The Eldest Daughter is Delicate and Pretty, How Can She Be a Malicious Supporting Character - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Interlude

“The Gentlemen Gathering will start soon, and since I promised Tangtang, I won’t go back on my word. I hope Mother can help me,” Pei Lingyi said, taking a sip of tea.
Madam Pei was looking at the accounts when she heard Pei Lingyi’s words, which sounded like a child’s promise. She couldn’t help but shake her head.

“You think you can handle Concubine Bai’s temper? You’re coming to me to be the bad guy?”
Pei Lingyi was refined and poised, but Concubine Bai was the opposite – shrewd and calculating. She had always wanted a son and, unable to have one, took out her frustrations on her only daughter, Pei Sitang.

Pei Sitang had been taught by her since childhood and had been unlucky.
This matter was partly due to their father.
Before he became a prime minister, he was already a favorite of the emperor, and many people wanted to curry favor with him.
At a banquet, he was heavily intoxicated, and someone took advantage of the situation.

They arranged for a courtesan to seduce him, intending to blackmail him. But their father realized he was being set up and tried to escape. However, the wine had been spiked with drugs, and he was powerless.
Just when he thought all was lost, a servant girl in servant attire rescued him.

However, the drug took effect, and the servant girl, having saved him, developed feelings for him. They ended up together, and after that, their father gave her a lot of money, thinking that would be the end of it.
But later, the woman claimed to be pregnant with his child and demanded that he take responsibility. Their father, being kind-hearted, brought her into the household as a concubine.

This story was told to Pei Lingyi by her mother, and she believed there was more to it than met the eye. It seemed like a trap set for their father.
There were many inconsistencies in the story.
Firstly, how did Concubine Bai find their father in that secluded place? It seemed like she was in on the plan.
Secondly, after the incident, Concubine Bai accepted a lot of money from their father but didn’t say anything. Why did she come forward after more than ten days?

These inconsistencies made Pei Lingyi doubt Concubine Bai’s innocence. After being raised to the status of a concubine, Concubine Bai’s true nature was revealed. She wasn’t like an ordinary servant girl but had ambition and caused a lot of trouble in the Pei household.

After giving birth to Pei Sitang, she still didn’t give up and tried to seduce their father to have a son.
She was brought into the household as a concubine because she had saved their father and was pregnant with his child. However, their father wasn’t foolish, and her attempts to manipulate him only annoyed him.

From then on, Concubine Bai became obsessed, placing harsh demands on Pei Sitang, hoping she would excel and even surpass Pei Lingyi.
But while she pushed Pei Sitang to excel, she didn’t allow her to have any romantic interests.

It’s normal for young girls to have crushes, even Pei Yangyang, who was simple-minded, wanted a good marriage. But Pei Sitang was trapped, and the cage was built by Concubine Bai herself.
Among the concubines, Madam Pei disliked Concubine Bai the most. She was not only shrewd and calculating but also didn’t respect Pei Sitang’s thoughts.

This led to Pei Sitang bottling up her feelings, which eventually became distorted.
“Mother, please help me this once. I really don’t want to see Concubine Bai,” Pei Lingyi said, holding onto Madam Pei’s sleeve.
If it weren’t for Concubine Bai’s seniority, Pei Lingyi wouldn’t have been so polite. But since it would look bad if she handled it herself, Madam Pei was the most suitable person.

As Pei Lingyi grew older, she rarely acted spoiled towards her mother. Now that she was asking for help, Madam Pei wouldn’t refuse.
Madam Pei pointed at Pei Lingyi’s nose with her finger.
“Alright, alright. I’ll go talk to her.”
…

In the Lihua Courtyard.

A woman in green sat under the osmanthus tree, wearing a golden hairpin and looking lazy, as if she was enjoying the fragrance of the flowers.
“Younger sister seems to have a lot of leisure time to appreciate flowers,” Madam Pei said as she approached, seeing the scene.
Bai Qinghe was interrupted from her thoughts and was naturally annoyed. But seeing the visitor, she couldn’t get angry and instead greeted her respectfully. “Greetings, Madam. I didn’t expect you to visit my Lihua Courtyard today.”

Madam Pei picked a branch of osmanthus and sniffed it gently. “Yes, it’s nice, but it can’t compare to the ones in Jiaojiao’s courtyard.”
Concubine Bai felt annoyed seeing Madam Pei’s attitude, but she could only smile superficially. “You’re right, Madam. Which part of our mansion can compare to the Eldest Miss’s courtyard in terms of luxury?”

Mentioning this made Concubine Bai uncomfortable. Pei Lingyi was just a girl, but the patriarch and the old madam spoiled her so much, sending all sorts of precious things to her courtyard.
What was the point of having all those luxuries when she would eventually get married?

“Did you come here today just to compare the osmanthus in my courtyard to the Eldest Miss’s?”
Madam Pei sat down in a chair, her gentle expression not hiding her authoritative presence.

“Bai Qinghe, since Sitang wants to attend the gathering, what’s the point of stopping her?”
Concubine Bai looked at the gentle and beautiful woman in front of her, her fists clenched. She had dreamed of this woman many times, but she was powerless.

“Ha ha… Madam is joking. Sitang is my daughter, and she’ll do what I say. I’m stopping her because it’s for her own good. What do you think of my approach?”

Concubine Bai chuckled, thinking that Zhao Jingshu had come to defend her precious daughter. But she was wrong; since she was Pei Sitang’s mother, they would both suffer.
Seeing Concubine Bai’s stubborn attitude, Lady Pei smiled. “Bai Qinghe, do you think I’m here to discuss this with you?”

She pulled out a letter from her sleeve and threw it in front of Concubine Bai. “Take a look at this yourself. If you still interfere with Sitang’s matters, I wouldn’t mind sharing this with the Master.”

Madam Pei’s tone was cold, but her words were intimidating.
Concubine Bai hesitated, then opened the letter. When she saw the contents, she panicked. “No, no, no, this is impossible. How did you get this letter?”

As Madam Pei was about to leave, Concubine Bai shouted. “No! You can’t tell the master about this!
I’ll do whatever you say, just don’t tell him!”
Concubine Bai knelt on the ground, her hands clenched, crumpling the letter…