As Madam Shangguan slapped the table, Mama Lin, who had been standing behind her in attendance, immediately stepped forward.
“How utterly ill-mannered! Which establishment is this young lady from? Did your madam not teach you anything? When you go out to perform at various noble houses, shouldn’t you pay attention to your attire? Knowing full well that our residence is celebrating the Old Madam’s birthday today, what is the meaning of wearing such a pure white outfit? Do you intend to bring bad luck upon Dingguo Gongfu?” Mama Lin demanded sharply.
Both Second Young Master Song and the young lady were taken aback.
Upon hearing Mama Lin’s words, the young lady’s eyes immediately reddened. Two pools of tears swirled in her eyes for a moment before she turned her gaze toward Second Young Master Song.
“Cousin…”
Second Young Master Song gave the young lady a reassuring look with his eyes and hurriedly explained.
“Madam, my cousin has always been frugal and dresses like this even within our own residence. It was not an intentional offense.”
Seeing Second Young Master Song’s explanation, Madam Shangguan let out a cold laugh.
“Cousin? So this isn’t a singing girl Second Young Master Song invited from the Flower Tower after all! However… Second Young Master Song, although it is said that Wudinghoufu earned its marquisate through military achievements on horseback, even a rustic country bumpkin should know some basic etiquette! Men and women should not touch when giving or receiving things. Even among siblings, boys and girls do not share the same mat after the age of seven. After a girl comes of age, even greater emphasis must be placed on the separation between men and women. Second Young Master Song, you have studied the classics. Have you fed all the teachings of Confucius and Mencius to the dogs? If this young lady doesn’t understand, don’t you understand either? Coming and going together—what a fine pair of talented scholars and beautiful ladies straight out of a storybook!”
As soon as Madam Shangguan finished speaking, Marchioness of Wuding could no longer remain seated.
She had no idea why her second son had suddenly taken a liking to this distant niece of hers!
Originally, Marchioness of Wuding had thought quite simply: if he likes her, then take her into the household. After marrying the Eldest Miss of Guogongfu, they could find a time later to formally bring the niece over as a concubine.
Among noble and wealthy families, who doesn’t have three wives and four concubines? Moreover, this is a distant niece from her own maiden family, so she could be considered one of their own. Once the Eldest Miss of Dingguo Gongfu enters the household in the future, she would have someone by her son’s side to whisper in his ear.
But all of this had to happen after the marriage between Wudinghoufu and Dingguo Gongfu. For it to come out now was indeed their family’s fault.
“Madam Shangguan, it’s not like that. These cousins are just a bit closer than ordinary people, but it’s absolutely not…” Before Marchioness of Wuding could finish, Madam Shangguan snorted coldly.
“Closer than ordinary people? The cousins in our Shangguan Family and other families don’t seem to be this close! Or has Wudinghoufu already taken this young lady as one of their own? If that’s the case, then I must speak up for our Sister Yao. There is a marriage agreement between Wudinghoufu and Dingguo Gongfu. It was only after the Empress Dowager bestowed the marriage that the two families considered joining in matrimony. But now? Does Second Young Master Song have other intentions? Or does Second Young Master Song simply look down upon Dingguo Gongfu? Or perhaps, is Second Young Master Song dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager’s bestowed marriage?”
Madam Shangguan’s words came one after another, leaving Marchioness of Wuding at a loss for how to retort.
Shangguan Jin fanned herself unhurriedly with her round fan, not saying a word, giving the ladies present no hint of her emotions.
As for the other ladies, none dared to utter a single word.
The Shangguan Family had been masters of rhetoric for generations; only someone whose head had been squeezed by a door would think of picking a quarrel with them.
Most of those officials in the Censorate who spent their days finding fault with other officials were students of Old Master Shangguan.
The remaining few were colleagues of Lord Shangguan from the same examination year.
Those fellows could drown a person with their spit alone.
Which of the ladies from families of censors wasn’t sharp-tongued?
Those ladies all looked up at the sky, each pretending to be ignorant and saying nothing.
They didn’t want to get involved in the messy affairs of the Wudinghou family.
“Old Madam, you are virtuous and magnanimous, why would you…” Before Second Young Master Song could finish his words,
Chuntao, who had been sent to the backyard by Shangguan Jin, came rushing over in a hurry.
“Madam, it’s terrible! The old lady has fainted!”
Chuntao shouted loudly as she ran.
“What happened?” Shangguan Jin and Madam Shangguan immediately stood up.
Chuntao wore an expression of great anxiety.
“Just now, I went to invite the old lady to come to the front courtyard to listen to the opera.
The old lady was originally very happy.
But someone careless said something—that the opera performer today was different from the usual ones.
In the past, opera performers wore bright reds and greens, but the one who came today was dressed entirely in plain white.
As soon as the old lady heard this, she fainted on the spot.
Madam, please go and see quickly!”
As she spoke, Chuntao went to support Shangguan Jin.
Feeling Chuntao carefully pinch her arm and seeing Chuntao nod at her, Shangguan Jin knew there must be something fishy going on.
But since the play had already begun, the anger that needed to be shown still had to be shown.
“I really don’t know when our Dingguo Gongfu offended the Wudinghoufu, that they would come to our door to humiliate us like this.
I’ll make myself clear right here.
If the old lady is fine, then all is well.
But if anything happens to the old lady, even if I have to risk my life, I will go to the Empress Dowager, to Tianjia, and demand an explanation.
Dongmai! Drive these two shameless individuals out for me.”
After saying this, Shangguan Jin hurriedly headed toward the backyard, supported by Chuntao.
Madam Shangguan originally wanted to follow to the backyard to see how Old Madam Shen was doing, but when she saw the ladies in the courtyard whispering among themselves,
she immediately stopped in her tracks.
No, she should stay behind and keep an eye on things here!
By now, Dongmai, having received Shangguan Jin’s order, had already rolled up her sleeves and carefully taken off the two pearl flowers she was wearing, tucking them safely into her sleeve.
“Where is the steward? Have all the women from the second gate come over.
Didn’t you hear what Madam said? Drive these two out.”
As she spoke, Dongmai began pushing Song Tianyu and the niece of Marchioness of Wuding.
Song Tianyu, seeing his cousin being shoved, grew anxious and, without a second thought, raised his foot to kick Dongmai.
Dongmai was not afraid of such things. Having been accustomed to rough labor since childhood, her strength in her hands and agility in her legs were unmatched by most.
With just a sidestep, Dongmai dodged, and Song Tianyu’s kick landed on Marchioness of Wuding, who had rushed over to intervene.
With a cry of “Aiyo!” from Marchioness of Wuding, she fell onto her maid.
Song Tianyu himself stumbled and nearly fell to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Dongmai first kicked Song Tianyu, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Then she gave Song Tianyu’s cousin a push.
Song Tianyu’s cousin couldn’t withstand Dongmai’s push and fell directly onto Song Tianyu, who hadn’t yet managed to get up.
The sight of the two piled on top of each other made the ladies in the courtyard twitch at the corners of their eyes.
Men and women must maintain distance and avoid physical contact…
Just as Dongmai was about to kick Song Tianyu a few more times, she was pulled back by a maidservant of the Marchioness of Wuding.
Now things escalated—Dongmai, who had initially gained the upper hand, became entangled in a tussle with the Marchioness of Wuding’s side.
Soon after, the matrons from Dingguo Gongfu rushed in through the gate.
Seeing Concubine Dong, who was usually so easygoing, being surrounded, they all charged forward at once.
In an instant, the courtyard descended into chaos—chickens flying, dogs leaping, people stumbling and falling.
Seeing that Dongmai wasn’t at a disadvantage, Madam Shangguan could only shout from the sidelines, “Stop fighting, stop fighting!”
A young maidservant beside her thoughtfully fanned Madam Shangguan.
The ladies who had come to watch the spectacle only observed for a short while before losing interest.
Better hurry home—they had gathered too much information today. If they lingered any longer, caught up in the commotion, they might forget it all.