Su found suspicious.

“I guess Concubine Lin used some seductive means to enchant the Marquis, making him forget about the young madam.”

“You know how much trouble Concubine Lin has caused since she entered the mansion. Staying by the Marquis’s side will only bring him more trouble.”

Huai Su took off her hairpin and put it into her jewelry box.

Her jewelry box was sparse, with few valuable items. She had received many rewards while serving in the old madam’s room, but since being given to Jiang Xingjian by the old madam, her resources had become tight.

During the six years Jiang Xingjian was away, she was no different from Song Wan, both living like widows, one openly and one secretly. Recently, she had been playing cards with Mother Jiang and Lin Jiayue every day, losing a lot of money and now struggling financially.

Shi Zhu didn’t understand. “Since you know she brings trouble to the first master, why do you support her in managing the household?”

“I’m not supporting her; I believe in the young madam.”

Huai Su closed the jewelry box and said softly, “You grew up in the mansion. Although you didn’t have much contact with the young madam, we were all in the same courtyard. What kind of person do you think the young madam is?”

“The young madam is wise and kind. I always thought she was the most gentle and kind person in the world.”

“You’re right.”

Huai Su’s tone was slightly low, “The young madam is indeed very wise, so how could she allow someone as crude and foolish as Concubine Lin to run wild in the Marquis Mansion and even covet the household management?”

“But since she did, it means the young madam has her own plans.”

“What plans?”

Huai Su said, “It’s a strategy to let her rise and then fall.”

“Let her take charge, manage the household, and then make some catastrophic mistakes. This way, she can be easily kicked out of the mansion. If not, Concubine Lin, relying on the Consort’s favor and the Marquis’s affection, would continue to be arrogant for who knows how long.”

“No wonder. I also found it strange that the young madam, a girl from the Song family, would be overshadowed by Concubine Lin.”

Shi Zhu lowered her voice, “Now I understand what you mean, sister.”

“The Marquis has always adhered to the principles of a gentleman, but after meeting Concubine Lin, he eloped with her without a matchmaker, ruining his reputation. Such a person cannot stay in the mansion.”

Huai Su sat on the couch, hugging a soft pillow, and murmured, “Only someone like the young madam, who is as perfect as a deity, is worthy of the Marquis. What is Concubine Lin compared to her? The Marquis can only benefit from the Song family’s support if he is in love with the young madam. Otherwise, this marriage will fail, and Concubine Lin will bring the Song family’s resentment, which will be detrimental to the Marquis’s future.”

“So I need to find a way to help the young madam succeed and get rid of that troublemaker as soon as possible.”

Shi Zhu held Huai Su’s hand and nodded repeatedly, “Sister, you are right. Is there anything I can help with?”

“There is indeed something.” Huai Su whispered a few words in her ear, and then they went to remove their makeup and prepare for bed.

The next day at noon, Huai Su went to find Lin Jiayue with a redwood box.

“Concubine Lin…”

“Do you need something from me?”

Although they lived in the same courtyard, they didn’t have much interaction, and Lin Jiayue was quite curious about why Huai Su came to her today.

“There is something.” Huai Su blushed, “I know Concubine Lin is good at making money and has many ways and connections. I was wondering if you could help me earn a little silver to ease my financial situation.”

She pushed the redwood box in front of Lin Jiayue and continued, “This is my capital. Although it’s not much, it’s most of my savings.”

“Have you been losing a lot recently?” Thinking about how she had been trying various ways to please Mother Jiang these past few days, causing Huai Su to lose quite a bit of money as well, Lin Jiayue couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. After some thought, she took out a purse from under her pillow and grabbed a handful of gold beans, placing them on the table.

“Take these. I don’t need your things.” Huai Su gently pushed them back, “I can’t take your things for no reason.”

“If you don’t have money and I do, why not just take some from me? Why push it back and forth?”

With that, Lin Jiayue grabbed the gold beans from the table and forced them into Huai Su’s hand.

Huai Su looked a bit troubled and sighed softly, “In that case, I won’t be polite with Concubine Lin. I really am short on money.”

“I know. This morning, Qing Hong saw your little maid secretly looking for a servant, saying she wanted to pawn something.”

Seeing Huai Su’s embarrassment, Lin Jiayue smiled generously, “We all live in the same courtyard. If you have any difficulties, just speak up. There’s no need to hide it.”

“Receiving help from Concubine Lin is already very embarrassing. I won’t trouble you with anything else.”

Huai Su spoke gently and paused for a moment, “Concubine Lin is straightforward and generous, which has its advantages in the Marquis Mansion, but sometimes it can also lead to losses.”

“That’s true.” Understanding that Huai Su didn’t want to owe her a favor and was trying to give her some advice, Lin Jiayue leaned on the table, ready to listen.

“Madam thinks highly of you, but your carefree and unrestrained nature worries her. If you could be a bit more cautious, there would be great fortune in the future.”

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘unrestrained behavior.'”

Huai Su smiled gently, “The young madam is a model of propriety in her interactions with others. She is always neither too close nor too distant, neither too familiar nor too aloof. We servants could never tell who she favored or disliked, so we dared not act out in her presence.”

“Considering there are only a few dozen masters in the Marquis Mansion but thousands of servants, sometimes it’s better to offend a master than to offend a servant.”

Lin Jiayue frowned, “When did I offend the servants?”

Huai Su pursed her lips and then called a young maid from the courtyard to fetch some items from the storeroom. When the maid returned, Huai Su said gently, “Thank you for running this errand. Why don’t you sit down and have some tea? I’ll ask Shi Zhu to bring you a bowl.”

The young maid replied with a smile, “No need, I have some sour cakes my mother brought from the front yard. I was thinking of having one.”

“Thank you for your hard work. I’m sorry to have interrupted your time with your sister.”

Huai Su took out a small piece of silver from her sleeve and smiled, “Take this and buy some snacks to share with your friends.”

Lin Jiayue watched as the young maid’s initial reluctance turned into joy, and her brow furrowed slightly.

Seeing this, Huai Su said, “There are ways to treat subordinates. Kind words, tea and wine, and silver rewards are all essential to win their hearts and make them loyal to Concubine Lin.”

Lin Jiayue initially thought it was unnecessary to go to such lengths for a simple errand, but then she remembered that Song Wan often did the same, frequently hearing her or her maids talking about buying wine, sweets, or snacks for the servants.

Seeing that Lin Jiayue had taken her words to heart, Huai Su smiled and left.

Lin Jiayue leaned on the table, thinking for a long time, and then called Qian Bi, “How do you think I treat you?”

“I think there’s no better master than you.”

Qian Bi had heard Huai Su’s words earlier and thought for a moment, “But Sister Huai Su is right. The other masters in the mansion treat their servants this way, and the Marquis Mansion is very kind to us.”

“I think Sister Huai Su is well-intentioned in giving you this advice.”

Lin Jiayue snorted, “Her words make sense, but they may not be out of kindness. It seems more like she wants me to take control of the household quickly and focus on dealing with Song Wan.”

“This strategy of using others to do her dirty work is something I’ve seen through.”