"Drink, drink, drink! How dare she mention tea! That bitch Song Ruotang actually drinks such fine tea. Does she deserve it!" Song Wanying shrieked and raged. No one dared to say a word and could only let her vent.
Fuming, Song Wanying went back home. Song Ruotang was in high spirits. She ordered her servants to prepare more delicious dishes, intending to give herself a good treat. However, Pei Zhiyan came back earlier than expected.
"My lord, why are you back so early today..."
Before Song Ruotang could finish her words, Pei Zhiyan sized her up from head to toe. Seeing that she was unharmed, the slight frown on his brow eased. "I heard Song Wanying came to see you again today?"
Song Ruotang nodded. Pei Zhiyan sat down on a chair, reached out to pour himself a cup of tea, and then poured one for Song Ruotang. In a gentle voice, he asked, "Did she bully you today?"
Song Ruotang sat down opposite him, shook her head with a smile, and said, "Since you stood up for me last time, my sister has been much kinder when talking to me this time."
Pei Zhiyan raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Song Ruotang said cheerfully, "Yes. My sister came today to offer an apology. She even took out a brocade dress embroidered with peonies in the Suzhou style, which was something I never dared to dream of before."
Hearing this, Pei Zhiyan's eyes changed. He seemed to have seen that dress of Song Wanying's before.
"Is it the one with scarlet peonies on the cuffs and hems?" Pei Zhiyan wanted to confirm again, in case he was mistaken.
Song Ruotang nodded, looking a bit puzzled. "How do you know, my lord?"
Pei Zhiyan snorted coldly. Facing Song Ruotang's confused face, he sighed. "That dress was one she had worn before."
Song Ruotang suddenly opened her big eyes wide, unable to believe it. "How could this be..."
"I once saw her wearing it." Pei Zhiyan's face turned a bit cold. He didn't expect Song Wanying to still try to bully Song Ruotang. It seemed that the lesson last time had been too light.
Song Ruotang lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling. She bit her lip gently, looking extremely sad. Unable to bear it, Pei Zhiyan reached out and held her hand on the table. He said softly, "Ruotang, her dress is not good. I'll make you one that's better."
Song Ruotang looked up, with a glimmer of water in her eyes, making them even more lively. She nodded. Although she couldn't hide her disappointment, she still said obediently, "Of course, the one my lord makes will be the best. It's just that I didn't expect my sister to still..."
At this point, the tears in her eyes seemed about to overflow. Pei Zhiyan pulled her into his arms and comforted her gently, "It's not your fault, Ruotang. Don't be sad for those who bully you."
Of course, Song Ruotang wouldn't be sad for those who bullied her. She just wanted Pei Zhiyan to have an even worse impression of Song Wanying and completely side with her in the end.
Song Ruotang nodded and then smiled. "Fortunately, I didn't give my sister the dress you gave me, the one embroidered with plum blossoms, which is my favorite."
Hearing this, Pei Zhiyan paused for a moment and then smiled helplessly. She wasn't so easy to take advantage of after all.
But looking at Song Ruotang's gentle smiling face, he still felt heartache for this girl from the bottom of his heart. She had done nothing wrong. Why should she be treated like this by her own relatives?
So the next morning, Song Ruotang saw a large quantity of silk and satin in the yard again. She even began to suspect that Pei Zhiyan, as the magistrate of the Supreme Court, wouldn't have become a corrupt official, would he?
Uncle Pei was directing the servants to carry the things inside. Seeing Song Ruotang, he smiled and said, "Madam, the master said these things are all for you."
While Song Ruotang was getting a lot of compensation here, Song Wanying was almost exploding with anger when she got home.
She rushed home angrily and happened to see Nie Rong talking to a woman in luxurious clothes. She didn't notice anyone there and suddenly bumped into the woman at the corner, almost knocking her to the ground.
"You stupid slave! Don't you have eyes?" Song Wanying was in a fit of rage and cursed viciously. Then a sneer came from in front of her. "Oh, Mrs. Nie, your daughter seems to have eaten firecrackers today. She explodes at the slightest touch."
Song Wanying looked in the direction of the voice and only then realized that she had cursed the wrong person. She quickly softened her tone and apologized with a smile, "It turns out to be Aunt Fang. I was walking too fast just now and offended you. I hope Aunt Fang will be magnanimous and not be angry with me."
The woman called Aunt Fang was extremely charming. On her slender oval face were a pair of willowy eyebrows, and her eyes were full of amorous glances, making people reluctant to look away.
Hearing her words and with Nie Rong helping to smooth things over, Wen Fang smiled, walked over, and took Song Wanying's hand. "How could I be angry with my niece? What's wrong with you today, niece? Who has upset you?"
Hearing this, a flash of disgust passed through Song Wanying's eyes. She began to explain, "I went to see my younger sister who married as a concubine today. Unexpectedly, she showed off her current life to me and said that our Song family couldn't compare to her life now even in a million years."
As she spoke, Song Wanying observed Wen Fang's expression. Seeing the woman's eyes narrowing slightly, she knew she had hit the mark.
So she pressed on, "I gave her a dress today, but she actually took out her own dress to compare with mine. She disliked my dress and said it wasn't good enough. She also said that being a concubine was just temporary and that she would be promoted to the main wife sooner or later. She said that concubines could never be on the stage."
Song Wanying said angrily and grabbed Wen Fang's hand. "Aunt Fang, I was thinking that since she is still just a concubine now and already looks down on this position so much, she is really inexperienced. In some families, the main wife doesn't even live as well as the concubine. Am I right, Aunt Fang?"
She said this deliberately aimed at Wen Fang, because Wen Fang was not the main wife of the family but a concubine of the Minister of Personnel.
But Wen Fang was very shrewd. She not only had a firm hold on the Minister of Personnel's heart but also had the power of management in the Minister's Mansion transferred to her hands. The main wife was sidelined. Although she was a concubine, she was actually the mistress of the back courtyard of the Minister's Mansion.
Because the main wife's natal family had done a favor to the old lady of the Minister's Mansion, and with the old lady protecting her, Wen Fang hadn't been promoted to the main wife.
So Wen Fang disliked it the most when others said that concubines couldn't be on the stage. In her eyes, although she was a concubine, she was a proper lady.
Song Wanying's words just touched her sore spot, and her expression became subtle.
"By the way, Aunt Fang, why do you have time to come and visit our mansion today?" Song Wanying asked with a smile.
Wen Fang smiled, and Nie Rong beside her explained, "Your Aunt Fang has always been my good friend. Her birthday is in half a month. She came here specially today to invite us to her birthday banquet."
"So it's Aunt Fang's birthday. Niece would like to congratulate you on your birthday in advance, Madam." Song Wanying said with a flattering smile and bowed to Wen Fang.
Wen Fang helped her up and turned to Nie Rong and said, "It's getting late. I'll go back now. You should all come and visit the mansion then."
Nie Rong and Song Wanying accompanied her all the way to the door. Song Wanying kept staring at Wen Fang, but didn't see her do anything. She was a bit anxious in her heart. She had clearly seen the anger in Wen Fang's eyes just now. Why was she keeping silent now?