“Yaoyao, you are my only sister. As for Song Yue, what right does she have to live in Yuehua Pavilion?” Song Hengchuan declared, “Yaoyao, you should go back now. I know what I’m doing!”
“But…”
“Enough, say no more. Hurry back.” Song Hengchuan had already made up his mind.
Seeing that she had achieved her goal, Song Yao knew when to stop. Before leaving, she said, “Big brother, you must take care of your health. Mother and I enduring a little hardship is nothing.”
The more she spoke like this, the more Song Hengchuan detested Song Yue.
Before Song Yue returned, the family had been harmonious and everything was fine.
It was all Song Yue’s fault!
“Achoo!” Song Yue rubbed the tip of her nose and sneezed. She shrugged it off, unconcerned. With Ling guarding Yuhan Courtyard, she felt quite at ease.
After several days of turmoil, she could finally rest.
“Someone!”
A maid pushed the door open and entered. There were two young maids—one with a round face who looked cheerful, and another who was very timid, shrinking back as she looked at Song Yue.
Song Yue recognized the round-faced maid. Her name was Yundong. In her previous life, Yundong had also followed her, protecting her. Unfortunately, her end had been tragic—falsely accused of theft and beaten to death with a cane.
“Young Miss,” Yundong stepped forward.
“Prepare water. I want to bathe,” she said.
Yundong nodded.
Soon, hot water for bathing was prepared next door. She immersed herself in the hot water, relieving much of her fatigue.
Suddenly, a faint sob came from behind her. Frowning, she turned to see Yundong with reddened eyes.
“Why are you crying?” she asked, amused.
Yundong gathered her courage and said, “Young Miss must have suffered greatly in the villa. The scars on your body are all old wounds, and your hands are covered in calluses and chilblains—rougher than the hands of the coarse maids in the laundry room.”
Song Yue lowered her head to look. It was true.
Apart from her face, which was still presentable, her hair was dry and yellowish, her body covered in whip marks and bruises, layer upon layer of blue and purple. Her hands were indeed a pitiful sight.
“Young Miss, all those hardships are behind you now. From now on, you will enjoy good fortune,” Yundong comforted her.
Enjoy good fortune?
Song Yue smiled. She did not expect to enjoy good fortune. As long as she could send her enemies one by one to hell, she would die without regret!
That night, Song Yue slept soundly.
In her dream, she saw an extremely beautiful woman who gently and pityingly said to her, “Yue’er.”
Some had sweet dreams, while others spent a sleepless night.
The next day, she woke before dawn.
“Young Miss, it’s time to pay respects to the Grand Madam,” Yundong reminded her.
The Duke of Jing’s Mansion prided itself on being a great family, placing great emphasis on rules. The younger generation had to pay respects to the Grand Madam every day, and sometimes the Grand Madam would keep them for breakfast.
In her previous life, the Grand Madam had found her disgraceful and foolish, exempting her from paying respects.
She only saw her once a month.
That was after returning from paying respects to the Emperor of Beichu. The Grand Madam would summon her and meticulously ask what had been discussed in the palace and how she had responded.
She would even ask whether the Emperor of Beichu had smiled and what expression he had worn.
After questioning her, she would be dismissed.
Song Yue got up and glanced at the empty jewelry box and wardrobe. She sneered. They had prepared nothing for her—had they calculated that she wouldn’t need anything?
They didn’t even bother with superficial gestures anymore.
Since the Duke of Jing’s Mansion had no shame, why should she uphold it?
She put on the plain clothes from the day before. Yundong skillfully styled her hair into twin buns, with nothing adorning them. Yundong’s eyes reddened with heartache. “Young Miss is about the same age as Second Young Miss, yet you don’t even have decent clothes or jewelry.”
Second Miss could go a month without changing her jewelry, and her clothes were always the latest styles in Jingdu City, with Yunjin Su embroidery in every design.
Song Yue was unimpressed. “Let’s go pay respects to Zu Mu.”
By the time she arrived, Ning’an Tang was already filled with many people.
Before she entered, there was cheerful laughter and conversation, but the moment she appeared, the atmosphere plummeted. Everyone’s gaze fell upon her—disdain, mockery, fear, displeasure…
Song Yue walked in calmly and curtsied to Grand Madam. “Greetings, Grandmother.”
Grand Madam’s eyes fixed on Song Yue, her brow furrowing. Despite the delicate features on the thin, sallow little face, she looked like a beggar from head to toe.
Yuan Fuling’s eyelids twitched, and she quickly said, “Mother, yesterday was too rushed. I have already prepared clothes and jewelry for Song Yue and will send them to Yuhan Courtyard shortly.”
Grand Madam remained silent, her expression heavy. Clothes were understandable—there were no measurements—but jewelry didn’t require sizing, and Song Yue had none on her.
“I recall Second Miss had several new outfits made a few days ago. Bring them for Third Miss to change into first,” Grand Madam ordered.
Song Yue blinked at Grand Madam. “Thank you, Grandmother.”
Looking at Song Yue’s frail, thin frame, a wave of pity welled up from deep within Grand Madam, and she sighed helplessly.
Song Yue followed the maid to a side room to change, completely ignoring Song Yao’s expression, which seemed ready to devour her, and left humming a cheerful tune.
It was only when she saw the clothes that Song Yue understood why Song Yao was so furious.
There were three sets of clothes: pale white, goose yellow, and crimson red—all made of Shu embroidery, exquisitely crafted to the touch.
“Poor Second Miss waited months for these outfits, but Third Miss is truly fortunate,” a servant woman muttered regretfully.
Song Yue recognized her—Mama Wang, who served Grand Madam. She was cunning and loved to take advantage, having long been bribed by Yuan Fuling.
That was why she was speaking up for Song Yao.
Song Yue didn’t have much of a grudge against Mama Wang—just a dozen slaps or so.
“Tsk, tsk, forcefully taking what isn’t yours is useless,” Mama Wang said with a hint of schadenfreude.
Song Yue lowered her head and glanced at the noticeably loose clothes—the shoulders sagged, the hem dragged on the ground, and the waist was a fist’s width too wide.
Song Yao had been raised plump and was half a head taller than Song Yue. Song Yue, who had suffered from hunger for years, was shorter than her peers and had a gaunt figure. Wearing clothes tailored for Song Yao, she looked loose and somewhat comical.
“What a pity, such fine clothes don’t fit,” Song Yue said regretfully.
Mama Wang roughly tugged at the clothes. “These are Second Miss’s clothes. Only someone as fairy-like as Second Miss deserves to wear them. Someone as coarse as you isn’t fit to compete with her!”
If Mama Wang had known what happened in Yuhan Courtyard last night, she wouldn’t have dared speak to Song Yue like this even with three times the courage.
Grand Madam had ordered that no one mention the events of the previous night.
So, Mama Wang was unaware and assumed that a discarded child raised in a Villa outside since childhood wouldn’t dare do anything to her, even if humiliated.
“Mama Wang…” Yundong couldn’t stand it and stepped in front of Song Yue. “How can you insult the young miss? She is the master.”
Mama Wang glanced at Yundong and raised her hand, ready to teach her a lesson.
Song Yue swiftly seized Mama Wang’s wrist, her gaze as if laced with venom: “Whether I am worthy or not is not for a servant like you to decide!”
Mama Wang was startled by the ferocity in Song Yue’s eyes, then rubbed her own eyes, silently chiding herself for overthinking—what presence could a country girl possibly have?
“Even if you are the mistress, you are nothing but a discarded piece, having lost your virtue and destined to be abandoned. Let me advise you: do not offend Second Miss and the Madam, or your end will be miserable,” Mama Wang said indignantly.
Song Yue tightened her grip, then suddenly pricked up her ears upon hearing someone outside announce the arrival of the Eighth Prince. The corner of her mouth lifted—truly punctual.
She released her hand, stepped back two paces, and addressed Mama Wang: “What Mama Wang says is absolutely right. Someone like me is indeed unworthy of competing with Sister Yao.”
She quickly shed her outer garment, changed back into the clothes she had worn earlier, and resumed her drab, unremarkable appearance.
Seeing this, Mama Wang assumed she was afraid and grew even more smug.
Slap!
Song Yue raised her hand and struck herself hard across the face.
The sound was so sharp that both Mama Wang and Yundong were stunned.
Song Yue curled her lips, covered her cheek, and tears came on cue. Before leaving, she cast a glance at Mama Wang as if looking at a dead woman.
Before the two could react, she turned and ran out.