Yu Jingxiu and Madam Fan were in the inner chamber. As Concubine Fei entered the hall, she could still hear Madam Fan’s sobbing: “…You say I’m wrongly accusing you, but anyone who heard about this would ‘wrongly accuse’ you… Renting a house to accommodate her, making connections everywhere, finding people to serve her, spending two thousand taels of silver in total. She’s not a five or six-year-old girl; she only brought an inexperienced wet nurse and a small maid, yet dared to travel from Shandong to the capital. Such a person—you say she knows nothing? Try telling that to others and see if anyone believes you! I think she’s pretending to be ignorant while taking advantage of you as a fool. Only you don’t realize you’ve fallen into her trap, and instead treasure and cherish her…” Her tone was bitter with jealousy.

Concubine Fei’s heart skipped a beat as she listened.

What a coincidence—like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse—she had guessed correctly!

From the inner chamber came Yu Jingxiu’s angry shout: “Will you ever stop? What fool? What treasuring and cherishing? How many times do I have to explain to you?”

Concubine Fei’s mind raced.

Should she go in or not?

If she went in, she might not only provoke Madam Fan’s antipathy but also disgust the face-conscious Yu Jingxiu, potentially making her position in the Yu household untenable. If she didn’t go in, once Mozhuang regained her senses and caught up, making a commotion, she would equally be despised by Madam Fan and Yu Jingxiu for her impolite prying, and might even incur Yu Jingxiu’s wrath…

She took a deep breath.

Since the arrow was already on the bowstring, there was no turning back. She might as well do what she felt necessary. Even if she failed, looking back in the future, at least she wouldn’t have regrets.

Time was of the essence. Concubine Fei lifted the curtain and burst in.

“Young Madam, what’s the matter?” she entered with a kind expression. “If you have something to say, you can just speak to the Master directly. It’s the middle of the night, and although it’s raining, even the slightest noise travels far—I could hear it from the back-covered rooms. If it disturbs the Master and Madam, wouldn’t they be worried as well?” She then smiled and called to Mozhuang, who was chasing after her: “Please trouble yourself to bring some water for the First Madam, I’ll help her wash her face.” As she spoke, she walked to Madam Fan, took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, bent down, and offered it to her, saying softly, “First Madam, please wipe your face.” Then she straightened up and addressed Yu Jingxiu, “Master, you should know better. The First Madam helps the Madam manage the household, busy every day, all while worrying about whether you’re well in Shandong, whether you’re eating properly, dressing warmly enough, and being well-served. Yet you return to the capital and instead of accompanying the First Madam, you’re out all day. The First Madam can’t even find you to say a few intimate words…” Her tone carried both complaint and indignation.

Yu Jingxiu and Madam Fan were stunned.

After the initial shock of Concubine Fei’s intrusion, Mozhuang’s surprise had been replaced by boundless anger.

Concubine Fei was merely a neglected concubine, yet she dared to push her aside and barge into the First Madam’s inner chamber.

Who did she think she was? When the First Madam and Master were quarreling, was it her place to interfere?

So when Concubine Fei instructed her, she raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but say sarcastically: “Concubine Fei, I am the First Madam’s maid. I don’t believe it’s your place to give me orders.” But before she finished speaking, she saw Yu Jingxiu cast a cold glance her way, making her heart tighten, forcing her to swallow the rest of her words.

Yu Jingxiu’s gaze grew even colder.

When Madam Fan was making a scene earlier, Mozhuang had stood by silently. Now that someone had come to mediate, she was asserting her authority. Regardless, Concubine Fei was his concubine—how could a mere maid dare to reprimand her? If she dared to behave this way in his presence, one could imagine how arrogant she must be in his absence.

Sensing Yu Jingxiu’s anger, Mozhuang shuddered. Thinking of Madam Fan’s dislike for Concubine Fei, she inwardly smiled coldly, deciding to settle scores with Concubine Fei later. She curtsied and withdrew to instruct the servants to fetch water.

After Mozhuang left, Yu Jingxiu’s gaze fell on Madam Fan.

Madam Fan had taken Concubine Fei’s handkerchief, crumpled it fiercely, and thrown it forcefully to the ground.

Concubine Fei’s face showed slight embarrassment.

She slowly bent down, picked up the handkerchief that Madam Fan had thrown on the ground, and silently turned to pour tea for both Yu Jingxiu and Madam Fan. She handed Yu Jingxiu’s tea to him respectfully yet silently, while placing Madam Fan’s tea gently on the kang table. Holding the red-lacquered begonia-shaped tea tray with both hands, she softly encouraged Madam Fan: “First Madam, please drink some hot tea, it will make you feel better.”

After crying and arguing for so long, Madam Fan’s eyes were sore and her nose was stuffy, making her very uncomfortable. Although she disliked Concubine Fei, she wouldn’t neglect her well-being.

She didn’t refuse, picking up the teacup and taking a sip.

Not being scolded… Concubine Fei felt relieved. With her head slightly bowed, she softly persuaded Madam Fan: “You know the Master’s temperament better than anyone. He takes everything concerning you to heart. Even if there’s a huge issue, considering how much the Master respects you, please don’t be angry anymore.”

Madam Fan’s face darkened.

Were these words of mediation?

It sounded as if she was making an unreasonable fuss.

What did Concubine Fei know to speak so presumptuously?

As the thought flashed through her mind, a vague uneasiness welled up inside her.

Just as she was about to think more carefully, Mozhuang entered with water.

Concubine Fei hurried over to help with small items like the mirror and handkerchiefs, and helped Madam Fan wrap a cloth around her chest and remove her bracelets, assisting her in washing her face.

With this interruption, Madam Fan temporarily set aside the slight confusion in her heart.

After washing, Concubine Fei helped Madam Fan to freshen up her appearance.

Watching this, Yu Jingxiu stood up to leave.

With a “bang,” Madam Fan slammed the mirror she was holding onto the sandalwood dressing table: “Where are you going? This late at night, are you still going to Needle Maker Hutong to see that Miss Min? Don’t forget, the curfew is in effect outside, and if you want to go out, you’ll need your father-in-law’s name card. You might not care about losing face, but I do!” As she spoke, her eyes immediately reddened.

Yu Jingxiu felt both embarrassed and annoyed—embarrassed that Madam Fan would say such things in front of Concubine Fei, and annoyed that Madam Fan still didn’t trust him.

His face darkened as he lifted his foot to leave.

But then he heard Concubine Fei say softly: “First Madam, I don’t like to hear you speak this way.”

Since when did matters in this room depend on whether Concubine Fei liked it or not?

Give her an inch and she takes a mile, thinking she’s someone important!

Yu Jingxiu, Madam Fan, and Mozhuang all fell silent.

But Concubine Fei seemed not to notice their reaction and continued in a gentle voice: “Although I don’t know why the Master must go to Needle Maker Hutong to see Miss Min, the Master has studied the works of the sages since childhood. His actions are modest and upright. Even if he occasionally makes small mistakes in etiquette, he would never do anything that fails to uphold a gentleman’s virtue…”

Yu Jingxiu’s eyes brightened upon hearing this.

But Madam Fan became furious.

My relationship with Depu—what right do you have to interfere?

She was about to rebuke Concubine Fei, but Concubine Fei squatted beside her knee, looking up at her with a sincere expression, saying: “I don’t know what misunderstanding exists between you and the Master, so my words may be biased. You’re also angry right now, which might lead to some partiality. Don’t dwell on today’s events. I’ll go make you a bowl of almond milk. Drink it, have a good night’s sleep, and tomorrow morning, when your anger has subsided, you can discuss things properly with the Master. It’s not too late then.” Then she asked, “Does that sound good?”

Who wants to stay angry with their husband?

Madam Fan’s heart softened.

But she worried about Yu Jingxiu going to Needle Maker Hutong, showing some hesitation as she quickly glanced at him.

Understanding, Concubine Fei stood up with a smile and called softly to “Master,” saying: “Don’t go out today, stay home and talk things through with the First Madam. Whatever misunderstanding exists, once discussed openly, will dissipate like smoke.”

But Yu Jingxiu’s brow showed some hesitation.

Seeing this, the flame in Madam Fan’s heart flared up again.

In front of Concubine Fei and Mozhuang, she had already humbled herself, yet he wouldn’t give her any face. How could she maintain authority in front of these servants in the future?

Mozhuang’s words flashed through her mind: “…Miss Min only has a wet nurse and a maid with her. The Master goes to see her every day after court. Once, he even brought Master Chen Zhongming along…”

Jealousy bubbled up like a spring.

She could no longer contain herself and choked out: “I knew it, you can’t be kept in this room now. If you want to go, I won’t stop you. I can keep your person, but not your heart.” She then instructed Mozhuang, “Go tell the stable to prepare the carriage and horses; the Master is leaving…”

Mozhuang naturally knew Madam Fan was speaking out of anger and stood silently to the side.

“What nonsense are you talking?” Since Concubine Fei already knew, Yu Jingxiu no longer concealed anything. His brows furrowed, and irritation showed at the corners of his eyes, “Miss Min’s father was wrongfully imprisoned. I managed to help her navigate the Board of Punishments, and tonight I need to help her polish a petition which she’ll submit to the Board tomorrow… I’m going to the study to write the petition.”

For a legal case to move the Board of Punishments, this Miss Min must be from no ordinary background.

Yet it was curious why she only had a wet nurse and a maid with her.

Concubine Fei pondered silently, but her face remained impassive as she continued to persuade Madam Fan: “First Madam, the Master is now a Censor, an Imperial Censor who represents the Emperor! He deals with precisely these wrongful cases. If you suggest the Master has some personal interest in Miss Min…” She smiled, “The Master could easily obtain two thousand taels of silver elsewhere; why would he need to go through you openly? By doing so, he wasn’t intending to hide anything from you.”

Madam Fan lowered her head in thought. Thinking of the jade items Yu Jingxiu often held, the brush washer from the previous dynasty displayed on his desk, and the doting love both Madam Yu and Third Madam had for Yu Jingxiu, she bit her lip and said: “But two thousand taels of silver…”

“First Madam, perhaps you didn’t stay long in Nanjing?” Concubine Fei smiled, “When the Master was in Nanjing, he once spent five thousand taels of silver to buy a bronze vessel, played with it for a few days, then stored it in the warehouse of the Nanjing family home. Two thousand taels of silver, for the Master, is merely pocket change for buying a trinket. The Master probably hasn’t even given it much thought.” She smiled at Yu Jingxiu and said: “Isn’t that right, Master?”