After the dust settled on the imperial consort selection, Qin Shuying and Lin Zilan met once. Lin Zilan appeared somewhat melancholy, “Shuying, His Highness the Fourth Prince is an excellent person, but there are still secondary consorts by his side. Sigh…”
Qin Shuying didn’t know how to comfort her.
Men having multiple wives and concubines was perfectly ordinary, let alone for a prince wielding great power.
With the imperial consort selection concluded, some rejoiced while others worried.
The most worried weren’t Lin Zilan, but Lu Ruyang and Liu Sujiang.
They had never expected to become primary consorts, so being made secondary consorts didn’t feel disappointing.
However, when a country bumpkin like Lin Zilan, whose background was even inferior to theirs, suddenly became the primary consort, they immediately felt indignant.
Besides indignation, Lu Ruyang felt additional heartbreak—the person she had originally favored was the Seventh Prince.
The Seventh Prince’s handsomeness was renowned throughout the capital. It was said that when he appeared on the streets, he would actually cause traffic jams.
Lu Ruyang had long given her heart to him and had wonderful encounters with the Seventh Prince, which was why she had followed Princess Fu’an around.
She had been aiming for the Seventh Prince all along, but ended up becoming the Fifth Prince’s secondary consort instead. Lu Ruyang was extremely upset.
Fortunately, though the Fifth Prince didn’t possess the Seventh Prince’s celestial appearance, he was still Consort De’s son—how bad could he be? After a period of sadness, Lu Ruyang quickly buried her feelings for the Seventh Prince.
Liu Sujiang, besides indignation, was extremely delighted. She had always admired the Seventh Prince’s unparalleled bearing, elegant and refined demeanor.
For a time, all the teahouses and taverns in the capital spoke of nothing but the family backgrounds, appearances, and talents of the princes’ consorts and secondary consorts. The teahouses and taverns made quite a profit.
When news reached Liang Qiong’s ears, she immediately fell ill.
The Fifth Prince…
Would marry after the New Year!
Liang Qiong knew the young lady who was to become the Fifth Prince’s consort. What was so good about her? Her appearance was inferior to her own, her background inferior to her own, her talents inferior to her own…
Yet such an ordinary person would become the consort of the capable and shrewd Fifth Prince, and might even… become empress in the future!
Old Madam Liang and Luo Meixiang also fell ill, though not because of the princes’ affairs, but because of Liang Zhe’s promotion.
Liang Yuan had not yet fully recovered, Liang Jie’s arm was completely ruined—what future prospects could they have?
Yet Liang Zhe was promoted and prospering, a favored figure before Emperor Delong.
Under such stark contrast, how could Luo Meixiang bear it?
Luo Meixiang had once thought to use Old Madam Liang’s illness as an opportunity to make Qin Shuying come serve her, thereby tormenting Qin Shuying, but received a cold glare from Old Madam Liang.
She felt agitated just seeing Qin Shuying, and if Qin Shuying served her, who knew what infuriating words might come from her mouth—saying things like how Liang Yunshan’s wisdom was all due to Old Madam Liang’s merit. Old Madam Liang most despised hearing such words.
Though Liang Yunshan said the three bullets’ origins couldn’t be traced, Old Madam Liang vaguely felt this matter must be related to Qin Shuying—Liang Yuan and Liang Jie must have done something to Qin Shuying to provoke her mad revenge.
Without asking, Old Madam Liang was certain of this. What Liang Yuan and Liang Jie were keeping in their hearts, Old Madam Liang could see through at a glance.
Now, Old Madam Liang no longer held her former thoughts of dismissing Qin Shuying.
Carefully recalling everything that had happened since Qin Shuying arrived at the Liang family, Qin Shuying was truly extraordinary.
At such a young age, advancing step by step with deep scheming, she had even guessed the truth about Zhao Wanniang’s death with near accuracy. Old Madam Liang felt deep wariness.
If she let her serve during illness, what if she said something inappropriate while sleeping at night? Wouldn’t that be regrettable?
Moreover, both Liang Zhe and Qin Shuying were ruthless types who had no regard for filial piety or righteousness. If this wretch Qin Shuying suddenly had the whim to smother her in the middle of the night, it wasn’t beyond possibility.
Anyway, since she was ill, Qin Shuying could claim externally that she died of illness. With that bastard Liang Zhe’s help, even Liang Yunshan might be fooled by them.
With these various concerns, Old Madam Liang avoided Qin Shuying like the plague. How could she give her a chance to get close?
Unable to persuade Old Madam Liang, Luo Meixiang’s dissatisfaction with her grew, though she only kept it in her heart and dared not speak.
Though ill, she gripped the household management power tightly, refusing to let it fall into Qin Shuying’s hands even if it meant death. However, with the year’s end approaching, there were truly many matters concerning both shops and estates. No matter how capable Luo Meixiang was, she couldn’t handle everything and had to let Meng Shi act as interim manager.
Though Meng Shi was somewhat simple-minded, she had managed affairs before and, having been the second madam of the marquis residence for so many years, wasn’t completely without ability. However, Old Madam Liang had always suppressed her vigorously, and Luo Meixiang constantly put on airs before her. As a concubine-born son’s wife, she had always been submissive and never took positions.
Now, the marquis residence had become an earl residence, the second and third young masters—one was disabled, one had just barely recovered his ability to walk, while Liang Zhe had gained His Majesty’s favor. The household’s fortunes had changed.
Meng Shi didn’t show anything on the surface, maintaining her submissive, indecisive appearance, but her attentiveness to Songtao Residence was obvious to discerning eyes—all the best things were prioritized for Songtao Residence’s use.
Qin Shuying was also ungracious, accepting everything as natural and proper.
Originally, this household should have been managed by her, Qin Shuying. Luo Meixiang held onto the power and wouldn’t let go, but she had no intention of fighting for it now. Though not managing the household, naturally the good things should be used by herself first.
After Liang Zhe’s promotion, more people wanted to see him—mostly colleagues or subordinates with matters to discuss. Meng Shi, uncharacteristically efficient, on the second day after Liang Zhe’s promotion, cleared out an exquisite independent courtyard in the outer residence to serve as Liang Zhe’s external study.
Liang Zhe’s external study and Liang Yunshan’s were positioned one in the east, one in the west—they couldn’t encounter each other even if they wanted to.
Qin Shuying viewed Meng Shi with new respect.
However, she was still somewhat curious. Meng Shi was smooth and diplomatic, but she wasn’t this clever. She must have listened to someone else’s advice to achieve such perfection.
Then, who could it be?
Qin Shuying’s mind flashed to the quiet, composed eyes of the usually silent Fourth Miss.
On the second day of the eleventh month, Liang Zhen returned to the capital with her daughter.
Liang Zhen’s return once again threw a stone into the seemingly calm pond of the Prince of Pacifying the West’s residence.
Meng Shi arranged for Liang Zhen and her daughter to stay in Zhen Garden.
Such a significant event naturally came to the attention of Old Madam Liang and Luo Meixiang. However, Liang Zhen didn’t come to see them on the day of her return, nor did they send someone to invite her.
The next day, the routine of morning greetings to Old Madam Liang resumed.
Old Madam Liang had been ill for some time and had just recovered. Her appearance hadn’t changed much, but her entire person seemed even more coldly aloof.
Since Liang Zhen had returned, she naturally had to come pay respects to Old Madam Liang.
Liang Yunshan and Liang Zhe were both on duty and not present. Everyone else came, including Liang Yuan and Liang Jie.
Liang Yuan had now fully recovered, while Liang Jie’s right hand was completely ruined. From now on, only Liang Yuan could compete with Liang Zhe for the position of heir to the earl’s residence.