Shu Hong entered carrying a plate of Lotus Cakes: “Young Miss, Madam… Zhou has arrived.”
Grand Tutor Zhang’s original wife had passed away many years ago, and he never remarried. Now Da Zhou Shi held sole power – though lacking the title of primary wife, she wielded the authority of one.
Han Yan selected the most attractive piece from the plate and put it in her mouth. The delicate fragrance made her eyes curve in pleasure. “After we finish eating, we’ll go meet them.”
In the main hall, Zhuang Shiyang sat smiling broadly in the host’s seat, gazing at the gentle, graceful woman opposite him.
This woman wore a lotus-pink chest-high half-sleeved long dress, her figure willowy. A pink rose-colored palace gauze flower adorned her hair, which was gathered into a bundle falling across her chest. Her features were as delicate as those of a refined maiden from the Jiangnan water towns, exceptionally elegant and proper. Yet her slightly upturned eyes, containing a hint of timidity, added several degrees of alluring charm. This was Da Zhou Shi.
“Brother-in-law,” she spoke, her voice enchantingly sweet, making listeners’ hearts itch with desire, yet utterly delicate.
Even Zhuang Shiyang, typically indifferent to female charms, felt his heart stir at such beauty. Among his concubines, besides Late Concubine, Concubine Mei was passionate like fire, and Zhou Shi was gentle and attentive. But he had never seen someone so captivating. Though Zhou Shi was also gentle and knew how to please him, she became dull and even boring over time. But the woman before him possessed both the noble air of a great family’s daughter and an ineffable alluring softness in every movement, as if made of water. Though married, she seemed no different from a maiden, making one wonder if she was equally tender in bed.
Zhou Shi noticed the fascination in Zhuang Shiyang’s eyes and flashed a look of displeasure, coughing lightly twice: “Elder Sister…”
Da Zhou Shi then stood up, gracefully walked over, and took Zhou Shi’s hand: “Sister, how could you be so careless…”
The Zhuang residence had told outsiders that Zhou Shi’s miscarriage was caused by slipping on snowy ground.
Zhou Shi shook her head, truly becoming sorrowful at the thought of her unborn child: “It was my carelessness…”
Hearing this, Da Zhou Shi also appeared grief-stricken, tears glistening in her eyes, which combined with her alluring features made her extraordinarily touching. Zhuang Shiyang stared at her unblinkingly, and moving closer, found her an increasingly rare beauty. No wonder Grand Tutor Zhang favored her so. Inwardly, he felt contemptuous – Grand Tutor Zhang was so old, yet blessed to enjoy such a beauty’s favors, though surely he must be exhausting himself… If it were him instead, his mind couldn’t help wandering.
Zhou Shi’s gaze moved past Da Zhou Shi: “That must be Wei’er… grown so big already.”
The youth stepped forward, grinning as he bowed to Zhou Shi: “Nephew pays respects to Aunt.”
Seeing Zhang Wei, Zhou Shi showed genuine affection: “Good boy. Wei’er has become so well-mannered, truly promising… if only my child were still…”
Seeing her recall painful memories, Da Zhou Shi quickly said: “Sister, don’t think too much about it. Focus on recovering first – you can have children later. Don’t let grief harm your health.”
Zhou Shi nodded at this.
After more conversation, when the maid had prepared medicine, Zhou Shi was helped back to Gong Tong Garden by her servant, with Zhang Wei following. Da Zhou Shi and Zhuang Shiyang fell behind.
Though attracted to the beauty, Zhuang Shiyang remained cautious of Grand Tutor Zhang’s power and behaved properly. However, passing through the mansion’s garden, Da Zhou Shi unexpectedly asked: “I heard His Majesty demoted brother-in-law, is this true?”
Zhuang Shiyang lost in his thoughts, was caught off guard by the question. Like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, he dejectedly replied: “It is true.”
Da Zhou Shi stopped walking and looked at him earnestly: “They say brother-in-law favors concubines and neglects his wife, but Lan’er cannot believe this.” Lan’er was Da Zhou Shi’s maiden name, and speaking it so openly before Zhuang Shiyang startled him. She continued: “Moreover, though my sister can be willful at times, she isn’t the type to bully the Fourth Young Miss… There must be some misunderstanding.”
Zhuang Shiyang, already harboring dissatisfaction with Han Yan, readily agreed: “I think so too.”
Da Zhou Shi gave him a smile: “Knowing brother-in-law thinks this way puts Lan’er at ease. My purpose in visiting is to comfort my sister and resolve the conflict between Fourth Young Miss and her.”
Zhuang Shiyang, enchanted by her smile, couldn’t help moving closer: “Sister-in-law speaks well.”
The term “sister-in-law” made the atmosphere suddenly ambiguous. Da Zhou Shi weakly stepped back, her face flushing: “Brother-in-law is truly a good man…”
With no one around, Zhuang Shiyang found every gesture of the beauty before him bewitching. Even during his most passionate times with Zhou Shi, he hadn’t felt such irresistible attraction. He seized the opportunity to grasp Da Zhou Shi’s small hand: “Lan’er is a good woman too…”
Da Zhou Shi startled, quickly struggled free, and fled in apparent panic.
Zhuang Shiyang caught empty air, feeling a sense of loss. He brought the hand that had touched Da Zhou Shi to his nose, inhaling deeply with an expression of pleasure.
In Gong Tong Garden, Zhou Shi reclined on her bed, handing an empty medicine bowl to a maid. Turning her head, she saw Da Zhou Shi enter and couldn’t help but sneer: “Already seducing him?”
Da Zhou Shi merely sat beside her, playing with her fingernails while smiling: “If you can’t keep your man, that’s your incompetence. Not every woman is as useless as you, sister.”
Though Zhou Shi no longer had feelings for Zhuang Shiyang, she couldn’t help but spit: “And not every woman is as shameless as you!”
“Sister, why the harsh words? Have you forgotten how you entered this household? You weren’t exactly pure yourself.” She looked at Zhou Shi’s haggard face and shook her head: “How foolish. If I were you, I wouldn’t be wasting energy arguing with me, but planning how to deal with those who brought you to this state.”
Zhou Shi coldly snorted, saying nothing. Though Da Zhou Shi was her blood sister, their relationship wasn’t as good as it appeared. Since childhood, Da Zhou Shi has always been more sophisticated and adaptable. Consequently, she had many more admirers than Zhou Shi. As sisters, while Da Zhou Shi now lived prosperously in the Grand Tutor’s residence, Zhou Shi had been beaten by Zhuang Shiyang until she miscarried. How could she accept losing so badly in this competition between sisters?
Da Zhou Shi seemed to read her thoughts and smiled: “That Fourth Young Miss who brought you to this state must not be easy to deal with. Getting rid of her is more important than being jealous of me. After all, we’re sisters – I won’t harm you.”
Zhou Shi knew she spoke the truth – right now, Da Zhou Shi was her only help. Da Zhou Shi’s increasingly successful life over the years was inseparable from her cunning and schemes. Back in their maiden home, both were daughters of concubines, yet it was this elder sister who eventually brought down the primary wife and came to dominate their family.