Chapter 307

Concubine Wu didn't want Lianxin to go to the Wu family to gather information. If the Wu family knew about this and still allowed her brother-in-law to charge ahead like this, it would clearly mean they didn't want to get involved. If the Wu family didn't know, then her brother-in-law had traveled a thousand miles for her sake to an unfamiliar capital city without seeking the Wu family's help—that showed he didn't believe the Wu family would stand up for her.

But she couldn't resist the longing that burned ever brighter in her heart.

So many years had passed, and she dreamed of it constantly—what would her life have been like if she had never entered the Yu family?

Especially when she thought of that child who had no fate with her...

Even though she knew Concubine Fei had ulterior motives, she gritted her teeth and let Concubine Fei provide cover while sending Lianxin to the Wu family.

Madam Wu was shocked by the news. Looking at Lianxin standing before her awaiting her decision, she flew into a rage. "This isn't like an ordinary family taking a concubine where you can just pay silver to redeem her. No wonder the eldest master of your family is so angry he wants to sell her!" She continued, "Who came up with this idea for that brother-in-law? Isn't our Wu family his relative? For such a major matter, he didn't even consult us—does he have any regard for us at all?" Then she called for her personal attendant. "Go, follow Lianxin and find that brother-in-law. I want to see what scheme he's cooking up in that head of his."

Her tone carried the clear intention of reprimanding Concubine Wu's brother-in-law.

Lianxin's heart tightened at the sound.

If Concubine Wu could leave the Yu family, then she too could leave. Then she wouldn't have to be married off to one of the Yu family's servants and share their fortunes for the rest of her life.

No wonder Concubine Wu's brother-in-law dared not come to consult Madam Wu over such a major matter—Madam Wu's heart was entirely with the Yu family!

Thinking this, she felt sad for Concubine Wu. Seeing that Madam Wu wanted her to find Concubine Wu's brother-in-law, she quickly said, "Madam, I've never met him either. If the eldest master hadn't mentioned it, we wouldn't have known anything about this matter..."

"Then all the more reason to summon that brother-in-law and ask him directly," Madam Wu insisted, pressing Lianxin to produce him. "The capital is full of hidden talents and crouching tigers. If he acts without weighing the consequences and offends someone he shouldn't, even with our protection, there could be trouble. The priority now is to find that brother-in-law quickly."

Lianxin's face fell, and she had no choice but to tell Madam Wu everything she knew.

Madam Wu's expression shifted inscrutably as she listened. Her lips parted slightly as if to say something when a young maid called through the door curtain: "Madam, Miss Yuwei from Madam Zhao's household next door has arrived."

Grand Secretary Tian had retired, Hao Jianfeng had been promoted to Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall with the concurrent title of Minister of Rites, and Lord Wu had been recommended by Hao Jianfeng and Qian Donglin to become Vice Minister of Personnel. Though still a vice minister, the Personnel Ministry was esteemed while the Revenue Ministry was wealthy, the Justice Ministry powerful, the Rites Ministry poor, and the Works Ministry lowly—a vice minister of Personnel was far more distinguished than one of Rites. Since hearing this news, Madam Wu's smile hadn't left her face. It happened that Shen Renshi had also been promoted to a position in the Personnel Ministry through this reshuffle, and Madam Wu thought that since she was on the same side, she ought to thank Fu Tingjun. After the Lantern Festival came the second day of the second month, the Dragon Raises Its Head festival—a perfect occasion to host a few tables of guests at home. She had personally gone to deliver the invitation, but Fu Tingjun wasn't there—she had taken the children to Tanzhe Temple to visit Lord Hao. Madam Wu had no choice but to awkwardly leave the invitation and return.

It seemed this visit was for Yuwei to deliver a reply.

Madam Wu set aside Lianxin entirely and eagerly invited Yuwei in.

Just a maid from Madam Zhao's household, yet the Wu family not only addressed her respectfully as "Miss," but Madam Wu received her with great enthusiasm...

Seeing this scene, Lianxin's eyes flickered. Pretending not to notice the signal from Madam Wu's personal attendant for her to withdraw, she remained in the room.

Yuwei noticed a maid standing before Madam Wu as she entered and found it curious.

Regardless of the reason, she was here representing Fu Tingjun as a guest. Madam Wu should have had the maid step aside, yet she allowed her to remain standing there.

She couldn't help but take a few glances at the maid.

The more she looked, the more familiar the maid seemed.

Madam Wu, meanwhile, was vexed that Lianxin stood there so obliviously, but with Yuwei present, she couldn't very well scold her. Noticing Yuwei glancing at Lianxin a few times, she worried that if Yuwei mistook Lianxin for one of her own household maids and mentioned it to Fu Tingjun, Fu Tingjun would laugh at her for poor household management. So she explained with a smile, "This is a maid from Concubine Wu's household. She said she had something to discuss with me."

Yuwei suddenly understood. Thinking that if not for Concubine Wu's tip-off to Fu Tingjun, they would never have learned about Yu Jingxiu and Madam Min's affair, her fondness for Concubine Wu extended to the maid, and she smiled kindly at her.

Lianxin's eyes brightened, but then she was forcibly pulled out by Madam Wu's personal attendant, who whispered to her in the corridor: "Wait here. Once the madam gives her orders, I'll go with you to find that brother-in-law."

She responded obediently, opening the window a crack to watch what was happening outside.

Before long, she saw Madam Wu's personal attendant walking out with a smiling face, accompanying Madam Zhao's maidservant.

She threw aside the curtain and rushed out.

"Miss Yuwei, Miss Yuwei," Lianxin called out urgently, forgetting all propriety. "Our master wants to redeem our concubine, but the Yu family won't agree. The concubine sent me to beg Madam Wu—please, ask Madam Zhao to put in a good word for our concubine before Madam Wu. We will remember her kindness for the rest of our lives..."

But before she could reach Yuwei, an experienced old woman stepped forward, covered her mouth, and dragged her into the side room.

Lianxin's words were muffled and garbled, and Yuwei didn't catch what she said. But she was too sensitive to the words "Yu family"—she heard "the Yu family won't agree" loud and clear.

She stopped at once and asked Madam Wu's personal attendant, "What exactly is going on here?"

Madam Wu's attendant looked embarrassed and gave a rough account of the matter: "...Wouldn't you say this is absurd? It's not as if she's lacking food or clothing, nor has she been beaten or scolded—yet she wants Madam Wu to help her petition to leave on her own. What kind of family is the Yu family? How could they possibly agree to that..."

Anything the Yu family opposed, Yuwei felt was worth doing.

Suppressing the excitement in her heart, she returned to the Zhao residence with light, brisk steps. Ignoring the fact that Fu Tingjun was still doing accounts, she grabbed her and pulled her into the study next door, telling her all about the matter.

Fu Tingjun looked as if she had swallowed salt thinking it was sugar—her expression was strange, and for a long while she said nothing.

Yuwei grew anxious and tugged at her sleeve. "Madam, say something! Wouldn't it be wonderful to help Concubine Wu? We could rescue her from her misery and also embarrass that Yu Jingxiu—if his own concubine would rather leave on her own than stay with him, it shows just how vile his character is." As she spoke, her eyes brightened more than usual, clearly more interested in the latter point.

Fu Tingjun found it both amusing and exasperating. She said, "Why don't I have A Sen make some careful inquiries first? Don't jump to conclusions based on hearsay. If Concubine Wu truly intends this, it would be right for us to help her."

Yuwei smiled and agreed, urging A Sen to look into the matter.

Over at the Wu residence, when Madam Wu learned that Lianxin had blurted things out in front of Yuwei, she sat down in contemplation.

If Concubine Wu returned home, it would be a slap in the face to Yu Jingxiu. The Zhao and Yu families had their differences, and if the Zhao family learned of this, they would certainly be pleased to see it. By rights, she was Concubine Wu's elder; Concubine Wu had no children, Yu Jingxiu didn't treat her well, and she had no hope for the future in the Yu household—so it was only proper for her to step forward and speak on Concubine Wu's behalf. What mattered most was that the Yu family was in decline. In this round of official promotions and demotions, Grand Secretary Yu had only managed to place one person as a seventh-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy, while Zhao Ling—according to what Qian Donglin had realized—was about to be recommended for the post of Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou... Rather than bear the name of being unjust for the Yu family's sake, it was better to go with the flow and do Fu Tingjun a favor.

The more Madam Wu thought about it, the more she felt she should step forward to help Concubine Wu. She called for her personal attendant: "Go and pass on my words—have the steward find our foolish son-in-law no matter what. If he comes to ask me personally, then I can rightfully help Concubine Wu make her case!"

The attendant was accustomed to Madam Wu's frequent changes of heart and immediately gave the order. Since they were relatives, they actually found Concubine Wu's brother-in-law before A Sen did.

Although Concubine Wu's brother-in-law was shrewd and had traveled widely, seeing much of the world, he was ultimately just an ordinary merchant trading goods between north and south. He often heard his wife speak of past events, and before coming, she had repeatedly cautioned him about Madam Wu's cold-heartedness, telling him not to seek out the Wu family—saying they wouldn't help and might even obstruct them. Having no other recourse, he went straight to the yamen to intercept Yu Jingxiu.

Escorted by Madam Wu's steward into the grand hall of the Wu residence, his expression carried a hint of wariness and worry.

Since Madam Wu had made up her mind, she would see it through to perfection.

Seeing his demeanor, she gave a light laugh. She first established their relative standing with Concubine Wu's brother-in-law, then brought up the matter of Concubine Wu: "If you want to take her back, does your father-in-law know? How much silver are you prepared to spend? I need to know so I can speak with the Yu family with confidence, and so I can give Madam Zhao a proper account as well."

Although Concubine Wu's brother-in-law did not know who Madam Zhao was, hearing Madam Wu's tone, he realized that this person had helped greatly, which was why Madam Wu was willing to step forward and discuss the matter with the Yu family. He quickly said, "Thank you, Madam. This matter was discussed between my father-in-law and my wife. My father-in-law, fearing that others might not believe it, specially wrote a letter for me to carry as proof to show the officials when the deed is handed over." At this point, he looked somewhat embarrassed and lowered his voice, saying, "Our two families together managed to gather two thousand taels of silver." He added, "I know this amount is nothing in the eyes of the Yu family, but we simply cannot come up with more..."

Two thousand taels... Madam Wu pondered. When she had made the decision to accept the one thousand taels of betrothal gifts from the Yu family, two thousand taels seemed about right.

After a moment's thought, she said, "There's no time like the present. Come with me today to Grand Secretary Yu's residence!"

Concubine Wu's brother-in-law was overjoyed, thanking her repeatedly, and followed Madam Wu to Jiadao Street.