Old Madam’s Hall of Eternal Longevity was located in the southeast of the estate.
It enjoyed ample sunlight and occupied a sizable area.
The courtyard was planted with numerous pomegranate and persimmon trees, symbolizing a house full of descendants and the fulfillment of wishes.
At this moment, as the sun set in the west, the fading light cast a crimson-orange glow, as if gilding everything from above.
Under the corridor outside the hall stood two matrons in embroidered jackets, while three or four young maids gathered around a plump cat in the corner, teasing it.
Though called teasing, it was more like serving a master by keeping it entertained.
When they saw Old Madam’s senior maid leading a delicate young lady over, the two matrons couldn’t help but size her up.
The maid leading the way was Qiu Hua. She turned to look at Su Tan and said, “Follow me.”
“Yes.”
As soon as she stepped onto the stairs, she heard cheerful laughter from inside the room.
The playful voices of young ladies, the steady tones of matrons, and the mellow, composed laughter of an elderly woman.
The threshold of the main room was high, and her skirt rustled softly as it swept over it.
A rich but not overpowering scent of sandalwood wafted toward her.
Su Tan lowered her head slightly and followed Qiu Hua’s steps, keeping her gaze fixed ahead.
From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the elegantly arranged furnishings in the room, a harmonious blend of simplicity and opulence.
As the two entered, the lively chatter gradually quieted.
Qiu Hua stepped forward to report, “Old Madam, Madam, Nian Tang has been summoned.”
Su Tan immediately knelt and performed a formal greeting, neither subservient nor arrogant, saying, “Nian Tang pays her respects to Old Madam and Madam.”
In an instant, several pairs of eyes fell upon her like arrows.
Though Su Tan knelt with her head bowed, she could feel their gazes even without looking up.
From directly above her came the sound of a teacup being lifted, its lid lightly brushing the rim three times—a gesture of appreciation before sipping, a ritual of savoring the aroma and tasting the tea.
Old Madam took a sip and remarked leisurely, “This year’s Junshan Silver Needle tea is quite astringent. After all, it comes from a land of wild mists and miasmas—hardly fit for drinking.”
With that, she casually set the teacup aside, its saucer clattering sharply against the table.
Immediately afterward, Madam Cui turned to a maid and scolded, “Such lowly tea should not be served in the future.”
This was a deliberate disregard of Su Tan’s greeting, forcing her to remain kneeling.
Born in a land of wild mists and miasmas, unworthy of attention—Old Madam and Madam Shen clearly held her in utter contempt.
The onlookers watched with keen interest, enjoying the spectacle.
Su Tan felt a pang of resentment in her heart, but she showed no sign of it on her face, maintaining her respectful posture and raising her voice.
“Nian Tang pays her respects to Old Madam and Madam.”
A greeting need not be repeated more than three times, and she had done nothing wrong.
But she also knew that Shen Xiuwang had punished Nanny Sun and a servant from Old Madam’s courtyard.
This grudge would be taken out on her.
If she remained respectful, their anger might be vented more smoothly.
If she showed disrespect, their resentment might never be fully appeased.
A maid served fresh tea, and everyone savored it slowly.
The standoff lasted for a while longer. Su Tan’s knees ached from kneeling, yet her back remained straight and unwavering.
Only then did Old Madam set down her teacup and speak, her eyes lowered.
“Lift your head. Let me see you.”
“Yes.”
After keeping her head bowed for so long, Su Tan finally straightened her neck.
As everyone in the room scrutinized her, she calmly observed their expressions and appearances.
Old Madam, seated at the head of the room, had graying temples but a spirited demeanor.
She sat in a rosewood armchair carved with auspicious cloud patterns, backed by a large screen adorned with the Eight Treasures of Ruyi.
To Old Madam’s right was an elegant and dignified beauty, her bearing evident in her eyes and brows—this was Shen Xiuwang’s mother, Madam Cui.
Madam Cui’s expression showed no particular change, but her chin was slightly raised, and the handkerchief clenched in her palm was slightly wrinkled.
She despised her.
Beneath the beautiful woman sat three young ladies in a row—one in pink, charming and adorable; one in white, pure and elegant; and one in green, modest and delicate.
These must be the three visiting young misses.
Their gazes toward her varied, their youth making it difficult to conceal their true feelings.
To the left of the Old Madam sat a young man with a face like jade and eyes as dark as lacquer. He was slender and carried a strong scholarly air.
He appeared not yet to have come of age.
For a moment, Su Tan couldn’t guess his identity.
Not that it mattered.
With just a few glances, the skill in reading people she had honed over the years was enough to steady her heart.
Being disliked was the norm, just as fate had never favored her. Su Tan was used to it.
The Old Madam and Madam Cui, seated at the head of the room, lowered their eyes to scrutinize her.
The young woman kneeling below had a graceful figure and outstanding beauty—a natural temptress.
Yet her eyes were clear, showing not a hint of impurity.
No wonder Wang’er was so protective of her.
Though they knew their grandson’s temperament was unrestrained, he was by no means one to lose himself in frivolity or be easily bewitched.
Even if they detested the woman’s background, they couldn’t simply drive her out now.
Wang’er’s temperament could not be slighted.
The Old Madam lifted her drooping eyelids and looked at Su Tan, speaking, “Since you have entered my Jingning Marquis Estate, there are certain rules you must remember.”
“First, in the inner household, it is most taboo to favor concubines over the wife.”
“Wang’er has not yet taken a proper wife, so he absolutely must not take a concubine first. Even a bedmaid must be kept discreet.”
Su Tan nodded calmly, “This servant understands. Nian Tang knows her lowly status and harbors no presumptuous thoughts of clinging to the young master. To be able to serve as a maid, secure a place to live, and have enough to eat is already a blessing for which I am deeply grateful.”
As for concubines or bedmaids, she would avoid them at all costs.
Shen Xiuwang could marry whomever he pleased and take whomever he fancied.
Perhaps one day, with a beloved wife by his side and beautiful concubines accompanying him, he might be so pleased that he would grant her freedom.
Hearing this, the three young misses exchanged silent glances.
The Old Madam snorted coldly and continued, “Second, the Marquis’s Mansion is no ordinary place.”
“All the tricks and seductive methods you learned outside must be forgotten completely.”
“Nanny Jiang from Pine Crane Garden will teach you the rules anew. If you dare to lead the Second Young Master astray, beware of your skin.”
Su Tan sighed inwardly and bowed her head in acknowledgment.
Her submissive demeanor was quite obedient. As the saying goes, one does not strike a smiling face. The Old Madam said no more after finishing her words.
She turned her head to Madam Cui, “You are, after all, Wang’er’s mother. It is fitting for you to instruct his maid further.”
“Yes.”
Madam Cui’s beautiful eyes swept over Su Tan from head to toe. After a moment, she spoke with displeasure, “Wang’er has been pampered since childhood. Every drink and bite of food must be exquisite.”
“After drinking, he requires Four-Dissipation Soup. For morning meals, seasonal fresh vegetables are a must.”
“Tonight, he is attending a banquet at the palace, and there will inevitably be more banquets in the future. Each time he returns to the mansion, Four-Dissipation Soup must be prepared and kept warm.”
“There is a vegetable garden in the estate. In spring, Wang’er enjoys wolfberry sprouts, Chinese toon, Indian lettuce, and alfalfa.”
“These vegetables are best picked after midnight, following the first morning dew. A moment too early or too late, and the tenderness will be lacking.”
“Each day should bring a different variety, and every meal must be fresh and tender.”
She raised her hand to smooth the hairpin by her temple and said casually, “For now, you may start with these two tasks. There will be plenty more in the future.”
With these two matters lightly mentioned, Su Tan made a rough calculation.
Preparing the ingredients and simmering the Four-Dissipation Soup would take at least three hours. After serving Shen Xiuwang the sobering soup and ensuring he slept, it would be nearly the hour of Hai.
The vegetable garden in the estate was a full two li away from Pine Crane Garden. Rushing there to wait for the first morning dew after midnight, picking enough fresh vegetables, then returning to soak and remove their bitterness.
Finally, it would be handed over to the cook for preparation.
This night, she likely wouldn’t have even half a ke to rest her head on a pillow.
Working during the day, rushing about at night.
A soft knife grinding one down—truly formidable.
If she dared utter a single word of refusal—well, how dare she be unwilling to serve her masters? That would be exactly what they wanted.
She’d probably be thrown out on the spot.
If it weren’t for that business with Yang Qian, being thrown out would be exactly what she wished for. But now, she couldn’t.
Su Tan lowered her head and respectfully assented once more.
The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly stifling.
The elegant young man seated to Old Madam’s left cast a brief glance at Su Tan, then turned to Old Madam, playfully tugging at her sleeve.
He said with a smile, “Grandmother, your grandson must beg for your fine wine today. Isn’t it time to serve the meal?”
The old woman pinched his cheek, teasing, “You greedy little monkey. Your grandmother knew you were returning from the Imperial College today and specially ordered your favorite dishes prepared.”
Madam Cui held a handkerchief, dabbing the tea stains from her lips. Watching the interaction between grandmother and grandson, she turned her face away with a look of disdain.
Coldly, she barked at Su Tan kneeling below, “Why aren’t you leaving? Behave yourself.”
“Yes.”
Having knelt since entering, Su Tan finally rose, supporting her painfully swollen knees, and withdrew from the Hall of Eternal Longevity.
The sky had darkened completely.
The night wind swept against her, sending a chill through her back and the front of her robe.
She bent over to brush the thin dust from her knees and skirt, her elongated, slender shadow on the ground moving in sync with her.
Never leaving, never abandoning.
The girl waved at her shadow, and the shadow responded with equal enthusiasm.
She curved her lips, silently saying to herself:
Su Tan, you’ve endured days far more bitter and difficult than this. What are these little trials now?
She lifted her head to gaze at the crescent moon, obscured by a mass of dark gray clouds in the night sky.
The wind flowed, thinning the clouds gradually, allowing a soft, melting moonlight to seep through the gaps.
There would surely come a day when the clouds parted and the moon shone bright.
Su Tan exhaled heavily, releasing the pent-up turbid air, and walked with light steps toward Pine Crane Garden.