The most dissolute couple in the capital

Cui Qinghui was unaware that Granny He would give Cui Qingyi a private "special treatment" in the afternoon.

On the seventh day, she had nothing to do in the afternoon and wanted to borrow a book from Cui Qingyi. As she passed through the courtyard, she vaguely heard Granny He's voice coming from inside the house.

She paused, listening intently for a moment.

I couldn't quite hear the specifics, but Granny He's tone was noticeably more serious than when she was teaching them that morning.

Cui Qinghui's face immediately darkened.

She turned and left, her steps hurried and heavy, all the way back to her courtyard, where she pushed open the door with a "bang".

Bai Li was tidying her clothes inside when she was startled by the noise: "Miss, what's wrong?"

Cui Qinghui plopped down in a chair, her chest heaving: "Granny He! She was giving Cui Qingyi a private lesson this afternoon!"

Bai Li paused for a moment, then said, "This... perhaps there's something that can only be told to the Princess? After all, the eldest young lady is about to marry into the royal family—"

"And what about me?" Cui Qinghui suddenly looked up, her eyes slightly red. "I'm also a legitimate daughter of the Cui family! Why can she learn, but I can't? We're both learning etiquette, so why should we be divided into different classes?"

Bai Li opened her mouth, unsure how to respond.

She knew perfectly well that Granny He was sent by the Empress Dowager to teach the future Princess Liang, so it was only natural for her to tell Cui Qingyi some inside stories of the palace.

Cui Qinghui isn't marrying into the royal family, so why should she know those things?

But she couldn't say that.

"Miss," Bai Li began cautiously, "Granny He was sent by the Empress Dowager. She knows how to act appropriately. We..."

"What kind of sense of propriety is this!" Cui Qinghui slammed her hand on the table. "It's clearly snobbish! Seeing that Cui Qingyi is going to be a princess, she's all over her, while she's just being perfunctory with me! This morning when she was teaching us, she corrected my bowing three times, but Cui Qingyi got it right on the first try. Does she think I'm stupid?"

Bai Li thought to herself, "That's because the young lady really does learn quickly..."

But she could only force a smile and say, "Miss, don't overthink it. Granny He has been very kind to you."

Cui Qinghui sneered, "Dedicated? If she were dedicated, why didn't she call on me for class this afternoon? I'm going to talk to my mother!"

Bai Li was startled: "Miss."

Cui Qinghui had already stood up and was walking out, lifting her skirt.

Bai Li quickly followed, jogging along to persuade her, "Miss, please calm down. You should talk to Madam about this. Madam is in a difficult position too. Granny He is from the palace, and Madam can't control her..."

Cui Qinghui ignored him and went straight to the main courtyard.

-

Madam Li was looking at the account book when she heard from the maid that the second young lady had arrived. She put down her pen and looked up.

Cui Qinghui entered the room with anger still etched on her face. After a perfunctory bow, she said, "Mother, Granny He is going too far!"

Mrs. Li frowned slightly: "What's wrong?"

Cui Qinghui embellished the story of what happened that afternoon, ending angrily, "She's clearly playing favorites! She thinks that because I'm not a princess, I'm not worthy of learning those things! Mother, you have to stand up for me!"

After listening, Li remained silent for a moment.

She put down her pen and said calmly, "Hui'er, sit down and listen to your mother."

Cui Qinghui sat down reluctantly.

Madam Li carefully chose her words: "Granny He was sent by the Empress Dowager to teach your sister. What she talked to Qingyi about this afternoon was mostly about palace affairs and interpersonal relationships. Only those who are about to marry into the royal family need to know these things. You're not going to marry into the palace, so what use are you to know those things?"

Cui Qinghui retorted, "But—"

"No buts." Madam Li's tone became slightly harsher. "Granny He was just doing her duty; she did nothing wrong. You're already benefiting from your sister's help in learning basic etiquette; what more do you want?"

Cui Qinghui's eyes immediately reddened: "Mother! How can you take the side of outsiders too!"

Madam Li took a deep breath and said patiently, "I'm not taking sides with outsiders; I'm teaching you a lesson. Granny He is the Empress Dowager's person. If you go and cause trouble with her, and word gets back to the palace, what will the Empress Dowager think of you? What will she think of our Cui family? Your sister hasn't even married into the family yet, and you've already offended someone close to the Empress Dowager. Is that something a smart person would do?"

Cui Qinghui bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

Seeing this, Madam Li softened her tone: "Hui'er, I know you're upset. But you must understand that your sister is married to a prince. The things she has to learn and the situations she has to deal with are far more complicated than you imagine."

"Granny He is teaching her separately for her own good, not to put you down. You are the eldest daughter of the Cui family, and the family your mother chooses for you in the future will definitely not be bad. But you need to change your current temper."

Cui Qinghui suddenly stood up, her voice trembling with tears: "Mother is so biased! From childhood to adulthood, she's always been given the best things first! She's not even your biological daughter!"

Li's face immediately darkened.

"Cui Qinghui!" she snapped, "What are you saying!"

Cui Qinghui was stopped by the shout, his body trembled slightly, but he still refused to back down: "I'm telling the truth!"

Madam Li stood up, her gaze turning cold: "The truth? Fine, then I'll tell you the truth too. Qingyi is your father's eldest daughter. Although her biological mother is gone, her status still matters."

"The Empress Dowager bestowed this marriage upon her because she valued her kindness in saving Prince Liang, and also because of her character. She earned these things herself. If you are capable, you should earn your own respectable life in the future, instead of crying and making a scene with your mother here!"

Cui Qinghui's tears finally fell. She wiped her face hard and turned to run outside.

"Stop!" Li shouted.

Cui Qinghui didn't stop; instead, she quickened her pace. Her skirt tripped on the threshold, and she stumbled, running out without looking back.

Li stood there, her chest heaving several times, before finally sitting heavily back down in her chair.

Madam Yu came out from the side room and handed over a cup of warm tea: "Madam, please calm down. The second young lady is young and speaks without thinking, please don't take it to heart."

Li took the tea but didn't drink it; she just gripped the cup so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"How can I not take it to heart?" She closed her eyes. "Me, biased? Only looking at the wealth of her husband's family. Marrying up is not so easy. Her sister got the prestige of being a princess, but what is the reality? She's such a grown woman, do I have to break her down and teach her everything?"

Madam Yu quickly replied, "Madam has done very well; everyone in the household has seen it."

Madam Li shook her head, her voice weary: "I've spoiled Hui'er rotten. She's been competitive since she was little, always trying to outdo Qingyi in everything. When she was little, they compared whose clothes were prettier; now that she's older, they compare whose marriage is better... But she never thinks about it, Qingyi has never competed with her for anything."

Mrs. Yu chimed in, "The eldest young lady is indeed a worry-free person."

After a moment of silence, Madam Li suddenly asked, "Do you think I should find some time to have a proper talk with Hui'er?"

Madam Yu thought for a moment and said, "Madam, in my opinion, the Second Miss is in a fit of anger right now, and she won't listen to anything you say. Why don't we wait a couple of days until she calms down, and then try to persuade her gently?"

Madam Li nodded: "Alright then. Have the kitchen make her her favorite osmanthus lotus root starch soup tomorrow. As for the rest... let's leave her be for now."

She picked up her pen again, opened the ledger, her eyes fell on the rows of numbers, but her mind wandered elsewhere.

What is Qingyi thinking?

A fifteen-year-old girl, abandoning the Zheng family that everyone envied, jumped into the water to save a spoiled prince.

Li couldn't understand it.

But she didn't plan to think about it anymore.

The imperial decree has been issued, and the die is cast. What she needs to do now is to settle the dowry arrangements, restore the Cui family's reputation, and then… properly discipline her troublesome daughter.

As for whether Cui Qingyi will have a good life in the Liang Prince's Mansion in the future—

That's not something she can worry about.