ARC 1: The Prime Minister’s Tool Wife ✦ c1 ~ 70
✦ 44
Translator: InkyDragon (https://inkydragontranslation.wordpress.com)
Luo Rui had just stepped through the threshold when Qin Mei’s attendants intercepted him, their faces etched with urgency. “Young Master, welcome back! The Young Madam has been anxiously awaiting your return.”
A furrow creased Luo Rui’s brow. “Awaiting me? I always return at this hour.”
The servant’s response was laced with awkwardness. “The Young Madam wishes to speak with you, sir.”
Luo Rui had intended to seek his father first, but his new bride’s summons couldn’t be ignored. With a sigh, he turned his steps towards Qin Mei’s chambers.
“Young Madam! The Young Master approaches!” The servant, spotting Luo Rui in the distance, dashed back to deliver the news.
“Finally!” Qin Mei sprang from her seat, smoothing her elegant attire. “Quickly, tell me, how do I look? Should I change?”
The maidservant’s head shook vehemently. “Absolutely not, Young Madam. You radiate elegance and nobility, a vision that will surely captivate the Young Master’s heart.”
Reassured, Qin Mei abandoned the idea of changing, her gaze flitting nervously towards the door. The moment Luo Rui’s silhouette appeared, she rushed to greet him, a smile blooming on her face. “Husband, you’ve returned at last.”
“Wife,” Luo Rui responded with a gentle smile, “Is there something you need?”
The question triggered a torrent of emotions within Qin Mei. Memories of the humiliation she had suffered earlier at Xu Shi Chu’s residence flooded her mind, threatening to spill over.
A pout settled on Qin Mei’s lips as she recounted the incident. “It’s all your stepmother’s fault! I merely admired the flowers in her courtyard and asked for a few plants. Who knew she was such a miser? Not only did she refuse, but she also accused me of ulterior motives and berated me harshly. Can you believe she had her servants throw me out? Two maidservants, dragging me out of her courtyard like I was nothing! Husband, you must do something about this…”
Luo Rui’s expression hardened, his brows drawing together. “Why did you insist on taking her flowers? She treasures those plants and rarely parts with them. Even my sister had to purchase a tea plant from the Blossom Pavilion. As newlyweds, we shouldn’t be making such requests.”
Qin Mei’s anger flared. “Are you implying that I’m not worthy of her flowers? She’s clearly being petty! Besides, I’m not an outsider. A simple request for a few flowers, and she refused. She doesn’t even respect you, otherwise, she wouldn’t have turned me down!”
“Stepmother is different,” Luo Rui explained with a sigh. “She’s always been cold and aloof, solely focused on her own affairs. Even my father receives little warmth from her, let alone me. We keep to ourselves. Don’t go looking for trouble with her! If you want flowers, purchase them elsewhere. Send someone to find them if necessary. There’s no need to involve her.”
Frustration laced Luo Rui’s voice. He couldn’t fathom why his wife had to clash with his stepmother.
“So, you think I’m making a fuss over nothing?” Qin Mei’s voice trembled with indignation. “She clearly bullied me today. If you won’t help me get even, fine, but don’t blame me for what happens next!”
Luo Rui sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as a headache bloomed behind his eyes. “Look, if you hadn’t provoked her, things wouldn’t have escalated. Stepmother values mutual respect. Try to avoid her in the future, alright?”
“Fine, Luo Rui! Are you actually defending that bitch? Are you her husband or mine?” Qin Mei, seeing her husband not taking her side, became furious and spoke without restraint.
“Shut up!” Luo Rui’s face darkened, his gaze chillingly fixed on her. “Do I need to teach you what you can and cannot say? If you keep being so outspoken, stay in your room and don’t go anywhere!”
Seeing Luo Rui’s cold expression, Qin Mei finally remembered what she had said. She calmed down a bit, although still resentful that he hadn’t stood up for her. But she dared not provoke him further and muttered to herself, “Indeed, a stepmother is just a stepmother. If she’s not your own, then she’s not your own. Even the slightest things must be kept separate…”
Luo Rui gave her another cold glance, and she finally shut her mouth.
“No matter how rude Stepmother is to you, you cannot call her a bitch. She is the woman my father properly married. Disrespecting her is disrespecting my father. Do you understand?” Luo Rui stared intently at Qin Mei, saying, “This is the Prime Minister’s residence, not your countryside landlord’s house. I don’t want to hear any vulgar language again.”
Qin Mei’s heart skipped a beat. Luo Rui was a stern and indifferent person. So, when he got angry, he became intimidating. Qin Mei was scared of him, so she obediently nodded at his warning.
Although Luo Rui didn’t feel much maternal affection for Xu Shi Chu, he was a cultured man. While he wasn’t close to his step-mother, he wouldn’t deliberately insult her. Therefore, when Qin Mei called her a bitch, he would issue a warning.
“I won’t be coming back to sleep tonight. I have some things to take care of in the study. You should go to bed early,” Luo Rui said, then walked away.
Qin Mei watched him leave and stomped her foot in frustration.
She cursed herself for failing to achieve her goal and making things worse. Not only did she fail to persuade her husband to seek revenge for her, but she also pushed him even further away. It was the first time they had slept in different rooms since they got married, all because of that bitch-stepmother-in-law!
The more Qin Mei thought about it, the more she despised Xu Shi Chu. Even though Luo Rui had advised her not to provoke his stepmother, she couldn’t let go of her pride.
Since she couldn’t seek revenge through her husband, she decided to secretly cause trouble for Xu Shi Chu herself. After all, she now held the power of stewardship in the mansion. As long as she remained discreet, the men wouldn’t find out.
With her plan in mind, Qin Mei began her covert retaliation against Xu Shi Chu, relentlessly making her life difficult.
Unable to bribe Xu Shi Chu’s servants, she had to find alternative methods.
So Xu Shi Chu’s meals started to decline. Snacks either tasted awful or looked unappealing, meals either lacked ingredients or were served too late, the carriages were either inadequate or broken and left unrepaired, and the fabrics issued by the mansion were either faded or torn…
Gradually, Xu Shi Chu caught on, realising that Qin Mei was deliberately sabotaging her.
“Madam, take a look at this table of dishes. Is there anything palatable?” Zhi Chun pointed at the freshly served dishes on the table and said angrily, “The kitchen staff is becoming more and more outrageous. How dare they serve you such subpar food! Madam, you can’t tolerate this any longer!”
Xu Shi Chu nodded and asked, “So, it looks like Lord Luo isn’t planning to go out today, huh? Is he still in the mansion?”
The maid beside her replied, “Yes, the master decided to stay in today. He’s been in the mansion all this time.”
Pleased with the response, Xu Shi Chu said, “Alright then, let’s gather up these dishes and grab the things the mansion gave us a few days ago. We’ll go offer them to the master and invite him to join us for a meal.”
─── ❖ ── ☆ ── ❖ ───
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(๑✪ᆺ✪๑)
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