Following Lanqin's instructions, Anjia set up a lunch table in the main courtyard and specially sent someone to invite Yang and Lingzhu. Then she sent someone to invite her son and the two illegitimate sons born to Yang.
Lanqin specially instructed Nianxue to style her hair into a single bun, with only a jade hairpin and a few pearl flowers in her hair. She then left for the main courtyard after a pearl earring fell off her ear.
"Princess, why are you dressed so simply?" Xicha asked, puzzled.
"Just wait and see what happens," Lanqin said with a smile.
When Lanqin arrived at Anjia's place, her elder brother and sister-in-law, Shi, came. Lingzhu, Yang, and her two half-brothers had not yet arrived.
"My sister has grown taller and more beautiful than before." Niu Gulu Zheng is currently a student at the Imperial Academy, in his final year. He will graduate next year and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examinations). He knows that his mother is not favored by his father, and now that Madam Yang is causing trouble, his future is uncertain.
“Brother has grown taller than before. Sister-in-law has become even more beautiful!” Lanqin noticed that Shi Shi remained silent. She couldn’t quite put her finger on whether Shi Shi was being cold to them, but every time she saw her, Shi Shi was always quiet and reserved.
"My younger sister is much prettier," Shi said with a smile, which was already quite polite.
Anjia had never liked this daughter-in-law, finding her too cold-hearted and her son not very close to her, which must have been due to the daughter-in-law's instigation.
Sigh, the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship...
Lanqin didn't think that Shi was that kind of person; instead, she felt that her eldest brother was useless, watching his mother being bullied like this in the mansion without saying anything. If he were more capable, Lingzhu wouldn't dare to act this way; after all, it was the main wife who hadn't stood up for herself.
"Sister-in-law, what do you usually do?" Lanqin asked, pushing aside Niu Gulu Zheng and pulling Shi's hand to sit down and chat.
"It's nothing much, just some needlework and reading," Shi said, deliberately lowering her voice. She was probably afraid Anjia would hear.
"What book is your sister-in-law reading?" Lanqin asked, noticing Shi's slightly mischievous expression. She inexplicably felt that her sister-in-law was a fun person, unlike Anjia.
"They're all just opera scripts. Anyway, I don't like reading about female virtues or precepts." Shi was quite straightforward. Perhaps it was the first time she had heard Lanqin speak to her like this, so she couldn't help but tell the truth.
"I have some nice ones here, I'll bring them to you next time, sister-in-law." Lanqin winked at Shi.
The relationship between the sister-in-law and sister-in-law was thus further understood.
"Oh, it's much better that the Third Miss has come back to visit her sister and master than we Dutch people. Ever since she entered the palace, it's truly been a deep and unforgettable experience." Madam Yang walked in, followed by her two sons.
"How about next time Lanqin asks our master to go to the palace, he can bring his concubine to see Second Sister? But it will be a shame for the concubine; she'll have to disguise herself as a little eunuch. Second Sister sometimes goes to Consort De's palace, and you can meet her then." Lanqin said, seeing that Anjia was angry but couldn't find a way to refute her.
Yang's face froze for a moment, but she couldn't say anything. She just picked up a handkerchief, wiped her nose, and walked away.
"Third Sister's return to the manor today shows she's still favored by the Fourth Prince. I heard she was under house arrest a while ago," said Niohuru Quanlu, Yang's eldest son. He was only a year younger than Zheng, which meant Lingzhu had gone to Yang's side shortly after Anjia gave birth.
"I heard that Second Brother is studying with a famous teacher. What, is he learning to inquire about the affairs of the women in the inner quarters?" Lanqin replied without any politeness.
Lingzhu walked in and, hearing the sharp exchanges between his wife and concubine, felt uneasy.
As the principal wife, Anjia was still Lingzhu's wife, and on the surface, he did not want Yang to be too presumptuous, at least not in front of him.
Yang had figured out Lingzhu's temperament, so she always kept a low profile in front of him. Therefore, at this moment, she quickly gave her son Quanlu a wink.
"Third sister, since fourth brother-in-law can see second sister, why don't we ask Consort De for a favor and let Mother go in to see second sister?" Yang's second son was still young, only eleven years old. Seeing that his mother and brother dared not say anything, he said this.
Lanqin took a good look at Quanfu, the little boy, and thought to herself: This child is quite clever.
"Alright, since Quanfu has spoken up, Third Sister can talk to Fourth Master about it when she has the chance." Lanqin didn't actually harbor any deep malice towards them, it's just that Yang Shi was indeed too arrogant. And her adopted mother was too honest; if things continued like this, she would be devoured until there wasn't even a bone left.
"Alright, come, Madam, Lan'er, please take your seats." Lingzhu immediately adopted the air of a patriarch and invited everyone to sit down.
"Third Miss, what exactly happened to you the other day? You scared your sister half to death. Master was worried sick about you." Madam Yang clearly still wanted to cause trouble.
Lanqin originally wanted to turn a blind eye to Yang Shi for Quanfu's sake, but now she was unwilling to let it go!
"Actually, it's nothing serious. It's just that someone tried to harm Princess Yu's child in our manor. Lanqin was framed by someone, but fortunately, Fourth Master trusts Lanqin, and this time it was found out that someone did it on purpose," Lanqin said.
"Oh, so that's what happened. My sister was terrified, and we were all worried about you." Madam Yang looked frightened and continued, "I heard that you had twins in your household. You'd better hurry, otherwise you can't stand on your own two feet without an heir."
Anjia stared at Yang with disgust, but couldn't lash out.
"Thank you for your concern, Aunt. I wonder if the fertility formula you gave me last time was ineffective. I've been taking it for several months without any results. My second sister, on the other hand, took your formula and became pregnant in no time, but unfortunately, she still couldn't keep it. I really don't know if my second sister is lucky or unlucky," Lanqin said slowly.
Her words were laced with hidden meaning. Firstly, she implied that the same prescription worked for Holland but not for her, suggesting that Holland might have tampered with the treatment. In fact, Yang had indeed tampered with the prescription, but Lanqin quickly discovered her deception and she never took it. Secondly, Holland was merely a noblewoman who had lost her child; even a simple meeting was difficult, and her future in the palace was uncertain.
Madam Yang was a perceptive person, and she immediately understood Lanqin's meaning. She stared at Lanqin with some doubt, noticing that her headdress was indeed rather simple. An idea then formed in her mind.
"Master, is it possible that the Third Miss was sent back by the Fourth Prince? Why is her hair so plain? Even if a prince's daughter is not favored, she shouldn't be dressed so simply. Besides, she's having a banquet with her family; it shouldn't be like this." Yang felt she had found Lanqin's weakness, so she spoke without hesitation.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
