Chapter 414: Chapter 400: Just a Scheme (Part 2)
The Study Room
Zhu Sheng listened to the report from the servant, tapping his fingers on the table, "Is it true or false?"
"We can’t enter the General Mansion, but the bribed servant said it’s really the case." The servant knelt on the ground.
Zhu Sheng pondered for a moment, "Have the Princess Consort find an excuse to visit."
"Yes." The servant quickly retreated.
After hearing, the Third Prince Consort sent a post to them first, then dressed up before going out to visit other madams together.
After two or three quarters of an hour, they arrived at the General Mansion, where the housekeeper had already been waiting at the door, respectfully welcoming them in.
After entering the hall, the housekeeper apologetically said, "Third Prince Consort, Mrs. Lin, Mrs. Wu, please wait a moment, Madam will be here soon."
"No rush." Mrs. Wu smiled slightly.
After waiting for almost a quarter of an hour, still no sign of the hostess, the housekeeper turned to the maid and said again, "Is Madam coming?"
"Yes, on her way, can’t walk quickly." The maid whispered.
Although whispered, all the ladies present heard, they exchanged glances, and after a moment passed, they finally saw a plainly dressed woman walk in.
Compared to the recent days’ radiance, now she looks quite lacking in spirit.
Their gaze shifted downward to her legs, though she tried hard to cover it, it still seemed a bit unnatural.
"Third Prince Consort, Mrs. Lin, Mrs. Wu, sorry for being late." Lin Qiao apologized with a guilty look.
The Third Prince Consort smiled warmly, "It’s fine, what happened to Mrs. Song’s leg? It looks a bit inconvenient."
Lin Qiao seemed eager to cover it up, changed the subject, "It’s nothing, is there any matter, Third Prince Consort?" After speaking, she tried to sit on the chair, but her brows furrowed slightly after bending a bit.
The maid beside her quickly supported her to sit down.
Now, the three of them saw the problem, the rumors outside were true.
General Song is too daring; even though it was the Emperor’s bestowed marriage and just a formal wife, it still isn’t as prestigious as the original wife’s status.
This seems to be favoring the concubine over the wife.
However, it is fortunate that General Song’s original wife is a village woman; if it were an authentic official family’s lady from the capital, she wouldn’t have been bullied to this extent.
"Nothing special, just came to have some talk with you."
The Third Prince Consort took a sip of tea and glanced around, smiling as she added, "How come we haven’t seen you leave the mansion these days?"
Lin Qiao appeared disappointed for a moment, then whispered, "The weather has been too hot recently, I don’t want to go out."
"Indeed, it’s hotter this year than in previous years." Mrs. Lin lightly fanned herself and glanced at her, adding, "But we’re still doing better; someone like General Song, who goes to the West Mountain Camp every day, must have it much hotter than us."
"He went to the West Mountain Camp?" Lin Qiao blurted out, then realizing her mistake, immediately corrected, "Is that so."
The Third Prince Consort, however, clung to the first sentence, smilingly said, "Mrs. Song doesn’t know that General Song went to the West Mountain Camp?"
Lin Qiao’s eyes dodged slightly, "I... I know, the General told me."
Clearly lying, the Third Prince Consort and the others saw through it but didn’t expose it. Mrs. Wu smiled, "I was just wondering how Mrs. Song wouldn’t know where General Song went."
They chatted for a long time, noticing Lin Qiao occasionally biting her lip, seemingly in pain.
The Third Prince Consort stood up, "It’s getting late, we won’t disturb Mrs. Song’s rest any longer."
"Mrs. Song looks a bit unwell, I’ll have the maid send over a ginseng root later; don’t be reluctant to use it."
"Thank you for your kindness, Third Prince Consort, but there’s no need. Ginseng is too expensive." Lin Qiao waved her hand, looking somewhat apprehensive.
Seeing her in such a manner, the Third Prince Consort looked down on her a bit, no wonder Song Tingfan didn’t care for her; no matter how pretty a face is, a vulgar demeanor is enough to turn a man away, "Not expensive, just a few hundred taels of silver."
"No, no, too expensive, no need, I’ll just eat more meals." Lin Qiao sincerely replied.
Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Wu exchanged glances, lowering their heads, and touched their noses with the square cloth in their hands.
After leaving the mansion and boarding the carriage, Mrs. Lin shook her head disdainfully, "This Mrs. Song is nothing but a pretty face."
"Isn’t she? Afraid to even accept a ginseng root." Mrs. Wu agreed, then added, "Judging by her looks, she must have been punished."
"Certainly, she didn’t even dare sit on the chair. General Song indeed is a brute, beating the real wife is just losing face for him."
"How would men understand this? When they’re smitten, they care not who’s the true wife or not; they still hit. Last year, didn’t Mr. Yu beat his real wife to death over a concubine?"
...
Meanwhile,
The housekeeper who was worried that Madam would slip up just now had no worries left, and couldn’t help but glance at her; Madam indeed has more courage than an ordinary village woman.
Lin Qiao naturally noticed his gaze; what were these few people compared to when she acted a crying scene in front of more than a hundred people.
