Chapter 71: Benevolence and Kindness to Women
It was early morning.
A eunuch from the palace arrived at the Xue Mansion, the Head Eunuch Wang Chengxi who served the Emperor.
He led several palace servants carrying a plaque of vermilion lacquer with a gold border, exquisitely carved, bearing four characters that exuded royal bearing.
“Benevolence and Kindness to Women.”
Everyone in the mansion didn’t know that Xue Liu had saved the Princess with her heart’s blood, only that she had rendered a great merit and was injured while saving the Princess. This plaque was not only His Majesty’s commendation but also her “talisman” for walking in Shangjing from now on.
An imperial plaque was something to be enshrined.
Xue Qingzhi led the young and old of the mansion, kneeling at the steps to receive the Imperial Decree and the plaque.
Fu Shi, along with the Eighth Miss and Ninth Miss, felt a sourness in their hearts, so uncomfortable they almost vomited, yet they had to obediently kneel and express their gratitude, basking in the honor Xue Liu had brought.
The Old Madam and Third Madam were genuinely happy, arranging for servants to set off a full three strings of crisp firecrackers at the manor gate, making it quite lively.
The entire Shangjing knew about this tremendous happy event at the Xue Mansion.
As Xue Yue Lou happened to be visiting Ming Ge’er, and Xue Sui had also invited Tianshu to the mansion to treat Ming Ge’er and the Old Madam, they decided to take this opportunity to prepare a banquet in Li Xiang Courtyard.
After all, Ping Le was in unbearable pain, so it wouldn’t be right not to celebrate.
Upon hearing the news, Third Madam came over, holding her youngest daughter, Xue Yuezhen.
“Sixth Miss’s health is not fully recovered yet, she mustn’t be tired. Leave the small matter of preparing the banquet to Third Aunt!”
She had not had enough of the last celebration banquet.
Now that she could organize it for Xue Liu, she was even more enthusiastic.
She kept saying that Sixth Miss had saved a Noble Person from the palace and brought great honor to the Xue Mansion, so it should be a grand affair.
Xue Sui saw her beaming with joy and indulged her.
“If there’s anything I need to do, Third Aunt, just say the word.”
Then she asked Xiao Zhao to go inside and get money.
Madam Qian’s expression immediately changed.
“Is Sixth Miss looking down on your Third Aunt?! You’ve just returned to the mansion, and you’re a young lady, how much personal money can you have? Keep it all, you’ll have many expenses after you get married!”
She glanced at Xue Sui again, with a half-smile.
“Third Aunt is not short of money!”
Although Madam Qian was a woman, she was doted on by her parents.
Her family had no official position but possessed immense wealth, which was why they needed to marry into an official family for protection. They would never be stingy with money towards their daughter.
She was indeed wealthy and generous.
After speaking, she smiled again, “As long as our Sixth Miss is dressed impeccably and her health is fully restored, Third Aunt will be overjoyed.”
With Third Madam organizing it, the entire Xue Mansion became lively.
The Old Madam was full of relief and sent word that she wanted to personally come to Li Xiang Courtyard to drink.
Fourth Master Xue Hong, who remained in the capital to study, and the married Third Miss Xue Yueshao, Fifth Miss Xue Yuechi, and Seventh Miss Xue Yueqin from the second branch also said they would bring their husbands and children to join the fun.
Even some concubines from the first branch who usually had no dealings with Xue Liu, and some distant relatives, sent gifts to visit Sixth Miss Xue, and also to visit the sick Ming Ge’er.
In a shabby alley, friends are few; in a deep mountain, flattery is abundant.
Xue Yue Lou found it somewhat unbelievable.
“This isn’t my first time visiting my maternal home, but I’ve never seen such enthusiasm before.”
Xue Sui simply smiled slightly.
“Perhaps everyone understands your current difficulties.”
Xue Yue Lou was wearing brand new clothes and a delicate firefly-entwined hairpin on her head. She walked with a spring in her step, radiant and dazzling. Her previously frail body seemed stronger, truly appearing to be living a “difficult” life.
She quietly pulled Xue Sui aside, her eyes unable to hide their brilliance.
“I know all of this is thanks to Sixth Sister’s careful arrangements for me. Sister, rest assured, I have been taking very good care of Third Master Yao these past few days.”
Xue Sui smiled faintly.
The Second Miss Xue of today was vastly different.
She seemed to radiate light.
Indeed, one cannot truly understand without experiencing pain. The strong understand on their own, the weak understand through suffering.
Xue Yue Lou thought of Yao Wei lying in bed looking so pathetic, and a hint of an uncontrollable smile appeared on her face.
“His widowed sister-in-law, who used to seem so devoted and loyal, saying she’d die without him, loved him to the bone. But when Third Master Yao fell ill, she initially visited three times a day, weeping and wailing. Now, she claims she needs to accompany her son in his studies and rarely visits. She doesn’t even sit long before leaving. You should have seen Third Master Yao’s expression…”
Serves him right!
Xue Sui let out a cold laugh.
Xue Yue Lou sighed, her smile fading.
“Even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. Why is that surnamed Yao so heartless?”
Xue Sui was slightly startled: “So, Third Master Yao was involved in the poisoning?”
Xue Yue Lou shook her head: “Steward Fang investigated. While he didn’t personally administer the poison, he covered for that woman afterward. He watched Ming Ge’er get sicker and sicker, not only refusing to reveal the truth but also blaming me for not being able to bear children and for harming Ming Ge’er, making me feel guilty for so many years…”
“It’s a pity that the old woman who poisoned his sister-in-law back then was sent away long ago, her whereabouts unknown. We can’t get any evidence of her poisoning…”
At this point, Xue Yue Lou’s eyes reddened, her hands tightly twisting her handkerchief, her teeth clenching with a grinding sound.
“Sometimes when I see her big, fat son, and then I think of my Ming Ge’er, I… I really, really…”
She was very agitated, twisting her handkerchief, filled with extreme hatred.
But after a long while, she finally let go.
“An innocent child. I know she was behind it, but I can’t bring myself to harm her son… I can only take more from that scoundrel. Anyway, he relies on me for everything now, and with Steward Fang’s help, even the servants in Third Master Yao’s courtyard listen to me…”
Xue Sui leaned against the couch, quietly listening to her talk about trivial matters, not interrupting, like an outsider listening in.
Who would have thought that this calm woman’s hands stirred up countless storms.
–
As the sisters were talking, Madam Qian entered with her daughter, saying that the banquet would begin in half an hour.
Xue Yue Lou stopped talking and took Xue Yuezhen’s small hand, finding her incredibly endearing.
Madam Qian looked at her Ming Ge’er and sighed inwardly, but smiled outwardly, taking a box from a maid.
“Your Third Uncle heard there was a banquet in Li Xiang Courtyard and didn’t want to go on duty today. I scolded him severely and had to drag him out by the ear. This is for Ming Ge’er. He said Ming Ge’er has endured hardships since childhood, and after this ordeal, he will surely have good fortune in the future…”
It was a pure gold longevity lock, inlaid with a large, lustrous gem.
This was more valuable than the gift given at Ming Ge’er’s birth.
Everyone knew Madam Qian was wealthy, but such a generous gift still surprised them.
Ultimately, it was because Xue Qingxiu, with the help of Sixth Miss Xue, had sought refuge with General Yi Wu and was now highly regarded by the General. Madam Qian was sincerely grateful to her, and thus became close to the Second Miss, who was on good terms with her.
As for whether First Madam Fu Shi was happy…
It was clear that the people in the Xue Mansion seemed to care little.
Since the incident with the coin purse and the exposure of Ling Xu’s false identity, Fu Shi’s arrogance and nobility as a daughter of a Marquis’s Mansion had shattered.
Xue Qingzhi no longer visited Qing Lan Courtyard, and their marital relationship was a mere formality, which was no secret in the mansion.
This is how the world is.
Even if a woman comes from a noble family, after marrying into her husband’s family, if she is not valued by her husband and is ostracized by her mother-in-law, then everyone in the household will naturally act according to the prevailing mood.
Fu Shi should be grateful that she still had her daughter and son to support her, and that Xue Qingzhi, for the sake of appearances, had not divorced her.
–
Hua Yi Palace was filled with sorrow.
Li Xiang Courtyard was filled with the aroma of wine.
Everyone, inside and out, fawned over Xue Sui, smiling and trying to please her.
But Xiao Zhao could see that her mistress was not proud of this.
Because her mistress had said that if one rises high, they can see smiling faces everywhere, and the whole world will treat them kindly, everything they say will be right, and everything they do will be good. But once one falls into a quagmire, it’s the opposite: no light, no warmth, no helping hand; all they hear and see is indifference and cold words. Not kicking someone when they’re down is already considered good.
Xiao Zhao believed her mistress’s words…
However, she and Ru Yi couldn’t help but feel a little smug.
When they first arrived at the Xue Mansion, everyone looked down on them.
Now that people were rushing to curry favor, it felt incredibly satisfying.
Especially since Qing Lan Courtyard was deserted, and Aunt Jinshu said the First Madam was ill again.
Whether she was truly sick or faking it, they couldn’t help but close the door with Ru Yi and gloat…
–
Tianshu arrived at the mansion at dusk, by which time the banquet had been cleared.
He first went to Shou An Courtyard to take the Old Madam’s pulse, and then, accompanied by Jinshu, came to Li Xiang Courtyard.
Xue Sui had someone invite Tianshu into the inner room to perform acupuncture on Ming Ge’er first.
Before she could follow him in, Jinshu came over with a beaming smile and bowed to her.
“The Old Madam received acupuncture today, her headache is gone, and she’s in exceptionally good spirits. She wants Madam Xue Ji to go over and chat…”
An extra chapter will be added later…
