Chapter 298

Madam Yu could not be bothered to listen to her, but Lady Fei, without waiting for Madam Yu to respond, said, "They eat at the same table and rest in the same room. I never imagined the eldest daughter-in-law would be completely unaware. But since things have come to this, we can only look on the bright side. The eldest master has passed thirty, yet he has only Zhen-jie'er to show for it. It's rare that he has taken the Miss Min to heart. If, because of this, Miss Min can add a son or half a daughter to the Yu family, it would be both Miss Min's fortune and not unworthy of the eldest master's blessing. Madam—"

"Nonsense!" Before Lady Fei could finish, Madam Zhou shouted, cutting her off. "That Miss Min is still in deep mourning. Is that also the eldest master's blessing?"

Lady Fei trembled at the shout and stammered, "That Miss Min comes from an official family; surely she has read the Admonitions for Women and the Biographies of Exemplary Women . What should be helped and what should not be helped—she ought to know clearly..."

"Get out!" Madam Yu could no longer hold back and scolded sharply.

Lady Fei scrambled out of Madam Yu's inner chamber in fright.

Madam Yu's chest heaved up and down, her face pale enough to be frightening.

Mama Shu's heart skipped a beat, and she hurried forward to comfort Madam Yu: "Don't be anxious, be careful not to harm your health. When the eldest master returns, call him over and ask—then you'll know. The eldest master is not one who doesn't know his limits..."

"You needn't speak well of him." Madam Yu's temper turned on Mama Shu. "Do I not know my own son? He's nothing but dog meat that can't be served at a proper feast. Instead of focusing on his official career, he busies himself daily with these romantic affairs. I can see it clearly now—even if he came first in the imperial examinations, he's still useless. You serve by my side; instead of helping me discipline him, when such a blunder occurs, you join those who curry favor with the high and trample the low, helping him paper over the cracks..."

Mama Shu knew she was caught up in Yu Jingxiu's trouble, but under Madam Yu's fury, she dared not utter a single word of defense. She quickly rose and knelt before Madam Yu, kowtowing without cease: "Madam, calm your anger! It is entirely this servant's fault!"

Only when she saw Mama Shu's forehead turn red did Madam Yu's anger subside somewhat.

She said coldly, "Get up. I know well enough what sort of people are in this household!"

Mama Shu murmured "Yes" and rose cautiously.

Madam Yu then instructed Mama Shu: "Have them prepare the carriage. I'm going to Needle Alley."

"Madam, you must not." Even knowing Madam Yu was in a rage, the words of restraint slipped out from Mama Shu, who was utterly loyal to her mistress. "If you show yourself, and there's no room left to turn things around, what then?"

"If I don't show myself, who will?" Madam Yu stared coldly at Mama Shu. "Give me an idea—who do you think should go?"

The words "the eldest daughter-in-law" froze on her tongue.

If she had any sense, she should have noticed Yu Jingxiu's impropriety long ago—how could it have come to the point where her mother-in-law had to tell her?

Mama Shu could not help lowering her head.

"You can't find a suitable person either, can you?" Madam Yu gave a "hmph" and a bitter smile spread across her face. "One wrong move, and every step after is wrong." She muttered to herself, "I should have been ruthless back then and refused this marriage no matter what... Now it's too late for regret!"

Mama Shu was at a loss.

A young maid, trembling behind the curtain, reported, "Madam, the eldest master has returned!"

Madam Yu's gaze sharpened, and she said in a low voice, "Have him come in."

The young maid answered "Yes" respectfully, lifted the curtain, and attended Yu Jingxiu into the inner chamber.

Yu Jingxiu's brows and eyes carried a smile; he looked radiant and spirited.

"Mother." He greeted Madam Yu with a smile and a bow. Seeing her face taut, he laughed and sat down beside her, draping an arm around her shoulder. "What's the matter? Has Father been giving you grief? Don't worry—you still have me!" With that, he patted his chest in a teasing manner. "Your son is the top scholar of the current imperial examinations!"

The scolding words on Madam Yu's lips were swallowed back down.

How long had it been since her son had been this lighthearted? How long since he had joked with her like this? How long since he had looked so radiant?

Madam Yu's heart softened, and her voice turned gentler than she herself could have expected: "Do you think your father is like you? Always giving me grief! Mind your own affairs and spare me the worry—that would be my blessing!"

Yu Jingxiu's expression immediately turned a little sheepish. He looked at Madam Yu as if he wanted to speak but held back, just like when he was a child who had gotten into trouble, wanting to seek his mother's protection yet fearing her punishment.

The corners of Madam Yu's eyes grew slightly moist.

What does the child know? To have come to this point, in the end, they as adults bore some responsibility too—if she had gritted her teeth and refused to let him marry Lady Fan, would he have forced the marriage anyway?

Lady Fei's words suddenly surged back into Madam Yu's mind.

"Since things have come to this, we can only hope for the best..."

She couldn't help but let out a long sigh, gently stroking her son's head just as she had when Yu Jingxiu was a child.

Yu Jingxiu, feeling guilty, was startled. His smile was strained as he said, "Mother, what's the matter with you?"

Madam Yu felt even more bitter at heart.

If her son had a wife, he would naturally be discussing such matters with her instead of being so anxious over a single word from his mother.

"It's nothing, nothing." Madam Yu looked at Yu Jingxiu with loving eyes and said softly, "I'm just worried about you. You were a censor before, so be careful that someone with a grudge might try to find fault with you. Both in public and private matters, you should be extra cautious. A thousand-mile dike can collapse from an ant hole. You're an educated man, so I won't say more—just have your own judgment in everything."

"Mother, rest assured." Yu Jingxiu smiled, but his gaze was somewhat evasive. "I know what I'm doing."

"That's good." Madam Yu didn't call him out on it, but smiled and said, "It's getting late, go back and rest! You still need to report to the yamen tomorrow!"

His one-year term had ended, and Yu Jingxiu had been reassigned as the censor of Jiangxi Circuit.

Yu Jingxiu chatted a few pleasantries with his mother, then rose to take his leave.

After Mama Shu saw Yu Jingxiu off and returned, she looked at Madam Yu with a questioning gaze.

Madam Yu thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Go and summon Concubine Fei."

Mama Shu was shocked.

Madam Yu laughed. "What are you afraid of? I know exactly what I'm doing!"

Mama Shu still hesitated slightly.

Madam Yu said bluntly, "That Miss Min may come from an official family, but since she could be so intimately involved with Depu during her mourning period, she's clearly not a proper person. I'm afraid of the scheming taking advantage of the innocent. If a child comes out of this, it would be trouble. I'll have to send someone to warn her."

"Just as you said, if I were to appear personally, representing the Yu family and Depu's elders, it would carry a different weight. If the conversation goes well, fine; if not, the shameless might not fear the dignified, and we'd lose face instead."

"I know exactly what Fei's calculations are." Madam Yu's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness as she spoke. "Depu may not be the best, but at least he's read the sage's books and knows the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate. Fan may not be ideal, but she's the wife he chose himself, so he'll always regard her with some respect. Only when a rift forms between Fan and Depu will concubines like her have their chance... That's why she disparages Fan openly and secretly, and why she covers for Depu... First, she drives a wedge between Fan and Depu, then we'll see."

Mama Shu suddenly understood.

"Madam is truly brilliant." She looked at Madam Yu with admiration. "She's the most suitable person to send."

Madam Yu smiled faintly. "I've given her the opportunity. Whether she seizes it depends on her fortune."

"Madam is most benevolent." Mama Shu quickly smiled and said, "Concubine Fei is a clever woman; she'll surely appreciate your kind intentions." Then she added, "I'll go summon Concubine Fei now."

Madam Yu nodded.

Mama Shu went to Concubine Fei's quarters.

Madam Yu sat alone quietly on the large kang by the window. As if she had removed a mask, the calm and composure had vanished from her brow and eyes, replaced by a hint of anxiety and uncertainty.

If she thus sidelined Lady Fan and disrupted the order of legitimate and illegitimate, would things spiral out of control?

But if she simply kept grinding against Lady Fan, Depu was getting older each year—what if he truly never had a son?

As the thought passed through her mind, a trace of resolve flashed across Madam Yu's face.

Wasn't she and the old master still here in this household?

No matter how formidable Fei was, she was merely a concubine.

Once a concubine, always a concubine.

How could she possibly overturn the heavens?

With these thoughts, Madam Yu's heart settled somewhat. She let out a gentle breath and picked up her teacup.

Meanwhile, Shi Family Lane, which stood opposite Jia Dao Street, was filled with joyful celebration.

Yang Yucheng's wife, Mrs. Zhang, looked at the infant gripping her finger tightly and couldn't help but beam as she turned back: "Sister-in-law, look at Han Ge'er's grip—even a one-year-old child can't match it!"

Her third son, Zhao Han, had been born on the ninth day of the first month, and in two days he would be a hundred days old. Relatives and friends had all come to see him.

Fu Tingjun smiled and nodded. "He was born smoothly, and he's grown sturdy since birth."

Jin Yuanbao's wife, Lady Shi, was also examining the child nearby. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "I think Han Ge'er's features resemble Lord Zhao's more."

Lady Shi's cousin, Lady Chen Shi, sat beside Fu Tingjun. She smiled and craned her neck to look at Han Ge'er, then turned back to look at Fu Tingjun and laughed, "I also think he looks more like Lord Zhao."

Just then, Youyou came in carrying brown sugar water under Mama Shu's watchful eye, dutifully calling out "Madam" and "Lady" as she invited them to drink the sweet water.

"Youyou is such a good girl!" Madam Mo sat at the end of the kang, closest to Youyou, and immediately rose to take the sugar water, praising Youyou with a beaming smile. "It's only been two or three months since I last saw you, and our Youyou has become even more well-mannered than before."

"Thank you for the compliment, Madam Mo." Youyou happily expressed her gratitude to Madam Mo, appearing very poised.

Mother Tong looked somewhat tense and quickly explained, "The eldest young miss said that since a new little brother has arrived, she needs to help the lady take care of him and also help the lady receive the guests."

Everyone praised Youyou for being so thoughtful.

Fu Tingjun also felt deeply touched and gazed at his daughter with doting affection.

Qin Feiyu then said, "Youyou must be eight years old this year, right?"

Fu Tingjun smiled and nodded, saying, "She was born in the year of Jihai."

Madam Mo's eyes flickered slightly, and she smiled, saying, "In a couple of years, it'll be time to discuss a marriage for her."

The topic had been brought up by Lady Qin, and for Madam Mo to say such things in front of Youyou was somewhat improper. She gave a soft cough and said with a smile, "The commanders-in-chief of Yun and Gui are assessed once every three years. Lord Zhao shouldn't be returning to the capital for his report until next year, right? Won't he miss seeing Han Ge'er then?"

"Families like ours—which one isn't like this?" Fu Tingjun said with a smile, exchanging pleasantries with her.

Madam Mo's expression showed a slight hint of embarrassment.

Third Cousin, however, had a tense look on her face.