The Good Concubine of the Qing Dynasty [Red Mansion]

Listening to Feicui’s excuses, Jia Min couldn’t bear it any longer. With a wave of her hand, the teacup on the table was knocked over, crashing to the ground with a sharp sound, spilling tea leaves and water everywhere. “Enough, you don’t need to say anything more. Someone, take her back to her room and let her rest!”

Feicui was taken away.

Jia Min clutched her chest, feeling nauseated.

A wave of nausea rose from her stomach.

She had planned to compensate Feicui out of guilt, preparing a dowry, and even matching her with a widower who had a son to secure her future. She had written to her mother, arranging for Feicui’s brother to be well taken care of!

But all of Feicui’s words were nothing but insincere lies. She clearly wanted to become a concubine! Follow orders?

Wasn’t the order she gave an order?

Feicui only followed the orders she wanted to follow!

And the people in this courtyard… Jia Min’s gaze turned cold as she looked out the window. Had they forgotten that she was the mistress?

“Someone, call Nanny Qian here.”

Jia Min didn’t have to think hard to know who had allowed Feicui to enter her room without obstruction. She felt deeply disappointed.

Nanny Qian had anticipated this scene from the start. The moment she entered, she knelt down and admitted her fault. “Madam, I know you are upset, but I swear to heaven, I had no selfish intentions. Everything I did was for your own good!”

Feicui was beautiful, infertile, and had a contract of servitude. Since the Madam couldn’t act directly, Feicui could speak on her behalf.

There were no concerns about potential repercussions.

Nanny Qian didn’t want to act so hastily, so clumsily, and with such crude methods. However, the Madam had already chosen someone for Feicui. If she didn’t take action, it would be too late, and Feicui would be matched with someone else.

So, even though she knew the Madam would be angry, she felt she had no choice but to take this desperate measure.

Now, Feicui certainly couldn’t be matched with anyone else. They could plot again later.

Jia Min didn’t say anything, just looked at her coldly.

This unexpected reaction made Nanny Qian uneasy. “Madam, please don’t harm your health with anger. It’s all my fault; you can punish me. I’m willing to accept any punishment.”

Jia Min gently closed her eyes.

She shouldn’t have softened her heart before.

“Nanny, you’re getting on in years, and since you’re not feeling well, you don’t need to work so hard anymore. I’ll make sure a maid takes good care of you.”

Jia Min had made up her mind.

Nanny Qian was stunned: “!!!”

She was terrified—was this taking away her authority?

Nanny Qian’s face twisted in panic. She opened her mouth to defend herself but, seeing the look in the Madam’s eyes, her heart skipped a beat. She instinctively held her tongue and didn’t say anything further. Instead, she bowed deeply and said, “This old servant… acknowledges her mistake.”

As Nanny Qian left, her steps were unsteady, and she nearly stumbled.

From her back, she seemed to have aged at least five years in an instant.

Jia Min did not relent.

She called in several people in succession and stripped Nanny Qian of all her authority, assigning two young maids to “take care of” her. In reality, their task was to keep a close watch on her, ensuring she couldn’t interfere in anything else.

In a little while, Jia Min planned to have Nanny Qian move out. She would buy her a small house, provide some servants, and let her live out her days in peace. Beyond that, there would be nothing more.

Apart from her, Jia Min had no intention of letting the others off easily either.

However, she couldn’t replace everyone overnight—that would be too conspicuous…

As for Feicui, does she want to stay?

Fine.

But the way she stays might not be the way she desires.

…

It wasn’t until nearly three months after Yun Shuyao had given birth and was preparing to return to Bitao Courtyard to pay her respects that she learned about the addition of a new colleague.

This matter hadn’t been widely circulated.

So, the news spread slowly.

Upon hearing it, Yun Shuyao paid a bit more attention.

Having one more colleague or one less might seem insignificant, but it could very likely increase or decrease her workload.

This is something every seasoned worker has to pay attention to.

Previously, when Yun Shuyao was working, a colleague suddenly resigned, and she, as a team member, was forced to take over that person’s duties. Then a newcomer joined, but instead of helping, they were more of a hindrance.

Soon after, the new colleague also quit, and she actually felt relieved.

Getting along with colleagues also depends on temperament.

Although her colleagues were only superficially friendly due to their job positions, if their personalities clashed, an already tense office could become even more hostile.

Here, if personalities don’t match, the time spent together is minimal, but if the other person is also a concubine, you’ll still have to interact daily during morning greetings, making it unavoidable.

When Yun Shuyao started inquiring about this new colleague, she found there wasn’t much information available.

She learned that the newcomer was quite good-looking and had come along with the people who visited from Rongguo Mansion previously. Moreover, this new colleague’s position wasn’t as a concubine but more like the two girls in Lin Ruhai’s outer study—an unofficial consort without any formal status.

There were no special privileges, except that her monthly stipend was slightly higher than that of the senior maids, and she was also responsible for the sewing room tasks.

Additionally, it seemed that Lin Ruhai had already forgotten about this person.

Yun Shuyao:?

I don’t understand this move.

Did this person get into bed by herself?

It’s unlikely that Jia Min pushed her forward because if Jia Min had, she wouldn’t be treated like this.

If she did climb into bed by herself… thinking of the maid who was sent away from Aunt Mei’s courtyard, Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but take note of it in her mind.

If this is really the case, a period of observation should confirm it.

Jia Min’s firm position as the head lady isn’t just because of her background.

—

Yun Shuyao found out, and not long after, Aunt Mei did too.

Since Aunt Mei punished herself by copying scriptures, Nanny Wu took on an additional role: teaching Aunt Mei proper etiquette, as her manners were too lax.

This secretly caused Nanny Wu some distress, but she couldn’t shirk the responsibility.

She had spent quite some time in Meixiang Courtyard and had a very simple impression of Aunt Mei—she was not a contented person.

Though her mind was straightforward, she wasn’t content.

In this regard, Nanny Wu had often envied Nanny Wang of Lanxin Courtyard.

Moreover, there were times when Nanny Wu really couldn’t understand where Aunt Mei’s impulsive actions came from.

Fortunately, in critical moments, Aunt Mei seemed to have some sense. During her pregnancy, she didn’t act out; otherwise, Nanny Wu doubted that even with eight hands, she could have protected that pregnancy.

As for why Aunt Mei had some sense in critical moments, Nanny Wu attributed most of the credit to Aunt Mei’s biological mother.

She was able to persuade Aunt Mei.

Another issue was Aunt Mei’s attitude towards them, which was also criticized.

They had come from the Old Madam’s courtyard, and even the people from the Madam’s courtyard would treat them with some courtesy, but not Aunt Mei. She would only show some courtesy when dealing with her directly.

It’s not that this behavior was wrong—after all, even as a half-master, she was still a master, different from them, who were just servants—but she simply didn’t know how to conduct herself.

They didn’t expect much from her, just a bit more courtesy, instead of that commanding and condescending attitude.

Her behavior only ensured that everyone’s loyalty remained firmly with the Old Madam.

Therefore, although Nanny Wu thought Aunt Mei’s approach wasn’t very smart, she didn’t interfere much.

Nanny Wu had heard more than once or twice about the little tricks Aunt Mei played on the master.

She was somewhat surprised that since having the eldest daughter, Aunt Mei had become a bit full of herself.

She didn’t dare to act this way when she was pregnant.

The master had reprimanded her several times, out of consideration for the eldest daughter, but unfortunately, Aunt Mei didn’t get the hint.

At first, Nanny Wu thought Aunt Mei had understood and was just relying on having the eldest daughter do as she pleased, but later she realized that Aunt Mei truly didn’t understand the master’s warnings.

This time, the master punished her by making her copy scriptures. With her speed, it would take her no less than three months to finish.

The master even said he would check her work, preventing her from having someone else do it or from writing carelessly.

This was essentially a disguised form of house arrest.

This made things easier.

Compared to copying scriptures, learning manners wasn’t so unbearable.

Given her physical condition, she couldn’t be punished physically, so most of the education was verbal.

Now, seeing Aunt Mei’s eyes widen in shock and her agitated state, wanting to say something, Nanny Wu calmly tapped the ruler in her hand, lightly knocking it on the table, “Aunt Mei, you haven’t finished today’s portion of the scriptures, and you haven’t learned today’s manners either.”

Aunt Mei’s face turned pale.

That damned old hag!

—

After three months, they returned to their routine of daily morning greetings. Now, it wasn’t just Yun Shuyao and Hong Xiu going together; the two little ones had to join them as well.

Of course, because they were still young, they were carried by their wet nurses to the greeting, and though it was said to be a morning greeting, in reality, it was the wet nurses and nannies doing the greetings on their behalf.

When they arrived at Bitao Courtyard, Yun Shuyao took a look around.

Some familiar faces were gone, replaced by new ones.

She had just arrived when Aunt Mei followed shortly after.

It had been a long time since they last met, and at first glance, she seemed unchanged. However, upon closer inspection, Aunt Mei had become better at controlling her emotions than before.

It seems she endured quite a bit of hardship during her time copying scriptures.

Entering the main hall, they found Jia Min sitting alone.

Her makeup was immaculate, and her expression was calm.

It appeared she was in a good mood today.

After the morning greetings, Jia Min even showed some concern, asking about them and the children’s well-being.

As for the new colleague, she wasn’t present.

Aunt Mei, still with her usual temperament, held back but eventually asked, “Madam, I heard we have a new sister. Why haven’t we seen her?”

Jia Min glanced at her, still smiling, and said, “Go, call Miss Xinghua over to meet everyone.”

A maid responded respectfully.

Yun Shuyao thought: It doesn’t seem to be a mistake.

And, Xinghua? Wasn’t she called Feicui?

The atmosphere in Bitao Courtyard had changed compared to before; the servants were now even more respectful toward Jia Min.

It didn’t take long before the person came out.

Jia Min said, “Her real name is Xinghua. The name she changed to won’t be used anymore.”

Zhao Xinghua obediently bowed to Jia Min, “Xinghua greets Madam.”

Then she gave a half-bow to Aunt Mei and Yun Shuyao, “Xinghua greets Aunt Mei and Aunt Yun.”

As soon as Aunt Mei saw Zhao Xinghua, alarms went off in her mind.

This Feicui is different from them in style. She appears innocent and sweet, without much scheming, but there was a similar concubine in her father’s household whom he favored greatly.

Two of her younger sisters were born from that concubine. They were already married, and it’s said that they had become very favored by their husbands, having learned well from that concubine.

If the Master also became infatuated with someone like this, Aunt Mei wouldn’t be surprised.

Therefore, she began to feel a sense of crisis, and with a forced smile, she said, “So it’s Miss Xing—hua—, Miss Xinghua, you’re too polite.” She deliberately stretched out the pronunciation of the name, adding layers of meaning.

Yun Shuyao secretly admired her; no one could sow discord quite as quickly as she did.

Xinghua lowered her head, pretending not to have noticed anything, and meekly replied, “Aunt Mei, you flatter me.”

She also used her peripheral vision to assess the two women. Aunt Mei was easy to recognize; her attire was bold and striking. She was a captivating woman who drew eyes effortlessly. Aunt Yun, on the other hand, was less noticeable, though her face was equally lovely, with a gentler demeanor.

The Old Madam had instructed her to keep a close eye on Aunt Yun, as she posed the greatest threat.

Although in terms of background and talent, she couldn’t compare to the Mistress, the fact that she had a son made her a significant threat.

Yun Shuyao noticed her scrutiny and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

She formed a simple first impression: a new colleague with ambition.

Jia Min stood up and said, “Xinghua, you may go now. We need to go pay our respects to the Old Madam. Don’t let us miss the time.”

Zhao Xinghua bowed in response, her mouth full of bitterness. The Old Madam held a deep-seated prejudice against her.

Although she had the title of a concubine, she had not yet had a consummation with the Master. She wanted to create opportunities, but the work in her hands seemed endless.

Once she left, someone would follow her and take her back.

Furthermore, Granny Qian and the others were no longer in the Bitao Courtyard.

She didn’t know how long it would take for the Old Madam to lower her guard against her. After all, they were from the same family!

——

The group marched grandly to the Old Madam’s Pine and Cypress Courtyard. Leading the way was Jia Min, followed by Yun Shuyao and the others.

The Old Madam had instructed that the two concubines should go today, which meant today was an exception.

Of course, the Old Madam was interested in her three grandchildren. The two concubines were just additional company.

Given their contributions to the Lin family, she wouldn’t mistreat them, but she wouldn’t let them overstep their bounds either. They were to remain within their proper roles.

As for Lin Ruhai, he had gone out.

Yun Shuyao wasn’t sure where he had gone, but it was said that he would be away for a few days.

After arriving at the Pine and Cypress Courtyard and paying their respects, she and Aunt Mei became mere background figures.

The Old Madam would speak with Jia Min, inquire about the handling of household affairs, and also ask the nurses and caretakers about the children’s various details.

While the Old Madam was showing concern for her grandchildren, Aunt Mei looked at her plump, fair Luoyu and then at her own thin, small Yingyu, feeling a pang of pain.

Alongside this, she worried that the Old Madam might not favor Yingyu as much.

Even if Aunt Mei didn’t want to admit it, she couldn’t deny that her daughter was not as well-raised as Luoyu.

Fortunately, the Old Madam’s attitude seemed consistent, treating both granddaughters equally.

However, when it came to the grandsons, the Old Madam was undoubtedly biased.

This left Aunt Mei feeling frustrated but unable to voice her complaints.

She could accept losing to Chenyu, but losing to Luoyu would be unbearable.

Both were born out of wedlock, and her daughter was even the elder.

Even if born just a quarter of an hour earlier, it would make a difference.

Moreover, her daughter was only lagging behind for now; she would soon surpass Luoyu in brilliance!

Aunt Mei’s inner turmoil was hidden behind an impassive exterior, as she was somewhat intimidated by the Old Madam.

At this time, both Yun Shuyao and Aunt Mei’s presence became very inconspicuous, with Yun Shuyao hoping to make hers even less noticeable.

Although Lin Ruhai was the head of the family, this was an era governed by filial piety.

The Old Madam’s words could change the current situation she was content with.

If she fails to meet any expectations, it could lead to severe consequences.

Sometimes, Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but think that it would have been better if she had crossed over into the modern world rather than ancient times. But then she remembered the nightmarish world of the apocalypse, where people were eating each other. She felt that she was quite fortunate to have ended up in this world. Despite its flaws, this place had no zombies and no survival wars.

Life is measured by comparison.

While it might not match the modern world, comparing it to the apocalypse, her regrets seemed less significant.

The Old Madam’s daily schedule was meticulously planned. Even though she was delighted to see her grandchildren, she wouldn’t delay for long. Additionally, the children’s daily needs—eating, drinking, and other minor matters—were also quite time-consuming.

So, Yun Shuyao and the others didn’t stay long in the Pine and Cypress Courtyard and left with the children. Jia Min stayed behind to discuss something with the Old Madam.

Yun Shuyao had a sharp hearing and caught a few fragments of their conversation, which was about Lin Ruhai’s current departure. She didn’t hear more specifics, as she had already walked away.

At the fork in the road on their way back, Mei Yiniang glanced enviously at the sleeping Chen Yu, held in the nurse’s arms, but said nothing and turned away.

She planned to think carefully about how to suppress Miss Xinghua so she wouldn’t steal the Master’s favor.

The Yun family had already become influential; she didn’t want another Zhao Yiniang.

Yun Shuyao watched her retreating figure, blinking, and thought she might be preparing to make some harsh remarks.

She sensed her growth.

Sometimes, Yun Shuyao found it strange. In the environment of being a concubine’s child, many people’s personalities are often cautious or overly self-reliant due to the circumstances.

Being overly cautious is most common, especially when there are legitimate wives and siblings in strong positions within the family.

The Mei family was a typical example of a dominant legitimate line.

Mei Yiniang was the third in her family’s sibling order. Given her position, she shouldn’t have been particularly favored. How did she develop such a personality?

It remains unresolved.

Except for that day, Yun Shuyao didn’t see Miss Xinghua again when she visited the Pine and Cypress Courtyard.

She had been “put on ice.”

Moreover, it had been a long time since anyone had seen Granny Qian and the others. It was only upon inquiry that Yun Shuyao learned that Granny Qian, due to her old age, had been sent out of the mansion for a peaceful retirement.

This “peaceful retirement” had its nuances.

The position of a young lady’s nurse or tutor was always a coveted one. If the relationship was good, once the young lady grew up and married, the nurse or tutor would go with her as a trusted confidante. Their own children might be entrusted with important roles, and if fortune favored them, their descendants could even become officials, and they themselves might achieve a high status.

However, given the current situation of Granny Qian’s lineage, it was clear that the retirement wasn’t truly peaceful.

While her basic needs were met, there were no additional benefits.

Thinking about the “frozen” Miss Xinghua, Yun Shuyao thought: “…”

What a waste of effort! Why go through so much trouble? Jia Min isn’t made of clay, and even clay figures have some spirit.

She had grown up in luxury; how could she be made to suffer?

Except for elders, as long as she didn’t want it, no one could make her suffer.

Meanwhile, Mei Yiniang was puzzled: ???

Where is she?

She had come up with so many plans, only to find she couldn’t even see Miss Xinghua. However, Miss Xinghua didn’t get to see the Master either.

Mei Yiniang: Hahaha!

Though she didn’t know why, losing one competitor for favor was a good thing!

Soon, Yun Shuyao’s ability reached Level 3.

She had many seedlings of flowers and plants delivered, adding even more greenery to Lanxin Courtyard, which already had a lot of plants.

A significant portion of these seedlings came from Wangjia Village.

Yun Qingpeng didn’t know what his niece was planning, but since she had mentioned wanting to plant something in the mountains before, he carried out her request without question. Now, a large area of the hillside was covered with flowers and plants.

Song Shi didn’t understand her daughter’s actions. It seemed like she was really going to grow flowers and plants to sell?

If her daughter wasn’t using the best farmland for this, Song Shi would have advised her against it.

Growing some crops according to the season would be enough for her expenses. Doing this might end up being ungrateful work—putting in time and effort without making a profit and possibly even losing money.

Yun Qingliang reassured Song Shi: “Your daughter is someone who plans things carefully. Trust her.”

Even if she did incur losses, it wouldn’t be significant.

Buying seeds and seedlings didn’t cost much, after all, they weren’t rare varieties.

Yun Shuyao selected the best-performing seedlings from the flower fields.

After they were delivered, she planted them in a suitable location.

Her ability was now at Level 3.

At Level 4, she would be able to use her skills to nourish ordinary plants, making them healthier and even accelerating their growth. Her wood-type ability would no longer be ineffective.

When she first realized she had crossed over, she thought about how to make a living.

In fact, if it hadn’t been for the unexpected pregnancy and childbirth, she would have likely reached Level 4 by now.

She would continue according to her original plan.

From what she knew, some high-level experts could directly use seeds to accelerate growth. In a world lacking food like the apocalypse, high-level wood-type ability users were highly sought after wherever they went.

With them, the pressure on food supplies could be alleviated.

Legend has it that if one’s ability level is high enough, a few people could sustain an entire city.

This is just a legend—Yun Shuyao had never seen it.

The wood-type ability users she had encountered were mostly at Levels 1 to 3, with limited self-defense abilities. Their physical enhancements were modest, just slightly better than those without abilities.

However, ordinary people without abilities had a terrifyingly high mortality rate in the apocalypse.

Many wood-type ability users died in the early stages, leading to a shortage of high-level wood-type users.

The highest-level wood-type ability user Yun Shuyao had briefly encountered was at Level 6.

He could grow a large cabbage within a minute and use vines as weapons for both offense and defense.

Unfortunately, this Level 6 user supposedly broke through with the help of rare materials, making his case not very representative.

Most people struggled painfully at the transition from Level 3 to Level 4.

Not to mention moving from Level 5 to Level 6.

For now, Yun Shuyao didn’t need to worry about that.

She was quite confident about reaching Level 4 because she had already achieved a breakthrough and knew what to do. However, she had no idea about advancing from Level 4 to Level 5 and reaching Level 6 was something to consider later.

In her current world, her ability was relatively advantageous. The upper class’s appreciation for rare flowers and plants had never waned.

If she didn’t want to stand out, she could cultivate some mid-tier flowers and plants. If she aimed for fame, she could spend some time growing a few rare specimens, which would immediately boost her reputation.

Even if she didn’t grow flowers, simply being able to revive sick plants was a valuable skill.

Yun Shuyao didn’t want to draw too much attention. The original owner hadn’t been involved in this area much, and she quickly grew rare specimens, which were too conspicuous.

She preferred a steady, long-term approach.

The seedlings quickly took root in Lanxin Courtyard, and Yun Shuyao visited them every day.

She also brought the twins along.

Every time they left the house, they would perk up.

Their shiny, black eyes curiously observed the outside world.

Every leaf, flower, and stone could keep them quiet and fascinated for a long time.

This was different from the toys inside the house.

As Yun Shuyao looked forward to her abilities reaching level four to increase her power and add to her savings, Old Madam Jia received a letter and learned about her daughter’s handling of Aunt Qian and Fei Cui.

Her brow furrowed immediately, and she felt a hint of dissatisfaction with her daughter’s actions, which she quickly suppressed with a sigh.

She wouldn’t even keep a maid who couldn’t bear children, so she would surely oppose having Jia’s family members use a surrogate.

Now it all depends on whether the physician truly has the skills. Otherwise, if her daughter remains childless, it would be problematic.

Old Madam Jia rubbed her brow. Fei Cui, now a discarded pawn, was irrelevant, but she had originally been a second-tier maid. With her daughter now confining her, how would she save face?

It had been a long time since anyone had undermined her dignity.

And then there was Aunt Qian, whose entire family had been sent away.

Seeing Aunt Qian’s plaintive letters, Old Madam Jia’s frown deepened. Aunt Qian had been a nurse since she was young. Even without notable contributions, she had endured hardships over the years. Wasn’t this approach likely to chill the hearts of those serving beneath her?