"Qingqing, what are you doing? You were the one who wanted me to manage the household, so why are you taking out your anger on my servant today?" Yang Wanqing began accusing as soon as she arrived. "If you don't want me managing the household anymore, just take back the authority. Don't make things difficult for Nanny Liu – she's old and can't withstand ten strikes of the rod."
Shen Qingqing immediately started coughing, but not just randomly. She made sure to appear delicate and wronged.
"Sister-in-law, why do you immediately blame me without first asking what Nanny Liu has done?"
She turned to look at the servants of the manor. "How have I treated you all normally? Am I the kind of domineering and unreasonable mistress?"
"Who would have thought that while I'm ill, Nanny Liu would mock me like this. Doesn't she deserve punishment?"
At this moment, she appeared as delicate as a willow swaying in the wind, so pitiable that anyone would feel compassion. With her exceptional beauty contrasted against Yang Wanqing's aggressive demeanor, everyone unconsciously sided with her.
Moreover, when they thought about how the mistress normally treated them very well – giving generous monthly allowances, providing rewards, and never arbitrarily punishing servants – their sympathies grew stronger.
"First Madam, it's true that Nanny Liu showed disrespect toward the mistress," the estate's manager stepped forward to speak.
"Now that I'm managing the household, Manager Chen, you should address me as First Madam!"
Yang Wanqing was a widow. The manor's servants called her "First Madam," but she intensely disliked this title. She wanted the household management authority so she could be called "Madam" instead.
Shen Qingqing coughed a couple more times.
Manager Chen continued, "First Madam, you are only temporarily assisting the mistress with household management." How could such a large Marquis Manor allow a widowed sister-in-law to take charge? This would become a laughingstock if word got out.
These words infuriated Yang Wanqing to death. She could only vent her anger on outsiders. "What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and move these inside!"
"Madam, the weather is cold. You should return to your room to rest. I'll handle Nanny Liu's matter," Manager Chen said to Shen Qingqing.
"I was just angry earlier. After all, Nanny Liu is advanced in years. Let five strikes of the rod serve as a lesson."
When she said this, all the manor's servants felt their mistress was benevolent and virtuous.
In other households, such a troublesome servant would have been sold off.
As Nanny Liu was taken away, Yang Wanqing still wanted to say something. Manager Chen quietly advised, "First Madam, you've just begun managing the household. If you don't enforce rules strictly and show favoritism, how will you command respect going forward? If Nanny Liu isn't punished, how will you handle it when other servants commit offenses later?"
These words made Yang Wanqing feel like she had swallowed a bitter pill but couldn't complain. She could only secretly bribe the servants administering the punishment, instructing them to strike lightly.
Although the servants held back and didn't use full force, five strikes of the rod were still no joke. Nanny Liu was quite old, and after receiving five strikes, she looked half-dead.
"First Madam, you must stand up for this servant! That wretched woman dared treat me like this because she looks down on you! They say 'if you beat a dog, you must consider its master' – she did this intentionally!" Nanny Liu wept mournfully. "This old servant's life doesn't matter, but your position in the manor does. Manager Chen simply doesn't regard you at all."
"Shen Qingqing!" Yang Wanqing gritted her teeth as she spoke the name. "Nanny Liu, don't worry. Eventually, I'll surely trample her underfoot and make her taste the bitterness of being abandoned by all!"
"I'll make her Shen Family pave the way for my son!" Her eyes filled with ambition.
"First Madam, with your determination, you're certain to succeed!"
Yang Wanqing felt pleased by the address but still corrected, "Mama Liu, for now you should still call me First Madam. It's not too late to change how you address me when I truly become the mistress of this Marquis Manor."
A victor's smile spread across her face—she believed this day would absolutely not be far off.
"Very well, this old servant will remember."
"Mama Liu, rest well. I'm going to see Yin'er."
Yang Wanqing brought along the gifts she had bought for Song Xinyin.
"This dress is so beautiful! Thank you, Auntie!" Song Xinyin held the new dress against herself, utterly delighted.
"I'm glad you like it. Where's that maid you bought?"
"Lvyun, come here!"
The young maid hurried to Song Xinyin's side.
"Why is she called Lvyun? Wasn't she called Xiaocao before?" Yang Wanqing's expression darkened as she crouched down, lifting Lvyun's chin to expose her small face. The girl's large eyes were filled with unease and fear.
"Mother said since she's serving me now, she should have a new name. Otherwise, it wouldn't suit my status."
Yang Wanqing pinched Lvyun's cheek hard, making the girl dare not cry out despite the pain. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes.
"Yin'er, if she's called Lvyun, won't people mistake her for the mistress when you go out?"
Song Xinlan immediately became displeased, muttering, "Then what should we do? Mother is ill, and Yin'er shouldn't bother her too often."
"No matter. From now on, just make her a rough labor maid. Then no one else will have a chance to learn her name. Remember, the mistress is the mistress—you mustn't treat servants too well. Scold them when needed, beat them when deserved! You bought her, so her very life belongs to you!"
As Yang Wanqing spoke these words, a strange smile flickered at the corner of her mouth, as if she derived some satisfaction from them.
Only then did she release her grip. Lvyun's cheek showed a large red mark, slightly swollen—evidence of how hard she had pinched.
"What are you crying for? How unlucky! If you dare cry again, I'll throw you out to feed the wild dogs!" Yang Wanqing warned in a fierce tone.
Lvyun immediately held back her tears, biting her lip tightly, not daring to shed a single drop.
"Yin'er, don't bother your mother recently. Let her rest properly. You can come play with Auntie instead." She affectionately patted Song Xinyin's head.
"Understood, Auntie," Song Xinyin replied.
**
Nanzhi returned to the manor.
"How strange, why are so many people coming and going?" she wondered aloud.
"It's all because First Madam suddenly took charge of the household and is eager to show off. She bought many things and is making a grand display of having them delivered, just to flaunt her current status," Mama Zhao remarked scornfully.
"Nanzhi, how did it go?" Shen Qingqing was more concerned with important matters.
"Madam, there was no poison." Nanzhi felt relieved upon obtaining this result.
If someone had used the young miss to poison Madam, how heartbroken she would have been.
"Also, the physician gave me medicinal packets. He said using them for baths could help Madam recover more quickly." Nanzhi produced the packets. "Bathe once every three days, for fifteen minutes each time. Don't soak too long, or your body might weaken."
Shen Qingqing nodded and had Nanzhi put away the packets first.
She then sat down to carefully recall events from her past life.
In the two years before her death, she had often been ill and confused, with little time of clarity. She rarely visited her maternal home—under normal circumstances, Song Lingxiao wouldn't allow it. Only when he needed help from the Shen Family would he let her return. Not wanting to worry her family, she had never mentioned her health problems.
If only she had let the Fu Doctor from her maternal family examine her back then, the poisoning might have been discovered much earlier.
She clenched her fists, her eyes filled with hatred—not only for Song Lingxiao but also for her own foolishness, which had harmed not only herself but also the Shen Family!
As night fell, Xijin returned to the estate and handed the day’s account books to Shen Qingqing for review.
The accounts were clear: the rouge shop was doing well, while the clothing shop’s business was slightly worse, but overall, they were still quite profitable. With these two shops, she could certainly live comfortably for the rest of her life.
"Madam, the Marquis is here," Nanzhi hurried in to report.
"Put the account books away. If the Marquis asks about the shops’ business, say it’s not doing well. During this time, have someone prepare a set of fake accounts," she instructed quickly.
Just as Xijin finished tidying and hiding the account books, Song Lingxiao entered, carrying a food box.
"Qingqing, how are you feeling today? Any better?" he asked with a gentle smile, as if genuinely concerned for her.
"A little better," she nodded, then deliberately coughed twice.
"It truly pains me to see you like this," he said, opening the food box and taking out the Bird's Nest Soup. "I consulted the Fu Doctor—you can still have bird’s nest. In your condition, you need nourishment even more. Here, let me feed you."
He sat down by the bed and brought the spoon to her lips.