Though Mei Zhaoxue had been recuperating, she was still Shen Zaiye’s official wife. If she spoke up…
“My lord,” before Duan Yunxin could finish her thought, Mei Zhaoxue’s voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.
Everyone was startled and looked up to see Mei Zhaoxue enter, pale-faced and leaning on a maid for support. “This concubine deserves death. The servants have been concealing information, and I had no idea such a major incident occurred in the mansion.”
Shen Zaiye’s expression softened slightly. He stood up to take her hand, saying coolly, “Since you’re unwell, you should focus on recovery. The household affairs can be left to Jiang.”
Coughing twice, Mei Zhaoxue shook her head. “Although Lady Jiang is capable, she’s still just a concubine. Lady Duan is of equal rank, so it may be difficult for her to handle this properly. My illness has improved somewhat. Now that I know of the situation, I must come out to take charge.”
Coming neither early nor late, but just as the matter was about to conclude, and taking a jab at her in the process? Taohua shook her head slightly. The older ginger is indeed spicier – Mei Zhaoxue’s timing was impeccable as if she had planned it from the start.
Duan Yunxin had been hoping Mei Zhaoxue would help her, but when she appeared, Duan’s eyes dimmed. Seeing Madam Mei’s pale complexion, she had an ominous premonition.
“Your arrival is timely,” Shen Zaiye said. “Duan claims she sent some incense to your quarters a few evenings ago. Do you recall this?”
“Incense?” Mei Zhaoxue looked confused. “What incense?”
Taking a deep breath, Duan Yunxin gritted her teeth. “It was a special fragrance I brought from my maiden home. Xiuping from Linghan Court received it.”
“Xiuping?” Mei Zhaoxue turned to the maid beside her. “Did you receive anything?”
Xiuping shook her head innocently. “This servant has been caring for Madam in the main room these past few days, never leaving. I haven’t received any incense.”
“I see,” Mei Zhaoxue looked at Duan Yunxin earnestly. “Was it something valuable? Perhaps your messenger lost it on the way. It’s not a big deal, is it?”
Meeting those gentle, harmless eyes, Duan Yunxin couldn’t help but tremble!
What a Madam Mei! Truly worthy of her position as the official wife! Duan had thought she was ill and avoiding matters for a while, but who knew she had designs on her all along? They were supposed to be allies against Jiang Taohua, but she turned around and stabbed her in the back! Fine, well played! She hadn’t anticipated Mei Zhaoxue’s acting skills – she lost this round fair and square!
“Do you have anything else to say?” Shen Zaiye’s gaze towards her was now ice-cold. “Yunxin, making mistakes is one thing, but refusing to admit them makes one detestable.”
Her heart quivered, Duan Yunxin looked up at the man she had served all this time. She suddenly understood the feelings of Qin, Gu, and even Meng.
When she had coldly observed them being dealt with, she had laughed at these foolish women in her heart. Once a man loses interest in a woman, where is there any trust? Since they had already lost, wasn’t hysterical crying and wailing just adding to their disgrace?
But now that it was truly her turn, she understood. There were countless regrets in her heart, wanting to grab this man’s robes and ask loudly: Why? Why wouldn’t he believe her? Why couldn’t such a long time of affection make him trust her a little more?
“My lord!” Finally unable to hold back, Duan Yunxin clenched her fists, looking at him with tear-filled eyes. “This concubine has never fought for anything. Do you think I would kill for a favor?”
Shen Zaiye looked at her with pity in his eyes but said nothing.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy. Mei Zhaoxue coughed lightly and said, “Lady Duan seems to have many things she wishes to say to my lord. Why don’t we disperse for now? When there’s a conclusion to the matter, we can inform each courtyard.”
“Yes,” everyone responded in unison, bowing to Shen Zaiye before leaving.
Taohua walked out last. As she crossed the threshold, she couldn’t help but look back at Duan Yunxin.
This woman had once seemed to her the smartest in the back courtyard, but once fallen, she was no different from the others. In the end, they were all just pitiful women manipulated by men. Family honor, outward favor – how much of their lives were truly lived for themselves?
“Lady Jiang,” Mei Zhaoxue was waiting for her outside. Seeing her emerge, she smiled, “You’ve been working hard lately.”
Indeed, she had been working hard, shouldering enough blame to cook for the entire household. Taohua smiled and walked slowly with her. “Since madam has recovered, about the account books and keys…”
“There’s no rush,” Mei Zhaoxue said with a light laugh. “My illness isn’t fully cured. I just forced myself to come out today, not expecting that in just a few days, Lady Duan would cause such trouble.”
Glancing at her, Taohua smiled faintly. “Did madam truly not anticipate this?”
Covering her mouth as she laughed, Mei Zhaoxue looked ahead at the path, saying softly, “There are many things we can’t anticipate. Like how Lady Qin suddenly found herself in prison, or how Liu suddenly died. And how Lady Duan, clever all her life and able to outmaneuver all the women in the back courtyard, still couldn’t outsmart our great lord in the end.”
Taohua was stunned, giving her a deep look.
If she remembered correctly, Mei Zhaoxue and Duan Yunxin had initially been allies. Yet now, the final stone cast at Duan came from Mei Zhaoxue. What was this gentle and magnanimous madam thinking?
A flash of insight struck her, and she suddenly thought of Lady Qin.
Qin Jieyu could be considered a victim of Duan Yunxin’s schemes, though she wasn’t clear on the details. Could it be that Mei Zhaoxue already knew of Duan Yunxin’s methods, and this was her way of avenging Lady Qin?
Frowning slightly, Taohua instinctively distanced herself a bit. Someone who could quietly ally with an enemy and meticulously plan their revenge was indeed clever – cleverer than she had imagined, but also more dangerous.
“If there’s nothing else, this concubine will take her leave,” Taohua stopped and bowed to Mei Zhaoxue with a smile. “Madam, please take care.”
Mei Zhaoxue glanced at her but said nothing more, nodding before continuing on her way.
In this courtyard, there were no eternal friends or enemies, but one eternal truth: two tigers cannot share the same mountain, especially when they’re both female. Mei Zhaoxue was now in the shadows, while she bore the responsibilities of the madam, standing in the light. This situation, no matter how you looked at it, was not favorable to her.
In Linwu Court.
Duan Yunxin remained kneeling, while Shen Zaiye sipped his tea slowly.
“My lord truly intends to divorce this concubine?” Pursing her lips, Duan Yunxin said, “Why be so ruthless? Even if you demote my position, it would still maintain the connection between the Duan family and the Chancellor’s mansion.”
“I will find someone else to maintain the relationship between the Duan family and the Chancellor’s mansion,” Shen Zaiye said coolly. “But you cannot remain here.”
Slightly shaken, Duan Yunxin looked up at him, her eyes complex. “My lord… is this because of Liu’s matter, or something else?”
“What do you think?” His gaze deep, Shen Zaiye looked at her steadily, as if trying to pierce through her. “Yunxin, do you know what ‘knowing one’s place’ means?”
Her heart sank sharply, and Duan Yunxin paled, collapsing in shock.
If it were just about Liu’s matter, she might still have had a chance to make amends. But hearing him speak like this, she instantly understood. The murder accusation was just a pretext. It turned out Shen Zaiye knew all along about what she had been doing in secret.
“This concubine… has failed you!” Kowtowing heavily, her forehead touching the ground, Duan Yunxin said hoarsely, “But please believe, my lord, that this concubine truly admired you.”
Admiration? Shen Zaiye laughed lightly. “That word means little coming from your mouth. Does one who admires another do such things behind their back?”
“This concubine had no choice,” Closing her eyes briefly, Duan Yunxin gritted her teeth. “How I wished you would favor Prince Yu more, so I wouldn’t have to do so many things against my conscience. But… you chose Prince Jing instead.”
So she’s willing to speak of it herself? Shen Zaiye raised an eyebrow, discreetly covering his face with the teacup lid. “Whom I choose is my decision, as befits my position as Chancellor to support the future Crown Prince. But you are different. You are merely a concubine in my back courtyard. You shouldn’t meddle in these affairs, much less betray me.”
Duan Yunxin sighed, slowly raising her head to look at him. “Does my lord think I had any choice? My father rules arbitrarily, and my birth mother has no status in her maiden home. If I don’t strive for more, how am I to survive?”
“That’s none of my concern,” Shen Zaiye said. “Upon leaving the Chancellor’s mansion, you will enter the capital’s prison. What follows will be a matter between your Duan family and the Liu family.”
Duan Yunxin laughed bitterly, nodding. “This concubine understands. I knew you wouldn’t show the slightest compassion. It’s me this time, but who will it be next? Will there come a day when it’s Lady Jiang’s turn?”
His heart sank, and Shen Zaiye frowned. “As long as Jiang doesn’t make mistakes, she won’t end up in your situation.”
“My lord thinks too simply,” Duan Yunxin laughed lightly. “The favor you show her is her greatest mistake. Since her arrival, the ladies in this courtyard have suffered memory loss and various misfortunes one after another. Do you truly think those with eyes outside can’t see through this? When you’re about to achieve great things, Lady Jiang will surely become a blood sacrifice. Thinking of it this way, I feel she’s even more pitiful.”
A blood sacrifice? Shen Zaiye sneered, too lazy to listen further. He waved his hand, ordering Zhanlu to drag her out.
“This concubine has one last question,” At the doorway, Duan Yunxin struggled to look back, asking him, “What kind of woman would it take to earn my lord’s wholehearted protection?”
With a curved smile, Shen Zaiye said, “Such a woman doesn’t exist in this world. You can rest assured of that.”
Her eyes dimmed completely. Duan Yunxin laughed through her tears, shaking her head as she was led away. No one would ever truly gain Shen Zaiye’s favor. Perhaps this was for the best. All the women in this courtyard would eventually meet the same fate as her. No one would laugh until the end!
Thinking of it this way, she hadn’t completely lost after all.
(End of Chapter)