Yu Wei was an intelligent man. Upon arriving in Yongning, he immediately inquired about the current situation at Yongning Wangfu (though Fu Xuanrui had declared himself Emperor, his residence was still called Pingwu Wangfu, as Fu Xuanrui’s ultimate goal was to capture Shengyang).
Yu Wei knew that the one currently in charge of the Wangfu was the Empress. As soon as he entered the Wangfu, he requested an audience with Her Majesty.
Originally, Yu Wei had intended to seek out the old Wangfei directly. However, after making inquiries throughout Yongning, he found no news of her.
He had no choice but to enter Pingwu Wangfu first and continue his search gradually. Yu Wei refused to believe that the old Wangfei and the other young masters had met with misfortune.
The fact that they had managed to withdraw from Shengyang undetected gave Yu Wei great confidence in the old Wangfei’s capabilities.
Xiao Jiaru received a report from her subordinate: “The former chief steward of Shengyang Wangfu requests an audience.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiaru showed no delight. Instead, she stood up abruptly, exclaiming, “He arrived so quickly!”
Her strong reaction was due to the fact that the Empress Dowager had been in Shengyang for many days, yet neither she nor the Emperor had paid their respects. If the old retainers of Shengyang Wangfu were to arrive now, it would reflect poorly on both her and the Emperor’s reputation.
While the Emperor’s absence could be justified by his presence at the front lines, her own failure to fulfill her duties within the Wangfu was a grave oversight.
Seeing the Empress’s displeasure, Xia Yu quickly asked, “Does Your Majesty dislike this Steward Yu?”
Xiao Jiaru did not want her attendants to misunderstand and potentially cause further complications. This Steward Yu was a longtime follower of her father-in-law and not someone to be treated disrespectfully:
“Not at all. I was merely thinking that it is time to pay respects to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. We have been so busy lately that we haven’t had the chance to visit Her Majesty and Xu Er. Have someone prepare one thousand taels of silver and one thousand jin of fine grain. Tomorrow, we shall set off for Chengshui!”
Hearing this, Xia Yu cautiously reminded her, “Your Majesty, is one thousand taels of silver perhaps a little too little? And as for the grain, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager likely has attendants to care for her. One thousand jin of grain may not last very long.”
“It is enough. Once I have paid my respects to Her Majesty, I will bring her back to the Wangfu. In the Wangfu, all expenses will be covered by the estate’s accounts. This will suffice for now. Besides, the Emperor is still at the front lines! Grain is needed there at any moment. Her Majesty will understand the difficulties faced by both the Emperor and me.”
Although Xiao Jiaru said this, inwardly she thought that she would maintain a casual attitude the next day, hoping that the Empress Dowager would not return with her. If the Empress Dowager were to return to the Wangfu on her own after the grain ran out, it would not be the same as being personally welcomed back.
She had risked the destruction of her family and clan to join Fu Xuanrui in rebellion—not merely for the title of Empress without real power.
Seeing the Empress gesture for her to withdraw, Xia Yu seized the moment to ask one more question, “Will you still see Steward Yu?”
Xiao Jiaru felt resentful toward Steward Yu for arriving in Yongning so early. If not for his prompt arrival, she would not have had to pay respects to the Empress Dowager so soon. Perhaps if she had delayed a few more days, the Empress Dowager would have returned on her own.
“No, I will not see him. Have him accompany us to Chengshui tomorrow to see Her Majesty. After all, he won’t be serving under me anyway.”
Xia Yu had intended to persuade her mistress further, but seeing the impatience on her face, she did not dare to say more. She could only withdraw and oversee the preparations as her mistress had commanded.
When Yu Wei received the news that Her Majesty would not see him, his expression remained unchanged. But when the messenger added that he could accompany Her Majesty to visit the Empress Dowager the next day, his eyes lit up.
He then went to see his family members who served in the Wangfu. Yu Wei’s family was small—just an elderly wife, a son, and a daughter.
His son served the Shizi, and since the Shizi had gone to the battlefield, his son had clearly followed.
His wife worked as an assistant in the main kitchen of the Wangfu, while his daughter tended the fire there. Neither held particularly important positions.
Having served as the chief steward of the Wangfu for many years, Yu Wei had no shortage of silver. That very night, he pulled strings to secure his wife and daughter’s release from service.
Yu Wei planned to take his wife and daughter to seek refuge with the Empress Dowager.
In his view, the Empress had been elevated too highly by Yongning and his followers. Whether she could secure her position in the long run remained uncertain.
An Empress might not always remain an Empress, but the Empress Dowager would always be the Empress Dowager. It was better for his family to seek employment under Her Majesty’s wing!
The request for Yu Zongguan’s family to be released had to be reported to Xiao Jiaru. She merely sneered coldly before granting approval.
If some people were eager to starve, she certainly wouldn’t stop them.
Besides, she would prefer it if the entire Wangfu were filled with her own people.
The journey from Yongning Wangfu to the Zhuangzi in Chengshui took only a day on horseback, but by carriage, it required two to three days.
Xiao Jiaru was in no hurry, so she traveled leisurely by carriage toward Chengshui Xian.
By the time Xiao Jiaru and her entourage arrived, it was already noon on the third day. When they reached the estate, Jiang Wanwen was alone, directing the dozen or so original servants to burn the weeds recently cut from the fields.
A slight breeze that day didn’t help matters—by the time Xiao Jiaru’s group reached Jiang Wanwen, they were covered in dust.
In truth, Xiao Jiaru was not the delicate noblewoman she appeared to be; she was capable of riding horses and even killing.
Yet, in Jiang Wanwen’s presence, she always felt a sense of affectation or inferiority. So, when she saw the dust on her clothes, her expression darkened slightly.
Jiang Wanwen, observing her daughter-in-law’s displeasure the moment she arrived, felt her good mood vanish instantly. She inwardly cursed the misfortune.
In a foul mood, Jiang Wanwen’s words came out sharp:
“Well, who has upset Her Majesty the Empress? Should this old woman kneel and kowtow to appease you?”
Jiang Wanwen’s voice carried, and the attendants on both sides heard every word. Though they kept their heads bowed in tacit understanding, they all thought the Empress was being unreasonable.
Since when should the Empress Dowager kowtow to the Empress? Had the Empress lost her mind?
Hearing her mother-in-law’s words, Xiao Jiaru forgot her petty grievances. She knelt abruptly in the dirt. “Mother, it is my fault for arriving late. While the Emperor is fighting at the front, I have been managing provisions in the rear. I truly could not come sooner to pay my respects. I deserve any punishment, Mother. Please do not harm your health with anger, or the Emperor will worry upon his return.”
Jiang Wanwen grew even more irritated at her daughter-in-law’s display. Regardless of anything else, since they had brought her son along, they should have been more diligent. Yet, this was the attitude they showed:
“Enough, rise. If this continues, it will seem as though this old woman is ignorant of the urgency at the front.”
“Now that the morning greetings are concluded, Her Majesty the Empress, who attends to myriad affairs of state daily, may take her leave.”
Jiang Wanwen had only one thought in her mind at this moment: it seemed the title of “vicious supporting female character” from the book was one she could never shake off. She and this eldest daughter-in-law were fundamentally incompatible—it would be a miracle if they didn’t come to blows.