Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 90 - 16: Relatives Arrive in the Capital

Fifth Miss’s face was deathly pale; she truly hadn’t thought of so much. Her little uncle was the one who doted on her the most, though she had hardly seen him, she’d often receive little trinkets sent by him since childhood, though they were not worth much money, the sentiment was precious.

Moreover, her maternal grandmother would tell her aunt when she visited that her little uncle certainly studied hard, intending to become a high-ranking official to support their mother and daughter, making her aunt become a concubine, and herself a legitimate daughter. Mother and daughter were willing to send silver to the Gao Family!

Ever since the eldest branch had a Lady Yue, her aunt became somewhat obsessed, treating her uncle’s success as a lifeline, while she herself was poisoned by a desire to become a "legitimate daughter."

Being born of a concubine was disgraceful to say the least! But becoming a legitimate daughter would be different; she could eat and wear whatever she desired without watching the face of her legitimate mother or legitimate sister, nor would she need to cautiously appease her grandmother or her grandmother’s maids.

Especially Susu, who, despite being merely a maid, was more favored by her grandmother than she was, appearing more like a young lady of a prestigious family. Susu was fundamentally good, gentle-tempered, and not liked by everyone at the mansion, yet her relationships were excellent. But Fifth Miss just despised her!

Now hearing grandmother say uncle was using her, using her aunt, even trying to use the Song Family, Fifth Miss first reacted with disbelief, then gradually felt her grandmother was right.

Uncle painted a grand picture for her mother and her, but each year he took silver averaging five to six hundred taels. Now that he had become a Scholar, he insisted on her taking the initiative to visit!

Even if Fifth Miss were foolish, she knew acknowledging her aunt’s brother as uncle was a slap to her legitimate mother’s face, but she previously thought it was better to slap hard. Now hearing it implicated her reputation and the Song Family’s reputation, this she truly didn’t know.

Thinking about it, Fifth Miss collapsed to the ground, her mind filled with, "I’m finished, aunt is finished!"

Old Madam saw her like this, shook her head, and said: "Fifth Miss’s wet nurse is unruly, instigating the young lady; such a wet nurse the Song Family cannot keep. Considering she nursed the young lady, discharge her, sell her contract, and expel her!"

Nevertheless, Old Madam, being kind-hearted, added: "Let her take her belongings, and the gatekeepers must not be harsh!"

Old Madam looked again at Fifth Miss, "Fifth Miss needs to properly learn discipline! From today, confine herself for a month, forbidden to leave the room, and diligently copy ’Women’s Conduct’ and ’Women’s Virtue’; Bisha, being a main maid, failed to advise her master, but instead allowed it, thus dock three months of her monthly salary, reducing her to second class."

Bisha kowtowed to Old Madam before lifting her young lady up, then shuddered once outside Sui’an Hall, realizing her back was drenched. It turned out Old Madam knew everything!

Fifth Miss fell ill upon returning, Old Madam ordered that no young ladies were to visit her, several doctors came and diagnosed it as heart sickness, suggesting it would be cured slowly with guidance. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Those who knew the details wouldn’t say anything, and those who didn’t dare not inquire, hadn’t they seen Fifth Miss’s wet nurse expelled?

That day in the upper room of Sui’an Hall, not many people were present, and Old Madam issued a gag order, hence such a farce did not stir up any storm in the yard.

Afterward, Fifth Miss was confined in her room, later saying she wished to find a quiet place to copy books, and moved to Third Master’s yard.

Old Madam was too busy to manage these matters and approved it, only because Song Family relatives from Yangzhou were soon to arrive in Capital.

Third Master and Third Madam were also coming; their yard needed tidying, guest rooms everywhere needed tidying, most importantly, the Princely Heir’s new room needed tidying, and wherever the servants were, they were not idle. Even Susu was assigned by Old Madam another task, cooperating with Steward Qiao (Yang Liu’s father) in managing the Duke’s central warehouse, every transaction meticulously recorded.

This large warehouse originally belonged to inner court management but now, due to First Madam, falls under the outer court. Susu was also busy to exhaustion, and the longtime non-managing Old Madam was fatigued, but neither of the daughters-in-law were reliable, Old Madam also distrusted them, only wished Third Madam would hurry to Capital and assume this matter.

Meanwhile, over at the Gao Family, after waiting days without seeing the niece coming, soon Fifth Miss’s expelled wet nurse approached seeking refuge, Gao Yue knew the Song Family path was unworkable, internally resenting how the Song Family sullied him despite his promising future prospects. Yet outwardly, he remained calm as usual.

Then, contemplating something, seeing Fifth Miss’s wet nurse carrying large and small bundles, he actually allowed her to stay at the house, simply saying she’d once nursed the niece!

That wet nurse’s family was long gone, otherwise she wouldn’t seek refuge with the Gao Family. Seeing Gao Yue shelter her, she unabashedly spoke freely. She also possessed some of Fifth Miss’s privately-used handkerchiefs and other small objects, which later led to incidents, but this remains unmentioned.

As for the Song Family, Old Madam, hearing her own relatives’ imminent arrival, went on another round of tidying.

By the end of September, Third Master and Third Madam first entered the Capital, accompanied by Old Mrs. Li (Old Madam’s eldest sister-in-law from her parental family, also Third Madam’s legitimate mother) and Song Family’s eldest Miss and eldest son-in-law.

A few days later, second uncle and second aunt arrived with their legitimate daughter, accompanied by third aunt and her son and daughter. Third uncle was a local official, unable to leave his jurisdiction without an order, so sent third aunt to convey blessings to Old Madam and his brother-in-law, Nephew Qing He. By October tenth, Li Family’s uncle arrived with Mrs. Li, surprisingly accompanied by Second Madam’s elder brother and family.

Thus, apart from First Madam’s parental family, all Song Family’s in-laws had arrived, the Song Family bustling with unprecedented festivity.

The deceased Old Master Song was muddled in wife selection, but in educating daughters, he was utterly clear.

The two concubine-born young ladies were raised under Old Madam’s care from birth; Old Madam, being a woman of character, meticulously educated even the concubine-born daughters.

Second aunt’s and third aunt’s marriages were carefully chosen by Old Madam, the two aunts were very close to their legitimate mother, never lacking festival gifts. Plus, alongside the support of biological siblings, they held formidable positions in their husband’s family!

Now, with the nephew’s marriage, the gifts and Old Madam’s tributes brought by the two aunts were indeed transported by ship.

Third aunt served as a local official’s wife, taking care lest others labeled her husband a corrupt official, thus exercising restraint. But second aunt wasn’t fazed; she married into the Sun Family, a legitimate tycoon of Yangzhou. Speaking of the Song Family’s wealth—due to widespread knowledge of wealthy salt merchants—speaking of the Sun Family, even salt merchants couldn’t compare.

The Li Family, thanks to the Song Family ties, became imperial merchants, while the Sun Family, since the previous dynasty, had been procuring jewels, accessories, and exceptional rarities for the Imperial Family. Presently, they may not match the reputable great families in fame but hold a hereditary position within the Household Affairs.

Had it not been for Old Madam Song’s past benevolence towards the Sun Family’s old madam, second aunt, being concubine-born, could never have become the Sun Family’s eldest legitimate daughter-in-law. Of course, second aunt was indeed exceptional, the Sun Family perceived Song Family’s potential, thus cementing this alliance!

Saying so much merely explains that this time, Song Family made headlines in the Capital again. Carriages loaded with chests and boxes hauled from the dock into Shun’an Earl Mansion, and curious onlookers inquired, learning it was Song Family’s two concubine-born aunts and Old Madam’s parental family arriving in the Capital.

Nowadays, who dared belittle Old Madam Song’s maid heritage, not only possessing imperial merchant kin but even concubine daughters married so well. It indeed stirred a tide around the Capital favoring "marrying great family maids over daughters of smaller households."