Jiang Shuwan frowned. The gold-inlaid jade bracelet was bought from Song Family Treasure House. It wasn't anything particularly expensive, so she could just give it to her. However, she had other things to do right now.
"Miss, Sister Qingxing is back."
Qingxing came in from outside, took a few steps to Jiang Shuwan's ear, and whispered.
"Miss, Lianxiang and Lianyu have been taken as concubines by the young master."
"The Lady of the Earl directly granted them the status of concubines, and in the past two days, she has had them come out to receive guests at all the social events held at the Earl's residence."
"Taking possession of the house?"
Jiang Shuwan narrowed her eyes slightly. It wasn't surprising that Pei Lingyu had taken Lianxiang and Lianyu as concubines, but it was a bit much for the Madam to have both women meet guests for social occasions.
"How is the young master's relationship with Jiang Yao lately?"
“Miss, after the Madam’s birthday banquet, the Second Miss started making a fuss about selling Lianxiang and Lianyu. The Madam refused, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law argued several times without any result.”
"When the young master saw the expression on the second young lady's face as she was about to sell the two maids to a brothel, he thought she was heartless and became estranged from her. He hasn't stayed in her room recently."
After Qingxing finished speaking, she glanced at Song Shi, who was doing her makeup over there, her eyes full of dissatisfaction.
"Madam visited the Second Miss yesterday and, upon hearing about this matter, scolded her for being stupid and foolish. How could she, a new bride, be allowed to handle such a matter of selling off maids? If word gets out, everyone will say she is ruthless."
"They even said that the second young lady should come to you. As her older sister, you should stand up for her. Besides, you are half the head of the Marquis's mansion. The Marquis and the Earl's mansions are closely connected. They are not two separate Pei families. If anyone should be sold off, it should be you."
Jiang Shuwan: "…………"
Great, she's like a brick, ready to be moved wherever needed.
“Miss, Madam’s plan is too ambitious. You have the right to interfere with the Earl’s family selling off their maids. Even if the Earl and Marquis’ families are from the same lineage, they have long since separated and live separately. How can you possibly have any say in the Earl’s family?”
Qingxing was afraid that Jiang Shuwan would try to take the lead.
"Good Qingxing, I'm not that stupid."
"Go and invite Madam Song over."
"Yes, miss."
Qingxing walked towards the dressing table and saw that Song Shi Qingxing was furious again. Not only was she scheming against her young lady, but she was also addicted to doing her makeup at the dressing table. She not only ordered Xiao Tao to comb her hair, but also held up Jiang Shuwan's jewelry on her head.
She was so fond of it that if Madam Song hadn't still had a shred of self-respect befitting an official's wife, she probably would have asked for it herself.
"Madam, Miss is going to the shop later. If you're not busy, I'll help you back."
"What? She's leaving? She can't leave!"
"She hasn't stood up for her sister yet!"
Finally, Song remembered Jiang Yao. She put down the hairpin in her hand and ran to Jiang Shuwan, slamming her hand on the table to complain to Jiang Shuwan.
"This is truly unseemly. I have never seen a guest in the capital being received by a concubine."
"What are those two wretched girls, Lianxiang and Lianyu? They're just servants. How can they compare to my Yao'er, who comes from a noble family and is full of poetry and literary talent?"
“Madam Bo is completely slapping the face of our Jiang family. How could our Jiang family’s daughter be so humiliated? Wanwan, you must stand up for your sister. Only you in our Jiang family can stand up for her.”
"If you don't take care of her, she really can't live, and neither can her mother. My poor Yao'er, waaaaah..."
When she got to the sad part, Song choked up a couple of times, quickly wiping away the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
I can't ruin my new makeup.
"Wanwan, what do you think we should do about this?"
Song looked at Jiang Shuwan with longing eyes.
Jiang Shuwan didn't speak, but lowered her head and thought for a while before taking a sip of calming tea. "What does Mother want?"
"Of course, we should sell those two girls immediately. Those two lowly sluts don't even know their place. What right do they have to compete with my daughter for favor? They're shameless bastards who don't know their own mortality."
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
"...?"
So you're just going to refuse like that?
She wasn't given any face at all.
Madam Song choked for a moment, then struggled to speak, "Why are you helping those two sluts? They're the kind of sluts that even the noble families of Jiangnan wouldn't want, the Earl's Mansion..."
“Mother also knows that it is the Earl’s Mansion, not the Marquis’s Mansion.”
Meeting Jiang Shuwan's unwavering gaze, Madam Song was speechless. "But...but Jiang Yao is your sister..."
“Mother, let alone in the Earl’s mansion, even in the Marquis’s mansion, it’s not my place to sell two young women I’ve just taken in as concubines. It’s common for men to have three wives and four concubines…”
"It's not that the prince doesn't have three wives and four concubines..."
Jiang Shuwan: "..."
She pretended not to hear Madam Song's mutterings and continued, "Mother must have heard about the old master becoming a monk. The Earl's mansion is like a tree with no branches; having offspring to continue the lineage is the Earl's mansion's top priority right now. Even if there is no one to pity you, there will be someone else. Mother can tell Second Sister that instead of thinking about selling her concubines all day, she should give birth to a child as soon as possible to secure her position."
“I know that, but… but… they’ve been at odds lately, and Lingyu has been staying at the place of those two wretched girls, Lianxiang and Lianyu.”
"Mother, I can't control that."
You can't exactly ask her to go to the concubine's bed and pull Pei Lingyu up.
Madam Song chuckled awkwardly and said to Jiang Shuwan with a forced smile, "Good child, I know that everything you said is for the good of your mother and your second sister. It's just that your second sister is really having a hard time right now. It's one thing for the madam to dislike her all the time, but she even promotes the concubine to come out and greet guests. It's simply too much. What family has such rules? Not to mention your sister is indignant, even I feel ashamed to go out to admire flowers and have some tea."
Jiang Shuwan agreed with this statement.
She didn't care how Madam Bo treated Jiang Yao, but such a high regard for a concubine was a slap in the face to the Jiang family, and she had to intervene since she knew about it.
"Granny Tao, go and fetch two palace flowers, and prepare some ordinary hairpins. When you go to the Earl's mansion with Mother later, tell her that the palace flowers are for my second sister, and the hairpins are for Lianxiang and Lianyu."
Aren't you going?
Upon hearing this, Madam Song became somewhat anxious.
"Mother, please calm down. You come to me as soon as something happens at the Earl's Mansion. The Earl's wife must be unhappy. You are also the mistress of the house, and you don't want to be suppressed, do you? Moreover, the Earl's wife's actions are ultimately aimed at suppressing Second Sister. You should advise Second Sister not to argue with the Earl's wife. She should also come to terms with the fact that the young master has concubines, instead of making a fuss every other day."
Madam Song nodded repeatedly. "I did try to persuade her, but for some reason, she keeps talking about love and how she was so devoted in her past life, and how things have changed in this life. Then she just throws herself on the bed and cries until her eyes are swollen. It's not like Lingyu hasn't come to see her, but she chased her away."
Speaking of this, Song's dislike for Pei Lingyu lessened somewhat.
"These days, what woman hits her own man? I don't know where this child learned that from..."
Qingxing nodded vigorously on the side. She had watched Jiang Yao beat Pei Lingyu from behind the wall. Jiang Yao pounced on her, tearing and biting, scratching with her nails. She was really fierce.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
