Madam Wei didn’t argue, she simply nodded in agreement. She glanced at Second Master Cui, then, while fidgeting with her handkerchief, complained to the old lady, “I do want to take care of her, but I’m afraid that in the end, Second Master will say I’m mistreating my illegitimate daughter.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Cui shot an indifferent glance at Cui Li.
The old lady had overseen the Cui family for decades, her authority was unquestionable. When her expression darkened, few dared to speak out.
Seeing this, Second Master Cui smiled sheepishly and hurriedly assured her that he wouldn’t dare.
Madam Wei felt a surge of relief and looked at the sixth daughter, Cui Xiuxiu, with renewed approval.
Although the old lady seemed to be scolding her, it was actually an indirect reproach, almost as if she were pointing a finger at the sixth daughter, accusing her of wicked intentions.
‘Concubine Pei is no good, and her children follow her example. This little one is no better. Now that the old lady has spoken, and without the protection of the second master, let’s see how she handles these two troublemakers.’
Madam Wei felt reassured and even found Cui Yaoning more agreeable.
After all, Old Madam Cui was getting older, her energy was not what it used to be. After a while, she grew tired and waved her hand to dismiss everyone.
Members of the households of the first and second wives bowed and left.
Cui Yaoning walked quickly, but as soon as she stepped out of the front yard, someone stopped her.
Cui Xiuxiu, accompanied by two maids, caught up. She seemed to have walked too fast and was slightly out of breath. After pausing to catch her breath, she bit her lip and asked cautiously, “Ninth Sister, you’re not angry with me, are you?”
Seeing her nervously twisting her handkerchief, Cui Yaoning guessed she must be very anxious. She smiled and feigned ignorance, asking, “What would I be angry about?”
Her calm demeanor made Cui Xiuxiu feel somewhat unsettled.
Perhaps it was simply because they hadn’t seen each other for a few days?
Cui Xiuxiu felt a little reassured and said, her eyes reddened, “It doesn’t matter if Grandmother and the others misunderstand me. After all, I am a concubine’s daughter and not favored. But we are so close, I don’t want you to misunderstand me too.”
“You know what kind of temper my mother has, and my father doesn’t care about anything. My mother and I had a hard time living in the mansion, so when I saw A-Yu, I relied on him. I never imagined that in other people’s eyes, it would seem like I was deliberately teaching A-Yu to seduce you.”
She had inherited Aunt Pei’s good looks, a rosy face, peach-like cheeks, beautiful and graceful. When she cried, she looked so pitiful that it made people instinctively want to comfort her.
Cui Yaoning suddenly felt extremely bored.
Cui Xiuxiu was only a year older, and they were about the same age. She had a good temper and spoke gently, so Cui Yaoning had often played with her and treated her like an older sister. Even after being reborn, she realized that Cui Xiuxiu had introduced Pei Yu with the intention of keeping her from marrying someone of higher status, but Pei Yu had indeed been her own choice, and Cui Yaoning didn’t want to dwell on it.
In this life, her grandmother had made it clear that she remained uninvolved. She was innocent, so what did that make her grandmother and the others?
Receiving no response, Cui Xiuxiu’s sobs gradually subsided. She glanced at her, bit her lip, and changed the subject. “Ninth Sister, just now in front of Grandmother, you were sulking and saying you didn’t like A-Yu. Were you afraid of being scolded?”
Cui Yaoning’s smile faded, and she interrupted, “Sixth Sister, who told you I like Pei Yu?”
Cui Xiuxiu was stunned.
Before she could respond, Cui Yaoning continued, “I made it very clear to Grandmother that I only treat Pei Yu as a playmate. A young lady’s reputation is important, so please don’t joke with me, Sixth Sister.”
Having said this, she curtsied and left with Baoqin and Xingyu.
Cui Xiuxiu was left stunned, forgetting even to try persuading her to stay.
With A-yu’s looks and family background, if it weren’t for her lower social status, how could she possibly have given up such a good husband to her ninth sister?
It must have been because the old lady was present, and ninth sister lied out of fear of being scolded.
Thinking this, Cui Xiuxiu still felt uneasy. She decided she needed to write to A-yu and ask him to coax her ninth sister more.
Having made up her mind, Cui Xiuxiu returned with her maid to the small courtyard.
Cui Yaoning led Baoqin and Xingyu to pay their respects to ther mother.
As soon as she lifted the curtain and entered, she was hit by a strong medicinal smell. Wrinkling her nose, Cui Yaoning stepped closer and asked, “Are you sick again?”
Madam Wang smiled. “It’s just a common cold, nothing serious.”
She beckoned the little girl to sit on the edge of the bed, stroked her long hair, and asked, “Your grandmother was here earlier, so I couldn’t ask in detail. Now it’s just the two of us, so tell me what’s on your mind. Are you having a fight with that young master from the Pei family, or do you really not like him anymore?”
Cui Yaoning looked up. “Doesn’t Mother think Pei Yu’s status is too low?”
Madam Wang sighed. “I would rather you marry someone of lower status. Someone of lower status wouldn’t dare take a concubine out of respect for your father and brothers.”
She stroked her youngest daughter’s soft black hair, lost in thought. “Everyone says that being a mistress in a high-ranking family is enviable, but what’s so good about it? If your husband isn’t interested in women, you still have to share him with three or four others. If he is interested, your backyard will be full of women, and you won’t even have the confidence to dissuade him. The only thing that makes others envy such a life is the status and position. Only he knows the true taste of it.”
Madam Wang had been born into the Wang family of Taiyuan. Before marriage, she was a renowned talented woman from a noble family. She and her husband, Cui Yu, were childhood sweethearts. After marrying into the Cui family, she enjoyed a period of great happiness and sweetness.
Even though her mother-in-law was difficult, she was still happy, feeling that she and her husband were one. But life is never that easy.
Soon after, the old lady sent over Concubine Lin, Concubine Zhao, and the most favored Concubine Hu. A steady stream of new women were sent to the back courtyard, each one as beautiful as a budding flower. Who wouldn’t like them?
Madam Wang could no longer recall what her husband looked like when he said he wanted to marry her. With no hope, there was no disappointment, this was simply her life.
But she hoped her daughter could live a happy and fulfilling life.
“The young master of the Pei family is of good character and appearance.His status may be a little below yours, but not excessively so. If you were to marry him, with the backing of your father and siblings, Pei Yu would likely not dare to take a concubine.”
Cui Yaoning looked up at her mother. Years of taking medicine had made her mother extremely thin, with a slender chin. She was as beautiful and fragile as a begonia flower blooming on a cliff, about to fall.
Everyone said her father and mother had a very close relationship, but if that were true, there wouldn’t have been so many illegitimate children in the main wife’s family.
Cui Yaoning nestled in her mother’s arms, rubbed her cheek against the back of her lowered hand, and said in a muffled voice, “Mother, I don’t like him anymore.”
“You really don’t like him anymore?”
“Um.”
“Aren’t you just throwing a tantrum?”
“No.”
“Alright, alright,” Madam Wang replied softly, reaching out to pinch the tip of her nose. She smiled. “Since you don’t like him anymore, Mother will pick out some more outstanding young men for you. Yaoyao, would you prefer someone from a humbler family or someone from a more prestigious one?”