Sheng Xiangqiao certainly knew it was intentional. But when His Majesty questioned her just now, if she had spoken the truth, it would have seemed like shirking responsibility or making excuses, which could easily lead to disputes and give others leverage. So she simply didn’t mention it at all.
Now that Cao Yushan brought it up, she asked with some interest: “Who accidentally pushed me?”
Cao Yushan glanced sideways and whispered: “It was that Shen Fangxie—her hands are too meddlesome, why would she push you?”
Sheng Xiangqiao looked over and saw a young girl with a slightly broad forehead sitting beside Tian Peirong, speaking softly.
From the background notes Ning Yan had prepared for her, Sheng Xiangqiao knew that Shen Fangxie was Tian Peirong’s niece. From this, it was clear the push wasn’t deliberate.
Shen Fangxie was just trying to please her aunt by using Sheng Xiangqiao as a kind of offering of loyalty.
Sheng Xiangqiao smiled faintly, silently noting this Miss Shen who had made a sly move, and said no more. She focused on waiting for the seafood platter from the vassal state, together with Miss Cao.
But Tian Peirong’s expression was not good. Clearly, Sheng Xiangqiao’s earlier flamboyant performance with the golden hammer had completely disrupted her plans. All the effort she had put into scheming and the rumors she had spread about Sheng Xiangqiao had turned out to be useless!
Thinking of this, Tian Peirong couldn’t help but look up at Sheng Xiangqiao.
The girl was at that moment slightly raising her brows, basking in the flattery of several noble ladies seated nearby—appearing just as shallow, arrogant, and foolish as ever. Yet her words to the Emperor earlier had perfectly matched His Majesty’s thoughts. Ordinary young ladies of the inner chambers could never come up with such remarks involving state affairs!
Whether it was the martial performance or her speech, it was obvious someone had been guiding her. And her skill with the hammer was that, really, from recent practice?
Tian Peirong knew that, whether it was true or not, she could no longer use that excuse as leverage. Otherwise, wouldn’t it imply that His Majesty was muddle-headed, deceived by a mere girl?
At this thought, she sneered and looked away—clearly, she would have to come up with another plan.
Meanwhile, on the heir’s side, several noble sons who were close to Jin Lianyuan, emboldened by wine, congratulated the heir: the future heir’s consort was talented and praised by His Majesty, truly a peerless beauty.
Jin Lianyuan responded lazily with a few words, then turned to Cheng Fourth Young Master, who had been silently drinking beside him: “Look at your cousin—coming up with such a flashy spectacle. Honestly, just seeing her now makes my eyes hurt!”
Cheng Tianfu didn’t reply. He only looked across the table at the young girl who was quietly focused on eating fish.
Back then, when the young girl said she wanted to survive, he offered her some guidance. When he heard that His Majesty enjoyed watching southern opera, this village girl mentioned that she had once been sold to an opera troupe for a few days, where she learned a bit of the craft. She suggested she could perform before the throne, and at the same time use it as a proper excuse for her rough, calloused hands.
Cheng Tianfu knew that Sheng Xiangqiao’s connection with opera troupes would be hard to conceal without a legitimate explanation.
The Emperor, though devoted to his old dreams and moonlight, was not a muddle-headed or lustful man. So if rumors of Sheng Xiangqiao’s elopement reached his ears, they would surely cause trouble. Thus, Cheng Tianfu agreed to let the girl perform a southern opera hammer dance at the birthday banquet, openly and gracefully, before everyone.
But he hadn’t expected her to be pushed out prematurely, nearly giving His Majesty an excuse to punish her in court.
Thanks to his guidance, this little village girl’s quick wit and ability to improvise were far beyond his expectations. Even in front of the Emperor, she remained calm under pressure and managed to get away smoothly. What kind of family had she grown up in before being abducted by traffickers?
The palace banquet was, as always, filled with music and dance, cups clinking in endless toasts. Yet beneath the glittering wealth, restless hearts rose and fell, each harboring their own schemes.
After a full day of celebration, officials and their households returned home.
Sheng Xuanhe, upon entering his residence, removed his official hat, kicked off his boots, and clutched his chest, asking Madam Bai to bring him heart-protecting pills to chew. Tonight, he intended to burn incense in the Buddha hall, thanking the ancestors of the Sheng family for helping him weather this ordeal. But before he could drink the tea offered by Madam Bai, a servant rushed in to report that the grandmother had summoned the eldest miss. Nanny Zhao thought it improper and had someone inform Master Sheng.
Master Sheng, catching his breath and rubbing his brow, muttered:
“Inside and outside the house, there’s never a moment of peace…”
Madam Bai, seeing her lord’s demeanor, guessed that something must have gone wrong at court today, likely involving Sheng Xiangqiao. She lowered her eyes and said softly: “Master, health is most important. Please don’t let anger harm you…”
Thinking of that bold and reckless girl, Sheng Xuanhe ground his teeth, his liver fire flaring even stronger. He wondered why his mother had summoned Sheng Xiangqiao so late at night.
If she were a true granddaughter, being called by her grandmother after appearing at the palace banquet to share fresh news would be natural, even a sign of family affection. Unfortunately, the one in the household was a counterfeit.
With that thought, Sheng Xuanhe reluctantly chewed another pill, then changed into casual clothes and headed toward his mother’s quarters.
When he entered, the Old Madam was seated upright in her high chair. Seeing him, she said coldly: “Kneel!”
Sheng Xuanhe was startled to find his mother’s anger directed at him. Not daring to delay, he immediately knelt beside Sheng Xiangqiao.
The old madam slowly said: “After Madam Qiao gave birth to a daughter, she was left without place or standing. I thought the Sheng family could not be without heirs, so I persuaded you to take Madam Bai as a concubine, which led to the birth of Sheng Shuyun. But because of this, Madam Qiao bore resentment toward me, and you felt I stood in the way of your deep affection for her. From then on, you obeyed me only in appearance, while defying me in truth! After Madam Qiao passed away, I felt guilty toward her, and so I allowed you to spoil Sheng Xiangqiao—thus planting the seeds of disaster for the Sheng family!”
Sheng Xuanhe, seeing his mother’s fury and hearing her harsh words, quickly raised his head and said, “Mother, how could you think this way? When Qiao An was alive…”
“…I have always shown you respect, greeting you morning and night, never daring to harbor resentment!”
The Old Madam slammed the table: “You unfilial son! My eyes may be dim, but do you really take me for a blind and foolish old woman? How long has Madam Qiao been gone, and yet you have not remarried a proper wife? Isn’t it because you fear a stepmother would mistreat Sheng Xiangqiao? But have you thought—she is a grown girl now, in need of a virtuous and proper mother to guide her. You may dote on her, but as a man busy with official duties, how can you watch over her daily? I wished to discipline her, but you were always suspicious, afraid I would make her suffer, so I relaxed my restraint. As a result, she has grown more unruly, nearly bringing ruin upon the Sheng family!”
At this point, the old madam trembled with anger, clearly having bottled up these words for a long time.
Sheng Xuanhe realized his mother must have learned of Sheng Xiangqiao’s attempted elopement. Earlier that morning, because Sheng Xiangqiao was to appear before the Emperor, she had held back her fury.
He had heard that this impostor, before leaving for the palace, imitated Sheng Xiangqiao by quarreling with her younger siblings at the gate, even smashing a water jug in front of the Old Madam’s courtyard.
His mother, being the legitimate daughter of Duke Jingyuan’s household—a proud woman raised in a military family, skilled in riding and archery in her youth—was not one to tolerate such arrogance from a granddaughter. That she endured until the evening before venting her anger was already a sign of her concern for the bigger picture.
If it had been his true daughter, Sheng Xuanhe might have defended Sheng Xiangqiao, even if it meant being punished himself, just to protect her. But the girl beside him now was merely a village girl.
This bold little impostor had nearly cost him his life in court today. Now, thinking of her smashing a jug and angering his mother, he naturally resented her for stirring up trouble.
After hearing his mother’s scolding, he only admitted fault to appease her, without saying a single word in defense of Sheng Xiangqiao. He even agreed to review portraits from matchmakers in the coming days and arrange a new wife.
Meanwhile, Sheng Xiangqiao knelt quietly, listening obediently to the Old Madam’s reprimand.
The old madam, seeing her son finally agree to remarry, felt somewhat relieved. After speaking for a while, she noticed her granddaughter unusually docile—no retorts, no defiance—and raised her brows: “You are quite well-behaved today. Where is the temper you showed this morning, smashing a teapot at my gate?”
Sheng Xiangqiao lowered her head, paused, and said softly, “Grandmother, I know I have caused great trouble. Father has already scolded me. I had resolved to change my ways, but this morning, when my younger siblings mocked me, I grew angry and smashed the teapot. On the way to the palace, I regretted it deeply, knowing I should not have lost my temper at your courtyard gate. Please punish me as you see fit.”
The Old Madam had not expected her granddaughter to admit fault so honestly. In the past, she would have argued, cried about her deceased mother, and claimed she was bullied as an orphan. Now, looking at the frail girl kneeling before her—suddenly thinner, her voice hoarse and raspy—it was clear she had indeed fallen ill after returning. She did not cry out about her own misfortune, and so the Old Madam, as a grandmother, actually felt a surge of pity for her granddaughter. Although she had long been angry at this girl’s arrogance, today she had vented it all at once—mainly to warn her son to find a new wife sooner rather than later.
Now, hearing Sheng Xiangqiao explain that she smashed the teapot only because Sheng Shuyun and the others mocked her, the old madam felt even more strongly that the household could not go on without a proper mistress.
After all, Sheng Xiangqiao’s unruliness was also partly due to Madam Bai encouraging her children to compete with Sheng Xiangqiao. A child without a mother is naturally more sensitive, always fearing that her father will only care for his concubine’s children and stop loving her.
Sheng Xiangqiao herself had a fiery temper, quick to ignite, seemingly hard to deal with, though her mind was not as calculating as Madam Bai’s children. In the past, she had often lost her temper because of provocations from her younger siblings.
To speak honestly, the Old Madam sometimes regretted it in private—if she had known Madam Qiao’s life would be so short, why had she rushed to persuade Sheng Xuanhe to take a concubine?
She had once thought Madam Bai was cautious and humble, coming from a poor scholar’s family, and would know her place. But now it seemed Madam Bai’s ambitions were far greater.
Sheng Xuanhe’s long delay in remarrying was also because Madam Bai hoped to be elevated to the position of principal wife.
Thinking of this, the Old Madam looked at her sickly granddaughter, who had already admitted her fault, and no longer wished to scold her further. This time, the trouble she had caused was indeed serious, but in the end, it was also the father’s negligence and the grandmother’s own laxity in maintaining family discipline that had led to it.