Chapter 2 — My Mother Is Not One to Be Bullied

I truly lack the heart to offer any praise. Mother blinked at me, gently patting my hand. Although we had prepared in advance, all the precious valuables from both my courtyard and Mother’s had already been moved out of the Lu estate. Yet from the very beginning, they regarded Mother and me as mere servants. If they wished to seize a courtyard, they simply took it without ever consulting the two of us. Not only that, but Mother and I were expected to hand the courtyard over with our own hands, smiling brightly as we presented it to them. A bitter ache still lingered deep within my chest. Mother was, by all rights, the legitimate first wife. Had Father not covertly concealed her existence, married another woman in the capital, and surreptitiously erased Mother’s marriage contract from the magistrate’s records to forcibly strip her of her rightful status as primary wife, she never would have been reduced to the humiliating position of a secondary concubine. I gripped Mother’s hand in return, the corners of my eyes burning with unshed tears. The skin on her hands had grown much rougher than before. Just a month ago, Mother was still the undisputed mistress of the Lu estate. Yet overnight, she discovered that Father had kept the two of us hidden away while long establishing another family in the capital. Lu Minh Chu was merely a year younger than I was. I asked Mother what we ought to do. Mother did not answer. Instead, the lamp in the main courtyard burned brightly through the entire night. For more than a decade, the Lu estate had been managed impeccably, and Mother’s immense contributions were undeniable. By what right were Mother and me treated like dirt beneath their feet the moment they returned? Amidst my dazed preoccupation, Mother squeezed my hand harder. I looked up at her. Was there any trace of her previous submissiveness left on her face? Mother held her head high, straightened her back, and did not forget to wink at me playfully.

"Have you forgotten? Is your mother truly some soft persimmon that anyone can pinch and mold as they please?"

The knot of suppressed grief in my heart finally dissolved. I had simply been momentarily thrown into confusion by those three individuals.

As soon as we stepped into the courtyard, we saw Grandmother, her eyes red-rimmed, gazing out in eager anticipation.

"My son, you have finally returned."

Grandmother stepped forward, taking the legitimate wife’s hand and patting it gently, smiling so broadly that her eyes disappeared.

"Is this the distinguished, high-born daughter-in-law I have longed for? Truly as lovely as expected."

With that, she slipped a glowing jade bracelet from her own wrist, intending to place it on the legitimate wife’s arm. Mother gave a soft, delicate cough and stepped forward at precisely the right moment.

"Old Madam, if you please, wait just a moment."

Noticing the puzzled and displeased looks cast her way, Mother lowered her gaze into a graceful smile and spoke with gentle composure:

"My husband values propriety above all else. The proper filial piety and decorum must never be forsaken..."

The smile vanished from Father’s face as he prepared to scold Mother. Yet Mother turned the tables with a soft question:

"Isn't that right, Husband? Just outside the estate gates, this concubine almost forgot her manners. Fortunately, Husband reminded me just in time, sparing me from committing a grievous error."

Father had no choice but to nod stiffly:

"Yue Er, these are your father and mother."

The legitimate wife had no alternative but to bend her knees in a formal greeting.

"This daughter-in-law pays her respects to Mother."

"Oh, my child."

Grandmother laughed brightly, pulling her to her feet and sliding the jade bracelet onto her wrist. Then, her gaze shifted to Lu Minh Chu:

"Is this Minh Chu? How utterly delightful she looks."

A flicker of disdain crossed her eyes as she glanced briefly at me. Lu Minh Chu answered with a honeyed voice:

"Minh Chu pays her respects to Grandmother."

Grandmother accepted an ornate box from a nearby servant, handing it to Lu Minh Chu with her own hands.

"My sweet Minh Chu, Grandmother knows how much you adore collecting luminous pearls. This particular pearl was sent as a congratulatory gift from a branch of the capital's Marquis estate; surely you will love it."

A luminous pearl? I abruptly raised my head, a heavy weight pressing down upon my chest. On my birthday last year, the Marquis estate had sent someone to deliver a luminous pearl as a gift for me. Yet Grandmother had declared at the time:

"A young maiden will eventually marry out into another family. Such a luminous pearl is far too precious; it is better to leave it in Grandmother’s care for safe-keeping."

Yet over the past few years, whatever items fell into Grandmother’s hands were never once returned. And now, Grandmother was casually gifting my luminous pearl to Lu Minh Chu, who was younger than me. Even a fool could understand the underlying message. My eyes grew hot with tears as I asked Mother why Grandmother’s affection had to be divided so unevenly. Were we not both her granddaughters? Mother gently stroked my head, gazing into the distance as she whispered softly:

"My Ye Er only needs her mother’s love, and that will be quite enough. Some affections are assigned a price tag the moment they are born. Such conditional love is something we can very well do without."

At the time, I only half-understood her words. But very soon, I would experience it firsthand.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Grandmother declared herself tired. The moment she departed from the main hall, Father shot a cold glance at Mother and stated indifferently:

"The mistress has returned, Madam Xie. Where are your manners?"

I froze in disbelief. Father had never once addressed Mother in such a harsh tone. Why was he repeatedly trying to humiliate her today? Seeing the legitimate wife and Lu Minh Chu standing proudly by his side, I understood everything in an instant. Father was paving the way for his true primary wife, clearing away all obstacles while simultaneously establishing absolute authority for the two of them. He would never permit Mother and me to overshadow those two women. It turned out that in their absence, I was barely tolerated as his daughter; the moment they materialized, Mother and me meant nothing at all. Yet he seemed to have conveniently forgotten that Mother was originally the rightful primary wife, and I had once been a legitimate daughter. Furthermore, if he truly valued decorum and etiquette so deeply, why had he not demanded that the legitimate wife serve tea to Grandmother just now? That had been the legitimate wife’s very first meeting with her mother-in-law, after all. How could human hearts tilt so heavily toward one side? Mother was momentarily stunned as well, but she recovered with remarkable speed. With practiced humility, she murmured:

"It was this concubine's negligence. I shall serve tea to the mistress immediately."

I bit my lower lip hard, only to realize with a shock that the cup of tea Mother had picked up was the exact same leftover brew that the constipated family dog had finished drinking earlier that day.

"Mistress, please partake of the tea."

Only then did Father offer a reluctant nod of approval.

"From now on, take good care of the mistress."

Mother lowered her head in obedience, her smile entirely mild and placid. That night, the main courtyard blazed with lanterns, remaining lively and boisterous throughout the dark hours. The following day was the welcoming banquet. Before Father and the others returned, Grandmother had given repeated instructions to ensure everything was meticulously prepared, leaving Mother running off her feet over the past two days.