Chapter 1208: Smart

Editor: Henyee Translations

Ms. Zheng’s claim of being sick was not without reason. Her need to purchase various supplements such as ginseng, cubilose, floral glue, and Donkey-hide gelatin justified her actions. She could list as many items as she pleased.

Having accrued over 35,000 liang from the joint account for Zhao Zhai’s wedding, Ms. Zheng, while counting the money, displayed immense satisfaction. She was willing to allocate even more funds without hesitation.

Feigning illness, Ms. Zheng skillfully guided her son. This accomplishment filled Ms. Qin with overwhelming pride, nearly lifting her spirits to flight.

Despite her status as a concubine, Ms. Qin enjoyed a personal meeting with her daughter-in-law and vigorously defended her son’s union. This feat was truly an honorable achievement.

However, this path presented a challenge: high-ranking families with their esteemed matriarchs would hesitate to discuss matrimonial matters with a concubine. The mere idea provoked ridicule. Even the offspring of a concubine held little standing. Lineal daughters were entirely out of the question, let alone the concubine’s eldest son.

Only circumstances such as having no lineal son or being born from a concubine allowed exceptions.

Ms. Qin’s aspiration to unite her lineage with the Zhao Family’s lineal daughter encountered a succession of obstacles, fueling a mix of anger, resentment, and envy.

She couldn’t help but envision a scenario where she held the position of a lineal wife, immune to any belittlement.

The reality forced Ms. Qin to confront her humility.

As equals in status, the Zhao Family’s lineal daughter was limited in her choices, necessitating a marriage to a woman of lower rank.

Inevitably, the union would take place with the lineal daughter.

Eventually, a suitable family was discovered, boasting hundreds of mu of fertile fields and a few well-sized stores. This discovery prompted hearty laughter from Ms. Zheng.

Wouldn’t it be fitting for a daughter from such a family to be bestowed upon the sons of the Zhao Family’s stewards? Ms. Qin, it appeared, harbored no particular preferences.

Zhao Mu remained unaware of these developments until the engagement had been solidified. The revelation of the in-laws’ status nearly rendered him speechless, leading to a stern rebuke directed at Ms. Qin.

This instance of Ms. Qin’s actions managed to greatly irk Zhao Mu. He had yet to encounter a woman so utterly lacking in awareness and intelligence. Despite his past indulgences in unreasonable behavior, this particular situation required a more subtle approach.

In light of the circumstances, Zhao Mu covertly distanced himself from Ms. Qin’s quarters for nearly two weeks, effectively ignoring her. This abrupt withdrawal provoked a flurry of anxiety within Ms. Qin.

With an acute understanding that her sole support rested upon Zhao Mu’s shoulders, Ms. Qin recognized her precarious position. Unlike Ms. Zheng, who possessed significant assets, Ms. Qin’s fate was tightly bound to Zhao Mu’s inclination. A disinterest on his part would inevitably seal her doom.

In a desperate bid to amend the situation, Ms. Qin employed various strategies to reconcile and apologize. She exhaustively explored every avenue to rectify her standing.

Observing this spectacle, Ms. Zheng couldn’t help but be scornful. It appeared that Zhao Mu’s treatment of Ms. Qin was far from exemplary. To fall for such a man, Ms. Zheng surmised, was a grave misjudgment on Ms. Qin’s part.

It wasn’t until Ms. Qin had endured a solitary fortnight, fully absorbing her lesson, that Zhao Mu granted his forgiveness. He reached a clear conclusion: Ms. Zheng alone held the mantle of a competent wife, the sole bearer of initiative and competence in the household.

Ms. Qin was ill-suited for such responsibilities. As a concubine, her primary role was to provide attentive service. Her duty extended to offering complimentary words to please her, but the burden of substantial tasks should not be placed upon her shoulders.