It was early summer, and the warm breeze was growing stronger. The weather became hotter with each passing day.
Jiang Xuening carried a bamboo basket on her back as she moved through the mulberry grove with the other farm women, picking the last batch of tender mulberry leaves.
The summer heat had warmed her cheeks until they were flushed. She was hot and thirsty, but she did not slow the movements of her hands. She only wanted to finish picking as quickly as possible so she could return sooner. Her mother must have already prepared some sweet cooling drink for her.
“Sixth Miss, Sixth Miss…”
The steward of the Mulberry Garden’s voice came from somewhere beyond the layers of mulberry leaves.
Jiang Xuening answered, but did not stop working. Only when the steward appeared before her, drenched in sweat, did she pause for a moment.
“What does the steward need me for?”
“Good news, Sixth Miss!” The steward clapped his hands excitedly. “People from the residence have come. They said they are here to take you and Concubine Su back.”
“Huh?”
Jiang Xuening was stunned for quite a while before asking, “Who came?”
“Steward Zhao from the residence, along with Nanny Zhang, who serves Madam Zhou. They came together to take the two of you back.”
Seeing that she was still dazed, the steward assumed she was simply too overjoyed for words. He removed the bamboo basket from her back and urged her, “Your hard days are finally over. Sixth Miss, hurry back…”
Hard days?
Jiang Xuening did not see it that way.
Although she had to work every day and lived a simple, austere life here, the land was vast and open, with mountains and rivers all around her. More importantly, she could stay with her mother every day. She was already very content.
Once she returned to the Jiang Residence, she would be confined to the inner courtyard. Not only that, she would have to lower her head, endure grievances, and live cautiously.
Jiang Xuening did not want to return, but this was not something she could decide for herself.
In the end, she and her mother still boarded the carriage back to the Jiang Residence.
The carriage left the bumpy dirt road and turned onto the smooth official road, rumbling toward the Capital City.
Jiang Xuening leaned against her mother’s shoulder, looking dejected.
“I really don’t want to go back.”
Her mother took her hand and gently stroked the thin calluses on it. Her heart ached for her, yet she was helpless.
“Ning’er, don’t be afraid. Since they are willing to bring us back, it means they have already decided not to pursue what happened back then. After we return, you can properly apologize. They shouldn’t make things difficult for you…”
At the mention of what had happened that year, Jiang Xuening’s heart sank even further.
She had been six years old at the time. She had accidentally witnessed Concubine Xia, who had been spoiled and arrogant because of the favor she received, bullying her mother. In a fit of anger, she had rushed forward and pushed Concubine Xia.
Concubine Xia had fallen to the ground from the force of the push. Holding her slightly protruding belly, she had cried out in pain.
Jiang Xuening had not known that Concubine Xia was already four months pregnant. Because of that push, the pregnancy had been disturbed. Although the physician had come to treat her for many days, he had still been unable to save the fetus in her womb.
Concubine Xia had miscarried.
She had heard that it had been a boy.
After causing such a disaster, Concubine Xia had once demanded that Jiang Xuening pay with her life. Fortunately, the grandmother at Shou’an Hall had stepped forward and saved her.
The death penalty could be avoided, but punishment was unavoidable. As a warning, Jiang Xuening had been sent to a rural estate to reflect on her actions. She had also been required to work alongside the people there to atone for the offense she had committed.
Her mother had also been punished under the family rules for failing to educate her daughter properly and had accompanied her to the estate.
For the past ten years, mother and daughter had relied on each other. They had almost forgotten about their home in the Capital City.
Neither of them had expected the Jiang family to suddenly send people to bring them back today.
“Mother, do you want to go back?”
Jiang Xuening’s birth mother was surnamed Su and named Ye. She had been born into a family of mulberry-picking women. She was beautiful but not particularly clever. She had neither talent nor the ability to compete for favor, and life in the residence had never been easy for her.
Naturally, Madam Su had no attachment whatsoever to that place.
“Mother doesn’t want to go back either, but what else can we do?”
She then reminded her daughter, “After we return, you must call me Concubine. Do not call me ‘Mother’ anymore, or you might displease the Madam.”
“I know.”
…
The sun had already begun to set. Brilliant rays of evening light melted into the horizon as the carriage slowly came to a stop before the vermilion gates.
Jiang Xuening helped her mother down from the carriage. When she looked up, she saw a huge plaque hanging above the residence gate. Three imposing characters were written across it: “Zhongcheng Residence.”
She still remembered that when she and her mother had been driven out of the family home ten years ago, the plaque had only borne the words “Jiang Residence.”
She had never expected that ten years later, the Jiang family would have already moved into a new residence, and that her grandfather had even risen to the position of Chief Censor, becoming one of the Nine Ministers. The family’s prestige was now far beyond what it had been back then.
Steward Zhao and Nanny Zhang led the mother and daughter through a side entrance.
Afterward, Nanny Zhang went to Madam Zhou’s courtyard to report their arrival, leaving them behind. Steward Zhao, meanwhile, led them toward the western side courtyard.
They passed through a connecting hall and followed a winding covered corridor for quite some time before finally stopping outside a small courtyard surrounded by luxuriant flowers and trees.
The words “Magnolia Courtyard” were written across the entrance.
Steward Zhao raised his hand in invitation.
“Concubine Su, Sixth Miss, please.”
Jiang Xuening followed her mother into Magnolia Courtyard.
The courtyard was not particularly spacious, but it could barely be considered elegant. Apart from a magnolia tree growing in one corner, there were only a few ordinary flowers and plants.
Two maids were already standing respectfully in the courtyard. When they saw the mother and daughter enter, they stepped forward, bowed, and introduced themselves.
“This servant is Chunlan…”
“This servant is Xiamo…”
“Greetings, Concubine Su and Sixth Miss.”
Jiang Xuening had not been treated like a mistress for a very long time, and for a moment, she felt somewhat dazed.
Although the people at the estate also called her “Sixth Miss,” there had never been even the slightest hint of flattery in their tone or expressions. Sometimes, there had even been a trace of teasing, as though they were secretly mocking her for possessing the title of a daughter from a prestigious family yet having to work hard every day just like them, the servants.
Her mother seemed just as uncomfortable.
However, Madam Su was ultimately steadier than her daughter. After being stunned for only a moment, she composed herself and instructed the two maids to prepare hot water and bathing supplies. They would wash and freshen up before going to pay their respects to Madam Zhou and the Old Madam.
…
“My Ning’er is so pretty…”
After bathing, Jiang Xuening changed out of her coarse clothes and put on the outfit her mother had chosen for her.
She wore a sky-blue jacket over a lotus-colored pleated skirt. Both were in light, understated shades.
Her loose strands of hair had been smoothed down with water and arranged into a simple yet elegant cloud-like coiffure. A pearl hairpin adorned her hair, and she wore no other jewelry.
Her entire appearance could be described as extremely simple, yet the clean and refreshing attire accentuated her clear features, making her seem as though jade itself had blossomed with radiance.
Her mother had also changed into a dignified and appropriate outfit. She had applied a little rouge to her somewhat pale face, making her complexion look healthier.
“Let’s go.”
She followed her mother out of Magnolia Courtyard. Under Maid Chunlan’s guidance, they first went to Begonia Courtyard to pay their respects to Madam Zhou.
Madam Zhou, her legal mother, was no longer young, but because she had taken good care of herself, her appearance remained gentle and graceful. Her skin was smooth and delicate, without the slightest trace of fatigue.
In contrast, Madam Su was clearly much younger than her, yet after ten years of raising silkworms and weaving cloth at the rural estate, working hard day and night, her appearance had long since lost its former beauty. A few fine lines had also appeared at the corners of her eyes.
The mother and daughter only stayed for a short while before taking their leave and heading to Lingchun Courtyard to see the Old Madam.
The Old Madam was just as stern and solemn as Jiang Xuening remembered.
When she brought up what had happened all those years ago, she still did not forget to reprimand Jiang Xuening for having been reckless in her youth. She instructed her to be cautious with her words and actions in the future and warned her not to act willfully or recklessly again.
After leaving her grandmother’s courtyard, her mother tentatively asked, “Why don’t you go to Concubine Xia’s courtyard and apologize as well? After all, you’ll have to see each other often in the future…”
Jiang Xuening refused without the slightest hesitation.
“I did nothing to wrong her. The only person I owe an apology to is the child who never had the chance to be born.”