A Small Disturbance

She did not mention Concubine La's matter anymore but asked, "Madam, where do you think it is appropriate to hold tonight's banquet?"

Lady Xu thought for a moment and said, "There is an osmanthus tree next to the garden, which should be blooming beautifully right now. Let's set it up there."

Nanny Sun complied, then heard Lady Xu instruct, "Send someone over to the Third Branch to inform them."

Although she did not want to see that sister-in-law, it was the Mid-Autumn Festival after all, and the family should still sit down together for a meal.

Nanny Sun also complied, handed tonight's banquet menu to Lady Xu for her decision, and then turned to leave the room to handle everything Lady Xu had ordered.

On the way back, both Concubine La and Xue Qingxue were very frustrated. However, Concubine La was more deep-minded, so she did not show it on her face, keeping it buried in her heart, while Xue Qingxue displayed all of it on her face.

The wet nurse carrying Xue Yuanhao stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Concubine, the young master is asleep."

Concubine La tilted her head to look and saw her son's eyes closed. His cheeks were chubby, and he was sleeping very soundly. Her heart softened, and she gently pulled the brocade quilt covering Xue Yuanhao a bit higher, telling the wet nurse to walk faster and take the young master back to his room to sleep.

It was windy outside, and since Xue Yuanhao was still small, she was afraid he would catch a cold from the wind.

The wet nurse complied and carried Xue Yuanhao ahead.

Seeing her figure disappear, Concubine La withdrew her gaze, tilted her head to look at Xue Qingxue, and asked her, "Are you still angry about what happened earlier?"

Xue Qingxue was dazed, and hearing this suddenly, she was startled.

Once she recovered her senses, she asked, "How did Concubine know?"

Although she was born of Concubine La and raised by her, according to the rules, Lady Xu was her mother in name. She could only ever call Concubine La "Concubine" and could not call her "Mother." But what mother would not want her child to call her mother?

Hearing Xue Qingxue call her "Concubine," Concubine La's heart felt a bit bitter, but she quickly suppressed this emotion and said, "Look at yourself in the mirror. Whatever is in your heart is written all over your face, yet you still ask how I know."

Xue Qingxue had nothing to hide from her. Hearing this, she said discontentedly, "The Madam is too biased. I am not reconciled."

Although she called Lady Xu "Mother" when facing her, in private, she never called Lady Xu mother, referring to her either as the Madam or directly replacing it with "her."

"I knew it was because of this." Concubine La looked at her, her expression one of frustration at her failure to meet expectations. "Just now in the main chambers, you displayed all your dissatisfaction on your face. Do you think the Madam did not notice?"

She lectured her further, "Whether it was Xue Qingyun bumping into Xue Qingning, or Xue Qingning covering for Xue Qingyun, what does that have to do with you? If you saw it, just pretend you didn't. Why did you have to speak out? By speaking out, the Madam and Xue Qingning will not appreciate your good intentions, while Xue Qingyun and Concubine Feng will blame you in their hearts. Why did you do something that offends both sides?"

Xue Qingxue understood that she was right, but she did not want to admit her mistake. "I just cannot stand the look of the two of them, nor do I believe those two can truly treat each other with sincerity."

They were both their father's daughters, so why did those two often play together but never play with her?