I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Song Nanzhen couldn’t help but compare Mrs. Cai to Aunt Che, and he heaved a heavy, internal sigh.

Mrs. Cai, these days, was less tactful than a mere concubine.

Aunt Che hadn’t brought the ginseng soup with the intention of leaving empty-handed. She not only secured the dowry supplement from the Master for her daughter, but as a concubine whose position depended on his favor and who hadn’t seen him in months, she certainly wasn’t going to just leave. As expected, she stayed the night in the front courtyard.

When the First Madam in the East Courtyard heard the news, she merely smiled. Mrs. Cai had destroyed her own dignity; she had only herself to blame.

Aunt Che was patient, ruthless, and tactful. She was willing to swallow any grievance for her children’s sake. In a few more years, it was hard to say what the situation in this mansion would become.

’However, Yunzhao had warned her that Aunt Che must only be allowed to be evenly matched with Mrs. Cai. That meant she might even have to help Mrs. Cai hold her ground. The very thought of managing Mrs. Cai’s affairs was exasperating. The woman was utterly muddle-headed, and her stubbornness only grew with age.’

’But for the future of the Song Family, to prevent her husband and son from being dragged down by Mrs. Cai, and to ensure no one could use family matters against Yunzhao in the palace, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and intervene.’

The First Madam had long suspected that Song Qinghan’s marriage couldn’t be called off. The Marquis Wuxin Mansion was no minor household; with the engagement already set, trying to break it without a valid reason would mean making a mortal enemy of them.

As for the matter of the illegitimate son, the Marquis Wuxin Mansion hadn’t tried to hide it. When the Song Family found out, the other family readily admitted it. What more could be done?

Since she had chosen this pit of fire herself, Song Qinghan would have to be the one to jump in.

The First Madam wouldn’t concern herself with Song Qinghan’s marriage. However, she had to keep an eye on Song Jinxuan, and then there was her own daughter Ye Xi’s marriage to handle, not to mention her son’s...

The First Madam’s expression was grim. The children of the two Song brothers were all of a similar age, leading to a constant string of weddings. It was enough to work her to death.

In order of seniority, Song Qinghan would naturally be the first to marry, followed by Song Yexi, and then Song Jinxuan. Her son’s marriage had to wait for news from her husband, so she could set that matter aside for now.

Half a month after Song Nanzhen returned to the capital, Song Qinghan was wed.

In the palace, Song Yunzhao remained as unshakable as a mountain, not batting an eye. This had nothing to do with her.

After winter set in, Song Yexi was wed. Song Yunzhao sent a gift for her dowry: a Hundred Sons and Thousand Grandsons Jade Bowl set, custom-ordered from the Six Departments at great expense. It was a valuable gift with an auspicious meaning, serving as both a token of thanks to the First Madam for her efforts and a nod to the sisterly bond that had grown between her and Song Yexi.

Song Jinxuan’s wedding was originally planned for the following year, but the Yang Family came to propose an earlier date. They explained that they wanted to send their youngest son to an academy in the south after the new year, so it would be best for the wedding to happen before the year was out. This would allow the young couple to travel together.

Aunt Che was the most tempted by this proposal. ’Her daughter could travel with her husband right after marrying into the family, avoiding the need to stay and serve her parents-in-law. The young couple’s bond would surely be strong as newlyweds. If she returned to the capital after giving birth to a child, her position in the Yang Family would be unshakable, with a loving husband and a child to her name.’

Though tempted, Aunt Che put on a show of reluctance in front of Mrs. Cai. She hinted that their haste to get her daughter married off showed they didn’t value her, seeing as she was born to a concubine. She even went to cry before the Master and dragged Song Buming along to plead for his sister, her performance a seamless series of acts.

Mrs. Cai saw and heard all of this. The more reluctant Aunt Che seemed, the more determined she was to make it happen. So when the Yang Family came to set the date, she immediately agreed to let Song Jinxuan be married before the year’s end.

The First Madam: ...

Song Nanzhen: ...

When Song Yunzhao heard the news in the palace, she roared with laughter. ’Aunt Che really is a piece of work,’ she thought. Song Jinxuan was raised by Aunt Che alone. If she inherited even half of her mother’s cunning, she would have no trouble in the Yang Family.

After all, Aunt Che was merely a concubine and faced far too many restrictions. Song Jinxuan, however, was marrying in as the main wife. Her position was infinitely better than her mother’s.

She based Song Jinxuan’s gift on the one she had given Song Yexi, but reduced its value by a tenth. There was, after all, a difference in status between a daughter born of the main wife and one born of a concubine. If she gave Song Jinxuan a gift equal in value to Song Yexi’s, it would not only displease the First Madam but also invite criticism if word got out.

The gift she prepared for Song Jinxuan was a set of silver "Hundred Blessings" bowls. ’In just a few short months,’ she mused, ’how much of my black heart silver has the Six Departments made off with?’

Looking at the set of silver bowls, Aunt Che was overcome, both crying and laughing at the same time. She grasped her daughter’s hand and said, "As long as the Concubine’s position in the palace remains unshaken, this set of silver bowls will guarantee your stability in the Yang Family."

"Mother..." Song Jinxuan began to cry too, unable to bear the thought of leaving her. They had relied on each other for so many years, surviving day by day in the mansion by treading on eggshells. Outsiders saw her mother as the Master’s favorite, but they never knew the hardships she truly faced.