Lin Ruhai brought Ying Yu to Bitao Courtyard, saying she would stay here for a few days. Her wet nurse and all the servants attending her came along as well.

For this reason, Nanny Wu was highly tense, silently lamenting in her heart.

The Old Madam had told them to be on guard when the Madam’s people approached, but this time the Master had done well—directly bringing the Eldest Miss to Bitao Courtyard.

If the people on the Madam’s side wanted to make a move against her, wouldn’t this be like a sheep entering a tiger’s den?

Lin Ruhai didn’t know about Nanny Wu’s internal complaints. In Lin Ruhai’s view, it was just staying for a few days. Min’er was both the legitimate mother and under his watchful eye—what could go wrong?

After Jia Min learned the reason for the Master’s action, she found it both exasperating and amusing.

It turned out that Concubine Mei had pushed out a maid to compete for favor, which had angered the Master.

It seemed Concubine Mei truly didn’t know the Master disliked this.

Looking at the little infant sleeping in swaddling clothes, Jia Min smiled and agreed: “It’s within my duties.”

Lin Ruhai smiled: “Min’er is a good mother. If Ying Yu can learn even a fraction of Min’er’s grace, there will be nothing to worry about in the future.”

A child’s upbringing was no small matter.

Lin Ruhai had previously planned to bring the child to Bitao Courtyard precisely because of this concern.

If his daughter learned all of Concubine Mei’s mannerisms, Lin Ruhai would have a headache.

Jia Min didn’t oppose temporarily caring for Ying Yu for a few days. Even Nanny Qian, who had the greatest hostility toward the concubines, had no intention of doing anything to this physically weak Eldest Miss who came to stay.

With her constitution, there was no need to lift a finger—who knew when an illness might take her. Why dirty her own hands?

Of course, if Ying Yu’s death could be used to deal with other people, then making a move wouldn’t matter. But she looked around at the people attending this little girl and quickly dismissed the thought.

Could this be accomplished by a powerless little concubine?

Everyone wasn’t foolish.

When the Old Madam learned of this matter, she had originally wanted to object. She had even stood up, but after taking two steps, she sat back down.

Since it was just a short stay, and it was Ying Yu, forget it. There was no need to rush over and take her away, which would hurt Jia Min’s face. Just have Nanny Wu and the others watch carefully.

However, what had happened to make her son do this?

When she inquired, how could there be anything she didn’t know?

All the people around Concubine Mei had been assigned by her. Moreover, she was someone who couldn’t hide things. Whatever she said or did could basically be known clearly.

It was just that previously she hadn’t had the interest to ask.

So the Old Madam learned that Mei Shi had angered her son this time by having a maid climb into bed when he went to visit his eldest granddaughter.

Was she pushed out to compete for favor?

If so, as long as she didn’t cross the line, the Old Madam wouldn’t interfere. But if not, then that bold maid couldn’t be kept.

The current situation was the latter.

Since she had harbored such thoughts, she wasn’t suitable to stay in Meixiang Courtyard, especially since she had contact with the Jia family people.

The Old Madam wouldn’t keep unstable people around the children.

“She has merit for serving Concubine Mei during childbirth. Give her a sum of money and send her to the estate.”

Nanny Li said solemnly: “Yes.”

She sighed inwardly. People truly couldn’t take the wrong path.

She remembered this girl—she had even guided her in learning proper etiquette…

—

When Concubine Mei saw the Master leave with an angry expression, she was frightened. This was the first time she had seen such obvious anger on his face. She was dazed for quite a while before reacting to what had happened.

Just as she was about to explain, the Master gave an order and the child was taken away. Concubine Mei simply couldn’t stop it.

In her panic, she thought of what her mother had said about Yun Shi being deeply scheming and worth learning from. She immediately wiped away her tears and headed straight for Lanxin Courtyard.

“Sister Yun, you must help me explain to the Master!”

Yun Shuyao signaled Hong Xiu to serve tea and offer a seat: “Sister Mei, don’t be anxious. What happened?”

Concubine Mei was truly anxious. Although she regretted that her daughter wasn’t a son, it was still her own flesh and blood. The Master had never shown disdain.

Because of her daughter, the Master visited frequently. Now that her daughter had been taken away, how could she not be anxious?

She wiped the sweat from her face: “I’m truly innocent! There was an audacious maid who wanted to climb into bed. I knew nothing about it. The Master thinks I arranged it, but the Master won’t listen to my explanation. He even took Ying Yu away. Tell me, will the Master just give Ying Yu to the Madam to raise…” The more Concubine Mei spoke, the more she felt this was a grave injustice.

How could she add a competitor for herself?

That damned one—if she had known she had such thoughts early on, she would have driven her out long ago!

Hearing Concubine Mei’s words and looking at her expression, Yun Shuyao believed some of it.

Some words might be embellished, but she believed it was true that she hadn’t actively pushed a maid out to compete for favor.

Concubine Mei had no need to do that.

However, regarding asking for her help, Yun Shuyao found it somewhat ridiculous.

Had she forgotten how she had tried to “kill” her with eye rolls before?

Did she really seem so “magnanimous” in her eyes?

Yun Shuyao pondered for a moment. If Lin Ruhai was truly angry about this, clearing it up would be fine. He wasn’t without discernment.

Then why did he take the child away? Could it be that he didn’t want to give the child to Concubine Mei to raise?

As for what Concubine Mei said about whether the child could be brought back… Yun Shuyao thought the possibility was slim.

There might be some twists and turns, but it had already been said before that she wouldn’t be raised in Bitao Courtyard, and Jia Min didn’t want her either.

In the Lin residence’s rear courtyard, who else could she be given to?

If the Old Madam wanted to raise a child, Chen Yu would be the first choice.

They couldn’t possibly give the child to her—she already had two children.

Moreover, the child was still small. Even if they didn’t want Concubine Mei to raise her, it wouldn’t be now.

Yun Shuyao: “Sister Mei, the Master doesn’t know the reason. You should explain to the Master. The Master is wise and will know this isn’t your fault.”

Concubine Mei was stunned: “…You won’t come with me?”

Yun Shuyao smiled: “This is a small matter. I believe as long as Sister Mei explains clearly to the Master, it will be fine. Sister Mei, you should tell the Master the truth in detail. If I get involved, the Master will think it’s something major.”

She didn’t want to display a “friendly” relationship with Concubine Mei.

Everyone had eyes.

Moreover, whether Concubine Mei had a hand in this matter or not, would the Old Madam and Lin Ruhai not know?

Even if they didn’t know at first, they would be clear after asking around.

Getting involved herself would be thankless effort.

No need.

Really no need.

With Concubine Mei’s temperament, if she really was the instigator, could she hide it from those around her?

She wouldn’t think she had won over the people around her, would she?

With so many people in the courtyard, Nanny Wu in Meixiang Courtyard was directly the Old Madam’s eyes and ears.

Just like Nanny Wang and Nanny Xie in her courtyard—they were also the Old Madam’s people.

They were just temporarily in Lanxin Courtyard to care for the children.

If she treated them as her own people and didn’t hide anything… that would be utterly foolish.

Although she was above board and not afraid of informants, she should still be aware.

Looking at Concubine Mei’s tearful, angry face, she should… also be somewhat aware, right?

Concubine Mei left Lanxin Courtyard grinding her teeth. She knew it—she and Yun Shi didn’t get along. Refusing to help when someone was in desperate need!

Her words sounded nice, but who knew how she was mocking her inside.

A small matter? This was still a small matter?!

If she wouldn’t help, fine—she didn’t care anyway!

She would go find the Master herself and could explain clearly and bring the child back!

—

While Concubine Mei was frantically seeking help in her distress, having received no desired result and turning angry, Ying Yu was still sleeping soundly.

With the wet nurse there, she had no feeling at all about changing residences.

When she was full, satisfied, and not sleeping, she would open her round black eyes and look toward where sounds came from—a young child’s innocent ignorance, naive and adorable.

Looking at this child, Jia Min unconsciously showed a smile on her face.

Seeing this, Nanny Qian’s thoughts stirred again: “Madam, why not keep this child in our courtyard?”

With a child in the courtyard, the Master would come even more often.

A daughter—even if affection was cultivated, it wouldn’t matter. When she grew up, a dowry could create a marriage alliance.

Hearing this, Jia Min was indeed tempted for a moment, then immediately suppressed it.

She would have her own child. No need to raise someone else’s.

—

After making inquiries, Concubine Mei went to Bitao Courtyard to request an audience.

Lin Ruhai saw her.

After hearing her explanation, he was noncommittal—didn’t say he believed, didn’t say he didn’t believe.

Seeing she had nothing else to say, he served tea as a sign of dismissal.

He wasn’t truly angry at Concubine Mei, but he did intend to admonish her.

This time, he was going with the flow to suppress her arrogance.

Lin Ruhai had thoroughly figured out her temperament—her thoughts were almost like an open book, visible at a glance. The trouble she had caused for Min’er and Yun Shi, Lin Ruhai heard and forgot each time.

But she hadn’t taken his previous admonishments to heart. Her words were getting closer and closer to the line. This time was perfect for letting her learn a lesson and properly understand her position.

If she continued to be unrepentant, Ying Yu couldn’t be raised by her.

On the first day, Concubine Mei didn’t bring back the child. She wiped the corners of her eyes and returned from Bitao Courtyard with red-rimmed eyes.

On the second day, Concubine Mei still didn’t bring back the child. She covered her face with a handkerchief and returned from Bitao Courtyard.

On the third day, under Nanny Wu’s indirect guidance, Concubine Mei mentioned the dismissed maid and expressed that she also had shortcomings that created an exploitable opportunity. She requested punishment of half a year’s monthly allowance and to copy a Buddhist scripture to pray for blessings.

The punishment of monthly allowance was nothing, but copying scriptures would truly kill Concubine Mei.

However, having successfully brought her daughter back from Bitao Courtyard to Meixiang Courtyard, Concubine Mei felt all the sacrifices were worth it.

This affair of Concubine Mei’s provided quite a spectacle for the servants of Bitao Courtyard.

They didn’t know the inside details. They only laughed at how Concubine Mei had acted on her own initiative, ended up hitting an iron plate, angered the Master, and received a thorough dressing-down. They were delighted by this.

Moreover, since Jia She had come to the Lin residence, the spirits in Bitao Courtyard had already risen a notch.

Those more perceptive could somewhat sense the subtle relationship between the Old Madam and the Madam in the household.

But when mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law fought, ninety-nine out of a hundred times, the daughter-in-law suffered.

They felt stifled inside, but their Jia family wasn’t without people. Their Grand Master had come, and they felt they had backing. Now having witnessed Meixiang Courtyard’s humiliation, everyone was jubilant.

Only Nanny Shi sighed in the background.

The piece she had finally placed in Meixiang Courtyard was wasted so quickly.

After some people became proud, they got carried away.

A matron from the Jia family drank alcohol while on night watch, forgot the time, and when the second courtyard gate closed and she couldn’t get out, she made a drunken scene that disturbed many people.

Although someone quickly took her away to sober up, Jia Min still felt her face had been lost. She had their duties suspended and fined them two months’ allowance.

Nanny Qian advised her not to be so angry. “Madam, this isn’t really a big deal. No work was delayed, and they’re still our own Jia family people. Being so unforgiving this way will easily chill everyone’s hearts.”

Why did they drink alcohol?

Wasn’t it because they were happy?

Jia Min was somewhat helpless. “Nanny, you speak so lightly. Without rules, there is no order. If I relax with them now and they don’t take it to heart, how should I deal with them when they offend again in the future?”

Moreover, Jia Min had another concern she didn’t voice. She was the household mistress and had to manage household affairs. If she let this pass lightly this time and the Old Madam took action, then she would truly have no face.

Nanny Qian was momentarily speechless, then said: “They won’t. They won’t offend again in the future.”

Jia Min shook her head lightly. “Nanny, your words don’t count. They have indeed become too lax. According to the rules, one cannot drink while on duty. Where did they get their alcohol? This isn’t the first time either. Besides drinking, they also like to gossip. I’ve been pretending not to know about things that haven’t caused trouble before. I should have punished them long ago.”

The more she spoke, the angrier Jia Min became.

Nanny Qian didn’t dare speak anymore now.

Lest she anger the Madam further and double the punishment. This time she had accepted a request from an old friend to help waive the punishment.

If not only did it not work but doubled instead, she would have no face to see her friend again.

Nanny Qian could only go back and tell them to endure for a while. Once the Madam forgot about this period, she could have them return.

Jia Min thought this matter would just pass.

As Elder Brother’s party headed north back to the capital, she felt lost and melancholy. The next meeting—who knew when it would be? After the three-year term, they still didn’t know if they could return to the capital. If not, the next meeting would be indefinitely far away.

In her sentimentality, she relaxed her attention to household trivial matters. Logically, nothing would go wrong—there were established procedures, and the people below weren’t freeloaders. But she hadn’t expected that while the Lin residence had no incidents, her own Bitao Courtyard had one—she was actually backstabbed by her own dowry maid!

Looking at Fei Cui kneeling on the ground with disheveled clothing, Jia Min straightened her back and leaned against the chair back, providing herself with supporting strength.

The Master rested at her place frequently. Jia Min would occasionally have the kitchen prepare stewed soup or tonics for the Master.

Each time, she delivered these herself.

The Master had drunk some alcohol at a social engagement outside. When she couldn’t immediately go over, Nanny Shi’s Fei Cui carried sobering soup and delivered it.

Although ultimately nothing was accomplished, her purpose had already been achieved.

Would the Master think tomorrow that this was her arrangement?

As long as it was in her courtyard, she had never let anyone else deliver soup.

Should she speak up to deny it? How should she explain if she denied it?

Should she state directly that her own dowry maid had stabbed her in the back without her knowledge?

Otherwise, how could she have let a newcomer just carry sobering soup in like that!

Jia Min’s blood and qi surged turbulently.

Fei Cui, kneeling on the ground, knocked her head on the floor repeatedly for Jia Min—”Thump, thump—”

She originally hadn’t thought about becoming a concubine. Her original plan was to find a suitable person to marry when she came of age, build her own small household, and also take good care of her only younger brother, her only remaining family.

But she was chosen by the Old Madam and informed of her mission.

Could she refuse the master’s orders?

Her younger brother was only six years old.

After finally arriving at Xingtai Prefecture at Aunt’s residence, she was assigned to the needlework room. After that, she knew something had gone wrong.

Aunt… didn’t want her to become a concubine.

She was confined in the needlework room. Whenever she wanted to go out, people would stop her.

Moreover, she learned that Aunt was already looking for suitable candidates to match her with.

Those people were either old or of low status, and all already had children. If she married in, wouldn’t she become a stepmother from the moment she entered the door?

Had she traveled all this way to Xingtai Prefecture just to marry into a household worse than what she could have matched with among servants in the Jia residence and become a stepmother?

It wasn’t that she couldn’t bear children!

Learning this news, Fei Cui felt cold all over and had no choice but to consult Nanny Qian.

Before leaving, Nanny Shi had told her that if any situation arose, she should ask Nanny Qian.

Nanny Qian told her not to worry—arrangements would be made soon.

Seizing the opportunity when the Master had drunk alcohol, she washed up, changed into somewhat similar clothing, suppressed her sense of shame, and carried sobering soup into the room…

Unfortunately, the Master was heavily drunk. She could only tidy herself up a bit and come to plead guilty to Aunt, cementing her position.

If Aunt wasn’t willing, why hadn’t she discussed it properly with the Old Madam earlier?

Even now, where did she have any way back?

Fei Cui choked up: “Aunt, this servant was only following orders. Someone told this servant to deliver soup to you. This servant thought you were in the room and went in. This servant knows her mistake. Please forgive this servant, Aunt. This servant is willing to serve as an ox or horse in the next life to repay this great kindness!”