"What's wrong?" Madam Lu asked, frowning. "Why are you crying again? I already explained that marriage proposal to you. It sounds good, but it's not actually good, and your grand-aunt isn't willing either."
"I think it's quite good. Today, the young lord sent many things to Qi Zhenzhen. Rouge, powder, fashionable palace flowers... those items are enough to open a shop," Li Qing mumbled. "His intentions are clearly there."
"I say, why are your eyes so shallow? They're just little trinkets, why are you paying attention to them? Besides, how do you know what intentions that young lord has? Perhaps because he hasn't been able to find a wife, and now that he's finally engaged, he's afraid the matter might fall through again, so he's rushing to please her," Madam Lu speculated. "That's probably it. Your grand-aunt said that the young lord is fond of men, and not a single young lady from the noble families in the capital catches his eye. Even though he has a good appearance, what's the use of that?"
"Grandmother, is what you're saying true?" Li Qing asked, not quite believing.
"Of course, it's true!" Madam Lu affirmed.
Li Qing felt a little better, but even so, she still wished that marriage had been hers.
"Grandmother, Li Nuan and Li Rou don't pay me any mind at all now. Just now, when we were picking out things at Qi Zhenzhen's, they snatched things from me!" Li Qing recounted her grievances. "Is it just because they have a good relationship with Qi Zhenzhen?"
Madam Lu's first reaction was anger. The two concubine-born daughters should naturally be submissive. Now they were challenging Qing'er. Did this mean they didn't respect her, their elder, either?
After this thought flashed by, Madam Lu seized on the main point. "I specifically advised you to maintain a good relationship with Qi Zhenzhen, why didn't you listen? Nuan Jie'er and Rou Jie'er know their place! You should learn from them in this regard. Although her status in the Marquis's manor isn't prominent, she will be the young lord's wife in the future, and then the Duchess. I heard she will be a first-rank noble lady. Besides the royal women, which woman in our Great Feng can compare to her?"
Madam Lu meant for Li Qing to realize Qi Zhenzhen's status, but Li Qing thought that all this glory should have been hers. It was a pity that Qi Zhenzhen, a concubine-born daughter, had snatched it all away. Clearly, she was the legitimate daughter, and she wasn't bad-looking either. Why did she not fare as well as the concubine-born Qi Zhenzhen? It was just that Qi Zhenzhen had good luck, being a young lady of the Marquis's manor. Otherwise, how could the Duke's manor have taken notice of her?
Therefore—
Li Qing's fighting spirit surged, and she had an idea.
Qi Zhenzhen could marry into the Duke's manor by luck, but whether she could win Gu Sinian's heart still depended on her abilities. Li Qing felt she possessed this ability. If she could win Gu Sinian's heart, what couldn't she obtain?
Her initial grievances were not grievances at all. As long as she smoothly entered the Duke's manor, she would have a chance to turn things around.
Earlier, Grandmother had mentioned that Aunt had suggested she become a concubine. Thinking about it now, it wasn't impossible.
"Grandmother, I still want to marry into the Duke's manor," Li Qing said earnestly.
What?! Madam Lu was shocked and stared blankly at Li Qing. After a long while, she managed to say, "A proper legitimate daughter wants to be a concubine? This... no, no, it's too shameful to say."
"Except for the Empress, aren't all other imperial consorts concubines? Don't those ducal and marquis families eagerly send their own daughters to be concubines? Why is it shameful for me? That's the Duke's manor, a Duke's manor highly favored by the Emperor. I think being a concubine in the Duke's manor is much more dignified than being the main wife in an ordinary family."
This reasoning seemed quite sound.
"But I've never heard of a family taking a concubine at the same time as the main wife," Madam Lu hesitated.
"Didn't Aunt say that she wanted me to be a concubine? Then she must have a way. Grandmother, go find Aunt and ask her what should be done?"
Madam Lu rubbed her hands. "This might not work. At that time, I was angry that she was playing tricks on us, so I went to argue with her. She was so angry she almost died, how would she help us? We might be laughed at by her again."
Li Qing stamped her foot. "Grandmother, why are you so impatient? This is the Marquis's manor after all, and she is still the Marchioness. No matter what happens, we must maintain a good relationship with her. That way, even if I become a concubine, I will have support behind me."
These words made Madam Lu very happy. Why? Because she realized her granddaughter wasn't entirely clueless. Being able to say such things clearly showed she had a very keen understanding.
"This was my impulsiveness, you can rest assured. Grandmother will humble herself and beg for your aunt's forgiveness. With her help, marrying into the Duke's manor will be a certainty! However, there are some things Grandmother still needs to tell you. You need to curb your temper and not be too ostentatious. Also, for example, you can't openly demand things from Nuan Jie'er and Rou Jie'er, like Jing'er. If you really want something, you can ask for it privately. And there are many ways to get things; getting them to offer them willingly is the best method. Also, maintaining good relationships with sisters isn't just talk; it's real, at least the outward relationship must be passable."
Li Qing had always considered herself superior and was dismissive of these things, but her grandmother emphasized them repeatedly, so she couldn't help but listen. Besides, weren't those two concubine-born daughters just good at putting on a show, making Qi Zhenzhen willingly treat them well?
"Alright, I'll listen to Grandmother."
The grandmother and granddaughter schemed for a long time, feeling confident that this matter would surely succeed, and their faces were filled with deep smiles.
In Longxiang Garden, the sisters were happily chatting about the rouge and powder.
"Zhenzhen, you're too clever!" Li Nuan's bright eyes sparkled with excitement. "When I make it, I'll give it to you first."
Li Nuan was a woman of action and couldn't sit still any longer. She grabbed the hem of her skirt and scurried back to her room.
Qi Zhenzhen sent Lian Bei to help. "Sister Nuan might need some things. Help her with it later. If the manor has them, ask for them in the name of our courtyard. If not, have Lian Shan help buy them."
Lian Bei was very happy. She was also interested in what the young ladies were discussing. That snow cream, hand cream, a little bit of it could make one's skin as tender as a peeled egg. What girl wouldn't covet that?
"Second Sister, how do you know so much?" Qi Xuanxuan asked with admiration.
"I've read a lot of miscellaneous books and enjoy pondering. What I just said depends on whether Sister Nuan can make it. However, I think Sister Nuan is skilled at making fragrances, so she should be good at making rouge and powder too. Look at this Hangzhou powder; it can whiten the face, but it just covers up the original skin. I heard it contains something that will make the skin on the face worse and worse. Then it won't be something that makes you beautiful, but something that makes you ugly. Which young lady would want to become ugly?"