Chapter 208

Lady Fan felt a nameless fire blazing within her.

What kind of look was that?

Was what she said wrong?

A mere concubine, and she dared to glare at her with such defiance...

She gave a cold snort inwardly, turned her head away, and, supporting Mozhuan by the shoulder, hurried back to her room with somewhat rushed steps.

She did not pause to ponder why that nameless fire had risen in her heart just now.

Concubine Wu pressed her lips into a thin line and returned to her own room without a word.

Muffled murmuring drifted in from outside.

Concubine Wu's tears could not help but fall.

She hugged her quilt, curling up in the corner of the bed.

Lianxin, who had come to deliver her meal, saw this and hesitated for a moment before treading softly to the bedside. She called out in a low voice, "Auntie," and whispered, "We all know you're not that kind of person... Please, don't grieve so—your health matters most!"

Concubine Wu remained motionless, as still as a fossil, utterly silent.

Suddenly, fear seized Lianxin.

"Auntie, Auntie..." She shook Concubine Wu in a panic.

Concubine Wu turned her head, her face streaked with tears. "I'm fine..." she said, offering a self-deprecating smile. "Which concubine doesn't encounter this or that from time to time? The young mistress... choosing to make her move only now... is merely trying to ruin my reputation—that's already a mercy..." She pulled herself up. "You've brought the meal, haven't you? Just set it down here!"

In the dimly lit inner chamber, Concubine Wu's face was as pale as white silk, like those paper effigies pasted together for the Ghost Festival. Lianxin looked at her and could not suppress a shiver. She quickly lowered her head and began transferring the dishes from the food box onto the kang table.

The only sound in the room was the clatter of bowls and plates, making it all the more gloomy and oppressive.

Lianxin was frightened and kept talking without pause: "Today the kitchen stewed an old hen with ginseng, and they saved a bowl for you too... I heard the ginseng was specially ordered by the mistress, who had Steward Yu send someone to bring it from our old home in Nanjing—it was part of her dowry... The cook was hesitating whether to stew it in several batches, but Mama Shu said there was no need, saying, 'We have two women with child in this courtyard, and this ginseng might not even be enough as it is, let alone divided into batches...' Hearing that, the cook set aside a bowl for us... The mistress truly does care for you, Auntie..." She chattered on endlessly, as if only by doing so could she dispel the chill creeping into her heart.

Concubine Wu listened quietly, her hand unconsciously resting on her lower belly.

Is that so?

That's because the truth hasn't yet come to light. If she bore a concubine's eldest son, and the young mistress bore a legitimate eldest son, would Madam Yu still treat her this way?

She smiled with disdain.

Yet her body could not stop trembling.

If only she weren't pregnant!

The thought flashed through her mind, and she froze in place.

Meanwhile, Madam Yu was so furious she could not speak for a long while.

"This is the trick she resorts to—she might as well have someone pour a bowl of abortifacient down Wu's throat. Then I'd at least admire her for being decisive and ruthless, a woman of action..."

"Madam!" Mama Shu shot a warning glance at the maidservants attending in the room and called out sharply.

Madam Yu fell silent, but the violent heaving of her chest betrayed her feelings.

The maidservants in the room hastily withdrew.

Only then did Mama Shu step forward and say, "The young mistress is still young. Aren't there matters that still require your guidance, Madam?"

Before she had even finished speaking, Madam Yu sneered, "My guidance? Look at her—quoting Confucius with every breath and Mencius with every word. Do you think I dare guide her?"

Mama Shu looked embarrassed.

Madam Yu said bitterly, "I said it long ago—a daughter from a solitary, impoverished household is not fit to marry into our family. Say she lacks propriety, and yet she has read the Four Books and Five Classics; say she knows propriety, and all she employs are underhanded tricks that cannot be brought into the light. Giving a pregnant concubine tight shoes to wear, letting the old servants see through it, and then making them play along in her little drama—how did she even think of it, let alone do it!"

"She is the legitimate wife, after all!"

"If the concubine miscarries, a single charge of neglect could brand her with the crime of 'bringing chaos to the household.' Does she still want to stand in the Yu family after that? Does she still want to become the matriarch of the Yu clan?" Having said this, her anger still not spent, she added, "Thank heavens I brought her to the capital. If she had stayed in Nanjing, wouldn't she have made the eldest sister-in-law and the third sister-in-law laugh themselves silly behind our backs!"

"How could that be?" Mama Shu forced a smile to comfort Madam Yu. "We're all one family—the eldest madam and the third madam are both hoping the young mistress will soon bear a son..."

Madam Yu listened and waved her hand in irritation. "Go and fetch her for me. She's like a tung-oil lamp—it won't shine unless it's trimmed. Some things are better said to her plainly and clearly, lest she make another spectacle of herself."

Mama Shu hesitated at this and said, "Would you consider waiting a while? The young mistress has only just conceived..."

Madam Yu thought it over and nodded. "Then we'll speak of it another day."

Mama Shu breathed a sigh of relief and began to bring up topics that might interest Madam Yu: "...When I went to deliver ginseng to the young mistress this morning, I stopped by the kitchen on the way. The cook there told me that Concubine Wu has a good appetite, so I sent a little maid to check on her. They say she's grown much plumper than when she first entered the household..."

Madam Yu hummed in acknowledgment, her expression far better than before.

Seeing that she had hit the right note, Mama Shu felt much lighter and continued with a smile: "But I've noticed that Concubine Wu is quite introverted by nature and rarely leaves her quarters. That's not entirely good for her. I was thinking—since All Saints' Day is coming up in a few days, the palace should be sending gifts as per custom. Perhaps you might consider bestowing a few bolts of fabric on Concubine Wu as well. For one, it would set her mind at ease, and for another, it would give her something to do—she could sew some things for the young master who has yet to be born..."

When a person has something to occupy her hands, she won't let her thoughts run wild.

Madam Yu couldn't help but nod and sighed, "You're always so thoughtful!"

"I've served you for over forty years now," Mama Shu said with a smile. "I just have the advantage of practice making perfect. Once the young mistress gives birth to the young master and becomes a mother herself, her heart will settle, she'll understand the hardships of motherhood, and gradually she'll learn how to care for others."

Madam Yu, however, raised an eyebrow in disagreement. Seeing the eager expectation on Mama Shu's face, she swallowed the words that had risen to her lips and changed the subject instead: "Has the young master returned?"

"He's back!" Mama Shu smiled. "He's in the study right now, discussing matters with the master!"

"Oh!" Madam Yu thought to herself that her husband had been leaving early and returning late these past few days—though they shared a room, they hadn't properly spoken in days. She couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why is the master home so early today?"

Mama Shu smiled and asked, "Shall I go find out?"

"No need." Though Madam Yu trusted Mama Shu deeply, she didn't want to send her to pry into her husband's affairs—it would make it seem as though she didn't trust him. "I'll just ask him when he comes in!"

Just as she finished speaking, Grand Secretary Yu's voice sounded from outside, carrying a smile: "What is it you want to ask me?" Even as he spoke, he lifted the curtain and entered.

Mama Shu quickly bent her knees in a curtsey and called for the maids to attend to Grand Secretary Yu's change of clothes, while she herself brewed a cup of tea and placed it on the kang table.

"You've left the yamen so early today, my lord," Madam Yu said with a smile as she personally wrung out a cloth for him. "I was just a little curious!"

Hearing this, Grand Secretary Yu's hand paused mid-motion as he wiped his face.

Madam Yu's heart skipped a beat at the sight. Her expression turned serious, and she asked in a low voice, "What has happened?"

Grand Secretary Yu's first instinct was to deny it, but on second thought, this news would reach Madam Yu sooner or later anyway. Better to tell her himself than have her hear it from someone else—at least she'd have time to prepare herself.

He said gravely, "The Tartars gathered fifty thousand troops from six tribes, bypassed Zhangye, and made straight for Xuanfu. Mo Yi led his forces to meet them head-on, while Zhao Ling took five thousand men from the Yulin Guard and circled around to attack from the rear. They routed thirty thousand Tartar soldiers—not only lifting the siege of Xuanfu but also earning the greatest merit. The Emperor is beside himself with excitement. Even before the fighting there has fully concluded, he's already summoned the Grand Secretariat to discuss rewards..."

Madam Yu was startled by this: "So the Emperor intends to elevate Zhao Ling?"

Grand Secretary Yu nodded, a shadow of gloom settling over his brow: "The Emperor has always wanted to use men of his own choosing. Unfortunately, men like Qin Feiyu, though skilled in martial arts and utterly loyal, lack the makings of a commander. Now that he's finally found someone who can fight, there's no need to describe how pleased the Emperor is..."

Madam Yu was silent for a moment, then murmured, "Is there truly no way to resolve this feud?"

At this, Grand Secretary Yu grew somewhat irritated: "It's all that little Fu's fault—so concerned with saving face that he's brought suffering upon himself. What harm would it have done to quietly acknowledge his daughter? But no, he had to put on airs. Now look—Madam Fu refuses to recognize him as her father at all... Good thing we never became in-laws with him! If we had, who knows what messes we'd be cleaning up for him now!"

Madam Yu sighed deeply at this: "It just goes to show—nothing in this world is perfect!"

Grand Secretary Yu was momentarily taken aback by her words, then asked, "Has something happened at home?"

Her husband was already troubled enough over their son's affairs; she didn't want to burden him further with matters of the inner quarters.

"With just this handful of people, what could possibly happen?" Madam Yu said with a smile. "I was merely feeling a bit wistful, that's all."

Grand Secretary Yu nodded and instructed her: "That Wu woman—you should keep a closer eye on her. Our family's progeny is too sparse. Though a child born of a concubine is of lesser standing, having a brother to lend support is still better than relying on outsiders."

Not always!

Madam Yu thought to herself. But this wasn't something she could say to Grand Secretary Yu's face, so she gave a vague murmur of assent and turned the conversation back to Zhao Ling: "...So what should we do? Should we try to find a way to ask that Teacher Yao, the one who took monastic vows at Tanzhe Temple, to come forward and help mediate?"

"Better not!" said Grand Secretary Yu. "Setting aside the fact that we have no connection with him, very few people even know he's taken monastic vows at Tanzhe Temple. Besides, the Emperor has sent a contingent of imperial guards to protect him, so ordinary people can't get anywhere near him anyway." As he spoke, his expression grew increasingly somber. "Don't worry yourself over this matter. I'll find a way."

This was hardly a matter for a woman to concern herself with. Madam Yu obediently acknowledged with a "yes," and after helping Grand Secretary Yu change his clothes, the couple had their meal laid out in the inner chamber.

They had just picked up their bowls when Yu Jingxiu came running in.

"Finished eating?" Madam Yu asked him.

"Not yet!" Yu Jingxiu replied, glancing toward Grand Secretary Yu with a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Madam Yu found this curious, while Grand Secretary Yu remained as steady as a mountain and said calmly, "Then let's eat first!"

Yu Jingxiu gave an "mm" and took a seat at the lower end of the table.

Madam Yu personally set out bowls and chopsticks for her son.

Yu Jingxiu thanked her and sat down to eat quietly.

Several times Madam Yu opened her mouth to ask questions, but seeing the grave expression on her husband's face, she couldn't bring herself to speak.

After the evening meal, Grand Secretary Yu and his son went to the study.