The people in the courtyard were all assigned by the mansion, and the mansion’s household management was in Madam’s hands. Now she couldn’t even get a cup of hot water – wasn’t it clear who had ordered them to neglect her?
Luo Meixiang!
After the Marquis heard her words, he would surely have opinions about the first wife, and the first wife wouldn’t gain any benefits from this matter either.
So who would be the one to benefit from this?
The Marquis’s wife!
Look, just now the Marquis came in a fury – wasn’t it all to seek justice for the Marquis’s wife?
Her grandmother had once said that the mistresses of great households often staged dramas of “removing the mother while keeping the child.”
Now that she was confined, and all the people in the courtyard were the Marquis’s wife’s subordinates, it would be all too simple for them to put something in her food.
If she fell ill and died, this…
Concubine Yue broke out in cold sweat. The various “death by illness” methods she had envisioned when encountering Qin Shuying in the garden immediately played out in her mind.
Only this time, the protagonist had changed to herself instead of Qin Shuying.
Concubine Yue anxiously paced in circles around the room.
No, she had to go find the Old Madam!
The Old Madam had been quite good to her these past days. Though her expression was indifferent, she had seen her several times.
However, tonight was absolutely impossible to go.
That night, Concubine Yue barely slept at all.
The next morning, after washing and dressing, Concubine Yue was about to go out.
Just as she walked under the eaves, a matron with an unfriendly expression came over: “Where is the concubine planning to go?”
Concubine Yue took out a gold ingot and, using her wide sleeves as cover, placed it in the matron’s hand: “Nanny, the Old Madam said yesterday that she wanted me to come over today as she had matters to ask me about. I’ll go and come right back.”
It was indeed true that the Old Madam had seen her several times these past days.
But the matron wasn’t fooled and sneered: “If the Old Madam summoned the concubine, why would the concubine need to do this?”
She raised the gold ingot in her hand.
Concubine Yue’s face burned with shame – she had truly added unnecessary details to her lie.
No matter what Concubine Yue said, the matron simply wouldn’t let her out. Moreover, breakfast became even more perfunctory than before, and the matron declared righteously: “Since you’re confined, you should act like someone who’s confined.”
Concubine Yue was helpless, locked in Tinglan Pavilion, unable to take a single step outside.
After just one day, she was like a caged beast, nearly driven mad.
Though the days she had lived before were impoverished, she had always moved freely through mountains and fields – where had she ever suffered such restraint?
She clamored to see A Yuan and A Ning, but was mercilessly rebuffed.
Within three days, Concubine Yue had reviewed her grandmother’s previous words countless times in her mind, suddenly understanding the bloodless killing methods of great households.
Liang Yunshan had taken some of Concubine Yue’s words to heart, so the next day after court, he had someone summon Liang Zhe to the outer study.
These days, under pressure from Emperor Delong, Liang Yunshan attended court earlier than anyone else, so he wouldn’t have breakfast at home. Therefore, he had no opportunity to see Qin Shuying.
The matter was caused by Qin Shuying, but he was the father-in-law – he couldn’t very well go to Songtao Residence to scold Qin Shuying. What would that look like?
So Liang Yunshan planned to scold Liang Zhe and have him properly manage his wife.
After waiting in the outer study for a long time, Mingcha returned saying that the eldest young master hadn’t returned yet.
Liang Yunshan was furious: “Go to Songtao Residence and ask the first wife to come speak!”
Mingcha went for quite a while, and when he returned, he hung his head and said: “The first wife said that the mansion has its rules, and she dares not break them. The outer study is where the masters conduct business, and she, a young daughter-in-law who can’t even touch the threshold of household management, would break the rules if she entered the outer study, so she dares not come.”
Mingcha looked miserable. He was a capable person by the Marquis’s side – whoever saw him would smile before speaking and try every means to curry favor with him.
But the first wife was different. She gave smiles and offered good tea, but just wouldn’t come over, absolutely refusing to come, and when she spoke of principles, she had heaps of them.
Even he, who prided himself on having some eloquence, was left dizzy by the first wife’s words.
Liang Yunshan was so angry he nearly fell backward: “This is truly rebellious, reaching to the heavens!”
No matter how angry Liang Yunshan became, Qin Shuying simply wouldn’t meet with him face to face. No matter how furious Liang Yunshan was, he couldn’t have someone tie up Qin Shuying and drag her to the outer study, nor could he run to Songtao Residence to scold her.
His anger made Liang Yunshan actually laugh.
He truly hadn’t expected that he would be played in circles by a fourteen-year-old girl.
She knew nothing good would come of meeting him, so she was doing everything possible to avoid him.
No rush – that rascal Liang Zhe would have to come home eventually!
After noon, as soon as Liang Zhe returned, he was caught by Mingcha, who had been waiting at the main gate, and escorted to the outer study.
As a great general, Liang Yunshan naturally wasn’t someone who could be easily controlled by a few words from others, nor was he petty-minded.
It was just that his ears were somewhat soft, often being provoked into losing his reason by two or three words from his respected mother and beloved Luo Meixiang.
Having conducted business in the outer study for half the day, his anger had already dissipated by more than half.
Seeing Liang Zhe enter, he only then remembered about Qin Shuying’s matter. He glared at him and said irritably: “Your father has been angered to death by your wife – do you care or not?”
This feeling…
Liang Zhe was momentarily stunned, then said with a grin: “Father, Shuying is young and somewhat mischievous. Please don’t hold it against a child.”
Liang Yunshan slammed the table, looking imposing, though his actual destructive power had long been dissipated by his anger: “She’s already married – what child is she?”
Liang Zhe continued grinning: “Father, even when we’re seventy years old, we’re still Father’s children.”
Liang Yunshan rubbed his forehead, looking at Liang Zhe with a headache.
This rascal really knew how to choose a wife.
After most of the day had passed, where was his anger?
He couldn’t get fired up anymore – what was he to do?
He’d been tricked!
Liang Zhe naturally already knew about Liang Yunshan summoning Qin Shuying. He had come home specifically to resolve this matter: “Father, I heard about something – I don’t know if it’s true.”
Liang Yunshan said irritably: “What matter!”
“Father, that day you asked me about Princess Qin’an…”
Having said this much, Liang Zhe fell silent.
Seeing his expression of “I understand in my heart but won’t ask,” Liang Yunshan became angry. He glared at him. Anyway, Liang Zhe served before the Emperor, so his information was certainly faster than others’ – he hadn’t planned to hide it from him indefinitely.
However, this matter was truly somewhat uncomfortable to discuss. Liang Yunshan pointed at the door: “Go, go, go – get out of here, scram!”
Liang Zhe quickly scrammed.
Walking outside, Liang Zhe looked back at the entrance to the outer study, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
To be able to sit in this position and maintain Emperor Delong’s trust for so many years, Liang Yunshan was naturally no ordinary person.
It was just that whenever he was provoked by Old Madam Liang and Luo Meixiang, he would immediately change face and become unreasonable.
According to his uncle’s account, the original matter had basically been suppressed under his maternal grandfather’s strong promotion. Why had the Pingxi Marquis later become like this?