The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 24 - Behind the Scenes

After days of spring rain, the sky finally cleared, giving the people of the capital a brief respite. The sun shone brightly, fresh buds sprouted on tender leaves, and the overall mood lifted.

Shen Xiaohai, the heir of the Duke of Ying, returned to his residence after court. He saw that his wife, Lady He, was discussing the wedding gifts for the Zhongyi General's manor with his eldest daughter-in-law.

"You're home early today?" Lady He put down the gift list and stood up to personally help him remove his cloak.

The eldest daughter-in-law stepped forward to pay her respects. Shen Xiaohai nodded and gestured for her to leave.

"Has there been any news from the Song family regarding the Zhongyi manor's celebrations?" Shen Xiaohai casually sat down in a huanghua pearwood chair, raising an eyebrow at Lady He. "I heard their eldest son went to Qingzhou. What's that about? Wasn't it agreed that he would join the spring hunt? Now with the delay, he definitely won't be able to go."

Lady He knelt down to remove his boots and replaced them with comfortable wool slippers while responding, "Yes, he's gone to Qingzhou. When I visited the other day, Old Lady Song happened to mention it. It's just a coincidence, but you know how troublesome their family affairs are."

Shen Xiaohai nodded, clearly amused by the situation. "So Song Ren won't be able to attend this year. He's supposed to accompany the spring hunt in April, and his two younger brothers have just returned from a long journey. Normally, they'd send a steward, so why is Song Jue going personally this time? Could it be that things are taking a turn for the worse?"

Lady He, placing his clothes on a rack, thought for a moment before replying, "That's likely the case. Old Lady Song didn't seem to be in a good mood. It's truly unfortunate for the legitimate daughter of a marquis to end up in such a state."

Shen Xiaohai didn't seem too concerned and shifted the conversation, saying, "When you go to the event, be cautious. Old Lady Song is a shrewd woman, having weathered many storms. Don't leave any traces."

Hearing this, Lady He felt a bit anxious. After some hesitation, she couldn't help but ask, "But with their family already having a noble consort in the palace, why would they align themselves with another family?"

"What does a noble consort matter?" Shen Xiaohai sneered. "She's only given birth to a princess and hasn't had a son. Even if she did, there's no guarantee the child would survive. The emperor and empress have a deep bond that she can't compete with. Even Consort Xian has borne two princes, both of whom are now grown and titled. In comparison, Noble Consort Song has no real favor and is in a precarious position. Doesn't she need to find herself a way out?"

Song Chuchen had risen to the top of the four consorts in just a few short years, seemingly enjoying great favor. However, upon closer inspection, her situation was far from secure.

The Jianzhang Emperor was already in his fifties, while she was only twenty-three, in the prime of her youth. If she didn't bear a prince soon, her future would be uncertain.

Lady He, having some insight, considered this and cautiously reminded him, "But the old marquis is a sly fox. He's now the Minister of Revenue, holding both position and power. He'll be even more cautious now, unwilling to risk the Song family's future."

"That's why this can't be rushed." Shen Xiaohai pointed to the loquats on the table, gesturing for Lady He to bring them over. "Consort Xian is easily influenced by the Crown Prince. Whatever he says, she follows. Once she gets closer to the noble consort, conversations will naturally be easier. If the noble consort decides to make a move, would the Song family really ignore it? With a bit of external support from us, there's a good chance things will go our way."

Lady He peeled a loquat, picked out the seeds with a toothpick, and handed it to him, sighing with concern. "This is a serious matter. Shouldn't you consult with Father?"

Shen Xiaohai's face darkened at the suggestion, and he no longer wanted the loquat.

"Consult with him? What does he know besides indulging in food and leisure? He's holding onto his position, refusing to pass it to me, all because he's afraid of a demotion. If I don't make some achievements now, by the time the title passes to Qingrang, we'll be reduced to a mere baron. The Marquis of Changning still holds an actual office. What do we have? Once we're demoted to a baronial title, do you think we'll be able to compete with the Marquis of Changning?"

The Changning Marquis's family had a noble consort in the palace, and the Marquis had even passed the imperial exams, earning a real position as the Minister of Revenue.

This was all thanks to the imperial family's favor. Years ago, the previous Marquis of Changning had a family dispute that even caught the attention of the late emperor, resulting in a demotion, severely weakening their house.

Originally, the marquisate should have passed to Song Chengyan, the legitimate eldest son, but shortly after inheriting the title, he lost his life during a disturbance within the imperial guards. At that time, the legitimate second son, Song Chengru, had already passed the imperial exams and been appointed as a prefect.

The late emperor, remembering the contributions of the Marquis of Changning and acknowledging that Song Chengyan had died in service, allowed Song Chengru to inherit the title despite his official position. The Changning Marquis's house had since flourished.

The Duke of Ying's family, on the other hand, was nearing the end of its fourth generation and would soon face demotion. With this looming, Shen Xiaohai was naturally anxious.

The Crown Prince's position was secure, but as someone with no real office, Shen Xiaohai knew that aligning with him wouldn't benefit him much. He had no choice but to take unconventional paths.

Seeing his displeasure, Lady He dared not say more, meekly agreeing with him.

Shen Xiaohai found her submissiveness annoying. Lady He was notorious for bullying the weak and fearing the strong. She would act arrogantly in front of lower-ranked concubines and make life difficult in the inner residence, but in front of her in-laws and husband, she was nothing but an obedient puppet.

If the past few generations of Dukes of Ying hadn't been so indulgent and lacking in ambition, how could he have ended up marrying a powerless daughter of an outside family? Compared to other noble ladies, she paled in every way.

Thinking of this, and recalling his childhood playmate Wang Jinsi, who was raised in front of the Empress Dowager, he couldn't help but feel a sense of boredom.

Even with this layer of disdain, he still didn't forget to remind Lady He once more: "You must not mess this up, and don't say too much. The people from the General's residence will naturally handle the speaking. Don't let your loose tongue arouse The Old Lady Song's suspicion."

Lady He dared not disobey and hurriedly agreed.

Shen Xiaohai stood up, took his outer robe, and walked outside.

"Aren't you having dinner at home?" Lady He quickly approached to help him with his clothes, her expression a mix of anticipation and disappointment.

Shen Xiaohai shook his head, and after adjusting his clothing, he stepped out the door, then paused and turned back: "By the way, you should keep a good eye on that brat. Since they are of similar age, let him get to know the Song family's... what's her rank again?"

Lady He understood his meaning and quickly responded, "Among the girls, it seems she is ranked sixth."

"Let them interact more. That little girl has more advantages compared to the other daughters of the Song family." After saying this, Shen Xiaohai left without looking back.