Chapter 158: A Concubine Is Always a Concubine
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
A significant crowd was advancing toward the estate of Marquis Zhongyong, buzzing with curiosity and whispers.
As Madam Xu led the way, spectators questioned, “Madam Xu, where are you heading?”
An eager voice chimed from the crowd, “I know! Last time, the Marquis’s wife and Madam Xu wagered a bet. The loser had to face a penalty.”
“It looks like she’s off to see the Marquis’s wife to settle their score.”
“Come on, let’s not miss this spectacle!”
The rumor swiftly gathered a larger crowd, all heading to witness the unfolding drama.
Since her departure from the Marquis’s household, Madam Xu seemed rejuvenated, her appearance vibrant and youthful.
Standing at the gate, surrounded by onlookers, Deng Zhi approached and knocked.
“Coming, coming…” The doorman’s eyes lit up as he hastily bowed in greeting after recognizing her, “Madam!”
“Stand up. I’m no longer the lady of this house. Call your mistress. Does she remember our wager at the National Temple?” Madam Xu asked with a serene smile.
The servant’s face dropped. The household had spiraled into decline since Madam Xu’s departure.
[Hmph, she’s likely feigning illness. Good thing we brought a doctor.]
Madam Xu gestured, and a doctor appeared from behind her, surprising the crowd.
[Wow, Mommy is so clever and strong… No hiding now, Madam Pei…] Lu Chao Chao, barely able to contain her glee, thought gleefully.
Within the walls of the Marquis Zhongyong’s estate.
“What? Yun Shi is at our door? She’s here to mock us! Send her away!” the old matriarch commanded weakly from her sickbed.
Madam Pei, anxious and fidgeting with her handkerchief, hesitated, “Tell them I’m ill and cannot meet anyone.”
“But Madam Xu has brought a doctor with her…”
Madam Pei’s demeanor hardened. That relentless Madam Xu!
Old witch! Her inability to keep her husband was her own doing! Why blame others?
The matriarch eyed her with suspicion. “What does Yun Shi want from you?”
Flustered, Madam Pei replied, “Mother-in-law, there are some misunderstandings that need clearing.” She resignedly moved toward the gate.
Opening it, she faced Madam Xu amidst a curious crowd, her face betraying surprise.
“Madam Pei, time to honor your bet. I was half-expecting you to hide,” Madam Xu greeted her with a playful smirk.
Side by side, it was evident…
Madam Xu outshone Madam Pei, whose once radiant beauty had faded, her face marked by exhaustion and dimmed eyes, no amount of makeup concealing her weariness.
“The Marquis was foolish to let go of such a remarkable wife.”
“Who dared say Madam Xu was past her prime? She’s clearly more radiant than the current mistress!”
Jealousy flared in Madam Pei’s eyes as she realized the stark contrast between her and Madam Xu.
She had thought the Marquis’s estate was a coveted sanctuary but now saw it as nothing but a crumbling facade.
Since Madam Xu’s departure, even managing daily expenses had become a struggle.
“Sister Shi Yun, this has all been a misunderstanding. Can we please disperse the crowd?” Madam Pei stepped forward, attempting to grasp Madam Xu’s hand, which the latter sidestepped the effort with ease.
“Who is your sister? The Xu family does not acknowledge a home wrecker as kin.”
“You must settle your debt today, Madam Pei, here or at Tianhong Academy,” Madam Xu said, her gaze piercing as she dismissed Madam Pei’s resentful glare.
“You!” Madam Pei seethed.
The reference to the academy struck a nerve. What would this do to Jing Huai’s reputation?
“A bet is a bet. Madam Pei, you agreed to it yourself,” Madam Xu stated coolly.
[Hmph, now you regret? If my brother hadn’t secured the scholar title, would you have spared my mother? Thank goodness for my talented brother!] Lu Chao Chao thought, her eyes twinkling with pride.
As Madam Xu nodded slightly, two robust women stepped forward, causing Madam Pei to recoil in fear.
“Madam Pei, please honor your word!”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
“Can the lady of the Marquis not afford to lose?” the crowd jeered.
Madam Pei, overwhelmed by hatred and frustration, exclaimed, “Madam Xu, must you be so cruel?”
“How amusing, you’ve parasitized off my lady’s wealth for eighteen years, and now you speak of cruelty?” Deng Zhi retorted, her hands defiantly on her hips. “Shameless! You’ve no dignity!”
Speechless, Madam Pei had no retort.
Madam Xu’s patience waned. “Fulfill the bet, Madam Pei. Don’t waste our time.”
“Yes, if you can’t stand losing, you shouldn’t gamble,” the crowd pressed.
With a heavy heart, Madam Pei knelt abruptly, silencing the onlookers.
Lu Chao Chao leaped from Madam Xu’s arms.
“Look, the lady of the Marquis is kneeling…”
Sprinting and yelling, “The lady of the Marquis is kneeling… come see!”
Madam Pei, mortified and enraged, pointed at Madam Xu, trembling, “Madam Xu, your heart is stone-cold!”
Madam Xu feigned innocence: “This… isn’t my doing.”
The crowd surged forward, blocking the estate’s entrance.
Madam Pei, barely audible, declared, “A mistress… is always…”
“Louder, we can’t hear you!” Deng Zhi mocked.
With fiery eyes, Madam Pei shouted, “A mistress is always a mistress!”
She stood swiftly, her expression ghostly, tears streaking as she retreated indoors.
The crowd murmured, “A mistress is always a mistress, destined to bow their head. She thought usurping the wife would elevate her? Pathetic…”
Madam Xu sighed, a mix of relief and triumph swirling within her.
“Let’s head home, Chao Chao. You’ve done well today,” Madam Xu said, kissing her cheek.
[Hmph, finally, Mommy can smile again! When big brother tops the exams, they’ll rue the day even more!]
Lu Chao Chao, pumping her tiny fist, glanced back at the estate, smirking, [Heh heh… Lu Jing Yao, your mother kept her word. Now, it’s your turn.]
In her room, a distraught Madam Pei sobbed, “I lost to Madam Xu! All my dignity, ruined by that woman! Your brother must take the top spot! Otherwise, how can I show my face?”
As Lu Jing Yao comforted her, she felt a chill, sensing a looming threat over their futures.