Chapter 68
Chapter 68
[The Male Chauvinist’s Victory – 9]
When the Li Family held its banquet that evening, fewer people attended than on previous occasions. There was only Liu Che, the calculating son-in-law; Li Dongshan; his wife and concubine; and Li Jiangyue.
That made sense. Publicly announcing that his legitimate daughter loved her half sister’s fiancé and wished to marry him even as a concubine exceeded the thickness of Li Dongshan’s skin and Madam Wei’s capacity for shamelessness.
Liu Che understood the banquet’s purpose perfectly, but he had no need to rush to speak. He sat below Li Dongshan as part of the background, saying not one unnecessary word.
Madam Wei sat on her husband’s left. Her gaze swept over Liu Che from time to time, her expression complicated.
In all fairness, even for the Li Family of Lingnan, Yan Hongguang was now a son-in-law worth investing in.
From a man’s perspective, he had a magnificent future and was still young. From a woman’s, he was handsome and imposing, while both his parents were dead, meaning his wife would have no parents-in-law to serve.
Unfortunately, he was already engaged.
And his betrothed was none other than the daughter of her husband’s concubine, her own daughter’s half sister.
For the ten-thousandth time, Madam Wei regretted her hesitation that night.
A single mistaken thought had driven her daughter into her present state. The legitimate daughter of the Li Family of Lingnan and granddaughter of the great Wei clan was actually going to marry her half sister’s husband as a concubine!
Madam Wei’s heart bled, but she had nowhere to vent. She forced a stiff smile and ate several bites without tasting them.
Halfway through the banquet, Li Dongshan finally prepared himself. He waved the servants from the inner room, apology showing between his brows, and called softly, “Qiujing…”
Madam Yu was perceptive. From the beginning, she had sensed something strange about this deliberately restricted banquet and thought there was no good feast without a hidden purpose. Madam Wei found the food tasteless, but so did she.
Hearing her husband call her name, she thought, Here it comes at last. Yet an appropriately serene smile appeared on her face. “What instructions does my lord have?”
Li Dongshan found it difficult, but remembering his bedridden eldest daughter, he hardened his heart.
“You should know of the matter between Jiangxue and Hongguang. Before Jiangyue and Hongguang became engaged, those two already shared affection. But a cruel twist of fate delayed them…”
The sword suspended overhead had finally fallen-and stabbed directly into her daughter’s excellent marriage.
Panic surged through Madam Yu. Then she remembered that the birth charts had been exchanged and that the Reigning Emperor’s decree clearly named her daughter. There was no possibility of Jiangxue replacing her. Her heart steadied.
She sighed sympathetically. “Indeed. When this concubine first spoke, I never imagined such a hidden complication. By the time I learned, it was already too late.”
She rose to pour Li Dongshan wine and said gently, “But given Eldest Young Lady’s birth and virtue, she is fit to become a prince’s consort. Though she lacks destiny with Hongguang, her true fate presumably awaits her. As her father, my lord must pay careful attention and choose an exceptional husband for her!”
Li Dongshan felt guilty and did not know what to do. His fingers circled the rim of his wine cup several times, but he could force out no words.
Madam Wei grew anxious but lacked the face to speak personally.
She was the mistress of the household, while Lady Yu was her husband’s beloved concubine. Though no great conflict had erupted between them, wife and concubine had always remained clearly separate, with neither disturbing the other’s waters. Now she was supposed to bow her head to Madam Yu and say she wanted her own daughter to become the other woman’s son-in-law’s concubine?
She could not say it even if someone killed her!
Hidden by her sleeve, Madam Wei pinched her husband’s thigh viciously. Li Dongshan jolted with pain but dared not complain. He slowly lifted his cup, drank, and finally said, “Jiangxue’s feelings for Hongguang run too deep for her to control. Madam Wei and I have persuaded and punished her, but she refuses to listen. In utter despair, she dismissed the people in her room and cut her own wrist…”
She was his beloved daughter. Remembering the previous night’s scene, Li Dongshan began to weep. His lips trembled before he addressed Madam Yu.
“Her love runs so deep that… Madam Wei and I have discussed it. When the time comes, Jiangxue will marry into the Yan Family as well. Jiangyue will be Lady of the Left and Jiangxue Lady of the Right. The sisters can remain companions in the Yan household. Like Ehuang and Nüying, it may become a beautiful tale.”
Crash!
The wine pot fell straight from Madam Yu’s hand. Shards and wine splashed across her skirt.
Her first emotion was not anger but utter shock.
She did not even think to lift her skirt and brush away the porcelain. She looked at Madam Wei, then at Li Dongshan, and asked incredulously, “Jiangyue will be Lady of the Left, and Eldest Young Lady will be Lady of the Right? My lord, Madam-the left is honored in our dynasty. You truly do not object to Eldest Young Lady becoming another man’s concubine?”
In more than forty years of life, Madam Wei had never felt such humiliation. Her face turned livid, and she bit her lip hard without uttering a word.
Li Dongshan forced a laugh. “They are sisters of one family. Why distinguish so sharply between wife and concubine?”
Because they were sisters, there was no need to distinguish between wife and concubine?
What a joke!
Why not first have Lady Wei stand attendance in Madam Yu’s courtyard for an entire day?!
Madam Yu sneered inwardly without letting it show. She bowed to Madam Wei. “Madam, please reconsider. Jiangyue and Hongguang received an imperial marriage decree, so after marriage she must be his principal wife. How could Eldest Young Lady, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Li Family of Lingnan, become a concubine-much less her brother-in-law’s concubine? If word spreads, it will damage Madam’s reputation and gravely harm the prospects of every unmarried girl in the Li Family.”
How could Madam Wei not know?
If her daughter could have been persuaded, Madam Wei would have stopped her long ago. Would they otherwise have reached this stage?
Li Dongshan knew his wife was proud. Remaining seated and listening already required her to grit her teeth. He did not make matters harder for her. He sighed.
“We have tried every possible persuasion. If circumstances had not forced us, Madam Wei and I would never have said this to you and Jiangyue.”
Madam Yu was truly astonished.
What madness had seized Li Jiangxue that she threatened death and insisted upon marrying Yan Hongguang even as a concubine?
She was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Li Family of Lingnan!
Had she actually forced her parents to agree to something so absurd?!
Madam Yu was herself a concubine and would not belittle others of the same status. But honestly, even if beaten to death, she would never let her own daughter become one!
She had become Li Dongshan’s concubine because she wanted a comfortable life and refused hardship. Without that choice, she would have spent her days struggling in an impoverished household. But the present situation was different. Given the Li Family’s status and the households available to its daughters, fine clothes and rich food were basic conditions. Only a fool would make her daughter a concubine!
Not even an imperial concubine interested her!
No matter how impossible she found Li Jiangxue’s thinking to understand, Madam Yu did not wish to agree.
She did not object to her son-in-law taking concubines after marriage; that was normal among noble men. She objected to him taking her daughter’s legitimate elder sister!
After nearly twenty years in the same residence, Madam Yu understood Li Jiangxue too well. The girl was vicious and domineering and would fight for three parts even when she had no reason. As Jiangyue’s legitimate elder sister, what would happen when they quarreled in the Yan household after marriage? How could Jiangyue punish her?
Could she truly treat Li Jiangxue like an ordinary concubine, order her slapped thirty times, or have her bound and sold?
The public’s spittle would drown her!
And Li Dongshan and Madam Wei would never let the matter rest!
Madam Yu wanted to oppose the plan, though her tone remained gentle. “My lord, Eldest Young Lady’s devotion is unquestionable. But what will we tell outsiders? Within the Yan residence, they may be called Ladies of the Left and Right, but outside, distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate, wife and concubine, must be made. What will we say then?”
Li Dongshan’s and Madam Wei’s faces worsened. Madam Yu acted as though she did not notice.
“Moreover, the wedding date for Jiangyue and Hongguang is fixed. If Eldest Young Lady truly intends to marry him as well, when will she enter the household? Will she follow behind her younger sister’s bridal sedan on the wedding day? Or will she be carried over in a small sedan ten days or half a month later? She is the residence’s legitimate young lady. A meager wedding would demean her status. Yet if you announce it widely and hold a grand banquet, what will you tell the guests?”
Send their legitimate daughter to the Yan residence in one small sedan?
Too humiliating!
Host a magnificent banquet and spectacular celebration, then gloriously marry her into the Yan Family as a concubine?
Even more humiliating!
Li Dongshan’s face turned liver-purple. He pressed his lips together and remained speechless. Finally, Madam Wei could endure no more. She closed her eyes for a restrained moment, reopened them, and decided.
“On the wedding day, Jiangxue will marry into the Yan Family together with Jiangyue. Her sedan will follow Jiangyue’s…”
Indeed. Madam Yu’s daughter had received an imperial marriage and would enter as principal wife. The residence had prepared for so long, and the ceremony would certainly be grand and lively. Madam Wei’s daughter could trail behind and borrow some of that glory so she would not look quite so pitiful.
Ordinarily, Madam Yu would never openly challenge Madam Wei. But this concerned her daughter’s lifelong happiness and whether a troublemaker would be inserted into an originally perfect marriage. Even if it angered Li Dongshan, she would not yield.
Madam Yu’s lips began to curve as she prepared to speak. At that moment, Li Jiangyue rose, stepped forward, and took her mother’s hand.
Madam Yu looked back in surprise. Her daughter’s gentle but firm voice sounded beside her.
“I am willing to marry into the Yan Family together with Elder Sister.”
Madam Wei’s gaze sharpened. Delight appeared on Li Dongshan’s face, then swiftly transformed into guilt.
Madam Yu was furious. “Jiangyue!”
“I am willing.” Li Jiangyue tightened her hold on her mother’s hand, gave it a small squeeze, then released it. She bowed to Li Dongshan and Madam Wei.
“Elder Sister loves Young Master Yan so deeply that she does not even value her life. How could such devotion fail to move me? A single brush cannot write two different characters for Li. Since we are sisters, we should care for one another. As Madam said, marrying into the household together on the wedding day is the best choice.”
Once those words were spoken, they could never be taken back.
Madam Wei secretly exhaled. Rare warmth appeared in her eyes as she nodded to Li Jiangyue. “Jiangxue is ill. I thank you on her behalf.”
Seeing his eldest daughter lying sickly in bed the previous day had made Li Dongshan’s heart ache for her. Now, finding his sensible third daughter equally heartrending, his favor inevitably tilted again.
Only at this point had the purpose of the banquet finally been stated. Li Jiangyue had agreed, and the sisters’ joint marriage was settled beyond retraction.
Madam Yu was angry and grieved for her daughter. She turned aside to wipe away tears, then looked resentfully at her husband.
Li Dongshan felt deeply guilty. He reached for her and called apologetically, “Qiujing…”
Having obtained the final result, Madam Wei naturally would not remain as an eyesore. At her age, she no longer cared where her husband spent the night. She acknowledged the others at the table and rose to leave first.
Only then did Li Dongshan draw Madam Yu back to her seat and softly plead for forgiveness at length.
Liu Che and Li Jiangyue left the room and strolled through the corridor beneath the moonlight.
“Jiangyue, this has wronged you,” he said apologetically.
Li Jiangyue’s expression remained composed. “As long as Cousin understands that I have been wronged, then it is no grievance at all.”
Liu Che thought, Just as expected, but followed her lead and offered comfort.
After some time, he estimated that Li Dongshan and Madam Yu must have nearly finished talking. He stopped, joked casually with Li Jiangyue, then turned back along the corridor.
When the doors of the hall came into distant view, Li Jiangyue turned toward him. Her eyes were as gentle as water and her voice calm.
“Since I have agreed to marry into the Yan Family together with Elder Sister, I will not regret it. Before the wedding, I will naturally discuss every matter within the Li Family with Father and Mother and settle them properly. Cousin is a young hero favored by the Imperial House, now at the crucial moment for earning merit and establishing his career. I lack ability and cannot assist Cousin in great affairs. I can only manage the household, raise your two young Guan brothers, and serve as a worthy wife, so that Cousin need not be distracted by matters at home or delayed in official business.”
The words soothed Liu Che’s heart. He took her hand and teased happily, “Then I must trouble my wife.”
Li Jiangyue’s fair face reddened. She gave him a shy, reproachful glance and murmured, “Such a glib tongue.”
…
It was already late when Liu Che rose to leave. Feeling guilty toward Madam Yu and her daughter, Li Dongshan went to Madam Yu’s quarters that night.
How could Madam Yu not resent having a perfectly good marriage spoiled by a piece of rat droppings?
But she was intelligent. Knowing the matter was settled beyond change, she did not weep, quarrel, or make a scene. She merely sat on an embroidered stool and cried until her eyes were red and swollen.
Li Dongshan doted upon her. At the sight, he humbled himself and repeatedly pleaded for forgiveness. “I know Jiangyue has been wronged, but I had no other choice. I could hardly watch Jiangxue die.”
“Besides…” He sighed helplessly. “Jiangxue was the first to exchange affection with Hongguang. If I hadn’t matched the wrong pair of mandarin ducks, none of this would have…”
Madam Yu sneered. “Since my lord wishes to discuss who came first, let us reason it through.”
She wiped her tears with a handkerchief. “May this concubine ask: who first proposed a marriage to you, this concubine or Madam Wei?”
Li Dongshan hesitated. “You did.”
Madam Yu continued, “My lord believes Eldest Young Lady had long loved Hongguang but lost him through a twist of fate, allowing my Jiangyue to profit. Now Jiangyue will marry her beloved in splendor while Eldest Young Lady despairs and seeks death in her room. She is truly pitiful-is that right?”
Li Dongshan asked, “Is she not?”
“Then this concubine must ask another question.”
Tears filled Madam Yu’s eyes. Her voice was gentle but edged with steel. “How did Eldest Young Lady treat Hongguang in the past, and how did Jiangyue treat him? Eldest Young Lady developed feelings for Hongguang after she injured him and visited out of guilt. But before that, who urgently sent medicine and had his wounds bandaged?”
Li Dongshan had no answer. “Qiujing, I know Jiangxue can be somewhat willful. But she went personally that night, whereas Jiangyue did not. Jiangyue missed her opportunity, and Jiangxue and Hongguang fell in love. How is that Jiangxue’s fault?”
Madam Yu wept. “But my lord, Eldest Young Lady and Jiangyue differ by only a few months. Both have reached marriageable age and are no longer children. Hongguang is eighteen. Rumors easily arise between male and female cousins. Jiangyue was cautious and dared not damage the family’s reputation. Was that her fault? Hongguang’s injuries were on his back. Should an unmarried young lady have rushed over to apply medicine to her male cousin?”
Li Dongshan’s heart jolted, and his face instantly darkened.
He had no answer.
Indeed.
In terms of affection for Yan Hongguang, Jiangyue’s had run deeper than Jiangxue’s.
Li Dongshan knew Jiangxue’s explosive temper. In her immature years, she had caused her cousin no end of grievance. Jiangyue, by contrast, was gentle and considerate and always helped him.
If Jiangyue had recklessly visited Yan Hongguang that night-or even gone together with Jiangxue-Yan Hongguang would never have chosen Jiangxue.
Could Li Dongshan summon Jiangyue and scold her for lacking her elder sister’s shamelessness and willingness to risk everything?
How could he say such a thing to his daughter?
His judgment truly had been clouded by lard. Why had he imagined that Jiangyue took advantage of her sister?!
Looking at his tearful beloved concubine, Li Dongshan felt heartache and remorse. He gathered her into his arms.
“Jiangxue truly behaved improperly. How could an unmarried young lady enter her male cousin’s room at night? How exactly did Madam Wei teach her… Qiujing, this is my fault. You and Jiangyue have been wronged…”
Too much was as bad as too little.
Madam Yu quietly nestled in his embrace and said no more.
The next day, after Li Dongshan left, Li Jiangyue came to greet her mother. Madam Yu could not conceal her gloom. “Why did you have to agree last night…”
“Could Mother not see? Father and Madam Wei had made their decision long ago. Last night they merely informed us. Where was there room for us to object?”
Li Jiangyue raised one elegant brow, opened the incense box, and added fragrance to the burner.
“Rather than be forced into agreeing and end the gathering in bitterness, it was better to volunteer and make them owe me.”
Madam Yu could only sigh. “You…”
“Mother, don’t sigh. I actually think this is good.”
Li Jiangyue smiled and stepped closer to massage her mother’s shoulders. “I exchanged birth charts with Cousin, and His Majesty bestowed marriage upon me. Yet now an additional person will leave the Li Family with me. Will anyone in Jiankang think the fault lies with me? What extraordinary virtue or ability do I possess that the legitimate daughter of the Li Family of Lingnan must accompany me into the Yan Family as a concubine? Instead, I am the one wronged, the one willing to fulfill my sister’s wish, and the one who understands the greater good. Why should I refuse?”
Madam Yu snapped, “What use is a good reputation? When you begin married life and suffer Li Jiangxue’s temper, you’ll regret the water flooding your brain today!”
“I won’t. Cousin isn’t muddleheaded. She cannot stir up much trouble.”
Li Jiangyue spoke confidently. “When the engagement had been announced only within the Li Family, Cousin could actually have changed his mind and demanded Li Jiangxue instead. But he did not. He said I had shown him kindness and that he refused to damage my reputation. He would rather carry the misunderstanding through and marry me, a concubine’s daughter, than choose the legitimate daughter.
“If Cousin spoke sincerely, then he is an honorable gentleman with a clear head, not one blinded by old affection. If he had some other design, then his mind is deeper than I imagined. How could such a man be trapped by disputes in the inner household? How much of that supposed old affection is genuine would also be questionable.”
Worry appeared in Madam Yu’s eyes. “If that is truly so…”
“We each obtain what we need. What is there to fear?”
Li Jiangyue remained composed. “I seek prospects and wealth; he seeks the Li Family’s support. It is a transaction. Talking about love would only invite trouble.”
Madam Yu laughed, then deliberately hardened her face. “Aren’t you afraid he will favor Li Jiangxue and neglect you? Remember, Li Jiangxue is legitimate. She is not only a Li daughter but also the Wei Family’s granddaughter.”
“So what?” Li Jiangyue replied. “The Wei Family has sons and grandsons. However powerful they are, how much benefit can truly fall to a granddaughter through a daughter? Even full brothers fight over interests until one lives and the other dies, much less a granddaughter.”
She sneered. “Father and Madam Wei truly love their daughter. To fulfill Li Jiangxue’s wish, they have discarded all face and will make the Li Family the laughingstock of Jiankang’s aristocracy. But have they considered which great clan will ever willingly marry another Li daughter after this spectacle? I never thought Madam Wei a fool, but concern for her daughter has clouded her heart. I have no younger sister and will marry soon, so what do Li affairs matter to me? The other concubines and younger sisters, however, must want to tear that mother and daughter apart.”
Madam Yu exhaled deeply and patted her hand with satisfaction. “At your age, Mother truly was not your equal.”
Only before her mother did genuine emotion appear in Li Jiangyue’s eyes. “I agreed for another reason too. The birth charts and imperial decree are fixed. I am the wife, and Li Jiangxue can only be a concubine. She will live under my authority. That will make Mother’s life in the Li Family easier. For every day she remains in the Yan household, Lady Wei must treat Mother courteously…”
Madam Yu’s eyes stung. She gently embraced her daughter. “Foolish child.”
…
Li Jiangxue had staged her suicide, but she had also truly cut her wrist. Without a wound for her parents to see, how could she make them pity her and agree to let her marry her cousin as a concubine?
Her plan succeeded. Her parents did love her. Seeing her lie weak and breathless, they forgot all else and eagerly promised.
Her cousin came that day, and Li Jiangxue knew everything depended upon the result. Though her mother told her to rest, she could not sleep. Whenever exhaustion overwhelmed her, she dug her nails savagely into her palm. After enduring more than an hour, she finally saw Madam Wei return from the banquet.
Li Jiangxue forced herself upright and looked over with burning eyes.
The matter had been settled, but Madam Wei felt not the slightest joy. She sighed helplessly and nodded in dejection.
Delight instantly appeared on Li Jiangxue’s face. Seeing her mother’s dispirited expression, she temporarily suppressed the smile that had just blossomed.
“Mother,” she said, “don’t worry about me. I will live very well.”
Madam Wei: “…”
Madam Wei was exhausted and wanted to say nothing, but forced herself to instruct her daughter. “We have settled it. You and Jiangyue will marry on the same day. The wedding is near, so we must hurry to have your robes made, and then there is your dowry… A married woman’s life differs from her life at home. When you see Jiangyue again, you must be courteous. You cannot behave as you did before.”
By the end, her heart felt carved apart, and she wept soundlessly.
Li Jiangxue dismissed the warning. “Doing the bare minimum will be enough. Would she truly dare order me about like a petty concubine? I am the Li Family’s legitimate eldest daughter. She is only a concubine’s daughter!”
Madam Wei’s chest ached with frustration. “Once you marry, you belong to the Yan Family. How could it be the same as at home? The character for concubine depicts a woman standing in service. Do you imagine it a pleasant existence? No matter how much your father favors Lady Yu, she must still address me as the household’s mistress. When I order her to stand attendance, when has she dared refuse? Even your father can say nothing! Can you not see how the concubines in this household live?”
“I’m different from them.” Li Jiangxue lifted her chin proudly. “I am Mother’s daughter, the legitimate daughter of a great clan. How could women from ruined little households compare with me?”
Furious, Madam Wei twisted her ear. “After you marry, keep your tail tucked between your legs, understand?! If you truly cause trouble, I won’t help you!”
Li Jiangxue agreed repeatedly. “I know, I know! Mother, let go. It hurts!”
…
With the marriage settled, Madam Wei hurriedly prepared her daughter’s dowry and urged her to restore her health. Meanwhile, Li Dongshan shamelessly sent invitations to friends and relatives, announcing that he would soon enjoy the double happiness of marrying off two daughters.
The entire city of Jiankang was stunned by the Li Family’s astonishing maneuver.
The Li Family of Lingnan was a mighty clan. Although Yan Hongguang was a newly risen military noble, marrying a Li daughter could not quite be called a match between equals. Yet who would have imagined that he would marry the Li Family’s concubine-born daughter and take its legitimate daughter as a concubine on the very same day?
The emperor was drinking tea when he heard. He nearly choked to death. “Has Li Dongshan gone insane?!”
Li Dongshan had not, but the world saw little difference.
What else could he do? This was the daughter he had raised. Even through tears, he had to fulfill her wish.
The gossip filling Jiankang naturally never reached Li Jiangxue’s ears. Yet even she was not as triumphant as she had imagined.
“Why is it crimson?!”
She hurled the wedding robe to the floor and raged, “This color is so much paler than Li Jiangyue’s!”
The servants stood to one side with lowered heads, not daring to speak.
Ashamed, Madam Wei reached for her. “Jiangxue…”
Li Jiangxue burst into tears. “Mother! I don’t want it! I don’t! You said we would be Ladies of the Left and Right. Why can’t I wear true red?!”
For this daughter, Madam Wei had to swallow her pride and visit Madam Yu. After humbly explaining the matter, she finally obtained a wedding robe the same color as Li Jiangyue’s.
This incident finally woke Li Jiangxue from the illusion she had created for herself. She began to realize what a foolish choice she had made.
Three days before the wedding, following the dynasty’s customs, Liu Che sent a pearl to the Li Family. On the wedding day, the bride was to carry it in her hand to her husband’s home.
When the Yan Family’s messenger arrived, the Li Family was holding a banquet and everyone was present.
Li Jiangxue sat beside Madam Wei, closer to the pearl. Without thinking, she took it from the wooden box and admired it in her palms.
“Is this a luminous pearl? Is it the one His Majesty rewarded Cousin? Mother, look. It’s truly beautiful!”
Madam Wei wanted to smile, but could not.
Li Dongshan looked awkward. The Li Family’s concubines and younger children whispered among themselves, their gazes varied.
Li Jiangyue was smiling too. Then she spoke softly.
“Elder Sister?”
Her voice was amiable and not loud, but everyone heard.
“That belongs to me.”