Chapter 249 - 109: This Is a High-Stakes Gamble
The Song Mansion was anything but peaceful. In the East Courtyard, the First Madam was discussing important matters with her son and son-in-law. She even wrote a letter and had it sent by express courier to her husband.
The West Courtyard, however, was the complete opposite. Mrs. Cai was with Song Qinghan, preparing her dowry. It seemed she was acting out of spite, as the dowry she prepared was exceptionally generous. Song Jinxuan’s eyes turned red with anger, but there was nothing she could do.
Aunt Che, on the other hand, was not worried at all. She had spread her own suspicions, and now it was confirmed that the birth mother of the Marquis Wuxin Mansion’s illegitimate son was pregnant again. However, the marriage had already been arranged. Song Qinghan’s reputation was not very good to begin with, and if she were to break off the engagement now, it would be even harder for her to find a match in the future.
’Mrs. Cai is just swallowing her pride and bearing the humiliation. She wants to give her daughter a larger dowry to save face.’
These days, Song Jinxuan barely left her rooms except to pay her daily respects. Mrs. Cai was in a foul mood, her father was not in the Capital City, and with Song Yunzhao now an esteemed Concubine, Mrs. Cai could only take her frustrations out on Jinxuan.
Although Aunt Che was favored, it counted for nothing while the Master was not home. Fortunately, she and her daughter had always acted with great caution and discretion, giving Mrs. Cai no leverage against them. As a result, their days were relatively peaceful.
"When Father returns, you should talk to him about my marriage. Once I’m married and gone, Auntie, you won’t have to live so cautiously every day." Song Jinxuan’s heart ached for her mother.
She was a young woman raised in the rear courtyards, so she was naturally under Mrs. Cai’s control. ’Back when Song Yunzhao was still the legitimate daughter, even with Father constantly protecting her, didn’t she still have to endure unfair treatment from Mrs. Cai?’
’As a mere illegitimate daughter, she didn’t have the standing to oppose Mrs. Cai.’
’Only when she was married would Mrs. Cai have nothing to hold over her mother. Only then would her mother’s life truly become easier.’
Aunt Che’s needlework continued without pause. She pinched the tip of the needle, ran it through her hair, and her fingers began to fly again. In a soft, slow voice, she said, "A young woman’s marriage is a momentous event. You have to keep your eyes wide open when choosing a husband’s family. I’m not even anxious, so why are you? Just you watch. Song Yunzhao has already become a Concubine. By next year, she might even rise higher. Your marriage prospects will be much better then. I’m not asking for great wealth or status, but I don’t want you to marry into a life of hardship. We’ll wait for the Master to return and carefully vet your options. Just wait patiently."
But Song Jinxuan didn’t have that kind of patience. "I just feel like the way Mrs. Cai looks at me lately is strange, like she’s sizing me up like an object. Auntie, I’m scared she’ll arrange a marriage for me while Father is away."
Aunt Che’s needlework came to a halt. "When did this start? Why didn’t you tell me?"
"I was afraid of worrying you, and I was also afraid I might be mistaken. But when I went to pay my respects these past two days, the feeling became much stronger. So I don’t think it’s just my imagination."
Aunt Che’s face instantly darkened. She slammed her palm on the table. "Don’t you worry. Let me look into it. If Mrs. Cai is truly up to no good, I won’t just stand by and watch her push you into a pit of fire. Since she has so much time on her hands, we’ll just have to keep her busy."
’There are so many treacherous aspects to Song Qinghan’s marriage. If Mrs. Cai really dares to scheme against my Jinxuan, then I’ll make sure Song Qinghan and the Marquis Wuxin Mansion become infamous throughout the Capital City. Once she’s busy with that, she won’t have time to bother Jinxuan.’
"I think you should still mention this to the First Madam," Song Jinxuan said, deeply worried. The First Madam was now helping to manage all the major affairs in the mansion. If her mother did something to displease the First Madam, it would not end well.
"I know," Aunt Che sighed. "Everything will be fine once the Master returns."
The two family branches had separated their households long ago, and the First Madam rarely involved herself in the affairs of the Third Branch. But as the Concubine’s influence in the palace grew, the First Madam had taken on responsibility for matters in both the East and West Courtyards.
Although Mrs. Cai was displeased, the First Madam insisted she was acting on the Master’s orders. Even if Mrs. Cai was unhappy, she didn’t dare to openly defy the First Madam.
’Both the Master and the Concubine in the palace trust the First Madam more. Mrs. Cai is standing on the edge of a cliff and doesn’t even know it. If this continues, she won’t need me to do anything; she’ll take a huge fall all on her own.’
At this thought, Aunt Che put away her needlework. She unfolded the small set of clothes she had just finished, examined it closely, and nodded in satisfaction. They were for the Eldest Miss’s young son. Before she was married, Song Guiyi had been the most outstanding of all the Song Family’s young ladies. Now that her husband had come to the Capital City for the imperial examinations, she had taken the opportunity to bring her children home for a visit. The First Madam doted on her granddaughter and grandson.
Aunt Che had always been a sharp one, so she had made a set of clothes for each of the two children. She had been busy with it for five or six days and had only just finished today.