After the Fifth Young Miss Shen left, Su Tan took a cursory look around the room she was in.
It was much larger than the one she had lived in before.
The tables, chairs, cabinets, desks, candlesticks, incense burners, and even the dressing table were not overly luxurious or extravagant, but they were proper and well-arranged.
Even the bed she slept on was more spacious and comfortable.
Voices came from outside, and four maids with graceful figures and lovely faces entered one after another.
Xiang Zhu briefly introduced them to her, and that was considered a preliminary acquaintance.
Upon learning that they were all senior maids from Shen Xiuwang’s quarters, Su Tan was not surprised.
Those who served the Grand Commandant Shen were bound to be exceptional.
In such a household, it was not unusual for even ten maids to attend to him, let alone four.
You Luo handed her the medicinal soup and said calmly, “Drink the medicine. If it cools any further, it will lose its potency.”
“Thank you.”
Su Tan reached out to take it. The dark brown medicinal liquid was held in a white porcelain bowl, and even before bringing it to her lips, the bitter scent wafted into her nose.
She tilted her head back and drank it all in one go, not even frowning at the end.
While she drank the medicine, the others secretly observed her.
Last night, she had been unconscious and covered in blood from head to toe, so they could only tell she had a decent appearance.
Now that she was awake, sitting upright before them, every movement was as gentle as jade and as delicate as a flower, with an elegant grace in her eyes and brows.
The four of them couldn’t help but stare in awe.
Su Tan set down the porcelain bowl and looked up, noticing their scrutinizing gazes.
She swallowed the lingering bitterness in her mouth and pursed her lips slightly.
Xiang Zhu, being the most mature, was the first to regain her composure. She took the medicine bowl and smiled at her, saying, “Rest for a while, miss. We won’t disturb you any further.”
“If you need anything, just call out toward the window. There are maids and servants in the courtyard, and my room is next door.”
Su Tan nodded.
Being new here, all she could do was comply and keep her ears and eyes open.
Shen Xiuwang must have placed her in a maid’s room, which was just as well—it wouldn’t draw too much attention.
The room returned to silence, and she slowly let out a breath.
After dozing off in a daze, she suddenly heard a clamor of voices from the main courtyard ahead, along with the sounds of people coming and going, carrying things, which lasted for two or three hours.
Outside the corridor, some curious servants were chatting.
“Just now, the reception of the imperial decree up front was quite lively. A whole crowd of people came from the palace.”
“The young master has achieved another great merit this time. The gold, silver, and treasures bestowed by His Majesty are almost overflowing. Steward Zhong is busy again, directing people to open a new storeroom!”
“Old Madam’s Hall of Eternal Longevity and Madam’s Xunlan Garden received a whole round of rewards. Even those who just said auspicious words were given gold leaves.”
“Hey, why are we in a hurry? When the young master returns from the palace, our Pine Crane Garden will receive even more rewards.”
Listening to their brief exchange, Su Tan understood.
It seemed that Shen Xiuwang’s severe injury to Yang Qian last night had already been settled before the emperor, with the matter now closed and forgotten.
Just two words—Qu County—were enough to silence the current prime minister.
To strike a snake, one must hit its vital spot. The Grand Commandant Shen’s methods were indeed shrewd.
Su Tan couldn’t help but sigh, tucking the personal deed she kept close to her body back under the pillow.
As long as Yang Qian remained alive, Prime Minister Yang, unable to defeat the Grand Commandant Shen, would vent his anger on her.
Right now, if she were to step out of the Shen residence, she would likely be captured and killed by the Yang family in no time.
For now, she could only stay by Shen Xiuwang’s side and wait for a better opportunity.
That small thought of escaping was extinguished before it could even ignite.
At noon and in the evening, meals were brought by Xiang Zhu—two dishes and a soup, light and nourishing.
From her, Su Tan learned that the Fifth Young Miss who treated her injuries had been specifically summoned by Shen Xiuwang.
The physicians in the residence were all men, making it inconvenient to treat such intimate wounds.
She asked curiously, “How is the Fifth Miss so well-versed in medicine at such a young age?”
Xiang Zhu smiled and replied, “The Fifth Miss is the daughter of Concubine He. Concubine He was once the only daughter of a rural physician and taught her a great deal of medical knowledge.”
“Although studying medicine isn’t exactly the proper pursuit for a noble young lady, she truly loves it. In the manor, the ones who support her most are the Eldest Miss and the Second Young Master.”
“Though she is a concubine-born daughter, the Eldest Miss and the Second Young Master have always looked out for her. Rare medical texts, ancient books, and precious herbs are sent to Jinyuan Garden in a steady stream, and no one in the manor dares to slight her.”
Su Tan nodded silently.
No wonder the Fifth Miss was so lively and endearing. Though born of a concubine, she was protected by her elder sister and brother and could focus wholeheartedly on studying what she loved.
She had once heard that the Eldest Miss of the Shen Manor was the foremost talented lady in the capital, of noble birth, gentle and kind-hearted.
It seemed that Shen Xiuwang’s touch of kindness beneath his pride came from his elder sister. He truly was protective of his own, not just an arrogant, spoiled noble.
In the evening, lying on the couch, Su Tan turned her head to gaze at the flickering candlelight on the table, feeling utterly bored.
She wished she could hurry back. It had already been a full day since she last fed it, and leaving it alone in the building made her uneasy.
There was also her wooden box of important items. Though the things inside weren’t valuable, they held all her cherished memories.
She took another dose of medicine in the evening, feeling a burning heat in her stomach and a parched throat.
The teapot was on the table nearby.
Su Tan propped herself up with her arms, placed her left foot on the ground, and hopped on one foot toward the table.
Such a small matter wasn’t worth troubling others.
Xiang Zhu and the others were Shen Xiuwang’s maids, not hers.
Summoning them at will and dismissing them just as easily would only breed resentment over time.
Her mouth was unbearably dry. Su Tan gave up on the effort of bending down to sit and simply leaned against the table, poured a full cup of tea, and drank it.
After just two sips, she heard a series of knocks—tap, tap, tap—from behind her.
She turned slightly and saw a figure leaning against the half-open door.
Standing against the light, his tall frame blocked the bright moonlight outside.
His luxurious purple robe gave him an air of elegance and grace.
The candlelight illuminated his face, and a pair of phoenix eyes held a leisurely smile.
How had this person appeared without making a sound?
Su Tan was startled, choked on her tea, and hastily set down the cup to bow. “My lord.”
The girl, with her right foot half-suspended, looked rather comical. She wore only a thin inner garment, her dark hair loosely cascading down to her waist.
Shen Xiuwang approached and casually sat on a round stool, glancing at her with a slight lift of his chin. “Spare the formalities. From now on, address me as Young Master in the manor.”
From now on in the manor.
It seemed he truly intended to keep her here.
Everything was fate, and nothing was within her control.
She replied softly, “Yes.”
Only after bowing did Su Tan suddenly realize she had come down for water wearing only her inner garment—truly improper.
She hopped on one foot toward the couch, intending to grab an outer robe to put on.
The room was warm, so she wasn’t cold, but she wanted to cover herself.
Shen Xiuwang rested his elbow on the table, propping his chin with one hand as he watched her leisurely. “Sit down. Don’t trouble yourself. It’s not as if I haven’t seen it before.”
Su Tan froze mid-hop as she turned.
That night half a month ago—not only had he seen, but he had touched and kissed every part of her body…
Her cheeks flushed with heat.
She lowered her head timidly, shuffled to the round stool, and sat down, not daring to meet his gaze.
Shen Xiuwang had spoken casually, but after the words left his mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
He cleared his throat and asked, “Has your injury improved?”
“Much better, thank you for your concern, young master.”
Shen Xiuwang furrowed his long brows, pondering briefly. “The name Mei Wu is not suitable. It would be inappropriate to use such a flowery name in the household.”
“What is your original name?”
Su Tan was taken aback, raising her eyes to look at him.
Shen Xiuwang: “What’s the matter? Unwilling to serve as a maid?”
Becoming a maid was already a settled matter, and Su Tan naturally had no grounds to refuse.
But when he asked for her original name, she was reluctant to reveal it.
Su Tan—”Tan” referred to the sandalwood tree, a deciduous hardwood known for its sturdy texture and fragrant scent, which could be crafted into countless objects without losing its essence.
To bear the name her parents had carefully chosen for her while serving as a slave felt deeply unsettling.
This was her only remaining connection and her bottom line.
Su Tan lowered her gaze and replied, “Young master, you see clearly. I am an orphan, with only vague memories of the past. I do not know my original name or where I come from.”
She truly had no memories of her former self.
Hearing this, Shen Xiuwang pondered for a moment. “Very well. I see your contract doesn’t list a proper name either.”
He lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, thinking for a moment. “In that case, from now on, you shall be called Nian Tang. Once your injuries have healed, you will serve in my quarters.”
The spring crabapple blossoms that night had indeed left a lingering impression.
“Nian Tang.”
Su Tan repeated the two words silently, bowing her head in gratitude.
Xiang Zhu, Xiang Song, You Luo, Yu Huai, and now Nian Tang—it seemed she had joined the mainstream.
Shen Xiuwang stood up, about to leave when he remembered one more thing. He took a small jar from his sleeve and handed it to her.
“Here, your little turtle.”
A glass jar the size of a fist was placed before her, with a small brown turtle leisurely paddling inside.
Su Tan’s eyes widened instantly, cradling the jar as if she had recovered a lost treasure.
“Kuai Kuai!”
The young woman struggled to sit up and thanked him. “Thank you, young master. I thought I would never see it again.”
Her eyes crinkled with joy, her peach-blossom eyes curving into crescents.
Shen Xiuwang looked down at her, wondering how a little turtle could be treated as such a treasure.
And she had even named it Kuai Kuai?
Everyone knew turtles were the slowest of creatures.
Yet she was peculiar.
He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips as he left on his own.
It seemed those old trinkets from the building couldn’t be thrown away just yet. He would have Chang Feng bring them back for her another day.