Volume 1 Chapter 8: Inviting the Wolf into the House?
The next morning, when Tanyin woke up, the spot beside her was already cold, and the bedding was neat and tidy as if no one had slept there at all.
Seeing her awake, Yin Huan directed the young maids to bring in hot water and basins, while she personally attended to Tanyin’s washing.
After wiping her face with a soft cloth soaked in warm water, Tanyin felt more refreshed and asked, “When did the Marquis leave?”
Yin Huan replied, “Concubine, the Marquis woke around the hour of Mao.”
The hour of Mao.
That was two hours earlier than her.
Tanyin asked, “Did he say anything?”
Yin Huan shook her head. “The Marquis didn’t say anything, but he also didn’t ask us to wake you.”
Tanyin hummed in acknowledgment. It seemed the Marquis was a cold-natured man who disliked others getting too close, as evidenced by his solitary bath the previous night and his refusal to touch her.
This struck her as rather peculiar, for among the masters of wealthy households, especially the heads of families, who wasn’t surrounded by servants and attendants?
“Concubine, why did you take the initiative to tell the Marquis about the koi incident? After all, no one knew it was us, and the Marquis didn’t pursue the matter,” Yin Huan asked, puzzled.
Tanyin countered, “Whose Marquis’s Mansion is this?”
Yin Huan answered, “Naturally… it belongs to the Xie family.”
Tanyin pressed further, “And who is in charge of the Xie family?”
Yin Huan hesitated, “It’s… the Marquis?”
Tanyin concluded, “Since that’s the case, how can you be sure the Marquis isn’t aware of all these matters, big or small? He simply can’t be bothered to pursue them.”
Not pursuing the matter didn’t mean he was unaware.
Yin Huan suddenly understood.
After washing her face and rinsing her mouth, Yin Huan dismissed the other maids and leaned closer to Tanyin, whispering in her ear:
“Concubine, I saw Mama Wang leave early this morning. It looked like she went to Qihua Hall, and she hasn’t returned yet.”
Tanyin paused, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. “Let her be. There’s no need to pay her any mind from now on.”
A restless servant would bring about her own downfall sooner or later. Mama Wang still treated the Marquis’s Mansion as if it were the Song Residence.
If she wanted to die, Tanyin wouldn’t stop her.
Yin Huan nodded, then cautiously asked, “Last night, you and the Marquis didn’t… What should we do about the Eldest Miss?”
No water had been called for in the master’s room last night, and this morning, the room remained untouched. Anyone with eyes could see that nothing had happened.
Worry appeared on Yin Huan’s round face, fearing that the Marquis disliked their mistress and that the current situation was unfavorable for her.
Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Tanyin’s face, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Yin Huan, it’s not us who should be anxious, but my elder sister.”
After all, the one desperately wanting a child now was Song Shuhua, not her.
Setting down the lip balm, she stood up. “Let’s go. It’s time to pay my respects to my elder sister.”
Seeing her mistress unperturbed, Yin Huan’s worries eased, and she hurried to fetch the dress for the day.
Qihua Hall.
“Useless!”
A sharp rebuke was followed by the sound of a cup shattering, shattering the morning’s tranquility and startling the sparrows on the tree branches outside the window, causing them to flutter away.
In the luxurious and opulent bedroom, the good mood of the early morning was completely ruined by the news Mama Wang had brought. Song Shuhua sat before her dressing case, her bare face dark and rigid:
“Useless trash! She may have a seductive face, but she’s utterly worthless!”
Nanny Li quickly tried to soothe her. “Madam, please calm down. Don’t let anger harm your health.”
Song Shuhua’s face remained cold. “How can I not be angry? I was counting on her face to seduce the Marquis and conceive a child, but what happened? She’s still useless!”
"If this keeps dragging on, when will I ever have a child?"
If it weren't for Song Tanyin's beauty, her lack of support, and her dull, wooden temperament, such a good opportunity would never have fallen to her.
Nanny Li sighed inwardly, patiently advising, "Madam, you know well that our Marquis is not the type to be obsessed with beauty. The fact that nothing happened last night surely indicates that the Marquis has no special interest in Third Lady?"
"Besides, there's plenty of time ahead. As long as Third Lady lives in the Marquis's Mansion, right under your watchful eye, we have plenty of ways to make things happen between her and the Marquis, don't we?"
Nanny Li, after all, was Song Shuhua's wet nurse and knew her best. With just a few words, she calmed the furious Song Shuhua.
"Nanny makes a good point."
Relieved, Nanny Li changed the subject: "Madam, the ladies from the second and third branches have also come over, likely having heard about Concubine Song's arrival and wanting to see the spectacle."
Song Shuhua sneered coldly, "A bunch of people with ill intentions, just waiting to see me make a fool of myself!"
With that, she ordered, "Bring me that set of head ornaments."
"Yes."
After washing up, Tanyin changed into a soft green cloud-patterned brocade dress. Her dark hair was simply tied into a bun, adorned with two pearl hairpins.
Her delicate, oval face, picturesque as a painting, had eyes like autumn water. She wore no powder, only lightly sketched her arched brows and touched her lips with a bit of lip rouge.
Walking from Guantang Courtyard to the main courtyard took about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Tanyin ate a few pastries to fill her stomach before setting off.
By the time she reached the main courtyard, Song Shuhua was already seated upright in the hall, with others sitting to her right.
Two middle-aged women and one slightly younger woman, around twenty years old.
As soon as Tanyin entered the room, everyone felt their eyes light up, their gazes filled with admiration.
"Concubine Song pays respects to Madam and offers tea."
After just one glance, Tanyin lowered her eyes and stepped forward to pay respects, holding the tea handed to her by a servant.
She stood there with a slender, straight back, dressed in elegant, simple clothing with her hair in a neat bun. Her features were exquisite, her skin fairer than frost or snow. As she bowed gracefully, her figure was enchanting, her waist slender.
Her voice was clear and pure, like melted snow water from a mountain peak—cool and stunningly beautiful.
The head ornaments felt heavy, and coupled with a poor night's sleep and the morning's outburst of anger, Song Shuhua now felt dizzy and unwell, as if she had fallen ill.
Taking the tea from Tanyin's hands, she took a casual sip. Song Shuhua forced a smile and helped her up: "Third Sister, there's no need for such formality. We are sisters, so just call me 'sister' as before."
Tanyin obediently replied, "Sister."
Her gentle demeanor improved Song Shuhua's mood slightly, and she proceeded to introduce the others.
"These are the two aunties and the wife of the eldest cousin." She glanced at the older woman beside her.
"The one next to Second Aunt is the wife of the eldest cousin."
The Xie family's patriarch had three sons and one daughter. Among the three sons, the eldest and youngest were born to the principal wife, while the second son was born to a concubine. The two ladies present were the wives of the second and third branches.
The other young woman was the wife of the eldest son of the second branch, Yuan Shi.
While Song Shuhua referred to them as "aunties," Tanyin was not naive enough to follow suit. Instead, she addressed them, "Second Madam, Third Madam."
Then, she bowed to Yuan Shi and said, "Second Madam."
Yuan Shi was a woman with delicate features and a quiet temperament. She quickly stood up to return the courtesy.
Logically, she need not be so polite, but now the Marquis's Mansion is under the control of the eldest branch. Xie Xun, the legitimate son of the eldest branch, is not only the emperor's maternal uncle but also the Grand Tutor of the court, holding real power.
Their second branch is merely of concubine descent, relying on the eldest branch in every aspect. Even Tanyin, as a concubine, enjoys far more prestige than they do.
Beautiful, with a graceful figure, and even her voice is exceptionally pleasant—the second branch's madam couldn't help but remark:
"It is said that the Song family produces beauties. My eldest nephew's wife was once a renowned beauty in the capital, but who would have thought the third Lady of the Song family would be even more outstanding in appearance."
As soon as these words were spoken, Third Madam couldn't help but laugh, and Song Shuhua's expression also darkened.
What did "once a renowned beauty" mean? Was it mocking her for having aged and no longer being a beauty?
Song Shuhua's face grew stern, and the handkerchief in her hand was nearly twisted to shreds.
If it weren't for…
Yuan Shi, seated beside the second madam, looked awkward. Her mother-in-law had always been blunt, but as a daughter-in-law, she dared not publicly criticize an elder.
Third Madam was a woman of delicate features, with a hint of shrewdness and arrogance in the corners of her eyes. She glanced sideways at the second madam beside her, feeling disdain in her heart.
Unable to master the eloquence of others yet insisting on trying—truly the mark of someone from a humble background, exuding pettiness.
Her gaze then subtly shifted to Tanyin sitting opposite her.
Noticing her look, Tanyin responded with a perfectly measured smile.
Third Madam's mind wavered, thinking to herself that Song Shuhua was also unwise. Choosing someone so beautiful—did she not understand the danger of inviting a wolf into the house or nurturing a tiger to become a threat?