Chapter 59 Playing in Concert

Zhu Xuejiao was aggressive, determined to extract something from Lin Wanqing.

Lin Wanqing was not the least bit annoyed. She merely said, "There is nothing wrong with the wedding gifts I brought today, but Miss Zhu insists on feeling that I have treated Xianyun shabbily. Since that is the case, let us invite my stepmother here. If she also feels that I need to add to the gifts, I will have nothing more to say."

Zhu Xuejiao gave a cold laugh. "Are you trying to use your status to pressure Madam Lin? Everyone knows how difficult it is to be a stepmother. No matter what you do, Madam will always yield three points to you just to save face. Lin Wanqing, I never realized you were so scheming."

Lin Wanqing retorted, "If you disagree, then spare me the nonsense. I am here to give wedding gifts to my sister Lin Xianyun, not to you. Even the people in my own family do not find my gifts meager, so how is it your place, an outsider, to point fingers and make reckless remarks?"

Zhu Xuejiao was too eager to see Lin Wanqing humiliate herself, so she said, "Since you put it that way, someone go invite Madam Lin here. But let me make this clear first: if you dare use your status to oppress others, don't blame me for being discourteous to you."

Hearing her speak this way, her maid hurriedly tugged at her sleeve. "My lady, please do not be impulsive."

The eldest young lady of the Lin family was no longer who she used to be. Although she held no imperial title, her actual status was solid and undeniable. If they really wanted to split hairs, her mistress would now be considered guilty of insubordination against a superior.

However, Zhu Xuejiao impatiently shook off the maid. "Go invite Madam Lin here, quickly!"

Not daring to disobey, the maid had no choice but to leave with a distressed expression.

Today's affair was blatantly a case of her mistress making a scene over nothing. This was a matter between sisters; how was her mistress qualified to meddle? Furthermore, the eldest young lady of the Lin family was now a General's wife—not someone her mistress could afford to offend. Who knew what madness had seized her mistress to make her insist on meddling in this idle business.

There was no escaping disaster today. Upon returning to the manor, she and the other maids who had accompanied her mistress would likely meet a grim fate.

The maid's face was as pale as paper, yet she dared not defy her master's orders, so she quickly located Madam Qin.

Madam Qin was entertaining official-domiciled noble ladies in her courtyard. Hearing that Zhu Xuejiao was looking for her, and that it concerned Lin Xianyun's wedding gifts, she said, "I cannot spare myself right now. Whatever the matter is, we shall discuss it later."

The little maid was on the verge of tears. "Madam Lin, please do make a trip there. This matter concerns the eldest young lady of the Lin family."

She hoped Madam Qin would step in and smooth things over for her mistress.

Madam Qin knew at once that the matter was not simple. She stood up and said, "Then I shall accompany you. Esteemed madams, please excuse me for a moment."

Those noble ladies, however, grew curious. "Is Madam Lu also here? Let us go over and pay our respects to Madam Lu."

They were all women of official households whose husbands held posts in Yuzhou City. Lu Jinxiao held the highest rank in Yuzhou, so Lin Wanqing's status naturally surpassed theirs. In the past, it was the Second Madam of the Lu family who handled social affairs. Ever since the Second Madam followed her husband in death, followed closely by the remarriage of the Eldest Madam and then the Lu family observing a period of mourning, the Lu family had kept to themselves and not socialized for three full years.

Now that the Third Madam of the Lu family had finally entered the household, they finally had an opportunity to build connections with them.

Unable to refuse, Madam Qin had no choice but to lead the ladies toward Lin Xianyun's courtyard.

Along the way, Zhu Xuejiao's maid desperately wanted to speak with Madam Qin and beg her to persuade Zhu Xuejiao, but she found no opportunity, as Madam Qin was entirely occupied with flattering and currying favor with the noble ladies.

Before long, the group arrived at Lin Xianyun's courtyard.

Upon entering, the noble ladies headed straight toward Lin Wanqing.

Zhu Xuejiao immediately rushed forward and affectionately hooked her arm through Madam Qin's.

"Madam Lin, you're finally here. You have no idea how stingy Lin Wanqing is. The wedding gifts she gave Xianyun are practically like handouts for beggars. I simply couldn't bear to watch, so I asked her to use the jewelry she's wearing to make up the difference. But who would have thought she'd insist on inviting you here? She must be trying to pressure you into declaring those worthless pieces of junk to be tokens of heartfelt affection."

She blurted this out first, eager to see how Lin Wanqing would save face.

Madam Qin was more than happy to see Lin Wanqing humiliated. Smiling, she said to Zhu Xuejiao, "You, always doting on Xianyun so. Actually, wedding gifts are truly about the thought, not whether they are lavish or meager. Moreover, Wanqing has always been frugal; what gifts she sends do not matter, as long as she herself is here."

While these words superficially claimed that she did not mind what Lin Wanqing sent, in reality, they cemented the fact that Lin Wanqing was incapable of giving anything decent.

Zhu Xuejiao said, "You are truly magnanimous, Madam, but I cannot stomach it! If she had nothing, that would be one thing, but she is now a noble General's wife yet remains so stingy—it is utterly indefensible. Xianyun is my friend, and I refuse to let her suffer such grievances."

Madam Qin smiled and patted her hand. "Alright, Xuejiao, it is a small matter, pay it no mind. Besides, Xianyun is not lacking for these trifles."

Lin Wanqing extricated herself from the group of ladies and smiled, offering a bow to Madam Qin. "Greetings, Madam."

Madam Qin wore a virtuous and magnanimous smile. "Rise quickly. I have been speaking of you these past two days; you have finally returned. It is good that you are back. Let us not speak of other matters; they are all trifles. Have you seen Xianyun yet? She speaks of missing you all day long."

Not a single word of hers mentioned the wedding gifts, yet every sentence insinuated Lin Wanqing's stinginess.

How could Lin Wanqing let her have her way?

She smiled and said, "I have not yet seen her. I originally intended to go after presenting the gifts, but Miss Zhu insisted on making a scene and pulling me back. Madam, it is not that I begrudge my own hair ornaments and jewelry—they were never anything terribly valuable to begin with, and under normal circumstances, I would gladly have given them away. But today, that is strictly impossible. I am here today to give Xianyun her wedding gifts, and I am confident there is nothing wrong with what I have provided. If these hair ornaments were to be lumped in as well, I fear it would place Madam in a difficult position."

Zhu Xuejiao let out a snort of laughter. "You are truly talking nonsense. Why would Madam Lin be put in a difficult position just because your gift falls short? Lin Wanqing, you are already married; surely you aren't still trying to drag Madam Lin down with you?"

Ignoring Zhu Xuejiao entirely, Lin Wanqing stepped slightly to the side, revealing the chest containing the gifts.

Madam Qin followed the direction of her movement. The chest looked somewhat familiar, though she did not dwell on it. After all, there was nothing particularly unique about the style; all the storage chests in the Lin family's storehouses looked just like this.

Sensing an opportunity, Zhu Xuejiao pointed at the chest and declared, "Madam Lin, look, her wedding gifts for Xianyun are all inside there."

Lin Wanqing said, "Miss Zhu, allow me to repeat myself: sincere affection should never be measured by monetary value, and the quantity of goods can never negate someone's good intentions. Furthermore, I do not consider what I have given to be valueless. To me, these items are exceptionally precious."

Zhu Xuejiao sneered. "A silver tongue! Stingy is as stingy does, why bother spouting nonsense about 'the gift is small, but the affection is deep'? You claim these things are valuable? Then I insist on letting everyone see exactly how much these items are truly worth."

With that, Zhu Xuejiao stepped forward and forcefully flung the lid of the chest open.