After lunch, Sang Wan ordered Liu Ya to carry some presents to head over to Sang Pingliang’s house together.
Sang Pingliang was still furious at Sang Hong for not inviting him over when Sang Wan and Shi Fengju were at his house. Even if Sang Hong no longer saw him as his second uncle, couldn’t he have seen him as an elder of the village? That brat, Sang Hong, really is a cold and heartless person! However, Sang Pingliang had become timid after receiving received countless scoldings from Li Zheng and the few other elders in the village that he did not dare to visit Sang Hong’s house rashly anymore.
What a pity that Li Shi was injured and could only lie in bed. Otherwise, he could still mobilize her to check things out!
Hearing that they had arrived, Sang Pingliang’s face brightened up in an instant and he quickly opened the door. At least Sang Wan still has some conscience and remembers to visit us elders!
Sang Pingliang was considering carefully. This time, he definitely must not let Shi Fengju off the hook so easily without making a promise. With the large wealth and business that the Shi family had, even if the Shi family aren’t willing to give away a shop or two to them, surely they could let them help out in the business, right?
Who knew that when Sang Pingliang looked behind Sang Wan, there was no sight of Shi Fengju anywhere, and he asked, “Where is my nephew-in-law? Why are you the only one here?”
Liu Ya could not help but pout her lips as she thought: Mister Sang, you sure are as impudent as before! Even Young Mistress Fang doesn’t speak with such a tone to our young mistress!
Sang Wan smiled faintly and said, “Lord is still accompanying others so I came over to visit Second Uncle and Aunt!
“Oh, have a seat, quickly!” Sang Pinglian was a little dispirited, but he quickly perked himself up in a blink of an eye as he thought to himself: compared to Shi Fengju, isn’t Sang Wan easier to convince? As long as Sang Wan concedes, won’t it be the same with Shi Fengju? There’s no way Shi Fengju could deny promises made by his wife, right?
“Sang Wan, please have some tea. Old Lord bought this good tea just before the new year, and kept some just for you when you come!” The concubine smiled and served the tea. She wore an amber robe embroidered with flowers and her hair was tied beautifully. She had clear eyes with a touch of wittiness and a pretty face. Comparing her with Li Shi was like comparing an old vegetable with a fresh one. Was there any need to ask which side Sang Pingliang would show his affection towards?
“How dare you!” Liu Ya’s brows furrowed, “Our young mistress’s name is not for you to call! Which household’s concubine dares to call Young Mistress by her name, worst still, when right in front of her?”
The new concubine was at a delicate age and did not wish to live a difficult life. The middleman’s eyes were only on the money and he sold her to an old man like Sang Pingliang to be his concubine. It would be strange if her heart felt at ease. Banking on her youthful looks, and coquetting skills, she could be said to have her way in Sang Pingliang’s house. If she was angry, even Sang Pingliang had to coax her. Since when had she ever gotten such a scolding? Her face immediately flushed and she looked towards Sang Pingliang pitifully.
Sang Pingliang was also feeling somewhat vexed. He glared at Liu Ya, and reprimanded, “So you know that she’s a concubine? Then how can a servant like you scold a person belonging to a master in front of your own master?”
Liu Ya smiled, “Mister Sang, you’re wrong. That young lady does not belong to my young mistress. Should I not be protecting my young mistress when someone is being disrespectful towards her?”
“Your master hasn’t spoken, and there’ll never be your turn to talk back!” The new concubine laughed coldly. Seeing how Sang Wan did not speak, and how gentle and peaceful she was when she first came in, the new concubine thought that Sang Wan was easy to speak to. But who knew that she would immediately be rebutted by Liu Ya.
“I will discipline my own servants myself. And that’s not for this young concubine to worry about.” Sang Wan glanced at her unenthusiastically before getting up with a smile, “Second Uncle, I heard that Second Aunt got injured. I’ll go and see her.” With that, she turned to look at the new concubine before disapproving in her heart: This new concubine is indeed not easy to deal with. Second Aunt is a woman who only knows how to throw tantrums. Up against this new concubine, Second Aunt is definitely on the losing end.
“Young Mistress Shi, please don’t be angry. The moment I saw you, I could not help but take a liking to you and wanted us to have a closer relationship. This was all because of a slip of my tongue! I’m so sorry! My old lord always speaks well about you and Young Master Shi, and having heard so many times, I ended up saying your name without thinking. Please don’t be angry anymore! Please forgive me this once!” When the new concubine saw the change in Sang Wan’s expression, as well as her displeased tone, she quickly apologized with a smile.
However, her words were dubious and they made Sang Wan unhappy. Even Liu Ya could not help but laugh coldly, “Young Lady, you really have no etiquette! Who are you, and who is my young mistress? Who would want you to take a liking to, and be close with? And what’s with your words, they’d be a joke if others were to hear!”
“You!” The new concubine fumed, “You are just a servant, your position is below me, so what are you acting so arrogant for! How dare you have the guts to scold me! This is my house!”
Sang Wan creased her eyebrows lightly, and she spoke to Sang Pingliang, “Second Uncle, please send my greetings to Second Aunt. We won’t disturb you anymore, goodbye!” Once she was done, she called out to Liu Ya, “Hold your tongue.”
Liu Ya was so angry that she shot daggers at the new concubine as she pouted her lips without speaking.
Now, Sang Pingliang was getting anxious when he heard that she was leaving. He quickly invited Sang Wan to sit down and talk again, and fake scolded his new concubine. The new concubine had never felt so suppressed before and began an argument with him. Having observed how chaotic Sang Pingliang’s had turned into, Sang Wan spoke no further and left with Liu Ya.
Who knew that just after a few steps, they heard Sang Yan hurry down from the floor above, shouting softly, “Cousin Sang Wan, my mother, my mother wants to have a few words with you…”
Seeing Sang Yan begging timidly, Sang Wan halted before nodding. Bringing Liu Ya along, they headed upstairs with Sang Yan without taking a second look at the quarrel between Sang Pingliang and his new concubine.
“Quiet down now!” Sang Pingliang said unhappily, “She is our family’s important guest, there’s no benefit in crossing her. If you don’t stop with your nonsense and make her angrier, then you’ll get it from me!”
The new concubine glared at Sang Pingliang and laughed coldly, “Get what? You’ll hit me? Come then! Your important guest! Heng, even a servant dares to talk back, and you still expect them to think of you as a family? In your dreams!”
“That’s only because you spoke too much!” Sang Pingliang snapped, “All I asked was for you to serve tea, so why must you speak so incessantly!”
The new concubine laughed in disdain, “Day in, day out, I hear you speak about them. All I wanted was to see what kind of person she is, and after seeing her, she isn’t anything special! Heng, with that sort of cotton-like personality, I think her days in a large household must not have been easy? And you still expect her to help you? Think again! Trust me, otherwise, why did Young Master Shi not accompany her here?”
Sang Pingliang was stuck by her words, and was at a loss of words.
The young concubine saw how her words had influenced him and she became satisfied with herself. With a cold laugh, she said, “I have an idea, but I don’t know whether it would be proper to say!”
Sang Pingliang glanced at her, “Let me hear it.”
The new concubine chuckled, “I think Sang Rou is quite witty, why don’t you let your family’s Young Mistress Shi bring her back to become Young Master Shi’s concubine? That way, won’t you become his father-in-law? Won’t that be more intimate than remaining as an uncle-in-law? When that time comes, can the Shi family ignore your well-being? With Sang Rou there, your family’s Young Mistress Shi will have another person to depend on as well!”
When the new concubine first entered the household, she was soon repressed and bullied by Li Shi, just like Sang Rou, and they quickly formed an alliance. Sang Rou only had one request, and that was for the new concubine to speak well of her in front of Sang Pingliang so that her marriage could be quickly fixed. Otherwise, if another one or two years were to go by, no one would want her, even as a concubine!
The new concubine agreed wholeheartedly, and consoled Sang Rou. However, was there still any need to have an alliance with Sang Rou to defeat Li Shi now? If not, why would she help her to speak good words so soon? Right now, even when Li Shi was pushed by her and ended up twisting her waist, Sang Pingliang could not bear to punish her. It was clear that Li Shi was no longer a threat. On top of that, having seen Sang Wan today, the new concubine’s plans had moved on to Sang Wan.
The new concubine had heard in detail from Sang Rou about Sang Wan’s lavish comeback, and there was definitely envy in her words! Surely if that girl were able to marry into the Shi family, she would be grateful to her? The Shi family was so wealthy that if even a little of that wealth were to slip through their fingers, she would be able to lead a comfortable life!
Moreover, there existed some selfish and unclean thoughts in the new concubine. If someone like me had no choice but to become a concubine, then what of you, Sang Rou? Why should I help you become someone’s wife? Tell me!
Sang Pingliang’s eyes brightened and he became cheerful in an instant, “Right! Why didn’t I think of that! But, Sang Rou ——” Sang Pingliang creased his eyebrows. It was clear that he was dissatisfied with that daughter of his.
The new concubine laughed coldly, “You only have two daughters, if not Sang Rou then Sang Yan? Hmph, Sang Yan is docile and would stutter when speaking to others, can you rely on her? Sang Rou is only scolded or beaten everyday, but if we clean her up a little, her face and personality aren’t bad!”
Sang Pingliang asked, “Where is she right now?”
“There you go again with that foolishness of yours!” The new concubine said unhappily, “Didn’t Old Mistress say that she wanted to eat rice cake? Sang Rou soaked the rice in the morning, and headed over to the east side of the village to grind the rice in Aunty Wan’s house!
Sang Pingliang creased his eyebrows and said, “She only knows how to make trouble; even when she is lying in bed, she doesn’t make life easy! Go and call Sang Rou back!”
“Me?” The new concubine pointed at her nose unhappily.
“If not you, then me?!” Sang Pingliang said unhappily.
The new concubine grumbled and took her time to wear a thick coat before heading out.
Sang Wan deeply regretted her choice of seeing Li Shi. Li Shi only twisted her waist and could not move around, however, that did not stop her from expressing herself. She held onto Sang Wan’s hands without letting go and complained all her grievances to Sang Wan, almost as if Sang Wan could help resolve them.
Sang Wan did not know how to respond and was put in a difficult position. Without a choice, she gave a few words of consolation.
However, that made Li Shi even more aggressive, and sniffled, “Only our Sang Wan is a nice person, to still have me in your heart! To still remember me! I really am born under an ill star, otherwise, how could your second uncle treat me like this! I’ve accompanied him all my life, and right now, that thick-skinned vixen caused me to twist my waist, yet he could not bear to even scold her! That’s the same as taking away my life! Sang Wan, tell me if he deserves to be damned!”
“Second Aunt,” Sang Wan mumbled awkwardly. How could she respond appropriately to such words? At a loss of what to say, Sang Wan persuaded her to rest well.
“Young Mistress, I think Young Master will be looking for you now. Let’s head back and let Aunt Sang rest properly.” Liu Ya found her chance to speak.
Just when Sang Wan was about to agree, Li Shi interjected, “Nevermind me! I’ve more than enough rest already, any more and mold will start growing on me. Sang Wan, stay and talk to me more! Sang Wan, Second Aunt really loves you, Sang Wan, you have to help Second Aunt!”
