Di Daughter's Strategy - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Luo Yi’er returned to Yunxia Courtyard after lunch at Fang Yun Hall. Linglong was already waiting in the courtyard. When she saw Luo Yi’er return, she told her everything about the situation in Furong Courtyard and Luo Fu’s reaction, and then smiled slightly.

Luo Yi’er nodded slightly, indicating that she understood. However, her brows remained furrowed. Pan Si saw this and asked curiously, “What are you thinking about, Miss?”

Luo Yi’er tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said softly, “Concubine Qing must have received the news about leaving the mansion last night, but she’s been so quiet.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly and suddenly asked Pan Si. “Where is Eldest Sister now?”

“She’s in Luoyun Pavilion. She hasn’t come out since yesterday,” Pan Si replied.

Luo Yi’er raised her eyebrows and smiled faintly. “No matter what, Concubine Qing’s departure is just a matter of a few days.”

Concubine Qing was once Madam Chu’s senior maid. She was accustomed to the luxuries of the capital city. It would be interesting to see if she could adapt to the simplicity of the manor.

At the same time, in Fang Yun Hall, Zhang Momo quickly walked into the inner room and approached the bed.
She bowed slightly. “Concubine Qing wants to see you, Madam.”

Madam Chu’s movements paused, and after a moment, she raised her head. “There’s no need.”

“She said she has something to tell you about… that incident from the past,” Zhang Momo added hesitantly.
If Concubine Qing hadn’t mentioned that, she wouldn’t have come in.

Hearing this, Madam Chu let out a cold laugh. “That incident? She has the nerve to bring it up!”

Zhang Momo saw the cold expression on Madam Chu’s face and lowered her head, not daring to persuade her further. After all, as someone who knew about the incident, she knew that Madam Chu harbored deep resentment towards Concubine Qing.

“Should I refuse her?” Zhang Momo asked.

“No need. Let her come in. I’m curious about what she wants to say,” Madam Chu said, leaning against the bed, her expression growing even colder.
“Have my dress changed.”

Zhang Momo bowed and went out to bring Concubine Qing in.

About the time it takes to burn incense, Concubine Qing followed the servant into Fang Yun Hall. She wore simple clothing and bowed her head, hiding her emotions. She knelt down and paid her respects. “Servant greets the Madam.”

After a long silence, Concubine Qing’s expression remained unchanged. She smiled and said, “It’s been many years since I last saw you, Madam. You’re still the same as before.”

Madam Chu’s eyes flashed with a hint of sarcasm. “Don’t waste time on unnecessary words. You wanted to see me, so say what you need to say.”

Concubine Qing’s demeanor changed from her usual meekness in front of others. She smiled calmly, “You must have always wondered why I betrayed you.”

“No,” Madam Chu interrupted, her expression cold. “A servant like you isn’t worth my attention.”

Her words carried a subtle sarcasm, causing Concubine Qing’s face to change slightly. She looked up at Madam Chu, who seemed unchanged, and finally revealed a hint of jealousy in her eyes. She smiled self-deprecatingly. “Yes, you’re born to be noble. Why would you care about someone like me?”

Concubine Qing’s eyes seemed distant, lost in thought. She was a servant who had come to the Hou’s mansion with Madam Chu as part of her dowry. However, she had met the Marquis-to-be before Madam Chu did.

That year, the young Lord had just achieved great success and was full of confidence. She had been out on an errand for Madam Chu when she was robbed. The young Lord had stopped the thief and returned her belongings.

“Miss, please check if anything is missing,” he had said.

The young man was dashing in his black clothes, riding a horse. Even a simple sentence or smile from him could captivate her heart. She remembered that it was early summer, and the sunlight had shone down on him, making him look like a celestial being.
She was so captivated that she forgot to respond. He called out to her twice, “Miss? Miss?”

“Ah,” she finally snapped back to reality. Although she couldn’t see, she guessed that her cheeks had turned red. She lowered her head and whispered, “Thank you, sir. Nothing is missing.”

The young man smiled and told her to be more careful in the future. She felt a surge of joy and almost lost her composure, wanting to ask who he was. But before she could, he rode away.

At that time, she thought they would never meet again. However, fate had other plans. She kept the pouch he had handled and treasured it. When she saw him again, it was at the Chu mansion. He was going to marry Madam Chu.

No one knew how bitter she felt that moment, how much she envied Madam Chu.
She had served Madam Chu for many years and knew about her noble background and her close relationship with the Emperor. If the Chu family hadn’t already produced an Empress, Madam Chu would likely have entered the palace and become a noble consort.

She also knew the young man’s identity: Luo Yu’an, the son of the Marquis Qi, a noble and powerful man who was close to the Emperor. He was a perfect match for Madam Chu.

Luo Yu’an.

She knew that with her status, she wasn’t even qualified to be his concubine. But emotions can’t be controlled. The more she interacted with him, the more she fell for him.

That day, in the Chu mansion, he went to see Madam Chu. She remembered it clearly. In the vibrant peony garden, Madam Chu stood among the flowers. He picked a peony and carefully inserted it into her hair. The young man’s ears turned red in the sunlight, and it was dazzling.

She admitted that she was consumed by jealousy that moment.

When she served tea, she intentionally spilled it on him, pretending it was an accident. She apologized anxiously, but discovered that he had already forgotten her. His eyes only had eyes for her mistress, and even when he left, he said reluctantly, “I’ll come again, don’t chase me away.”

She watched as her mistress seemed impatient but was actually shy, pushing him away. She bit her lip hard, lowering her head to hide her emotions.

Later, she followed her mistress to the Marquis’s mansion as part of her dowry. At that time, the old Lord was still alive, but he was favored by the Emperor, and his position as the heir was solid. Even when she intentionally leaked information to him before the wedding, saying that the Emperor had taken a liking to her mistress and was cooling his relationship with him, he didn’t seem to care.

But just before the wedding, her mistress knelt outside the palace gate for a whole day and night. He disregarded his future and brought her mistress into the mansion.

After she followed her mistress into the mansion, she couldn’t help but think about him. Although she was just a lowly servant, as a dowry maid, if her mistress became pregnant, wouldn’t she…

But to her surprise, after her mistress became pregnant, she gave Concubine Qiu a higher status and didn’t think of her at all.

What could she do?
She didn’t want to betray her mistress, but she couldn’t help how she felt. She watched him and her mistress be affectionate, saw his gentle side, and couldn’t let go.

It was precisely because of Concubine Qiu’s matter that he and her mistress finally had a conflict. They didn’t speak to each other for some reason, and on that day, he was with Concubine Qiu. Others might not know, but she saw it clearly. That night, the lights in Fang Yun Hall were on all night.

That was the year the old Lord passed away, and he took on the responsibility of the Marquis Qi’s mansion. He lost his youthful recklessness and became steady and calm. He and Madam Chu seemed to be growing apart, but he wouldn’t allow anyone to disrespect Madam Chu.

She was consumed by jealousy. Why did he still care about Madam Chu, even after all this time?

What was so special about Madam Chu?
Apart from her noble background, she wasn’t any better than her.

She couldn’t understand it, and a sense of dissatisfaction grew in her heart. So, when Madam Chu was about to give birth, she climbed into the Lord’s bed.

She told the Lord that Madam Chu had sent her.

She knew the Lord would believe her because Concubine Qiu had become a concubine in the same way. Madam Chu was too polite and had pushed him away.

She watched as the Lord’s face turned cold in an instant. For a moment, she thought he would throw her out. But to her surprise, even though he was furious, he still considered not losing face for Madam Chu. He said icily, “Attend to this Marquis’s clothing.”

He moved stiffly, like he was completing a task. When the towel touched her body, she saw a flash of disgust in his eyes. She had never felt so cold in her heart.

The door was pushed open forcefully, and he turned around, frowning. When he saw Marquis Chu, he immediately pulled out without hesitation. He was almost fully clothed, while she was naked. She panicked and pulled the quilt over herself, calling out to him in distress. “Lord Marquis…”

She had practiced for a long time, knowing that her expression would be innocent and pitiful. But he didn’t even look at her, his eyes fixed on Madam Chu. He said in a low voice. “What brings you here?”

She saw Madam Chu’s fingers trembling, unsure if it was from sadness or anger.
Her eyes turned red. “Lord, you favored another woman in my courtyard. What am I supposed to do?”

He understood the situation at a glance. His brow furrowed. “She said you sent her.”

But Madam Chu didn’t wait for his explanation. Her face turned white, and she clutched her belly, falling onto the old woman’s shoulder. She bit her lip, refusing to show weakness.

Even so, he was worried sick. He strode over to her, wanting to hold her, but she shouted, “Don’t touch me!”

The disgust in Madam Chu’s words was unhidden. He froze, looking at her calmly. The maids and old women were in a panic, calling for the midwife. He knelt down, and she saw the self-blame and worry in his eyes. Even though Madam Chu was being cold to him, he only spoke softly to comfort her.

Because of Madam Chu’s difficult labor, she was forgotten. She sat alone on the bed in the side room, hugging the quilt, staring blankly at the people coming and going. No one even bothered to close the door for her, leaving her exposed to everyone.

He had been cruel to her, not even wanting her to live. Later, when he discovered she was pregnant, he still didn’t relent. It was the old lady who pitied her and spoke to Madam Chu, and he didn’t want to make things difficult for Madam Chu, so he spared her. But he didn’t allow anyone to see her.

She remembered the last time she saw him. He had rushed into the delivery room, holding Madam Chu tightly. In that moment, she saw the tenderness in his eyes. After that, she only heard his angry and panicked voice.

All his gentleness was reserved for Madam Chu.

And she was obsessed with it.

Concubine Qing’s eyes welled up with tears as she recalled the past. She looked at Madam Chu, who was still high above her, and couldn’t help but laugh. Her laughter turned to tears.
“I don’t understand why. I was the one who met him first. Why did he only see you?”

“Except for your family background, what makes you better than me? Why didn’t he see me?”

She laughed crazily, having thought about it for 15 years, day and night, but still couldn’t understand what made her inferior to Madam Chu.

Madam Chu looked at her coldly, her eyes flashing with impatience. Just then, a low voice came from the entrance, “You’re not comparable to her in any way.”

Everyone turned to look at the entrance. The curtain was lifted, and Luo Yu’an walked in, his hands behind his back. The shadow cast on his face, and he looked at Madam Chu carefully before turning to Concubine Qing with disdain. “What do you have to compare with her?”

Madam Chu’s sarcasm couldn’t compare to the impact of Luo Yu’an’s words on Concubine Qing. Her face turned pale the moment he walked in. She stared blankly at him, seemingly blinded by the sunlight, and tears flowed unconsciously.

Luo Yu’an had already looked away, walking over to Madam Chu. He helped her up before she could bow, frowning slightly, “Why did you want to see her?”

His voice held a hint of concern, and he gripped Madam Chu’s hand tightly. He glanced coldly at Zhang Momo.
“Don’t bring these people to dirty Madam’s eyes in the future.”

Concubine Qing’s body swayed slightly, and she instinctively suppressed all her negative emotions, bowing her head and kneeling on the ground. Her voice was hoarse, “I came to bid farewell to the Lord and Madam.”

Even though her thoughts had been exposed to him, she still hoped that he would remember the good times they had shared. The young man from that summer had been etched in her heart, and she couldn’t forget him.

She didn’t regret anything. She had wanted his love and tenderness, and she didn’t regret anything she had done.

She only regretted not being more careful and not making Madam Chu angrier. She had done it, so why not do it thoroughly?

She had also felt resentful, wondering why Madam Chu had survived the difficult labor. She had pretended to be a Buddhist for 15 years, and he hadn’t even seen her once.
What was the point?

She raised her head and saw him holding Madam Chu’s hand tightly, their faces close together. Even after 15 years, seeing this scene still drove her crazy with jealousy. She hid the tears in her eyes and suddenly spoke up, “Madam, I’ve always wondered how Lady Su could have easily put the fabric in Pear Garden.”

“Was it you? Did you allow this to happen?”

Luo Yu’an and Madam Chu froze, and Madam Chu turned to look at her coldly. Concubine Qing raised her eyes and smiled recklessly. “Madam, you should be angry with me.”

“Are you angry, Madam? Are you angry with the Lord?”

Luo Yu’an’s expression changed, and he shouted angrily. “Drag her out!”

He gripped Madam Chu’s hand tightly, looking at her instinctively. But Madam Chu just smiled sarcastically and glanced at Concubine Qing without saying a word. Then she looked up at Luo Yu’an, her brow furrowed in displeasure.
“Lord, be gentle.”

This sentence made Luo Yu’an’s grip loosen slightly. But Concubine Qing, who was already being dragged to the door, widened her eyes, and her face turned pale.

She wasn’t angry with him anymore.
They were back to how they used to be.

Impossible! Impossible! It wasn’t true.
How could she not be angry with him?

Concubine Qing’s eyes were wide with disbelief, staring at Madam Chu. She didn’t see any pretence in Madam Chu’s expression. She whispered, unwilling to believe: “It’s impossible… it can’t be…”

Even though she didn’t believe it, she couldn’t help but cry. As she was dragged out of the room, all she could see was the entwined hands of the couple. The resentment that had built up in her heart for decades seemed to surge up, and she felt a lump of blood in her throat. Her vision blurred, and she lost consciousness.