the masterstroke here by shiyi niang:
Eleventh Miss asked after the eldest mistress’s health, then raised the matter of visiting Fifth Yiniang: “…Though it is said the kindness of raising outweighs the kindness of birth, she did carry me for ten months nonetheless. Moreover, the Dowager Marchioness specifically gave twenty taels of silver for me to bring to Yiniang.”
Not wishing to come to an open confrontation with the eldest mistress unless absolutely necessary, she chose her words with great care.
The eldest mistress’s eyes flashed sharply at hearing this, her lips barely parting.
Nanny Xu quickly bent to whisper in her ear. After a moment, she straightened and smiled. “The eldest mistress says — it is good that Eleventh Miss can remember the saying ‘the kindness of raising outweighs the kindness of birth.'”
“I have always remembered Mother’s goodness to me!” Eleventh Miss replied with a smile. “As for Zhun Ge, I will also do my best to care for him.”
by the machinations of her "proper" mother, she was married off at 14 to the widower of her half-sister, the oldest legitimate daughter of the family. this to ensure the well-being of zhun ge, the oldest legitimate son of said widower and half-sister, since otherwise it is likely the marquis would take another legitimate wife who would scheme against the child
now her birth mother, fifth yiniang, is with child but oft mistreated in her household. shiyi niang comes to advocate for her birth mother and manages to not so subtly reminds her "proper" mother that now, she, shiyi niang, is the "proper" mother for zhun ge, a child she is by blood only the aunt of
