Chayun Residence was also built on a small island in the lake. As sunlight pierced through the morning mist, one could see the red maples and yellow apricot trees from across the water, like a flame reflected in the azure waters, casting long shadows – a truly beautiful sight.
The boat docked, and Wencui led the two through an apricot grove to a lush bamboo forest. The island’s perimeter was planted with maple and apricot trees, encircling the central bamboo grove.
“Hey!” A girl of fifteen or sixteen with double buns appeared on the stone path, her apricot-shaped eyes glaring at Wencui. “Sister Wencui, don’t you know our Old Madam dislikes seeing people from Bixiang Residence?”
Wencui remained unperturbed, smiling as she replied, “Miss Manxiang, I’m no longer with Bixiang Residence. Miss Yan has brought Miss Fourteen and Miss Fifteen back to the mansion. I’m here to guide them.”
As the saying goes, one doesn’t strike a smiling face. Though Manxiang’s attitude remained poor, she didn’t make things too difficult. “Sister Wencui, you know the Old Madam’s temperament. Wait here, and I’ll escort the two young ladies.”
She turned to leave, clearly disregarding the two mistresses.
“Wait,” A Shun suddenly called out.
Manxiang paused and turned back, “What is it, Miss?”
A Shun lifted her skirt slightly and ascended the stone steps. Upon reaching Manxiang, she unexpectedly raised her hand and slapped her hard across the face. “How dare a mere maid to show such disrespect! Is this the lack of discipline in Chayun Residence?”
From the moment she was renamed Mei Ruyan, A Shun knew she had to align herself closely with the Old Madam of Bixiang Residence. The main branch was weak, but she was nominally part of it. With the second branch having numerous descendants, she couldn’t count on protection from Bixiang Residence’s Old Madam. Rather than trying to survive in the middle, it was better to choose a side decisively.
She also knew that the household’s matriarch was Chayun Residence’s Old Madam’s daughter-in-law. Offending Chayun Residence might make her future life difficult, but unlike Mei Jiu, who was true of Mei’s blood, she was an impostor. Without taking risks, how could she ever rise above her station?
An Jiu watched the scene unfold with an almost imperceptible smile. Sunlight filtered through, igniting a small flame in those slightly raised phoenix eyes. She thought the girl suited the name “Ruyan” (like flames) well.
“You!” Manxiang covered her face, tears streaming down as she glared fiercely at Mei Ruyan before running away.
Wencui sighed, “Miss Fourteen, Miss Fifteen, let’s go back.”
“Why should we leave? We’ve done nothing wrong,” Mei Ruyan said.
Wencui leaned in and whispered, “The Old Madam of Chayun Residence is fiercely protective. She won’t listen to reason, and her wrath is not something ordinary people can withstand.”
Mei Ruyan’s phoenix eyes flashed, “What can she do, kill me?”
With that, she followed in the direction Manxiang had fled.
Wencui, feeling a sense of satisfaction but worried about Mei Ruyan facing trouble alone, encouraged An Jiu, “Miss Fourteen, let’s go see. Just in case… we should be there for support.”
“Very well, let’s take a look,” An Jiu agreed.
Why miss out on such excitement? She was on the same side as Mei Ruyan; she only needed to follow along without doing anything, and she would share in the credit. Let others take the lead; she could still win her grandmother’s favor.
As they reached the courtyard entrance, they heard a commotion inside.
An Jiu stood at the doorway, observing. In the courtyard, about a dozen robust women had surrounded Mei Ruyan. Opposite the entrance, on a veranda, sat an elderly lady of over fifty on a couch, flanked by standing maids. She was arranging flowers in a vase, dressed in a crow-blue padded jacket with gold embroidery. Her silver hair was like frost, her face lined with wrinkles and a few light brown age spots, but her fair complexion gave her a clean appearance.
At the foot of the steps, Manxiang glared at Mei Ruyan, still covering her face.
“Greetings, Grand-aunt,” Mei Ruyan calmly paid her respects.
“Oh my! What’s going on here?” Wencui hurried forward, smiling as she gave a deep bow to the Second Old Madam. “Wencui pays respects to the Old Madam. What offense has Miss Fifteen committed to warrant such a grand reception?”
The Old Madam seemed not to hear, fully absorbed in her flower arranging.
An Jiu leaned casually against a ginkgo tree in the courtyard, watching the scene unfold.
Several maids glanced at her repeatedly, but due to the Second Old Madam’s deliberate snub of the main branch’s people, they dared not speak up.
After about half an hour, the Second Old Madam finally completed her colorful floral arrangement, and a nearby maid hurried to praise her work.
“My, why are there still two crouching in this courtyard?” the Second Old Madam feigned surprise at noticing Mei Ruyan and Wencui.
As maids served tea and massaged shoulders, someone quietly reminded her, “Old Madam, there’s another standing by the apricot tree over there.”
When the Old Madam turned her head in surprise, she saw a young girl in a spring-green dress shrinking against the tree trunk, appearing timid.
Having finished watching the commotion, An Jiu lowered her head and shuffled toward the center of the courtyard. “Greetings, Grand-aunt.”
The Old Madam picked up her teacup and prompted An Jiu, “Tell me, what wrong have those two committed?”
An Jiu turned to look at Wencui and Mei Ruyan, and said seriously, “I only saw one person who did wrong.”
Their hearts leaped, fearing An Jiu might turn against them, as she hadn’t shared in their punishment and was now staring at them intently.
An Jiu’s gaze suggested to everyone that the wrongdoer she mentioned was either Wencui or Mei Ruyan since Mei Ruyan was the only one who had struck someone.
The Old Madam asked gently, “Oh? Who committed the wrong?”
An Jiu pointed at Manxiang, “Her.”
“Oh? If Manxiang was in the wrong, why are they voluntarily asking for punishment?” the Second Old Madam questioned, puzzled.
An Jiu looked at the Second Old Madam with a serious and sincere expression, “Because these women are very fierce, and they’re afraid of being beaten.”
Seeing her attempt to sow discord fail, the Second Old Madam lost patience and dropped her pretense. She violently threw her teacup to the ground, shattering it. “No one dares to raise a hand in my presence! You two show no respect for your elders, bullying an old woman like me, and you think you can leave unscathed? Beat them!”
“Wait! We sisters only struck a servant. How have we bullied you, Grand-aunt?” Mei Ruyan argued.
An Jiu, seeing that she couldn’t escape a beating either, added nonchalantly, “Indeed, how could a lowly servant be considered our elder?”
This veiled insult nearly caused the Second Old Madam to faint with anger. But if she flew into a rage, wouldn’t that be admitting she was a lowly servant?
Choking on her fury, the Second Old Madam pressed her hand to her chest, trying to suppress her anger.
“We sisters are filial. If Grand-aunt is truly upset, we’d endure even death by beating for a mere servant if it would appease you,” Mei Ruyan said, confident the Second Old Madam wouldn’t dare.
The maid massaging the Second Old Madam’s shoulders whispered, “Old Madam if they’re hurt, won’t it give Bixiang Residence leverage against us? Why not have them apologize to Manxiang? That would be more humiliating.”
The Second Old Madam considered this and agreed. Having them bow to a servant would be satisfying enough. “Fine, I won’t quibble with children. Apologize to Manxiang and you may leave.”
Mei Ruyan retorted, “Grand-aunt, you might as well beat me to death. I’d rather die than bow to a servant!”
An Jiu added, controlling her voice to be neither too loud nor too soft, “Don’t be foolish. Grand-aunt doesn’t have the bones of the Mei family, nor their face. Beating us wouldn’t hurt her at all.”
The Second Old Madam sprang to her feet, trembling with rage. As she opened her mouth to speak, her eyes suddenly rolled back, and she collapsed.
The courtyard erupted into chaos. “The Old Madam has fainted from anger! Quickly, fetch the doctor!”
An Jiu craned her neck to look when someone grabbed her hand. She reflexively moved to knee the person.
“An Jiu!” Mei Ruyan exclaimed.
Mei Jiu’s soul had a much stronger connection to the body than An Jiu. Startled, she instantly regained control, causing the body to lurch forward abruptly.
“The Second Old Madam’s health is poor and can’t withstand such anger. Quickly, let’s leave,” Wencui said, swiftly steadying her and urging the two to escape in the chaos.
In the short span of an afternoon, nearly a thousand residents of Mei Manor learned that the newly returned Miss Fourteen and Miss Fifteen had angered the Second Old Madam to the point of fainting.
Having “made a name for themselves” so quickly upon arrival brought joy to some and worry to others!