Not Your Typical Villianess

Madam Lu's courtyard, Duke Wi's mansion.

The smile on Madam Jiang's lips fell as her eyes caught on the petite tanned skin girl standing in front of the chair next to the young duchess's chair, She had a sudden urge to scream but held it all in. It wouldn't help her to let her feelings show not in madam Lu presence. She glanced at her niece who stood by her right, signalling her to watch her actions.

Madam Jiang didn't like greeting this low-class princess but she couldn't avoid that due to the usual courtesy attached to members of the royal family. Su Lita although adopted was still entitled to such treatment. She plastered a fake smile on her face and saluted both Zhu Fengyin and Su Liya before continuing forward with her daughter and niece following her behind.

Su Liya reciprocated the greeting, with a calm expression, this madam always rubbed her the wrong way whenever they met. They had met a total of seven times earlier, this would make it their eighth time meeting. Every meeting left Su Liya exasperated and exhausted, she never stayed to the end. Opting to leave instead of staying any longer.

To her Madam Jiang was an opportunist, she made use of had daughter's engagement as a means to protect her son's political career. She barely ever lets her daughter, say more than three words before buttons in. Su Liya pitied Jiang Hua who had such a mother like Madam Jiang, this kind of helicopter mother was a nightmare to anyone.

After six failed visits within the last two weeks, Madam Jiang was gradually getting frustrated with the Lu family. Every time she brought up her sons in the conversation, Madam Lu away stored the conversation the other way. She didn't understand how hard it was for the Lu family to put in a good word for her sons with the Empress.

The Empress was now in favour, just a single word would help her sons. They didn't even consider both family's decades-long friendship and instead pretended not to notice her request. It was like they didn't put her or her Jiang family in their eyes. She even treated the fake Princess, Su Liya with respect. Yet they never budged, the sight of Su Liya just pissed her off at this point.

She didn't understand why that Su Liya was always present during every visit. Since the Lu family refused to budge on her request, she decided to change tactics. Since the beginning of time marriages has been used to pave way for families. If using her daughter's marriage wasn't getting the desired outcome, she wanted to push another union.

Once again, she couldn't progress with her plans because of Su Liya's presence in the room but not anymore. She couldn't keep coming here anymore, it was either now or never. Madam Jiang waited for the maids who brought over some refreshments to leave before carefully placing the cup of tea in her hand on the table beside her.

Without sparing gaze at Su Liya's direction, she said, "madam Lu is really lucky, you are blessed with good daughters. Sadly I am not as lucky as you are" she glanced at Zhu Fengyin and Su Liya who were seated opposite her on two cushion seats next to each other.

"Don't flatter me, Madam Jiang. How can you say that you are unlucky? When you have Xiao Hua and Chen Yao to keep you company", Madam Lu replied.

"Madam Lu, I only have thus two daughters next to me and now that I am getting older. I can't help but worry about their future, Xiao Hua's future is set thanks to her engagement to third master Lu Yong but the same cannot be said for Yao Yao. Yao Yao has been with me ever since her father was stationed at the western borders. She is all alone in the world and I fear that she would suffer if something should happen to me one day. 

"Even though she can still rely on the Tong family if that should happen, I can not help but worry. You know about that family more than do, I do not feel comfortable leaving her alone. Which is why I wish that you could take her in as a concubine for General Lu"

Su Liya looked sharply at madam Juang as soon as she heard that. The room was so silent, that a sound could be heard of a pin dropped. Zhu Fengyin placed her hand on Su Liya's palm, in an attempt to calm her down. She never expected such a request from madam Jiang or was a secret anymore that madam Jiang was approaching them all for a reason. 

However, they all decided to look the other way and just ignore her until she let go of her thoughts. Madam Jiang wasn't the first person and would never be the last person to pester them for a favour. These types of things came with holding high political or social positions, Zhu Fengyin wasn't surprised at that. 

However, trying to offer her niece as a concubine, she never saw coming. Madam Jiang ignored the sudden silence in the room and continued speaking. She assumed that the silence meant that madam Lu would consider her suggestion. To her it was a win-win situation for everyone, she believed that madam Lu Would accept her suggestion.

Her niece was of noble birth from a family of scholars, which was completely different from her present second daughter-in-law. That had a tainted reputation from birth, in her opinion, this was a good solution to her problems. Chen Yao would give her grandchildren the legitimacy and good family background necessary to survive in the capital. 

"Although Yao Yao is of humble birth, she is very well-behaved and talented. She goes beyond her position. General Lu has been posted out of the capital, Chen Yao can keep her highness company while at Ningzhuo. With her married into the Lu family, I can finally be at ease and not worry anymore. That way, I can proudly meet my deceased friend".

Su Liya's nostrils flared and her breathing increased, she felt like shoving madam Jiang and her perfect niece down a long roll of stairs. She flexed her fingers, eyes focused on madam Jiang who either didn't read the room or did but pretended otherwise.

To sell madam Lu on her horrible plan, Su Liya glanced at madam Lu to see if she was buying any of the balls of lies Madam Jiang was throwing but she couldn't read anything from her mother-in-law. Madam Li's poker face was no joke, her expression hasn't changed since madam Jiang arrived. 

Su Liya stylishly placed her hands behind her neck and massaged her stiffened neck gently. Her gaze fell on the old Peacock that had spread out her overgrown tails on the seat to her mother-in-law's left. For the past hour or so madam Jiang the Peacock had begun hosting a little complement feast for her niece. 

Su Liya shook her head and rolled her eyes, the woman was trying harder than a telemarketer to sell Madam Lu on taking in her niece as a concubine for Lu Yaozhu. What Madam Jiang began gracing the mansion with her "wonderful" presence, Su Liya had suspected that she had an ulterior motive but since the woman was yet to show her hand.

Su Liya kept her suspicion to herself, she didn't want to get in her mother-in-law's bad side. Plus it wouldn't help her case if she made a mountain out of this molehill. Madam Jiang lacks patience, after only a few visits she had hurriedly shown her hands.

For a woman that claimed to be here to introduce her daughter to her future in-laws, she was trying so hard to propel her younger niece forward into the family. Su Liya knew that it was normal for men in this time to have a concubine or two. Before getting married she gas thought about what to do if Lu Yaozhu should get a concubine. 

While she was of the modern reasoning of one wife to a man, she couldn't dismiss the traditions of ancient times. She decided earlier on to concede to the social conventions of this time, instead of trying to change things up.

She always found it heartwarming when writers made the male lead of the transmigration books she read refuse to take concubines and only hold the mistress in her heart. She wasn't foolish to assume that would happen to her, that was the difference between reality and fiction.

All her plans dissolved now that she faced a situation like this, she had unknowingly started to see Lu Yaozhu as her possession. To her, he wasn't just a character but a man, her man. This manipulative madam had her eyes locked on her man. 

The moment the words "her man" popped up in her head, she got scared because that was the first time she had referred to him like that in her head. Instead of feeling strange, she felt very normal, Luke she did not just call a man she had only met eight months earlier her man. 

Su Liya didn't pay any mind to whatever was said between the two madams. Whatever they said was not relevant, not when she was faced with thoughts that she had initially hoped to avoid.

Madam Lu glanced at Su Liya, she had expected to get a response but when she didn't. Her perception of Su Liya improved, she didn't bother mincing words and said to madam Jiang, "the Lu family does not keep concubines, madam Jiang. If you are so concerned about your niece's future, you can marry her to A'Yong. That way you can be at ease and her future can be set. Your daughter had the supportive Fu and Jiang family behind her, if you are gone nobody can bully her".

Madam Jiang looked up eyes wide, "Wha-what, I don't understand!" 

"What is there not to understand, I will pretend not to have heard what was said. It is getting late and I am feeling a little tired".

Madam Jiang was too embarrassed to argue with Madam Lu. She immediately made up a flimsy excuse and left the mansion.