"Madam, be careful not to anger yourself!" Granny Sun quickly stepped forward to support Madam Bai, patting her chest to help her breathe. "They are all beneath notice. Madam need not concern herself with such riffraff."
Madam Bai had grown tired of such words; they offered no solace to her immense rage and feelings of being wronged. Her hands clenched into fists, and she slammed them hard on the table twice.
"Wang Qingyao!" she snarled, her eyes glinting like a hungry wolf's, wishing she could flay Wang Qingyao alive and devour her to sate her hatred.
"Madam!" Granny Sun was heartbroken. She cupped Madam Bai's fist, blowing on it and stroking it.
"Why must Madam harm herself over that jinx? She has been an orphan since childhood, like a bastard. Only she would do such shameless things!" Granny Sun was also stunned by Wang Qingyao's repeated act of sending concubines. She was a young lady!
Madam Bai let out cold, mocking laughter. "I ordered Chunlan to frame her, and she sent Chunlan to be a concubine to the First Master. I hid needles in the fox fur, and she sent Xia He to be a concubine to the First Master. Hah, she truly holds a grudge and strikes right at my heart!"
"Madam, the more she tries to upset you, the less you should get angry. What man doesn't have a few playthings for amusement? Even if she becomes the Crown Princess of Ding'an, will the Prince only have her in his chambers?"
Madam Bai didn't want to be angry. She wanted to appear magnanimous and happily host a banquet for Xia He to legitimize her status, but she couldn't control herself!
Did she not know that if Wang Da wasn't willing, Wang Qingyao could send him ten or eight beauties and it would be useless!
As she laughed, tears began to stream down her face.
"Granny," she rested her head on Granny Sun's waist, "why does he treat me like this? Chunlan and Xia He were both maids from your niece's courtyard. By doing this, he is slapping my face! One was bad enough, but two or three? Is he making a mockery of me?"
She closed her eyes, letting her tears soak Granny Sun's clothes. Granny Sun also began to cry, saying between sobs, "Madam, you still have the eldest young master. Think of the eldest young master!"
The mistress and servant cried together.
Madam Bai was, after all, the mistress of the household and had weathered many storms. After crying for half the night, she pulled herself together the next day.
First, before Wang Da could even speak, she proactively suggested elevating Xia He to the status of concubine. Wang Da was shocked by Madam Bai's initiative, and after the shock, shame welled up within him. That night, he actually slept in the main chambers.
Second, she sent people to monitor the outer study. If any more disreputable individuals entered, she was to be informed immediately.
Then, she dispatched people to keep watch near the Cold Fragrance Courtyard, especially on Qiuju and Dongmei. With Chunlan and Xia He now concubines to the First Master, it was hard to guarantee that the remaining two wouldn't get any ideas. Even if they didn't go to the outer study, other places needed to be strictly guarded. m..oΓg
Finally, she began to seriously consider Wang Qingyao's marriage.
An alliance with the Ding'an Prince's estate offered countless benefits, so this marriage must not be broken. Under the premise of not breaking it, how could she maximize the benefits? Clearly, Wang Qingyao was beyond her control and even stood in opposition to her. If she didn't deliberately cause trouble in the future, it would be a blessing. Could she expect her to seek benefits for the Wang family?
Madam Bai's gaze shifted to the other two illegitimate daughters of the eldest branch.
If Wang Qingyao could send away the maids she sent to her, could she send away her own cousins?
While Madam Bai was considering candidates between the Third Miss Wang Qingzhen and the Fourth Miss Wang Qingzhu, her own biological daughter, Wang Qinglin, also had her own ideas.
The news of Xia He being elevated to concubine quickly spread throughout the Wang family. Everyone, from masters to servants, was stunned.
Among them, Wang Qinglin's astonishment was particularly profound, even triggering a life reflection.
Her mother, Madam Bai, had a modest family background. Not long after marrying Wang Da, she took charge of the Wang family. With only an elderly mother-in-law above her and no disputes with sisters-in-law, she had a relatively smooth path. As Wang Da steadily rose to the third rank, and she herself received the noble title of Third Rank Lady, she raised legitimate children. Her son was renowned, and her daughter was graceful and beautiful. Whether returning to her maiden home or socializing within her circle, she was always radiant and envied.
However, these were merely superficial aspects.
Before Madam Bai married into the family, Wang Da's household already had a host of concubines and maids. After she married, she took charge of elevating the longest-serving maid to the status of Concubine Liu. Later, she also elevated two concubines who had borne daughters to the rank of姨娘 (yíniáng - concubine).
In her childhood, Wang Qinglin often saw Madam Bai looking troubled and weeping silently.
For so many years, she had to maintain her persona of kindness and virtue while simultaneously suppressing the concubines and maids, leaving her mentally exhausted and prone to paranoia and irritability.
Yet, Wang Da had never truly understood Madam Bai's efforts. This time, he had gone from bad to worse, successively taking in maids from Wang Qingyao's courtyard.
He was utterly trampling on Madam Bai's dignity!
Even as a daughter, Wang Qinglin felt pity for her mother.
What was the point of having such a man? It would be better to have no man at all!
But women ultimately had to marry...
And most men were the same...
What if she married a man with a short lifespan...
Her thoughts immediately turned to Prince Ding'an, Xiao Yun.
At this moment, her thoughts reached an unprecedented consensus with Wang Qingyao's: a rich and powerful husband who dies young was a good thing!
Once Wang Qinglin had this idea, she began to rub her hands together, ready to make her move.
It didn't matter that she had an engagement. It didn't matter that the Ding'an Prince had an engagement. It mattered even less that the fiancée was Wang Qingyao.
She could snatch her man once, and she could snatch him a second time!
Meanwhile, Madam Bai, after careful comparison and observation, had also settled on a candidate: the Fourth Miss Wang Qingzhu.
Wang Qingzhu's birth mother, Concubine Hua, was honest and upright, and she had raised her daughter to be similarly simple and honest. Although Wang Qingzhu's looks were not as striking as Wang Qingzhen's, she was obedient. Even if she gained the Ding'an Prince's favor and developed other intentions in the future, as long as Madam Bai held Concubine Hua in her grasp, she wouldn't be able to cause any trouble.
Once Madam Bai made up her mind, she went to Concubine Hua's quarters and summoned Wang Qingzhu. She then subjected her to a combination of threats and inducements.
As an illegitimate daughter, Wang Qingzhu had always lived under the thumb of her legitimate mother and elder sister, readily complying with their requests and enduring their mistreatment. Her sole aim was to marry well when the time came for her wedding.
Who would have thought that after years of subservience, she would end up in such a predicament!
Marrying a man who wouldn't live past twenty-five!
Wang Qingzhu's face turned ashen, and she swayed precariously, on the verge of collapsing!
But she was utterly helpless. Having lived under Madam Bai's oppressive authority for so many years, she lacked the courage to refuse.
"I will obey Mother's every command," Wang Qingzhu replied tearfully.
After Madam Bai left, mother and daughter embraced and wept, lamenting their unfortunate fate.
Not every woman possessed the awareness of Wang Qingyao and Wang Qinglin.