"Madam Ye, thereâs no need for such trouble, our visit today isnât about a cup of tea!" No sooner had Madam Zhou sat down than she got straight to the point.
Seeing her speak so directly, Madam Huangâs face showed a bit of discomfort. They were here to persuade, not to settle accounts, so who was meant to listen to that tone?
Upon hearing this, Yang Chuxia waved her hand to signal Ming Liu to stand back. She already knew that with Cao Lingling in tow, their intentions were malevolent, and now, hearing this tone, she was even more certain.
She thought to herself, Cao Lingling, no matter what, is one of our householdâs own. Yet you reach out your hand to meddle, a hand that is frankly too long. Since youâre being so shameless, I donât need to give you face either. You donât want to drink tea, I donât feel like wasting a cup of yajian tea on you anyway.
Madam Huang, seeing that Ming Liu who was going to make tea didnât go after all, felt somewhat embarrassed.
If you donât give face to others, they wonât give face to you!
"Since thatâs the case, Madam Zhou, please speak your mind."
Yang Chuxiaâs expression was calm and inscrutable.
Madam Zhou took a few deep breaths and then pulled Cao Lingling, who was following behind her, to the front.
"Madam Ye, I really didnât want to meddle in this matter, but this person came knocking at my door, and seeing her plight did seem quite pitiable, I couldnât help but intervene. This Miss Cao belongs to your household, doesnât she? You told me last time that sheâs not Lord Yeâs sister but just a maid in your house, falsely claiming kinship. I actually believed it."
"Madam Zhou, thereâs no need to beat around the bush; just tell me directly what youâve come for today." Hearing her dredge up the past, Yang Chuxia grew impatient. Was this person here to waste her time with idle talk?
She had been looking forward to going out for a while today since it had finally stopped raining.
Taken aback by her retort, Madam Zhouâs face momentarily turned a shade of red.
It took her a while to find her voice again. "Madam Ye, this Miss Lingling, and Lord Ye have already become husband and wife in practice. Why not be magnanimous and accept her into your household? I believe when this reaches Lord Yeâs ears, he will have nothing but gratitude for you."
Husband and wife in practice? Upon hearing this, Yang Chuxia was slightly shocked and gave Cao Lingling a complex and subdued look.
Meanwhile, Mingcui and Ming Liu, standing beside Yang Chuxia, became angry upon hearing this and stared fiercely at Cao Lingling. Seeing this, Madam Huang couldnât hold back anymore, especially since Yang Chuxia remained silent, thinking she disagreed.
"Madam Ye, I understand that no woman wants to find a concubine for her husbandâitâs nothing but adding to oneâs troubles. But letâs be realistic, which affluent man doesnât have a concubine? Lord Ye is the head of Mianyang County. Even taking my household as an example, being a mere clerk, I still have a concubine. And thereâs the household of Principal Clerk Zhou; Madam Zhou played a pivotal role in his success, but even so, doesnât he also have a concubine? We women are helpless in these matters, obligated to follow our husbandsâ will. As for Miss Cao, since Lord Ye is fond of her, you might as well accept her with grace. That way, Lord Ye will be pleased, and in the future, Miss Cao would also be indebted to you, earning you a reputation for virtue."
"Exactly, Madam Huang is right. Besides, this incident has already happened, and if you donât take her in, word might get out, and it wonât look good for Lord Ye. It would make people think he lacks responsibility, having been intimate with the lady but unable to take responsibility. How then can he be expected to manage the responsibilities of Mianyang County?"