“Bitch, you dare hit me!”
The discordant voice broke out abruptly. Gong Shu’er glared with bitter hatred at Auntie Cui; she was always the one bullying others, and never had anyone dared to ride roughshod over her and pull her hair. Rage completely stripped away her reason.
Hearing the foul and unbridled language spilling from Gong Shu’er’s mouth, Gong Lian’s expression darkened. He stepped back to shield Auntie Cui behind him and rebuked, “Gong Shu’er, you are a young lady of the Junior Minister’s residence, yet you act like a common market shrew truly a laughingstock!”
Madame Liu naturally could not stand by and watch Gong Shu’er come out on the losing end. “Gong Lian, is that any way to speak? Shu’er is your own flesh-and-blood younger sister!”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Fulu spoke up, cutting sharply through the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere. His voice acted like a basin of ice-cold water poured straight over Madame Liu from head to toe, instantly shocking her overheated brain back to clarity.
“Lian’er, Shu’er is young, and her words shouldn’t be taken seriously. Don’t let yourself dwell on it.” Madame Liu forced her facial expression to adjust, squeezing out a smile that looked infinitely worse than crying.
Though Gong Lian understood why Madame Liu’s attitude had flipped so drastically, he no longer had any intention of swallowing his grievances in silence. “Mother, have you forgotten that Gong Shu’er turned fifteen years of age last year? Furthermore, even if Auntie is a concubine, she is still an elder she deserves better than to be bullied and humiliated by a junior like this!”
First struck by Auntie Cui and then berated by Gong Lian, Gong Shu’er felt the fires of fury blaze uncontrollably within her. Completely forgetting Madame Liu’s earlier warnings, she pointed straight at Auntie Cui and Gong Lian, shrieking, “Mother! One is a lowly, worthless concubine and the other a base, despicable concubine-born son, yet they dare ride over the heads of the primary wife and legitimate daughter! If we swallow this insult today and let it go, how are we ever supposed to show our faces in the capital again?”
Fulu swept a look filled with amused mockery across the gathering and remarked, “Young Master, the family discipline in this Junior Minister’s residence truly broadens this servant’s horizons! Fortunately, Young Master possesses a fine and upright character; otherwise, he could never have earned His Highness’s favor.”
“You—”
“Shu’er!” Madame Liu hastily cut Gong Shu’er off, reprimanding sharply, “Auntie Cui is your father’s concubine and your elder as well. How can you speak to her in such a manner? Where is your basic manners and respect? Hurry up and offer an apology to Auntie Cui and your Third Older Brother.”
Staring at Madame Liu in absolute shock, Gong Shu’er protested, “Mother, I am the legitimate daughter! You want me to apologize to a concubine?”
Madame Liu shot frantic, meaningful glares at Gong Shu’er, but the girl proved completely incapable of picking up on the cues. With no other choice left, Madame Liu was forced to pivot her target to Auntie Cui, adopting a conciliatory tone: “Auntie Cui, you watched Shu’er grow up. While her temper is somewhat spoiled and she speaks without a proper filter, her heart isn’t truly malicious. Just look at the ties of family and forgive her this once, won’t you?”
“Not malicious?” Auntie Cui let out a mocking, desolate laugh. “Gong Shu’er is arrogant, overbearing, and ruthless to the core. The number of servants she has beaten to death or crippled within this estate is substantial. Though I am merely a concubine, I at least bore children for the master! Yet day in and day out, you subjected me to verbal abuse and physical beatings while arbitrarily cutting down my food and clothing allowances. When I fell gravely ill, you deliberately blocked every attempt to summon a physician what malicious intentions you held in your hearts, you know best!”
“Auntie Cui, you mustn’t spout malicious slanders out of nowhere! Setting aside the master’s concubines, even among the regular servants of the estate, whenever anyone falls ill, which of them has ever been denied a physician?” Madame Liu’s expression twisted as she hurriedly deflected, “You cannot fabricate deliberate lies simply because I kicked you in the heat of the moment just now!”
“I fabricated lies? Cough, cough…” Auntie Cui was choked by a sudden surge of blinding rage, breaking into a violent fit of coughing.
Seeing this, Gong Lian frantically patted her back to help her catch her breath, his voice laced with frantic worry. “Auntie, calm your anger! Please, for my sake, don’t let yourself get this upset.”
Terrified of adding to Gong Lian’s distress, Auntie Cui tried desperately to force herself to stop coughing, only for the fit to grow increasingly fierce. Suddenly, a rush of heat surged up her throat, and she coughed up a bright crimson mouthful of fresh blood.
Stunned by the sight, Gong Lian turned pale with absolute terror. “Auntie, how are you feeling? Please take care of your health! The imperial physician, his Highness dispatched an imperial physician for you, and he’ll be here any moment now! You cannot afford to have anything happen to you!”
Auntie Cui raised a trembling hand to pat Gong Lian’s shoulder in reassurance. It took a long, arduous while before the coughing finally subsided. “Lian’er, Mother doesn’t have much time left. Rather than suffocating in silence until I drop dead, speaking the truth aloud felt infinitely better.”
“No, that’s not true! It’s not true!” Tears streamed down Gong Lian’s face as he sobbed, “Mother, the imperial physician will definitely cure your illness! You must keep your spirits up!”
“Lian’er, forgive me… it’s Mother’s fault for being useless, Mother failed to protect you…” Auntie Cui gazed at Gong Lian with eyes swimming in sorrow.
“Mother, His Highness treats this child very well! He even had me bring back medicinal herbs for you precious, rare medicinal herbs. His Highness explicitly promised that whatever medicines are required to cure Mother’s illness, we need only take them. Your illness will definitely be healed!”
Though Gong Lian spoke with absolute conviction, Auntie Cui’s heart remained heavy with bitter ache. A towering, proud man ought to stand upright as the pillars of heaven and earth, striving to carve out a brilliant path for himself. Yet Gong Lian had been treated like a plaything and pushed straight into the Regent’s bed. No matter how heavily favored he remained, he could never escape the cruel stabs of judgment and ridicule pointing at his spine. His life had already been utterly ruined, and she was utterly powerless to change it how could she not be devoured by guilt?
“Lian’er…”
Tears poured from Auntie Cui’s eyes like a broken string of pearls, completely unstoppable. She possessed a thousand things she longed to say, but because Gong Lian was surrounded by the Regent’s personal servants, if any of her words leaked back to the Regent’s ears, it would spell disaster for Gong Lian. Thus, she could only stare at her son in silence, weeping soundlessly.
Right at that moment, an announcement rang out from the entrance: “Madame, an imperial physician sent by the Regent has arrived at the mansion to examine Third Auntie.”
Hearing the report, Madame Liu’s heart tightened nervously. Her lingering doubts regarding whether Gong Lian genuinely enjoyed the Regent’s favor vanished instantly; the arrival of an actual imperial physician served as undeniable proof of Gong Lian’s lofty standing within the Regent’s Manor.
“Hurry, invite the imperial physician inside.”
“Understood, Madame.”
Madame Liu plastered on another smile. “Auntie Cui, Lian’er was right an imperial physician has come directly to treat you. Your illness will surely be cured in no time.”
Wiping away her tears with a cold expression, Auntie Cui stated flatly, “My illness is a malady of the heart; no imperial physician can cure that. Isn’t Madame well aware of the reason?”
“Auntie Cui, what are you implying?” Madame Liu cast a sidelong glance at Fulu standing nearby, then retorted, “Ever since Gong Lian chose to follow the Regent, you have grown endlessly gloomy, even allowing it to sour your relationship with the master. Could it be that you harbor deep resentment toward the Regent himself?”
Madame Liu’s words were exceptionally vicious, deliberately crafted to drive a wedge between Sima Huayao and Gong Lian. Judging by the protective attitude displayed by Gong Lian and his mother, no matter how favored Gong Lian was, Madame Liu knew she could never extract any favors from them. Since Gong Lian might whisper venomous words into Sima Huayao’s ear at any moment and spell doom for the Junior Minister’s family, it would be far better to engineer his loss of favor entirely. After all, he was merely a plaything; as long as Gong Shen didn’t commit a capital offense, she trusted Sima Huayao wouldn’t slaughter the entire family over a cast-off favorite.
“I harbor no such thing!” Terrified out of her wits by the accusation, Auntie Cui stammered in frantic self-defense, “Madame, what a truly vicious mind you possess! Seeing that Lian’er is favored and knowing of our mutual hostility, you deliberately attempt to poison the Regent’s mind against him! You’ve bullied and tormented me endlessly all these years, but now you even wish to drag us down to our deaths—this is pure tyranny!”
Madame Liu opened her mouth to argue further, but heavy footsteps approaching from outside interrupted her. A maidservant hurried in to announce that the imperial physician had already reached the courtyard entrance.
“Bring the imperial physician in.” Though every fiber of her being resisted, Madame Liu had no choice but to issue the command.
Flanked by attendants, the imperial physician stepped across the threshold, glanced around the room, and bowed slightly. “Greetings, everyone. This official comes under the direct decree of His Highness the Regent to diagnose a patient at the Junior Minister’s residence. May I ask who requires medical attention?”
“It is my mother,” Gong Lian stepped forward to answer.
Stepping forward with a bright smile, Fulu greeted, “Imperial Physician Xu, it has been quite some time.”
Recognizing Fulu immediately, Xu Chao broke into a flattering, obsequious grin. “Well, if it isn’t Official Fulu! With so many people present, this official momentarily failed to notice you please forgive this oversight, Official Fulu.”
“You are far too polite, Imperial Physician Xu. His Highness dispatched an imperial physician specifically to treat the mother of Young Master Lian right over here, this is the lady.” Fulu smoothly guided Xu Chao’s attention directly toward Auntie Cui.
“Ah, excellent, excellent. Greetings, Madam.”
Flustered and deeply flattered, Auntie Cui hurried to return the bow. “This humble Cui pays respects to the imperial physician.”
Turning to Madame Liu, Fulu offered a smile that failed to reach his eyes: “Madame, this place is far too crowded and unsuitable for a medical examination. Might I ask Madame to kindly step aside and clear the space?”
Knowing full well that Xu Chao was openly flattering Fulu, Madame Liu understood that Fulu’s status within the Regent’s Manor was by no means insignificant. Daring not cause offense, she maintained her smile and replied, “You are entirely right, Official Fulu. Then this mistress shall not linger to disturb the imperial physician’s work.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Madame.” Fulu acknowledged with a polite nod.
Turning to Gong Shu’er, Madame Liu gestured for her to follow. Though fiercely resentful, Gong Shu’er shot one final venomous glare at Auntie Cui before turning on her heel to trail behind Madame Liu out of the courtyard.
Once the room cleared out, Xu Chao smiled warmly and said, “Madame, please be seated so this official may check your pulse.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Adjusting her garments, Auntie Cui seated herself by the window and extended her right wrist.
Taking a seat beside her, Xu Chao retrieved the velvet pulse-pillow from his medical box and gently pressed his fingers against her pulse, concentrating deeply to read the flow.
Meanwhile, just outside the courtyard boundaries, Gong Shu’er grabbed Madame Liu’s arm and protested in aggrieved fury, “Mother! That bitch sat right on top of me just now and tore out handfuls of my hair my scalp is still throbbing with pain! Are we seriously just going to let this go?”
Turning back to glance once more in the direction of the Plum Garden, Madame Liu murmured, “Now that they have the backing of the Regent’s Manor, no matter how bitter our resentment, there is nothing we can do to touch them right now.”
“Mother, one is merely a concubine and the other a concubine-born son, yet they sit proudly over our heads! It makes my heart burn with grievance.”
Seeing the tears shimmering in Gong Shu’er’s eyes, Madame Liu pulled her close and soothed, “Oh my foolish child, why cry over such trivial matters? Did Mother say they would always have backing? I merely meant they are protected for the moment once those people leave, seeking your revenge will be as easy as turning over your hand.”
A spark of hope lit up in Gong Shu’er’s eyes, though it quickly clouded with fresh doubt as she asked, “But Gong Lian enjoys the Regent’s favor. If we retaliate, won’t the Regent hold us accountable?”
“Look at you, finally starting to use your brain for something other than decoration.” Madame Liu let out a helpless sigh. “Auntie Cui and Gong Lian are easy enough to handle; the true obstacle is the Regent standing behind Gong Lian. The Regent’s authority is absolute, striking fear into the hearts of all civil and military officials. Every time they attend court, they effectively tie their heads to their waistbands, terrified of losing their lives at a moment’s notice. With him protecting them, leave aside us even your father wouldn’t dare touch them.”
Gong Shu’er’s brows knotted in frustration once more. “Then what should we do? Are we expected to bow and scrape to that bitch’s face for the rest of our lives?”
“Of course not.” Madame Liu shook her head. “To deal with an enemy, one must strike at their fatal weakness. Auntie Cui’s fatal weakness is Gong Lian, while Gong Lian’s life and death are completely controlled by the Regent. As long as we find a way to sow discord between them and cause Gong Lian to fall out of favor, we won’t even need to lift a finger ourselves.”
“But we never even get to lay eyes on the Regent. How on earth are we supposed to sow discord?”
Instead of answering directly, Madame Liu posed a counter-question: “Why has Auntie Cui spent every single day weeping her eyes out?”
“What else could it be? Because her precious son was forced to become a male favorite, of course.” In Gong Shu’er’s voice, malicious glee was barely concealed.
“She is nothing more than a low-born concubine who can never stand on a proper stage, yet she weeps bitter tears and acts utterly unwilling just because her son was chosen to serve the Regent treating it as some profound humiliation.” Madame Liu smiled with profound, calculating malice. “Suppose word of this reached the Regent’s ears… how do you suppose he would react?”
Gong Shu’er froze momentarily, then broke into a wide grin, whispering excitedly, “Mother is brilliant! Shu’er truly admires you!”