Chapter 136 Ma Peizhen's Strategy

Lou Yue brought dinner from the main kitchen.

"Miss, why don't you have dinner first before you go?"

Yao Qingling looked at the vegetables that had been heated once and whose leaves had turned yellow, and she had lost her appetite.

If you go to Danguiyuan and then come back to eat this, the dish will have to be reheated again, and the vegetable leaves will turn into mush.

Qingling said, "These past few days, someone has been watching the door every day. If I arrive late, the Marquis's wife will have the perfect opportunity to punish me. If I arrive at the wrong time and happen to be there when the Marquis and his concubine are getting intimate, that would be even worse."

Xia Chan and Lou Yue exchanged a glance, thought about the scene, and couldn't help but laugh.

"You two eat, just find a maid to carry a lantern for me," Qingling said.

Xia Chan worriedly said, "I'd better go with Miss."

Lou Yue also stood up.

Qingling said, "It's just a visit to pay my respects. You all should think carefully about how to win back Hui Bafang's business."

The two maids stayed behind, and Qingling took a young maid to Dangui Courtyard.

Ma had already eaten dinner, and her daughter-in-law, Lu, and the children kept her company while she talked.

Yao Qingqi and Ma Peizhen were also there.

Madam Lu held her son in her arms and asked him to recite poems to Madam Ma in a very serious manner. Madam Ma nodded with satisfaction: "Good, good, good. My grandson is smart. He will definitely become the top scholar in the imperial examination in the future."

She caught a glimpse of Qingling out of the corner of her eye, her smile slowly faded, and she adopted the dignified demeanor of a proper matriarch.

Madam Lu smiled at Qingling and gestured for the wet nurse to take the child away, saying, "Little sister Qingling is here."

Qingling curtsied, holding a handkerchief: "Hello, Auntie. Hello, Sister-in-law."

Her belly was getting bigger and bigger, and now it was becoming difficult for her to perform the proper rites, so her maidservant helped her.

Madam Ma felt that Yao Qingling was becoming increasingly pretentious; she even needed a maid to help her with a simple bow, as if she needed a maid to show off her nobility.

But no matter how high she tries to put on airs, she's still completely under her thumb. No matter how unwilling she is, she still has to bow to her.

Madam Ma was delighted at the thought, and even though she was scolded by the Marquis, she refused to cancel the rule of paying respects to the Marquis at dawn and dusk.

She held her chin high, looking down as if she were looking down her nose, then slowly hummed a tune from her nose: "Hmm—"

Lu smiled slightly and nodded to Qingling.

This custom of paying respects to one another morning and evening was not good for Yao Qingqi and Ma Peizhen.

Both of them were a few months younger than Qingling, and when they saw her, they had to bow to her.

Therefore, Yao Qingqi and Ma Peizhen cleverly avoided encountering Yao Qingling at dawn and dusk.

But tonight is different; the two of them are going to "watch the show."

Yao Qingqi and Ma Peizhen both bowed to Qingling.

Yao Qingling nodded. If there was nothing else to say, she should go to Concubine Zhao's courtyard to pay her respects to Marquis Zhongyong.

She glanced at Madam Ma and thought to herself, "These two sisters are fighting fiercely, but they've both appeared at this moment and are still so calm."

Something must have happened.

She smiled at Madam Ma and said deliberately, "I came back late today and made Aunt wait. If there's nothing else, Qingling will go and see Uncle, and then return to Mulan Courtyard."

She slowly turned around.

Ma watched her figure and said, "Wait a minute. Qingling, I have something to tell you today."

She pointed to the chair below her and told her to sit down.

"Please speak, Aunt." Qingling pressed the armrest of the chair and sat down.

If she were in her own courtyard, she would definitely sit down slowly, supporting her back. But in front of others, she has to appear light and agile as she rises and falls.

But this action is becoming increasingly difficult.

Madam Lu tilted her head slightly, her eyes flickering slightly—this movement—

Ma Peizhen noticed it too, and asked with feigned kindness, "Sister Qingling, what's wrong with you?"

Qingling rubbed her lower back and frowned slightly: "When I was inspecting the goods, some of the packages on top fell down. I hurt my back trying to avoid them."

Ma Peizhen said awkwardly, "Sister Qingling, you've worked hard."

Yao Qingqi glanced at her, not forgetting to make a sarcastic remark: "Yes, some people earn their own money and spend their own money, and they have to endure being hurt. Some people eat and live for free and act like they're a princess."

Ma Peizhen lowered her eyelids, bit her lip with a wronged expression, and then looked up at Madam Ma: "Aunt, could you please ask Sister Qingling if she needs any help at her shop? I'm willing to help. As long as food and lodging are provided, that's fine."

But she lacked the backbone to say that she was going back to her hometown.

When Madam Ma saw her red eyes, her heart ached. She glared at Yao Qingqi: "You're bullying your sister again. Peizhen is going to marry into a wealthy family, how can she go to such a place and expose herself like that?"

She didn't realize there was anything wrong with what she said after she finished speaking.

Yao Qingling was willing to show her face in public, and it wasn't that she hadn't objected. Besides, she had already been married, and she had ruined her own reputation and dignity.

Yao Qingling pretended not to hear and calmly adjusted her skirt.

Ma looked over and smiled, "Qingling, twisting your back is no small matter. But you've really had a lot of bad luck lately, either getting sick or injuring your back."

But what he was really thinking was: This girl is putting on an act again. Does she think that just because she twisted her back, she doesn't have to pay her respects to her parents morning and evening?

Qingling forced a smile: "Yes, this year seems to be unlucky. Fortunately, I hired a female healer who can treat patients on the go. She gave me acupuncture and massage in time, and I don't feel so bad anymore."

Madam Ma: That's good. We really made the right choice in hiring this female doctor.

She gave the old woman guarding the door a wink, and the old woman said to the courtyard, "Come in."

As her voice fell, a plain-looking girl with an honest appearance entered.

Ma said to Qingling, "Look how busy you are..."

She wanted to say that they had all lost weight, but when she saw Qingling's plump figure, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

She then said, "You've all fallen ill from exhaustion... Before, when you said you were short of people in the courtyard, I thought you just wanted a few more maids to serve you. But now that I've checked, it's clear you're short of people."

"Here, her name is Mei Ping. From today onwards, she will serve in your courtyard. We'll add a few more later, depending on the situation. You just hurt your back, and this girl is strong; she can help you with a lot of things."

Yao Qingling's eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at the girl again.

Her Mulan Courtyard only employed her own people, and after returning to the Marquis's residence, she never asked Madam Ma for any more people.

Ma had planted spies in her yard to monitor her day and night.

With this person around, many things become less convenient.

But Qingling knew that this girl was the Lady of the Marquis's spy, so she couldn't refuse her offer.

She should thank her.

Ma said with a smile, "No need for thanks. I just hope that outsiders won't say that I'm mistreating you. I'll be thankful for that."

Qingling played along with her: "We can't control what outsiders say, but as long as we are honest in our conduct, we have nothing to fear from gossip."

"Auntie is so kind. If Qingling doesn't thank her, wouldn't others say that I'm ungrateful and heartless?"

Ma didn't care about being treated unfairly by Yao Qingling, since she had already sent the person to Mulan Courtyard.

Ma Peizhen gave her this great idea. With this informant watching her all the time, Yao Qingling would feel restricted in everything she did.

Yao Qingqi had watched the commotion for a while and thought Yao Qingling would make some excuses, but she didn't expect her to accept it so easily.

Ma Peizhen, however, was quite pleased with herself. She had offered advice and assistance to the Lady of the Marquis, so how could the Lady of the Marquis not like her? How could she possibly bear to let her go out and do those things that would expose her face in public?

After Yao Qingling put away the plum vase, she deliberately slowed her pace as she went to Zhao's concubine's courtyard.

She was calculating the time bit by bit.

Marquis Zhongyong disliked frequenting brothels and drinking with women. He had several concubines, among whom Concubine Zhao was his favorite because she was known for her many romantic encounters...