At the entrance of Chengyuan Marquis Manor, Lin Jingyue watched the County Princess Yunhua’s party depart. She lowered her gaze, masking a flicker of contemplation, and turned back to the hesitant noblewomen and young ladies with a graceful, easy smile.
"Please forgive my sister's lack of decorum at the manor gates. It was a slight against you all. Once Mammy Liu arrives, I shall certainly see that she is properly disciplined."
Marquise He glanced at her, initially intending to hurl a sarcastic retort—who did this girl think she was, daring to talk about disciplining Yingliu? But, having just been publicly humiliated by the County Princess, she dared not say a word. What rankled even more was that after today, Lin Jingyue would be the legitimate eldest daughter of the Chengyuan Marquis Manor; no one could find fault with her disciplining her younger brother and sister.
Marquise He bit her lip, recalling the schemes hatched in recent days, and slowly moved to stand beside the Marquis.
The wives of several minor officials, who had originally planned to follow the County Princess, looked at one another and replied with diplomatic smiles: "It is no matter. We have not seen the County Princess in some time ourselves, and we are grateful for your help in securing the encounter."
After all, it was not their reputation at stake, nor were they the ones who had caused offense.
Ignoring the subtext in their voices, Lin Jingyue gestured for the guests to enter the manor and led the way. "The hour is upon us. Ladies, please."
Bochun and her cousin from the Zheng family followed immediately. After a moment of hesitation, the other wives nodded to the Marquis and Marquise He, sending their servants to hand their gifts and calling cards to Steward Chen. With the Old Madame and this newly recognized eldest daughter present, the Chengyuan Marquis Manor would not collapse anytime soon. There was no need to cause a scene or forge bad blood by leaving now.
In the blink of an eye, the crowd of officials’ wives and daughters had vanished into the manor. The Marquis’s expression darkened. Ignoring Marquise He entirely, he acted as if he had not heard her earlier remarks and strode into the manor.
Watching his back, Marquise He slowly curled her lips into a smile. So, that little wild seed Lin Jingyue was feeling smug because she had caught the County Princess’s eye? She would make sure Lin Jingyue learned that in the Chengyuan Marquis Manor, it was the Marquis who held the reins. If the Marquis refused to acknowledge her, Lin Jingyue would have to crawl back exactly where she came from.
"Greetings, Marquise."
A strange voice drifted to her ears. Marquise He narrowed her eyes and glanced over. It appeared to be the merchant who had raised that little wild seed. Remembering the purpose for which she had invited the Lin family, she waved her hand dismissively.
"Someone, these are the eldest daughter’s kin. See that they are well-tended to."
She walked away without another word, leaving Lin Jingyan and Lady Jiang standing there in embarrassment. Lin Jingyan’s already pale face went ghostly white. In her past life, no matter how much Marquise He had slighted her, she had always maintained a veneer of perfect courtesy. Especially after she became the Crown Prince's Secondary Consort, Marquise He had abandoned her previous neglect, treating her with nothing but absolute respect. Every time she returned to the manor, Marquise He would wait at the gates to greet her, smiling even when scolded, never daring to thwart her will.
But now...
"That’s enough. Stop thinking about it. Let's go in," Lady Jiang said, casting a glance at her. Led by a young maid, they presented their calling cards, though they did not present a gift.
Steward Chen looked the two over, smiled, and instructed the maid to lead them to the back garden.
***
Lin Jingyue was unaware of the Lin family’s arrival, and even if she had been, she would not have cared. She was patiently fielding the flattery and praise of the various noblewomen.
The Chengyuan Marquis Manor had fallen on hard times. Aside from the Zheng family, who held a slightly higher standing, the guests in attendance were mostly from the households of officials between the fourth and sixth ranks. Those below the sixth rank were considered too lowly by the Marquis and Marquise, while those above the fourth were beyond the reach of the current Chengyuan Marquis’s invitations. These officials were stuck in the middle, desperate for a chance to climb the ladder, so their families frequented banquets, hoping to curry favor with the powerful and secure a helping hand.
Upon learning that Lin Jingyue was on good terms with the County Princess, the women who had initially only planned to pay respects to the Old Madame turned their attention to her, gathered around, and spoke with what they considered "sincerity." Among them were the wife and daughter of that fifth-rank official whom, in her past life, Lin Jingyue had struggled to win over only after gifting them rare, priceless books and thousands in gold and silver.
"I once heard that the Third Miss of the Zheng family was the greatest beauty in the Capital and possessed a spirit as free as the wind, leading many young masters and ladies to call her a kindred soul. Seeing you now, I know those words were no exaggeration."
Lin Jingyue smiled and nodded at the lady. She even threw a look of approval toward her cousin from the Zheng family, who was standing impatiently to the side.
The lady was delighted. She realized that praising the Chengyuan Marquis was not nearly as effective as praising Lin Jingyue’s birth mother. By doing so, she could curry favor with both Lin Jingyue, who had the ear of the County Princess, and the prestigious military family of the Zhengs. It was killing two birds with one stone!
Elsewhere, the Marquis was heading to the Ancestral Hall to update the family genealogy. Passing by the back garden, he caught a glimpse of Lin Jingyue among the crowd, his gaze shifting unfocused.
Two days ago, Marquise He had mentioned to him that Lin Jingyue had been raised by merchants, lacked all manners, and possessed no respect for her elders or affection for her siblings. If they let her back into the manor to enjoy a life of luxury, that was one thing, but to officially change her surname to Tang and enter her into the clan registry? If it became known that the eldest daughter of the Chengyuan Marquis Manor was such an unrefined character, wouldn't the manor become the laughingstock of the entire Capital?
The Marquis had initially agreed, but after the incident with the County Princess, he had grown uncertain. When Marquise He reminded him again, his answers had been vague. Now, observing Lin Jingyue’s behavior—so unlike the poised and proud daughter of a noble house, and instead mimicking the calculating, slippery ways of a merchant—his eyes filled with disgust. First, the wanton and reckless Lady Zheng, and now this Lin Jingyue! The manor would never have a day of peace!
He gripped the genealogy tightly, making his decision. Just as he was about to step forward, a mammy serving the Old Madame hurried over to summon him.
"Marquis, the Old Madame is feeling unwell. She has retired to her inner chambers and asks that you come immediately."
The Marquis followed at once, whispering a curse: "Truly a harbinger of ill fortune. The moment she returned to the manor, look at how much trouble she has caused!"
The mammy walked in front, acting as if she were deaf and had heard nothing.
The moment the Marquis reached the door, before he could even call out to his mother, the Old Madame interrupted him.
"All of you, go to the back garden and see to the guests. Cui’an, stay at the door. Do not allow anyone to enter."
The Old Madame placed heavy emphasis on the word "anyone." The mammy hurriedly ordered the servants out of the room and closed the door softly.
The Marquis looked bewildered. "Mother, what is the meaning of this..."
"I hear that your 'good' daughter, right at the gates of our manor, made the County Princess Yunhua step down from her carriage in front of a crowd of officials and their wives?"
"...It is true." The Marquis, already feeling humiliated by the event and now being pressed by his mother, felt a surge of nameless anger and forced an explanation. "Yingliu was only thinking of the County Princess. Our manor is not like the Prince's estate; the roads are narrow and difficult to navigate, so she only..."
Seeing the dark look on the Old Madame’s face, he tried to salvage the situation. "Besides, besides, it was all resolved, wasn't it? The County Princess did not flare up, and I..."
The Old Madame cut him off. "I will ask you one more time. Give me an honest answer: did Marquise He incite you to plot against Jingyue?"
The Marquis lifted his head in astonishment. Under the Old Madame's severe gaze, he dared not hide anything and recounted the entirety of Marquise He's schemes.
The Old Madame grew dizzy with rage. She stood up on her cane and slapped the Marquis across the face.
"Fool!"