Chen Er lowered his head meekly. He had always felt somewhat intimidated by his sister. He turned a pleading look toward his father. Old Man Chen, who deeply loved his son, felt his heart softening despite his anger. He said to Jiao Meng, “Don’t be like that, he’s still your brother.”
Jiao Meng laughed bitterly in her anger: “Brother? How could I have such a brother? Not only did he gamble away all our family’s hard-earned savings and property, but now he’s even lost our ancestral home. Father, think about it – without a house, where will we live? Does he want us to become homeless?”
Chen Er’s face reddened at Jiao Meng’s words, but she spoke the truth. He had been running his small business well, but one day a friend invited him to the gambling house just for fun, claiming it would broaden his horizons. Unexpectedly, his luck had been extraordinary, winning every time. The more he won, the more he wanted to win, and gradually he became addicted to gambling. Unfortunately, his good fortune didn’t last – his luck must have run out recently, as he began losing every bet. Not only did he lose all his previous winnings, but he also gambled away the family’s entire fortune, and now even their house couldn’t be saved.
Jiao Meng began crying as she spoke: “I serve the concubine in the master’s mansion every day, working hard as a servant – for what? Isn’t it to help our family live better? While I work hard there, you drag us down here. What use do I have for such a brother? I might as well not have one!”
Chen Er became anxious: “Sister, you can’t abandon me. Our family only has us siblings now. Even if you hate me, you can’t abandon Father. Besides, haven’t I always treated you well before?” This was true – when Jiao Meng was young, she was very close to her brother. Before his gambling addiction, Chen Er had been an upright, good person who deeply loved his sister. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have become so angry when the gambling house suggested using Jiao Meng to pay off his debt. Hearing Chen Er’s words, Jiao Meng felt a moment of hesitation. She pitied her brother’s misfortune while being angry at his weakness, but she couldn’t be so cold-hearted as to completely abandon him. Old Man Chen sighed: “Jiao Meng, if you have any solution, please tell us.”
Jiao Meng was nearly in tears. What solution could she possibly have? Since learning about Chen Er’s massive gambling debt, her heart has been in chaos. She had subtly mentioned it to Concubine Mei, hoping for help, but although their ancestral home looked modest, it would require a substantial sum to save – otherwise, Old Man Chen wouldn’t value it so highly. Concubine Mei was unwilling to provide such a large sum to help Jiao Meng, and where could a mere maid find such money? Thinking of this, Jiao Meng felt deep despair. Her father refused to leave their ancestral home, and more importantly, without it, Chen Er and Old Man Chen would be homeless. Her father was elderly – if anything happened to him during such upheaval, wouldn’t she be considered an unfaithful and unfilial daughter?
But Chen Er and Old Man Chen looked at Jiao Meng with hopeful eyes. Indeed, she was the most capable and clever in the family, which was why she had become Concubine Mei’s maid. Jiao Meng gritted her teeth: “I’ll think of something.”
In the Zhuang mansion, Han Yan leisurely sipped her tea while Shu Hong reported: “Young Lady, Jiao Meng has seemed dispirited all afternoon. People from Furong Garden say she even spilled Concubine Mei’s tea. She must be quite panicked.”
Han Yan smiled slightly: “Panicked? Perfect. Perhaps it’s time to help her settle her mind.” She stood up: “Let’s go, the sun is nice outside. Let’s take a walk.”
Shu Hong nodded.
In the mansion’s garden, Jiao Meng was absently playing with a camellia flower, faintly hearing the mockery of other maids around her. They were just kicking her while she was down. Today she had spilled Concubine Mei’s tea and been severely scolded. She knew Concubine Mei was troubled lately, but wasn’t she troubled too? The debt collectors were pressing hard, and tomorrow they would come to take the house.
She had no way to get such a large sum of money. Usually relying on Concubine Mei’s favor, Jiao Meng had never bothered with other maids, so she had no one to talk to in Furong Garden. As she thought about it, she began to resent Concubine Mei – she was her mistress, and Jiao Meng had helped her scheme for years, helped her establish herself in the mansion, and helped her win Zhuang Shi Yang’s favor. It was just money – Jiao Meng believed that if Concubine Mei wanted to help, money wouldn’t be an issue.
Jiao Meng crushed the camellia petals in her hand, lost in thought.
“Though camellias are beautiful if you keep crushing them like that, they can only meet a tragic end.” A clear voice suddenly came from behind.
Jiao Meng was startled and quickly turned around to see Han Yan standing a few steps away, smiling at her. Although Concubine Mei’s relationship with Han Yan had improved recently, Jiao Meng had noticed that since Madam Zhou’s arrival, this supposedly weak and easily bullied Fourth Young Lady had changed. Concubine Mei might not see it, but Jiao Meng could. At least since Madam Zhou’s arrival, the Fourth Young Lady was always smiling – and such people were the most frightening. Whether it was Madam Zhou, Zhuang Yu Shan, or even Wei Ru Feng, everyone who opposed the Fourth Young Lady seemed to have the upper hand at first, but in the end, she always turned defeat into victory. Even with Concubine Mei allied with the Fourth Young Lady, Jiao Meng remained wary, for the Fourth Young Lady was truly unfathomable. Having common enemies was one thing, but once those enemies were gone, what good end could Concubine Mei expect?
Han Yan watched the rapidly changing expressions on the young maid’s face without rushing. Ji Lan had told her that this Jiao Meng was Concubine Mei’s most relied-upon person, clever and calculating among the maids. For such a calculating opponent, playing mind games would be too troublesome – only the most direct and brutal method would work: targeting her weaknesses.
Concubine Mei would never spend so much money on a mere maid, even though Jiao Meng saw herself as indispensable to her mistress. But Concubine Mei, with her deeply ingrained sense of class consciousness, would never consider Jiao Meng her closest confidante. The relationship between master and servant would never warrant such sacrifice.
The easiest time to buy someone’s loyalty is when they have nothing left and are in despair. Jiao Meng had no friends in the mansion, and Concubine Mei had shown through actions that she wouldn’t help. Such a maid, already distanced from her mistress, would be easiest to win over.
Jiao Meng felt uneasy under Han Yan’s gentle yet meaningful gaze and hurriedly said: “This servant deserves death. I was lost in thought and forgot about the camellia.”