Chapter 118: Visiting to Express Gratitude
Before sleeping that day, Wen Mingqian said to Zhang Ma, “Miss Cui the Second really helped a lot this time. I should personally visit to thank her, but I’m truly in a difficult situation right now. If too much time passes, it will be even more impolite.”
Zhang Ma heard this and said, “Miss is right. How about we prepare some gifts tomorrow and I’ll send them over with Ma Ping’an, and also invite Miss Cui the Second to be a guest at our mansion? That way, it won’t seem impolite.”
“It seems that’s the only way for now,” Wen Mingqian said. “Madam Cui is a second wife. Although we don’t know the details, looking at Miss Cui the Second, we can guess that her life at home isn’t easy.”
“How many people have an easy time living under a stepmother?” Zhang Ma said. “Although Miss Cui the Second made a mistake before, I see that she’s not truly bad at heart, she was just temporarily deceived by Song Xiulian.”
“Regardless, we truly owe her a debt of gratitude this time. Don’t treat her lightly,” Wen Mingqian said. “It’s better to be generous with the gifts than to be stingy.”
Zhang Ma said, “Miss, please rest assured. I will arrange it myself. You should worry less now and focus on recuperating your health.”
The next day, Zhang Ma brought the gift list for Wen Mingqian to review. Wen Mingqian looked it over and added two more items.
“Send these things first. Remember to tell Miss Cui the Second that we invite her to our home to chat on the nineteenth.”
The gifts were loaded onto a cart, and Zhang Ma and Ma Ping’an escorted the cart to the Cui Mansion.
Cui Baozhu had not left her residence since returning from the nunnery outside the city that day. She had already endured several days of scolding for this matter.
“A young lady grows up, and her ambitions grow too. It’s not a big deal to go out and about during the day. But to not return home at night, whose rules are those?
Let alone staying at a nunnery, a place in the wilderness. Even staying at a relative’s house isn’t something one can do casually. Does this need to be taught?
Those who know will say the young lady acted on her own accord. Those who don’t might think I, her stepmother, mistreated her, to the point where she doesn’t even want to return home and would rather stay overnight at a nunnery!”
Cui Baozhu’s stepmother, Leng Shi, had a strong personality and a sharp tongue like a knife.
She knew that Cui Baozhu was unwilling to be dictated by her and harbored a hidden defiance. Normally, if Cui Baozhu didn’t make any mistakes, Leng Shi couldn’t do much.
Now that she had leverage, Leng Shi naturally had to seize it and repeatedly admonish her, making her feel ashamed and timid, so that she would be easier to control in the future.
She had long planned to marry Cui Baozhu to the foolish son of Marquis Fengxian, sacrificing a loss to gain significant benefits for herself.
Her husband’s official position could at least be promoted by one more rank, and even if it wasn’t, he could get a lucrative post and take the opportunity to skim more off the top.
Although Marquis Fengxian’s son was foolish, he was still the son of a marquis. With Cui Baozhu’s marriage as a foundation, her own children’s future marriages would naturally rise in status.
How could such a good plan go awry?
Moreover, the Master knew about it and had no objections.
Yet, this girl Cui Baozhu adamantly refused.
As the years passed, she didn’t have much patience left.
No matter what her stepmother said, Cui Baozhu just listened quietly. She neither retorted nor showed much shame.
In this household, the stepmother had the final say. Even her father listened to the stepmother in everything.
Cui Baozhu knew she couldn’t offend her stepmother, otherwise, she would surely face dire consequences.
Therefore, no matter how harsh her words were, Cui Baozhu could only endure.
However, there was one thing she absolutely could not compromise on, and that was marriage.
She understood that a woman’s marriage was a second life, and one had to look with clear eyes beforehand whether it would be a fiery pit or a honey pot.
She also knew that she had no say in the matter of marriage, but marrying the son of Marquis Fengxian was tantamount to throwing away the rest of her life on a fool.
Her maternal home might gain glory and wealth from this, but what about herself? It would be like jumping into a dry well, never to climb out again.
Before, her heart was entirely set on Gong Yu’an, but after calming down these past few days, she found herself ridiculous. That was merely wishful thinking.
When people are stubborn, they tend to get stuck in a rut. Only when they calm down do they reflect.
As her feelings for Gong Yu’an cooled, she felt her previous actions were utterly laughable. She had tried every means to curry favor with Consort Song, and even acted on her behalf to harm someone.
Fortunately, the harm was not done. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be laughable, but terrifying.
Leng Shi didn’t know why she stayed overnight at the nunnery. She hadn’t mentioned Gong Changan’s matter.
A large part of her willingness to help stemmed from guilt. Moreover, in the end, Gong Changan wasn’t found based on the clues she provided; the child had escaped on his own.
Therefore, Cui Baozhu didn’t believe she had any favors to owe the Gong family. However, if her stepmother knew about this, she would undoubtedly shamelessly approach the Gong family to seek favors. Cui Baozhu knew Leng Shi was absolutely capable of doing that.
“You don’t need to pretend to be a benevolent Buddha there. I know what you’re scheming,” Leng Shi snorted. “Your legs are your own; I can’t tie you up. But I’ll say this upfront: if you disgrace the Cui family’s reputation, you won’t need me to act; the Master will not spare you.”
Cui Baozhu knew that Leng Shi had vented enough. She got up and poured her a bowl of tea: “Mother, your teachings are correct. Daughter knows she was wrong.”
Leng Shi glanced at her, wanting to say something but ultimately didn’t. She picked up her tea and had just taken a sip when a servant woman entered from outside saying, “Madam, someone from the Ru Yang Bo Mansion is here.”
“You mean the Gong family? What are they here for?” Leng Shi was puzzled. “Didn’t their second branch’s little madam pass away some time ago? We haven’t had much contact with them recently!”
Because Cui Baozhu had been too close to Song Shi before, after Wen Mingqian took charge of the household, they found it difficult to approach them again.
Therefore, when Leng Shi heard that someone from the Gong family had arrived today, she couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
Cui Baozhu knew in her heart, but she said nothing.
Afterward, Zhang Ma entered and paid her respects to both Leng Shi and Cui Baozhu.
Leng Shi smiled and asked, “Mama, may I ask what brings you to my humble abode?”
“Madam Cui, I am Zhang Ma from the second branch of the Gong family, sent by our Madam to pay a visit.” Zhang Ma was here to express gratitude, so she was naturally amiable and polite. “Miss Cui the Second helped us greatly some time ago. Our Madam originally intended to visit personally to express her thanks, but she is ill from the fright she received and cannot come at the moment. Therefore, I have been sent ahead to deliver some modest gifts as a token of our appreciation.”
After Zhang Ma finished speaking, she lightly waved her hand, and the servants and maids who had come with her brought in the gifts from the cart.
The gifts were nothing particularly special, just some fine silks and satins, gold and silver jewelry, and the Four Treasures of the Study.
But they were plentiful, and each item was presentable.
“Oh my, what is this you’re saying?” Leng Shi asked, her surprise mixed with hesitation. “How can you send such heavy gifts?”
