The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 22 - Compromise

Li Shi was indeed a shrewd woman. She didn't blame the Old Lady or accuse Song Chuyi of being ungrateful or forgetting her mother's kindness. Instead, she simply laid out her difficulties, positioning herself as a loving and devoted mother. This naturally stirred a sense of sympathy in others, making them feel a little guilty on her behalf.

If Song Chuyi hadn't already told the Old Lady about her "dream," even she might have been moved by Li Shi's heartfelt words.

Thankfully, she had prepared in advance. Song Chuyi lowered her head, her lips curling into a faint smile.

After a long silence, the Old Lady finally spoke.

"Who said I'm bringing her over because you haven't taken good care of her?"

Li Shi, her eyes red, looked up at the Old Lady. "It must be because I haven't done my duties well that you feel this way."

"Nonsense!" The Old Lady, her expression stern, had Nanny Huang pull Li Shi up. She then earnestly reminded her, "I'm doing this for your sake. You've been married for five years now, and everything is good, except you still haven't given the family a son."

This struck at Li Shi's greatest insecurity and hit her weakest spot. Guilt washed over her, and she lowered her head. After all, children were important, and in the five years since her marriage, she had only given birth to Song Chuning. It was an undeniable shortcoming.

Fortunately, the Old Lady was an understanding mother-in-law and had never made things difficult for her over this issue.

Now that the Old Lady had brought it up, Li Shi couldn't say anything more.

"I know you're a good woman, but you can't spend all your energy on Xiao Yi. These years have been hard for you, managing the affairs of the second household, attending to the Second Master, and caring for Xiao Yi and Yanjie'er, born to Concubine Lin." The Old Lady held her hand and patted it gently.

Li Shi choked up as if she had finally found a moment to vent the grievances she had bottled up for so long.

Nanny Xu quickly stepped forward to comfort her, smiling as she said, "Second Lady, you've always been so kind and considerate. How could you not see that the Old Lady is thinking of your best interests? She's doing this for you and the Second Master."

Lady Li, still feeling conflicted, glanced at Song Chuyi, her face full of reluctance. "But, Chuyi has been spoiled by me. She's bound to cause trouble for the Old Lady."

Song Chuyi stepped closer, affectionately taking Li Shi's hand. Her voice was sweet and soft as always. "Mother, don't worry. Last night, Grandmother explained many things to me. Little Sister is often upset that I'm closer to you, but now that you'll have more time to care for her, she'll be happier. And once you have more children, brothers, and sisters for me, our second household will thrive. I understand it all."

Li Shi realized that there was no way to turn the situation around. Tearfully, she thanked the Old Lady, then pulled Nanny Huang aside as she left the room, giving her instructions. "Chuyi doesn't like sweets. She won't touch any of those sweet soups or pastries, and she's not fond of meat either... Also, she tends to kick off her blankets at night..."

Listening to this, Nanny Huang couldn't help but feel heartache and admiration for Lady Li's kindness. She later recounted everything in detail to the Old Lady.

Song Chuyi listened quietly on the side, saying nothing.

She would let Li Shi perform her act. The more perfect the mask Lady Li wore now, the more detestable she would seem when it was torn off to reveal her true face.

The Old Lady nodded deeply and pulled Song Chuyi to sit by her side.

"Last night it was too late, and after your outburst, I didn't have time to tell you many things."

Song Chuyi nestled quietly in her arms, as peaceful as a little kitten.

She was truly different now. Without that dream, it would be hard to believe such a change. The Old Lady sighed and asked her, "After having such a dream, did you wake up filled with anger and resentment? Wishing Shen Qingrang would die on the spot, and that all those who bullied you in the dream would be killed?"

This time, Song Chuyi didn't cry, but she also didn't nod. She seemed to hesitate.

Only then did the Old Lady feel relieved, gently stroking her head with the affection of an elder caring for the younger. "The fact that you're hesitating means that your heart isn't entirely consumed by anger and hatred."

"What I'm going to tell you next, you might not fully understand yet, but you must remember it well, alright?"

Song Chuyi silently nodded.

"When your aunt was around the age of your fifth sister, your grandfather and I started searching for a match for her. She didn't have any sisters, only brothers, so we spoiled her. When it came to picking a husband, she insisted on approving him herself. She met many young men, practically combing through all the eligible bachelors in the capital, but none suited her. I felt something was wrong and didn't want her to delay any further, so I planned to arrange a match for her. Unexpectedly, she found someone on her own."

The Old Lady took a sip of tea handed to her by Nanny Xu to soothe her throat, then continued, "She was headstrong and accustomed to being doted on, insisting that she would marry no one but him. Your grandfather and I had no choice but to agree. Still, we were uneasy, so we sent people to investigate your uncle's family background. They came from a reputable line and were well-known in Sichuan, so we agreed to the marriage."

"We thought as long as your uncle was hardworking and treated her well, everything would be fine. As parents, all we want is for our children to live well. Your uncle even swore in front of us that he wouldn't take any concubines until he was forty if he didn't have a son. With his clear declaration of intent, your grandfather and I felt reassured. Even knowing he would be leaving for an official post far away, we allowed the marriage to go ahead. Since the wedding, your aunt has only returned to the capital once. You know, this life... she probably won't ever have the chance to come back again..."

The Old Lady's voice grew softer, her teary eyes becoming misty.

Song Chuyi began to sense that something wasn't quite right. In the rumors, her uncle and aunt were said to be deeply in love, their bond unshakable as husband and wife. But from what the Old Lady was saying, it didn't seem that way.

"She's been married for eleven years, and to this day, she has only one daughter. And your uncle, well, he took several concubines three years ago. He's only thirty-three. And that's not counting the maidservants your aunt gave him in their third year of marriage." The Old Lady's tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "I blame your uncle for breaking his promise and falling out of love, but I blame your aunt even more. If she had just listened to me and your grandfather back then, she wouldn't have ended up like this."

"By the seventh year, the love between them was long gone. I wrote to her, asking if she wanted us to help her get a divorce. She resolutely refused. Even when your eldest and third uncles went to support her, she didn't appreciate it, stubbornly maintaining her dignity and sending them away. I was furious, angry that she would abandon her family, her parents, and even the dignity of being a legitimate daughter of a noble house—all for the sake of a man."