Chapter 10: Each Takes What They Need

  "What's wrong with that woman, actually making Father wait for her alone, so arrogant." Leng Yinling was indignant and couldn't help but feel resentful towards that woman who had given her a cold shoulder and shut the door on her.

  "Second Miss, Fourth Miss are injured and can't help but delay for some time. We can wait a bit too." Before Qiao Yiniang's words had fallen, Hua Yiniang on the other side couldn't sit still either, constantly winking at her daughter to say a few more sentences.

  Leng Feng Ling poured a cup of tea and said softly: "Father, why don't I go invite Fourth Sister myself?"

  The words sounded pleasant, but every sentence conveyed a message, that is, Leng Ziyue didn't know the rules and actually made them wait for her here, she should be punished.

  Leng Cui furrowed her brow and said, "After Vice Manager Zhang finishes discussing the matter, have Fourth Miss go to the ancestral hall to receive her punishment."

  "I don't know what I did wrong, and need to go to the ancestral hall to receive punishment. Can Master Hou explain?" Leng Ziyue's voice arrived before she did, like a cold gust of wind blowing directly into one's heart, making it feel chilly all over, and for a moment, everything felt colder by several degrees.

  Leng Zhan sat at the head of the table, looking at the door as Leng Ziyue walked towards him with her head held high and a wide stride. Her sharp and piercing eyes flashed, and his heart felt a pang of pain, filled with a sour taste. Looking at the woman in front of him was just like looking at her, so similar, yet even more dazzling and captivating.

  The time it takes to drink a cup of tea has passed, and no one dares to make a sound to wake up the distracted Lingzhuang. They are all afraid that whenever they mention that woman, he will go mad.

  Her eyes flashed, and she withdrew her gaze. She was not the same as her mother, even though they were mother and daughter. The woman in her memory was gentle and quiet, with a resolute and strong personality, but there was never any coldness or killing intent on her face.

  Leng Yue's gaze met Leng Xueyu's eyes, this was the first time he had looked at his daughter in thirteen years. In those clear and calm eyes, he couldn't sense any emotional fluctuations, yet they gave people a strong sense of oppression, as if they could see through one's heart, making him dare not to continue looking at her.

  Is she still the same cold Ziyue who would shrink into a ball and not even dare to lift her head when she saw him?

  "What's your attitude, Leng Ziyue? You don't even pay respects when you see Father?" Leng Yinling seized the opportunity to scold her, pointing at Leng Ziyue's nose. This time she wanted to see who would still protect her.

  She didn't misread it, a flash of impatience and disgust in Father's eyes.

  "How come you didn't say that Miss didn't greet you?" Leng Ziyue hooked her lips with a smile, and her eyes swept over the three concubines sitting upright in their chairs, the three illegitimate daughters, even she, the legitimate daughter, hadn't sat down, yet they were sitting there high and mighty, was it reasonable?

  Leng Yin's words were stuck in her throat, when did this timid girl become so eloquent?

  "I remember, the madam of the Zhongjun Hou Mansion was named Changsun Youyou. Even though she has been dead for thirteen years, she is still the first-rank imperial noblewoman conferred by the current emperor, and the only legitimate wife of Zhongjun Hou. And I, Leng Ziyue, am the only legitimate young lady of the Zhongjun Hou Mansion. You can call yourselves 'aunties' in a polite way, or 'concubines who warm the bed for the master' in a derogatory way. In front of me, you should address yourselves as slaves, not sitting there like masters while I am standing." Leng Ziyue played with the hair hanging down her chest, and then continued: "Although the three of you are nominally young ladies of the Zhongjun Hou Mansion, my half-sisters, you must also recognize your own identities. In front of me, you are only slightly more noble than maidservants."

  In ancient times, especially in this era, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was very important. The daughters of large families were all married to officials and nobles as their first wives, while the sons born out of wedlock had a slightly higher status. However, the daughters born out of wedlock could only be married off to others as concubines or to small families as their first wife, and their status was completely incomparable to that of legitimate daughters.

  The eldest daughter of a noble family, no matter how poor she is, can marry an official above the fourth rank in the imperial court as his legitimate wife, which is something that nobody can erase.

  "Father..." Not only was Ling Yin unable to bear this atmosphere, the other two beauties who were dressed up also turned pale and looked frightened, it was a pitiful sight.

  "Is what I said wrong, Master Hou?" Cold Zifei raised an eyebrow and smoothed her hair, the white clothes unable to conceal her radiant aura, exuding an air of nobility.

  Leng Ting stared at Leng Zuo, for a moment unable to find words to refute her. Indeed, after his mother's death, he had not remarried, and she was indeed the noble legitimate daughter; no one could change this fact.

  At that time, he only said that Zhangsun Yuanyuan died of illness. The reason why the emperor had guessed it before, but did not mention it again. However, the official title of the empress was still in effect. As long as the emperor did not issue an edict to revoke it, it would remain effective forever.

  "Since there's no mistake, I'd like to ask, in my Qi Yue country, which family's legitimate daughter is living a life worse than even the lowest servant? Being oppressed by the lowly concubine above and the unruly servants below. If this gets out, I wonder if the Zhong Jun Hou Fu can still hold its head up high." Leng Ziyue said nonchalantly, she came to lay her cards on the table. A father who didn't even care about her life or death personally sought her out, what else could he want from her besides using her for his own gain?

  He wants to take advantage of her, but she also wants to get back everything that rightfully belongs to her. These women are not well-treated, and she is unhappy in body and mind.

  "What do you want?" Leng Zhen looked at her, his face stern. Outside, rumors had been circulating that Leng Zhen was living a life worse than a servant's in the Hou Mansion, with various versions of the story going around. The Empress Dowager turned a blind eye to it all, as long as she kept her alive.

  The Lingyong banquet is approaching, and once this matter is magnified, his future will also be ruined. How can he bear to give it up?

  At most, he tolerated her for a few months, as compensation for the hardships she had endured for over ten years. Afterwards, he would not feel guilty either.

  "There's nothing much to it, the requirements are simple. Let them each recognize their own identity, and in the future, when they see me, they'll be more polite. A concubine is just a concubine, there's no such thing as a 'wife'. Moreover, the East Wing was originally where my mother lived, how could it be occupied by a woman who can't even show her face?

  Cold Zhiyue observed Cold Zheng's expression, wondering what he wanted to use her for, and how he could endure so much. If that was the case, then she wouldn't be polite either. 'According to the rules, all the things in the three concubines' courtyard that shouldn't be there will be removed, and all the things in the three misses' courtyard that only a legitimate daughter has the right to use will also be removed one by one. As for the West Wing, I'll trouble you, sir, to send someone to clean it up, at least make it habitable.'"

  Leng Xueyu lowered her eyelids, and a faint light flashed by. No one could arrange her fate; the road ahead would be decided only when she spoke.

  "Housekeeper Wang, do everything as Miss Fourth said." The figure standing upright in front of him was so cold and isolated, with a pale complexion that seemed to be sickly, bloodless lips, as if something had pierced through his chilly body.

  He was willing to satisfy all of Leng Xue's current demands, but within a month at most, she had to move into the imperial palace, and from then on, there would be no more entanglements between them.

  Those repeated "Master Hou" seemed to be the greatest accusation and mockery against him, he was not a good father, if it weren't for that thing back then, maybe everything would have been different...

  Looking at those angry women's faces, Leng Xueyu couldn't help but laugh with great pleasure. This was just the beginning, and the game wouldn't end until they were dead tired. "Since Master Hou has satisfied all my requests according to the rules of the manor, I will also act according to your requirements, without any regrets."

  In her past life, her grandfather and father were always very strict with her. They didn't smile or speak carelessly, but they were also extremely good to her. Perhaps it was just a different way of expressing their emotions.

  When she was ill, she could still feel their care and concern; however, her father took advantage of her in this way. As a daughter, he was like that, what kind of human nature did he have?

  "Good." Leng Qing nodded and responded in a low voice. How did she know what he was thinking, so sharp observation skills, knowing how to use her own advantages to achieve her own goals, worthy of being his daughter.

  Is she still herself? After jumping off the building and waking up, it seems like she's no longer her old self.

  "In the ten days that Master Hou is renovating the west wing, I will be staying at Jingyue Temple. I hope you won't disappoint me, otherwise, the consequences are unimaginable. Someone who has died once won't even fear death, what else is there to worry about?" Before she finished speaking, Leng Ziyue turned around and left without looking back.

  Only leaving that one touch of pure white deep impression on everyone's mind, she is terrifying.

  This idea made them feel a mortal threat for the first time.

  She smelled the scent of conspiracy, and a dull life seemed to have gained color. How could she not take it seriously? In ten days, she would recover her original skills and go to Youyin Pavilion again, that was her promise to Dianqi.

  With You Yin Ge, she can live more freely.