Chapter 80: The Throne of the Empress Is Yours

“What are you doing? How could you barge in here without announcing yourself?” Chen Yueyu’s face was also rather unsightly.

Tan Yunge glanced at her mother, took a deep breath, and dismissed the servants.

“Mother, Father just slapped me.”

“I’m so furious I could die! That wretched Tan Qingjiu! I only went to her on your instruction to discuss Zijiao’s matter, hoping to reason with her, to offer her some benefits so she’d stop making things difficult for me and stop picking on me every day. Who could have expected… that shameless woman Tan Qingjiu wouldn’t listen to reason at all. She even threw herself into the lake and insisted on slandering me, saying I pushed her.”

Chen Yueyu clutched the quilt tighter, looking at Tan Yunge with a hint of suspicion. “Did she really jump in herself? You didn’t push her?”

Tan Yunge’s expression darkened abruptly. “Mother, what do you mean by that? Why would I lie to you?”

“You don’t believe me either, do you?” Tan Yunge’s voice suddenly rose.

Chen Yueyu frowned at once. “Child, why are you so agitated? I was only asking in passing. Why are you shouting?”

And indeed, this wasn’t the first time Tan Yunge had gotten herself into incidents like this—it was only normal Chen Yueyu didn’t trust her entirely.

Forced to sit up because of Tan Yunge’s sudden intrusion, Chen Yueyu winced as the wound beneath her pressed against the bedding, the pain making her shift restlessly, her mood growing irritable.

“So what happened then?”

“Then she was pulled from the water, and Father arrived. She kept insisting I pushed her in, and Father actually believed her. I felt so wronged that I couldn’t help but lose my temper and asked Father why he’d believe her without even investigating. And he just slapped me outright.”

Tan Yunge bit her lip hard, tears brimming in her eyes—she truly felt aggrieved.

“Mother, you have to help me. You must stand up for me.”

“That wretched Tan Qingjiu is simply too arrogant. I heard that she’s also been scheming against you behind your back. If this goes on, the entire Tan household will soon be under her command, and Father won’t trust us at all.”

“Mother, you have to think of something.”

Chen Yueyu took a deep breath. “I’ll think of a way. I’ve warned you before, haven’t I? The Tan Qingjiu now is nothing like the Tan Qingjiu from six years ago. Her cunning and methods are on a completely different level now.”

Tan Yunge gritted her teeth. “I know.”

“I saw it with my own eyes—Tan Qingjiu weeping and whining to Father right in front of me, playing the victim, pretending to be pitiful. But when she looked at me, her expression was full of smugness! Seeing her feign innocence like that made me want to rush over and tear her face apart.”

Chen Yueyu lowered her gaze. Crying? Pretending to be pitiful? That was, after all, the very art she herself excelled at.

“So from now on, whenever you’re dealing with Tan Qingjiu, we must be extra cautious.”

“Right now, because of the Grand Preceptor’s prophecy, and with so many influential people in the city seeking treatment from Tan Qingjiu, your father treasures her immensely.”

Chen Yueyu let out a cold laugh. “After all these years, I understand your father very well. Don’t harbor too many illusions about him. He doesn’t favor you out of love, but because you were useful to him, helping him climb the ladder. That’s why he doted on you.”

“Now that you’ve lost the Young Marquis’s favor, and Tan Qingjiu has become the city’s renowned miracle doctor, winning over many high-ranking officials and even connecting with Prince Duan, she’s naturally more useful to your father. So he’ll favor her more.”

Tan Yunge clenched her fists tightly inside her sleeves.

So because Tan Qingjiu was more useful, she was more favored?

“Then, Mother, are we just supposed to sit back and watch Tan Qingjiu grow even more arrogant?”

“If this continues, she’ll soon be lording it over our heads!”

Chen Yueyu took a deep breath—she was well aware of this, too.

“What’s the rush?” Chen Yueyu narrowed her eyes. “Tan Qingjiu is at the height of her power right now. At a time like this, we must avoid direct confrontation. We should lie low for the moment and quietly make our preparations.”

“I have experience dealing with people like Tan Qingjiu.”

With a cold snort, Chen Yueyu continued, “We’ll pretend to accept Tan Qingjiu, making sure everything looks flawless on the surface.”

“Once our plans are in place, and we’re sure nothing can go wrong, that’s when we’ll strike. And when we do, it must be a fatal blow.”

“Listen to me: go home for now. In a few days, pretend you’ve come to your senses—go apologize to your father, apologize to Tan Qingjiu. Then, on the surface, act like affectionate sisters. She can cry and play the victim—can’t you do the same?”

“You should take the initiative to approach Tan Qingjiu, and do it in front of people, especially before your father. Show her goodwill; if she snubs you or makes things difficult, then she’s in the wrong. That way, you’ll have a reason to feel aggrieved, and you can cry too.”

“Keeping up appearances has many benefits.”

A cold smile curled on Chen Yueyu’s lips. “If you appear gentle, obedient, and harmonious on the surface, then if anything happens to Tan Qingjiu, no one will suspect us.”

“You’re now the mistress of the household; surely I don’t need to teach you these things?”

“And while you’re at it, try to win over the Young Marquis again. Think of ways to please him, especially in the bedroom. The Young Marquis is a man of strong desires; if you serve him well in that regard, he’ll favor you more.”

“Your father favors those who are useful to him, so you must also find ways to make yourself indispensable. Let him see that he was in the wrong today. You are the Young Marquis’s legitimate wife—if we women serve our men well and keep them happy, then everything will fall into place for us.”

Chen Yueyu pulled a large pillow to lean against. “I was once just a lowly maid, but by relying on this alone, I rose to my current position. If you can master even a fraction of these skills, what is there for you to fear in the future?”

“The Young Marquis is a royal grandson. The legitimate prince, Prince Duan, is mad and has no hope of succession. Now that His Majesty is old, Prince Ding’s prospects are bright.”

“You must endure for now; who knows, one day you might become the mother of the nation.”

Tan Yunge’s eyes lit up gradually. “I understand, Mother. I’ll return to the residence at once. Thank you for enlightening me.”

Tan Yunge hurried away, and only after she left did Chen Yueyu’s brow furrow suddenly as she lay back down. “The pain is killing me.”

The maidservants rushed over to tend to her wounds.

Chen Yueyu’s eyes glimmered slightly. “In a while, call for the master. Tell him I wish to discuss the matter of Shen Nianqing’s dowry with him.”