The Female Regent’s Daily Guide to Spoiling Her Wife - Chapter 15

In the Xu residence, wisps of blue smoke curled slowly from the incense burner in the room. Madame Yang lay reclined on a chaise lounge with a grim expression, her eyes closed, while a maid carefully massaged her shoulders.

Xu Ruoxiang rushed in from outside and cried out, “Mother, have you heard? Cousin was arrested at the Red Sleeve Pavilion.”

Madame Yang let out a low “Hmm!” but remained silent, her eyes still shut.

Xu Ruoxiang stamped her foot in frustration, grabbing her mother’s hand as she exclaimed, “Mother, how can you be so calm? Cousin is locked up, and no one is allowed to visit him. He can’t even take the imperial exams this year his entire future is ruined!”

The maid’s hands pressed a little too firmly, and Madame Yang hissed in pain, swatting the maid’s hands away angrily. “Useless thing! Get out!”

Only then did Madame Yang slowly open her eyes to look at Ruoxiang. Seeing the genuine concern in her daughter’s expression, she sighed and said, “Xiangxiang, I’m afraid your cousin is beyond saving. As soon as this happened, I pulled every string I could to gather information, but the entire capital is like an impenetrable fortress not a single detail about your cousin has leaked out.”

She pulled Ruoxiang to sit beside her, her expression full of sorrow. “The Yang family has only had one male heir for three generations. How could I not be worried? I wanted to ask your father to pull some strings, but you know how cold and ungrateful he is. Right now, he’s fixated on the Minister of Revenue position, why would he bother to intervene? He’d rather cut all ties with the Yang family!”

Pausing briefly, she continued, “For now, don’t go asking around anymore. Let your cousin be, and don’t bring trouble upon yourself. How are things progressing with Prince Qing?”

Ruoxiang’s cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head, twisting her handkerchief nervously. “Mother, Prince Qing is gentle and attentive, but.”

Madame Yang gripped her hand anxiously. “But what? Does Prince Qing look down on our family’s status?”

Ruoxiang shook her head, her face burning crimson. “It’s just he’s always too handsy with me and has repeatedly hinted that I should visit his residence late at night”

Madame Yang’s expression turned knowing, and she spoke earnestly, “For now, we must not cross the boundaries of propriety. If Prince Qing becomes too insistent, you can coax him to come to our home. Aren’t there two seductive foxes in the rear courtyard? Once the lights are out and a little something is added to his drink, what problem can’t be solved?”

With Yang Yuan imprisoned and Xu Xin standing idly by, Madame Yang had no way to explain things to her natal family. Their only hope was to cling to Prince Qing. Otherwise, if Xu Xin became the Minister of Revenue, she would likely lose all say in the Xu household.

Ruoxiang’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she squeezed her mother’s hand, her voice filled with resentment. “Mother, you’ve thought of everything! Xu Yunqiu has already lost her virtue anyway, and as for Xu Yunxia I’ve long wanted to tear that face of hers to shreds!”

Madame Yang patted her hand and said gravely, “Xiangxiang, you must never speak like that in front of others. Keep your composure! Yang Yuan’s arrest at the Red Sleeve Pavilion is undoubtedly connected to that Zheng Rong! Who’s to say Yunqiu and Yunxia weren’t scheming behind the scenes? Isn’t it only right that they compensate our Yang family?”

Ruoxiang snorted coldly. “You’re right, Mother. Xu Yunqiu has been recuperating for so long she should be well enough by now. I’ll summon both of them to serve in the front courtyard today!”

Madame Yang closed her eyes and said, “Go ahead, but make sure no lives are lost.”

“Sister, Xiaxia hurts” Ever since Yunxia returned from the Crimson Sleeve Pavilion that day, she had been feverish and delirious. Her cheeks were flushed a burning red, her cherry lips were cracked, and her throat felt as if it were on fire.

Yunqiu’s heart ached as she gently wiped her sister’s body over and over, trying to bring down the fever, while softly comforting her, “Good Xiaxia, your sister is here. Where does it hurt?”

Seeing Yunxia so dispirited, Yunqiu couldn’t help but feel puzzled and muttered to herself, “Ah, what in the world happened? She disappeared for so long and came back in such a pitiful state.”

Yunxia had rarely fallen ill since childhood. Even when she was beaten, scolded, or injured, she would recover quickly, always full of energy. Never before had she been so frail as she was today.

“Sister, Xiaxia’s heart hurts. Please don’t leave Xiaxia, okay? Xiaxia can’t live without you.” Yunxia frowned, clutching Yunqiu’s sleeve in her daze, sobbing softly like a pitiful little kitten.

A strange feeling flickered in Yunqiu’s heart as she frowned and gazed at the delirious Yunxia. Xiaxia’s tone made it seem as though the “sister” she was referring to wasn’t her. Then who could it be? Did Xiaxia know some other sister? And why did her tone sound so intimate?

Just as Yunqiu was wiping Yunxia’s body, Xu Ruoxiang suddenly burst in with a group of people.

Xu Ruoxiang strode in arrogantly, her eyes sweeping across the room. She saw Yunxia’s clothes half-undone, her snow-white skin glowing, the peach-pink undergarment barely concealing the soft curves of her chest. Her enchanting lotus-like face was flushed, her fox-like eyes slightly closed, long lashes trembling delicately, evoking pity.

A flash of jealousy crossed Xu Ruoxiang’s eyes. How could a mere concubine-born daughter possess such allure? Recalling the scene at the Zhencui Pavilion where Lu Zhao had forced her to apologize to that actress, she seethed inwardly. They were all a bunch of seductive vixens! Her jealousy flared even hotter, and her gaze toward Yunxia turned icy and venomous.

Seeing Xu Ruoxiang’s aggressive demeanor, Yunqiu had no idea what offense they had committed. She quickly pulled a thin quilt over Yunxia, lowering her eyes and speaking cautiously, “Ruoxiang, is there something you need?”

Xu Ruoxiang arched her willow-like brows and sneered, “You must be out of your mind! It’s been days since you last served in the front courtyard, and you’ve already forgotten the rules? How dare you address me by my name?”

She spat out venomously, “Nanny Luo, teach Second Miss some manners!”

Nanny Luo, a stout woman, stepped forward and slapped Yunqiu hard twice across the face. Afterward, she said to Yunqiu, “Second Miss, the rules of the household state that those who offend their superiors are to be sold off. Our young lady is kind-hearted and is merely giving you a light punishment!”

Yunqiu’s head snapped to the side from the force of the blows. Two red marks immediately appeared on her fair cheeks, and her eyes welled up with tears, making her look even more pitiable.

Xu Ruoxiang snorted coldly, “You two haven’t shown up to serve in the front courtyard for days. Even the gravest of injuries should have healed by now. Tomorrow, one of you will come to my room to serve, and the other will copy sutras for my mother.”

Yunqiu covered her face and whispered, “Eldest Miss, Xiaxia has caught a chill. She’s burning up and delirious she truly can’t work. Let me do it.”

Xu Ruoxiang raised an eyebrow and stared at her. “You’ll do it? Can you handle all these tasks alone? That Xu Yunxia isn’t some delicate noble lady, why can’t she work? Just because you say she’s sick, she’s sick? I say she’s faking it!”

Xu Ruoxiang commanded Mother Luo, “Someone! Drag Xu Yunxia out of bed. Does she truly think she’s a young lady of the Xu family?”

Mother Luo shoved Yunqiu aside forcefully, yanked the quilt away, and hauled the disheveled Yunxia upright, shouting disdainfully, “Disgraceful! The Third Young Lady, half-dressed in broad daylight what a humiliation to the family!”

Yunxia’s body was limp, devoid of strength. As Mother Luo jerked her abruptly, darkness clouded her vision, and she tumbled toward the edge of the bed under the force.

While cursing, Mother Luo pinched Yunxia viciously. Soon, the exposed skin on Yunxia’s body was covered in dark bruises, a horrifying sight.

“Stop! Please don’t! Xiaxia is truly ill! I only loosened her clothes to wipe her down I beg you, don’t do this!” Yunqiu cried out tearfully, struggling to rush forward but held back firmly by the other matrons.

Yunxia’s head swam in a daze, her eyelids heavy and unresponsive. Sharp pains shot through her body from the relentless pinching, but the agony in her heart cut even deeper.

She felt as though death was near, murmuring faintly, “Sister save me.”