Of course, she wanted to summon that lowly servant to question her!
Let’s see what she relied on to be so brazenly audacious!
Madam Fan sneered coldly.
Between wife and concubine lay a vast gulf. If Madam Fei didn’t follow the rules, what could Madam do even if she punished her?
If everyone behaved like Madam Fei, thinking they could do whatever they pleased just by pleasing Yu Jingxiu, wouldn’t the world fall into chaos?
With these thoughts flashing through her mind, Madam Fan’s expression grew colder.
Mozhuang understood clearly and, without waiting for Madam Fan’s instructions, went to summon Madam Fei.
Madam Fan looked at her ordinary features that somehow appeared graceful due to her composed demeanor, and inexplicably felt a surge of irritation.
“Yesterday, after you bought those new handkerchiefs from Cloud Embroidery Shop, where else did you go?” Madam Fan fixed her with a frosty gaze.
Madam Fei smiled and replied, “I went to Miss Min’s place in Needleworkers’ Hutong.”
Madam Fan was stunned.
She had expected Madam Fei to panic and stammer excuses, allowing her to reveal her discovery and severely reprimand Madam Fei, teaching her a harsh lesson when she least expected it.
But unexpectedly, Madam Fei had calmly admitted it as if it were nothing!
What did Madam Fei mean by this?
Wasn’t she afraid of being scolded?
Was she simply relying on being the Madam’s person?
Thinking of these things—the humiliation of her mother-in-law sending a concubine to her husband and Madam Fei’s secret loyalty to Yu Jingxiu behind her back—old and new grievances surged in her heart, making it burn with anger.
“Who told you to go there?” Madam Fan snapped back to her senses and, imitating Madam Yu’s angry manner, slammed her hand on the kang table with a loud “bang.” “Who do you think you are? You tell me you’re going to buy handkerchiefs, but you’re sneaking around visiting people—one face in public, another in private. Have you no sense of propriety? Is this how the Madam taught you?”
Before Madam Fan mentioned the Madam, Madam Fei had been standing there with lowered eyes and a submissive demeanor. But when Madam Fan mentioned the Madam, Madam Fei suddenly raised her head, a flash of sharpness in her eyes, and interrupted Madam Fan: “First Madam, please calm your anger. I truly was going to Cloud Embroidery Shop that day, but as I was leaving, I happened to meet the Master. He said that with the Lantern Festival approaching, he wondered how Miss Min was preparing for the celebrations. Last winter, when the court was fighting with the Koreans, even with money, silver frost charcoal was hard to buy. Miss Min had purchased five cartloads at the Beginning of Winter, but with this year’s late spring chill, he feared she might not have enough. Had he known, he would have bought more in reserve. He asked me to check on her and to deliver five hundred taels in banknotes.”
“I had intended to inform First Madam, but just after the Master left, I encountered the Madam.”
“The Madam scolded me right away.”
“She said the Lantern Festival hadn’t even arrived yet, and I was already running around everywhere. She told me to stay home unless necessary. She also asked if First Madam knew I was going out.”
“Fearing the Madam would say I didn’t understand proper conduct, I quickly told her that I wouldn’t dare step beyond the hanging flower gate without First Madam’s approval.”
“The Madam did not comment, but noticing the stack of banknotes in my hand, asked what I was doing.”
“I dared not conceal anything and told the Madam everything about the Master, asking me to deliver money to Miss Min.”
“The Madam said nothing and left, supported by Matron Shu.”
“Seeing that the Madam didn’t seem to object, and still mindful of the Master’s instructions, I went to Needleworkers’ Hutong first, then to Cloud Embroidery Shop to buy handkerchiefs.”
“What did you say?” Madam Fan was thunderstruck, her face instantly turning as white as paper. “You say the Madam knew you were delivering money to Miss Min?”
Madam Fei nodded, confused by the reaction. “Of course she knew.” She continued, “Last time, when I was delivering Laba beans to Miss Min, Matron Shu happened to be there on Madam’s orders, getting Laba beans from the kitchen. She said Madam Ji from the Honor Department Hutong liked them, and since Madam was visiting the Ji family in a few days, she wanted to bring some for Madam Ji to try. When she found out I was taking Laba beans to Miss Min, Matron Shu even told me which beans were good and which weren’t…”
“You, you…” Madam Fan trembled with anger. She wanted to point at Madam Fei and curse her soundly, but having never cursed anyone from childhood, she didn’t know how to begin. Yet if she didn’t berate Madam Fei, the fire burning in her chest would be unbearable. After pointing at Madam Fei for a long while, she finally spat through gritted teeth, “You honeyed words and poisoned heart, despicable and shameless…”
Madam Fei listened with trepidation, stepped forward, and knelt before her: “First Madam, every word I’ve said is true. If you don’t believe me, you can send Miss Mozhuang to ask Old Lady Bai from the kitchen. She was there too and helped Matron Shu and me pack the Laba beans…”
Hearing this, Madam Fan swayed several times, then suddenly collapsed backward onto the large kang by the window.
“First Madam, First Madam…” Mozhuang had never witnessed such a scene and was so frightened that her legs went weak. She held Madam Fan’s body and began to cry.
Madam Fei scrambled to her feet.
“What happened? What’s wrong with First Madam?” She rushed forward.
If not for this Madam Fei, the First Madam wouldn’t have fainted from anger.
With hatred in her heart, Mozhuang viciously elbowed Madam Fei in the chest: “Get away! Hurry and call for help!”
Caught off guard, Madam Fei grimaced and sucked in several sharp breaths of cold air. A shadow of gloom flashed across her face as she watched Mozhuang’s back, but it quickly vanished without a trace. While loudly calling for the maids and matrons who had been sent away by Madam Fan, she approached again. Before the servants could enter, she said with a worried, anxious expression: “Miss Mozhuang, this won’t do! Even if we send for a doctor now, it would be too late by the time he arrives. I used to care for my sick cousin, and the doctor told me that in situations like this, the best method is to press the philtrum—one press and she’ll wake up.” After saying this, she forcefully pushed Mozhuang aside, supported Madam Fan herself, and pressed her philtrum, instructing Mozhuang during this time, “Quickly fetch a pot of cold water. When First Madam wakes, it will help clear her mind.”
The maids and matrons had already filed in and saw Madam Fei pressing the philtrum of the unconscious First Madam. Two of the older ones came forward to help.
Seeing that Madam Fei wasn’t talking nonsense, Mozhuang dared not leave but instructed a young maid to bring a cup of cold water.
When Madam Fei saw this, she let one of the matrons beside her continue pressing Madam Fan’s philtrum while she took the teacup, sucked in some cold water, and spat it onto Madam Fan’s face.
Madam Fan made a soft moaning sound.
Mozhuang was overjoyed.
Madam Fei’s expression was excited: “Wonderful, First Madam is alright…” She then sucked in another mouthful of cold water and sprayed it onto Madam Fan’s face again with a “poof.”
After continuing this for quite some time, Madam Fan finally regained consciousness.
Mozhuang was elated. She stepped forward to support Madam Fan, helping her lean against the large welcoming pillow on the kang. She brewed a cup of tea for Madam Fan to drink. Seeing Madam Fan’s face covered in water, even soaking the front of her gold-threaded red jacket, she ordered the maids to bring water for Madam Fan to wash her face, opened the wardrobe to take out a rose-red four-season auspicious padded garment for Madam Fan to change into, and sent a maid to inform Steward Yu to call for a doctor to examine Madam Fan…
By the time all this was done, it was already dusk.
Madam Fan felt a burning pain in her philtrum. Looking in the mirror, she discovered that the skin had been broken by fingernails, leaving it red and swollen. She simply hadn’t noticed earlier due to her distress.
Mozhuang jumped up in anger: “I’m going to find that Madam Fei…”
“Come back!” Madam Fan stopped Mozhuang sharply. “I can’t even control a concubine—do you want the Yu family servants to laugh at me?”
Mozhuang sheepishly turned back.
Madam Fan’s teeth were clenched tightly as she said to Mozhuang: “Go and find out if it’s true as Madam Fei says, that everyone in the household knows about the affairs in Needleworkers’ Hutong, and only we have been kept completely in the dark…”
Before she finished speaking, Mozhuang’s face had already changed dramatically. She softly acknowledged with a “yes” and left Madam Fan’s inner chamber with her head lowered.
Madam Fan lay quietly alone on the kang, her face alternating between shades of green and white.
Without distinction between principal and secondary wives, there were no rules. Without rules, there could be no proper order. Without proper order, there would be no standards for conduct. Without standards for conduct, family members would act recklessly.
Madam Yu was the family matriarch and should clearly understand these principles—how could she tolerate Miss Min’s existence?
Yet judging by Madam Fei’s tone, she didn’t seem to be lying. Otherwise, a simple investigation would expose her.
Thinking of this, Madam Fan’s temples began to throb.
Her husband, worried that Miss Min might have a lonely Lantern Festival, especially sent Madam Fei to visit her. Fearing she might be cold in the chilly weather, he sent five hundred taels of silver… just as he would treat her… preparing brown sugar water when she had her monthly period. In summer, knowing her weak constitution, he never allowed maids to serve her iced food or drinks…
The tenderness that once belonged to her was now bestowed upon another woman.
Madam Fan felt as if she had drunk half a bottle of vinegar, sour through and through.
As she was deep in thought, Mozhuang returned.
Her lips were tightly pressed together, her face ashen.
Madam Fan’s heart sank, and she looked at Mozhuang with pleading eyes.
Tears immediately began to fall from Mozhuang’s eyes.
Madam Fan felt as if all the strength had been drained from her body, and she collapsed onto the bed.
For a time, the room was completely silent.
After an unknown period, Madam Fan, unwilling to give up, asked Mozhuang: “What did Old Lady Bai say?”
Mozhuang kept her head lowered: “…Earlier, the Master had also sent Madam Fei to deliver dried fish to Needleworkers’ Hutong. Everyone in the household seems to know about it…”
Madam Fan closed her eyes, tears seeping from the corners.
“What does he want to do? How does humiliating me make him look better?” Her expression was resentful as she struggled to sit up.
Mozhuang quickly moved forward to support Madam Fan.
But Madam Fan waved her hand, pushing Mozhuang away.
“I want to see my mother-in-law,” she murmured. “I want to ask her clearly why she’s doing this. Not only does she not stop him, but she allows him to do whatever he wants… What have I done wrong? Am I not also anxious about producing heirs? Do I wish to have an empty nest? Haven’t I bought several maids with clean backgrounds and beautiful faces to serve Depu? It’s Depu himself who is unwilling, what can I do…” As she spoke, she sat there motionless, her gaze vacant.
Seeing her strange demeanor, Mozhuang called out “First Madam” with some alarm.
“When he had me in his heart, he was also unwilling to touch others…” Madam Fan grabbed Mozhuang’s hand. “He didn’t like the maids I found… I thought he still cared for me… but it wasn’t that… he was thinking of her…”