Chapter 302 - 124: Black-hearted Little Emperor (3)
Song Jinxuan felt a sting in her nose. "Aunt," she said softly, "Song Qinghan was trying to make things difficult for me all day. It seems she’s not having an easy time in the Marquis Wuxin Mansion."
Aunt Che had a maid prepare a sobering-up soup and personally fed it to her daughter. "That marriage was always just for appearances," she said upon hearing her daughter’s words. "The Madam and Song Qinghan knew that from the start. Any unhappiness she’s feeling now, she brought upon herself."
After drinking the soup, Song Jinxuan felt her head clear. She leaned against Aunt Che and said slowly, "I heard from Ye Xi that they never sent that Yan Liu away. She’s still living in the Marquis Mansion. And Xu Anxing absolutely dotes on her. Even though she’s pregnant, he still spends most of his nights in her rooms."
Aunt Che’s expression stiffened. "You are all unmarried young ladies. How can you be listening to such talk?"
Song Jinxuan chuckled. "I’m about to be married. There are some things I ought to know."
Aunt Che sighed. "I’m a concubine myself; of course I know what that Yan Liu is thinking. Even though she gave birth to the eldest illegitimate son, one son isn’t enough. So she rushed to conceive again before Third Young Master Xu even married his new wife. If it’s another son, then with two sons to back her, her position in the Marquis Mansion will be completely secure."
Song Jinxuan listened without interrupting, knowing her aunt had more to say.
"She’s keeping Third Young Master Xu by her side even while pregnant. For one, it’s a show of force against the main wife, Song Qinghan. For another, it’s a test of strength. If Song Qinghan can’t put her down now, she probably never will. With two sons to her name, Yan Liu’s life will be easy. She isn’t fighting for a moment’s affection; she’s fighting for her future position."
Aunt Che sighed. "When I became a concubine to your father, I was never as brazen as this Yan Liu. After I entered the family, I was very respectful to the Madam at first. But I was young, beautiful, and full of spirit. The Madam couldn’t stand me. She made my life difficult at every turn and treated me harshly. In the end, it just fanned the flames of my defiance. I became determined to fight her and see who would come out on top."
"Some concubines know their place, like Aunt Qing from the main branch. She was the First Madam’s dowry maid and is completely loyal to her. A concubine like that is not only trustworthy, but can also be trained to be a capable aide. Aunt Luo, like me, came from outside the family. But even though I was bought, I was from a respectable family. Aunt Luo started out as a singer, so naturally, I had more standing than she did."
"A pretty face alone is not enough. Aunt Guo of the main branch is not only beautiful but also the daughter of a ruined scholar. So what? She still lives obediently under the First Madam’s thumb. Then there’s Aunt Qin in our own branch. By the time she entered the family, I had already given birth to you and your brother. I was no longer as young and fresh as she was. I knew the Madam let her in to keep me in check, but I still won, didn’t I?"
At this, Aunt Che looked at her daughter. "A concubine has her own ways to survive, her own path. You can’t learn those from me. You are going to be a main wife, so you must learn from the First Madam. Don’t be consumed by jealousy. What master or young master doesn’t have a few women to attend to him? A true main wife must be like the First Madam: magnanimous but firm, handling everything with skill. If there are children from concubines, you must raise them as your own and turn them into your staunchest allies. If the Madam hadn’t refused to tolerate you and your brother, I would never have had the chance to raise you myself. Taking a concubine’s children to raise as your own is the same as holding her life in your hands. You must remember that."
’If the Madam had insisted on raising Jinxuan and Bo Ming, she would have swallowed all her pride and knelt before her for their sake.’
’But the Madam was no First Madam.’
’Therefore, her daughter must never emulate her legal mother. She had to be like the First Madam.’
「The next day」
Song Yexi was married, and the entire Song Family estate was abuzz. With Third Master Song repeatedly distinguishing himself at the imperial court and Song Jieyu high in the Emperor’s favor, the family was on the rise. Many families who previously had little to do with them came to offer their congratulations. The gates were thronged with an endless stream of guests.
In the palace, Song Yunzhao stood under the eaves of a long corridor, her gaze fixed in the direction of the Song estate. ’The sun is out today,’ she thought. ’It’s a good day. I hope everything goes smoothly for Song Yexi from now on.’
Not long after Song Yexi’s wedding, Song Jinxuan was also married. As she was the daughter of a concubine, the affair wasn’t as grand as the last one, but the Song Family still ensured it was a very respectable ceremony.
Song Yunzhao was quite surprised when Anshun reported that it was Song Bu Yue who had carried Song Jinxuan to her bridal sedan. She had assumed it would be Song Buming.
’Has that blockhead Song Bu Yue finally developed some sense?’
’After all these years, she felt nothing for this younger brother. To her, he might as well not have existed.’
’But this time, he had actually done something to surprise her.’