Chapter 58 - Yu Youyao, That’s Enough!
“You..” At the mention of Old Madam Yu, Yu Qingning was so angry that she almost cried. Clutching her handkerchief, she had no choice but to properly kowtow three times.
Yu Youyao took the teacup from Chun Xiao and held it in her hands. “Doesn’t look respectful at all. Again!”
“Yu Youyao, that’s enough!” Yu Qingning suddenly stood up and glared furiously at Yu Youyao.
Yu Youyao lowered her head and took a sip of tea. She placed the teacup on the table and turned to Chun Xiao. “Press down on Fourth Miss’s head to make sure that she kowtows properly and shows her full respect.”
Yu Qingning’s eyes widened. Before she could react, Chun Xiao strode over and kicked Yu Qingning’s legs. Yu Qingning’s knees buckled and she fell to her knees with a thud.
“Yu Youyao!” Yu Qingning shrieked.
Chun Xiao pressed down on the back of Yu Qingning’s neck and forced her to kowtow yet another three times, making Yu Qingning dizzy.
“That’s enough,” Yu Youyao finally said.
Chun Xiao retreated to stand at her side.
Yu Qingning finally asked Jin Ju, who was in front of her, to help her up. The blood had completely drained from her petite face, and she stood rooted to the ground, trembling, feeling angry and resentful.
Yu Youyao gave a smug chuckle. “From now on, my mother’s portrait will be hanging there. You have to fulfill your duty as a concubine’s daughter and kowtow every time you see her.”
Yu Qingning finally recovered from her shock and trembled with anger. “How, how can you treat me like this? Aren’t you afraid that Father will berate you if he finds out?”
“Berate me?” Yu Youyao chuckled again. “Father wronged me with a slap and made me cry. If he really finds out about this, he’ll only feel bad for me. Besides, I’m asking you to kowtow to my mother. Do you think that’s being unfair?”
Yu Qingning looked at Yu Youyao with her mouth agape. She had originally wanted to take the opportunity to mock Yu Youyao, but who knew that Yu Youyao would force her to kowtow to her mother and take the opportunity to punish her instead? Furthermore, she simply did not have a choice, because if news of this was really spread to others, people would definitely think that she was disrespectful and it would incur Old Madam’s unhappiness.
In other words, she had really shot herself in the foot.
Not long after, Old Madam Yu heard the news and slammed her hand on the table in anger. “That disgraceful thing. She saw that Madam Yang had been reprimanded, so she, a concubine, became arrogant and climbed over the head of Yao Yao, the eldest daughter of the legitimate first wife, even causing her to cry.”
Nanny Liu lowered her head in silence.
Old Madam Yu tightened her grip on the prayer beads in her hand. “Yu Qingning will be punished to copy ‘Female Virtue’ a hundred times. Concubine He will be grounded for a month, and her allowance will be halved. Also, warn Concubine He that the study is an important place for Eldest Master to handle official matters. Others are allowed into or out of it, and definitely no one else should be staying overnight in the study.”
How could she not know about them messing around in the study yesterday?
She had originally planned to give him a warning when he came back from the government office today, but who knew that after receiving his favor yesterday, Concubine He would already cause trouble early in the morning?
Nanny Liu nodded. There was already a rule forbidding anyone from entering or leaving the study as they pleased. However, Master did not abide by it, while Old Madam Yu also closed one eye to it in the past.
Today, Old Madam was making it clear that she wanted to deal with Concubine He. It was time to enforce these rules. No matter how much Eldest Master liked Concubine He in bed, he wouldn’t go against Old Madam for a concubine. Besides, he was in the wrong for fooling around in the study in the first place.
That was the difference between a wife and a concubine!
However, Old Madam Yu was not done yet. “I remember that Concubine He had only managed to become a concubine due to Rou Jia’s grace and kindness. When Rou Jia was still around, Concubine He acted humbly and often sent gifts like fragrance pouches, silk and handkerchiefs. However, she revealed her true colors as soon as Rou Jia passed away. She’s truly a heartless actress.”
Nanny Liu also added, “Although First Madam Xie has passed on, as a lowly concubine, Concubine He should still remember her kindness.”
historical
At the very least, she shouldn’t have caused trouble for Yu Youyao.
Thinking of how Yao Yao had asked Yu Qingning to kowtow to Rou Jia’s portrait, Old Madam Yu sneered. “Go, take one of Madam Xie’s portraits from the side room and send it to Concubine He. Ask her to burn three incense sticks every morning and night in the future, and kowtow three times. Soon, it will be the Buddhist Festival in April. I’ve arranged for an incense lamp for Rou Jia at the Precious Peace Temple, so she has to prepare to offer something too. Instruct her to copy the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra a hundred times.”
At this moment, Yu Qingning had just returned to the Clear Autumn Courtyard in tears. She threw herself into her mother’s arms and complained aggrievedly, “Mother, I’ve never suffered such a grievance. When Father comes over later, I must let him know and have him teach her a lesson so that I can vent my anger.”
Concubine He’s heart ached as she held her handkerchief and gently stroked her daughter’s bruised forehead. “Don’t cry anymore. Once there’s a first time in hitting someone, there will always be a second, third, and countless more times. Your father doesn’t like Yu Youyao. When he sees that you were bullied by her, he will think that she’s arrogant and will definitely stand up for you.”
Still, Yu Qingning couldn’t take it lying down and continued to curse and grumble about Yu Youyao.
Concubine He hugged her daughter in her arms and comforted her gently while thinking about how she should invite Master over after his work later, so that Yu Youyao could be taught a lesson.
At this moment, a maidservant came over to inform her, “Nanny Liu is here.”
Concubine He was slightly taken aback, but when she thought about how Master doted on her, she heaved a sigh of relief. She instructed the maidservant to console Yu Qingning and turned to leave the inner room.
Concubine He was dressed in pink, and she exuded a charming aura. She greeted Nanny Liu.
Nanny Liu nodded indifferently and explained everything that Old Madam had instructed. Concubine He’s charming face immediately turned pale.
If she had to be grounded for a month, then Master wouldn’t be coming to her house again within this month, nor could she get anyone to invite him over.
It wasn’t easy for Master to be dissatisfied with Madam Yang. Furthermore, Madam Yang was punished and had to be with Old Madam Yu to serve her all the time. This was the perfect opportunity for her to gain favor with Master. Now that she was grounded, wouldn’t she be wasting such an opportunity?
And Qingning!
The person who had been bullied was clearly Qingning, but not only did Old Madam want to ground her, she’d also ordered her to copy “Female Virtue”. Old Madam was really too biased.
Even though she was a concubine’s daughter, she shouldn’t be treated so lowly.
Then, Nanny Liu held up Madam Xie’s portrait and slowly unfolded it. “Concubine He, do you still recognize the person in this portrait?”
Concubine He’s expression changed. Her body swayed, and she knelt on the ground, lowering her head. “Of course I recognize her. I was originally a member of the family of a criminal official. It was Eldest Madam Xie who pitied my poor life and redeemed me. She even let me enter the Yu Residence to serve Eldest Master. I dare not forget to thank Eldest Madam for her kindness.”
Nanny Liu revealed a smile, but continued to look at her calmly. “It’s good that Concubine He still remembers Eldest Madam’s kindness.”
Concubine He’s eyelids twitched, and she had an ominous feeling within her.