The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 113 - Old Grudges

When these memories from so many years ago resurfaced, both women exchanged a bitter smile after a moment of stunned silence. Lady Yu, straightforward as always, let out a cold laugh. "To hold onto a grudge for so many years and still have the nerve to tell her daughter about it! It's ridiculous. Losing face should lead one to self-reflection, not to blaming others. She's made no progress in all these years—whenever something goes wrong, it's always someone else's fault, never her own."

Lady Yu grew quiet for a moment, reflecting on the pointlessness of these old grudges since the person involved was long gone. They all knew Noble Consort Xian was vindictive, but no one had expected her pettiness to go so far. Lady Yu turned to First Lady Cui and asked, "Should we tell Xiao Yi? She could use the warning for the future."

At that moment, the Cui sisters and Song Chuyi, tired from playing in the back garden, entered the room. The faint floral scent clung to them, wafting in as they stepped inside.

The Cui sisters hadn't changed much over the past two years, but Song Chuyi had blossomed from a young girl into an elegant maiden. She wore her hair in a parted knot, secured with two small golden pins, along with a fine phoenix hairpin adorned with delicate pearls, making her look like a lotus freshly emerged from the water.

Lady Yu cast a glance at Song Chuyi, then looked at First Lady Cui. "No wonder her mother can't let it go. If she saw her now, she'd probably treasure her even more. Among all the girls in the family, none look as much like Tingting as she does."

First Lady Cui pulled Song Chuyi over to sit beside her, carefully straightening her clothes. "This silver-white beizi suits you well. I have a few more fabrics in this shade—some cloud brocade and Shu brocade. I'll send them home with you so Qingying can make a few new dresses."

She then turned to the Cui sisters with a smile. "You two can choose some fabric to make spring robes as well. And the palace sent over five rolls of gauze; they'll be perfect for summer clothes."

Lady Yu realized that First Lady Cui wanted to speak privately with Song Chuyi about past matters. She stood up with her two daughters, giving a slight bow as they headed out. "If that's the case, I'll just borrow a few rolls of that gauze to make spring clothes for the girls."

Once only a young maid remained to serve tea, First Lady Cui couldn't help but gently touch Song Chuyi's hair, her eyes reddening. "Just now, your aunt mentioned how much you resemble your mother. When you were younger, I only saw a bit of resemblance in your eyes, but now, looking at you, it's as if you were carved from the same mold."

Not that they were entirely identical—both the Cui and Song families had long, noble lineages, each renowned for their refined looks. Song Yi, despite his faults, was known for his elegance and handsome appearance. Song Chuyi had inherited the best traits of both her parents, and her beauty was impossible to ignore.

Caught off guard, Song Chuyi looked up at First Lady Cui, puzzled by the remark.

First Lady Cui held her hand and sighed, "With you looking like this, it's likely that someone in the palace may not take kindly to it."

There was an underlying message in her words, and Song Chuyi understood that First Lady Cui was trying to warn her, so she listened carefully.

"Your mother's first trip to the capital was before her engagement. Officially, I was just bringing her here for a visit," First Lady Cui recalled with a slight smile. "She was about your age, full of energy and playfulness. With her beauty and good nature, it wasn't long before she caught Noble Consort Xian's attention."

Song Chuyi knew the background of Noble Consort Xian, whose family was of even lesser status than Consort Liang's. They had faced considerable hardship, and if it weren't for the imperial court's disregard for lineage in the selection of consorts and the Empress Dowager's particular intentions, who knew where Noble Consort Xian might have ended up.

First Lady Cui's expression darkened as she continued, "I still don't understand her thinking. She persistently urged her brother to visit the Cui household. Not only did he come, but he'd send all sorts of inappropriate gifts. When I finally confronted her, she cried before the Emperor, claiming it was all her own well-intentioned idea and that her brother was just there to help..."

The official excuse was that her cousin had come to the capital to spend time with her, but everyone knew it was because the Cui family had reached an agreement with the Song family and that she was in the capital to meet her potential husband.

Yet Noble Consort Xian shamelessly clung to this opportunity, unwilling to let go of such a desirable match.

Who didn't know that the Cui family was among the most prestigious in the land? Even among the four noble families, the Cui family ranked at the top, providing a lavish dowry and a daughter of exceptional qualities. Knowing all this, Noble Consort Xian was determined, thick-skinned and ruthless, urging her brother day after day to court the Cui family.

No wonder Prince Duan later wouldn't let go of the Song family, and the Eleventh Princess was often restrained by the Ninth Princess in the palace. It turned out this grudge had deep roots.

Song Chuyi found the situation almost laughable. Some people seemed to think that everything belonged to them, using any means necessary to obtain it, and if they failed, they'd blame the thing itself for not jumping into the fire they had prepared.

First Lady Cui saw her silence and assumed she hadn't explained clearly enough, so she laid it out more plainly. "When her gifts didn't work and her brother was denied entry to our household, she even tried to lure your mother into the palace gardens during a palace banquet..."

How could the Cui family have considered a match with the Noble Consort's family? Not only was her family background lacking, but her brother, at twenty-three, was still unmarried. Families of lower status weren't good enough for them, and families of higher status didn't want him. Besides, he was neither accomplished in scholarly nor military pursuits.

Even the usually calm Old Lady Cui was angered. She held back during the banquet and later went directly to the Empress, stating bluntly that the family had already arranged a marriage for her daughter with the Song family's second son. She asked that unrelated parties keep their distance.

The Empress, already aware of the garden incident, comforted Old Lady Cui. Then, as a warning, she had Noble Consort Xian's closest maid sent to the Department of Punishments, delivering a clear blow to Noble Consort Xian's pride.

Noble Consort Xian refused to let the matter rest. She even stirred up a fuss before Emperor Jianzhang, only to be severely scolded by him, having already been forewarned by the Empress. After that, she finally quieted down.

However, her brother became a laughingstock, with countless people secretly mocking him for being like a toad wishing to eat swan meat. He ended up lingering until he was thirty, eventually marrying hastily, and even the girls in their family found it difficult to marry afterward.

Being as petty as she was, it's no wonder that Noble Consort Xian has harbored this grudge ever since.