How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

Chapter 114 The First Wife (3)

Recently, things have changed in the Song family. Everyone is on edge, afraid of offending any master if they don't serve them well.

The fourth concubine was confined to the ancestral hall, and the second concubine was neglected, even the New Year was a cold and quiet affair.

On the contrary, the newly arrived seventh concubine spent the most time with the master, while the sixth concubine... everyone was still observing. After all, she was frequently confined to her quarters, but the confinement wouldn't last long before the master would come looking for her again, and then she would be confined once more.

This morning, I heard that the magnolias in Nanyuan have formed flower buds, which has attracted many people to go and see them. Everyone said it was a good omen.

"What good omen? Why are you in such a hurry?" The second concubine finally managed to go out of the courtyard for a stroll, only to see several maids running around with happy faces, saying "Good omen" as they ran.

Yingluo stepped forward and shouted, "Who is this person who doesn't know any manners? They don't even know to greet the Second Concubine?"

Those young maids probably hadn't been in the household long and didn't know much about the second concubine's temperament, so one of the bolder ones stepped forward and said:

"Second Madam, the magnolias in the South Garden are all in bloom. The sisters all say it's a good omen and they want us to go see them."

Yingluo frowned and asked, "Which sister said that?"

The young maid thought about it carefully and remembered that it was a whispered conversation between several of her older sisters, but she couldn't recall which ones.

Seeing her stammering, Yingluo stepped forward and slapped her, "No manners! What kind of behavior is this, hesitating when your master asks you a question?"

The maids were so frightened that they knelt down, saying in a trembling voice, "I...I don't remember. I just overheard the older sisters talking together, but I don't recognize them."

Before Yingluo could ask any more questions, the second concubine stopped her, saying, "Alright, you're too impatient. It's just a few flowers, nothing special. It's past the New Year, and it's hard to say if some flowers bloom early. Don't talk nonsense like that in the future."

As she spoke, she personally helped the maid up, saying, "Poor thing, did your sister Yingluo hurt you too much? You all can rest today, just say it was me who said it."

The maid looked at the second concubine with surprise, somewhat at a loss.

The second concubine smiled kindly, then left with the morning glory.

"Second Mistress is so kind!" The maid said, watching the Second Mistress's departing figure.

"That's right, they can still treat us kindly."

"No work today."

...

At this moment, the kind-hearted second concubine in their words was wiping her hands with disgust over and over again. Yingluo said knowingly, "A few lowly people, they get all shabby just from touching you, they've never seen the world."

"Alright, let's not talk about them anymore. Go and find out what's going on in Nanyuan."

"You mean that person... No way, it's been twenty years."

"Better safe than sorry. We've finally managed to trap her, so we must make sure she doesn't get out again."

The second concubine's gaze was deep and unfathomable, as if she were thinking about something very far in the future.

Yingluo arrived at Nanyuan with the second concubine's orders. Nanyuan was where the Song family cultivated flowers, trees, and shrubs, and also grew some fresh vegetables that were hard to find in winter.

Because this place is full of servants who do odd jobs, masters rarely come here. Even a senior maid like Yingluo has only come a few times.

Avoiding crowded places, Yingluo went directly to the Buddhist hall.

The Buddhist temple seen during the day was different from what Du Juan saw at night; it wasn't as eerie or terrifying, but rather had a somewhat desolate feel.

After looking around, Yingluo snorted disdainfully. What kind of first wife was she? She lived in a place even worse than a servant like herself.

This courtyard house was very quiet and deserted, without a trace of human activity. The clean courtyard was filled with fallen leaves, which made a "crunching" sound when stepped on.

There was the sound of a wooden fish being struck inside the main room, and Ipomoea purse was peeking out from the doorway.

The first wife, dressed in plain clothes, sat devoutly in front of the Buddha statue, chanting sutras and meditating.

Looking at the First Madam's aged appearance, Yingluo disregarded her even more.

Looking into the courtyard, there were only a few pine trees; the magnolias were not there.

Not seeing any magnolias here, the morning glory went out.

She didn't notice that the First Madam had already turned around and was staring intently at her back, her expression extremely cold.

"Hmph, since when did someone start cooking on my cold stove?"

It must have started when the little thing was thrown in. "Sixth Concubine? You really are my lucky star."

The unwavering tone of her voice was more chilling than the dead of winter.

While burning charcoal, he burned a letter, and a cloud of black smoke instantly swirled in the brazier, obscuring the First Madam's expression.

Yingluo went back and reported, "I went to take a closer look. The first wife is already very old and looks like the master's mother. Yulan is not from her courtyard; there are only a few pine trees in her courtyard."

Hearing Yingluo's report, the second concubine's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

“That’s what I was saying too. After all these years, she shouldn’t have any more hopes.”

"Is that first wife really that powerful? Why are you so wary of her?"

Although Yingluo was brought by the second concubine, she was not part of the dowry. Instead, she was brought into the Song family after the Wang family's downfall. At that time, the first wife was confined to the Buddhist hall, and all the people around the second concubine were replaced. Therefore, Yingluo was unaware of that past.

"The first wife is very capable. She knows martial arts, poison, and scheming. Don't you think she's amazing?"

"Then why is she grounded if she's so powerful? It just goes to show that even the most powerful Monkey King can't compare to our Second Madam, who is like the Buddha, with all-powerful connections." Yingluo flattered her.

"Don't underestimate her. Even the master considers her a rival, let alone you and me. She made a mistake herself and promised never to leave the Buddhist hall, or else she would die a horrible death."

"What mistake is so serious?"

The second concubine didn't answer, but looked at herself in the mirror, gently stroking the fine lines that had appeared on her face from frowning. "What I did wrong doesn't matter. As long as I keep the master happy, I can enjoy wealth and luxury. Look at me, don't I look much older?"

Yingluo dared not answer directly. The second concubine disliked being lied to, and no woman wanted to accept growing old, especially a concubine who relied on her beauty. Therefore, she said:

"The second young master is all grown up and it's time for him to get married. If you were to become a grandmother at your age, no one would be able to tell at all."

"Hmph, yes, I'm old enough to be a grandmother." The second concubine sighed. "Speaking of which, what's Yuanliang up to? I haven't seen him lately. He just ate a meal and left in a hurry during the New Year."

"The second young master has been working hard lately. The master gave him a lot of account books before the New Year, saying that he should know the hardships of running a business early on. He still hasn't finished reading them today."

"With the Song family's vast wealth, even reading several books a day wouldn't be enough to finish reading them all so quickly."

"Yes, Master trusts the young master and wants him to take over the business as soon as possible. You, on the other hand, have many more days to enjoy."

The second concubine finally smiled with satisfaction, "Yes, what do people strive for in this life? Isn't it all about having a successful husband and successful children? Then you won't have to worry about anything for the rest of your life. Before the New Year, the master said he wanted to arrange a marriage for Yuanliang, but I don't think we need to rush. Let's wait and see. I'm not the most satisfied with Miss Liu."

"Alright, I'll have someone inquire more about the young ladies in the city."

Song Yuanliang, who was constantly on his mother's mind, was in a state of great anxiety. He hadn't seen Yan Ru for almost a month.

Whenever he wanted to do something on his own, someone would conveniently present him with a stack of account books. Some of these old account books were almost rotten, so there was no need to look at them anymore. But Master Song always had his reasons, such as not being able to learn how to check accounts, or how to manage new accounts in the future. In short, he never gave him a chance to be alone.

"No, I can't stay any longer. I have to find a way to see Yanru, or I'll go crazy."