There wasn’t a sound from the courtyard. After Feng Yue waited for a while, the gate creaked open slowly.
A meticulously dressed matron stood behind the door, her face stern as she looked down at Feng Yue, slightly bowing her head in minimal acknowledgment: “What brings you to this old woman?”
Her face was covered in wrinkles and her hair was graying, but not a single hair was out of place in her high-set bun. Her gray-brown cross-collared robe reached her waist, emanating an air of rigid strictness.
Feng Yue smiled and curtsied in return: “This servant heard she needs to learn proper etiquette from you, so I’ve come to trouble you.”
In the distance, the three young ladies had hidden themselves, secretly watching. When they saw Matron Xun emerge, all three couldn’t help but shudder.
“How is this old thing still so vigorous?” Song Ruoci grimaced. “At her age too.”
“Her being vigorous is perfect for tormenting that brothel girl,” Meng Changjiang waved dismissively. “At least we’re not the ones being punished and trained anymore.”
Finding this reasonable, the other two nodded and then ordered servants to bring three chairs. They sat outside the courtyard, cracking melon seeds.
Yi Zhangzhu was with Prince Yin, so she certainly wouldn’t pay attention to them. They were just bored and came to watch the show, to see what would happen to this flower-like beauty.
The courtyard door opened, and Matron Xun made way. Feng Yue entered obediently, closing the door behind her.
“Do you remember what our first lesson was?” Meng Changjiang asked, looking sympathetically at Feng Yue’s retreating figure.
Song Ruoci nodded while cracking melon seeds: “How could we forget? The first lesson was posture, and not just standing – we had to balance a bowl of water on our heads. Boiling water!”
Feng Huaimeng sighed: “We were lucky we could balance it without dropping it. If it had been someone else, who knows if they might have been disfigured when the bowl fell.”
Though they said this, Matron Xun’s bowls had bases – unless one fell asleep standing, they generally wouldn’t fall. Song Ruoci pursed her lips, staring at the closed door: “It would be nice if we could see inside.”
“You go ahead,” Meng Changjiang waved repeatedly. “We’re fine sitting here.”
Just being under Matron Xun’s gaze made their hearts pound – let alone sitting inside.
Useless cowards! Song Ruoci was about to scold them when the recently closed door suddenly creaked open again.
Matron Xun came out and called over a servant, instructing: “Bring a set of mansion maid’s clothes.”
“Yes.”
What was going on? They needed to change clothes before the training. The three young ladies were very curious, craning their necks to watch. They saw Feng Yue change into maid’s clothes and then come out of the courtyard directly with Matron Xun.
That’s it? Song Ruoci stared in disbelief, rushing forward to ask: “Matron, is the training complete?”
Seeing her, Matron Xun first folded her hands at her waist and bowed, with Feng Yue behind her mimicking the gesture with identical precision.
“In response to Young Miss, this maid already knows her etiquette well. This old woman need not teach her,” Matron Xun straightened up and said. “Her standing, sitting, walking, speech, and conduct are all quite proper – she could serve as a model for the mansion’s maids.”
What nonsense? Song Ruoci was dumbfounded, staring at Feng Yue: “How is she a model? She just talked back to Miss Yi!”
Matron Xun started, turning to look at her.
Feng Yue kept her eyes lowered submissively, saying softly: “I wouldn’t dare.”
These days, such beautiful girls who were also steady and composed were rare. Matron Xun found herself increasingly satisfied, especially with how her etiquette movements matched her own exactly, reminding her of her youth in the palace, when she was also like this… ah, never mind.
Her gaze softening, Matron Xun said: “When masters give servants hardships to bear, we can only bear them, with no right to argue. Do you understand?”
“This servant understands,” Feng Yue bowed her head obediently. “This servant will carefully heed Matron’s teachings.”
Though she hadn’t taught her anything – as soon as she entered the courtyard, seeing her perfect small steps, Matron Xun knew this girl understood proper etiquette and wondered why she’d been sent here. Now, seeing Young Miss Song’s attitude, Matron Xun understood the situation.
“Then go report back to the Young Miss.”
“Yes.”
As Matron Xun led Feng Yue away, Song Ruoci stood rooted to the spot, watching open-mouthed. From behind, the two walked in perfect synchronization – their stride length, pace, and speed exactly matched! Their upper bodies remained perfectly straight, not moving an inch, while their feet glided forward with their robes steady as iron.
Feng Huaimeng and Meng Changjiang ran over, watching their retreating figures in horror: “Is she a lunatic like Matron Xun?!”
Song Ruoci frowned, watched for a moment, then nodded: “She is.”
How many young ladies had suffered worse than death at this matron’s hands? Yet here she was, entering that courtyard and becoming a second Matron Xun – how did she manage it?
Somewhat unwilling to let it go, Song Ruoci beckoned to them: “Let’s follow and see.”
Yin Gezhi sat in the main guest hall, with Yi Zhangzhu beside him maintaining a sour expression for nearly three incense sticks’ worth of time.
“Still unhappy?” Yin Gezhi asked.
Yi Zhangzhu shook her head darkly: “No.”
Since she said no, what could he say? Yin Gezhi pressed his lips together and was just taking a sip of tea when he saw two graceful figures floating in from outside.
It wasn’t much until he saw their faces clearly – Yin Gezhi couldn’t help but spray out his mouthful of tea, startling Yi Zhangzhu into staring wide-eyed, following his gaze outside.
Matron Xun walked without the slightest movement – if you didn’t look at her feet, she seemed to be floating like a ghost! Yi Zhangzhu was used to this sight, but what was frightening was that today there was another one floating beside her.
Feng Yue’s facial expression and the seriousness in her eyes matched Matron Xun’s exactly! With hands clasped and walking on tiptoe, she floated before them and curtsied together with Matron Xun: “Greetings to Young Miss and Your Highness.”
Even their bowing angles were identical!
Yi Zhangzhu was shocked, looking between Matron Xun and Feng Yue before finally asking: “Is she… your daughter?”
Matron Xun shook her head: “This old woman isn’t so fortunate. This maid was sent here by someone to learn etiquette, but this old woman feels her etiquette is already quite good.”
How could it not be good? She was like a copy of Matron Xun cast from the same mold! Yi Zhangzhu looked at Feng Yue in incomprehension: “How did you learn such proper etiquette in a brothel?”
“In response to Young Miss,” Feng Yue said gently, “brothels receive many noble guests who cannot be treated carelessly. Therefore, our etiquette must naturally be strict.”
The three young ladies followed in, and Song Ruoci immediately rushed to Yi Zhangzhu’s side, whispering to her for quite a while.
Yi Zhangzhu frowned, glanced at Feng Yue, and softened her expression: “Since you already know proper etiquette, you can be assigned work. The General’s mansion doesn’t keep idle people.”
“It’s just the season for cleaning,” Feng Yue smiled. “This servant can sweep away all the dust in the mansion.”
Yin Gezhi pressed his lips together, glancing at Yi Zhangzhu: “I only brought her as my maid.”
The implication was clear – if you send her to work, who will serve me?
Anyone would be better than her serving you! Yi Zhangzhu gritted her teeth and turned to say: “Our mansion has no shortage of anything except maids. Later, Zhuer will find another maid to serve Brother Yin. The Crown Prince said Miss Feng Yue needs to learn etiquette, so let Matron Xun watch over her while she sweeps the mansion’s dust.”
Yin Gezhi looked at Feng Yue, who secretly winked at him before curtseying: “Yes.”
Lowering his eyes and no longer objecting, Yin Gezhi stood up and said: “The weather is nice today. Since we’re at your mansion, why doesn’t Zhuer lead the way for a look around?”
Rare for him to want to take a walk with her, Yi Zhangzhu momentarily forgot her father’s instructions before departure and happily agreed.
Feng Yue shook her head slightly.
With a daughter like this, Yi Guoru’s karmic retribution wouldn’t be long in coming.
Matron Xun led her outside, and when they reached a place where no one else was around, she quietly asked: “Did you offend someone?”
Feng Yue nodded: “Unfortunately, I offended the Young Miss.”
“Then you still dare to come to this General’s mansion?”
Sighing wistfully, Feng Yue said: “It’s not that this servant wanted to come, but that I had no choice.”
That damned Yin Gezhi, how could he possibly let her go off freely by herself?
However, not knowing their relationship, Matron Xun heard these words and her eyes immediately filled with sympathy: “Indeed, we’re both fallen people in this world. No wonder I felt a connection with you.”
Hmm? Feng Yue didn’t immediately understand – what did she mean by “both fallen people”?
Seeing they still had a long way to walk, she decided to chat with the matron: “Looking at Matron’s bearing, you don’t seem like someone raised in a mansion, but rather like an instructress from the palace.”
Slightly startled, Matron Xun glanced at her: “You have good eyes.”
So she was from the palace? Feng Yue blinked and asked: “According to the rules, when palace matrons leave the palace, aren’t they free? Why do you still serve as a servant in the General’s mansion?”
“Didn’t you just say it yourself?” Matron Xun sighed. “It’s not that I wanted to come, but that I had no choice.”
What? Feng Yue was a bit stunned, but quickly recovered, lowering her eyes with a smile: “Matron jests. You look like someone who has served many important masters. How could the General’s mansion force you?”
It had been too long since anyone could chat with her, and it was rare to find such a nice girl who didn’t get along with Young Miss Yi and the other young ladies. Matron Xun smiled, saying kindly: “It’s precisely because I served too important a master that I cannot leave.”
There’s a story here? Feng Yue blinked, not interrupting, just looking at her expectantly.
Handing her a broom, Matron Xun walked with her while explaining: “This old woman used to serve Consort Yi in the palace. When it was time to leave the palace, the General brought me directly to the General’s mansion. General Yi is a cautious man who deeply cares for his sister, so those of us who served the Consort are kept here in the General’s mansion in our old age, to prevent our tongues from betraying our master.”
This watertight way of doing things was indeed Yi Guoru’s usual style. No wonder that for so many years, no one had ever gotten any leverage on him, and even if they did, they mostly died before they could speak of it.