Chapter 167: Du Ruo Gains Favor

Chapter 167: Du Ruo Gains Favor

In that instant, Liu Qingping felt furious.

She had treated Du Ruo as a friend, but Du Ruo had used her as a patsy!

She had been a laughingstock the entire time!

Lu Lingyun looked at Liu Qingping’s angry face and gave a slight smile, “The way to manage a household, besides accounting and managing finances, is to know how to manage people.”

Her gaze was calm but filled with wisdom, “Today, I’ve given you a lesson. In the future, when you marry into another family, you must always be cautious. If you let your guard down, others will exploit you.”

Lu Lingyun had seen through Du Ruo’s little schemes from the very beginning.

She didn’t say anything because Du Ruo’s schemes didn’t affect her, and also because it could serve as a lesson for Liu Qingping.

Even after hearing this, Liu Qingping remained furious.

Lu Lingyun continued, “Resources in the inner chambers are always scarce. Especially for those concubines, they have to fight for money, goods, and most importantly, the favor of the master. To obtain these, they resort to all sorts of schemes and tactics, even risking their lives to climb up. They do this to survive.”

Hearing this, Liu Qingping frowned, “So, big sister, aren’t these people our adversaries? Aren’t you angry?”

Lu Lingyun looked at her with amusement, “Why be angry? You are not competing for the same goals.”

Liu Qingping’s eyes widened.

“You’re marrying in to be the main wife, not a concubine,” Lu Lingyun enlightened her, “Concubines fight for the man’s favor to gain a little power, but you, you’ll hold the core power from the moment you step in. You will determine the fate of the entire family.”

“If a concubine is disobedient, a stern warning will suffice. They are not your adversaries; they are your tools. If you compete with them for the master’s favor, you have already lost, understand?”

Liu Qingping nodded, only half understanding.

That night, Cheng Yunshuo spent the night at Xiaohe Courtyard.

The next day, Cheng Yunshuo nearly overslept and was almost late for his duties.

Du Ruo slept until late in the morning and woke up with a radiant face, feeling elated.

Xiaoqin came back to inform Lu Lingyun.

Last night, Du Ruo had kept Cheng Yunshuo awake for half the night.

Initially, Cheng Yunshuo had no intention of staying the night.

But Du Ruo kept calling him Master and clung to him, tearfully describing how miserable her life in the Marquis’s Mansion was.

On the wedding night, Cheng Yunshuo hadn’t slept in her room, which made the entire mansion disdain her.

She also exaggerated to Cheng Yunshuo how, during the fabric distribution in the mansion, she was assigned the last portion among the three concubines, receiving only the remnants that the other women rejected.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yunshuo’s sense of heroism flared.

He was a man of strong responsibility and a sensitive nature.

Du Ruo’s words instantly aroused his sense of duty.

Thinking that since Du Ruo had already been taken in, she should be given a proper status, allowing her to live better in the mansion.

That very night, they consummated the marriage.

Liu Qingping heard that Du Ruo had consummated the marriage by stepping over her body and her face flushed red with anger.

She wanted to confront her and scold her thoroughly.

Lu Lingyun looked at her and knew that she was still young and couldn't easily swallow her anger.

Thinking about it, no matter how much you talk about grand principles, how many people can truly live their lives guided by those principles?

Everyone has to experience and understand things slowly on their own, and one day, they suddenly realize that these things are not that big of a deal, and only then can they move on and progress.

While Lu Lingyun was napping with the child at noon, Liu Qingping went to severely reprimand Du Ruo.

"You are shameless, using me to get closer to my brother-in-law! Seducing him?"

"Qingping, what are you talking about? The Crown Prince is also my husband. Consummating our marriage, how is that seduction?" Du Ruo, oblivious, had a hint of mockery in her eyes.

Liu Qingping jumped up in anger, "My older sister told me that my brother-in-law only took you in because he had no other choice! Don't you understand?"

"Ha!" Du Ruo sneered, looking at Liu Qingping, her brow raised. "Come on, if he didn't like me, why would he marry me? He wouldn't have consummated the marriage!"

That night, she had figured it out.

Cheng Yunshuo definitely still liked her.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have married her, and he wouldn't have consummated the marriage.

Saying it was responsibility, but actually, he had feelings for her!

This night of bliss couldn't be feigned!

Liu Qingping was so angry that she couldn't think clearly and said hatefully, "You concubines are all despicable! I will never speak to you again!"

With that, she left with her people.

This sentence truly hit Du Ruo. Watching Liu Qingping leave, Du Ruo sneered, "Ha!"

If she doesn't care about me, then I won't care about her either!

The two completely broke off, and Liu Qingping no longer paid attention to Du Ruo, who also stopped going to Lu Lingyun's courtyard.

She didn't have the time to go anyway.

For several days in a row, Cheng Yunshuo came to her Xiaohe Courtyard.

Being in the honeymoon phase, they were very affectionate, as close as honey and oil. Cheng Yunshuo gave her everything good he got.

With Cheng Yunshuo's favor, Du Ruo's status in the Marquis's mansion also rose.

The servants, seeing her, greeted her respectfully, unlike before when they paid her no attention.

Du Ruo, because of this, felt even more favored and glorious.

What's wrong with being a concubine? As a concubine, she didn't have to manage the household, and with favor, even Lu Lingyun had to be polite to her.

This afternoon, Lu Lingyun called all the concubines in the rear courtyard to her courtyard.

Du Ruo headed towards Lady Lu's quarters with Xiaoqin, and on the way, she encountered Qiu Ling and Ling Long coming over together.

"What does the young lady need us for?" Ling Long asked.

"I heard it's about the Dragon Boat Festival fair," Qiu Ling replied.

"There’s going to be a temple fair for the Dragon Boat Festival this year?"

"Yes, the young lady is probably planning to take us to the temple to seek fortunes."

"Wonderful!"

As they chatted and laughed, they saw a woman in front of them wearing a newly made light pink silk gown.

As soon as she saw her, Ling Long's smile faded.

Qiu Ling, however, showed no change in her expression. She greeted the newly arrived concubine of the mansion with a smile, "Isn’t that Sister Du?"

"Who’s your sister now?" Du Ruo rolled her eyes, her brows filled with disdain. "By rank, I am a noble concubine, while you are merely a common concubine!"

Qiu Ling: "..."

"Sister Qiu Ling, let’s ignore her," Ling Long snorted coldly, pulling Qiu Ling to the side.

Du Ruo strode forward and blocked her path, refusing to move aside.

"What do you think you’re doing?"

"Have you greeted me yet?" Du Ruo glanced at Ling Long. "Has all decorum been lost in this mansion?"

Ling Long, feeling a surge of frustration, met Du Ruo's eyes and reluctantly said, "Greetings to Lady Du."

Du Ruo breathed out, feeling extremely satisfied. "Say it again, I didn’t hear you clearly."

At this point, Qiu Ling pulled Ling Long. "Concubine Du, that’s enough! Our mansion isn’t so rigid."

Du Ruo looked at Qiu Ling coldly. "Concubine Qiu, I respect that you have given birth to the Marquis’s eldest son, so I’ll overlook it this time. By right, you should also show me respect!"

Just then, a clear, authoritative voice rang out. "Oh! Who's this? Such grandeur, one might mistake her for my sister-in-law!"