Chapter 306

Seeing Concubine Wu collapse to the ground without a word, Yu Jingxiu felt even more indignant.

He shouted at Lady Fan, "What are you standing there gaping for? Why haven't you gone to find someone for me?"

Even if Lady Fan were ever so muddle-headed, she would never do such a thing. Not to mention Concubine Wu's status and the Yu family's reputation—if she truly followed Yu Jingxiu's orders and summoned a slave trader, once word got out, others would only say it was out of jealousy that she had done something so outrageous and improper, rather than saying Yu Jingxiu had flown into a rage out of humiliation.

But she had always appeared gentle and obedient before Yu Jingxiu—how could she defy his orders in front of a concubine and the serving women?

Lady Fan hastily replied in a deferential tone, "This wife will go find someone at once," then shot Mozhuan a meaningful glance and turned to leave the inner chamber.

Mozhuan followed Lady Fan out the door. Seeing Lady Fan stop, she hurried forward and whispered, "What instructions does the Madam have?""

Go quickly and tell the old madam about this." Lady Fan's tone was urgent. Let the elder make the decision!"

Mozhuan was quite surprised and said, "You... you mean to save Concubine Wu?"

"Fool!" Lady Fan could not help but curse. "The eldest master wants to sell Concubine Wu—even if the Yu family agrees, the Wu family won't let him have his way. Rather than wait until I've both incurred my mother-in-law's reproach for not stopping the eldest master and earned the Wu family's resentment, it's better to ask the elder for a decision now... As a daughter-in-law, it's proper for me to carry out my elders' instructions and help with matters, but I mustn't both do the deed and bear the blame."

Mozhuan understood and hurried off at a trot to Madam Yu's quarters.

Madam Yu was just helping Grand Secretary Yu change his clothes. Hearing this news, she nearly fainted from anger. Suppressing the fury in her heart, she exclaimed loudly, "What are those two up to now? Can't they let people live in peace! Selling Concubine Wu to a brothel—how dare he even say such a thing! I never knew that my fine son, after taking a wife, would suddenly turn into a beast..."

The words scolded Yu Jingxiu, but the thrust of them pointed straight at Lady Fan.

Mozhuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness she had followed the eldest young mistress's advice and come to fetch the old madam as a savior—otherwise, wouldn't that filthy pot have been dumped on the eldest young mistress's head?

Grand Secretary Yu could not say a word. His face ashen, he waved at Madam Yu and said in a deep voice, "Come, let me also go see what play they are putting on!"

The maidservants and matrons inside and outside the room were utterly silent.

Mama Shu personally carried a lantern to escort Grand Secretary Yu and Madam Yu to Yu Jingxiu's courtyard.

The moment they entered the courtyard, they heard Yu Jingxiu's voice, barely containing his anger as he berated: "...Is it that you're short of food or clothing? Or have you been made to serve the eldest young mistress like a little maid? We've kept you well—warm and cool clothes for all four seasons, maidservants and matrons aplenty around you. Even the young ladies of great households are no better off than you. And yet you refuse to stay content in your place, running outside to wag your tongue! Tell me, in what way has the Yu family treated you unjustly?"

Not content in her place?

How could that be?

She had chosen Concubine Wu to enter the household precisely because she had seemed somewhat timid and weak-natured. In the years Concubine Wu had spent in the Yu household, though she had endured plenty of grievances, she had remained honest and docile. How could her son say she was not content in her place? Could it be that she had misjudged her?

The thought flashed by, and Madam Yu immediately dismissed it.

Concubine Wu had gone out only a handful of times in these past few years, and every time she had maidservants and matrons accompanying the carriage. Even if she had wanted to do something scandalous, she would never have had the opportunity!

Madam Yu could not help but secretly regret.

Just now she had been too busy being angry to ask carefully what had actually happened.

She looked toward Mozhuan.

Mozhuan shook her head in bewilderment.

Grand Secretary Yu, walking ahead, had already strode toward the main hall with a grim expression.

Only then did the maidservants who had been cowering under the eaves of the main hall listening to the commotion sense something amiss. Some shrank back to the side, while others managed to announce in raised voices, "The master has arrived," and held open the curtain for Grand Secretary Yu.

Seeing this, Madam Yu could hardly say anything more and followed Grand Secretary Yu silently into the hall.

Hearing the announcement, Yu Jingxiu had already led Lady Fan and the others out of the inner chamber, just in time to see Grand Secretary Yu enter.

Being a man of thirty himself, and having his household affairs disturb his parents—Yu Jingxiu was both ashamed and irritated. Suppressing his embarrassment, he stepped forward to pay his respects to Grand Secretary Yu and Madam Yu.

Grand Secretary Yu did not even glance at Yu Jingxiu. He went straight to the armchair before the central altar in the hall and sat down.

Madam Yu did not speak to Yu Jingxiu either, but sat down beside Grand Secretary Yu.

The maidservants and matrons who had followed quietly arranged themselves on either side of Grand Secretary Yu and Madam Yu.

The atmosphere in the hall immediately grew tense, with more than a hint of a courtroom interrogation about it.

Yu Jingxiu felt even more mortified and could not help glancing at Lady Fan.

Lady Fan stood beside him with lowered eyes, twisting her fingers, looking as innocent as if she had suffered an undeserved calamity.

For some inexplicable reason, Yu Jingxiu felt a surge of displeasure in his heart, and his brows knitted involuntarily.

When Grand Secretary Yu saw that only Lady Fan and Lady Fei had come out with Yu Jingxiu to receive him, he lifted his eyelids and asked, "Where is Concubine Wu?"

No reasonable person would have agreed to Yu Jingxiu's scheme. The moment Grand Secretary Yu asked about Concubine Wu, it was clear he was displeased with Yu Jingxiu. Lady Fei hastily said, "This concubine will go at once to support Concubine Wu here." With that, paying no heed to what Yu Jingxiu or Lady Fan might think, she turned and helped the utterly limp Concubine Wu out.

The moment Grand Secretary Yu saw Concubine Wu, who needed Lady Fei's support just to walk, he cast a glance at his son.

To be frightened into such a state by a few scolding words—she was clearly a simple, honest soul. What could someone like her possibly have done?

His expression softened as he looked at her, and he asked in a gentle voice, "What exactly happened? Tell me about it."

Concubine Wu's lips trembled, and it was a long while before she spoke. "The First Young Master said my brother-in-law wanted to redeem me and take me home... and thought I had said something to my family..." At this point, recalling Yu Jingxiu's abuse and the grievance in her heart, her tears fell in streams as she defended herself, "I truly don't know... I said nothing at all... My brother-in-law is merely a small merchant; he only does what my sister tells him to..." Here, she fell to her knees with a thud before Grand Secretary Yu. "My lord, I beg you to be merciful and not hold my brother-in-law accountable. I am well here! I don't want to go back!"

A prefect can ruin a family; a county magistrate can destroy a household. And someone as powerful as Grand Secretary Yu—even Lord Wu had to curry favor with him. Otherwise, why would Madam Wu have racked her brains to send her here in the first place?

Her sister had meant well, but she could not let that harm her sister.

Concubine Wu began knocking her head against the floor with heavy thuds.

Everyone in the room was stunned—except for Yu Jingxiu, Lady Fan, and Lady Fei.

In the hall, so silent one could hear a pin drop, only the sound of Concubine Wu's kowtowing echoed.

Soon, blood appeared on her forehead.

Madam Yu shuddered, snapped back to her senses, and quickly said, "What are you doing? Get up at once. His Lordship will see justice done for you—don't let your mind run wild."

Mama Shu hurried forward to pull Concubine Wu to her feet. Seeing the blood trickling down her temple, she took out a handkerchief and tied it around Concubine Wu's forehead.

Grand Secretary Yu's gaze fell upon his son, and for a long time he said nothing.

Yu Jingxiu knew he had made a mountain out of a molehill.

But every time he thought of that country bumpkin blocking him outside the yamen and pulling out a pouch of silver as if to take Concubine Wu away, his anger flared anew.

What did that bumpkin take him for?

A mere few hundred taels of silver. He gave away more than that as casual tips. And the man thought such a paltry sum could move him?

He then thought of Madam Chen, who had requested to leave on her own.

Could Concubine Wu have been influenced by her—had she already been planning to leave the Yu family back then?

At the thought, he had let the carriage curtain fall and returned straight home.

But all the way back, the more he thought, the angrier he grew.

First Madam Chen, then Concubine Wu—did they think the Yu family was some kind of vegetable garden gate? Come and go as you please? If he didn't teach Concubine Wu a lesson, wouldn't everyone in the household follow suit?

That was when he had said he would sell her to a brothel.

The moment the words left his mouth, he knew it was inappropriate. But seeing Concubine Wu's reaction, he thought a good scare might do her good—lest she get too big for her britches and encourage the household to do foolish things. That was why he had urged Lady Fan to summon the matchmaker.

Unexpectedly, Lady Fan hadn't stopped him at all. Instead, she had invited her parents over, turning a small matter into an absurd spectacle known to all.

At this thought, he cast another glance at Lady Fan.

Lady Fan was looking at Concubine Wu and did not notice Yu Jingxiu.

But Lady Fei, who had been quietly observing Yu Jingxiu from the corner of her eye, was muttering to herself.

If Concubine Wu stayed... She recalled how she had tried several times to use her for her own schemes without success. Concubine Wu was clearly a clever woman—she just seemed somewhat weak-willed, and so far there had been no conflict of interest between them. But even a rabbit will bite when cornered. If a conflict ever arose between them, and given that everyone thought of Concubine Wu as honest and simple, no one would be on guard against her. If she ever did bite, Lady Fei feared she would be the one to suffer.

But if Concubine Wu left... She thought of how warm Lady Fan had been toward Concubine Wu recently... At least Lady Fan would have one fewer person by her side. Even if Madam Min entered the household, Lady Fei, as the most senior concubine in Yu Jingxiu's chambers, could play both sides between Lady Fan and Madam Min...

Yes, it was better for Concubine Wu to leave!

Lady Fei was full of her own schemes. After Grand Secretary Yu had spoken a few words of comfort to Concubine Wu and was about to keep Yu Jingxiu and Lady Fan for a talk, she took the initiative to escort Concubine Wu back to her room. She then called for Lianxin to fetch hot water and personally attended to Concubine Wu's washing and grooming. Afterward, she took Concubine Wu's hand and, with an air of heartfelt sincerity, whispered, "What do you plan to do?"

Concubine Wu knew full well that this was the moment she should push Lady Fei away, but the thought that her sister had actually sent her brother-in-law to the Yu household to redeem her stirred a surge of emotion within her.

How wonderful would it be to leave the Yu family?

Even if it meant becoming a nun in a temple, it would be better than this half-dead existence!

But how could she dare say such a thing!

Seeing that she remained silent, Lady Fei probed, "I wonder if Madam Wu knows about this? Don't you think you should send word to Madam Wu? That way, the eldest master won't fly into another rage and say things about selling you or not selling you. Though those words are nonsense, we can't have him shouting like that all the time. We are concubines, and those old servants of many years don't even regard us with a glance. If it comes to that, wouldn't they not even deign to look at us?"

Unfortunately, just now Yu Jingxiu had been too busy throwing his temper, and she had been too busy being afraid, so she hadn't thought to ask Yu Jingxiu whether the Wu family knew about this matter!

Concubine Wu couldn't help but purse her lips.

Lady Fei then smiled and said, "Why don't you have Lianxin go to the Wu household to ask?"