The Reborn Legitimate Daughter is Frivolous - Chapter 11

Murong Qing turned to Murong Jie, bowed slightly, and said, “Father has been here for so long. Your daughter feels truly sorry for keeping you.”

There was a hint of guilt on her face, genuine and sincere.

Murong Jie looked closely at his daughter, then nodded approvingly. “Good, good. This is how the Eldest Lady of the General’s Mansion should behave. Seeing you handle things today reminds me of my own youth.”

Murong Qing blinked in surprise. “Father… you don’t blame me?”

Murong Jie chuckled. “Blame you? For what? I know that child, Yao’er. When she spoke ill of you before, I didn’t believe her. But after seeing what happened today, I’m even more certain that you’re not the kind of person she described, reckless and unreasonable. I may not interfere often in the affairs of the inner courtyard, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind to what’s happening.”

Hearing that her father not only didn’t blame her but praised her instead, Murong Qing felt warmth spread through her chest. In her previous life, although Murong Jie had treated her kindly, she had never once received such open recognition. For the first time, she felt truly seen.

They chatted for a while longer before she excused herself and left.

Since the day Yun Wan had been laid to rest, Murong Qing had carried herself with the dignity and composure befitting a true daughter of the main wife. Her presence alone carried as much weight as Murong Jie’s authority.

One thing was now certain, no one in the General’s Mansion dared to defy her anymore.

Even that day, instead of reprimanding her, Murong Jie had openly praised her. That alone was enough to make everyone understand her position in the household.

Although the household management was currently in Shui Xinting’s hands, everyone knew she had been thoroughly humiliated by Murong Qing. The servants, of course, had their own thoughts — but no one dared to act rashly.

Qingyuan Courtyard

Murong Qing was relaxing in the garden, enjoying the afternoon breeze, when a maid came rushing in, breathless. “Miss, Madam Shui is here.”

Seeing how flustered the maid was, Murong Qing frowned slightly. She hadn’t expected Shui Xinting to come at all, and certainly not in such a hurry.

“Very well,” she said calmly. “Bring her inside.”

She set aside her fan and headed toward the main room.

Moments later, Shui Xinting entered, flanked by two maidservants. Her movements were graceful, her steps delicate — every tilt of her head and sway of her hips practiced to perfection. No wonder she had done so well as a concubine; every gesture was meant to charm. But if such behavior came from a mistress, she would only look like a foolish flirt,  the kind people gossiped about behind their backs.

Murong Qing sat quietly at the head seat, expression unreadable. Shui Xinting felt a flicker of unease.

When had Murong Qing ever failed to greet her first before? Now that Yun Wan was gone, how had the girl’s entire temperament changed overnight?

She had come today thinking enough time had passed for Murong Qing to soften, that perhaps she would be the same as before. But clearly, nothing had changed — if anything, Murong Qing had grown even harder to approach.

It was strange — how could someone’s temperament change so drastically in just a few days? But Murong Qing was clearly the exception.

Suppressing her discomfort, Shui Xinting forced a delicate smile and stepped forward. “This concubine greets the Eldest Lady.”

Murong Qing’s gaze remained steady. “What brings Second Aunt here today?”

She didn’t bother with pleasantries. After her past life spent dealing with countless scheming women in the palace, Murong Qing no longer had patience for false smiles and hidden daggers.

From Shui Xinting’s overly polite expression, it was clear she loathed every word she spoke. Being forced to address Murong Qing as “Eldest Lady,” calling herself “concubine,” must have been pure humiliation for her.

But Murong Qing felt no sympathy. She deserved every bit of it.

Shui Xinting’s jaw tightened. She had been standing for some time, yet Murong Qing hadn’t even offered her a seat or a cup of tea. It was deliberate — an insult, plain as day.

Still, she had to endure it. She reminded herself why she was here.

“On the day Madam Yun entered her coffin,” she began carefully, “the Third Lady spoke out of turn. Though she was ignorant and impulsive, the fault lies partly with me — I failed to stop her in time. I hope the Eldest Lady will forgive me.”

Murong Qing’s voice was cool. “The Third Sister is still a young lady of this mansion. How could such disrespectful words come from the mouth of one of her elders? If outsiders were to hear of it, they would think our household has no sense of rank or propriety.”

Her tone was sharp, her expression calm. She clearly didn’t believe Shui Xinting had come to apologize sincerely. But if the woman wanted to put on a show of humility, Murong Qing would let her play it out.

Hearing such direct criticism in front of servants, Shui Xinting’s face turned pale, then flushed with anger. But she couldn’t show it. She swallowed hard and forced a smile. “The Eldest Lady is right. I have overstepped.”

“It’s good that you know,” Murong Qing replied simply.

That was it — no softening, no polite way out. Shui Xinting had hoped Murong Qing would at least give her a small step down, even a rough one, just enough to save face. But instead, Murong Qing pushed her further into humiliation, using her as a tool to establish her own authority again.

Now she stood there stiffly, feeling utterly ridiculous — like a clown in front of the servants.

She had come to Qingyuan in high spirits, determined to test Murong Qing and reclaim some of the face she’d lost earlier. Yet before she could even bring up the main reason for her visit, she had already suffered one defeat after another.

Still, she couldn’t leave now.

After steadying her breath, Shui Xinting put on another smile. “Miss, I came today to offer my apology sincerely. To show my goodwill, I’ve brought two clever and capable maidservants for you. I hope you’ll accept them.”

Murong Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly. Of course.

“Clever and capable,” was it? So she was planting spies — or “eyeliners,” as the saying went. Shui Xinting’s tricks never ended.

In her past life, Murong Qing might have believed such an act was genuine kindness. But not this time. She knew all too well what kind of snake she was dealing with.

She let out a short, cold laugh. “I am the Eldest Lady of the General’s Mansion. Do you think I lack servants? What exactly is Second Aunt trying to do?”

She didn’t reject the offer outright, nor did she accept it. Her tone alone was enough to make Shui Xinting’s heart tremble.

For a moment, Shui Xinting’s palms went cold. She was afraid Murong Qing had seen through her intentions — though from the look on the young lady’s face, it seemed she was merely angry, not suspicious.