Quiet, quiet silence. Silence, silent quiet.

“Could this girl be mute?” After Second Wei said this, he thought he’d lose big.

Mo Zi at this moment truly wished she were mute.

“A guest is asking you, why don’t you respond?” However, Qiu Si didn’t say the words “doesn’t understand rules.” He usually looked down upon and was strict with the mansion’s maids. At this moment, however, he couldn’t put on a stern face.

“Mo Zi.” The volume wasn’t loud, unwilling and reluctant.

“Mo Zi? How does a perfectly good girl get a man’s name?” Second Wei couldn’t figure out the characters.

“The mo of ink, the zi of purple.” Mo Zi still kept her head lowered.

“Among Yuling’s ten thousand peony plants, the king came only to see Mo Zi.” Third Wei once again displayed his learning. “Mo Zi is a famous variety among Yuling peonies, initially only cultivated in the royal palace. Later it spread to noble and wealthy merchant families, then flower merchants sold them into our Great Zhou, worth a thousand gold pieces. I’ve heard that because the Yuling people extremely love the Mo Zi peony, they often use it to name their daughters. Could it be the young lady is also from Yuling?”

“Your Honor has great learning. Mo Zi is indeed from Yuling.” However, whether peonies or not, there were many others also called Mo Zi—she had no idea about all that.

“Yuling is currently in troubled times. Did the young lady come to the Great Zhou because she was also affected by the war chaos?” Third Wei now had legitimate reason to look at the woman behind him, but wasn’t her head bowed too humbly?

“Mo Zi lost both parents and had no one to rely on, so Third Miss took her in.” Since the name had already been spoken, the fact that Third Miss Qiu was her mistress would sooner or later be known to people anyway.

“You’re Third Miss Qiu’s maid?” Upon hearing this, Second Wei spoke ahead of Third Wei.

“Yes.” Mo Zi always kept her eyebrows lowered and eyes downcast, although the politeness she had learned before was that when speaking with people, one should look directly into their eyes.

“An extraordinary young miss, an extraordinary maid. That’s the logic, that’s the logic indeed!” Second Wei had a look of “no wonder,” “Third brother, if you won’t, I’ll lend you five taels of silver to bet on this maid winning.”

“Master Wei Er, since you’re the house, how can you place a bet?” Xiuzhu was petty, but she wasn’t wrong.

“Someone has to place silver on my right hand side so the gambling can begin, right?” Second Wei could change his surname to Shameless.

As soon as Second Wei finished speaking, a five-tael silver ingot appeared beside the teacup on the right.

“Second brother, count this as mine. Why would I need to borrow from you?” The one who placed the silver was precisely Third Wei. “Yuling’s country is broken, the common people displaced and homeless. Like Miss Mo Zi here, truly pitiable.”

So he pitied her? If it were truly pity that would be fine, but she hoped there were no ulterior motives. Mo Zi wasn’t grateful. When it came down to it, she hadn’t wanted to compete in talents at all—this whole thing was these people talking among themselves.

“This name truly has good fortune.” Second Wei didn’t care whether countries were broken or not. He was a Great Zhou person; as long as the Great Zhou was fine, all was well.

“You say you’re Third Miss’s maid?” Since Mo Zi mentioned Third Miss, Qiu Si’s expression had clouded over.

“Precisely.” Without needing to look at Qiu Si, Mo Zi could hear his displeasure. “The young miss instructed Mo Zi to handle business in the outer garden. After the business was done, I encountered the steward who said Fourth Master here needed tea and water added, so he had me come in to serve.”

“I don’t remember seeing you at Third Miss’s side.” No matter how Qiu Si thought, he couldn’t retrieve an image of this maid.

“Mo Zi is only a second-rank maid, mostly doing rough work like serving tea, passing water, and running errands in the young miss’s courtyard.” They had met before, but he was a grand young master with eyes above his head, and she also didn’t want to attract attention.

Qiu Si pondered—this explanation made sense too. There were many maids in the Qiu mansion; he hadn’t seen every one.

“Oh? Elder brother, you’ve surprised me.” Second Wei suddenly shouted. “Third brother was the first to praise the girl, so I’m not surprised he bet on her. Elder brother, could it be you also think the name is good and the hands beautiful?”

It turned out that at this moment, in the circle betting on Mo Zi winning, another five-tael piece of silver had appeared. It was placed by Elder Wei.

“Seek wealth amid danger.” Elder Wei ignored Second Wei and picked up his cup to drink tea.

Mo Zi suddenly felt that among these people, Elder Wei was the most worldly-wise and shrewd character.

“Dear nephew, now we’re just waiting for you.” Second Wei was truly living up to his role as house proprietor.

“Since she’s a maid from my mansion, if I don’t bet on her winning, how would that make sense?” Qiu Si took silver from his sleeve, exactly five taels, and handed it to Second Wei.

“Good, bets placed, no more changes!” Second Wei could really call it out.

Everyone sat down, their gazes converging on Mo Zi again.

“Girl, we’ve already heard Miss Xiuzhu’s little tune just now. What do you plan to sing?” Second Wei was not only the house proprietor but also like a modern program host, able to handle all kinds of work.

How absurd! She was only pouring tea. The verse wasn’t composed by her, she didn’t make people praise these hands, she didn’t propose redemption to become a concubine, and she didn’t instigate the refusal to accept a beautiful concubine. In the end, she had to perform for people. Moreover, what benefit would she get from winning? That singing girl called Xiuzhu would have no complaints? Not a single piece of silver would fall into her sleeve—she’d only get the benefit of people not resenting her.

Let her find a place with no one and laugh up at the heavens!

Qiu Si impatiently coughed heavily.

Mo Zi finally raised her head. A trace of the setting western sun shone through the window lattice, illuminating her profile.

Everyone was stunned.

Mo Zi wasn’t ugly. Her skin was like bright pearls, her eyes like water, her brows like distant mountains, her lips like cherries. If not for her expression being somewhat wooden, her posture somewhat hunched, her movements somewhat sluggish, she could be called a beauty. No wonder when she lowered her head, she didn’t attract attention. Though her appearance was exquisite, her gestures lacked spirit, truly missing a portion of graceful and bright charm.

Now, regardless of how much her bearing lacked elegance, people only stared at that countenance, infinitely magnifying the sense of beauty.

Seeing this, Mo Zi retreated another half step and hurriedly lowered her head slightly, allowing the shadows in the hall to once again cover her cheeks before saying, “Mo Zi has been poor since childhood, with rough hands and clumsy feet, never having learned any skills.”

Sing? She wasn’t being modest—she was truly tone-deaf.

When Mo Zi’s head lowered, even though they could clearly see her features, everyone felt their eyes darken. Looking at her again, she wasn’t as bright and beautiful as before, just the most ordinary maid.

These people hadn’t communicated with each other, each thinking they had been momentarily dazzled, and immediately cast it to the back of their minds. Only Qiu Si and Third Wei didn’t think it was a mistake, their expressions each different.

“Can’t sing, what about needlework?” Second Wei seemed to stand on Mo Zi’s side. “Among the Wei mansion’s maids, I haven’t seen one who can’t embroider. This also counts as a talent. Isn’t that so, Miss Xiuzhu?”

Xiuzhu pursed her lips, “If Master Wei Er says so, then it is so. Xiuzhu studied under a master from Nande’s Xiuyu Workshop and can embroider somewhat.”

“Mo Zi is also not skilled in needlework.”

Embroidery? She wasn’t being modest. If they’d let her tear Second Wei’s clothes, she could mend them, guaranteeing they’d absolutely look like they’d been mended. If there were patches needed, she could sew them better, not leaving holes.

“Oh my, then what about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?” Second Wei said. “Third Miss Qiu is proficient in everything.”

“Mo Zi knows nothing about any of it.” Even if she knew, she’d say she didn’t—she just didn’t want people judging and commenting on her.

“Poetry and verse?” Second Wei asked whatever he could catch.

“Mo Zi has never read books.” In this era, women being literate was acceptable, but it didn’t count as a good thing.

“…” Second Wei was at a loss for words.

Mo Zi had originally planned to pretend to the end, but a certain focus that Qiu Si and Third Wei placed on her made her change her mind.

Third Wei said he had mourning obligations and couldn’t take a concubine. But the mourning period would eventually pass.

Mo Zi believed that although he seemed to respect and love his wife, according to Second Wei’s description, there was also a component of fear.

Qiu Si said that if Xiuzhu was interested, he would redeem her bond and give her to Third Wei.

In Mo Zi’s view, it was because Third Wei had been too absorbed in listening to the music, making Qiu Si think he was interested in Xiuzhu, so he was currying favor with this fifth-rank official.

Then, considering her own situation: if Third Wei truly had plans to take a concubine, for her own safety, she should dispel his thoughts. Losing to Xiuzhu wouldn’t necessarily allow her to escape his eye. And a maid who couldn’t compare to a singing girl would be even simpler for Qiu Si to give away.

In a moment, Mo Zi had made her decision in her heart, so she spoke—

“Although Mo Zi is stupid, she can tell good stories. I just don’t know if that counts?”