“It’s true that my eldest aunt is kind-hearted and my eldest sister is also capable. When I made friends outside these years, whoever heard that I had a cousin who is Princess Fu wouldn’t dare to make any sound against me , right?” The father and son lavished Madam. Wei with honeyed words, and finally, her crying subsided considerably. But as she dabbed her eyes, a flicker of disgust for the Fifth Old Master still crossed her face.
Seeing this, Shang Yukuan stepped forward to mediate, saying, “It’s a good thing that Qiniang can find a good home for herself , but I haven’t quite understood what’s going on. Perhaps my fourth cousin will explain it to me.”
“Okay,” Shang Wulang agreed, and then recounted everything he had heard.
At this point, Shang Yukuan and Madam . Wei finally grasped the full situation. And as the understanding dawned on them: they concluded that upon hearing the news, the fifth branch had immediately rushed to send Qiniang to the prince’s residence. However, utterly devoid of any connections, they had now “asked” Shang Yukuan to use the Duke’s Palace’s prestige to elevate Shang Qiniang’s status in this selection . It was, undeniably, a cunning plot, Although somewhat shameless. Yet, considering their past behavior, it was hardly surprising.
Madam Wei remained silent throughout this conversation . She was being asked for help, yet they had arrived with such imperious airs. She was no living Bodhisattva, to rush into matchmaking for a niece separated by several generations. Furthermore, if being a matchmaker truly benefited the family, she might consider it. But this fifth branch, at a glance, seemed a den of ingrates. If Qiniang from them truly became a king’s concubine , there was no telling how much trouble it would cause. At the moment, she had no time for such people, and thus, she was naturally unwilling to assist.
With Madam. Wei silent, Shang Yukuan, a man devoid of strong opinions, expressed his embarrassment. “Fourth brother, it’s not that I don’t want to help with this matter, but I have little contact with the Min Palace myself . You know I hold only a minor position at court. If we’re truly talking influence, my standing is not as significant as Shang Ji ‘s. Even if I were inclined to approach them for Qiniang’s sake, I doubt anyone would pay me any mind.”
What he said was undeniably true, but to the Fifth Old Master, it sounded like nothing more than an excuse. He immediately slammed the table and leapt up to his feet. “Hey! Is this how we’re going to play this now? You don’t want to remember that when your go for the war, who fed and clothed you, and kept you in his house? What, now that you’re so powerful, you don’t recognize our poor family as relatives? How about I go to our ancestral hall, kneel and weep beneath your father’s memorial tablet, and ask him to see how his good son treats his uncle?”
This threat was unmistakable, and hearing it Madam . Wei’s face grew progressively darker. After all these years, he still shamelessly brought up those meager past favors. It was utterly ridiculous. Any small debt of gratitude if there was any had been repaid long ago; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been permitted to reside in the Duke’s Mansion for so many years. Yet, whenever trouble arose, he would trot out these same words, his mouth seemingly unburdened, while Madam. Wei’s ears had grown calloused from this repetition. In the past, she might have offered a polite refusal on her husband’s behalf. But now, she simply wanted to see if, by refusing outright, the fifth branch would truly devour them.
Shang Yukuan, flustered, turned to Madam. Wei for help. Alas, Madam. Wei kept her head down, offering no sign of intervention or further comment. He had always pushed such difficult household matters onto her, and now, with no response, he was utterly bewildered. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and say, “Fifth Uncle, you may scold me if you wish but i cannot agree to this matter. Even if I reluctantly did, it might not succeed. If you wish to kneel before my father’s memorial tablet, then do so. I can only provide you with a soft futon.”
His words immediately shut down the fifth branch’s usual tactics. The old man’s customary threats had failed, leaving him with no other recourse. He theatrically collapsed onto the ground, feigning despair and muttering curses. But Madam Wei, seeing this display, coldly remarked, “The ground is cold. If Fifth Uncle wishes to roll around, please do so. I’ll send someone to call the doctor to examine him. My husband and I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t speak with Fifth Uncle any further.” With that, she rose, preparing to leave. Shang Yukuan, seeing his wife depart and unwilling to remain alone, also stood up .
Shang Siye and Shang Wulang exchanged glances seeing the situation , a severe headache blooming between them. If only they had known, they wouldn’t have brought the Fifth Old Man. He was begging for help with an air of superiority and demanding orders. Who would want to help after witnessing such behavior? But they couldn’t come without the Fifth Old Man, fearing they wouldn’t be able to manage the situation on their own. Seeing this incredible wealth about to slip through their fingers, the father and son couldn’t sit still. Anxiously, they stood, intercepting Shang Yukuan and Madsm Wei, and began to flatter them.
“Brother, Sister-in-law, where are you going ? No matter what, we are still family, aren’t we? Qiniang is not my own daughter, if I didn’t care about her future, why would I be so concerned, to come and tell you this?” Shang Siye pleaded, “Don’t you think so?”
At the mention of Shang Qiniang’s name, Shang Yukuan’s face softened, a flicker of compassion in his eyes. After all, she was still a child of their Shang family. If she didn’t marry, she would become an old woman . And he had his own daughter, Shang Xue, waiting to be married. He felt a natural reluctance to save himself at another’s expense. Shang Siye, seeing his expression soften, immediately pressed his advantage, “I know that Elder Brother is truly in a difficult position, but could you ask Liulang? With his current ability, it’s not difficult for him to establish a relationship with the Min Palace. If he is willing to come forward for Qiniang, then there’s a chance the marriage will succeed, isn’t there?”
“But… he might not meddle in such nosy matters?” Shang Yukuan hesitated. He was unwilling to trouble his son because he couldn’t accomplish the task himself. Furthermore, he had no confidence in his ability to persuade Shang Ji either . Therefore, he didn’t dare to agree immediately.
Madam Wei, on the other hand, was delighted at the prospect of burdening Shang Ji with troublesome affairs. Her expression brightened considerably as she turned to Shang Yukuan and said, “My fourth cousin is right. We are family, after all. Liulang is now in a high position. If he truly goes to Prince Min’s palace to discuss the matchmaking, I’m afraid he could even secure the title of a royal concubine, let alone a noble concubine.” She skillfully played to the fifth branch’s highest hopes. As expected, they were already content with a noble concubine, but now, upon hearing the possibility of a royal concubine, they wished they could send Shang Qiniang in a sedan chair immediately.
With a snap, the Fifth Old Man, who had been lying on the ground, sprang to his feet. All thoughts of wailing or anger vanished. He only urged Shang Yukuan to speak with Shang Ji, his tone as “firm” as ever.