Chapter 285

Yu Jingxiu and Lady Fan were in the inner chamber. As Lady Fei entered the hall, she could still hear Lady Fan's sobbing voice: "...You say I'm wronging you, but anyone who hears this would 'wrong' you the same way... Renting a house to settle her in, pulling strings everywhere to help her make connections, finding servants to attend to her—spending two thousand taels of silver all told. And she's not some five or six-year-old girl. With only a naive wet nurse and a young maid in tow, she dared to travel all the way from Shandong to the capital. A person like that—you say she doesn't understand anything. Go tell that to people outside and see if anyone believes you. I think she's playing dumb while knowing full well what she's doing, taking you for a fool to be fleeced! Only you would fall into her trap without realizing it, and instead treat her like a precious treasure, supporting and adoring her..." Her tone was sour with jealousy.

Lady Fei's heart skipped a beat.

She hadn't expected that a blind cat would stumble upon a dead mouse—she'd actually guessed right!

From the inner chamber came Yu Jingxiu's furious roar: "Are you going to keep at this? What fool? What supporting and adoring? How many times do I have to tell you?"

Lady Fei's mind raced.

Go in or not?

If she went in, if things went wrong, she might not only provoke Lady Fan's resentment but also earn the disgust of the face-loving Yu Jingxiu, and she might never stand firm in the Yu household again. If she didn't go in, once Mozhuan came to her senses and chased after her making a fuss, she would still be hated by Lady Fan and Yu Jingxiu for her rude eavesdropping, and might even incur Yu Jingxiu's displaced anger...

She couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Since the arrow was already on the string, there was no turning back—she would do what needed to be done. Even if she failed, when she looked back later, at least she wouldn't regret it.

In the blink of an eye, Lady Fei lifted the curtain and barged in.

"Madam, whatever is the matter!" she said, walking in with a kind expression. "If you have something to say, just speak properly with the young master. It's the middle of the night, and though it's raining, even the slightest sound carries far—I could hear it from the rear quarters. If you disturb the master and the mistress, wouldn't that make them worry all over again?" As she spoke, she smiled and called out to Mozhuan, who had followed her in: "Would you be so kind as to fetch some water for the young madam? I'll help her wash her face." With that, she walked up to Lady Fan, drew a handkerchief from her sleeve, bent down, and handed it to her, saying softly, "Young madam, please wipe your face." Then she straightened up and addressed Yu Jingxiu: "And you, young master—the young madam stays at home helping the mistress manage the household, busy beyond measure every day, yet she still frets over whether you're doing well in Shandong, whether you're eating well, whether you're dressed warmly enough, whether those attending you are attentive enough. But you—when you return to the capital, instead of properly keeping the young madam company, you run out every day. The young madam can't even find you to share a few private words..." Her tone carried a hint of complaint and a touch of indignation.

Both Yu Jingxiu and Lady Fan were stunned.

As for Mozhuan, after the shock of Lady Fei's intrusion, her initial surprise had been replaced by boundless anger.

Lady Fei was nothing but an unfavored concubine, yet she dared to shove her aside and barge into the young madam's inner chamber.

Did she not know her place? When the young madam and the young master were at odds, what right did she have to speak?

So when she heard Lady Fei giving her orders, she raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but sneer: "Concubine Fei, I am the young madam's personal maid. I don't think it's your place to give me orders." But before she could finish, she saw Yu Jingxiu cast a cold glance her way, sending a chill through her heart and forcing her to swallow the rest of her words.

Yu Jingxiu's gaze at her grew even icier.

When Lady Fan had been making a scene just now, she had stood by in silence. Now that someone had come to mediate, she was putting on airs. Regardless of anything, Lady Fei was still his concubine—how dare a mere maid presume to lecture her! If she dared to act like this in front of him, one could only imagine how arrogant she was when he wasn't around.

Sensing Yu Jingxiu's anger, Mozhuan shuddered. Recalling Lady Fan's aversion to Lady Fei, she sneered inwardly, deciding to settle scores with Lady Fei another day. She bent her knees in a curtsey and withdrew to order one of the rough servants to fetch water.

After Mozhuan left, Yu Jingxiu's gaze fell upon Lady Fan.

Lady Fan took the handkerchief from Lady Fei, crumpled it viciously into a ball, and flung it hard to the ground.

A trace of embarrassment flickered across Lady Fei's face.

She slowly crouched down, picked up the handkerchief Lady Fan had thrown away, and silently turned to pour a cup of tea for each of them. She handed Yu Jingxiu's tea to him with respectful silence, while she set Lady Fan's cup gently on the kang table. Clasping the red-lacquered crabapple-patterned tea tray with both hands, she softly urged Lady Fan: "Young madam, do have a cup of hot tea—it will make you feel better."

Lady Fan and Yu Jingxiu had been crying and making a scene for quite a while, leaving her eyes sore and nose stuffy, her whole person feeling quite uncomfortable. Although she disliked Lady Fei, she wouldn't make things difficult for her own body.

She didn't refuse, picking up the teacup and taking a sip.

Not being scolded... Lady Fei's heart relaxed slightly. She lowered her head and gently advised Lady Fan, "You know the Master's temperament better than anyone. When it comes to your matters, there isn't a single one he doesn't take to heart. Even if it's the greatest matter in the world, given how much the Master respects you, please don't lose your temper."

Lady Fan's face darkened.

Was this words of mediation?

It sounded as if she herself was being unreasonable.

What did she know? How dare she spout nonsense here.

The thought flashed by, and a faint unease stirred in her heart.

Just as she was about to think it over carefully, Mozhuan entered with water.

Lady Fei hurried over to help with the hand mirror, handkerchief, and other small items. She also helped tuck the handkerchief around Lady Fan's chest, removed her bracelets, and attended to Lady Fan as she washed her face.

Disturbed by this interruption, Lady Fan set aside the faint confusion in her heart for the time being.

After the face was cleansed, Lady Fei again attended to Lady Fan as she reapplied her makeup.

Yu Jingxiu watched, then rose to leave.

With a sharp "smack," Lady Fan slapped the hand mirror onto the rosewood dressing table: "Where are you going? It's this late—surely you don't intend to go to Needle Alley to see that Miss Min? Don't you forget, the curfew has already begun outside. If you want to go out, you'll have to take Father-in-law's name card. If you're not afraid of losing face, I certainly am!" As she spoke, her eyes immediately reddened.

Yu Jingxiu felt both ashamed and annoyed. Ashamed because Lady Fan had said such things in front of Lady Fei, and annoyed because Lady Fan still didn't trust him.

His face darkened involuntarily, and he lifted his foot to leave.

But then he heard Lady Fei speak in a gentle voice, "Eldest Young Madam, hearing you say that, I must say I don't care for it."

Since when did matters in this household depend on whether Lady Fei liked them or not?

Give her an inch, and she really thought she was somebody!

Yu Jingxiu, Lady Fan, and Mozhuan all fell silent involuntarily.

Yet Lady Fei seemed not to notice everyone's discomfort, continuing in her warm voice, "I may not know why the Master wants to go to Needle Alley to see that Miss Min, but the Master has studied the sages' writings since childhood. He conducts himself with modesty and openness. Even if he may be remiss in minor matters of decorum, he would never do anything unworthy of a gentleman's virtue..."

Yu Jingxiu's eyes brightened as he listened.

Lady Fan, however, flew into a rage.

What right do you have to meddle in the matter between Depu and me?

She opened her mouth to scold Lady Fei, but who would have thought that Lady Fei would squat down beside her knee, look up at her with a sincere expression, and say, "I don't know what misunderstanding exists between you and the Master, and what I say may be one-sided. You're in a temper right now, so your judgment may be clouded. Don't dwell on today's matter any longer. I'll go make you a bowl of almond milk right now. After you drink it, get a good night's sleep. When you wake up tomorrow morning and your anger has subsided, you can talk things through with the Master then." Then she asked, "Would that be all right?"

Who would want to be at odds with their husband?

Lady Fan's heart was moved.

But she was still worried about Yu Jingxiu going to Needle Alley, and couldn't help showing a hint of hesitation, quickly glancing at Yu Jingxiu.

Lady Fei understood, and rose with a smile, calling out softly, "Master," and said, "Don't go out today either. Just stay home and have a good talk with the Eldest Young Madam. Whatever misunderstandings there are, once everyone talks them out, they'll dissipate like smoke."

Yet Yu Jingxiu's brow showed a trace of hesitation.

The moment Lady Fan saw this, the flames of anger in her heart flared up again.

In front of Lady Fei and Mozhuan, she had already lowered her head first, yet he wouldn't give her any face at all. How was she supposed to hold her head up before these servants in the future!

Mozhuan's words flashed through her mind again: "...Miss Min has only one wet nurse and one maidservant. The Master goes to that Miss Min's place to sit for a while every day after leaving the yamen. Once, he even brought Lord Chen Zhongming along..."

The jealousy bubbled up like spring water, gushing forth.

She could no longer hold back, and said with a choked voice, "I knew it—this house can no longer keep you. Since you insist on going, I won't stop you. I may keep your person, but I cannot keep your heart." As she spoke, she instructed Mozhuan, "Go, tell the stables that the Master is going out, and have them prepare the carriage and horses..."

Mozhuan naturally knew that Lady Fan was speaking in anger, and stood by without making a sound.

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Since Lady Fei already knew anyway, Yu Jingxiu no longer tried to hide it. His brows were tightly knit, and a hint of irritation showed at the corners of his eyes and brows. "Miss Min's father was unjustly imprisoned. I've finally managed to pull some strings for her at the Ministry of Justice. Tonight I need to polish a petition for her so she can submit it to the Ministry tomorrow... I'm going to the study to write the petition."

The case had actually moved the Ministry of Justice—this Miss Min must come from an extraordinary background.

Though it was unclear why she had only one wet nurse and one maidservant by her side.

Lady Fei was quietly mulling this over in her mind, though her expression remained unchanged as she continued to persuade Lady Fan: "Eldest Young Madam, the Eldest Young Master is now a Censor—an imperial censor who inspects on behalf of the heavens! It is precisely such wrongful cases that fall under his jurisdiction. If the Eldest Young Master were to harbor any private feelings toward Miss Min..." She smiled, "Where would the Eldest Young Master fail to come up with two thousand taels of silver? Why would he need to make it openly known through you, Eldest Young Madam? By acting this way, the Eldest Young Master never intended to hide it from you."

Lady Fan could not help but lower her head in thought, recalling the jade ornaments Yu Jingxiu often held and played with in his hands, the antique brush washer from a previous dynasty displayed on his desk, and the doting affection that the First Madam and Third Madam showed toward Yu Jingxiu. She could not help but bite her lip and say, "But two thousand taels of silver..."

"Eldest Young Madam, you probably haven't been in Nanjing for long, have you?" Lady Fei said with a smile. "When the Eldest Young Master was in Nanjing, he once spent five thousand taels of silver on a bronze tripod, played with it for a few days, and then simply left it in the storeroom of the old residence in Nanjing. Two thousand taels of silver, to the Eldest Young Master, is merely the small change one might spend on a trinket. I'm afraid he hasn't even given it a second thought." As she spoke, she looked at Yu Jingxiu with a beaming smile and said, "Isn't that right, Eldest Young Master?"