"Hmm?" The old madam slightly raised her eyebrows, "Tell me more."
It turned out, just now Fu Shinian was walking with Xiao Yingyue, and it was naturally impossible for Xiao Yingyue to actually take Fu Shinian to climb trees.
"You didn't get a chance to have a good look around the Marquis's residence during your last visit," Xiao Yingyue said, pulling Fu Shinian along, "Let me show you around."
It's truly fascinating, how some people just get along at first sight.
Xiao Yingyue took an immediate liking to Fu Shinian.
Especially since Fu Shinian appeared so soft and gentle, making Xiao Yingyue want to protect her.
The two were walking through the corridor when they saw Aunt Liu hurriedly walking ahead, accompanied by a person wearing a cloak and hood—seemingly a young woman from her figure.
Fu Shinian suddenly thought, although the original book never mentioned Xiao Fengxing getting injured, now that he was, perhaps Lin Qingqing was secretly here to visit him.
Fu Shinian immediately said, "Ying Yue, why is there someone so strangely dressed in the Marquis's residence? In such hot weather, she is wrapped in a cloak so tightly, it's as if she's avoiding being seen. Could it be that she's done something shameful and implicated the residence by appearing here?"
Xiao Yingyue, previously not noticing anything amiss, was alerted by Fu Shinian's words and hastily called out, "Aunt Liu!"
Aunt Liu and Lin Qingqing both froze and had to stop, turning back to see Xiao Yingyue and Fu Shinian approaching.
"Oh, it's Ying Yue," Aunt Liu said, feigning composure, "And Second Miss Fu."
"Who is this?" Xiao Yingyue scrutinized Lin Qingqing beside her, "Why are you wrapped in a cloak on such a hot day, are you afraid to be seen?"
Aunt Liu lamented inwardly, why did she bump into Xiao Yingyue here?
Normally, with Xiao Yingyue's simple mind, how could she think so much!
"It's…" Aunt Liu was about to concoct a lie, saying it was her family visiting her.
Fu Shinian interjected, "Since you've met the master of the residence, why are you hanging your head and avoiding proper greetings?"
"Aunt Liu, have you brought someone of dubious origin into the Marquis's residence?" Xiao Yingyue asked, her face serious.
"No, no, it's…" Aunt Liu repeatedly denied.
Lin Qingqing had no choice but to reach up and remove her hood, greeting, "Miss Xiao, Second Miss Fu, it's me."
"Lin Qingqing?" Fu Shinian exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you sneaking around with Aunt Liu?"
Lin Qingqing: "!!!"
Aunt Liu: "!!!"
What's this about sneaking around with her!
Xiao Yingyue looked Lin Qingqing up and down, "What are you doing following Aunt Liu around?"
Lin Qingqing quickly thought of an excuse and said, "Miss, Qingqing is here specifically to apologize to you."
"Yesterday at the flower appreciation banquet, people mistakenly thought Miss Xiao and Qingqing were close. I didn't mean not to explain, just that there was no time to," Lin Qingqing said with an aloof expression, "I also don't want Miss Xiao to mistake me for someone trying to climb up to the powerful, that's why I boldly came to apologize personally."
"All this over such a trivial matter?" Xiao Yingyue had long forgotten about it, thinking Lin Qingqing was making much ado about nothing.
Just as she was about to let them go, Fu Shinian said, "If that's the case, Miss Lin, why not just send a card openly? Why dress up and sneak in with Aunt Liu, making a proper apology seem like something unspeakable."
"Exactly!" Xiao Yingyue also realized.
Fu Shinian saw Aunt Liu's momentary disdain towards Xiao Yingyue, a fleeting expression.
Clearly, it was a mocking thought about how easy it was to fool Xiao Yingyue with such a simple excuse.
Fu Shinian tilted her head; does this Aunt Liu usually treat Xiao Yingyue as a fool?
"Qingqing was just worried that I'm insignificant, and my family is not prominent; if I sent a card rashly, the Marquis's residence might reject it," Lin Qingqing said, showing a hint of grievance.
"Oh, our Marquis's residence is not one to flatter the high and trample the low," Xiao Yingyue was about to say that next time, if there's anything, just send a card.
But before she could finish, she heard Fu Shinian say, "Miss Lin, you are a legitimate daughter of your family, how could you socialize with concubines from another residence? That's improper!"
Lin Qingqing's face turned pale at Fu Shinian's words.
If this matter were to spread, what of her reputation!
Aunt Liu couldn't help but frown. Although she was a concubine, with the old marquis gone, she was still a senior in the Marquis's residence.
What's more, her son was accomplished and would inherit the Marquis's estate in the future.
Outside, who wouldn't regard her with importance?
Even those daughters of prominent families wouldn't dare look down on her.
Yet Fu Shinian dared to belittle her so openly, saying it was degrading to associate with her!
"Miss Fu, what you said is really lacking in propriety!" Aunt Liu said with a stern face, "I am a senior in the Marquis's residence. How can you be so disrespectful! Moreover, since Master is betrothed to Mingzhu, when Mingzhu marries over, I will be a relative of the Fu family, even more your senior, how dare you speak like this!"
"It's associating with concubines that shows a lack of propriety," Fu Shinian replied unceremoniously.
Fu Mingzhu treated Xiao Fengxing and Aunt Liu so well, not to mention her commitment to them even before the marriage.
After marrying into the Marquis's residence, she treated Aunt Liu like a mother-in-law, showing her utmost respect.
But in the end?
Didn't Xiao Fengxing and Aunt Liu still greedily swallow Fu Mingzhu's dowry and the Cheng Family's wealth, send Fu Mingzhu to the courtesan house, and have the Cheng Family members imprisoned and killed under false pretexts?
Looking at this now, Aunt Liu had long been colluding with Lin Qingqing.
Even if she pays respect to Aunt Liu now, this ruthless mother and son wouldn't show any regard for the Fu family, and might even mock the entire family as fools behind their backs.
In that case, why should she still be courteous to Aunt Liu?
"In the Marquis's residence, the only senior is Madam Xiao. Even if the old marquis is gone, you are still just a concubine."
Aunt Liu staggered back a step; how did Fu Shinian say such cold and piercing words with that soft voice!
"You enjoying the treatment of a master in the residence is thanks to Madam Xiao's kindness," Fu Shinian continued in that soft voice, "Otherwise, how would you be any different from the servants in the residence?"
"You!" Aunt Liu was so angry that she felt a surge in her chest, desperately wanting to tear apart Fu Shinian's seemingly gentle and harmless face.
Fu Shinian raised her chin with a hint of small pride, "Even if my elder sister marries into the Marquis's residence, the mother-in-law she respects will be Madam Xiao, not a concubine."
"Ask the second young master if he dares to call you mother?" Fu Shinian delivered the ultimate blow.
Aunt Liu trembled with rage, but at this moment, Lin Qingqing spoke up, "Second Miss, have you considered your family's Aunt Cheng and your half-sister with such words?"
Aunt Cheng is also a concubine, and Fu Mingzhu is born of a concubine after all.
"If Miss Fu hears your words, she will surely be upset," Lin Qingqing said softly, lowering her eyes.