The reaction from Qiu Tong Courtyard was quickly known by those with ulterior motives.

“So you’re saying that when they didn’t give her clothes, she said nothing at all?” Concubine Zhou turned a page of the Buddhist scripture and asked.

A’Jin nodded.

“The maid was punished by Old Pozi Liu and knelt when told to kneel?” Concubine Zhou looked up at her and smiled.

A’Jin sighed, her face somewhat flushed with embarrassment, giving a bitter smile.

“Who would have thought that a maid who came from the Old Madam’s side would actually kneel to a third-class servant woman…” Concubine Zhou covered her mouth and laughed heartily. “If she really had been sent back by the Old Madam, she would probably be so angry she’d slap her and drag her back…”

“Perhaps Young Madam wants to curry favor,” A’Jin said.

“Curry favor? Is she stupid? Not to mention that she’s currently occupying the position of the eldest daughter-in-law, just based on the fact that she was brought into the household by the Old Madam, in this lifetime, she will never be able to curry favor with that lowly woman.” Concubine Zhou said with a faint smile on her lips, then gave a self-mocking laugh. “But then again, how could I expect her to understand this? Forget it, each person follows their own fate.”

As she spoke, she glanced at A’Jin.

“Do you still want to visit her?” she asked with a half-smile.

A’Jin smiled bitterly and hurriedly shook her head.

“As I’ve said before, mud is just mud and can never be helped up the wall,” Concubine Zhou smiled, then sighed. “If the Old Madam had shown me the same indifference she shows her back then, that lowly woman would never have had the chance to enter the household, and I wouldn’t have…”

As she spoke, her hand holding the brush tightened into a fist, and she suddenly stopped mid-sentence, staring at the Buddhist scripture before her without speaking for a long while.

A’Jin beside her just lowered her head and stood quietly, as if she had heard nothing and seen nothing. After a moment, Concubine Zhou picked up her brush again and slowly continued copying the scripture, and the room returned to silence.

Near evening, exiting from the back door of the Marquis and Madam’s Rong’an Courtyard and heading west, passing through a narrow alley, one reached the location of the Marquis household’s storehouses. Seeing several women servants approaching from afar, the servant women who had been gathered together chatting and laughing quickly stood at attention.

“Has Nanny Zhou eaten?” everyone respectfully smiled and greeted.

Nanny Zhou smiled and nodded.

“Nowadays it’s humid when it rains, and extremely dry when it doesn’t rain. You all need to pay attention to moisture and water protection,” she said.

“We all know, Nanny can rest assured,” the servant women answered in unison with smiles.

More women servants, young servants, and men who had received the news came running out from inside the doors, automatically lining up to greet Nanny Zhou. Nanny Zhou looked over them all as she walked, and at the end, she stopped at a woman of about forty years old.

This woman kept her head lowered, wearing the common front-opening jacket that servant women typically wore, with nothing remarkable about her appearance.

“Sister Feng, there’s a banquet at home the day after tomorrow for the family members of Duke Dong from the capital. I remember there’s a golden jade ornamental screen in the Old Madam’s storage. Have someone move it out for display,” Nanny Zhou said to her with a smile.

The woman lowered her head and first gave a bow.

“Yes,” she said. “Is there a matching token?”

Nanny Zhou smiled and took out a matching token.

The woman glanced at it.

“Is there Young Madam’s matching token?” she asked with downcast eyes.

Countless gazes looked over from all around, but the woman just kept her head lowered without any unnecessary words.

Nanny Zhou looked at her still smiling, said nothing, and withdrew her hand.

“The Prince will return soon. The household has been using many things these days, and the Prince’s courtyard is also being renovated. With people coming and going, everyone be careful,” she said.

Everyone responded in unison, watching Nanny Zhou leave with her people, then immediately surrounded that woman.

“Lady Dong, what’s gotten into you?”

“What are you thinking? What do you mean by needing Young Madam’s matching token?”

Everyone spoke at once, their faces showing some indignation.

“The Old Madam said at the time that what she left was for Young Madam’s dowry, and it could only be opened with Young Madam’s matching token,” the woman said neither urgently nor angrily, keeping her head lowered and speaking dully.

Another woman scoffed with laughter.

“Lady Dong, I know what you’re thinking. You’ve heard that Young Madam’s illness seems to have improved these days, so your mind has become active,” a woman said with sarcastic amusement. “But it’s also possible that this time when the household made clothes, they simply forgot Young Madam’s. Perhaps Young Madam will get angry and come to the storehouse with her matching token to select fabrics, clothes, and jewelry…”

Everyone laughed, but the woman still kept her head lowered without speaking, as if she were deaf and mute. After everyone mocked her for a while and she remained unresponsive, they lost interest and dispersed.

In early July, there was finally definite news about the Prince’s return home.

“Just as Madam predicted, the Prince declined all the social obligations along the way at various prefectures and is determined to return before the fifteenth,” Nanny Su said while wiping her tears.

The young servant who had read the Prince’s letter was rewarded with a large sum of money by Madam Xie and sent away.

Madam Xie was emotionally excited and somewhat restless.

“I need to go see how the room preparations are going. Cheng-ge doesn’t like those flowers and plants, and he doesn’t like red and green decorations either. We can’t have him feeling annoyed the moment he enters the house…” she said.

Nanny Su smiled and pressed her to sit down.

“Madam, please don’t worry. The people preparing the Prince’s room are all those who grew up with the Prince. How could they not know this?” she smiled.

Madam Xie then exhaled and sat properly.

“I wonder if he’s gotten dark or thin…” she finally couldn’t help but gently dab her tears with a handkerchief.

Nanny Su accompanied her in expressing sentiment, and after saying many comforting words, things improved.

“Has that woman made any moves recently?” Madam Xie asked, collecting her composure.

“Not really. She’s been very obedient. Following your instructions, we sent a physician to check on her, asking if she was well. She hasn’t even left her room, saying she’s still not well and doesn’t want to see people,” Nanny Su said.

Madam Xie gave a cold laugh.

“She’s being this sensible? Indeed, she’s become clever…” she said. “Send word down for me to keep a close watch. Once she harbors thoughts she shouldn’t have…”

As she spoke, her expression darkened.

“…She’s been ill long enough…”

Nanny Su couldn’t help but shiver and lowered her head in acknowledgment.

“Madam, the rocks have been purchased and are being installed in the Prince’s courtyard. Madam, would you like to go take a look?” the senior maid A’Luan lifted the curtain and entered, smiling.

The atmosphere in the room immediately became cheerful.

“Let’s go take a look. The Marquis personally selected these for the Prince…” Madam Xie smiled, standing up with Nanny Su’s support.

As soon as she left, a large crowd of servant women and maids followed. Maids naturally went to inform the concubines and young ladies, so halfway there they encountered quite a few more people. By the time they reached the Prince’s courtyard, it was packed with people, even more than the workers.

A’Ru stood at the kitchen courtyard gate feeling that there were unusually few people today. Except for a few rough-work maids, there wasn’t a single person she could speak to. Having been out for half a day already, she had no choice but to grab a little maid who had just run over.

“Where have all the nannies gone?” she asked.

The little maid rolled her eyes at her.

“They’re all busy. Come back another day,” she said.

“I’ve come several times already. How can they be so busy? Not a single person to be seen,” A’Ru asked, suppressing her anger.

“I don’t manage the distribution of rations. Sister, don’t take your anger out on me. You can only bully me anyway,” the little maid rolled her eyes and snorted, breaking free from her grasp and running away.

A’Ru stamped her feet in frustration and had no choice but to continue waiting. Finally, she saw four or five servant women approaching while chatting and laughing.

“Nanny, can our Qiu Tong Courtyard’s rations today possibly…” she hurried over to ask.

Before she could finish, she was interrupted by one of the servant women.

“Wait a little longer, young lady. We’re really busy today. We’ll send them tomorrow when we have time,” she said.

Busy? So busy that no one was seen for half a day? A’Ru took a deep breath.

“If the nannies could spare some time…” she said again in a low voice.

“What time? Where is there time? We all just went to the Prince’s courtyard. Madam is happy and wants to host a banquet in the young master’s courtyard. With so many people, we can’t even manage to prepare the food properly. What, should we go tell the higher-ups to prepare yours first? Don’t delay the important matters of your Qiu Tong Courtyard?” This servant woman interrupted her with a mocking smile.

A’Ru lowered her head.

“Naturally Madam’s matters are more important. I, I’ll come again tomorrow,” she said, turning to leave.

“Tomorrow we probably won’t have time either. Don’t waste your trips, young lady. We naturally remember and will send them when we have time…” the servant woman called out loudly from behind.

“A day or two… it’s not like anyone will starve to death…”

“Exactly… it’s not like she hasn’t gone hungry before… with that background…”

Mocking laughter erupted from behind. A’Ru quickened her pace, not slowing down until she reached the vicinity of Qiu Tong Courtyard. Her expression was gloomy as she carried the empty basket, feeling powerless all over.

Just as Young Madam had said, the pressure targeting them was getting tighter and tighter. It seemed they were trying every possible way to find fault with them. Was the purpose of finding fault to find another reason to confine them?

Having performed the wedding ceremony but not consummated the marriage, separated for three years after that – there wasn’t much conjugal affection to begin with. With the mother-in-law being so displeased, what would happen in the future? Would this retreat and submissive behavior make Madam look upon them slightly more favorably, avoiding being sent away on some pretext to be kept at some manor…

She brooded over these thoughts, walking absentmindedly, when suddenly someone ran up from behind.

“Sister Caijuan asked me to give this to you,” a voice said.

A’Ru was startled, and when she looked again, the person had already run away. It was a little maid, and beside her feet was a basket full of rice, flour, vegetables, and meat.

“Hey!” A’Ru hurried to call out to her. “Who gave this to me?”

The little maid stopped in the distance, turned back, cupped her hands around her mouth, and mouthed something.

Third Young Master…

A’Ru couldn’t help but be stunned. When she came back to her senses, the little maid had run far away.

She looked down at the basket with a complex expression. After hesitating for a moment, she still picked it up.

“You got them today,” A’Hao hurried over to take it as she entered the door. Seeing what was in her hands, she smiled happily.

A’Ru hesitated for a moment but still didn’t mention Third Young Master, just nodded and gave a vague “mm.”

A’Hao had already taken it over and was looking through it.

“Young Madam, there’s even a bottle of wine…” she called happily toward the room.

Qi Yue came out smiling.

“That’s wonderful. Tonight we’ll make some small dishes and drink some wine. How delightful,” she smiled.

“What shall we stir-fry?” A’Hao’s eyes lit up at the mention of food.

“Let me take a look,” Qi Yue also came over and looked through the things in the basket. “There’s chicken. Let’s make a chicken casserole. This time we have chili peppers, so it’ll definitely be authentic… and then a light vegetable stir-fry…”

“Young Madam, could you make one with less chili but still just as delicious…”

Watching these master and servant enthusiastically discuss food and drink, A’Ru felt somewhat torn between laughter and tears.

“Young Madam, the Prince will be home on the fifteenth…” she couldn’t help but say.

“Oh… what does this wine taste like… ah, what did you say?” Qi Yue asked.

“The Prince will be home on the fifteenth,” A’Ru said, looking at her.

Qi Yue made an “oh” sound.

“How truly congratulatory,” she said, then smiled again. “Then we need to add another dish tonight to celebrate.”

“Yes, yes! I want to eat candied yam…” A’Hao clapped her hands and laughed.