Chu Yunfei walked out of the inner courtyard and sent Nanny Lu, the manager, along with four maidservants to the Chu family to bring Chu Yun Jiao to the Prince's Estate.
Nanny Lu agreed and quickly arranged for a sedan chair to leave the estate.
Upon arriving at the Chu family residence, Nanny Lu reported truthfully to Madam Chu, stating directly that she was acting under the orders of the Princess Consort to bring the Chu family's Second Miss to Prince Zhan's Estate to serve as a concubine.
A concubine is just a concubine, holding a rank even lower than a secondary consort.
Madam Chu sat in the front hall and instructed expressionlessly, "Tell Chu Yun Jiao to change her clothes and come here."
"Yes."
Concubine Chen stood to the side, twisting her handkerchief, her complexion unsightly, hesitating to speak several times.
She was wearing a plum-red dress today, and her charming face still bore some bruises—fingerprints left by a slap from Chu Yuanzhong yesterday.
A night had passed, but the slap marks had not yet completely faded.
She stood by Madam Chu's side, her expression having been unpleasant ever since she heard Nanny Lu say the word "concubine."
However, because she and her daughter had suffered such a great loss yesterday, they had lost their arrogance and their courage for the moment.
Before long, footsteps were heard outside.
A meticulously dressed Chu Yun Jiao stepped over the threshold; her new pink outfit was bright and delicate, yet it could not compare to the nobility and grandeur of true red.
Chu Yun Jiao was followed by two maidservants, her pace extremely slow, and both pairs of eyes frequently looked at Chu Yun Jiao as if they were worried about something.
Everyone in the hall naturally knew that Chu Yun Jiao had been beaten yesterday and had knelt in the ancestral hall for so long, so her body and legs must have been in excruciating pain; this could be seen from her stiff and labored gait, and the pain she was struggling to endure was visible on her face.
Walking before Madam Chu, Chu Yun Jiao bowed, "Daughter Yun Jiao greets Mother and Concubine Chen."
"Princess Consort Zhan has sent Nanny Lu to take you to the Prince's Estate." Madam Chu sat upright in the seat of honor, her voice cold and dignified. "After you go to Prince Zhan's Estate, you must strictly observe the status of wives and concubines and the hierarchy between them. If the Princess Consort wants to beat or scold you, you must obediently accept it. This is the duty of a concubine."
Concubine Chen's fingers tightened, gripping her handkerchief fiercely.
A cold light shone in Madam Chu's eyes: "If you are law-abiding and self-disciplined, the Princess Consort will naturally treat you with generosity. Otherwise, even if you are beaten to death, it is something you brought upon yourself, and you cannot blame anyone else."
"Jiao'er and the Princess Consort are sisters by blood, so their relationship should be even closer after she marries over; they ought to live in harmony." Concubine Chen lowered her head. "Besides, the Princess Consort is tolerant and generous, so why would she make things difficult for her own younger sister?"
"There is no room for Concubine Chen to speak here." Nanny Lu looked at Concubine Chen and frowned with displeasure. "Even among sisters, there is a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate, not to mention that the Princess Consort is the main wife, while the Second Miss is merely a concubine. A concubine's duty is to serve the Prince and the Princess Consort, perform morning and evening greetings, and listen to the Princess Consort's instructions. Concubine Chen is a concubine herself, do you not understand these rules?"
Concubine Chen's face flushed red, feeling both angry and ashamed: "That is not what I meant..."
"After the concubine arrives at the Prince's Estate, how the Princess Consort chooses to interact with her is the Princess Consort's own business; there is no need for Concubine Chen to be meddlesome here." Nanny Lu reprimanded her in a deep voice. "As a concubine, to speak without the Main wife's permission—you truly have no manners at all!"
Concubine Chen had always been favored by the Master and was accustomed to bossing the servants around; when had she ever suffered such humiliation?
At this moment, being scolded so harshly by this nanny, she felt hatred in her heart, her complexion turning pale and then red, appearing exceptionally wretched.
Chu Yun Jiao stood with her head lowered, gritting her teeth in secret hatred.
Her mother said she brought it upon herself, and the nanny scolded her concubine mother in public.
Were they deliberately trying to embarrass her and make her recognize her own identity?
She refused to believe it.
Chu Yunfei could be as arrogant and domineering as she liked for now, but once she went to Prince Zhan's Estate, relying on the Prince's favor, she would sooner or later replace Chu Yunfei's position as Princess Consort.
By then, not only would Chu Yunfei be discarded, but Madam Chu would not have an easy time either.
Aren't they mother and daughter with close feelings? Then they could both become discarded wives, left to be trampled upon and mocked by others, and we shall see how long they can remain glorious.
Thinking this in her heart, Chu Yun Jiao restrained herself and did not let it show on her face, only bowing respectfully with lowered eyes: "Yes, daughter will strictly follow Mother's teachings and will definitely be law-abiding and self-disciplined in the future, respectfully serving the Prince and the Princess Consort."
She would serve Chu Yunfei well, making her wish for death but unable to die.
"I hope you remember these words today." Madam Chu said indifferently, "It is getting late, you should leave early."
"Daughter bids farewell to Mother and Concubine Chen." Chu Yun Jiao bowed and turned to walk out of the hall.
Surrounded by several maidservants, she walked step by step toward the Chu family's main gate.
She thought she was going to a place of wealth and glory, not knowing that she would eventually fall into a bottomless abyss and become a discarded pawn.
That is a story for another time.
After leaving the Chu family gate, Chu Yun Jiao boarded the sedan chair and headed toward Prince Zhan's Estate.
Upon arriving outside the Prince's Estate, she found the main gate tightly shut.
Nanny Lu ordered someone to open the side gate: "A concubine can only enter through the side gate. Please step out of the sedan chair, Concubine."
Chu Yun Jiao almost bit her teeth to pieces before forcing herself to get up and walk out of the sedan chair, climbing the steps to enter through the side gate.
Once she gained favor and got rid of Chu Yunfei, she would definitely make Rong Cang marry her again one day, entering through the main gate in a grand fashion.
Chu Yun Jiao clutched her handkerchief and swore that one day she would trample Chu Yunfei firmly under her feet.
……
Chu Yunfei was currently in the front courtyard of the Prince's Estate.
Nanny Lu led Chu Yun Jiao into the hall and ordered: "Please, Concubine, bow and serve tea to the Princess Consort."
Chu Yun Jiao stood in the hall, looking coldly at Chu Yunfei, her eyes filled with unconcealable hatred and defiance.
"It is truly rare for a newly arrived concubine to be defiant toward the Main wife." Chu Yunfei stood up and flicked her handkerchief lightly. "Nanny Lu, have her kneel here for two full hours. If she has learned to be obedient after two hours, then you may notify me."
Nanny Lu nodded: "Yes."
"Chu Yunfei, by what right do you do this?" Chu Yun Jiao looked at her, gritting her teeth. "It was the Prince's intention for me to come to the Prince's Estate, and the one who is in charge of the Prince's Estate is the Prince, not you—"
Bang!
Nanny Lu kicked her behind the knee.
"Ah!" The immense force made Chu Yun Jiao let out a scream, and she immediately lunged forward and knelt on the ground; the sound of her knees hitting the floor was shocking to hear.
Chu Yun Jiao's vision went black, cold sweat dripped like rain, and she lay on the ground, trembling incessantly.
She already had injuries on her body; the rattan cane beating yesterday had left her covered in welts, and her legs had not been spared. At this moment, being kicked ruthlessly by Nanny Lu, her pain worsened immediately.
Chu Yun Jiao almost wished she could faint on the spot.
By the time she crawled up from the ground, dripping with cold sweat, Chu Yunfei had already left.
"Once you have entered the Prince's Estate, you must follow the rules of the Prince's Estate." Nanny Lu stood by Chu Yun Jiao's side, looking down at her from above. "The Princess Consort is the Head Madam. If the concubine wishes to live here peacefully, it is best to understand her own identity."
Chu Yun Jiao was so angry she gritted her teeth; what did Chu Yunfei think she was?
The Prince already detested her, yet she still clung to the Prince's Estate and refused to leave; she had truly never seen such a thick-skinned woman.
She took a deep breath, her voice trembling: "I want to see the Prince."
"The Prince is injured and it is not convenient for him to see outsiders." Nanny Lu said coldly. "If you are law-abiding and self-disciplined, you will naturally be able to see the Prince."
Chu Yun Jiao closed her eyes, suppressing her anger, and told herself in her heart that if one does not endure small things, one will disrupt great plans.
"I know I was wrong." She lowered her head, her complexion as pale as paper, her voice filled with more fear. "I beg the Nanny to say a few good words to my sister; I will serve her tea right now."
"Did the Princess Consort not make it very clear just now?" Nanny Lu frowned. "The concubine shall kneel for two hours first; after two hours, I will naturally go and report to the Princess Consort."
Chu Yun Jiao's expression changed abruptly; if she really had to kneel for two hours, wouldn't her legs be broken?
Damn Chu Yunfei.
She gave her a show of strength right from the start; once she gained favor in the future, she would definitely make her life worse than death.
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