As expected, the Old Madam of the Marquis of Xuanping’s residence also heard from the servants about what happened yesterday at the Jixue Courtyard. Although the servants described it vividly and with great detail, the Old Madam didn’t quite believe it.
How could Meng Fu possibly scold someone?
Absolutely impossible.
But if nothing at all had happened, the servants probably wouldn’t spread such rumors either. The Old Madam felt that something must indeed have happened between Xie Wenzhao and Meng Fu yesterday at Jixue Courtyard—maybe there was some conflict, and Meng Fu was so angered that her words became harsh. This matter, passed from mouth to mouth in the Marquis residence, turned into a story of the Madam fiercely scolding the Marquis.
Even so, the Old Madam was very curious as to what exactly the two of them had quarreled over.
She knew her own son—he had always treated others kindly, and under normal circumstances wouldn’t argue with anyone. As for Meng Fu, she was even more mild-tempered. Sometimes the Old Madam even suspected that this daughter-in-law of hers might be missing the nerve that produces anger.
In the afternoon, the Old Madam indeed summoned someone to bring Hua Xiaoling in front of her, to ask whether she knew what had happened yesterday in Jixue Courtyard.
Hua Xiaoling didn’t actually know very clearly either, but she had also heard that Meng Fu had given Xie Wenzhao a good scolding. If it had been before, she definitely would’ve added oil and vinegar to the story and properly made a complaint in front of the Old Madam. But she had just received some benefits from the Madam today—even though she was sometimes a bit of an ungrateful white-eyed wolf, she wasn’t that quick to forget favors.
Hua Xiaoling walked over, massaging the Old Madam’s shoulders as she spoke: “It’s probably just the servants passing around nonsense. The Madam has been in the residence for so many years—when have you ever heard her scold someone? I think maybe the Marquis and the Madam had a few words of disagreement yesterday, and when the servants spread it, it got distorted.”
The Old Madam nodded: “That’s what I thought too. But do you know what they argued about?”
Hua Xiaoling pouted and said to the Old Madam: “Isn’t it still because of that Qu Hanyan?”
Among the three concubines taken in by Xie Wenzhao, the Old Madam disliked Qu Hanyan the most. First, because her background was lowly, and second, because her pretentiously aloof manner was extremely annoying. The Old Madam frowned and asked, “What trick is she up to this time?”
Hua Xiaoling recounted in detail the matter of Qu Hanyan wanting to switch courtyards and took the opportunity to use some exaggeration to thoroughly slander Qu Hanyan.
“This matter—Wenzhao handled it poorly.” That Qu Hanyan, no matter how favored she was, was just a concubine. How could it be justified for the legal wife to give up her place for a concubine?
The Old Madam thought, if this had happened when she was young, she would have had Qu Hanyan sent up to a nun’s temple in the mountains to recite scriptures for a few years.
“These servants speaking nonsense all day long—what kind of behavior is that? They need to be properly disciplined. Later I’ll have someone scold them thoroughly.” The Old Madam sighed. She had recently gone back to her hometown, and only returned to the residence a few days ago. She asked Hua Xiaoling, “While I was away, what has the Madam been doing?”
The Old Madam often asked Hua Xiaoling questions like this before. Hua Xiaoling, long feeling frustrated from not seeing Xie Wenzhao, would always find ways to tell the Old Madam all the petty squabbles in the inner residence in great detail. However, this time she uncharacteristically replied with a beaming smile: “Old Madam, rest assured. During this period, the Madam has managed the Marquis residence very well. Just a while ago there were some servants embezzling and passing off shoddy goods, and the Madam got it all investigated clearly in just two days and dealt with them all.”
“Oh?” The Old Madam wasn’t exactly doubting Meng Fu’s capabilities—she just found it hard to believe that Hua Xiaoling could actually say something good about Meng Fu.
Thinking about how in the future Xie Wenzhao would only get nine days a month from her, Hua Xiaoling was genuinely happy. Thus, her smile became even more sincere as she said to the Old Madam: “Yes, Old Madam. The Marquis residence has been especially peaceful during this time. Nothing has happened at all. I can see that the Madam’s health has also improved quite a bit.”
The Old Madam nodded, satisfied: “Looks like she’s made a lot of progress.”
In the past, the Old Madam didn’t really like Meng Fu, not just because of all the trivial matters Hua Xiaoling reported to her, but for many other reasons—for instance, how physically delicate and fragile she was. Even after marrying into the Marquis residence for several years, she hadn’t been able to bear a child. Also, her conduct was too cautious, too rule-abiding, and really lacked warmth.
This marriage was arranged by the late Marquis and Meng Fu’s father. The Old Madam had no say in the matter. Later, when Lord Meng had some conflict with the current Emperor, the Meng family declined. The Old Madam had never much liked Meng Fu, but she didn’t go so far as to torment the girl. Besides, Meng Fu was quite skilled at managing the household, so the Old Madam simply chose not to look, not to think, and often went out on walks when there was nothing pressing.
And Meng Fu probably also sensed that the Old Madam didn’t like her very much, so she rarely came over.
“Seems like she’s made some progress,” the Old Madam turned to the maid beside her and said, “I brought two sets of ancestral jewelry from my hometown—send someone to deliver them to the Madam later.”
The maid was slightly surprised. Apart from when Meng Fu had just entered the household, the Old Madam had never again given this Young Madam anything.
After the maid left, the Old Madam said to Hua Xiaoling, “Tell me more—what else has the Madam done during this period?”
It was hard to pick faults with Meng Fu, but talking about the things she had done was too easy. In order to secure herself a share of pork, Hua Xiaoling spared no effort in praising Meng Fu’s merits, talking from this month all the way back to two years ago.
Not only was Hua Xiaoling skilled at massage, she also told stories very well. The Old Madam listened with great interest, nodding frequently. It turned out that Meng Fu had accomplished so much within the Marquis residence—it might be time to hand over a few of her own shops to Meng Fu’s management.
Soon after, Li Yue received the jewelry sent by the Old Madam. But he had no interest in such things—he glanced at them once and had Qingping store them away. However, Qingping looked genuinely happy.
The hidden guards concealed in the Marquis of Xuanping’s residence looked at the Old Madam, then trotted off to look at Li Yue again. They only felt that these two people were very harmonious—how did they look like they were about to kill each other? What exactly was His Majesty worrying about? They couldn’t make sense of it.
In the imperial palace, Meng Fu was still unaware of all this and was deeply worried. Yesterday, His Majesty had scolded Xie Wenzhao. With so many people in the residence and so many tongues wagging, this matter surely could not be kept from that Old Madam. Once the Old Madam found out that he had dared scold Xie Wenzhao, she would definitely summon him and give him a thorough scolding.
Meng Fu had heard that when His Majesty first ascended the throne, he once made an elderly official so angry that the man sat on the ground and wailed out loud. Meng Fu wasn’t worried about His Majesty suffering a loss—he was only concerned that the Old Madam, whose health wasn’t too robust, might be so angered she’d faint and die.
May the Buddha bless.
Night had deepened. Moonlight filtered through dense foliage, casting mottled patches of light on the ground, like scattered remnants of snow.
“Madam, the Marquis has returned.” Qingping came in from outside and said to Li Yue.
What did Xie Wenzhao returning have to do with him?
Li Yue was momentarily dazed before realizing it did have something to do with him. He put down the book in his hands, looked up and asked Qingping, “Where is he now?”
Qingping said, “The Marquis went to see the Old Madam first, and then went to the study.”
When he was in the residence, Xie Wenzhao often stayed the night in the study. Occasionally, he would go to Qu Hanyan’s place to listen to her play the qin, appearing to be someone indifferent to lust and focused on purity. But he had, after all, taken in quite a few concubines.
Li Yue lightly tapped the table twice with his finger, then looked up at Qingping and said, “In a while, have him go to that Concubine Hua’s place.”
Since Xie Wenzhao lacked even the slightest self-awareness, he had to help him out a bit.
Qingping scrunched up her face and asked, “Madam, you really want to have the Marquis go over there?”
“Otherwise?”
Qingping opened her mouth, wanting to persuade Li Yue further, but for a moment, didn’t know where to start.
After a long pause, she exhaled and asked, “What if the Marquis refuses to go?”
“Refuses to go? Then why’d he marry so many little wives? Did anyone force him?” Li Yue thought Xie Wenzhao was being utterly melodramatic—how had he never noticed this before? He said, “If he doesn’t go, then have someone drag him there.”
Qingping said, “The servants probably wouldn’t dare lay hands on the Marquis.”
Li Yue clicked his tongue and said, “Then just come find me again at that point. Go.”
Xie Wenzhao was sitting in the study reading. From the direction of Tingshui Pavilion came the sound of the qin. Xie Wenzhao initially didn’t want to go, but he found that today, the emotions Qu Hanyan expressed in her music were something he couldn’t quite understand.
What was going on?
Unable to resist the curiosity in his heart, he put down the scroll in his hand and headed to Tingshui Pavilion.
When he asked Qu Hanyan what was wrong today, Qu Hanyan looked at him. Her expression was rather strange.
Xie Wenzhao thought something had happened to him—but then he heard from the maid beside Qu Hanyan about the things Li Yue had said in Tingshui Pavilion that morning.
Xie Wenzhao, upon hearing this, was so enraged that he laughed—he never imagined that Meng Fu would actually arrange even where he was to sleep at night, neatly and thoroughly. Did she take him for a puppet?
“Utterly preposterous!” Xie Wenzhao slammed the table and shouted in anger, “Truly preposterous!”
Even if this matter doesn’t go through, if word got out, who knows how his friends would laugh at him.
“Yes,” Qu Hanyan echoed, “What does Madam take you for?”
“What else did she say?” Xie Wenzhao asked.
Qu Hanyan originally wanted to say that Madam also called him a “shit-stirring stick,” but after trying for a long while, she still couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.
Thinking of the scolding he suffered at Jixue Courtyard yesterday, Xie Wenzhao downed half a pot of tea. The rage in his chest only just settled a little—he thought Meng Fu had perhaps just spoken casually and there was no need to fuss with her over it.
However, at just that moment, a servant arrived, saying that the Madam had invited him to go to Hua Xiaoling’s Linglong Pavilion tonight, and not to mess up the rotation.
Xie Wenzhao could no longer contain himself. Burning with fury, he stormed out of Tingshui Pavilion and arrived at Jixue Courtyard. Seeing Li Yue leisurely sitting in the courtyard gazing at the moon made him even angrier. He called out in a low voice, “Meng Fu!”
“Look at what you’ve done!”
Li Yue wasn’t frightened at all. He lazily lifted his eyelids and asked, “What matter?”
He still had the face to ask what matter!
Xie Wenzhao sneered coldly and asked, “You told me to go to Hua Xiaoling’s place? Told me to go nine days a month?”
“Yes,” Li Yue replied.
“No!” Xie Wenzhao shouted angrily, “I’m telling you now—this absolutely won’t do!”
Li Yue looked up at Xie Wenzhao and asked coolly, “If you can’t handle it, then why’d you marry so many?”