"Why don't we invite Madam Lin as well!" Li Yaoqin suggested.
Sun Yiyi heard this and asked, "What about Madam Li?"
Li Yaoqin replied, "Mother is devoted to Buddhism now and likely doesn't wish to come out. Why not invite Madam Lin? I recall Madam Sun and Madam Lin were close friends since childhood." Lin Shufang nodded, "That would be good. Mother is quite bored staying at home alone."
Rong'er recounted everyone she had seen to Suoxin, who sneered, "Indeed, she's been socializing with several ministers' wives behind my back."
"Aunty, it's also possible that the eldest young lady was with other young ladies."
"Have you ever seen her bring along two ministers' wives?" Suoxin asked Rong'er.
Qing'er, standing nearby, added, "Aunty, the eldest young lady and the two ministers' wives must be discussing how to deal with you."
Suoxin sneered, "Is the eldest young lady so eager to get rid of me?"
"Aunty, perhaps the eldest young lady simply wishes to meet the daughters of a few ministerial households."
"Rong'er, whose maid are you?" Suoxin asked coldly.
Rong'er faltered, "Aunty, why do you ask that?"
Suoxin slapped her, and Rong'er stumbled back several steps, looking at Suoxin in disbelief. "Aunty Xin, you..."
Suoxin said coldly, "You are my maid, yet you constantly speak in favor of the eldest young lady. Rong'er, I see you no longer wish to stay with me. Fine, go and serve the eldest young lady. Let's see if she's willing to have you."
Rong'er quickly begged for mercy, "Aunty, this servant was wrong, this servant will never dare again."
"It's too late," Suoxin stated coldly.
Rong'er knelt, continuing to beg. Suoxin didn't even look at her and said to Qing'er behind her, "Come out with me."
She completely ignored Rong'er, who was still kneeling and begging.
"Even if you kowtow until you die, she will never forgive you."
Rong'er shivered and looked up to see Concubine Liu standing before her. "Concubine Liu."
"If you wish, you can come to me," Concubine Liu said.
Rong'er hesitated.
Concubine Liu smiled and added, "You can try. Try and see who else can take you in besides me."
While Li Yaoqin, Lin Shufang, and Sun Yiyi were chatting cheerfully, Lianxin hurried in and whispered a few words into Li Yaoqin's ear.
Li Yaoqin's expression turned grim. Lin Shufang couldn't help but ask, "Sister Yaoqin, what's wrong? Has something happened?"
Li Yaoqin shook her head. "It's nothing. It's just getting late, and I should be going back."
Sun Yiyi said, "Yaoqin, we haven't even been here for two hours. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
Lianxin, now indignant, exclaimed, "It's that concubine the Lord took in. She's caused quite a few problems for my young lady."
"She wants you to leave?" Lin Shufang asked.
"No, she wants to come over. I'm afraid she'll disturb your and Sister's enjoyment," Li Yaoqin replied.
"How dare a concubine come over?" Sun Yiyi asked in surprise.
"She's relying on his favor," Lin Shufang commented.
"Don't worry. We're all here. Does she, a mere concubine, dare to come? I won't hold back. Moreover, my mother and Madam Lin are here too," Sun Yiyi said, pulling Li Yaoqin to prevent her from leaving.
Lin Shufang also nodded, "Yiyi is right, Sister Yaoqin. As the legitimate daughter, you shouldn't be afraid of that concubine."
As they were speaking, a voice came from outside the door, "Eldest Young Lady."
"I'll go and meet this concubine," Sun Yiyi said, rising as the door opened.
Sun Yiyi said mockingly, "So you're Madam Li's concubine? Anyone who didn't know would think you were Madam Li's wife."
Suoxin's face flushed, feeling somewhat awkward. Sun Yiyi continued, "What makes you think you have the right to stand here? Get out."
Suoxin was humiliated to the core but still stood her ground. "Miss Sun, this concubine knows her status is lowly, but she did not intend to disturb your elegant gathering."
"Since you know, why are you still lingering here? Leave," Sun Yiyi said unceremoniously.
Tears welled up in Suoxin's eyes. "This concubine absolutely meant no harm. Miss Sun, you don't need to humiliate me like this."
"Why are you crying here? Are you planning to tell Lord Li that I bullied you?" Sun Yiyi couldn't stand those simpering concubines who feigned helplessness.
"This concubine dare not!" Suoxin quickly said.
"Sister Yiyi, I know you're standing up for me, but she is my father's concubine after all. Please show me some respect." Li Yaoqin intervened.
Sun Yiyi sighed, "Alright, alright. Yaoqin, you're too soft-hearted. You need to be ruthless with people like her, or she won't dare to bully or scheme against you."
"Thank you, Sister Yiyi," Li Yaoqin said gratefully.
After bidding farewell to Lin Shufang and Sun Yiyi, Li Yaoqin reached the doorway and said coldly, "Let's go!"
Suoxin gritted her teeth. "This concubine heard that Madam Sun and Madam Lin are both here."
Li Yaoqin looked at Suoxin and sneered, "You want to see Madam Sun and Madam Lin?"
Suoxin looked up at her and asked, "May I not?"
Sun Yiyi could no longer bear it and stepped forward, saying coldly, "Don't you know your own status? You want to see my mother and Madam Lin? Wait until you become Madam Li!"
Suoxin was so humiliated that she was about to cry. Covering her face, she ran away, saying, "I apologize for disturbing everyone."
Li Yaoqin said, "I'll go and see."
Sun Yiyi looked at Lin Shufang. Lin Shufang said, "Yiyi, you've gone too far. What you said makes it difficult for Sister Yaoqin to maintain her dignity."
"I'm not wrong. Does a mere concubine dare to aspire to be the mistress?" Sun Yiyi said, not understanding.
"Every family has its own troubles. We are not Yaoqin, and we don't know her situation in the manor. We cannot make decisions for her," Lin Shufang explained.
In Chafeng Lou, Hua Yunjin couldn't help but laugh as he listened to the news from Hua Li. Hua Li asked, not understanding, "Your Highness, what are you laughing at?"
Hua Yunjin shook his head and said, "I just find that concubine rather foolish. She doesn't even realize she's fallen into Miss Li's trap."
Hua Li was taken aback. "Isn't it the concubine, spoiled by favor, bullying Miss Li?"
Hua Yunjin sneered, "Bullying? Then tell me, how can that concubine act spoiled in front of legitimate daughters and their formal wives?"
Hua Li seemed to understand and asked, "You mean Miss Li did this intentionally?"
Hua Yunjin nodded. "Precisely. But I wonder what she ultimately intends to do."
Hua Li remarked, "Women are too terrifying. They can come up with such schemes."
Hua Yunjin chuckled, "It's not wrong to use schemes to eliminate obstacles in one's path."
Hua Li quickly shook his head. "Such a viperous woman. This subordinate would not dare to covet her. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know when my life was lost."
Hua Yunjin didn't quite think that way. He only felt that besides the Empress, this was the first person who made him feel an urge to explore further.
"Go to the Li mansion and keep watch. I want to know about Li Yaoqin," Hua Yunjin commanded.