“What will you do? Go on, tell me.” Liu Chang’s hand finally lowered. He looked disdainfully at Mudan’s face, flushed with fear and anger, and her eyes darting about in panic. Suddenly, he felt like laughing.
Yuhe’s timid voice came from the doorway: “Young… young mistress? Young… young master?”
Great, now both mistress and servant were stuttering. Liu Chang’s mood improved remarkably. He waved his sleeve and turned to leave.
“Respectfully seeing the young master off!” Yuhe smoothly lifted the curtain for him, her speech suddenly fluent.
Liu Chang gave her a cold glance, squeezing out softly from his lips: “Want to bet the young master will take you too someday?”
Tears immediately welled up in Yuhe’s large eyes, followed by clear mucus from her nose. She didn’t wipe it, just sniffled hard, looking pitifully at Liu Chang. Wanting to cry but not daring to, she tugged at her clothes and stammered incoherently, “My… my mother would beat me to death.”
Everyone knew Yuhe’s mother was Lady He’s personal maid, a rough woman skilled with a sword and incredibly strong. When enraged, even Lady He couldn’t stop her, though she was indispensable. When Yuhe first arrived, Lady He had promised not to make her a concubine or mistress, and to let her go when she came of age. If Liu Chang touched Yuhe, that brute would likely storm in, causing a citywide scandal over a plain-looking little maid—not worth it.
As Liu Chang pondered, Yuhe sniffled loudly again. Disgusted by her runny nose, he practically fled.
Yuhe immediately dried her tears, cleaned her face, and entered the inner room, frowning.
Mudan was still reaching for the purple iris outside the window, standing on tiptoe with her arm outstretched.
“Young mistress, why are you doing this?” Yuhe crouched to pick up the embroidered shoe and put it on Mudan’s barefoot. Before, when the young mistress was ill, she had longed for the young master to visit. After recovering, she hoped daily for him to come to her room and consummate their marriage. The young master refused, and her tears and pleas only brought humiliation. Now, without crying or begging, the young master was willing to come, yet she pushed him away. What logic was this?
Finally reaching the flower, Mudan sighed softly. With one hand gently grasping the iris’s stem and leaves, she used the other to take a silver hairpin from her head and carefully removed a small insect hidden in the flower’s heart. The bug clung with its silk, reluctant to leave. Mudan worked very carefully, fearing she might damage the flower.
When Mudan didn’t answer, Yuhe said, “If the young mistress cherishes it so much, why not go around to remove the bug? Pulling it here might harm the stem.”
Mudan smiled, “No, I’m being very careful. This way, I can also stretch and exercise my waist.” This body was very weak; it needed exercise.
Seeing her serene smile, Yuhe couldn’t help but continue, “What are you thinking? Now that you’ve recovered, you can’t let others walk all over you anymore. You should hurry and give birth to a little young master!”
Mudan made no comment. Is such a despicable man worthy? Bah! She had come alive in this dead body, inheriting its original memories. A man who treated his deeply loving wife like grass and drove her to death—why should she bear his child? Consummate the marriage? He thought it was a favor, not knowing she had no intention of spending her life with him, naturally unwilling to shed a drop of blood.
If he treated her like grass, she wouldn’t treat him like a treasure. Lack of opportunity was one thing, but having fortunately been reborn in this affluent, luxurious, and open-minded world, she would be doing herself a disservice if she didn’t seize every chance to liberate herself.
Seeing that familiar distant expression on Mudan’s face, Yuhe knew her persuasion was futile. Anxious and frustrated, she said, “Young mistress, what exactly are you planning? Please tell me! Living like this is so stifling!”
Mudan raised an eyebrow: “Yuhe, in your opinion, how should I plan?” This girl, unlike Yutong who had seduced Liu Chang and stepped on her to climb up regardless of consequences, was loyal.
Yuhe pointed at herself, eyes wide: “You’re asking me?”
Mudan smiled, “Yes, I’m asking you. I feel stifled too. His family looks at me with disdain; whatever I do is wrong. Even if I were lucky enough to bear a son, if he doesn’t like the child, and it’s not the eldest, it would only make the child suffer and live unhappily. If they don’t cherish me, why should I stay here? I don’t need to rely on anyone to live.”
Yuhe understood that the young mistress was thinking of divorce. After her initial shock, she quickly calculated. Their country’s customs were open; women could run households and be in charge. From princesses to village girls, many divorced and remarried. Although a divorced woman wasn’t as precious as an unmarried girl, with her mistress’s beauty and background, remarrying wouldn’t be difficult. Even if she couldn’t find a family like the Lius, she certainly wouldn’t suffer such indignities. And Yuhe wouldn’t have to worry and put on an act to please people. After considering, Yuhe hesitantly asked, “But will they agree?”
The “they” Yuhe referred to included the Liu family’s master and mistress, as well as Mudan’s parents. The two families had an agreement when they married; without their consent and support, how could there be a divorce? Especially now that the He family firmly believed that the young mistress’s illness was cured by marrying the young master, how could they easily give up this lifesaver? Needless to say, it would be extremely difficult.
Mudan winked mischievously: “They’ll agree eventually.” When the time was right and conditions were mature, they would have no choice but to agree.
Yuhe sighed: “I heard that shameless Princess Qinghua will also come to tomorrow’s flower viewing banquet. Those others have also been instructed to dress up, and the master has invited some performers from Fangyun House. If you don’t like it, we can use the old method…”
Mudan said, “No, I like it very much.” After more than half a year of preparation, she believed she could now integrate into this group. She couldn’t stay confined in this small world forever; sooner or later, she had to go out. Why not seize the day? Tomorrow it would be.
Previously, the young mistress would usually feign illness to avoid such events, but this time she was willing to make an appearance. A glimmer of joy flashed in Yuhe’s eyes as she excitedly said, “Then I’ll open the chests. Young mistress, please choose which outfit is suitable, and I’ll iron it and perfume it.”
Four camphorwood chests filled with gorgeous spring attire were arranged before Mudan. Colorful brocades, delicate damasks, eye-catching red gauzes, and soft silks, like the brilliant spring flowers outside, quietly bloomed in their unique ways. Without exception, each garment was embroidered with a lush peony, a manifestation of how His parents doted on their daughter. He Mudan, as precious and beautiful as a peony, was lavished with love.
Mudan selected a pink gauze short jacket and pointed to an eight-panel pink-purple brocade high-waisted long skirt embroidered with purple peonies. “This one,” she said.
“This looks beautiful!” Yuhe’s round eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. She bent down and rummaged through the chest for a while before finding a light purple thin gauze shawl to match the outfit. She held it up for Mudan to see the combination: “Young mistress, how about pairing it with this?”
Mudan nodded, “That’s fine.” She looked at the sky, yawned, and said, “It’s still early. I’ll take a nap.”
Yuhe happily went to tidy up the clothes but found a loose thread on the hem of the skirt. Unable to find matching light purple silk thread, she had to go to the sewing room to look for some. Before leaving, she instructed Shuer: “Shuer, the young mistress is sleeping. Watch over her and don’t let anyone disturb her. When Mama Lin returns, quickly tells her about Yutong’s pregnancy. Don’t forget!”
“I’ll remember, Sister Yuhe,” replied Shuer. Only eleven or twelve years old, she had a small oval face, two buns in her hair, almond-shaped eyes with long lashes, and full, rosy lips—exactly the type the young master preferred. If things continued this way, in a few years when this little girl blossomed, she would surely be taken by the young master. Yuhe sighed, patted Shuer’s face, and left.
Seeing Yuhe walk away, Shuer took a small stool and her needlework, sitting attentively outside Mudan’s curtain. She glanced occasionally at the courtyard entrance, always ready to drive away unwelcome intruders.
About a quarter of an hour later, a commotion arose at the door. Liu Chang’s attendant, Xixia, led seven or eight servants carrying ropes and poles to the entrance. He said, “This is it, the young mistress’s courtyard. Once inside, don’t look around or wander off. Otherwise, you’ll face household punishment. Understood?”
Although only thirteen or fourteen, Xixia put on an air of maturity, even imitating Liu Chang’s posture of clasping his hands behind his back and puffing out his chest, which looked rather comical.
Someone responded loudly: “Xixia, we got it! Everyone knows these rules. Right?”
The group burst into laughter, all talking at once: “Of course we know.”
Xixia frowned and said sternly, “Be careful. If you damage any of these precious flowers, selling all of you wouldn’t cover the cost of a single blossom.”
This was too much, daring to make such a racket at the young mistress’s courtyard entrance. Shuer dropped her needlework, lifted her skirt, and ran to the gate. Her small face flushed as she glared at Xixia: “Xixia! How dare you bring a group of ruffians to make noise at the young mistress’s place? Aren’t you afraid of punishment?”
Seeing a delicate, snow-white little maid angrily run out to reprimand Xixia, everyone fell silent, waiting to see how the usually arrogant and mean Xixia would handle it.
Xixia frowned impatiently and said, “The young master is hosting a flower-viewing banquet tomorrow. I’m here on his orders to move flowers to the main courtyard for decoration. These men are always like this; didn’t you see I was just disciplining them?”
This was true. But Shuer despised these disrespectful ruffians, so she lifted her chin and said, “Move flowers? How come I don’t know about this? Everyone knows these flowers are the young mistress’s treasures. Who are you to move them as you please? If you damage them, selling you wouldn’t be enough to compensate for even a single leaf.”
Well, well, this little girl had quite a sharp tongue. Xixia raised his eyebrows fiercely: “Since when does the master need to inform you of his plans? Are you a maid or what? Don’t forget your place! If you’re smart, step aside quickly. Otherwise, don’t blame me for reporting to the young master and having you sold off!”
Shuer stood her ground, hands on her hips: “And who are you? Don’t forget your place! If you’re smart, get out of here quickly. Otherwise, don’t blame me for reporting to the mistress and having you sold off!”