Chapter 39: Aunt Zhao Takes Charge, He Lingyi Moves Quarters

"I understand, Concubine Zhao. I shall make the arrangements. Rest for now, Master; I will come back to change your dressings later."

With that, Concubine Zhao planted a kiss on Chi Yunjing’s cheek. Such a bold move was something Chi Yunjing had never experienced from his wives in either of his two marriages. He felt immensely gratified, thinking it was fortunate he had accepted the gifts presented by his superiors; otherwise, who would be there to attend to him so closely now that he was severely injured? He let out a sigh, his lower back aching terribly.

Once outside, an uncontrollable excitement flashed across Concubine Zhao’s face. A master is truly a master. She had merely followed the advice given to her, and already she had the Vice Minister’s residence firmly in her grasp. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel thrilled.

Madam Guo was aging and had lost her luster, and having angered the master over their daughter’s marriage, she was clearly past her prime. The two daughters of the house would soon be married off, leaving only the sole son, Chi Guizhao, as a potential threat. But she was still young; there would be plenty of opportunities to bear children. As long as she firmly held the master’s heart, she need not worry about her future. Even if she could not attain the position of mistress, she would become a concubine in this house who could not be looked down upon, so that Madam Guo might one day taste the bitterness of having her dignity trampled upon.

Suppressing her calculating expression, she restored her usual delicate and gentle demeanor by the time she stepped out of Linglong Courtyard, and proceeded to the woodshed with the steward.

Peering through the window of the outer room, Concubine Zhao caught a glimpse inside. The Lu mother and son were in a state of utter disarray. The woodshed was hot and stifling; being locked in there for three days would be no pleasant experience. She turned to the steward and instructed, "Have someone look at Young Master Lu’s wounds. If they fester and cause illness, it will implicate the whole household. Remember to send some water from time to time. The master’s intention is merely to keep them alive; as for the specifics of their meals, I leave that to your discretion, Steward."

"Yes, Concubine Zhao."

"I am young and lack experience. This time, I have been forced into a role I am not prepared for. I am not much of a mistress, so you must continue to handle the major affairs, Steward. It is for the good of the Vice Minister’s residence. It would be best if we could navigate this period smoothly. Not to mention the Second Young Miss's marriage, the First Young Miss's engagement is also imminent; we cannot afford for outsiders to hear any jokes at our expense!"

The steward nodded, finding both her approach and her words quite reasonable. It was rare for someone so young to speak with such steady and sensible judgment, and his wariness of her lessened slightly.

"Rest assured, Concubine Zhao, this old servant will do his best."

"Then I shall trouble you, Steward. I must go back to change the master’s dressings; I will not delay any longer."

"Understood."

They had not gone far from the woodshed when they encountered He Lingyi in the corridor, who was on her way to Linglong Courtyard. Seeing her, Concubine Zhao struggled to suppress the excitement within her, maintaining a calm facade.

"Why are you here, Miss He? Is there something wrong with the First Young Miss?"

"Eldest Sister Chi is fine; she has had her soothing decoction and is resting. I came to ask Uncle Chi if I might move into Eldest Sister Chi’s courtyard. After all, with such things happening at Hanxue Pavilion, it is no longer appropriate for me to stay there."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Zhao and the steward exchanged a glance, reaching a silent consensus.

"Oh, look at us, we’ve been so busy we became muddled. Naturally, you cannot stay in such a place, Miss He. Move! Move immediately! I will have someone pack your things right away. But have you cleared this with the First Young Miss?"

"It was actually the First Sister’s kind suggestion that I move in with her."

Hearing this, Concubine Zhao smiled. Although she was not many years older than He Lingyi, in terms of seniority, she was a generation above, so her tone carried a hint of satisfaction. "That is good. The First Young Miss is truly blessed."

With that, she stopped. The fortunes of the two young ladies of the Vice Minister’s residence had truly reversed. The Eldest Young Miss, once of poor reputation, was now engaged into a prestigious family, and with a substantial dowry in hand, she was clearly headed for a good life. Conversely, the one who had once enjoyed a sterling reputation now found her efforts all in vain. Her purity was gone, her father’s favor was lost, her future husband’s family was on the brink of ruin, and her own face was scarred—it was a hellish beginning.

He Lingyi looked at Concubine Zhao and smiled as well. This was the way of clever people: there was no need to speak plainly; they understood each other perfectly. In the end, it was a case of mutual need, yet both held the other’s secrets in their hands. As long as Concubine Zhao had not firmly secured her position in this house, she would never expose the fact that He Lingyi had been the one giving her advice. The medicine had been dissolved in the scoundrel father’s tea, so even if he tried to investigate, he would find nothing! As for the two servants who did the deed, that would depend on how capable Concubine Zhao was.

Regardless, they were bound together in glory and in shame. Concubine Zhao, more than He Lingyi, an outsider and guest, did not want this matter discovered; otherwise, whatever she gained today, she would pay back tenfold or a hundredfold in the future!

The move was swift. After Chi Guiwan woke up, she heard activity in the courtyard. As soon as she stepped out, she saw that He Lingyi had already moved in, and the maids were helping her settle. She hurried over, saying, "This is wonderful. I feel much better now that you’ve moved in."

He Lingyi reached out to touch her mother’s forehead, and feeling that it had cooled down, she felt truly relieved. With a look of deep concern, she said, just as her mother had often instructed her in childhood, "Nothing is more important than your own health, Eldest Sister Chi. You must take better care of yourself!"

"Sigh, it is strange. I caught a fever for no reason at all. I don’t usually have such a weak constitution; I don’t know what happened today."

Hearing this, He Lingyi felt a pang of discomfort. Could it be that because she had changed her mother’s fate, her mother’s body had undergone some changes as well? She suddenly asked, "Eldest Sister, do you believe in karma?"

"I believe in some, and not in others. When I was punished by my father as a child, I never saw any deity protect me, so I stopped visiting temples after that."

Is that so?

She remembered that once, when she was gravely ill as a child, her mother had gone to the Daxiangguo Temple to pray to every Bodhisattva for her protection. Thinking of this, He Lingyi felt that no matter how ruthless or cruel her methods were, it did not matter. As long as she could protect her mother so she could successfully marry into the Qiao family and live a happy life, that was enough. If there were any karmic retribution to be paid, she would bear it herself!

After moving into the same courtyard, the two appeared even closer than before. Despite the events that had transpired in the Vice Minister’s residence, everything continued as usual to keep outsiders from knowing the truth. Even the private lessons with Nanny Zong did not stop. However, as the young ladies of various families entered and left the residence, they felt that something was different; they sensed that the servants were being managed with increasing strictness.

Seeing this, the older maids kept their stories consistent, claiming that since the household was preparing for a wedding, they were worried about being unprepared for the banquet, so everyone had to relearn their etiquette, which naturally led to stricter management than before. The young ladies found this reasonable, so those who came for lessons simply focused on their studies, paying no heed to the affairs outside the window. That was for the best!