Yongding City, the Han Estate.
“Mistress, this is bad! The First Madam has sent a letter, saying she wants to pick two young ladies from the estate to go to Jincheng.” Shannai lifted the curtain in a flurry and hurried into the room.
Sitting inside the room was a concubine with a face like a hibiscus, phoenix eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, cherry lips, and skin as white as snow and jade. She leaned lazily against a water-red embroidered pillow and said without even lifting her head, “What is there to panic about? Whoever wants to go can go; what does it have to do with us?”
Hearing this, Shannai said with some anxiety, “Mistress, why aren’t you anxious? If Fifth Young Miss is able to go to Jincheng this time, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?”
“Wonderful thing?” Concubine Qiao let out a scoff. “Not necessarily.”
Seeing that Concubine Qiao cared not a whit, Shannai was beside herself with worry. “My good mistress, Eldest Young Miss Tang from the main branch is betrothed to the Second Prince, and she is going to be a prince’s consort in the future. If Fifth Young Miss goes to Jincheng, with a cousin who is about to become a prince’s consort, will you ever need to worry about her future marriage prospects?”
Concubine Qiao didn’t even twitch an eyelid. The First Madam was selfish and petty. Once Han Jingtang was enfeoffed as the Second Prince’s Consort, would she let their third branch reap any benefits?
Even if the benefits were truly split, the ones who got their hands on them would be the children born directly to Third Madam Guo.
If Guo was willing to part with such a chance for them, mother and daughter, it certainly was not a good thing.
“We cannot afford to climb high to noble families in Jincheng. Stop wagging your tongue outside.”
Concubine Qiao waved her hand to dismiss Shannai, then looked toward her daughter, who was sitting quietly in a corner holding a book. “Yu’er, what do you say?”
Han Shengyu raised her small, bright, palm-sized face from the book and gave Concubine Qiao a sweet, obedient smile. “Mistress did the right thing.”
Hearing her daughter’s words, Concubine Qiao’s heart settled instantly.
Ever since her daughter was pushed off the rockery and hit her head five years ago by Han Shuyu, the second young miss born to Guo, her personality had changed drastically upon waking up. Thinking her daughter had been struck by evil spirits, she had even secretly hired a female Daoist priest to burn incense and perform rituals.
The moment the Daoist priest laid eyes on her daughter, she started blabbering about how her destiny had drastically altered and she was possessed by a fierce deity…
Pui!
She was the one possessed by a fierce deity! Furious, Concubine Qiao had people chase her out with sticks.
A fraud! A charlatan!
Yet gradually, Concubine Qiao found that what the Daoist priest said seemed to hold a grain of truth. Han Shuyu suffered losses at her daughter’s hands time and time again, yet Guo could never catch them in the act to secure any evidence. Furthermore, when Concubine Qiao was on the verge of losing favor, she managed to make a comeback thanks to her daughter.
Call her whatever fierce deity she liked; at least she brought prosperity to her and her children.
Thinking back and forth, her conscience grew uneasy, making her feel she had wronged the Daoist priest after all. She had secretly sent someone to deliver twenty taels of silver to make amends. The Daoist priest turned out to be quite forgiving and even gifted her a few peace talismans.
Now that her daughter said she had done the right thing, Concubine Qiao felt completely emboldened.
At that moment, Han Shengyu stared at her book, but not a single word registered in her mind. She had transmigrated here five years ago. The mess between Concubine Qiao and Guo was a tangle of unresolved grievances. Back when Concubine Qiao first entered the household, Guo had put her through the wringer, but Concubine Qiao was no pushover either; once she gained favor, she grew arrogant.
Guo had given birth to two daughters: the eldest, Miss Huiyu, and the second, Miss Shuyu—both of their names containing the character for jade (yu). When Concubine Qiao later gave birth to a daughter, she coaxed the Third Master into naming her Shengyu (Surpassing Jade).
Who wouldn’t be furious at that?
If she were the legitimate wife, she would have blown her top as well.
Guo was the legal wife and shouldn’t have allowed a concubine to ride roughshod over her head, but at the time, the Third Master was utterly enamored with Concubine Qiao, doting on her beyond measure. Guo’s appearance was ordinary, and after marriage, she had continuously given birth to two daughters without a son to lean on, leaving her short on confidence and forcing her to swallow her pride.
Later, when Guo finally birthed a son, Han Yanzhang, she raised her head in triumph, and Concubine Qiao’s momentum waned. To her surprise, Concubine Qiao gave birth to a son the very next year—her younger brother, Han Yanran—and Concubine Qiao swaggered back into prominence.
Concubine Qiao possessed a superb physique; after bearing two children, her waist remained as willow-slim as ever, while Guo was already galloping full speed ahead in the direction of a plump, wealthy matron.
The Third Master still favored Concubine Qiao. Although Guo could not openly do anything to Concubine Qiao, she couldn’t stop the children underneath from standing up for their mother. Thus came the incident where the hot-tempered Han Shuyu pushed Han Shengyu.
The child had simply wanted to vent her frustration, never expecting that by such ill-fortune, Han Shengyu’s head would smash against a rock.
Han Shengyu’s soul perished, and she transmigrated over. Han Shuyu was young and frightened sick by a pool of blood, taking a full half-month before she dared step outside.
Naturally, the Third Master flew into a towering rage and gradually realized he had been in the wrong; he shouldn’t have doted on Concubine Qiao to such an extent that it bred a rift between the legal and concubine sides, resulting in bloodshed among sisters.
Because Han Shuyu had been frightened sick, Guo hated Concubine Qiao to the bone, and promptly sought out even younger and more beautiful beauties, Concubine Bai and Concubine Cheng, bringing them into the household to split Concubine Qiao’s favor.
A man’s preferences remain unchanged unto death; even with a heart full of deep affection, Third Master Han was no exception. Though he didn’t cast Concubine Qiao aside entirely, well over half of his heart was gradually pulled away by these young, beautiful concubines.
It was only when Concubine Qiao saw the Third Master’s heart change that she finally understood: men are utterly unreliable.
As Concubine Qiao gradually lost favor and Guo plotted to strike her down in the dark, Han Shengyu naturally had to protect her. She was a concubine’s daughter with an even younger brother beneath her; if Concubine Qiao were gone, how would they survive the days to come?
Whether they could even live to adulthood was a question.
Over the past few years, relying on her own stellar inherent assets—such as a photographic memory, clever hands, and a sweet mouth—Han Shengyu had won Third Master Han’s partiality, becoming a standout unique among all the children.
Either the mother rises in status through her children,
Or the children rise in status through their mother.
A man who loves a woman will favor the children she bears.
A man will also value a child’s mother out of fondness for an exceptional child.
Concubine Qiao and her daughter happened to occupy both of these points entirely. Even if Concubine Qiao had made mistakes, and the Third Master harbored the intention to grow cold toward her; even with fresh, tender beauties dividing his attention, Third Master Han’s heart still involuntarily leaned toward Concubine Qiao and her two children. Driven to a frenzy of rage, Guo could only maintain the airs of a primary wife to look down upon them and keep them strictly bound by the rules.
Han Shengyu had advised Concubine Qiao to take a step back: you are merely a concubine, yet you still want to lock horns with the legitimate mistress?
For the sake of her children, Concubine Qiao swallowed her pride. For over a year now, the relationship between Guo and Concubine Qiao could at least maintain a surface peace.
Guo wasn’t afraid of Concubine Qiao; what she feared was this husband of hers whose heart had drifted crooked.
“Yu’er, do you really not want to go?”
Concubine Qiao’s voice suddenly chimed in, carrying a hint of hesitation.
Han Shengyu closed the book in her hand, picked up a cup of sheep’s milk sprinkled with almond preserves, took a sip to moisten her throat, and then said, “Peng Tai came back from Jincheng last time and said the place is a complete mess. The current Emperor’s sons are fighting fiercely. Before the cosmic order is settled, don’t act rashly.”
Concubine Qiao still felt a bit of regret. “If you could truly marry into the imperial family, it would be a lifetime of glory and wealth. Who would ever dare look down on you for coming from my womb?”
“Mistress, I am only twelve this year.”
Concubine Qiao: ……
Her daughter was far too clever, always making her forget her actual age.
Concubine Qiao guiltily shut her mouth at once and was about to steer the conversation elsewhere when Yanfei lifted the curtain and stepped inside. “Mistress, someone from the Madam’s side has sent word, asking you to go over for a moment.”
Concubine Qiao’s willow eyebrows snapped up, and she instinctively looked toward her daughter.
Han Shengyu raised her gaze to meet Concubine Qiao’s. Concubine Qiao reached out and lightly tapped her own mouth. “My big crow mouth!”
“It might not necessarily be about First Aunt’s letter. Mistress, go take a look. No matter what the Madam says, just listen quietly. Besides, Father is still around.”
Going to Jincheng was out of the question.
Who knew what was written in First Aunt’s letter? The fact that the Madam couldn’t even wait for Father to return before summoning the mistress over meant it certainly wasn’t anything good.