Having witnessed decades of power struggles within the inner workings of the household, Madam Zhang had already overheard some gossip from the maids and nannies, learning about Meixiang's background. Upon Meixiang's arrival today, Madam Zhang immediately understood most of her intentions.
Seeing Yan Ning's expression darken, Madam Zhang sighed inwardly, thinking that Yan Ning would lose her position as the general's wife sooner or later if she continued like this. She took Yan Ning's hand and said to Zhu Xiang, "Please invite her to the hall to be served some good tea!"
Yan Ning stopped Zhu Xiang and said to Zhang Shi, "Mother, I don't want to see her!" She remembered how Fu Kang'an had made her his concubine while she was ill. Regardless of whether Mei Xiang had taken advantage of her, the fault lay entirely with Fu Kang'an. Yan Ning felt indescribable emotions towards Mei Xiang and simply wanted to pretend she didn't exist.
Madam Zhang tugged at the brocade quilt covering Yan Ning and said with a smile, "Mother didn't say you wanted to see her! Since she thinks your Jianguozhai is better than her Xuexiangge, then let her stay there!"
Yan Ning forced a smile at Zhang Shi, secretly marveling at how much more capable Zhang Shi was than Xi Ying. If Zhang Shi hadn't appeared as her mother, Yan Ning would have truly stayed far away from her.
Meixiang, dressed in a fashionable emerald green cheongsam embroidered with red plum blossoms, waited in the main hall. Her hair was adorned with numerous gold and silver hairpins. She gently stirred the dark green tea with her bright red fingernails, and a smile naturally appeared on her face as she thought of the words she had prepared. Seeing the maids of Jian Gong Zhai, who usually mocked her, now respectfully serving her tea, Meixiang's smile deepened.
Jianguozhai was originally Fukang'an's small courtyard in the Fucha Mansion, and the furnishings inside were extremely simple. The huge hall was empty, with only Meixiang and her personal maid Biyue remaining. Occasionally, wisps of smoke would drift out, making it seem even more desolate.
Two cups of tea's time passed, and Yan Ning still didn't come out. Mei Xiang's smile froze on her face, which was covered in heavy makeup.
Hearing the laughter coming from inside the room from Zhang Shi, Yan Ning, and Zhu Xiang, Mei Xiang's face burned like fire. Clearly, Yan Ning was giving her the cold shoulder.
While giving Meixiang the cold shoulder, Madam Zhang also warned her that Yan Ning was the mistress, and she was a concubine. Yan Ning could summon her at will and dismiss her at will; she was not someone a servant who had risen to power through her mistress could be treated as an equal.
Meixiang also realized this, but how could she, who was just getting ahead in the spring breeze, tolerate such an insult from Zhang?
The maid who served tea for the third time, her lips curled into a sneer, which enraged Meixiang. She splashed the scalding tea onto the maid's delicate face and shouted, "Do you want to scald me to death?" The maid covered her red face and began to sob.
Madam Zhang was telling Yan Ning and Zhu Xiang funny stories about Yan Ning and Su Jin Teng when Yan Ning was little. Although her daughter had passed away when she was seven, she was willing to accept the Bodhisattva's arrangement and treat Yan Ning as a continuation of her daughter's life. Although Yan Ning knew that Madam Zhang was not talking about her, she was happy to accept that her identity here was that of a daughter of the Su family, so that no one would doubt her mysterious origins.
Meixiang's cursing voice reached the inner room, "Cry, cry, cry! Have I wronged you?"
Yan Ning couldn't contain herself and lifted the quilt to get up. Zhang Shi couldn't stop her and had no choice but to follow her.
Yan Ning wore a milky white nightgown, with only a light pink Shu brocade cloak draped over her shoulders. Her exquisite face was free of any makeup, naturally radiant like a lotus emerging from water.
When Meixiang saw Yan Ning emerge, she glanced at Yan Ning's Shu brocade dress and then at her own ordinary brocade cheongsam. Her embarrassment was hidden behind a beaming smile. She gave a slight curtsy and said, "Younger sister greets older sister!"
The covered bowl shattered on the ground, and a few tea leaves stuck to the kneeling maid's flushed face, like a touch of green amidst a sea of red.
Yan Ning ignored Mei Xiang, helped the kneeling maid up and asked Zhu Xiang to apply the medicine to her, and ordered someone to clean up the broken bowl on the floor. Then she went to sit in the main seat, with Zhang Shi sitting in the seat below Yan Ning.
When Meixiang saw that Yan Ning was ignoring her, she deliberately stomped her flowerpot-soled shoes loudly to let Yan Ning know that her current status was different from before.
Zhang looked at Biyue beside Meixiang and said, "Learn from your mistress well, and one day you will be a general's concubine." Her expression was sincere and earnest.
Biyue immediately knelt on the ground, "Madam Su, please don't tease me! I dare not covet your position!" After saying that, Biyue immediately realized that she had said the wrong thing, and secretly looked at Meixiang with a bitter face.
Meixiang acted as if nothing was wrong, trying her best to imitate Xiying's poise and elegance, without feeling that she was merely imitating her. "I know you're upset, sister, because the General took a liking to me while I was ill. But I couldn't help it! I also want to serve you, sister, and watch you and the General grow old together in love. I've come here today hoping you'll scold me a few times, even hit me a few times, to vent your anger, so that we sisters can serve the General peacefully together in the future!"
To dispel the illness emanating from Yan Ning's body, Fukang'an specially ordered someone to obtain sandalwood incense that had been offered before the Buddha at the White Pagoda Temple and burn it in the incense burner. Wisps of white smoke drifted through the hall from time to time, ethereal and intangible. Yan Ning's heart also felt as if it were burning, a surge of heat spreading through her body.
If it weren't for Zhang's words that in the struggle between women, whoever loses their composure first will suffer a crushing defeat, or even be unable to recover forever, Yan Ning would have already driven Mei Xiang out of Jiangongzhai, and would not have listened to her insincere words here.
At Zhang's prompting, Yan Ning smiled faintly, like drifting smoke. "You're too kind, sister! If you're truly so unwilling, then I'll ask the general to let you come and serve me again!"
Meixiang covered her lips with her embroidered handkerchief and laughed, "Sister, you're so funny. Now that I'm the general's woman, how could I possibly come back to you!"
Yan Ning's fingernails left several white marks on the sandalwood. "I'm tired, you should go back first!"
Meixiang brushed a strand of hair from her ear, her smile as bright as a sunflower in bloom. "Then I'll take my leave!" she said, then, holding Biyue's hand, she swayed her hips as she left the main room.
Zhu Xiang came in from outside and reluctantly bowed to Mei Xiang. She walked to Yan Ning's side and said in a low voice, "Madam, please don't believe what she said. The general only let her move to Xue Xiang Pavilion alone that day, but the general never stepped into Xue Xiang Pavilion."
Meixiang left Jiangongzhai, her smile immediately brightening like a spring breeze. She hadn't seen Fukang'an since their parting on the path that day. Today, she came to Jiangongzhai to inform Yan Ning that her identity was different from before, and also to see if Fukang'an was there. She didn't understand why Fukang'an would leave his newly acquired concubine alone.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
