Chapter 8: Sister-in-law

“Consort Zhuang has such a hasty temperament, but she isn’t a bad person at heart. Please don’t take anything unpleasant she said to heart, Madam.”

On the way, Yang Zhi’an took the initiative to say.

Xie Jiu was somewhat surprised.

She hadn’t expected that after Consort Zhuang was so impolite to Yang Zhi’an at Chengming Palace just moments ago, Yang Zhi’an would still speak well of her.

Someone like Yang Zhi’an, who moved in the Emperor’s inner circle, would certainly not speak unnecessarily without a reason.

But since Xie Jiu didn’t know the motive for the moment, she just smiled and nodded.

“Her Ladyship is straightforward and speaks her mind; I actually like such directness.”

This was the truth.

It was the kind of people who spoke in riddles, requiring one to tear apart and crush every word to understand the meaning, who were truly difficult to deal with.

“That is exactly the logic.” Yang Zhi’an also smiled and said no more.

After escorting her to Princess Wenxi’s residence and giving instructions to the head palace maid by the Princess’s side, he took his leave.

“This servant, Qinlan, greets you, Madam.” The tall, thin, and capable-looking woman gave Xie Jiu a standard, respectful bow.

However, there was no joy on her face; in fact, there was a faint sense of resistance.

Sure enough, the palace maid named Qinlan said directly, “His Highness the Second Prince has not been feeling well these past two days and likely lacks the energy for lessons. I have not yet reported it, so I assume the Emperor is unaware. I have troubled you to make this trip, Madam, but I’m afraid the lesson will have to be rescheduled.”

Xie Jiu could understand why Qinlan was being so defensive.

After all, she currently wore the label of the Emperor’s mistress on her head, and in the eyes of others, she was likely seen as someone of loose morals. It was not strange that Qinlan didn’t want her to have contact with the Princess.

This only proved that this maid named Qinlan truly cared for the Princess and was loyal.

However, Xie Jiu had her own calculations regarding the role of the Princess’s tutor, so she did not intend to leave just like that.

Catching a glimpse of a stack of practice papers on the table, she walked over and flipped through them briefly.

“These are the characters the Princess practices daily, right? The Princess is still young, her wrist strength is insufficient, and her hand is unsteady. This brush is too soft; it’s not suitable and should be changed.”

She paused, then added.

“The copybook chosen for her to imitate is also not good; it’s not suitable for beginners. I have a few excellent ones in my possession. I will bring them myself tomorrow to replace these and let the Princess try them out.”

She pointed out several such issues in succession.

Qinlan had initially thought Xie Jiu was just putting on a show, so she was surprised to see her offering genuine guidance.

After saying these things, Xie Jiu did not linger. She said she wouldn’t disturb the Princess’s rest and then left.

No wasted words, crisp and efficient—she truly acted like someone who had come to teach.

After she left, a small figure emerged from the inner room.

“Nanny.” Princess Wenxi looked up and said to Qinlan, “It seems she really is capable of teaching me.”

Qinlan pursed her lips. “After all, the Xie family is a prestigious scholarly house.”

But she still felt uneasy about Xie Jiu, fearing that her poor character might lead the Princess astray.

“Princess, you should rest for a while longer. Allow this servant to observe her further,” Qinlan said softly.

Before Consort Xian passed away, she had gripped her hand tightly, begging her to take good care of the Princess. Qinlan dared not be the least bit careless.

Princess Wenxi was obedient and nodded quietly.

Chengming Palace.

Xie Jiu hadn’t been able to see the Princess, so she returned early.

At this moment, Zhao Xingjin was still handling state affairs. Thinking that he would be going to Consort Zhuang’s place later and likely wouldn’t summon her, Xie Jiu returned to the side hall to rest.

Sure enough, Zhao Xingjin left as soon as he finished his work.

Xie Jiu was happy to be at leisure. After finishing her lunch, she prepared to have a good rest.

She had been running non-stop lately.

She was tired.

However, she didn’t expect that at this very moment, a young palace maid would arrive holding a wooden box, saying that someone from outside the palace had sent something for her.

“Who sent it?” Qingfang asked as she took it.

The young maid replied, “The young lady of the Marquis Weiyuan’s estate.”

There was only one young lady in the Marquis Weiyuan’s estate, and that was Xie Jiu’s sister-in-law, Wu Que’s biological sister, Wu Qingchan.

Wu Qingchan studied at the girls’ academy, leaving early and returning late, spending little time at the estate.

Later, when the men of the Wu family left the capital to lead troops, perhaps feeling it was awkward to face a sister-in-law she wasn’t familiar with every day, Wu Qingchan simply stayed at the academy. She would return once a month, and even then, it was only to offer a symbolic greeting.

Aside from Xie Jiu managing her daily life and giving her pocket money on time, the two sisters-in-law had little interaction.

So, hearing that Wu Qingchan had sent something to Xie Jiu, the mistress and her maids were all quite surprised.

Chunrong immediately slipped the young maid a tip, sent her away, and then closed the door.

“Open it and let’s see,” Xie Jiu said.

Qingfang nodded. After opening the box, she saw a broken jade hairpin inside, with a letter pressed underneath.

Xie Jiu recognized the hairpin as the gift she had given Wu Qingchan for her coming-of-age ceremony, so she roughly guessed what the letter contained.

Sure enough, upon opening the letter and glancing at it, the slightly messy handwriting revealed the anger of the person who wrote it.

“‘The rat has skin, but a man has no dignity; if a man has no dignity, why does he not die? The rat has teeth, but a man has no restraint; if a man has no restraint, why does he wait to die? The rat has limbs, but a man has no propriety; if a man has no propriety, why does he not die quickly?’”

After reading the beginning, Xie Jiu lost interest.

She tossed the letter aside.

“What did she write?” Qingfang asked immediately.

Xie Jiu lowered her eyes, her tone indifferent. “Naturally, she is scolding me on behalf of her brother.”

Chunrong and Qingfang frowned, leaned over to read the letter, and were immediately filled with indignation.

“From the moment you entered the Marquis Weiyuan’s gates, you treated her with extra favor because she was the only girl in the Marquis’s estate. You never skimped on the trendy clothes, jewelry, food, or trinkets in the capital. You provided the best of everything for her, and even her pocket money was much higher than that of other noble young ladies. That’s not even counting the extra gifts you gave her during festivals. You truly acted as a mother would to a sister-in-law, never once wronging her. Now that she scolds you so harshly, it is truly chilling!”

Qingfang, who had a quick temper, was furious.

Chunrong didn’t speak, but her face was also dark.

Xie Jiu, on the contrary, smiled. “Isn’t this just like her brother? When Wu Que set his sights on me, did he ever consider how much effort I spent managing the household and handling the trivialities for his Wu family after I married in?”

“The two siblings are the same kind of people.” A cold light seeped into Xie Jiu’s eyes. “Selfish and cold-hearted, ungrateful. When things go their way, they take it for granted, but the moment you go against their wishes, they bare their fangs and claws, wishing they could devour you.”

Clearly, Wu Qingchan sending this letter and the broken hairpin meant she was accusing her of betraying Wu Que and intended to make a clean break with her sister-in-law.

Tsk, it was a waste of her kindness toward Wu Qingchan for so long. The girl didn’t even stop to think why she, as a sister-in-law, would suddenly abandon a comfortable life to do such a thing.

Oh well, how could selfish people ever bother to stand in someone else’s shoes?

“Chunrong, send this out of the palace. Say it is a gift from me, her sister-in-law—palace-made jewelry that cannot be bought outside.”

Xie Jiu pulled a magpie-on-a-branch hair tassel from her head and handed it over.

This was a reward from Zhao Xingjin; it was perfect for this use.

Just as Chunrong was about to leave, Xie Jiu called her back.

She had Qingfang bring paper, picked up a brush, wrote a line of small characters, and placed it in the box with the hair tassel.

About an hour later.

Inside Wu Qingchan’s boudoir at the Marquis Weiyuan’s estate, a sharp, explosive shriek rang out.

“That vile woman of the Xie family, utterly shameless!”

She then grabbed the hair tassel and the note and rushed straight to Wu Que’s courtyard.

Upon seeing him, she slammed the items onto the table in front of Wu Que, her eyes wide with rage.

“Brother, divorce that Xie woman for me this instant!”