The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 3)

Chapter 76 - Entanglements

With a muddle-headed person like Old Lady Xiang, there was no point in expecting her to understand reasons. Old Lady Song didn't intend to speak to her further. She turned to Third Lady Chen and said, "You claimed that you didn't know about the feud between our family and the Xiang family before, but now you do. This confused old woman is neither a relative nor an old acquaintance of ours. By etiquette, seeing me, a titled lady, she should kneel and address me as 'marchioness.' Today, for your sake, I won't hold her accountable, but if she truly insists on making a scene..."

Third Lady Chen's face grew strained, clearly catching the meaning behind Old Lady Song's words. She had brought Old Lady Xiang into the Song residence, thinking it wouldn't matter who Old Lady Xiang was or whether she knew of the history between the Xiang and Song families. But now that the Song family had made everything clear, if she continued to indulge or incite Old Lady Xiang to create trouble, it would reflect poorly on her.

Truly, wisdom comes with age—Old Lady Song's few words left her at a loss, her face flushed, and she stood up somewhat flustered, her tone mixed with grievance and apology. "Oh... how could it come to this... I truly didn't know before coming..."

Third Lady Song cast her a cold look, impatiently waving her off. "Whether you knew or not isn't our concern. Today, Lady Chen arrived without any elder accompanying her and brought this so-called 'relative' of hers into our home without a word of notice... We can't read your mind to know your intentions. But now that we've explained everything, you brought this person, and the trouble follows with it. If this old woman truly dares to bash her head at our doorstep, that's not on us."

Recently, Yun Shi, who had been assisting the First Lady in managing household affairs, had cast aside her former jealousy and pettiness after her daughter's grave mistake. She now understood the Song family's unity in honor and disgrace. Seeing Third Lady Chen's actions, she couldn't resist making a mocking remark.

Unprepared for Yun Shi's bluntness, Third Lady Chen's face went white and then purple, silently cursing her, but she quickly restrained Old Lady Xiang, who was about to start a tantrum, and turned to apologize to Old Lady Song. "It's all my fault; my good intentions turned to trouble..."

Old Lady Xiang, unwilling to relent, wanted to continue stirring up trouble but didn't dare cause more difficulties for Third Lady Chen. She scowled, her face twisted in bitterness, and let out a sarcastic laugh. "So, it's a matter of bullying the weak, is it...? If that's the case, we'll just go to court and have a proper judgment!"

She wouldn't accuse the Song family but would charge Xiang Mingzi with defiance and unfilial conduct, making it so Xiang Mingzi would never hold her head high again.

Old Lady Song didn't even look at her and instructed the Third Lady, "I'm not feeling well, so I won't keep Lady Chen. Third Daughter-in-law, please see her out."

Old Lady Xiang pressed her lips into a thin line, sneering, "I am her grandmother. Isn't she going to see me off?"

The third Lady gave her a mocking smile. "The Xiang family's severance papers clearly state that she's now part of our family. How are you related? What grandmother? Laughable!"

Third Lady Chen covered her mouth with a handkerchief, coughing lightly.

Old Lady Xiang craned her neck to look inside but finally turned with a snort and followed Third Lady Chen out.

Once the room was quiet again, Old Lady Song instructed Zilan, "Call the young lady out."

Xiang Mingzi's eyes were red from crying, and she sat close to Old Lady Song, filled with fear and anxiety. In this dynasty, cases like hers, where a daughter was removed from her paternal family and adopted by her maternal family, were not without precedent. In the previous dynasty, the Marchioness of Changning was adopted back into her mother's family due to mistreatment by her biological father and grandfather. But later, when the Marchioness's father accidentally fell to his death and her stepmother also died, only her frail younger brother and grandmother remained in the family. Her grandmother brought the boy to the Empress, tearfully petitioning for the adoption document to be revoked, so the Marchioness could bring her mother's dowry back to her paternal family.

Officials in the Ministry of Rites argued over the matter for a long time before finally concluding, together with the Ministry of Ceremonies, that the adoption document was invalid. They decreed that family ethics, a matter of heavenly principles, required that the Marchioness support her weak brother and elderly grandmother. Ultimately, the late emperor issued an edict forcing the Marchioness to return to her father's house with her mother's dowry to support her grandmother and care for her younger brother.

Even Old Master, frail and ill, had visited the Ministry of Rites countless times and argued in vain; the officials remained adamant that propriety demanded that no granddaughter should watch her younger brother and grandmother starve. The next day, the Marchioness, who had reverted to the Lian surname, drowned herself in the lake...

Old Lady Song knew that Xiang Mingzi was thinking of this incident, so she held her hand gently, patting it reassuringly. "Don't be afraid. Our family isn't as helpless as the Lian family, and Old Lady Xiang is not Old Lady Qin, who once held a favor from the emperor for a single meal."

Third Lady Song had just returned from seeing off Third Lady Chen and entered with First Lady and First Lady Cui and Lady Yu. She immediately let out a derisive laugh, saying, "Expecting me to believe that Third Lady Chen didn't have some scheme in mind is like asking me to believe a pig can climb a tree!" Her words tumbled out in a rush. "Who in the entire capital hasn't heard about Linlang's matter? It was such a scandal; how dare she claim she didn't know?"

Knowing and still helping Old Lady Xiang do something bound to offend the Marquis of Changning's household was indeed suspicious. Could it be that Third Lady Chen had suddenly developed a charitable heart?

Old Lady Song raised an eyebrow and looked at the First Lady. "Send someone to investigate this thoroughly and find out exactly what Third Lady Chen's motives are."

Without the support of Third Lady Chen, Old Lady Xiang wouldn't have made it to the capital at all. And even if she had arrived, she wouldn't have known where to even start with the court. Her threat of going to the authorities was laughable.

The First Lady smiled. "No need to even say the word; I've already sent someone to look into how Old Lady Xiang managed to connect with Third Lady Chen and why Third Lady Chen would take on such a task that would offend our household."

It was undoubtedly about profit. Otherwise, was Third Lady Chen simply bored enough to create trouble for the Marquis of Changning? Even Lady Chen wouldn't dare to provoke such trouble openly!

First Lady Cui pursed her lips thoughtfully, smiling slightly. "I heard that Third Master Chen was born of a concubine and has had an unremarkable official career. A few years ago, he paid for a position as an assistant county magistrate and worked his way up to county magistrate, but he hasn't advanced any further. I've also heard... that Old Lady Chen doesn't care much for them."