Suo Xin froze, and Li Yao Qin froze with her.
Madam Xu placed the prayer beads on her wrist and extended her hand toward Li Yao Qin. "Yao'er, help me over to sit."
Li Yao Qin's heart leaped with joy, and she quickly helped Madam Xu to a nearby chair.
"The steps that were not completed before, let's finish them now. Lian Xin, prepare the tea!" Madam Xu said calmly.
Lian Xin bowed. "Your servant will go prepare it immediately."
Upon hearing this, Suo Xin looked at Madam Xu and asked, "Madam, what do you mean by this?"
Madam Xu did not bother to look at her. "Offer tea to me, your rightful wife. After drinking the tea, you will truly be recognized as a concubine of the Li manor. You've been a maid for so long, don't you understand this much?"
Suo Xin trembled all over and took a step back. "My lord said it was unnecessary."
Madam Xu let out a soft, cold laugh.
Unable to contain her anger, Suo Xin retorted, "What are you laughing at?"
Madam Xu raised her eyes, her gaze a sheet of ice. "If my lord understood everything, what would be the need for a principal wife? Because there are things he doesn't understand, and the principal wife needs to correct them promptly."
Suo Xin bit her lower lip, unwilling to accept this. "Does Madam not listen to anything my lord says?"
Madam Xu said lightly, "Since you address me as 'Madam,' you must acknowledge me as such. My lord handles external affairs in court, while I manage everything within the manor. And this matter falls under my purview within the manor. Tell me, how can I not manage it?"
Suo Xin took a deep breath. "Fine, I will offer the tea."
At that moment, Lian Xin walked over with the tea. She approached Suo Xin and presented the cup, saying, "Concubine Xin."
Suo Xin took the tea and found it scalding hot. Just as she was about to throw the cup away, Madam Xu spoke, "Tea can only be offered once. If you spill the tea, I will not drink your offering."
Suo Xin gritted her teeth, enduring the burning sensation from the cup. She approached Madam Xu. Shun Xin, Madam Xu's maid, watched her coldly. "Kneel," she commanded.
Suo Xin knelt on the ground. There was no cushion, and she knelt directly on the hard floor, feeling a dull ache in her knees.
Trembling, she raised the teacup. "Madam, please drink the tea."
Madam Xu reached out to take it. Li Yao Qin spoke up, "Mother, don't you need to give her some admonishments?"
Madam Xu did not look at her. She took the teacup, frowned slightly, brought it to her lips, and took a sip before handing it to Li Yao Qin.
Lian Xin, standing nearby, quickly reached out to take it. Madam Xu said coldly, "Why can't Yao'er take it?"
Li Yao Qin gave Lian Xin a look. Lian Xin retreated. Li Yao Qin extended her hand and took the teacup.
The scorching heat almost made her drop the cup on the spot. But Suo Xin was still present. If she dropped the cup, wouldn't she give Suo Xin an opportunity to exploit?
Li Yao Qin endured the pain and handed the teacup to Lian Xin, who quickly carried it away.
Suo Xin said, "Madam, you have drunk the tea. Is it not..."
"I am tired. Please leave!" Madam Xu said slowly.
Qing'er was about to speak, but Suo Xin interrupted, "Since Madam is tired, this concubine will not disturb you further. This concubine will return tomorrow to pay her respects."
With that, Suo Xin left.
After Suo Xin departed, Li Yao Qin stepped forward and saw Madam Xu about to strike the wooden fish again. She snatched the wooden fish. "Mother, must a mere concubine bully you to this extent, and you still do nothing?"
Madam Xu was not angry. She looked at Li Yao Qin and asked calmly, "So, what do you want me to do?"
"Show your presence as the principal wife and suppress her," Li Yao Qin replied.
Madam Xu smiled at this. "Principal wife? Do I look like a principal wife in this state?"
"Mother, you behaved very well just now. As long as you step out of this temple, you are still Father's only wife, the Madam of the Minister's manor."
Madam Xu looked at Li Yao Qin calmly. At that moment, Li Yao Qin felt a sense of coldness and distance in Madam Xu's gaze.
"I merely used Suo Xin's failure to offer me tea to put her in her place. Do you really think that if I acted like the principal wife, Suo Xin would be afraid of me?"
Li Yao Qin looked at Madam Xu in disbelief. "Mother..."
"Does your father not know that he has me, the principal wife? His silence and tacit approval already show that I, the principal wife, am as good as nonexistent."
Li Yao Qin shook her head. "No, it can't be."
"Yao'er, when you helped Suo Xin attain her current position, you should have known this day would come," Madam Xu said calmly, as if recounting something that did not concern her personally but as an observer.
"Mother..."
Madam Xu slowly continued, "Do you think Suo Xin's arrogance and rudeness are because of your father?"
"Isn't it?" Li Yao Qin asked.
"No," Madam Xu replied without hesitation.
Li Yao Qin was stunned. "Mother, what are you talking about?"
"When Suo Xin was by your side, I saw her. She was an honest and dutiful child. Even after experiencing the disparity in status, her temperament should not have changed like this."
Li Yao Qin blinked. "Mother, what are you trying to say?"
Madam Xu said, "Sometimes, what we see is only the outward appearance. We have no idea what lies beneath. Perhaps Suo Xin has her own secrets that she cannot speak of."
"Mother, the more you talk, the more confused I become."
Madam Xu gently stroked Li Yao Qin's head. "Think about it, has she changed drastically from before?"
"Are you talking about Suo Xin?" Li Yao Qin asked.
Madam Xu nodded.
Li Yao Qin thought for a moment and nodded. "Indeed. Even Yan Xin, who grew up with Suo Xin, says that Suo Xin has changed too much."
"Then have you sent people to investigate why Suo Xin has changed so thoroughly?"
Li Yao Qin was startled and shook her head. "No."
Madam Xu said earnestly, "Yao'er, haven't you ever considered that perhaps there is an unseen force within the manor that is trying to destroy everything here?"
Li Yao Qin trembled, looking at Madam Xu in disbelief. "Mother, what are you talking about? What mysterious force?"
"Yao'er, you still have many things to do, but Mother knows you will do them well. Go now!"
Seeing Madam Xu trying to dismiss her, Li Yao Qin became anxious. "Mother, Yao'er knows she was wrong, and she knows you are completely heartbroken because of me. Now, your daughter implores you to return and take charge of the situation."
"Yao'er, you have grown up. You will have to walk your own path from now on. Mother believes in you."
"Mother..."
"Go..."
Li Yao Qin was about to say more when Shun Xin walked over. "Eldest Young Lady, please go. Madam is tired."
Li Yao Qin had no choice but to comply and was about to leave when Shun Xin suddenly said, "Eldest Young Lady, wait a moment."
Li Yao Qin turned around and looked at Shun Xin. "Is there something else?"
Shun Xin whispered, "Before Eldest Young Lady arrived, Madam met someone, but this servant does not recognize her."