Once these events from so many years ago were spoken aloud, both sisters-in-law first fell into a daze for a moment before exchanging bitter smiles. Yu Shi was more outspoken and sneered coldly: “Something from so many years ago, and she actually remembers it until now and has the face to tell her daughter about it. Moreover, she was inferior to begin with—when one loses face, one should reflect on oneself. What does it mean to push the blame onto others? After all these years, she hasn’t shown any growth. Whenever anything goes wrong, it’s always others’ fault. She herself is never at fault.”

The person was already gone, so what was the point of saying all this? Everyone knew the Worthy Consort held grudges, but they hadn’t expected her pettiness to reach such an extent. Yu Shi fell silent for a moment, then asked Madam Cui: “Should we mention something to Xiaoyi? At least she’ll have some precaution in the future.”

Just then, the Cui sisters and Song Chuyi returned from playing in the back, stepping through the entrance on a gentle breeze. Having just toured the garden, they still carried the fragrance of flowers, bringing in a wave of sweet scent as they entered.

The Cui sisters hadn’t changed much in these two years, but Song Chuyi had completely grown from a little girl into a graceful young lady. Her hair was styled in a drooping-bang divided-portrait coiffure, secured only with two round golden pearl hairpins. She wore an exquisite phoenix-holding-pearl hairpin inlaid with rice-sized pale pink pearls. When she lowered her head, the tassels fell down, making her look even more like a lotus emerging from water.

Yu Shi glanced at her, then looked at Madam Cui: “No wonder the old lady can’t forget her at every turn. If she saw her, she’d treasure her even more. Among all the girls in the family, none resembles Tingting as much as she does.”

Madam Cui drew her to sit beside her and carefully straightened her clothes: “This silver-white jacket really suits you. I still have several bolts of this color in my quarters—some cloud brocade, some Shu brocade. I’ll have them all brought to you later. Have Qing Ying make you several fashionable outfits.”

She then smiled at Cui Huaying and Cui Huayi: “You two also pick a few bolts of satin you like to take back to make spring shirts. Also, the palace bestowed five bolts of gauze-over-smoke silk—perfect for making summer clothes.”

Yu Shi knew she wanted to speak privately with Song Chuyi about past events, so she stood up with her two daughters and followed along outside: “In that case, I’ll take a few bolts of gauze-over-smoke silk back to make spring shirts for the two girls.”

When only Qing Yi remained in the room to serve tea, Madam Cui touched Song Chuyi’s hair and couldn’t help but redden her eyes: “Just now your aunt said you resemble your mother. When you were younger, only your features looked similar, but now taking a good look at you, you truly are carved from the same mold.”

To say carved from the same mold wasn’t entirely accurate. The Cui clan, after hundreds of years of inheritance, was famously known for their outstanding temperament and appearance, but the Song family was no worse—they were born with exceptionally fine features. Although Song Yi was muddled inside, from the outside he looked like an orchid or jade tree plated with gold, famously handsome.

Song Chuyi had taken all the best features from both Cui Shi and Song Yi. When her features fully unfolded, people couldn’t take their eyes off her.

Song Chuyi hadn’t expected her to suddenly say such things and looked up at her somewhat puzzled.

Madam Cui held her hand but sighed: “Growing to look like this, when that person in the palace sees you, I fear it will be even more of a lawsuit.”

These words clearly carried implications. Song Chuyi knew Madam Cui was trying to give her a hint and focused her attention to listen carefully.

“The first time your mother entered the capital, the marriage wasn’t yet settled. Publicly we said I had brought her to play.” Remembering the Cui Shi of the past, Madam Cui couldn’t help but reveal a trace of a smile at the corners of her lips: “She was about your age then, at the height of loving to play and have fun. She was beautiful with a good temperament, and gradually caught the Worthy Consort’s eye.”

Song Chuyi also knew about the Worthy Consort’s family background—inferior even to the Beloved Consort’s, with rather difficult family circumstances. If not for the Great Zhou Dynasty’s tradition of selecting consorts without regard to background, and the Empress Dowager’s intentions at the time, who knows where the Worthy Consort would be now.

Speaking of the Worthy Consort, Madam Cui couldn’t help but turn cold: “I don’t know what she was thinking, but she persistently urged her brother to come to the Cui residence every day. Not only did he come, but he constantly sent inappropriate things. When I anxiously asked about it, she cried before the Emperor, saying it was all goodwill on her part, that she was the one sending things, and had nothing to do with her brother—that her brother was just running errands.”

Although the public excuse was coming to the capital to play with her sister-in-law for a while, who didn’t know this was because there was an understanding with the Song family, and she had come to the capital for the families to assess each other?

But the Worthy Consort was shameless enough and ruthless enough to bite down on this fat piece of meat and refuse to let go.

Who didn’t know the Cui family’s status was absolutely high? Even among the four surnames, the Cui family ranked at the top. The dowry was first-rate and generous, and the young lady was excellent in both character and appearance. The Worthy Consort knew all this, which is why she shamelessly urged her brother to run to the Cui residence day after day.

No wonder Prince Duan later relentlessly pursued the Song family, and the Eleventh Princess in the palace often said she was constantly suppressed by the Ninth Princess unable to move—so there was such an old grudge behind it all.

Song Chuyi found it rather laughable. There were always people who felt everything should belong to them, scheming and using unscrupulous means to try to obtain it. In the end when they couldn’t get it, they still blamed the thing for not having eyes and not knowing to jump into the fire pit they had prepared.

Seeing her remain silent, Madam Cui thought she hadn’t explained clearly enough and simply stated it plainly: “Later it became even more outrageous. Seeing that sending gifts wasn’t working and her brother couldn’t enter our household anymore, she actually tried to lure Tingting to the garden during a palace banquet.”

But how could the Cui family possibly regard the Worthy Consort’s natal family? Never mind family background—just speaking of the person himself, her brother was already twenty-three and still not betrothed. Wasn’t it precisely because families of lower status they looked down upon, while families of higher status looked down on them? Yet her brother was accomplished in neither civil nor military matters.

Even the normally good-tempered Old Madam Cui couldn’t help but become angry. Though she didn’t flare up at the time, she endured until she was before the Empress and simply stated plainly that a marriage had already been arranged with Second Young Master Song, and in the future unrelated people should keep their distance.

The Empress knew about the garden incident and first comforted Old Madam Cui, then turned around and sent the personal head palace maid serving the Worthy Consort to the Office of Cautious Punishment, openly slapping the Worthy Consort’s face.

The Worthy Consort still wouldn’t give up and made a scene before Emperor Jianzhang, only to be thoroughly scolded by Emperor Jianzhang who had already been informed by the Empress. Only then did she settle down.

But from then on, her brother became a laughingstock. Who knows how many people secretly mocked their family for being like a toad lusting after swan meat. He dragged on until he was thirty years old before hastily marrying a wife, and even the young ladies of their family became difficult to marry off.

For someone as petty as the Worthy Consort, naturally she would hold this grudge until now.