Strength Through Detachment

"Oh, you're always so stubborn!" Lena teased with a playful sigh.

Grace Wan swallowed her frustration, feeling completely stifled.

All these years, it's always been like this!

Whenever Lena is around, Grace Wan always feels powerless.

Show off her loving marriage in front of Lena, and Lena just shrugs, "Thanks for all your hard work!"

Show off her children in front of Lena, and Lena just laughs, "Thanks for all your hard work!"

Show off her authority as housekeeper in front of Lena, and Lena just smiles, "Thanks for all your hard work!"

It's as if Lena is always weighed down by guilt and regret towards her.

She really does owe Lena.

But what she owes is the position of matriarch!

What she owes is the Prime Minister Zhu’s affection!

She has both of these, and keeps saying thank you all the time!

She even said Prime Minister Zhu should take a few more concubines to help her out!

Why doesn't she just drop dead!

Grace Wan took another deep breath, her movements and tone stiff as she said, "Madam, I shall take my leave now!"

Lena nodded, "Sierra’s pregnancy is no small matter. When Prime Minister Zhu returns, we should verify the child’s parentage!"

Grace Wan nodded slightly and left without another word.

"Madam, let me walk you out!" Grace said enthusiastically as she escorted Grace Wan out.

Seeing her stomp off in such a huff, Grace couldn’t help but giggle.

She realized her mother was truly unstoppable.

It was the kind of invincibility that comes from wanting nothing, from being pure and unyielding.

In front of her mother, Grace Wan actually looked completely humiliated.

In her mind, her mother had always been as delicate as a piece of ice—handle with care, or she’d shatter.

She never imagined the wife-concubine drama between her mother and Grace Wan would play out like this...

But Grace Wan wasn’t going to give up that easily.

Grace figured she wouldn’t dare mess with Mingyu Pavilion herself, but she’d definitely egg the old matriarch on.

After all, if the old matriarch made a move, even her mother couldn’t stop it.

Sure enough, not long after she left, someone from the Hall of Longevity came to summon Sierra.

By then, her mother had fallen asleep again.

Grace made the call herself and let Sierra go.

She tagged along too.

When they arrived, the old matriarch was perched up high, looking down on everyone.

Grace Wan stood behind her, eyes dark and poisonous like a snake.

"Your servant greets Old Madam and Second Madam." Sierra knelt, trembling all over.

"Sierra, whose child are you carrying?" the old matriarch cut straight to the point.

"It’s the Second Young Master’s!" Sierra answered, sprawled on the floor, not daring to raise her head.

The old matriarch stared at her, then suddenly grabbed the teacup beside her and hurled it.

The teacup was solid—if it hit, she’d be hurt or at least scared out of her wits.

"Whoa!" Grace’s reflexes were lightning-fast—she caught the teacup and said, "Grandmother, this is your favorite teacup. Wouldn’t it be a shame to break it?"

"What are you doing here?" The old matriarch glared. "Who told you to come?"

Grace handed the teacup to a nearby maid, brushed off her sleeve, and said coolly, "Grandmother, please don’t be angry. I’m here for Sierra."

"Grace, you’re just a girl—don’t meddle in these things! Go home!" Grace Wan said stiffly.

"Honestly, it’s none of my business!" Grace shrugged. "I’m just passing on a message to Grandmother."

"Passing on a message? What message?" The old matriarch asked, curious.

"When I was at a palace banquet, I went out for a bathroom break and just happened to bump into the Empress Dowager. She told me something," Grace said.

"What did she say?" Both the old matriarch and Grace Wan’s eyes sharpened.