Chapter 253: Undercurrents
While the Fu sisters were discussing matters, Madam Wu was being escorted out by Zhenzhu.
With a flicker in her eyes, Madam Wu asked Zhenzhu, "Madam Shen is the third daughter, and your mistress is the ninth, yet there's only about a ten-year difference between them. Are they full sisters or cousins?"
Madam Wu was a frequent visitor, and since Fu Tingyun had never made any effort to conceal the matter, Zhenzhu didn't suspect that Madam Wu was merely probing her. She smiled and replied, "Madam Shen and our mistress are cousins!"
"Is that so?" Madam Wu's heart raced, though her expression remained calm. "I thought so—Madam Shen and your mistress don't look much alike!" She sighed and added, "Now that the Dowager of the Fu family has passed away, your mistress will have to return to Huayin with Master Fu the Fifth, won't she?"
Zhenzhu wouldn't comment on matters concerning her master behind their back.
She simply smiled and escorted Madam Wu to the inner gate.
Madam Wu was thrilled.
Zhenzhu hadn't denied it.
That meant Fu Tingyun was indeed the daughter of Fu Langzhong, the ninth young lady of the Fu family.
Instead of returning home, Madam Wu went straight to Madam Ji's residence.
"I have something to tell you," she whispered mysteriously into Madam Ji's ear. "Turns out Madam Shen and Madam Zhao are cousins—Madam Shen is the third daughter, and Madam Zhao is the ninth." Covering her mouth with her sleeve, she giggled. "Now, Lord Shen is going to prosper!"
Madam Ji had been smiling faintly, but her expression froze, her almond-shaped eyes widening. "What did you say? Madam Zhao is the ninth? Then doesn’t that make her the ninth young lady of the Fu family?" She shook her head. "No, no! It must be a branch family."
Madam Wu's eyes gleamed as she laughed. "Not a branch family—they're cousins within three generations."
Madam Ji's face twisted into a strange expression, and her responses became distracted and evasive.
Having gotten what she wanted, Madam Wu left with a satisfied smile.
But Madam Ji spent the rest of the afternoon restless and uneasy. The moment she heard Lord Ji had returned from his office, she hurried to the inner gate to meet him.
Lord Ji looked grave. Before Madam Ji could speak, he said, "Let's go inside first. I have something to discuss with you."
A chill ran down Madam Ji's spine as she followed her husband into their chambers, dismissing all the servants.
"Madam Zhao and Madam Shen are cousins within three generations," Lord Ji said darkly as soon as the door closed. "Fu Langzhong from the Ministry of Personnel is Madam Zhao's birth father..."
"So it's true!" Madam Ji murmured, looking dazed. "I always thought Madam Yu favored the ninth young lady of the Fu family because she was robust and fertile. The Fu family is a prominent lineage in Huayin—they must have paid great attention to health. How could she have passed away so suddenly..."
Seeing that his wife seemed shocked but not entirely surprised by his words, Lord Ji pressed urgently, "Did you already hear about this?"
Madam Ji quickly composed herself and told her husband about Madam Wu's visit.
Lord Ji's expression darkened. "It seems quite a few people already know about this!" He paused, then added, "Hao Jianfeng seems to have caught wind of it too.""Even so, that's all in the past. Now they've both married others and are living well. Surely they wouldn't dwell on past matters anymore?" Seeing the worry etched between her husband's brows, Madam Ji couldn't bear to add to his troubles and spoke insincerely. "Besides, we don't even know what truly happened back then. Perhaps it was all just a misunderstanding!"
Lord Ji said nothing, instead clasping his hands behind his back and pacing around the room.
Madam Ji dared not disturb him, watching with concern from the side.
After a long while, Lord Ji finally stopped. He fixed his sharp gaze on Madam Ji: "Hao Jianfeng mentioned that back then, Fu Shi encountered Migrant Bandits and got separated from her servants. The Fu family claimed she had died of illness to protect their reputation. But from Hao Jianfeng's tone, he clearly didn't believe this explanation. When I pressed further, he just gave me that same story. I suspect there's more to this. Try to find out what really happened back then."
Madam Ji hesitated: "But this is the Yu Family's private matter..."
"How can you be so naive!" Lord Ji exclaimed. "Who is Zhao Ling? Just a military commander who won a few battles through luck and imperial favor. Yet he managed to snatch the position that Grand Secretary Yu had already earmarked for his own son. Think about it—how much resentment must Zhao Ling harbor against the Yu Family to deliver such a humiliating, face-slapping blow? I fear this isn't the end, but just the beginning. We might all get dragged into this eventually. Today Hao Jianfeng told me something..." He recounted how Zhao Ling had dealt with Sixth Elder Zhao and Eighth Master Zhao. "...At such a young age, just because he suffered mistreatment from elders as a child and ran away from home, now that he's powerful, he actually supported a collateral branch replacing the main lineage. He disregarded ancestral temples, forebears, and family foundations entirely. Doesn't such a person frighten you if he sets his sights on you?"
Madam Ji had already turned pale hearing about Zhao Ling's treatment of Sixth Elder Zhao and Eighth Master Zhao. These words made her tremble with fear. She hurriedly said, "What if it was the Yu Family who wronged the Zhao Family?"
This was precisely Lord Ji's greatest concern.
After pondering for a long moment, he said quietly, "When it comes to righteousness, then we can't be blamed for disregarding family ties!"
Though she had anticipated this, hearing her husband actually voice it made Madam Ji press her lips together, her eyes revealing a trace of helplessness.
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Madam Yu was also feeling quite helpless at the moment.
She couldn't understand what Yu Jingxiu was trying to do?
Normally such a clever person—how could he fail to see this clearly?
To become Chief Grand Secretary, Grand Secretary Yu had spent considerable silver greasing palms at all levels. Beyond the family funds, this included the eldest master's private savings and the third madam's dowry silver. Now that the Chief Grand Secretary position hadn't materialized, though no one said anything outright, the circumstances were different. They should be more flexible in their approach. Otherwise, provoking resentment within the family would be a greater loss—the Fu family already had sparse descendants. If the main lineage couldn't unite, given time, the family genealogy might end up in others' hands.
Didn't he understand the need for pretense and tact?
When Consort Wu entered the household, wasn't he quite adept at it? He used those very tactics against me. So why is he being so blunt and putting people in awkward positions when it comes to dealing with his two cousins?And then there's that Fan Shi, always acting as if nothing concerns her, never helping to persuade De Pu.
At times like these, people's true colors show.
If she had known it would come to this, she would never have agreed to this marriage, even if it meant De Pu hating her!
Madam Yu thought of Fu Tingyun, who now had one daughter and two sons.
Zhao Ling was away guarding the borders for 360 days out of the year, yet she still managed to have child after child...
An inexplicable resentment welled up in her heart.
Seeing Madam Yu's expression darken, Mama Shu asked softly with concern, "Madam, shall I brew you a strong cup of tea?"
"No need," Madam Yu took a deep breath, feeling slightly better, then asked, "What do you think Housekeeper Fei meant by her words earlier?"
After breakfast, Housekeeper Fei, who served Aunt closely, had come over.
She had greeted Madam Yu with a smile and said, "The two young ladies are but humble willows, unworthy of catching the young master's eye, and have caused you trouble. Fortunately, before we left, both the First and Third Madams instructed me: different flowers appeal to different eyes. What the madams find pleasing may not suit you, and what pleases you may not please the young master, and even if it pleases the young master, it may not please the young mistress. If unsatisfied, I am to take them back and bring others more to your liking. As the saying goes, rich or poor, a man should marry a wife to celebrate the New Year. I thought, if I hurry back now, by the time the First and Third Madams select new candidates and send them over, it will be nearly New Year—just in time for new faces to bring fresh fortune. The Grand Secretary, you, the young master, and the young mistress can all enjoy the festive cheer. I won't delay; once the Great Heat passes and the weather cools, we'll set off back to Nanjing."
Mama Shu, recalling Housekeeper Fei's words, smiled and said, "With your capabilities, Madam, you should rightfully manage the household affairs of the Yu residence. Yet not only have you never interfered, but you've also spared no effort to help whenever the Third Madam sought assistance. Who in the household doesn't praise your virtue? Housekeeper Fei has served the First Madam closely for years and is always most proper. I don't think she meant anything by her words—it truly seems she was just relaying the First and Third Madams' instructions..."
Before she could finish, Madam Yu snorted coldly and said, "No need to comfort me. I see clearly now—my sister-in-law and sister-in-law won't rest until they get their way! Let's not beat around the bush anymore. We'll tell De Pu and his wife directly. Isn't he so fond of the Third Aunt? Doesn't he love confiding in Aunt? If he doesn't want concubines, let him tell his dear Aunt and Third Aunt himself!"
Mama Shu had no choice but to assent and went to relay the message to Yu Jingxiu.
Meanwhile, Madam Yu went to Grand Secretary Yu's study.
Grand Secretary Yu had a guest, so Madam Yu waited in the side chamber for about the time it took three incense sticks to burn before the guest, accompanied by Yu Huaian, finally left the courtyard.
Curious, Madam Yu asked, "Who was that?"
"The second son of the Xiping Marquis," Grand Secretary Yu replied dismissively before inquiring about her visit. "...Is there something urgent?"Every day, many people came seeking an audience with Grand Secretary Yu, but receiving such courtesy—especially as the second son of a frontier marquis—was unusual. Though Grand Secretary Yu spoke of it lightly, it left a deep impression on Madam Yu. However, preoccupied with her own concerns, she didn’t press further and instead brought up the matter of Yu Jingxiu with her husband:
"...He’s so stubborn—what do you think we should do?"
Grand Secretary Yu pondered for a long while before replying, "Then we should arrange for him to join the Censorate as soon as possible... Leaving the capital and experiencing the customs of different regions might do him some good."
"It seems this is the only way," Madam Yu agreed with a sigh.
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Meanwhile, Madam Wu was whispering to her trusted housekeeper: "Go keep watch at the side gate yourself—be thorough. The moment Madam Zhao steps out, come and report to me."
The housekeeper obeyed, carrying a spring stool to the side gate and sitting down, squinting through the crack in the door to keep an eye on the alley entrance.
By afternoon, her neck had stiffened, yet there was still no movement from the Zhao household.
Rubbing her neck, she muttered under her breath, "When will this ever end?"
No sooner had the words left her lips than she spotted a carriage turning into Shi Family Alley.
Her spirits lifted, and she quickly leaned closer to the door crack, straining her eyes for a better look.
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O(∩_∩)O~
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(End of Chapter)
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