Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

Jiang felt a lump in her throat, her eyes darting around. This was the first time her sister-in-law had approached her, and with a threat at that. She dared not agree rashly. "You...you tell me what it is first."

"Don't worry, it's nothing difficult," Cui Lingrong said, pursing her lips. "I need you to give Huadie a message."

"What?"

"Once Huadie gives birth to a boy, Princess Rongjia will leave the mother and keep the child."

Jiang frowned. "It's just a message, why didn't you deliver it yourself, sister-in-law?"

"If my people do this and it gets caught, they'll say I have ulterior motives. But you can let it slip unintentionally, and then it won't concern me." Choi Ling-yong's intentions were clear.

Her attempt to sow discord between Huadie and Princess Rongjia has caused consequences that some of the older women and Song Shulan do not want to see, which will inevitably lead to their anger towards her.

But Jiang's decision was unexpected, because Jiang and Huadie's child had no conflict of interest.

Cui Lingrong helped the Jiang family, and now she wants the Jiang family to repay her.

Jiang also had concerns, "But if I say this, the princess will definitely hold a grudge against me. Sister-in-law, I don't have your abilities, and I don't need to offend the princess."

Regarding He Pingping's matter, she was disappointed in Princess Rongjia, but that didn't mean she wanted to offend anyone.

What is Princess Rongjia's personality like?

If she dares to betray Princess Rongjia, isn't she just asking to be targeted?

Jiang shook her head repeatedly; she dared not do such a thing.

Cui Lingrong guessed that Jiang had some worries, so she changed the subject to her sister-in-law, "The old lady just called me over and said that Zhizhi is coming back."

"Her?" Jiang Shi also disliked Song Zhizhi. Her sister-in-law was a robber; she would grab whatever she liked, saying she could use it for a few days, and never return it. "Does my sister-in-law mean... she wants me to use her as a tool to kill someone?"

"You're exaggerating. I didn't intend to kill anyone; I just wanted to see them fight. If you won't do it, I'll arrange something else..."

"I'll do it!"

Jiang disliked Cui Lingrong for constantly suppressing her, but she hated Song Zhizhi even more. "You make the arrangements, I'll listen to you."

"Okay, come here." Cui Lingrong beckoned to Jiang Shi, and the two talked for a while.

After leaving the second wife's house, Cui Lingrong returned to Qiushuangzhai and saw Aunt Zhang hesitating outside the garden. She called her over and asked what was wrong.

"It's not that I like to complain, it's just that Huadie has gone too far. These days, she says there's not enough charcoal in the room, so she takes it away. Today, she even intercepted the food that was sent from the kitchen. By the time it reached me, there were only scraps left." Aunt Zhang said aggrievedly. She was of low status and had never thought of vying for favor, but she couldn't tolerate being treated like this.

Aunt Zhang is an old servant in the Marquis's mansion, having served even longer than the eldest mistress. If she had a child, she wouldn't be so heartbroken.

"Such a thing happened?" Cui Lingrong frowned. "Bai Tao went to steal it?"

Aunt Zhang said yes.

"Aunt Qiu, take some people with you. I can't move Huadie because she's pregnant, so give her ten strokes of the cane. Tell Huadie that the Marquis's mansion has its rules. If she complains about not having enough to eat and wear, she should ask the Marquis and the Old Madam. What kind of skill is it to snatch someone away?" Cui Lingrong then went to comfort Aunt Zhang, "Don't worry, you've served the Marquis the longest, so he still has some affection for you. If this happens again, come directly to me. Don't tolerate it."

Aunt Zhang said gratefully, "Now, in the Marquis's mansion, only the eldest mistress treats me like a human being."

The Marquis only visited her a few times a year, and others treated her differently depending on who they were treated. Fortunately, the eldest mistress was fair and never skimped on expenses, so they managed to get by.

Now that a thieving butterfly has come to steal things, Aunt Zhang had no choice but to come to the eldest mistress.

"Don't feel sorry for yourself. Life is what you make of it. You're not seventy or eighty years old yet. Within your means, try to make your life as good as possible." Cui Lingrong asked Caixia to fetch two baskets of charcoal and deliver them to Aunt Zhang's courtyard.

After Aunt Zhang left, Mother Qiu also arrived at Huadie's courtyard.

Autumn Mother never wastes words. She led two old women and dragged Bai Tao into the yard. Before Hua Die could rush out, Bai Tao had already been pinned to a bench and beaten.

"Ouch! That hurts so much!"

"Auntie, save me! Qiu... Qiu Mama, what are you doing? I... what did I do wrong... Ah... it hurts!"

After only three strokes of the cane, Bai Tao was sweating profusely.

She gritted her teeth, the pain excruciating, her skin and flesh torn open, her buttocks feeling as if they were ripped apart, followed by another blow from the board.

Hua Die's heart pounded as she listened, and she wanted to rush over to protect Bai Tao, but was stopped by Qiu Mama.

"Aunt Qiu, what right do you have to come to my yard and hit people?" Hua Die glared angrily at Aunt Qiu.

Since becoming pregnant, Huadie has considered herself superior and has become increasingly impatient with the servants, not to mention some of her fellow concubines.

Now that Aunt Qiu has come to hit Bai Tao, it's like slapping her in the face, so she's not about to let it go. "Aunt Qiu, Bai Tao is mine. If you want to hit her, you might as well hit me!"

With a smile, Qiu Mama heard Bai Tao say that the beating was over and she was leaving. "The eldest mistress said that you are a person, and so is Zhang Madam. No one in the Marquis's mansion ever mistreats anyone else. If you are not satisfied, you are welcome to complain. If you do it again, the eldest mistress will remember it and deal with you after you give birth."

"You...you dare to talk to me like that!" Huadie raised her hand to hit Qiu Mama, but fortunately Qiu Mama dodged quickly and was only hit by Huadie's slap on the hair at her temple. She was so angry that she pounced on her, but was held back by several old women.

Madam Qiu had never seen someone as unruly as Hua Die before, and immediately put on a stern face. "If you want to hit this old servant, you can go to the eldest mistress. Today, Bai Tao was disciplined because you instructed her to bully others. Everyone in the courtyard, listen up: the Marquis's mansion has its rules, and no one is allowed to break them."

Having managed affairs in the Marquis's mansion for many years, Mama Qiu had never been treated like this before. Originally, she was going to call a doctor for Bai Tao, but she left with her people.

Bai Tao was woken up by the pain again, crying and shouting "Help!" to her master.

Hua Die was utterly humiliated and harbored resentment towards the eldest mistress and Aunt Zhang. She went to see Princess Rongjia, but Princess Rongjia said that she was not in charge and hinted that she should go to the Marquis.

When the Marquis returned home, the person who painted the butterfly was waiting at the door, asking Song Shulan to come and take a look, saying that the butterfly had a stomachache.

Song Shulan had a son late in life and was already very concerned about him. Upon hearing that Huadie was in pain, he rushed over, not forgetting to reprimand the servants, "How are you taking care of her? Did you even call a doctor?"

"Reporting to the Marquis, the eldest mistress forbids us from inviting her."

Upon hearing this, Song Shulan's face immediately darkened, and he sent someone to fetch a doctor. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Huadie lying on the bed crying, and hurriedly asked how she was.

Hua Die sobbed and threw herself into Song Shulan's arms. "My lord, I can't live anymore. I only borrowed some things from Aunt Zhang, and the eldest mistress said I was bullying her. She sent Qiu Mama over, and she beat Bai Tao without saying a word. How am I supposed to face people now?"

Hearing this, Song Shulan became suspicious. "Madam is never one to make trouble without reason. Did you do something?"

"No, I really don't have any." Hua Die clutched her stomach, and seeing that the Marquis was suspicious, she began to cry out in pain.

Song Shulan's attention was indeed diverted.

When the doctor arrived, he said that Huadie had experienced a miscarriage and needed to rest for a while.

Hua Die looked at Song Shulan with a pitiful expression. "My lord, I know my status is not as noble as that of the eldest mistress. But after suffering such humiliation today, I fear I will not be able to sleep at night. If the child is pregnant... sob sob..."

When she mentioned the child, Song Shulan's heartstrings tightened. "Don't cry, I'll go find her."

Song Shulan went to Qiushuangzhai. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard laughter and chatter coming from inside, and his expression turned even more unpleasant.

"You can still laugh?" Song Shulan sat down, his face dark. "Do you know that Hua Die almost lost her baby? You can punish Bai Tao if you want, but why don't you tell her to call a doctor?"

"Did Hua Die say that?" Cui Lingrong looked over.

Song Shulan said yes.

"I didn't say she couldn't, I just warned her not to bully people just because she's pregnant," Cui Lingrong said. "My lord, Aunt Zhang has been serving you the longest. Even if she hasn't done anything meritorious, she has certainly worked hard, right? Huadie stole her food, leaving her with only cold leftovers. I only gave her ten lashes with a white peach. I don't think that's excessive."

"This..." Song Shulan trusted Cui Lingrong's character and conduct. He thought for a moment, then softened his tone, "You shouldn't have hit her in front of her. What if something happened to her child? How would you explain that to me and the old lady?"

"Alright, alright, let's not let this happen again." Song Shulan was tired. Without waiting for Cui Lingrong to explain further, he asked Aunt Qiu to serve the dishes. Since he was already at Qiu Shuangzhai, he might as well eat there.

Cui Lingrong, however, did not want Song Shulan to stay. "Aunt Zhang has been wronged. Your Excellency should go and see her. It would be good for you to sit down as well, so that the servants will not neglect her."

Song Shulan was stunned. He hadn't stayed at Qiushuangzhai for a long time, and Cui Lingrong was actually telling him to go stay with someone else.

Doesn't she miss him at all?