A-Man and A-Qiao were so excited about the next day’s events that they couldn’t sleep soundly all night. The next morning, they both had dark circles under their eyes.
Jiang Si, however, was refreshed and neatly dressed as she went to Cixin Hall to pay her respects.
Old Madam Feng hadn’t slept well either.
As people age, they naturally become light sleepers. When something weighs on their mind, it becomes even harder to sleep. Moreover, since having that dream, she had been feeling a constant, dull pain in her left eye.
Seeing Jiang Si’s rosy cheeks, like a dew-kissed rose, Old Madam Feng felt a wave of displeasure.
If it weren’t for this girl’s antics last night, she wouldn’t have tossed and turned all night like a pancake being flipped.
Just a little girl, and already she was using her dowry to negotiate terms. Wouldn’t she be impossible to control in the future?
Old Madam Feng had made up her mind to teach Jiang Si a lesson later, but for now, she showed no sign of it on her face.
Second Madam Xiao, accompanied by her two concubine-born daughters, had arrived even earlier than Jiang Si. Seeing Jiang Si’s radiant beauty, she felt even more displeased. However, thinking of the message she had sent to Old Woman Liu through her trusted servant last night, her lips curled into a smile.
There would be a spectacle to watch soon. She wanted to see how Jiang Si would handle it!
“Alright, you may all leave now,” Old Madam Feng said, picking up her tea.
Madam Xiao led Fifth Miss Jiang Li and Sixth Miss Jiang Pei to bid farewell. Third Madam Guo also stood up with Third Miss Jiang Qiao.
As they filed out, Jiang Si, being the youngest, naturally walked at the back of the group despite being from the eldest branch.
The young lady walking beside Third Madam Guo suddenly turned her head and raised her eyebrows at Jiang Si, with a somewhat challenging look.
Jiang Si looked at Jiang Qiao and sighed inwardly.
The Earl of Dongping’s household was divided into three branches. Third Master Jiang was a son born of a concubine and usually kept a low profile. Third Madam Guo, as the wife of a concubine’s son, also spoke little in public. Only their daughter, Jiang Qiao, was lively and talkative.
This wasn’t surprising. Although Third Master Jiang was born of a concubine, he only had one son and one daughter. Jiang Qiao had grown up pampered.
However, the pampered Jiang Qiao had never gotten along with Jiang Si.
Among the six young ladies of the Earl’s family, these two were the same age, with Jiang Qiao being a few months older than Jiang Si. While it was common for children close in age to be at odds, the tension between them stemmed from the engagement with the Duke of An’guo’s family.
When the landslide occurred, it was Jiang Ancheng and Third Master Jiang who saved the Duke of An’guo together. When the Duke’s family sought to marry a daughter from the Earl of Dongping’s family, the engagement fell to Jiang Si.
Jiang Qiao, being a few months older than Jiang Si, naturally felt slighted. To make matters worse, Jiang Si at that time was sharp-tongued and unyielding. During one quarrel, she had retorted: “Well, it’s not like your father is the Earl, is it?”
That single sentence had made Jiang Qiao completely turn against her. From then on, she didn’t even bother to maintain a facade of harmony when she saw Jiang Si.
But Jiang Si always remembered that when she became a widow less than a year after marrying into the Duke of An’guo’s family, after enduring countless whispers and gossip, she had braced herself for Jiang Qiao’s mockery.
Instead, Jiang Qiao, who had never shown her a kind face, hugged her.
Thinking of this, Jiang Si gave Jiang Qiao a bright smile.
Jiang Qiao was stunned.
The usually aloof Jiang Si was smiling at her. Not a cold smile, not a sneer, but a normal, friendly smile?
There must be some scheme behind this!
Jiang Qiao’s expression tensed, and she quickly averted her gaze. Not wanting to lose face, she walked behind Third Madam Guo with her head held high.
As the group stepped out of Cixin Hall’s courtyard gate, a figure suddenly rushed towards them.
It happened so suddenly that everyone was momentarily stunned, frozen in place.
The figure was charging towards Jiang Si. A-Man, who was behind Jiang Si, swiftly kicked out and landed gracefully.
The figure fell prostrate at Jiang Si’s feet, face bearing the imprint of a shoe, and looked up pleadingly, “Fourth Miss, I beg you to have mercy. Please spare this old servant’s family. This old servant kowtows to you—”
Only then did everyone recognize the figure as Old Woman Liu.
With all three branches present, the looks directed at Jiang Si instantly became complex.
There are no secrets in this world. After Jiang Si’s commotion last night, everyone in the household had heard rumors.
Jiang Si coldly watched Old Woman Liu kneeling and begging at her feet, without saying a word.
“Fourth Miss, this old servant was blinded by greed and foolishly offended you. Please be magnanimous and forgive this old servant like passing gas. This old servant knows her mistake and will never dare to do it again—” Old Woman Liu raised her hands and began slapping her face, quickly turning her face into a swollen mess.
Apart from those who had just come out of Cixin Hall, the passing servants all quietly stopped to watch the spectacle, whispering among themselves.
“Old Woman Liu is quite pitiful, isn’t she?”
“Yes, although Old Woman Liu made a mistake, sending her whole family to the countryside is too harsh.”
…
Servants naturally formed a collective, and regardless of how Old Woman Liu usually behaved, seeing her entire family being sent away like this evoked a sense of shared misfortune.
“If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll tear your mouths!” A-Man angrily threatened.
A flash of satisfaction crossed Second Madam Xiao’s eyes. The frustration she had been holding in all night was finally finding an outlet.
With Old Woman Liu causing such a scene, regardless of the reason, Jiang Si would gain a reputation for cruelty among the servants. Once this reputation spread, it would be difficult for her to have a good marriage.
What could be a better retaliation than ruining a young woman’s prospects for a good marriage?
Old Woman Liu’s wails were earth-shattering, even attracting the attention of the maids in Cixin Hall who peeked out to see what was happening.
“What’s going on?” Old Madam Feng, who had been resting her eyes, suddenly opened them and asked A-Fu, “What’s all the commotion outside?”
A-Fu hurried out to investigate and soon returned to report, “Old Woman Liu has come running here for some reason and is crying, begging Fourth Miss for mercy.”
Old Madam Feng pondered for a moment, then extended her hand, saying, “Help me go take a look.”
“Madam, the Old Madam is coming out,” the servant woman standing beside Second Madam Xiao whispered.
Xiao raised her eyebrows slightly.
It was perfect timing for the Old Madam to come out. After witnessing this farce, she would surely be even more annoyed with that stubborn girl Jiang Si.
Old Woman Liu noticed Old Madam Feng coming out and quickly glanced at Madam Xiao.
Xiao gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Old Woman Liu suddenly stood up, crying out, “Since Fourth Miss won’t forgive this old servant, I have no choice but to atone with my life. I only hope Fourth Miss will spare my family—”
As she spoke, Old Woman Liu lowered her head and rushed towards the courtyard wall.
“Ah—” Many people closed their eyes in fear, but instead of the expected scream of pain, an eerie silence fell.
When people opened their eyes, they saw A-Man’s foot stepping on Old Woman Liu’s skirt hem. Old Woman Liu was sprawled on the ground in an extremely undignified position, revealing her torn undergarments.
After the shocking silence, laughter erupted. Someone quipped, “Old Woman Liu sure is thrifty!”
The laughter grew louder.
A-Man still didn’t lift her foot, looking down at Old Woman Liu with a cold smile, “If you want to die, couldn’t you find a crooked tree somewhere quietly? Are you going to take responsibility if you scare our Miss?”
This old turtle, no wonder the Miss had instructed her to keep a close eye on her if she appeared. She was planning to cause trouble.