Jiang Chan was dressed in a lotus-pink floating fairy dress today. With a charming smile, she said, "Chan'er pays respects to elder sister. I hope elder sister will take good care of me from now on."
Shen Qing didn't say a word. She simply picked up the teacup and took a sip indifferently.
The old madam had long had the idea of bringing Jiang Chan into the mansion as a concubine. In her previous life, as soon as Shen Qing's incident happened, the old madam quickly had Jiang Chan welcomed into the mansion. After that, everyone in the mansion only knew about the concubine, and no one remembered her, the legitimate wife. In her previous life, Xu Yanchi's inner courtyard was in a complete mess, all thanks to this "gentle, virtuous, generous and proper" concubine, Jiang Chan.
In this life, Jiang Chan was going to enter the mansion. Only when Jiang Chan entered the mansion could Shen Qing quickly get rid of the responsibility of managing the inner affairs of the marquis mansion. However, she must never let her become a powerful concubine who used her dowry and influence to pave the way for herself!
While sipping tea, Shen Qing had already formed a plan in her mind.
She couldn't take the concubine's tea voluntarily. She had to wait until everyone begged her to drink it!
As long as Shen Qing didn't say a word, Jiang Chan had to keep kneeling. Before long, her body started to ache terribly, and her face looked extremely embarrassed.
The old madam frowned unhappily. "Chan'er is calling you. Didn't you hear?"
Shen Qing put the teacup back on the table. Her gaze passed by Jiang Chan and landed on the old madam. Her eyes were slightly red.
"Wasn't I clear enough yesterday? Cousin hasn't even entered the mansion yet, but she's already criticizing me, the mistress. Such a disrespectful concubine won't be tolerated even in an ordinary family, let alone in our marquis mansion. Moreover, the marquis just took in the maid from my room yesterday, and today, mother wants to bring cousin into the mansion. Has mother ever considered my feelings as the legitimate wife?"
"All right," the old madam said with a slightly embarrassed look on her face. "I didn't mean that. I just wanted to settle this matter quickly."
Even if she did have that intention, she couldn't admit it in front of so many people.
She still wanted to save face!
"Chan'er, get up first."
"Yes." Jiang Chan got up reluctantly and stood properly.
The old madam turned to Shen Qing and softened her tone. "Chan'er has grown up under my watch. She and the marquis are childhood sweethearts. I've doted on this niece since she was a child. I'll feel at ease having her by my side. She's still young. What she said yesterday was just a slip of the tongue. I've asked her to come and apologize to you. As an elder sister-in-law, don't be so particular with her."
The old madam gave Jiang Chan a look. Jiang Chan gritted her teeth and knelt down in front of Shen Qing with a thud, on the verge of tears.
"Elder sister-in-law, Chan'er really didn't mean what I said yesterday. I accidentally offended elder sister-in-law. If elder sister-in-law is still angry and wants to beat or punish me, I'll have no complaints!"
Shen Qing also softened her tone a bit. "Cousin is overthinking. Yingxiu, help cousin up."
Yingxiu stepped forward and helped Jiang Chan up.
Shen Qing said, "Of course I won't be so particular with cousin."
The old madam heaved a sigh of relief. Before she could continue speaking, Shen Qing added, "But mother's intention is to bring cousin into the mansion as the marquis's concubine. A concubine is different from those lowly concubines. As the legitimate wife, I naturally have to carefully select someone with good looks and moral character for the marquis."
The old madam's face, which had just started to brighten up, darkened again. Jiang Chan's face also looked extremely ugly. Her fingers under her sleeves were pinched white.
What Shen Qing meant was that she was unworthy of the position and was comparing her to those lowly concubines!
It was already a humiliation for her to be a concubine. Did Shen Qing still want her to be a lowly concubine?
Both Mrs. Ge and Mrs. Xing were happy to watch this show. Because of the old madam's favor, Jiang Chan had often lived in the mansion since she was a child. Her treatment was no different from that of the legitimate daughters in the mansion. Even their own daughters had to give way to Jiang Chan. They were a little uncomfortable in their hearts. Now seeing Jiang Chan and the old madam being embarrassed, none of them said a word, and there was a hint of pleasure on their faces.
Shen Qing didn't care about the expressions of others. She got up and curtsied. "I still have to take care of the new concubine's matters, so I'll go back first."
After saying that, she left directly.
Mrs. Ge and Mrs. Xing also got up to bid farewell.
After everyone left, the old madam's face finally darkened completely.
Jiang Chan was massaging the old madam's shoulders. "Aunt, elder sister-in-law doesn't agree. What should we do next? Chan'er only has cousin in my heart. I don't want to marry someone else."
The old madam patted Jiang Chan's hand and said earnestly, "There have been a lot of things these days. Shen Qing comes from a noble family, so she's bound to have a strong temper. You should visit her more often these days. Once her anger subsides, things will be much easier."
Jiang Chan pursed her lips, looking a little worried. "Aunt, Chan'er understands. But if I go to apologize and elder sister-in-law still doesn't let up, what should I do?"
A cold look flashed across the old madam's face. "I have my own way to make her let up."
---
When Shen Qing arrived at Zhuoying Courtyard, Juanlian was already waiting outside the room.
After Shen Qing went back and tidied herself up, she told Yingxiu to let Juanlian in.
Yingxiu stood at the doorframe and shouted at Juanlian outside impatiently, "You're being summoned!"
Juanlian flinched and stepped into the room. When passing by Yingxiu, she said timidly, "Thank you, Sister Yingxiu."
Yingxiu rolled her eyes so hard that it seemed they would pop out. She replied sarcastically, "Times have changed. I can't afford to be your elder sister, Concubine Juanlian!"
Juanlian felt even more sad. In fact, she didn't want to betray her mistress. Since the mistress was out of favor, she just wanted to be her mistress's helper!
But she didn't dare to say this.
She lowered her head and walked in quickly. The furnishings were extremely familiar, but the people's hearts were so strange.
Juanlian knelt down heavily. "Your humble servant pays respects to the mistress!"
Yuzhen brought in a cup of tea. She also gave Juanlian a cold look. She thought that if it weren't for the fact that the mistress wanted to drink the tea, she would have scalded this ungrateful thing with the hottest tea!
Juanlian wasn't angry. She picked up the teacup and respectfully held it above her head with both hands.
"Please have some tea, mistress."
Shen Qing was too lazy to make things difficult for her over such a trivial matter. Juanlian was ambitious. If used properly, she would be a useful blade.
In her previous life, everyone wanted to trap her in the boundless mire of the marquis mansion. In this life, she not only wanted to make everyone pay the price but also wanted to leave cleanly!
Shen Qing only took a shallow sip and then put the teacup down.
"Yingxiu."
Yingxiu reluctantly stepped forward with a tray. On the tray was a well-made gold-embroidered hairpin.
"This hairpin was carefully selected for you. After all, we've been mistress and servant for so long. It's different from others. But don't forget that your family is still in the duke's mansion. You should think carefully about who you should listen to in the future."
Juanlian's face turned pale. She was a little afraid to reach out and take it.
Yingxiu shouted, "The mistress is rewarding you. Why don't you take it!"
Juanlian took the hairpin with a trembling hand and kowtowed heavily.
"Your humble servant... Thank you, mistress, for the reward. I'll surely follow the mistress's lead from now on!"
"Go down."
Juanlian lowered her head and walked out. When she saw the looks of the little sisters who used to serve with her, they all avoided her like snakes and scorpions. She felt extremely sad.
She didn't do this just for herself. She also did it to help the mistress!
It was better for the marquis to have the mistress's own people by his side than just outsiders.
During dinner, Yingxiu reported that Jiang Chan had come.