Chapter 222: Retribution
Yan Zhigao fled in haste from Songhe Courtyard, and his actions quickly spread throughout the Yan family estates.
Second Courtyard.
Sun Shi sneered, "This Lin Shi still thinks it's like a few years ago when she was favored and could get whatever she wanted. Now, she has a concubine's daughter and thinks she can bring her to the old madam's side to be raised. How dare she even think of such a thing?"
Yan Yile, who had been sulking and drawing large characters in frustration, immediately raised her head and asked, "Mother, if Concubine Lin brings Fifth Sister to Grandmother's side, will Elder Sister lose favor? Isn't that a good thing?"
"Good thing? What good thing!" Sun Shi poked her youngest daughter's forehead, "If Fifth Daughter is really taken to the old madam’s courtyard to be raised, her status will be elevated. Who knows, she might even end up overshadowing you all. Do you want a concubine’s daughter, born from a lesser wife, to step all over your heads?"
Yan Yile immediately shook her head.
Sun Shi continued, "Even if Fifth Daughter is taken into the old madam’s courtyard, your elder sister won’t lose favor. Haven’t you all noticed? Your elder sister is the old madam’s darling. Do you think anyone can replace her?"
"If the old madam were so easily swayed, you'd be charming, Yishuang would be sweet, but has the old madam ever been particularly kind to you?"
Yan Yile pouted. It was true that her grandmother was difficult to please.
Sun Shi tapped her head, "Enough, get to work. Write a hundred essays, and then you can show your elder sister."
Yan Yile pouted, "Elder Sister really can make us do everything her way."
Sun Shi snapped, "If you were as capable as your elder sister, others would listen to you too. Now, write well. Daohua always keeps her promises. If you don't start listening now, wait until she doesn’t bring you along when going out. Then you'll see what happens."
Hearing this, Yan Yile reluctantly bent her head down to continue her work.
Third Courtyard.
Wu Shi was smiling as she played with a rattle in front of her youngest son, who was crawling around on the bed.
Maid Chunju stood at the other side of the bed, keeping an eye on the child to prevent him from falling. Looking at Yan Wencheng’s chubby cheeks, she smiled and said, "Seventh Master is crawling more skillfully now, and his strength is growing."
Wu Shi reached out and pinched her son's round face, laughing, "You should see how his big sister feeds him. He’s almost becoming a little piglet."
Chunju glanced at Wu Shi in confusion, "Third Madam, why aren’t you worried about Fifth Miss being sent to the old madam’s side? Isn't that a concern?"
Wu Shi smiled faintly, "Why should I be worried? Mother-in-law doesn’t even want to keep Wencheng, her proper grandson, close to her. Do you think she’d want to raise a concubine’s daughter? This is just going to add to the First Madam’s troubles."
She paused for a moment.
"Big Brother is really something else, going all the way to the old madam’s side for this. The First Madam must be upset."
Of the two sisters-in-law, she favored the First Madam the most. The First Madam was upright and willing to teach her things she didn’t understand, unlike the Second Madam, who often belittled her, whether intentionally or not.
Chunju remarked, "Now that Concubine Lin’s plan has fallen through, the First Madam should be happy."
Wu Shi shook her head and remained silent.
While the First Madam was the most respectable of the three daughters-in-law, she also had the most to bear. Just the two concubines of Big Brother were enough to add to her stress.
Although her husband only managed the household’s farmland, she was content. If he were as capable as Big Brother, managing several concubines, she would lose sleep over it.
She really couldn’t understand why the Second Madam envied the First Madam so much.
Shuangxin Courtyard.
Concubine Lin was filled with resentment upon learning that the old madam had refused to take in her daughter. Struggling to sit up, she looked at her maid, Xiyun, and asked, "Where is the master? Why hasn't he come?"
Xiyun hesitated, not daring to look at the angry Concubine Lin.
Concubine Lin angrily threw the pillow on the bed, "I’m asking you a question! Are you deaf?"
Xiyun quickly replied, "The master left the old madam's courtyard and went straight to the main hall."
Concubine Lin was stunned for a moment, then sneered, "Is the master avoiding me?"
Xiyun, seeing Concubine Lin’s pale face, said anxiously, "My lady, you've just given birth. You should lie down and rest, don't strain your body."
Concubine Lin muttered angrily, "If my body gets hurt, then so be it. No one cares."
Xiyun quickly added, "My lady, even if you don’t think of yourself, you should think about Fifth Master and the Third Miss and Fifth Miss."
Only then did Concubine Lin lie back down. Just then, the child in the swaddling cloth began crying.
Concubine Lin glanced irritably at the child and snapped, "Why isn’t the wet nurse here yet? Take the child away."
Xiyun dared not say more and hurriedly took the child away.
In the west wing, the sounds from Concubine Lin's room were clearly heard by Concubine Liu.
Concubine Liu, while copying Buddhist scriptures, couldn't help but smile coldly.
Her maid, Xu'er, also heard the sounds and said with a hint of gloating, "Now Concubine Lin is getting what she deserves. Serves her right for trying to frame you."
Concubine Liu smiled faintly. "It was my carelessness." She put down her pen, rubbed her wrist, and said, "Let’s wait and see. I’ll settle the score with her eventually."
After saying that, she looked in the direction of the main house.
"Let her keep making a scene. Once the master’s affection is worn down, Concubine Lin is finished."
Over the next few days, Concubine Lin kept sending people to block Yan Zhigao.
Yan Zhigao knew why Concubine Lin wanted to see him but didn’t want to meet her. He also began to get irritated by her constant attempts to create trouble.
His mother was already displeased, and though his wife didn't show it, he knew that she too must be uncomfortable, but she had kept quiet out of consideration for his reputation.
He had once thought Concubine Lin was reasonable, but now she was becoming increasingly unreasonable.
Yan Zhigao grew dissatisfied, and his desire to avoid meeting Concubine Lin only increased.
When he refused to meet her, Concubine Lin didn’t back off; instead, she sent people even more frequently, and once, she even had someone block the front courtyard.
This time, Yan Zhigao was completely enraged and had Concubine Lin's people placed under house arrest, with their meals sent to them by the kitchen.
After that, there was constant noise coming from Concubine Lin's room, including sounds of smashing and the baby crying.
Having just given birth, the constant turmoil took a toll, and soon, Concubine Lin began to experience heavy bleeding.
"You said what? Concubine Lin won’t be able to have children anymore?" Daohua was shocked as she looked at Wang Man'er.
Wang Man'er nodded. "The physician said so. She had a difficult delivery this time, and now, with all the turmoil in her confinement period, it has left her with a lasting problem."
Daohua sighed, "Could she have postpartum depression?"
"What’s that?" Wang Man'er asked, confused.
Daohua waved her hand, "It's a kind of illness."
Wang Man'er nodded but didn't ask further, knowing that her young lady had been studying medical books. "But I think this is Concubine Lin’s retribution."
"Mm?" Daohua looked up at her.
Wang Man'er lowered her voice. "Why was Concubine Lin’s delivery so difficult? Didn’t she cause it herself by scheming against Concubine Liu and falling, leading to a premature birth? Now she can’t have any more children—this is her own doing."
Daohua nodded. "Makes sense!"
Gu Yu added, "Exactly, if Concubine Lin had just rested properly, everything would have been fine. But she kept making trouble, and now she’s brought it all upon herself."
(End of chapter)
0 comments:
Post a Comment