"I told you to kneel down, are you deaf?" Madam Chu's expression was icy, her eyebrows and eyes filled with the dignity of a Head Madam. "Do you need me to call someone over to help you?"
Concubine Chen gritted her teeth, a flash of anger crossing her face.
Although she was a concubine, the Master usually doted on her and indulged her. While her status in the estate was ostensibly inferior to the Madam's, her treatment was in no way lacking.
She had even given birth to the Chu family's only son, making her a great contributor to the family's succession, and even the Master was always grateful that her belly had been so fruitful.
In what way was her status any worse than the Head Madam's?
And Madam Ji didn't even have a son, only a legitimate daughter. Even when mocked by her, she could only endure it. Yet today, in front of so many servants, she was putting on the airs of a Head Madam?
Concubine Chen clenched her hands, staring at Madam Chu with resentment.
"Is Concubine Chen trying to challenge me?" Madam Chu slowly sat down in her chair, her tone extremely cold. "I usually don't care to manage you, so you really think I don't dare to punish you?"
Concubine Chen said nothing aloud, but she felt disdain in her heart.
A Head Madam without a son to rely on was nothing but an empty shell; how dare she act so arrogant here?
"So this is the kind of rules the Minister Chu's estate has always had." Nanny Xiong, standing by Chu Yunfei's side, frowned, staring at Concubine Chen with an unkind expression. "A concubine's daughter dares to seduce her own brother-in-law, the Prince, and a concubine dares to contend with the Head Madam. Today has truly opened my eyes."
Concubine Chen's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at her with displeasure: "Who are you?"
"I am the Head Nanny of Prince Zhan's Estate, surnamed Xiong. I was once a court lady with an official rank." Nanny Xiong said, smiling coldly. "Of course, I still hold a rank now, but that is not important."
Xiong?
Concubine Chen's complexion changed suddenly, and her hand clutching her handkerchief tightened abruptly.
There had once been a nanny surnamed Xiong by the Empress Dowager's side. It was said that on the day Prince Zhan married, Nanny Xiong was assigned to Prince Zhan's Estate...
"What is important is that the rules in Minister Chu's estate seem to be lacking. I will take the time to communicate with the nannies of the various Prince's Estates. When there is an opportunity, I might even mention a word or two before the Empress Dowager in the palace, or have someone pass a message to the Censors in court to inform them of the situation in the Chu family."
Concubine Chen's complexion gradually turned pale and stiff, as if all her arrogance had been suddenly extinguished. Finally, she gritted her teeth and forced a smile: "Nan... Nanny, there is a misunderstanding. I did not disrespect the Head Madam. Just now, I was only... only too shocked. I... I will kneel now..."
Chen Shi knelt down, unwilling and resentful.
The Minister of Revenue had resigned and returned to his hometown last month, leaving the position of Minister temporarily vacant. Both the Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Revenue were old ministers with seniority and experience.
That Right Vice Minister was even older than the Master.
At this critical juncture, any unfavorable rumors about the Master would shatter his hopes of being promoted to Minister.
No matter how much Concubine Chen relied on her favor, she would never dare to hold him back at this time.
"Your Highness the Princess Consort." Nanny Xiong turned to look at Chu Yunfei and curtsied slightly. "The Madam is the Head Madam of the Chu family, and you are the legitimate Eldest Miss of the Chu family, as well as the original wife of the current Prince Zhan. Regardless of which identity, both the Madam and the Princess Consort have the absolute power to deal with an overstepping concubine and a daughter with corrupt morals."
"Many thanks to Nanny Xiong for speaking impartially." Madam Chu first expressed her thanks, then turned and instructed, "Nanny Hai, you personally make a trip to Tingyu Pavilion and see if the Second Miss is there."
"Yes, Eldest Miss."
"The Second Miss is back! The Second Miss is back!" A maidservant's hurried report suddenly rang out from outside. "The Prince Zhan has also come; he returned with the Second Miss."
As the words fell, the hall fell into a dead silence.
Madam Chu's expression turned ugly, and her gaze toward Concubine Chen was like a sharp, icy blade.
Concubine Chen's face turned white: "Madam, please investigate—"
"Chen Shi, what else do you have to say?" Madam Chu asked sternly, her voice full of anger. "Didn't you say Chu Yun Jiao stayed in the back yard and never went out? Could it be that Fei'er sent someone to kidnap her to Prince Zhan's Estate?"
Concubine Chen's eyes flickered as she forced a defense: "Perhaps Jiao'er only went to visit her sister and didn't expect the Eldest Miss to have a misunderstanding. The Eldest Miss returned home alone, and the Prince... he sent Jiao'er back out of respect for his own Princess Consort."
Her defense was ridiculous; it was simply sophistry.
However, she felt disdain in her heart. Chu Yunfei was useless herself and couldn't hold onto a man's heart, so why blame the Prince for liking someone else?
Moreover, it was common for powerful and influential men to have three wives and four concubines. If she were truly this jealous, she would eventually be divorced.
Since the Prince personally sent Jiao'er back...
"Why are you all standing here instead of doing your work?" Chu Yun Jiao's voice rang out from outside the hall, carrying an arrogant command. "Disperse!"
Everyone turned to look.
Rong Cang, dressed in a brocade robe, walked over with an expressionless face. His appearance was strikingly handsome, his bearing stern and extraordinary. Following by his side was the haughty Chu Yun Jiao, looking as if he had indeed personally sent her back.
The servants knelt down in unison to bow and stepped back to clear a path for the Prince to pass.
"The Second Miss has quite the air of authority." Nanny Xiong walked out, looking coldly at Chu Yun Jiao. "Is the Chu family now being run by a concubine's daughter giving orders?"
Chu Yun Jiao frowned upon hearing this, subconsciously wanting to question who she was, but upon turning her head, she realized that both Madam Chu and Chu Yunfei were in the hall.
And her biological mother, Concubine Chen, was currently kneeling on the ground with her head lowered, looking as if she were being blamed.
"Mother!" Chu Yun Jiao's expression changed, and she hurried forward. "What happened?"
Nanny Xiong bowed her head to Rong Cang, her tone respectful but filled with accusation: "Your Highness's actions this time are truly inappropriate."
Rong Cang remained silent, his lips pressed together. He walked into the hall expressionlessly, his stern gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present, and he quickly understood the objective of the scene Chu Yunfei had set up.
"Greetings, Your Highness the War King." Madam Chu bowed.
"Esteemed Mother-in-law, there is no need for such formalities." Rong Cang's tone was indifferent. "Yun Jiao fell into the water at the Prince's Estate just now, and I have already ordered someone to change her clothes."
Fell into the water?
The servants gathered outside the hall looked up one after another, seeing that Chu Yun Jiao had clearly changed her clothes, and their expressions became subtle.
"Fell into the water?" Concubine Chen was startled and turned to look at Chu Yun Jiao. "Jiao'er, you were fine, how did you fall into the water... what happened to your face?"
The tone of the last sentence, which suddenly deepened, carried obvious anger.
Several pairs of eyes in the hall fell onto Chu Yun Jiao's face.
They saw that on her usually delicate and fair face, one cheek was clearly red and swollen. Looking closely, it was clearly the imprint of a slap.
When Chu Yun Jiao heard her ask this, hatred rose in her heart, and she turned to look at Chu Yunfei.
With new and old grudges combined, she couldn't help but want to teach Chu Yunfei a lesson—after all, the Prince was present to support her.
However...
"Chu Yun Jiao, kneel down!" Madam Chu turned to look at Chu Yun Jiao, her gaze as cold as a knife.
Chu Yun Jiao's expression changed, and she subconsciously spoke: "Why?"
"Why? You still dare to ask?" Madam Chu's expression was stern, no longer the attitude of someone who didn't care about worldly affairs. "As a concubine's daughter, you are disrespectful to your legitimate sister and are insulting a superior; this is your first crime. You seduced your own brother-in-law and instigated the War King to divorce his wife; your heart is vicious; this is your second crime. As a woman, you do not uphold propriety and rituals, you are not self-respecting, and you have disgraced the family reputation. If this were to reach His Majesty's ears, making people think the Chu family's morals are corrupt, that the upper beam is crooked and the lower ones are askew, you would be the sinner of the Chu family, and our ancestors would not forgive you! This is your third crime!"
The words fell like thunder. Madam Chu ordered coldly: "Someone, pin the Second Miss down and beat her! Today, in front of Nanny Xiong, I will properly rectify this chaotic family tradition!"
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