Chapter 529: Chapter 174 Framed (1)_2
"Speak," Xie Ruilin said, leisurely relishing her pastries, living a life of luxury even more comfortable than in the Duke Mansion.
At the Duke Mansion, she still had to put on an act in front of her grandmother.
But here, now.
The entire Song Family doted on her as if she were a treasured jewel.
"The servant has just learned that the young master has gone to the eldest young mistress’s courtyard," Chun Tao spoke cautiously.
Xie Ruilin’s expression visibly changed dramatically.
Song Yanqing had promised he would never go to Xie Ruotong’s courtyard again.
Has it only been a few days, and he’s already gone back on his word?!
Could it be that Song Yanqing has taken a fancy to Xie Ruotong?
Xie Ruotong, that vixen, a woman who has been in the pleasure quarters, definitely knows how to seduce men.
"However, the young master didn’t stay long, probably just said a few words," Chun Tao hastily added.
"A few words?" Xie Ruilin’s eyes turned cold, "Even one word, I won’t accept! That cheap woman Xie Ruotong has no right to compete with me for Song Yanqing."
"But after all, the eldest young mistress is still the young master’s legal wife..." Chun Tao blurted out and her face went pale.
Knowing that she had spoken out of turn.
She quickly knelt on the ground.
A slap landed fiercely on her own face, "This servant deserves death, this servant deserves death!"
Xie Ruilin watched Chun Tao in terror.
Indifferently, she let Chun Tao continue slapping her own face.
Her face turned red from the slapping, but Xie Ruilin made no move to stop her.
Instead, she was now calmly contemplating Chun Tao’s words.
What Chun Tao said wasn’t wrong.
No matter how favored she is now, Xie Ruotong is still Song Yanqing’s legal wife, and she is just a concubine of lowly status.
In the presence of Xie Ruotong, she is still considered inferior.
Xie Ruilin naturally does not want to live a life of such humiliation.
She had resolved to marry Song Yanqing, willing to become a concubine, enduring all the indignities, all for reclaiming her status as the legal wife.
She can’t just be content and keep the peace simply because the Song Family treats her well now.
She was even thinking at this moment.
The reason Song Yanqing compromises and dotes on her, yet is distant and cold to Xie Ruotong, could it be he is trying to make her not care about the status of legal wife anymore, to obliviously live out her life?
Absolutely not!
She is a concubine, and her future children will be born of lower birth. No matter how favored she is, in the eyes of outsiders, her status is insufficient, and so is her children’s status. Dreaming of a grand future for them would be naive.
For herself, for her children, she must not, she cannot, just let this go and call it quits.
"Enough!" Xie Ruilin shouted, frustrated by Chun Tao who kept slapping her own face, "You’re making a racket."
Only then did Chun Tao stop her hands.
She seemed pitiable, but the corners of her mouth secretly curled up into a cunning smile.
She knew how to speak all too well.
She hadn’t misspoken.
She was deliberately reminding Xie Ruilin.
She had sensed Xie Ruilin’s sense of satisfaction because the Song Family had been treating her well lately, and she had been content with her current situation, forgetting to strive for the status that was truly hers.
The reason Chun Tao wanted to remind Xie Ruilin was partly that she hoped once Xie Ruilin truly became the legal wife, as Xie Ruilin’s personal servant, she would also rise in status. Moreover, she had always looked down on Qiao’er, and now she could only mock her occasionally, not daring to openly bully her. Only if she would become the servant to the legal wife, could she truly deal with the other servants.
"Miss," Chun Tao began, her voice cautious.
"If you have something to say, say it!" Xie Ruilin’s face looked unpleasant at the moment.
Having realized the implications, her mood had clearly soured.
"I heard that last time when the madam punished the eldest young mistress and Qiao’er to kneel in the snow for two hours, it was not really punishing the eldest young mistress, but Qiao’er. It was to protect Qiao’er that the eldest young mistress said they would be punished together, so naturally, the punishment wouldn’t be too harsh," Chun Tao said.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Xie Ruilin’s face turned icy cold.
Was she saying all this just to upset her?!
To let her know that the Song Family’s kindness was only a facade to coax her into giving birth to the child smoothly.
In reality.
She is still that low-status concubine.
Xie Ruotong is still the true daughter-in-law of the Song Family.
"I mean, since the eldest young mistress cares so much about Qiao’er..." Chun Tao looked at Xie Ruilin, "If Miss wants to target the eldest young mistress, it would indeed be difficult, but if you want to target Qiao’er, then it wouldn’t be tough."
Xie Ruilin’s eyes narrowed sharply.
Aroused by Chun Tao’s words, she came to a sudden realization.
If Xie Ruotong cares so much for Qiao’er, meddling with Qiao’er might provoke Xie Ruotong to lose control... When that time comes, she wouldn’t believe the Song Family could still tolerate Xie Ruotong.