Bao Xia looked at her mistress, who remained unconscious and unresponsive. She rose and said, “I’ll go take a look. You stay here and look after our mistress.”
“Yes.”
Having often walked through the various courtyards on her mistress’s behalf, Bao Xia had a talent for remembering faces. She was certain the woman before her was someone she had never seen before, even though the woman had yet to turn around fully.
Bao Xia gave a curtsy, her manner neither servile nor arrogant. “This servant takes the liberty of asking, miss — might you tell me who entrusted you to come here?”
The woman drew the curtain aside, revealing a face crosshatched with scars. Seeing that Bao Xia only startled slightly rather than showing disgust, the woman gave a satisfied nod. She held out a porcelain vial in her palm.
Bao Xia needed no further explanation. Her face broke into a beaming smile as she ushered the woman inside. “That medicine is truly remarkable. I had been fretting over what we would do when it ran out — but now there’s no need to worry. With this medicine, our mistress will be spared a great deal of suffering.”
The woman said nothing, though her manner softened slightly. A servant who guards her mistress so faithfully — the mistress herself must be no ordinary person either.
Catching the faint scent of wine in the room, the woman raised an eyebrow. She took the pulse, examined the wound thoroughly, and then spoke her first words: “Cleaned with wine?”
Her voice, in contrast to her appearance, sounded lively and warm — nothing like the air of cold distance her bearing suggested.
Bao Xia quickly replied, “Before she lost consciousness, our mistress instructed us to clean the wound with wine. Is there something wrong with that?”
“It’s fine.” Had she not had the courage to inflict such pain upon herself, a high fever would have set in long ago. It was hard to imagine that such a delicate-looking young woman could be this harsh with herself. No wonder the Shizi holds her in such regard.
After changing the dressing, the woman retrieved two porcelain vials from her medicine chest and set them on the table, then wrote out a prescription. Bao Xia, choosing her words carefully, ventured a request. “Our mistress is, after all, a young woman — it would not do for her to be left with scars. Might you happen to have any medicine for removing them…”
It suddenly dawned on her that the very woman before her bore a face full of scars. Terrified of having struck a sore spot and provoked her displeasure, Bao Xia hurried to add: “This servant means nothing else by it — it’s only that… only that this servant has attended to our mistress since she was small. Even a mosquito bite pains my heart. Now that our mistress is hurt this badly, and much of it was to protect us — if she is left with all these scars on top of it, I…”
Bao Xia’s eyes, already swollen, reddened again. Her face was the picture of helpless distress. The woman studied her a moment longer. “I have it. Not here right now.”
What did that mean? She had it but not here? Or she had it, just not at this moment, and it would come later?
Bao Xia blinked hopefully, waiting for the woman to say more.
The woman shouldered her medicine chest and moved toward the door. “I’ll come again in two days.”
Bao Xia’s heart leapt with joy. She hurried after her. “Might I ask your name, miss? Our mistress will surely ask when she wakes. Please, won’t you leave your name?”
“Shao Yao.”
“Yes, this servant thanks you, Miss Shao Yao.” Bao Xia walked alongside her with a smile, keeping up a steady stream of words. “Might I ask where Miss Shao Yao lives? Is it convenient to come here?”
“Convenient.”
“Miss Shao Yao, could you tell this servant if there is anything our mistress ought to be mindful of?”
“As it is now is fine.”
“Yes, then this servant is relieved. This servant ventures one more question — did Miss Shao Yao know our mistress before?”
“No.” Through the curtain, Shao Yao watched this maidservant probe her background in every way she could — yet never overstepping. She almost did not want to leave. Such a serious incident, yet not a single word had leaked out. The maidservant carried herself with just the right measure of restraint, always thinking of her mistress first. And Chen Qing had said that in order to draw Qin Zheng’s attention away, one of the maidservants had even undressed herself, prepared to use her body as a distraction last night.
She was very curious about what kind of mistress could inspire them to go to such lengths. She had seen many servants in her time — some genuinely devoted to their masters — but those were always rare, isolated cases. Yet the eldest young lady of the Hua Family had earned the wholehearted loyalty of every last one of her servants. There had to be something truly exceptional about her.
Hua Zhi woke to find it was already another evening.
The maidservants clustered around her, feeding her water and porridge in a flurry of activity. Only when they had finally settled did she find the quiet to ask about the current state of affairs.
Nian Qiu took up the account: “The Old Madam said she will keep watch over things at home and for you to tend to your own affairs without worry. This servant has managed to keep everything hidden from Ying Chun as well. She asks that you rest easy and says she will see to what you entrusted her with. Steward Xu knew you would need people and took particular care in choosing those who had previously served the senior masters of the family — men who have been properly trained and have helped the masters handle affairs before, so they should take to the work readily. However…”
“Say whatever there is to say.” Hua Zhi listened with her eyes half-closed. She was still exhausted through and through. Had she not been genuinely uneasy about these matters, she would not have wanted to hear another word.
“Yes.” Nian Qiu pulled the blanket a little higher and said quietly, “The household can be kept in the dark, but those brought here cannot be so easily managed. This servant worries they may find ways to pass word back home.”
“For the time being, everyone is to remain on this estate. There is no opportunity for them to carry messages. Did Steward Xu say who should be put in charge?”
“He did not, but he sent Xu Ying along.”
“Xu Ying could manage this particular business well enough, but the people — that is another matter. His standing is too junior. Those who have worked under Grandfather and Father will not submit to him. Observe for a couple of days and see who seems suitable. Then bring me their names.”
Having served her long enough, the maidservants were long accustomed to her way of handling things. They agreed without further comment.
Then the room fell silent.
Hua Zhi opened her eyes. “It is that hard to say — all three guards died?”
“No, no.” Bao Xia shook her head repeatedly. “One died. Two were saved. The person last night left two vials of medicine — I sent one over. Oh, and mistress, a woman came today, saying she was sent by someone to examine you. The medicine she left is the same as what was left last night, so she must have been sent by that same person.”
Two saved — better than she had expected. Hua Zhi let out a sigh. “Did she leave any word?”
“She said she would return in two days. The woman’s face is covered in scars — this servant thinks they look like knife wounds. Do prepare yourself a little, so you are not startled.”
“Our mistress isn’t even afraid of villains — how could something that didn’t even frighten you frighten her?” Fu Dong came in carrying a bowl of dark, pungent medicine. Those gathered at the bedside quickly stepped aside to make room.
Before she even brought it to her lips, Hua Zhi could already taste the bitterness. She sighed, pinched her nose, and poured it down her own throat in one decisive go — a manner so bold that the maidservants stared wide-eyed. Nian Qiu stood clutching a candied fruit, forgetting entirely to offer it to her mistress, until Hua Zhi reached over and took it herself.
“See that the two guards are well looked after and treated with nothing but care. As for the one who died — keep the matter quiet for now. When I return home, I will compensate his family properly.”
“Yes, mistress. Please do not push yourself — rest. We will handle everything.”
Hua Zhi did not force herself. She closed her eyes and drifted toward sleep. There was a great deal waiting for her at home. She had to get well quickly.