Chapter 81: Visiting the Mansion "Young Madam is saying that the Crown Prince is truly in poor health..."
Lu Danruo's eyes were filled with grievance, and she complained to Cen, "Mother, why did you argue so fiercely with father yesterday? Even I heard about it. When I came to Mudan Courtyard early this morning, I saw the maids and servants looking at me with strange eyes. It was obvious that they knew about the argument between mother and father last night and were deliberately making fun of us."
Hearing her daughter talk about this, Cen's face grew even uglier. "If your father had given me the slightest bit of grace and allowed me to register Lu Cong'an as his legitimate son, I wouldn't have argued with him. I've finally seen clearly what a heartless man I married. I've been the Duke's wife for so many years, bearing you for him, and managing the household, and he's completely indifferent to all the hard work I've put in. All he can think of is my fault for harshly treating and punishing Lu Cong'an, his illegitimate son. His harsh criticism of me truly chills my heart, and naturally, I got angry and started arguing."
"This time I'm going to make your Second Aunt laugh at me again. And Cui, when she hears about this, I wonder how she'll laugh at me, her mother-in-law."
Hearing her mother mention her sister-in-law Cui Lingyan, Lu Danruo's eyes showed a hint of dissatisfaction. She couldn't help but say, "How could she, as her daughter-in-law, not come to take care of her when her mother is ill? She really doesn't care about filial piety at all."
"My eldest sister-in-law is such a flatterer, always showing up to Grandma to show her filial piety. How could she ever truly respect you, my mother-in-law?"
Mrs. Cen sighed softly, "I sent someone to tell her that she doesn't need to come over to pay her respects today."
Upon hearing this, Lu Danruo complained, "Why is Mother so considerate of her? How many times in a month has she, your daughter-in-law, come to Mudan Courtyard to pay her respects? If you had excused her from attending to you during your illness, she would have become even more arrogant and would have even less regard for you, her mother-in-law."
"If you ask me, even if you send someone to pass the message, if she is sensible and polite, she should at least come over and show her face, and personally serve the medicine. That way she can be considered a daughter-in-law."
Mrs. Cen nodded slightly. "She hasn't come yet. I guess she went to your grandmother's place. You know her personality. She's never afraid of offending us mother and daughter. And with the support of the Crown Prince and the Old Madam, why would she be so cautious and afraid of offending us mother and daughter?"
"Besides, I'm feeling really bad all over. If I see her hanging around, I'll be even more upset and it'll only make me feel worse."
Lu Danruo was still a little aggrieved. Before she could speak, footsteps were heard outside and a maid came in hurriedly, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Cen's heart sank, and she straightened up suddenly, her voice a little hoarse from her illness: "Why are you so flustered? What happened?"
The maid hesitated, then plopped to her knees before she replied, "Madam, this morning the old lady handed over all kitchen matters to the Second Madam, and even the future shopping matters to the Second Madam."
When Mrs. Cen heard this, she staggered and almost fainted.
Her face flushed and paled, as if she had been slapped hard. "How is this possible? I am the Duke's wife, and the kitchen has always been managed by me, the eldest daughter-in-law. Why should the second wife interfere?"
Lu Danruo was also stunned for a moment, a little unable to believe her ears. Even if she didn't care about such mundane things, she had grown up in the Duke's mansion. How could she not know that the purchases for the kitchen were of paramount importance in the household affairs, with countless amounts coming in and out every month. Moreover, everyone in the mansion needed food and drink, especially the meals of the masters, which were all exquisitely prepared. Being in charge of the kitchen meant a great deal of prestige within the mansion.
Now, why did grandma hand this matter over to second aunt?
Lu Danruo was a little flustered. She and her mother were already weak, and if the kitchen affairs fell into the hands of Second Aunt, who knows how everyone in the house would laugh at her mother and them.
Lu Danruo looked anxious and shouted, "Mother, how could Grandmother bully us like this? You are the Duke's wife, and it is not Second Aunt's turn to be in charge of the household affairs."
As they were talking, someone came from the old lady's side. It was the old lady's confidante, Nanny Sun.
As soon as Nanny Sun came in, she saw the maid kneeling on the ground and noticed that the atmosphere in the room was very solemn.
Seeing that Lu Danruo and Cen both looked unhappy, Lu Danruo even had red eyes and looked aggrieved. How could he not know that this matter had already reached the ears of the eldest lady?
Nanny Sun stepped forward, bowed, and said, "This servant greets Madam. I believe you've already heard that the Old Madam has handed over the kitchen management to the Second Madam. I'm here to pass on a message from the Old Madam. She says that Madam has been toiling away all day since marrying into the Duke of Wei's mansion. It's truly too much. Now that Madam is ill, we'd like to take this opportunity to lighten your burden so you can recover properly and avoid overwork that could injure your body and make it difficult for the Old Madam to report."
Hearing what Nanny Sun said, Cen looked embarrassed. Lu Danruo couldn't help but want to defend her mother. But before she could open her mouth, Nanny Qi pulled her arm and used her eyes to stop her from saying anything.
After a while, Cen managed a smile and said, "Thank you, mother, for me. Thank you, Madam, for coming here in person."
Nanny Sun said she didn't dare, and knowing that Mrs. Cen was in a bad mood at the moment, she bowed and walked out.
As soon as she left, Lu Danruo said angrily, "Mammy, why didn't you ask me to explain to her? Grandmother is clearly biased and is deliberately making things difficult for Mother. Doesn't Grandmother know that this action of hers will cause Mother to be pointed at and looked down upon by others?"
Aunt Qi sighed heavily and said, "Now that things have come to this, if you continue to make a fuss and it gets to the old lady's ears, it will only make her even more unhappy, and she might even take her anger out on our wife."
Lu Danruo felt truly unhappy and aggrieved. She remembered that Cui Lingyan had also gone to Grandmother Dou's place this morning, and must have been there to hear Grandmother's instructions. She couldn't help but complain, "Didn't Cui also go to Grandmother's place just now? Why didn't she try to persuade Grandmother at all, allowing the power to manage the kitchen to fall into the hands of the Second House? Doesn't she usually take advantage of Lu Bingzhi's favor and look down on everyone? Why did she remain silent when something happened, not even trying to argue, and watching our First House suffer such a loss of face? In my opinion, she's deliberately not speaking up for you, mother, to see us mother and daughter fall even further into poverty and disgrace. Otherwise, Grandmother would have listened to her even for Lu Bingzhi's sake."
Lu Danruo felt aggrieved, thinking that the old lady was partial to him and that his aunt He had long coveted the power of the housekeeper. He was even more angry at his sister-in-law Cui Lingyan.
So, once I start complaining, I never stop.
Mrs. Cen was already feeling unwell, and she couldn't help but yell, "Shut up! What's the point of you saying this! Giving birth to a daughter like you has done me no good at all. If you had said a few words to your father when he came over yesterday, why would I have been so embarrassed? Your father treats you worse than an outsider. It's time for you to reflect on yourself!"
From childhood to adulthood, Lu Danruo had never heard Cen say such words. When these words were spoken, Lu Danruo's face immediately turned pale.
She thought again about the cold words her father said to her last night. Just as Mrs. Cen said, her father treated her, his own daughter, even worse than he treated an outsider.
At this moment, her mother said that giving birth to her was useless and blamed her for not being able to please her father and not having the face to look after him, which was why she, the lady in charge of the house, was so embarrassed.
Lu Danruo couldn't help but shed tears, but she didn't say a word.
The room became very quiet. Aunt Qi's expression changed as she hurried forward to Lu Danruo and said, "Young lady, please don't take Madam's angry words to heart. Madam said these words out of anger. Young lady should be understanding."
As Madam Qi spoke, she half-pushed, half-helped Lu Danruo to her feet and led her outside. She then spoke in a soothing voice, "Madam is very upset. Anyone who stands in her presence will be scolded. Young lady, you should go back to your own courtyard. The servants are here to look after you."
After Aunt Qi finished speaking, she gestured to the maid who came with Lu Danruo and told her to take Lu Danruo away.
After the two of them left the Peony Courtyard, Nanny Qi returned to her room and walked up to Cen and said, "I know Madam is upset, but no matter what, you can't say those words to the young lady. If you really hurt her feelings, wouldn't Madam be the one who feels the pain?"
She had served the Madam for so many years and understood her temperament best. She knew that what she said today was out of anger, but it was not entirely out of anger.
That's why she couldn't help but worry.
"Madam is in a difficult situation right now, so it's not your fault that she has such thoughts. But I wonder how upset the young lady must be after hearing these words. You've loved the young lady so much over the years, and you feel that the old lady and the Duke are partial to her, causing her to suffer injustice. You also feel that the prince always puts her above you, and you feel even more sorry for her. That's why you've always doted on her, and that's why she has developed this kind of personality. Now, in the end, if you blame the young lady, firstly, it won't change anything, and secondly, it will create a rift between you and her. Why bother? If anything happens to the young lady, you won't have anywhere to cry!"
Cen actually regretted what she said. After hearing what Madam Qi said, she wanted to take it back even more. She sighed and said, "I said those words because I was upset at the moment."
"You saw how the Duke treated me yesterday. And what he said to that girl, Danruo, how could he possibly love her like his own daughter? I couldn't sleep the whole night. I was angry that the Duke didn't respect me as his wife, and I was also angry that the Duke didn't take Danruo seriously. I didn't sleep well the whole night. And then I heard that the old lady had handed over the kitchen affairs to He, which made me even more angry. She couldn't help at all and just kept complaining. That's why I couldn't help but say those hurtful words."
"I don't expect her to be liked by the Duke and the Old Madam more than Lu Bingzhi, but how come she's not even a bit better? Even Cui, who just came into the mansion, now has more face in front of the Old Madam than she, the Duke's daughter. I feel really bad."
Cen murmured, "If I had known this would happen, I should have placed Danruo in the old lady's room when she was born. That way, the old lady, as a grandmother, would have loved her more, and she wouldn't have ended up in this situation now."
Thinking of what happened in the past, Madam Qi felt a little regretful. Madam had thought about this at the time, but she was reluctant to do so. She didn't want the people in the mansion to think that Madam, the second wife, was using her own daughter to please the old lady, the mother-in-law.
So, the idea was put aside, and as the girl grew up, she developed this kind of personality.
Now think about it, if the girl could be raised in the old lady's house since she was a child, the relationship between the grandparents and grandchildren would definitely be different. Even if she is not as valued by the old lady as her grandson Lu Bingzhi, it would still be much better than it is today.
Thinking of this, Nanny Qi felt a little regretful that she had not persuaded the Madam before.
But now that things have come to this, they can't change anything.
"Madam, don't think too much for now. Just take a good rest. Don't worry about anything until you're well. If you continue to be ill, there will be no place for you in the mansion."
As Madam Qi said this, she helped Cen into the inner room to rest.
Cui Lingyan and Birou returned to Wutong Courtyard, picked out some of the finest supplements given by the palace, and sent Birou to deliver them to Mudan Courtyard.
After a while, Biore came back.
"Madam was ill and didn't show up. It was Madam Qi who took over the things."
Before I left, Madam Qi mentioned casually that the old lady had handed over the kitchen to the second lady this morning. She said that although the young lady had some estrangement with the second lady after she came into the family, she was still a member of the eldest house after all. She said that it would be better for the young lady to be in charge of the kitchen than to let the second lady take charge of it.
Cui Lingyan understood the meaning of this and said, "She really thinks highly of me, the Young Madam. I've only been in the mansion for a few days, and it's not my turn to manage the kitchen. Besides, since the Old Madam has spoken, she must have made up her mind. How can I, the granddaughter-in-law, really fight for control of the kitchen in front of the Old Madam?"
"If that happens, not only will I offend the Second Madam, but the Old Madam will also think that I, her granddaughter-in-law, am too arrogant."
"Why should a junior like me get involved in the affairs between the sisters-in-law? The more I do, the more mistakes I will make. It's true that I want to gain a foothold in this Duke's Mansion when I first arrived, but the fact that the Crown Prince and the Old Madam like me is enough for now. Why bother to be so careless and have thoughts that shouldn't exist?"
Cui Lingyan took a sip of her teacup and continued, "To be honest, I'm not interested in household affairs at all. I just want to manage Songxue Hall and our Wutong Courtyard. Why bother with other things? Do you think I'll feel more confident if I have the monthly allowance? I think there are so many things to worry about. I have to manage everything in the mansion. If I manage well, no one will praise me. I just think it's my due. But if I make a mistake, anyone can stand up and criticize me. I don't care about the benefits, but I don't want to endure this hardship."
Birou couldn't help but burst out laughing when she heard this: "Young Madam, please don't let anyone else hear what you said, or else they will say you're just sour grapes."
"But what the young lady said is not wrong. What's the point of getting involved in these things? The young lady is in charge of Songxue Hall and Wutong Courtyard. The most important thing now is to quickly consummate the marriage with the prince so that she can have another child in the mansion."
Since Birou came to serve Cui Lingyan, the relationship between master and servant has become closer, so she was not a bit reserved when speaking. However, when she said this, she thought of the previous poisoning of the prince, and she still felt a little uneasy.
Cui Lingyan blushed a bit when she heard this. Seeing Birou's uneasy expression after she said this, she took her hand and said softly, "Doctor Pei's medical skills are excellent. With him treating the prince, there is nothing to worry about."
Birou's eyes showed a hint of joy: "Young Madam, are you saying that the prince is really fine now?"
She knew that the prince took a medicinal bath every other day these days, and the relationship between the young lady and the prince seemed to be closer than before.
She had some suspicions that the prince would soon recover, but no matter how much she suspected, she didn't know as much as the young lady did.
Cui Lingyan nodded: "Acupuncture is no longer necessary now. All that's needed is a medicinal bath. After the bath, if you take good care of yourself, you should be fine."
"Haven't you seen that the prince's complexion is getting better day by day?"
Birou smiled and said, "I've always said that our young lady is the most blessed. Since God has arranged this marriage for her, he will certainly not let her suffer any injustice. I'm really happy for her."
Cui Lingyan's face flushed slightly as she heard this. These past few days, after she and Lu Bingzhi went to bed, he always liked to hold her in his arms. She could feel the two of them growing closer.
After lunch, Cui Lingyan walked in the garden for a while and then returned to the house.
As soon as she came back and sat down, Qiu Zhi came in and reported, "Young Madam, Madam sent Nanny Jiang over, saying she has something to say to you."
After hearing this, Cui Lingyan's eyes showed a hint of surprise. She was not close to her mother Qi, and she thought that they would not have such a quick contact with each other after Sanchao returned home.
Thinking of the news that Cen wanted to register Lu Cong'an as his legitimate son, which was widely circulated and probably known to everyone in the capital, Cui Lingyan felt a little clear in her mind.
She nodded: "Let her come in."
Qiu Zhi replied yes and quickly led Nanny Jiang in from outside.
Nanny Jiang had been feeling somewhat moved since she entered the Duke's Mansion and saw its grandeur and nobility. Now that she had entered Wutong Courtyard and this house, she felt even more the nobility and dignity of the Duke's Mansion.
Seeing Cui Lingyan sitting on a soft couch, wearing a goose yellow brocade jacket embroidered with peony flowers, and with an air of nobility, he was filled with emotion and hurriedly stepped forward to greet her, saying, "This old servant greets my aunt. Good morning, my aunt."
Cui Lingyan's gaze fell on Nanny Jiang. She raised her hand slightly and asked, "Is it something important that Mother asked you to come over?"
Hearing Cui Lingyan's question, Nanny Jiang felt a pang of frustration, and she felt even more deeply how distant this Third Miss Cui Lingyan was from Madam. Otherwise, she wouldn't have shown her any kindness, not even offering her a seat, let alone offering her a cup of tea and asking her to sit down and talk.
Such treatment is enough to imagine how much the third girl resents her husband for sending her to the Qi family, and no one in the mansion speaks up for her.
Now the times have changed. The third young lady, the legitimate daughter of the Ningshou Marquisate who was not favored by her biological mother, has become the distinguished young lady of the Weiguo Dukeate's Mansion.
I have to say, it's really sad.
Nanny Jiang put these thoughts aside and replied respectfully, "To answer my aunt, it was because the old lady heard that the Duke's wife was planning to register the illegitimate son in her name that she became worried. In her anxiety, she actually had a headache. The lady was worried about me, so she wanted to ask my aunt to come back home one of these days."
Hearing Nanny Jiang's words, Cui Lingyan felt a surge of sarcasm. In that dream, her grandmother, Old Madam Zhai, had never cared so much about her. Her biological mother had shown her no motherly affection at all. Even Nanny Jiang, who was now before her, had been arrogant and disdainful in front of her, as if she looked down on her, the third daughter whose reputation had been ruined since she returned to the mansion.
Thinking of those things, Cui Lingyan's eyes showed a hint of coldness. She picked up the teacup in her hand and took a sip. Her voice was gentle but not at all friendly. "Thank you for your concern, grandma. It just so happens that my mother-in-law has caught a cold today. It would be inappropriate for me to return home now. I'd rather wait a few days and visit you when I have time. I hope you won't blame me."
Cui Lingyan had said so, so Nanny Jiang naturally couldn't tell her to go back to her parents' home any sooner. After saying this, she wanted to say a few words about Qi's situation in the mansion, but seeing the indifferent expression on Cui Lingyan's face, she swallowed all the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Cui Lingyan asked, "Mother, do you have anything else to tell me?"
This means that if there is nothing else, go back. Nanny Jiang felt aggrieved and also felt sorry for her wife. She thought that although her wife had let the third girl down, she had gone through the hardship of ten months of pregnancy and gave birth to the third girl. This kindness was greater than heaven. How could the third girl plan to alienate her biological mother from now on just because of some grievances she had suffered in the past?
Did the Third Miss think that being the Crown Prince's wife in the Duke's Mansion was that easy? She looked respectable now, but if the poison in the Crown Prince's body hadn't been cleared, or if the Third Miss wasn't blessed enough to bear a child, wouldn't she still have to rely on her parents' family, the Ningshou Marquis Mansion, to gain a foothold in the Duke's Mansion in the future?
If you do something extreme now, it will make the old lady and the lady feel disappointed. If they want help from their parents' home in the future, there will be no room for them to get it.
Nanny Jiang naturally didn't dare to reveal even a hint of these thoughts. She simply shook her head and said, "There's nothing else to say. If the aunt has nothing else for me to take back, I'll take my leave."
Cui Lingyan's expression was calm: "Madam, take care. Birou, go and see Madam off."
The smile on Nanny Jiang's lips was a little stiff. She had thought of going out of the room to ask Qiu Zhi a few questions, so that she could at least let her know the specific situation of the Duke's Mansion. But she never thought that Cui Lingyan would specially ask Birou to send her off in person.
To put it nicely, it was to give her face, but she didn't know that Cui Lingyan didn't want her and Qiu Zhi to talk in private.
Thinking about how Qiu Zhi didn't come into the house to serve just now, she still had no idea. Qiu Zhi was not liked by Cui Lingyan because she came from Cuiwei Courtyard, and Cui Lingyan took her anger out on her.
The smile on Nanny Jiang's face was a little hard to hold. She thought that if she went back home and told the lady about this, she would definitely be angry.
She followed Birou out of the house, and after leaving Wutong Courtyard, she took the little maid Qin'er and walked out of the mansion.
When they were almost at the door, two people came towards them. When Nanny Jiang saw them, her face changed and she bowed quickly.
When the person came closer, he said respectfully, "This old servant greets the prince. May your Highness be saluted."
The person who came was none other than Lu Bingzhi who had just returned from the palace.
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