Chapter 27: The Imperial Princess Is Coming to Lay Down the Law

Chapter 27: The Imperial Princess Is Coming to Lay Down the Law

"How is it? Are you feeling sympathetic again?"

"Servant maid and she did know each other," Chunmei looked at Zheng Jinyu and said, "Second Miss, I was thinking of visiting her in a few days."

"Mm," Zheng Jinyu agreed promptly.

...

In the Yusheng Courtyard, Lady Zheng was consoling her youngest daughter.

"Mother didn't expect such a young maid to have so many cunning thoughts, to be jealous to the point of wanting to destroy the other person. Don't worry, without Qiu Ju, Mother will find you two honest maids. There are two maids in my chambers who have been trained for years; they are astute and efficient in their work, and also sincere and trustworthy. How about I transfer them to your courtyard? What do you think?"

Zheng Jinyu declined and replied to her mother, "Mother, why not buy two maids from the slave market? I can train them myself."

Lady Zheng thought that the servants in the household knew of her rural background and might not serve with full dedication.

Buying untainted maids would indeed be better.

"Alright, I'll follow your advice. Tomorrow, let Mother ask Yaxing to bring over some people. You can carefully choose from them. We don't have to limit it to two; you can pick as many as you like."

Zheng Jinyu smiled gently. "Thank you, Mother."

The next day, Lady Zheng instructed Yaxing to bring over a group of candidates, totaling around twenty individuals, ranging in age from ten to eighteen.

Among them were a few ten-year-olds who appeared emaciated, looking no more than seven or eight. She had no interest in such children.

With Chunmei being sufficient to navigate the household, there was no need for more.

She was only two maidservants short.

It was like a modern-day interview for cleaners, and in the end, she was left with two diligent ones.

Madam Zheng was quite curious about her daughter's selection process, yet after all that effort, she only chose two.

She asked, " Aren't you going to pick a few more? I think these two are quite good as well."

Zheng Jinyu replied, "Two is enough, thank you, Mother."

"Why, my child, there's no need to be so formal with your mother. Very well, I'll take these two." She glanced at the other two and instructed the servant handler, "I'll take these two as well. They'll work in my courtyard."

In total, they purchased four individuals.

News of Madam Zheng purchasing servants alongside Miss Second reached Zheng Jinxiu's ears, provoking another fit of anger.

"Nanny, why is it so difficult to deal with folks from the countryside?"

Madam Zhou was also quite perplexed.

She had thought that dealing with a country lass would be easy, but to her surprise, it was becoming more challenging.

After much deliberation, she could only remark, "Although she's from the countryside, she is, after all, Lady's own flesh and blood. Both Lord and Lady value familial bonds."

"So you're saying that I'll never be able to outdo her?"

"It wouldn't be fair to say that. Lord and Lady have nurtured you for so many years, and their affection for you is evident to all. To protect you, they haven't revealed your true identity or Zheng Jinyu's. They merely introduced her as your younger sister. Look, you are the legitimate eldest daughter, while she is the legitimate second daughter. You still hold a higher position than her."

Zheng Jinxiu was not soothed by her words; instead, she rubbed her temples in annoyance. "Fine, I'll admit she's tough to deal with. But why can't I even handle a mere servant girl who dared to betray me?"

"The maid was cunning, carrying a pair of scissors on her. And you picked her yourself back then because of her wit and capability."

Zheng Jinxiu: "…"

She felt as if she had shot herself in the foot and regretted her actions deeply.

Madam Zhou chuckled. "Actually, I believe that Miss Eldest doesn't necessarily have to vie for Father and Lady's favor with Miss Second. You'll be fifteen next year, and once you've reached womanhood, you'll be eligible for marriage. When you become the Princess Consort of Prince Chen's residence after your wedding, Father and Lady will have to bow to you. At that time, it will be Lady who tries to curry your favor. Why would you need to compete for their affection?"

Zheng Jinxiu was taken aback, but then she recalled the princess mentioning that someone had sent two sets of clothes to Zheng Jinyu.

That person the princess spoke of was most likely Prince Chen.

Why would Prince Chen send her clothes?

She refused to believe that Prince Chen could have any interest in Zheng Jinyu, that bumpkin. It must be because he pitied her, or perhaps he knew she was his sister, or maybe it was out of consideration for her elder brother.

Yes, Prince Chen and her elder brother were close.

A smile graced her lips at the thought.

"Indeed, as long as she doesn't provoke me and doesn't overstep her boundaries, I won't bother with her either."

Lady Zhou chuckled again. "That's true. You don't necessarily have to vie for Lord and Lady's favor to keep her underfoot for life. After all, we won't be living in this household for much longer. It could also be done through marriage. As long as her match isn't as good as yours, she'll have to bow down to you for the rest of her days."

Back home, parents' affection was earned by who could please them the most and bring them greater glory.

After marriage, it was about who could win the hearts of their parents-in-law, who had married well, and who could assist their family, as well as gain the favor of their husband. Zheng Jinxiu understood these principles well.

Thinking of bypassing Prince Chen's betrothal, huh? Well, unless she could become an imperial consort or marry an imperial prince, that would be impossible.

The eldest imperial prince was merely thirteen, and he had no plans to take a wife in the coming years. So, becoming an imperial consort, then? But with the Emperor being so old, forget about it.

In Zheng Jinxiu's eyes, Zheng Jinyu could never secure a better marriage than hers in this lifetime.

...

Madam Zheng's investigation into the rumor yielded results, and all signs pointed to Third Miss as the culprit.

She was so angry that she lost her appetite and couldn't sleep.

She kept talking through the night, preventing Master Zheng from getting any rest, though he had official duties to attend to the following day.

"Oh dear, my lady, let's discuss this matter tomorrow," he pleaded.

"What will we say tomorrow? You'll have to rise before dawn to prepare for the morning court session and handle your official duties. By the time you return, it will be dark. If not now, when shall I speak?"

"Very well, very well, just tell me quickly," he yawned, his words muffled. "I'm truly exhausted after a long day."

"What should we do about Third Brother's situation?"

"Tell him to kneel in the ancestral temple when he returns."

"And what good does it do? It's merely a temporary solution, not a cure. I just can't fathom why he despises Jinyu so much. She didn't even know him before, so there shouldn't be any grudge between them."

Lord Zheng's eyelids were battling each other, and his mind was in a daze, barely catching her words. He continued in a muddled manner, "Let him cool off at the academy; perhaps the matter concerning Jinyu is too abrupt for him to accept all at once."

Lady Zheng wished for harmonious family relations, and indeed, she saw no better alternative.

She let out a long sigh and said, "Very well, I'll listen to you."

...

Madam Zheng received an invitation, stating that the Imperial Princess was planning a visit.

This was a significant event.

Madam Zheng hurriedly made arrangements, cleaning the courtyard, tending to the flowers and plants, and preparing the freshest ingredients...

She also had to ensure that her two daughters were beautifully dressed, as they would be meeting others later.

Assuming Zheng Jinyu was unaware of the Imperial Princess, Chunmei seized the opportunity while adorning her to enlighten him about the princess's background.

"The Imperial Princess is the Emperor's elder sister, to be precise, a cousin, as the Emperor was adopted by the previous sovereign."

"The Imperial Princess was the late Emperor's only daughter, holding a most prestigious status. She is the most esteemed woman in the entire capital."