"You're not joking, are you? Asking me to plead with her? You know, I have a feud with her and have no intention of interacting with her again in this lifetime, let alone beg her." Madam Zhu’s smile was more bitter than tears. She had initially thought Wu Caiwei would be at a disadvantage when she clashed with the County Magistrate’s wife, but only a few days had passed before the County Magistrate’s wife appeared before her, asking her to mediate.
Madam Zhu was a hundred percent unwilling. She had vehemently kicked Wu Caiwei out of the Zhu family then, and now she was supposed to go and speak nicely to her? Wouldn't that mean she had lost? The thing she feared most in her life was losing to her husband’s concubines, especially one who came from a brothel.
No matter what, she came from a scholarly family, and she was a suitable match for her husband back then. When Li Shiyun was still in the mansion, Madam Zhu had looked at her with disdain. What was she now? But after her husband passed away, the Zhu family had declined sharply. Although it was once a grand estate of a top scholar, everyone knew the Zhu family had no successors to continue its former glory. Even much of their former fortune had been squandered. The County Magistrate’s wife, though of lower status than herself, spoke with a tone that was outwardly calm but carried a commanding air. Madam Zhu knew that if she didn't comply today, she wouldn't have an easy time in Lan Cheng from then on.
Others might not know, but she did. The County Magistrate’s position was not high, but he had powerful backing. Even their Zhu family’s connections in the capital had advised them to lie low and avoid direct conflict with the County Magistrate. He then gestured upwards, and she dared not guess who the patron was.
"Madam Zhu worries too much. Regardless, her daughter is in your household, and her marriage is in your hands. Even if you don’t consider the monk, you must consider the Buddha. It will ultimately be more effective if you speak than I."
The County Magistrate’s wife paid no mind to Madam Zhu’s predicament. She knew they were family, and her words would carry more weight than hers. Besides, she held leverage over Wu Caiwei, so she wasn't afraid she wouldn't comply.
"Alright, but Madam, you know I once kicked her out of the Zhu family's gates and left her to wander the streets. She might still resent me. I will do my best to accomplish this, but if she doesn't accept, please forgive me." Madam Zhu saw that the other party was insistent and knew she couldn't refuse. She could only state the worst-case scenario upfront to avoid being blamed later.
"I heard she lived in your household for many years without ever benefiting. I believe this time, Madam Zhu will also help me achieve my wish." How could the County Magistrate’s wife not know she was covering her tracks? If it were in the past, it wouldn't matter. Perhaps she might even give her some time, knowing it was a difficult request. But her husband couldn't wait any longer. If this continued, who knew what crazy things they might do.
Madam Zhu opened her mouth several times, wanting to retort but not knowing what to say. Seeing the other party's determined look, she knew she had to complete this task no matter what. She could only leave her home with her personal maid, reluctantly, at her signal.
As soon as she left, she felt someone following her. Madam Zhu felt extremely uncomfortable. Was the other party afraid she wouldn't go to Wu Caiwei? She had already agreed, yet they were still supervising her. They clearly didn't respect the Zhu family.
If they continued to bully her like this, the Zhu family wouldn't be able to live peacefully in Lan Cheng. The lords in the city were all sharp observers, constantly monitoring the city's affairs. As soon as they knew the Zhu family was out of favor with the County Magistrate’s wife, some would try to step on the Zhu family.
When their lord was alive, they were not afraid. Although their lord had retired and returned home, he was still a top scholar, and people would give him some face.
After their lord’s death, the young masters were all useless. They were either petty thieves or frequented brothels. She had scolded and beaten them, but their bad habits, long ingrained, couldn’t be easily changed. She could only firmly control the family’s assets. She didn’t want the Zhu family to be ruined by the young masters, leaving her to wander the streets while she was still alive.
Looking at the five taels of silver in her hand, the young masters were dumbfounded. They all approached Madam Zhu, complaining about their difficulties, stating that five taels of silver wasn’t even enough to fill their teeth. Madam Zhu was resolute this time, tightening her jaw and refusing to budge. No matter how they pleaded, she insisted the family wasn't as prosperous as before and there was no money in the accounts.
They didn't believe her, but they had been disciplined by Madam Zhu many times. Each of them felt a little intimidated when they saw her. Seeing that she was determined not to give them money, they could only retreat and find another way.
Wu Caiwei hadn't expected Madam Zhu to visit again. She had left after uttering some harsh words when she first came to her home. They had encountered many difficulties recently and hadn't had much interaction with the Zhu family. She didn't expect Madam Zhu to come in person.
"Let’s speak plainly. I am here today on behalf of the County Magistrate’s wife, asking you to let them go. Although I don't know what happened between you, no matter what, they call the shots in this territory of Lan Cheng. This time, they are voluntarily asking for forgiveness and offering a way out, so you should take it." Although Madam Zhu was annoyed by the County Magistrate’s wife's disrespect, she had to admit she didn't dare to retaliate.
"The County Magistrate’s wife is asking us for forgiveness? Was she the one who sent the assassins in black last time?" Both of them showed a look of confusion.
Madam Zhu examined them from head to toe. Seeing that they genuinely didn't know, she also became puzzled. The County Magistrate’s wife had said the County Magistrate was ill and asked them to forgive them and find a way to cure the County Magistrate. But from their words, the County Magistrate's illness had nothing to do with them.
"If you have the antidote, hand it over quickly. The County Magistrate’s wife visited the Zhu family today, and it seems she won't give up easily. I don't care about the matters between you and the County Magistrate’s wife, but you cannot drag the Zhu family into it. You wouldn't want Sister Yu to be left homeless at such a young age, would you?" Madam Zhu looked at her meaningfully.
"What are you talking about, Madam? What antidote? Is someone ill or poisoned? What does this have to do with us? How could Sister Yu be homeless? I am her own mother, and I am here. Regardless, our courtyard is big enough for her to stay."
Wu Caiwei feigned ignorance. She hadn't expected the County Magistrate’s wife to be so shrewd and suspect them so quickly. That day, Zhang Changhe deliberately took the County Magistrate to a teahouse, making it seem like he chose the teahouse and the teaware was provided by the establishment, with no involvement from him. In reality, he had quietly smeared the medicine on the rim of the cup while pouring tea.