55 Doing One's Utmost

Despite being spoken in jest, stabilizing the chaotic situation required a tremendous amount of effort.

The political landscape in the capital was naturally divided between the Shen and Chen factions. Normally, things were relatively calm, but now that such a major scandal had struck the Shen family, how could the Chen faction resist kicking them while they were down? Not only did they intend to leave themselves, but they also persuaded several previously neutral matrons to depart with them. Their pretexts sounded pleasant enough: "The Shen family is in the middle of such turmoil; how could we possibly stay and add to the confusion? It would be terrible if we inadvertently became the laughingstock. Besides, given the lofty status of you ladies, even Her Royal Highness the Grand Princess has already left. It behooves ladies of high standing to preserve their dignity, and it would be unfortunate to be caught up in this mess. Let us all leave as well. We can return to visit once the Shen family has put their house in order."

Lu Wenying was a born lobbyist and had a large retinue of followers. Today's initial victory meant it was time to press the advantage. Every single one of them was brimming with vigor, and in the blink of an eye, they talked the ladies of several tables into leaving.

The more difficult the circumstances, the more crucial it was to hold one's ground. The luncheon had already been awkward enough; if the banquet tonight suffered from half the attendance dropping away, it would make the Shen family appear utterly incapable of maintaining control. To use a favorite phrase among veteran head housekeepers, "even if the donkey falls, the pack frame must stay upright." If the evening banquet of the Flower-Letter Feast could conclude lively and smoothly, that would be one thing. Outsiders would merely talk about Young Master Shen lacking a sense of propriety and accidentally offending Han Yueqi's face. However, if the banquet turned out bleak and desolate, Han Yueqi's competence and standing would be called into question, and her future position within the circle of capital matrons would undoubtedly be shaken.

Lord Shen excelling in officialdom was an external matter. Although internal household affairs relied upon a husband's official standing, they possessed their own distinct set of rules. To look no further, Madam He's example was right before their eyes. What if Lord He was a rising star in officialdom whose momentum directly threatened the Shen and Chen families? If Madam He failed to establish her authority, her family would still suffer at the Flower-Letter Feast. Not to mention hosting the Plum Blossom Banquet to no avail, compared to Lu Wanyang's triumphant success, He Qingyi's prospects for marriage remained completely nonexistent to this day.

Therefore, tonight's banquet was of paramount importance. Pulling it off well would merely be mending the fold after the sheep had escaped, but failing to pull it off would mean a disastrous collapse.

Such was the nature of difficult things in this world, yet difficult or not, they had to be done. Qing澜 had not exerted herself for the Flower-Letter Feast in several years, but today she walked into Madam Wei's quiet parlor with her head held just as high.

The room was abuzz with activity. Lu Wenying, Yang Qiaozhen, and Sun Minwen were all gathered around Madam Wei, attempting to persuade her earnestly. Madam Luo and Jiang Miaolan—former Northern Garrison womenfolk who had mocked her at Madam Wei's residence—were also present, alongside a cluster of middle-aged matrons amusing Madam Wei and watching the spectacle. Yet, she stood there entirely alone.

"Miss." Even Chunming hesitated. They always said that mistress and maid shared a single heart, and Chunming possessed an exceptionally steady temperament, rarely showing such hesitation.

"It is no matter." Qing澜 only offered a faint smile.

Lu Wenying had already spotted her. Leaning affectionately against Madam Wei, she flashed Qing澜 a provocative smile.

They said that back during that year's Flower-Letter Feast, the three of them were the undisputed top three contenders, yet ultimately no final victor was decided due to Qing澜's unexpected unmarried status.

Let today serve as the conclusion to those four years ago.

She had heard that he once led five hundred men in a night raid on an encampment of ten thousand in the northern borderlands. Even though the news had arrived half a year late, it still left her heart pounding.

He and she were always like this; the most difficult battles could never be fought together.

Qing澜 smiled faintly and stepped into the parlor.

Madam Wei watched Qing澜 walk toward her, feeling a brief sense of trance.

Her health was poor, and her affinity with children was thin; her daughter in particular was born very late in life. Yet, she loved daughters above all else, and the very first time she saw Qing澜 at the Flower-Letter Feast, her heart had swelled with joy. But that was ancient history. Four years ago, which matron did not adore Ye Qing澜? She was the epitome of an aristocratic maiden—dignified and poised, yet possessing a natural gentleness and warmth that bordered on compassionate. She was firm yet flexible, unhubristic yet proud, and handled every matter flawlessly. She was the daughter of every matron's dreams.

She could only marvel at Jingyu's great fortune.

She had even felt a slight sense of inferiority, knowing she was not the ideal matron. She knew she came from a military lineage; her mother had died young, and her father knew only how to train troops, leaving no one to instruct her in the arts of household management. Her management of the estate was lackluster, and her household could even be considered austere. All she possessed was a heart full of passion, supporting every decision made by the then-General, Marshal Wei. Alongside him, she treated the soldiers like her own children and poured out their family fortune.

Cui Jingyu had grown up in her household, and Marshal Wei had been both teacher and father to him. If Ye Qing澜 was the daughter of her dreams, then Cui Jingyu was practically half a son to her. She had watched the orphaned youth grow up step by step, displaying astonishing talent and maturing into a dashing, stalwart young man. He had brought back a dignified woman to the Flower-Letter Feast and called her Mentor's Wife, shy and tender.

She had poured her entire heart into Ye Qing澜. She had even selected a courtyard in Yanglin City, knowing Qing澜 would surely take her younger sister along, and had thus prepared warm winter garments for the sister as well. That small grey-fur jacket was now worn by Leshui, constantly reminding her of her own wishful thinking.

When the engagement was broken off, she was not even surprised.

Yet Jingyu had been pitifully heartbroken.

She knew the taunts of that day and the encirclement of the crowd were ungracious, and she knew she had failed to fulfill her duties as the hostess.

However, she still remembered the night Cui Jingyu's engagement was broken. Marshal Wei, like her, had stayed awake the entire night, saying, "Jingyu cried." Madam Wei could not help herself and went to look: the soaked young man was curled up in the corner of his room like an injured wolf.

Her heart had shattered.

She knew she was neither clever nor grand, lacking the skill to navigate the backstabbing politics of the capital's circle of matrons. Many years ago, she thought she had found a solution. She was willing to surrender her authority to the dignified girl Cui Jingyu had brought home, lifting her up to become the head of the Flower-Letter Feast, as long as that girl could follow her and weather the bitter winter of Yanglin City.

Yet all of that was in the past now.

She was still Ye Qing澜, but she was no longer Madam Wei.

Facing Qing澜 now, she was merely an enraged mother.

Lu Wenying was always the first to speak.

It had been so four years ago, and it remained so four years later. Among the three of them, Lu Wenying had early on chosen the unscrupulous Chen Yaoqing, marrying into the Chen family just as their fortunes were rising. Lacking Han Yueqi's lineage and Qing澜's talent and beauty, she had never aspired to be the head of the feast, knowing well she could not attain it.

She only wanted to trample them both beneath her feet.

The inner courtyard of the Chen family was fought like a battlefield, and those vicious struggles had broken her. Even though she was now the leader of her faction, she still had not learned how to share the world equally with others, always striving fiercely for the top and destroying someone else's entire universe for the sake of the slightest advantage without a shred of remorse.

Just as she did now, opening her mouth with a smile: "Eldest Miss Ye has arrived. How is the Young Mistress of the Shen family holding up? Today's events are truly bizarre, so it is no wonder she cannot bear it. I was just thinking of going to comfort her—"

"If someone like you can endure it, why wouldn't she be able to?" Qing澜 replied coldly.

Lingbo's sharpness actually resembled her own, though too much time had passed, and many had forgotten what she looked like in the past. A gentleman valued righteousness, and the memorials from the Censorate were every bit as sharp as blades. How could Ye Qing澜, having read all the books of the sages, remain forever a gentle soul dedicated solely to Buddhist devotion?

Lu Wenying's expression shifted instantly.

Did Lu Wenying four years ago know she would sink to this state? The struggles of the inner court were so ironic—fighting back and forth, losing one's original self, what was there to win? Was it "harmonic bliss" achieved by training Yangzhou singing girls alongside one's husband to gift to others?

Yet she quickly recovered her composure and smiled: "What is Qing澜 saying? Could it be that you are also worried sick for Yueqi? Seeing you all like this makes my heart ache as well. I was just telling Madam Wei that we should head back early so as not to add to your chaos—"

Look, Lu Wenying still remembered that four years ago they addressed each other by their given names, yet they had finally reached this day.

"Yueqi is currently preparing the banquet menu. If the Young Mistress of the Chen family wishes to leave, please do so. Coincidentally, I have some words to speak with Madam Wei. I must ask Madam Wei to dismiss everyone else," Qing澜 said calmly.

Madam Wei remained unmoved, but Lu Wenying laughed instead. "What has gotten into Qing澜 today? We used to be close, so I let your casual attitude slide, but to speak bluntly, Madam Wei is a marquise's wife. Even if you have something to say, you must consider whether the Madam is willing to listen. Madam, let us leave. I can see that the Shen family is truly in chaos today, and since the Young Mistress cannot handle this turmoil, it would be unfortunate if she were to offend you."

Fu Yunrui immediately grew anxious. Although her influence was meager, she tried her best to speak up for Qing澜: "Madam might as well listen to what Sister Qing澜 has to say..."

However, womenfolk from the Northern Garrison immediately intervened to stop her. Madam Luo quickly interjected: "Why has Yunrui grown muddled as well? Madam, let us go. With the Shen family in such a mess, staying here only adds to the confusion. Let us not give the Young Mistress of the Shen family more to worry about; we can always return tonight."

"Coral once asked me about Mozi; today, will you disregard the principle of universal love and non-aggression?" Qing澜 asked her calmly. "The Young Mistress of the Shen family has already stated clearly that she hopes you will stay for the banquet. Instead of making excuses to leave, it would be more honorable to admit it openly. Although the Young Mistress of the Chen family's rhetoric is clever, it is not the righteous path, and studying too much of it does no good."

Madam Luo's given name was Shanhua, and she was a distant niece of Marshal Wei. Her husband was Luo Yong, Cui Jingyu's deputy general. The two had been childhood sweethearts, and back in the day, she used to chase after Qing澜, calling her Sister Qing澜, wholeheartedly admiring her extensive reading, and enthusiastically offering to teach her swordplay for self-defense.

Madam Wei Shanhua's eyes instantly turned red.

"I would love to learn the righteous path, only it is a pity no one taught me," she yelled angrily at Ye Qing澜. "If not for the mishap at the Shen family today, Miss Ye would not have deigned to look for us. Unfortunately, Madam is no longer listening to your words. We people from Yanglin City live by a simple rule: a single betrayal means a hundred rejections."

Qing澜 smiled.

"Whether Madam Wei is willing to listen to my words or not, I must speak them," she said, looking calmly at Madam Wei. "In the past, Madam taught me the principles of warfare, and there is one phrase I remember clearly: a righteous war will surely triumph. What Yueqi suffered today was an undeserved disaster. No matter how cleverly the Young Mistress of the Chen family argues her case, leaving at this moment is an unrighteous act. The atmosphere in this capital is chaotic and backstabbing, which is exhausting. Her Royal Highness the Grand Princess is hosting the Flower-Letter Feast this year precisely to restore order at the source. If Madam cannot listen to my words, I will no longer try to persuade you. I can only ask Madam to follow her own heart and uphold the righteousness of Prince Ying."

People in this world always assumed remonstrance was an immensely complicated matter, requiring one to refute all opponents like Zhuge Liang debating the scholars. Yet how could everyone be like Zhuge Liang? Surrounded by adversaries, simply being able to articulate one's principles and have them heard by the intended recipient was already a success. As for whether those words would be twisted or adopted, that was a matter for later.

She could only do her utmost.