As soon as these words were spoken, Wang Xingjia’s wife froze.

Jiang Xuehui standing to the side and her personal maid had expressions as if they’d seen a ghost, seemingly unable to believe such words could come from Jiang Xuening’s mouth: Not only did she not wade in willfully to stir up trouble, but her words actually contained sarcasm directed at the servant woman she had always especially trusted and favored?!

Wang Xingjia’s wife’s eyelids began twitching violently.

She had originally served at Lady Meng’s side, but wasn’t one of the few servant women who had Lady Meng’s utmost trust. Four years ago, when ordered to go to Tongzhou to fetch Jiang Xuening back to the manor, she had seen that this was an easy target to manipulate: young in age, shallow in experience, high in status, yet she had grown up on the estate and didn’t know a single person in the manor. After arriving in the capital, she would surely feel anxious and uneasy.

So during the journey, she had fawned over Jiang Xuening in every way.

Sure enough, after returning to the manor, she subtly hinted to Jiang Xuening twice, and Jiang Xuening requested her from Lady Meng.

From then on, all matters large and small in Jiang Xuening’s quarters had to be managed by her.

Moreover, as Jiang Xuening played together with Young Marquis Yan, everyone in the manor feared her upon sight. She, as the head servant, naturally became more and more prestigious.

But she never expected that today, Jiang Xuening would say such words!

“Se-second young lady is joking. This old servant isn’t from Sichuan, and has seen opera troupes several times. How could I have learned any face-changing?” Wang Xingjia’s wife forcibly suppressed the doubt in her heart, waving her hand and shamelessly bringing out that energy she used to use when flattering Jiang Xuening. “You suddenly bringing this up must mean you want to see a performance, right? The other day at Madam’s side, this old servant heard that two new opera troupes recently arrived in the capital. Shall I invite them into the manor to perform?”

This kind of flattering and fawning talk, if the previous Jiang Xuening had heard it, even if she didn’t beam with joy, she wouldn’t have turned hostile and gotten angry.

But the current Jiang Xuening…

She casually straightened the hem of her blue brocade robe embroidered with bamboo leaf patterns in silver thread and unhurriedly sat down on the beauty rest beneath the corridor. Even dressed as a youth with thickened eyebrows, her red lips and white teeth couldn’t be concealed. Her face held both the hazy quality of green mountains shrouded in mist and the delicate bearing of flower petals holding dew.

Only that smile at the corner of her lips was somewhat cold.

Jiang Xuening shifted her gaze to Wang Xingjia’s wife’s wrist, with a falsely curious expression: “The bracelet on Mama’s wrist is truly beautiful, but it looks somewhat familiar. It rather resembles the one I couldn’t find the other day.”

Wang Xingjia’s wife’s heart immediately went “thump.”

The beautiful bracelet worn on her wrist, being stared at by Jiang Xuening’s gaze, felt as if it were being roasted by fire, becoming scalding hot, making her hand tremble along with it.

But someone of her character who could get by in the inner quarters for so many years did possess some skill at reading people’s thoughts.

In the span of this one sentence, no more than a few thoughts’ worth of time, she vaguely grasped a few key points—

The bracelet.

The second young lady’s inexplicable change in attitude must be related to the bracelet on her wrist.

Having managed all matters large and small in Jiang Xuening’s quarters for so many years, accustomed to wielding power and abusing authority, and with Jiang Xuening having no accounting of her own belongings, how could Wang Xingjia’s wife restrain herself?

Having sticky fingers was normal.

Usually taking this and that, how could she know today she’d touch a sore spot?

Her mind racing, she immediately began performing: “Similar? This old servant’s bracelet wouldn’t dare compare to the young lady’s fine things. This was bought from the peddler at the street corner last time. He said it had a small crack and sold it to this old servant at a reduced price. After this old servant bought it, she spent two taels of silver to have it set. Look, it’s right here.”

As she spoke, she smiled all over her face and pulled the bracelet down, wanting to point out that crack to Jiang Xuening.

But just as she was about to point, she exclaimed “Oh my!”

Wang Xingjia’s wife widened her eyes with a face full of convincing surprise: “How—how is there no crack?”

Jiang Xuening watched her perform.

Wang Xingjia’s wife thought for a moment and soon showed a face full of realization, laughing sheepishly: “Look at this old servant’s memory! Yesterday when helping the second young lady tidy up her cosmetics, afraid of damaging this old servant’s newly set bracelet, I took it off and set it aside. I must have accidentally mixed it up with the second young lady’s good bracelet and took the wrong one after tidying up. This old servant wondered why this bracelet felt so much more lustrous when worn, feeling like wearing it made one’s spirit completely different. Turns out it’s the young lady’s fine object—it’s absorbed your celestial aura!”

Listen to that—even flattery personified couldn’t speak so pleasantly!

Comparing this to her attitude toward Jiang Xuehui and toward herself, Jiang Xuening could understand why her previous life’s self had requested her from Lady Meng’s side and even allowed her to wield power and abuse authority.

She smiled slightly: “So it really is my bracelet?”

“It’s all this old servant’s fault for being old with poor eyesight to make such a mistake. Still, the second young lady’s discerning eye discovered it early. Otherwise, if this old servant later got accused of privately taking your things, even jumping into the Yellow River couldn’t wash that clean!”

She had an appearance full of gratitude.

Because Jiang Xuening was sitting askew on the beauty rest, she crouched down, making as if to put it on Jiang Xuening.

But halfway through, she seemed to remember something.

“Oh no, this won’t do. This old servant is full of common vulgarity—if it gets on the bracelet, wouldn’t it taint your celestial aura? Wait while this old servant wipes it clean.”

Wang Xingjia’s wife pulled down the handkerchief hanging at her waist and carefully wiped the bracelet all over before putting on a face full of ingratiating smiles. She gently lifted Jiang Xuening’s left hand and put the bracelet on her.

The young lady’s fingers were slender and fair.

The jade color of the bracelet was sky-blue verging on rain, further accentuating that section of wrist as white as snow.

Among Wang Xingjia’s wife’s pile of nonsense, she hadn’t said much correctly, but one thing she hadn’t said wrong: this bracelet worn by her was a vulgar object, but worn on Jiang Xuening’s wrist, it was a supreme celestial treasure.

“Look how beautiful it looks on you!”

After putting it on, Wang Xingjia’s wife praised, while also secretly sizing up Jiang Xuening with her eyes.

If following Jiang Xuening’s manner from those two years in the palace, someone like Wang Xingjia’s wife would have been ordered dragged down and beaten to death long ago, not surviving until tomorrow.

But right now, after all, this was the Jiang Manor.

Jiang Xuening had just been reborn and didn’t plan to enter the palace in the future. She felt she should act low-key. Without such high status, naturally she should also restrain her temperament somewhat. So she only casually turned her wrist, as if admiring the bracelet.

Two lifetimes, yet this was the first time she wore this bracelet.

Something Wanniang had left behind as a family heirloom was naturally not poor quality.

But unfortunately…

It wasn’t left for her.

In her calm eyes was not half a bit of joy, but rather a completely undisturbed indifference. Jiang Xuening looked back at Wang Xingjia’s wife, smiling as she extended her hand and patted her shoulder, casually brushing away nonexistent dust from her face, looking entirely kind: “Mama truly treats me well.”

Wang Xingjia’s wife immediately smiled, about to express her loyalty.

However, her next sentence was spoken lightly: “Henceforth, if Mama tells me to go east, I certainly won’t go west. I’ll definitely be completely obedient to Mama.”

The smile that Wang Xingjia’s wife had just squeezed out on her face was immediately smashed back in by this sentence!

For a moment, it was a colorful, spectacular display.

But Jiang Xuening didn’t care about that. However unhurriedly she had sat down earlier, just as unhurriedly did she now stand up.

Only then did she glance at Jiang Xuehui, who had been standing to the side the whole time.

In her previous life’s memories, this elder sister’s appearance had almost become blurred. Even when it surfaced during midnight nightmares, it was only a faint outline. Looking again now—clear brows and beautiful eyes—she didn’t seem to have that detestable appearance Jiang Xuening had always felt she had before.

But she didn’t say a single word to her.

Between her and Jiang Xuehui lay Lady Meng, lay Wanniang, lay the machinations of birth and fate, and their temperaments were completely different—they absolutely weren’t the same kind of people.

Taking ten thousand steps back, even if Jiang Xuehui held no grudge against her, she herself still had a knot in her heart.

There was no need to speak.

She also couldn’t be bothered to engage.

Jiang Xuening turned and left along the covered corridor.

Jiang Xuehui couldn’t help but turn her gaze to follow, watching her retreating figure. She only felt that upright spine and the lightly swaying green jade bracelet on her wrist gave a feeling very different from usual.

As soon as the person left, Wang Xingjia’s wife’s legs went soft and her whole body collapsed.

Her powder-caked face turned deathly pale, only now realizing her back was completely soaked with sweat.

When Jiang Xuening had spoken those words just now, her expression and tone had been completely flat on the surface, but the flatter they were, the more terrifyingly creepy they felt!

Having said it without making a scene, just walking away like that—it could scare someone to death!

The maid following Jiang Xuehui was called Mei’er. Having watched everything clearly from beginning to end, at this moment she couldn’t help but rub the goosebumps that had appeared on her arm: “Se-second young lady today, today how did she…”

How did she become so frightening!

Mei’er sidled up to her own young lady and muttered: “She stayed out all night and has practically become a different person. Young lady, could something have happened to the second young lady while she was out?”

“Nonsense! With Young Marquis Yan present, how could anything happen?”

But carefully recalling this matter, Jiang Xuehui also found it inconceivable. Her brows furrowed as several parts of worry arose. She glanced at Wang Xingjia’s wife slumped on the ground beside them.

Where was that earlier domineering and aggressive air now?

She beckoned for Mei’er to follow her and leave, only saying: “Perhaps this Wang Xingjia’s wife violated some taboo of hers. In any case, with her temperament, we can’t afford to provoke her. As long as she doesn’t come knocking on our door, we’ll act as if we saw nothing.”

Mei’er deeply agreed: “Yes.”

In early autumn, outside there was the faint fragrance of early-blooming osmanthus.

Jiang Xuening walked along the covered corridor all the way to her own west wing room.

Stepping through the door, she saw a maid with double buns sleeping soundly sprawled across the table in the outer room. Not far in front of her was a sewing basket containing unfinished needlework.

This was one of her two senior maids in the manor, Lian’er.

Jiang Xuening didn’t call out to her, going directly from the outer room into the inner room.

Every object felt familiar yet strange.

Half the clothes in the wardrobe were women’s clothing, half were men’s clothing. On the square table by the window sat a brazier of fine agarwood incense. In front of the cosmetics table were arranged various pearl flowers, hairpins, and rouge and powder…

As a woman, Wanniang’s most formidable skill was in one word: “makeup.”

Yangzhou courtesans were divided into three ranks.

First-rank courtesans composed poetry and painted, played the zither and flute, practiced deportment, and moreover learned makeup arts, selling romantic charm and beauty.

Second-rank courtesans were secondary in literacy and musical ability, but first-rate at using the abacus and keeping accounts, selling capability.

Third-rank courtesans were illiterate, only learning some needlework and cooking skills, good at managing household affairs.

Wanniang had originally been a second-rank courtesan, born with five parts beauty, yet she had learned makeup skills that even first-rank courtesans might not possess, able to enhance those five parts into eight parts. Combined with her clever mind and ability to read men’s thoughts, before encountering Lady Meng, she had gotten along like a fish in water.

What young lady doesn’t love beauty?

Raised by Wanniang, Jiang Xuening naturally loved these things that could make her dress up even more beautifully.

She had learned quite a bit.

Moreover, she was Lady Meng’s daughter, born with ten parts beauty. Now at eighteen years old, though not yet fully matured, with just a bit of adornment she could easily make people unable to look away, becoming mesmerized by her.

It must be said that one reason she succeeded in her previous life was that this face was a great contributor.

One must know—

The most unreasonable thing in this world is beauty.

Jiang Xuening stood quietly before the makeup mirror, looking at that beautiful face in the mirror: at this time, it didn’t yet have those three parts of dignity from when she was Empress. But precisely because of this, the natural charm and radiance at the corners of her eyes and brows became even more obvious.

It was the face men most loved and women most hated.

She suddenly gave a light snort of disdain, pressed down the makeup mirror, and also pulled off the bracelet Wang Xingjia’s wife had put on her wrist earlier, tossing it onto the cosmetics table with a clang.

In her previous life, she had been jealous of Jiang Xuehui and stolen her study companion position, only to enter the palace and encounter Grand Princess Leyang, suffering all kinds of difficulties.

In her previous life, she had resented Jiang Xuehui and stolen her marriage, becoming an Empress only to enter an arena of carnage, performing alongside a group of cunning people. Unable to outmaneuver anyone, she even lost her life.

From this, one could see that worldly cause and effect were connected.

Heaven wasn’t muddled.

Having thrown down the bracelet, she sat down.

But Lian’er, who had been sleeping in the outer room, was startled awake. Hearing the sound, she quickly stood up. As soon as she lifted the curtain to the inner room and saw Jiang Xuening sitting there, she was immediately frightened into a shiver, her small face turning half white as she came before her: “Lian’er didn’t know the second young lady had returned…”

Jiang Xuening glanced back at her.

This little maid had been chosen by Lady Meng in the Jiang Manor. In her previous life, she had followed her for six years. Her heart wasn’t bad. After Jiang Xuening married Shen Jie, this maid had also been married off and no longer served at her side.

Estimating that she hadn’t returned last night, all the servants in the room must be nervous.

Jiang Xuening had no intention of blaming her. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, her voice involuntarily became much gentler as she said: “I’m fine. You should go back to your room to sleep.”

As soon as these words left her mouth, Lian’er, who had been standing, dropped to her knees with a “thud.”

The expression on her face was even more terrified than before.

“Young, young lady, Lian’er guarantees she’ll never sleep again before you return, and won’t dare sleep sprawled on the table anymore. Please don’t have the matrons sell this servant off. This servant has parents above and younger siblings below…”

Jiang Xuening knew she had misunderstood her meaning. Both amused and exasperated, she reached out to pull her up: “The floor is cold, don’t kneel. I didn’t say I was going to punish you…”

“…”

Lian’er was pulled up by her, but the expression on her face became even more wrong.

She stared fixedly at Jiang Xuening for a while, then suddenly turned and ran outside, shouting as she ran: “Tang’er, Tang’er, come quick! The second young lady stayed out all night and must have caught some ailment—something’s wrong with her!”

That Tang’er was Jiang Xuening’s other personal maid.

Lian’er dragged her in to look, her voice breaking into a crying tone: “She just told me to go sleep and even said the floor was cold so I shouldn’t kneel. Tell me, did the second young lady bump her head somewhere while out and become not right? If she really develops some problem, what will we do!”

“…”

Hearing these words, Jiang Xuening finally understood why her earlier look had been so wrong. Momentarily speechless, listening to her sob and shout endlessly, the corners of her mouth and eyes twitched slightly, and a bit of her old bad temper rose up again.

She furrowed her brows and her expression turned cold.

“Try crying one more time!”

“Hic!”

Lian’er had been crying in panic. Hearing this, she was so frightened she hiccupped and immediately stopped.

This was clearly a scolding, but after hearing it, she suddenly turned from sorrow to joy, breaking into a smile through her tears: “It’s fine, it’s fine! This is how she was before! Tang’er, the second young lady has no problems, the second young lady has no problems!”

Jiang Xuening: “…”

For some reason, she suddenly remembered that cold joke Shen Jie had once told her called “no problems.”

It seemed she wasn’t cut out to be a good mistress.

This maid—she pondered—should still be sold off at the first opportunity.