"You... you think I wouldn't dare?" Third Concubine's voice trembled.
"I know you dare to do anything. Feel free to cause trouble," Xiao Xiang pointed towards the door. "Do you think Second Concubine and Fourth Concubine don't want to be the lady of the household? Especially Second Concubine Lin Wanwan, why hasn't she fought for it?"
"She's a woman from the pleasure quarters, she's not worthy?"
"They are women from the pleasure quarters, that's true! But Concubine, don't forget, your status isn't much better. You were sold into servitude! At least they are free, while you are a slave!" Xiao Xiang reprimanded. "I don't know who told you that you could be the matriarch of the General's Mansion. Let me tell you clearly, if a lady from a prominent family came as a concubine, with support from her family, you might be elevated after the matriarch's death. But in the General's Mansion, that is absolutely impossible. Even Madam Yan, while ostensibly the matriarch, is merely a concubine on the family registry!"
Third Concubine was shocked by her words. "What did you say?"
"I said, on the General's Mansion's family registry, only your eldest sister's birth mother, Qin Xian'er, was the matriarch, a proper wife of the General's Mansion. Even Madam Yan, upon entering the household, is nominally the matriarch, but in reality, she is just a favored concubine!"
Third Concubine suddenly calmed down. "So, if He Qingyi enters the mansion, she'll be the nominal matriarch, but in reality, she'll just be a concubine like us?"
"Who knows!" Xiao Xiang ordered a maid to get eggs for her to apply to her face. In this General's Mansion, it didn't matter who became the General's wife, because no one could surpass Xiao Man. It wasn't worth offending Xiao Man just to contend for a title that held no real power.
"But one can get the right to manage the household."
"Concubine, the right to manage the household has always been in eldest sister's hands!" Xiao Xiang said, as if frustrated by her lack of progress. "From the head housekeeper to the lowliest gatekeeper, everyone in this General's Mansion listens to eldest sister. If eldest sister allows you to manage the household affairs, you can. If she doesn't allow you, then none of the subordinates will listen to you!"
"Then what should I do? I even argued with Eldest Miss yesterday."
"That's your problem. If Concubine wants to court death, don't drag me along. Don't forget, our mother and daughter's lives are still in eldest sister's hands."
The Second Miss's words were like a basin of ice water poured over Third Concubine's head, jolting her to her senses. She also felt a sense of dread and paced back and forth in the room. "Will Eldest Miss resent me? No, I must go and admit my mistakes to Eldest Miss."
"You come back and just do your own things quietly. Don't do anything extra!" Xiao Xiang gritted her teeth. "Foolish woman, if you implicate me, I will make you pay!"
"But Eldest Miss..."
"From what I know of her, as long as we don't do anything to harm the General's Mansion or her, she will turn a blind eye."
"But with He Qingyi entering the mansion, our days might not be easy."
"Concubine, rest assured. If He Qingyi goes too far, we won't have to lift a finger. Eldest sister will not tolerate her either. Madam Yan is a prime example."
Third Concubine thought of Madam Yan being divorced and sent home, eventually dying tragically in the family temple, and shivered. She had already fallen out with her own family. If she were divorced, she would have no way out but death.
"Xiang'er, will your eldest sister really not deal with me?"
"Concubine, if she wanted to kill you, she would only need to withhold your antidote," Xiao Xiang said faintly. "When your life is in someone else's hands, be obedient. Otherwise, be careful that you don't even know how you died!"
Third Concubine's face was as pale as paper. Xiao Man's tolerance had made her forget that Xiao Man was not an easy person to deal with. Even if He Qingyi had immense capabilities, once she entered this General's Mansion, she would have to behave herself.
The news of the General's Mansion proposing marriage to the He family, seeking to marry the He family's granddaughter as a successor wife, soon spread throughout the capital. Those who had once mocked He Qingyi as a jilted widow with a jinxed fate were stunned. No one could have imagined that Xiao Zhen would choose a jilted widow, who had jinxed her own husband to death on their wedding day, as his successor wife.
Old Madam He, overjoyed, received the matchmaker. Upon learning that the matchmaker was indeed proposing on behalf of the Protector General Xiao Zhen, she was overjoyed and readily agreed. After seeing off the matchmaker, she hurried to find He Qingyi.
"Qingyi, good news, great news."
"But the General's Mansion has come to propose marriage," He Qingyi was tending to the herbs in the yard.
"You've already heard. The Great General sent someone to propose marriage to you as his successor wife. You've finally overcome your hardship." Old Madam He was ecstatic. Although she had protected He Qingyi, and He Qingyi's life in the He family was considered comfortable, one day she would pass away. At that time, without her as a support, He Qingyi's life in the He family would likely be very difficult.
"Are they directly presenting the betrothal gifts?"
"The three letters and six rites, not a single one is missing."
A flicker of surprise flashed in He Qingyi's eyes. According to custom, Xiao Zhen wouldn't need such formality, especially since he was marrying a successor wife and her reputation was poor. Yet, he followed the three letters and six rites without omission. This showed that Xiao Zhen truly loved his daughter, and her choice was not wrong.
While everyone was indignant that Xiao Zhen was marrying a jilted widow, the Xiao family had already completed the three letters and six rites, and the wedding date was set for ten days later. Although rushed, all preparations were in place.
A lady from a collateral branch of the Jin family, upon hearing that He Qingyi was about to become a General's wife, was so enraged that she immediately wanted to go to the He family to cause trouble. Fortunately, Master Jin stopped her.
"You shrew, stop your nonsense. He Qingyi is marrying into the General's Mansion this time. If you dare to go and make a scene, the Great General will surely kill our entire family!"
"That shameless slut He Qingyi, she jinxed my son to death, she should have remained a widow for my son her whole life. How dare she marry someone?"
"The Great General personally proposed marriage, could she refuse?" Master Jin gritted his teeth. "We can't afford to offend the General. Stop your nonsense, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Madam Jin watched Master Jin leave in anger, then found his charming concubine and gritted her teeth in hatred. "He Qingyi, you want to become the General's wife in a grand manner? That depends on whether I agree!"
On the wedding day, Xiao Zhen personally came to escort the bride.
"I never expected that a widow with a jinxed fate could marry a powerful Great General. Isn't the Great General afraid that this woman will jinx him to death?"
"The Great General is a killing god on the battlefield, with at least three thousand, if not ten thousand lives on his hands. How could an inner-house woman jinx him? It's more likely that this old maiden of the He family will be jinxed to death by the Great General!"
"That makes sense. After all, his previous two wives died!"
The crowd, who had initially pitied the Great General for marrying an unwanted jilted widow, ended up pitying He Qingyi. They all speculated how long He Qingyi would survive after entering the General's Mansion!