First Madame suddenly looked up at the young girl before her. Her face was still pale, but her dark eyes were remarkably bright.
“What did you just call me?”
“Mother!”
First Madame was stunned for a moment, then, once she realized what had happened, she was overjoyed and grasped the girl’s hand tightly.
“Good child, why are your hands so cold… Danfeng, hurry and fetch a cloak for Second Miss…”
Nanny Qiu was also very satisfied with Jiang Sihe’s change of address. Although First Madame didn’t mind, if she kept calling her “First Madame” while First Madame addressed herself that way, it still sounded awkward.
Hearing this, Danfeng hurried off to fetch a cloak. First Madame grasped Jiang Sihe’s arm firmly. “Mother will help you back to bed…”
When Danfeng brought the cloak over, First Madame glanced at it. “What material is this?”
“To answer Madame, this is a cloak that was made for Eldest Miss when the Second Branch had clothes made a few days ago. Eldest Miss didn’t select it, so this servant found it in the storeroom…”
First Madame frowned immediately upon hearing this and shook her head. “Jinlan, go and bring that bolt of Moonlight Brocade of mine to make Second Miss a new cloak…”
“Yes!”
Jinlan hesitated for a moment before nodding in acknowledgment.
Everyone else, including Nanny Qiu, couldn’t help but be astonished. That Moonlight Brocade was a reward First Madame’s mother had received from the palace a few days ago. Only one bolt had been sent to First Madame—how could she simply give the entire bolt to Second Miss for a cloak…
“You there, your only task right now is to rest and recover. Look at this little face—too thin, and not much flesh on your bones either. That simply won’t do…”
As First Madame said these words, her fingers gently brushed against the calloused palm of Jiang Sihe’s hand, and she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
How had Concubine Ruan raised her daughter? Such a delicate, lovely young girl—how had she been raised so roughly?
“Nanny Qiu, give that bottle of Peach Blossom Floral Dew to Danfeng, and have her apply it to Second Miss’s hands every morning and evening!”
Nanny Qiu acknowledged and turned to fetch the floral dew.
“Mother, truly, there’s no need. I…”
“Silly child, you’re young, so naturally you don’t understand the importance of care. A woman’s hands are her second face—they also require careful nurturing…”
Jiang Sihe found it hard to refuse, so she could only accept all of First Madame’s kindness.
First Madame surveyed the room, thought for a moment, then raised her hand to summon Jinsu.
“How can Second Miss manage with only Danfeng by her side? Look at which maid in our courtyard is the most meticulous, and transfer her to serve Second Miss…”
Danfeng’s fingers, which were tying the cloak’s ribbon for Jiang Sihe, paused briefly.
Jiang Sihe noticed her reaction and subtly lowered her gaze.
Jinsu thought for a moment, then said, “Danfeng is two years older than Second Miss and more steady. How about having Xiuyue, who is the same age as Second Miss, come over? She has a lively, lovely disposition—I think she’ll win Second Miss’s favor!”
“Xiuyue…” First Madame furrowed her brows in thought. Xiuyue was the granddaughter of a nanny First Madame had brought from the Minister’s residence. Though young, she was thorough in her work, and her disposition was indeed livelier.
“Then let Danfeng and Xiuyue serve Second Miss as her personal maids, and also select a few young maids to serve her both inside and outside the rooms…”
“Yes, Madame. This servant will personally make the selections tomorrow!”
First Madame nodded. “Once you’ve chosen them, let Second Miss meet them herself to see if they suit her liking…”
“Thank you, Mother. I’m sorry to trouble you!”
Each call of “Mother” brought immense comfort to First Madame, who had longed for a child for so many years, and her gaze toward Jiang Sihe grew even softer.
…
Later in the evening, Nanny Qiu delivered two bottles of floral dew.
Danfeng was meticulous by nature. Taking the floral dew from Nanny Qiu, she said to Jiang Sihe, “Second Miss, since you’re currently taking medicine, this servant will ask the physician tomorrow whether this floral dew can be used. Once confirmed, I’ll apply it for you…”
The entire day had passed without Jiang Sihe having to exert herself physically, but it had still drained her mentally. Lying on the golden-thread nanmu canopy bed, stroking the smooth, embroidered thin quilt, and gazing at the moon-white gauze curtains hanging from the bed, she felt somewhat dazed. Was all of this real?
From now on, she would no longer be that poor little thing who thought only about how to fill her stomach every day.
…
Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Jiang Sihe heard low voices speaking outside the bed curtains.
“Xiuyue, the young miss hasn’t woken yet…”
Danfeng’s voice was kept very low, afraid of disturbing her mistress in bed.
“Then I’ll go brew the young miss’s medicine!”
This voice was somewhat unfamiliar. Jiang Sihe guessed it should be Xiuyue, the one First Madame had mentioned last night.
“Danfeng, has Xiuyue arrived?”
Jiang Sihe also wanted to meet Xiuyue, so she asked softly.
“Second Miss is awake?”
The bed curtains were drawn open from outside, and morning light spilled in. Jiang Sihe was momentarily dazzled by the light and squinted slightly.
Danfeng noticed this and quickly shifted her body to block the beam of light.
“This servant Xiuyue pays respects to Second Miss!”
The crisp voice was very pleasant to hear. Once Jiang Sihe’s eyes adjusted to the light outside, she looked over.
The young maid before her had a pleasing appearance—a pair of smiling eyes that carried a hint of mirth even without speaking. She did indeed look lively and endearing.
“No need for such formality. Rise quickly!”
Seeing Xiuyue kneeling on the ground, Jiang Sihe quickly told her to rise.
Danfeng had already helped Jiang Sihe sit up and thoughtfully draped a cloak over her.
Though summer had arrived, the morning breeze still carried a chill.
Jiang Sihe smiled and nodded at Danfeng.
“The Second Miss is truly beautiful…”
Xiuyue couldn’t help murmuring softly as she stood up.
Danfeng couldn’t help glancing at Xiuyue, who immediately realized she had overstepped her bounds.
But Jiang Sihe just pursed her lips and smiled. She was bare-faced right now, her complexion not at all good, and yet this girl still praised her for being beautiful.
“Miss, this servant just spoke out of turn. I simply felt that your beauty is different from the other young ladies…”
Jiang Sihe couldn’t help asking her: “How is it different?”
“It’s just that there’s a kind of serene beauty that shouldn’t belong to someone of the Second Miss’s age…”
Jiang Sihe was stunned. The girl’s words reminded her—she really was a bit too mature for her age. It seemed she would need to be more careful in the future.
She gave a playful smile: “Then if I were to put on some makeup, would I be even prettier…”
Her childish words made the two maidservants laugh despite themselves.
“Of course. Once the Second Miss has recovered from her injuries, this servant will do your makeup and make you the most beautiful young lady in the capital…”
After chatting with them for a while, she felt herself gradually recovering some of the innocence befitting her age.
The days spent recovering at Chunhua Ge could be said to be Jiang Sihe’s most peaceful days. Morning and evening, maidservants attended to her, her food and clothing were all of the finest quality, and she was cared for with floral dew each day.
The calluses on her hands, formed from years of rough work at the detached estate, slowly faded away, and her fingers became slender and fair.
…
Meanwhile, at the detached estate, Jiang Jingshu found all the chores falling on her shoulders now that her elder sister was gone.
At dawn, she used all her strength to haul a bucket of water up from the courtyard well, but before she could steady it, the blisters on her palms throbbed with pain and she let go—the water she had just drawn splashed back down into the well with a plop.
Jiang Jingshu spread her fingers and looked at the bleeding blisters, unable to help sucking in a sharp breath.
It hurt terribly. These tasks should have been her sister’s. They had fallen to her only because her sister, greedy for wealth and glory, had lost sight of her true self—and now she had to do all this…