A Foolish Concubine Shames Her Own Daughter in a Petty Quarrel; A Crafty Servant Bullies a Young Mistress and Nurses Treachery

The Lantern Festival was over. Because the present dynasty governed the empire by filial piety, and one of the Imperial Dowager Consorts in the palace was unwell, all the imperial consorts and concubines reduced their meals and put aside their ornaments. Not only were family visits suspended, but all feasting and music were canceled. Hence the Rong mansion had no lantern-riddle party this year either. No sooner had the New Year celebrations ended than Xifeng suffered a miscarriage. She rested at home for a month and could not manage affairs; two or three physicians attended her daily with medicine. Xifeng, confident in her strong constitution, might not leave her rooms, but she still schemed and calculated. Whenever something occurred to her, she sent Ping’er to report it to Lady Wang. No matter how others remonstrated, she would not listen. Lady Wang felt she had lost her right arm. How much energy could one person have? She decided all important matters herself, but temporarily handed all the household’s petty affairs to Li Wan to manage jointly. Li Wan was a......