Chapter 70: Secretly Setting the Board
I’ve also considered this, but many people have looked at this child’s birth chart and said it poses no harm to her parents.
“No wonder Madam can’t figure it out. I can’t fathom why either. Could it be that the child wasn’t killed by Consort Song, but by someone else?” Sang Er was confused.
“Now that I’ve just regained control of the household, I can’t be too aggressive towards Consort Song’s side, or it will be more loss than gain,” Wen Mingqian said. “But no matter what, Consort Song is already flustered. We just need to fan the flames from the sidelines. When she can no longer bear it and takes desperate measures, we can reel her in.”
Wen Mingqian also knew that it wouldn’t be easy to clarify what happened back then. If it was truly difficult to ascertain, she might as well let Consort Song make another mistake.
Because no matter what, Consort Song would not let her go. Since that was the case, she didn’t need to be merciful to her either.
“Let me tell you, in this world, paper can’t wrap fire, and black will never turn white,” Zhang Ma said. “I need to go cook.”
Gong Changan went to play in the courtyard. Sang Er then said to Wen Mingqian, “Madam must be a bit tired. Please loosen your clothes and lie down. I’ll give you a massage.”
Sang Er’s hands possessed Kung Fu. They looked slender and boneless, yet they were quite strong when giving a massage.
“Alright!” Wen Mingqian took off her outer garment as requested. Sang Er washed her hands and began to massage her with moderate strength.
“I’ll take you to see your Uncle another day,” Wen Mingqian said, her eyes gently closed. “Let him see you, so he can be at ease.”
“What is there for him to worry about when I’m with you? I don’t want to see that old man,” Sang Er said.
“You can’t say that. You’re young and don’t understand many things. Your Uncle is getting older, and his leg ailment is worsening. You are his only family in this world, so you should visit him often. If it weren’t for my affairs, you wouldn’t have had to be separated,” Wen Mingqian’s tone carried guilt.
“Mother, please don’t say that. If it weren’t for you back then, my Uncle and I would have frozen to death in the snow,” Sang Er said. “Later, you also provided money for us to do business, which led to where we are today.
Although my Uncle and I don’t see eye to eye in temperament, there’s one thing he said that I firmly believe is right. He said one cannot forget their roots. Only those who repay favors are worthy of being called human.”
“Actually, you and your Uncle have the same temper: tough on the outside, soft on the inside,” Wen Mingqian chuckled. “You’d risk your lives for each other, but when there’s nothing going on, you can’t stand the sight of each other and won’t say a kind word.”
As they were talking, Yun Ying floated in from outside and said softly, “Madam is back. Have the guests from Duke Feng’s Family left?”
“Madam returned a while ago. Where did Elder Sister go?” Sang Er asked.
“After I finished my work, I went for a stroll in the garden,” Yun Ying said. “If I had known Madam was back, I would have returned earlier.”
“It’s nothing. There’s no urgent work,” Wen Mingqian said. “Besides, I didn’t ask you to come in to do work and serve me.”
“Madam, are you going to give Yun Ying Elder Sister to Gong Er in a few days?” Sang Er asked.
“Yes,” Wen Mingqian nodded. “I see Gong Er is very satisfied with her. To deal with Consort Song, this move is necessary.”
“This was decided long ago. If Madam hadn’t redeemed me from that place back then, I truly wouldn’t dare to imagine what kind of life I would have lived,” Yun Ying said with composure. “Now, becoming a concubine to Gong Er, let alone that he isn’t old, and with such a family background, I don’t feel wronged.”
Yun Ying and her parents were both born servants who were exiled to Shuangxi along with their Master.
That year, Yun Ying was thirteen and had already developed considerable beauty.
The warden’s wife then ordered people to send her and over a dozen other women to the military brothel, where she became a low-ranking military prostitute.
Fortunately, after enduring less than a year there, she was taken a liking to by Wen Mingqian, who bought her for three hundred taels of silver.
Strictly speaking, this was against the rules, but rules can always be bent.
Wen Mingqian paid the silver, and the other side erased Yun Ying’s original name, reporting only that she had died of illness. Everything had been smoothed over, so who would expose it?
In border regions like Shuangxi, there was no shortage of exiled criminals.
Those like Yun Ying, who were exiled as servants, were as insignificant as ants.
To be able to extort several hundred taels of silver from them was truly a windfall for the managing officials.
Yun Ying, on the other hand, escaped the fiery pit. Wen Mingqian had Sang Er and her uncle take her away from Shuangxi. They lived in Wuqiao for a few years before coming to the Capital City.
Therefore, she was extremely grateful to Wen Mingqian and did not mind marrying Gong Xu as a concubine at all.
She viewed her fate with great openness and regarded romantic love between men and women lightly.
However, she was not heartless. She valued loyalty and knew shame, but her sense of shame was not focused on romantic love.
“Gong Xu was entangled by Consort Song again yesterday. You go to the Second Gate early today to welcome him over,” Wen Mingqian said to Yun Ying. “Gong Xu is a very peculiar person. He always presents himself as a gentleman, but he is narrow-minded and muddled.
However, he is very susceptible to gentleness. As long as you use your charm, it won’t even take three rounds to capture him.”
The current Wen Mingqian had no feelings left for Gong Xu, and over the years, she had dissected Gong Xu mercilessly countless times.
She knew what methods could make Gong Xu unable to resist, but she disdained using them.
Because she would no longer have any marital affection with Gong Xu. Mountains may change, but a person’s nature is hard to alter. Wen Mingqian’s inherent pride and perfectionism could never be changed.
Even if she acted as gentle and compliant as possible on the surface, there were some things she would still absolutely not do.
“Madam, don’t worry. I still have these little tricks,” Yun Ying said with a shallow smile. “Just wait and see!”
“Elder Sister, you look so beautiful when you smile,” Sang Er said, looking at Yun Ying. “Gong Er must be like a starving fish seeing bait when he sees you.”
“That’s a funny analogy,” Yun Ying couldn’t help but pinch her cheek. “Actually, you’re much more beautiful than I am. But you’re a pure young lady, how can you get involved with such an old man? Let this scruffy, fallen woman deal with him.”
“What are you doing eavesdropping here?” Zhang Ma caught Gong Changan acting suspiciously at the doorway.
“Shh, quiet!” Gong Changan signaled her with a chicken-killing, throat-slitting gesture. “I just want to hear what they’re talking about.”
“Those are grown-ups’ matters. What are you eavesdropping for?” Zhang Ma couldn’t help but scold him.
“I’m going to marry Sang Er when I grow up,” Gong Changan retorted stubbornly. “She can only be mine!”
“You’ve got good taste, kid,” Zhang Ma scoffed. “Too bad Sang Er is eight years older than you! Why should she wait for a little monkey like you?”
“I…”
Gong Changan was about to argue further, but Zhang Ma gently pushed him aside and called loudly into the house, “You two come help carry the dishes and serve Madam her meal. I’ll go take food to the Old Madam.”
