Zhou Congxian glanced back, "Don't mind her."
Song Jiyun smiled faintly but still said magnanimously, "Niangzi Jiang has served you for several years after all. Brother Congxian, this seems rather unkind."
Zhou Congxian's mind flashed back to her humble posture under the moonlight on the night of the Shangsi Festival.
"She's not that kind of unreasonable person."
Hearing him speak kindly of another woman, Song Jiyun felt a flicker of displeasure in her heart.
But the thought lasted only a moment.
She would be the legitimate wife in the future, and she was the direct descendant of the Song family.
A maid purchased through a contract, merely a plaything, wasn't worth her attention.
Zhou Congxian escorted Song Jiyun back to the Song residence.
They happened to meet Song Yitang going out. He watched as his sister dismounted from Zhou Congxian's horse, her face glowing with happiness.
"Such intimate behavior in public is improper!"
Song Jiyun lifted her chin, "The Zhou and Song families have already discussed the marriage. I'd like to see who dares to gossip!"
Song Yitang knew his sister had been spoiled rotten. He turned to Zhou Congxian, "My sister may be immature, but surely Young Lord Zhou should know better?"
Zhou Congxian dismounted, "Yes, Congxian acknowledges his mistake. It was just an urgent situation this time."
"Brother, you must have official duties to attend to. You should hurry along!"
Before he could say another word, his sister pushed him onto the carriage.
Song Jiyun wouldn't let her brother expose her scheme.
Zhou Congxian said, "I'll accompany you to see your mother."
"No need!" Song Jiyun pointed her handkerchief toward her brother's already distant carriage.
"My brother has gone to his post, so mother must be fine."
"Thank you for escorting me back today, Brother Congxian. Another day, I'll invite you and Qingmei to our home for tea and flower viewing!"
Song Jiyun ran into the residence. Her personal maid Zisu approached, "Miss, what if Young Lord Zhou finds out we deceived him…"
"So what?" Song Jiyun said indifferently. "The Duchess still hasn't given up. In a few days, she's holding some tedious tea banquet, still hoping to make Li Ruoshuang her daughter-in-law."
"Today, riding through the busy streets with Brother Congxian, I wanted to tell everyone—including my future mother-in-law—that Zhou Congxian can only marry me!"
Song Jiyun recalled what Zhou Congxian had said earlier.
She gritted her teeth and snorted lightly, "That lowly concubine…"
"Brother Congxian actually spoke up for her! She climbed into his bed at such a young age—no wonder Brother Congxian has such a big child now!"
"Miss…" Zisu's heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble.
Song Jiyun casually plucked a magnolia flower. Squinting at the pure white blossom, she said, "If she stays quietly hidden in some corner, I might generously spare her life."
"But if she dares to think she can claim a place in Brother Congxian's heart…"
She left the sentence unfinished, but the freshly picked magnolia was already crushed beneath her shoe.
Zisu lowered her head, not daring to speak further.
On Xuanwu Street, the sound of hoofbeats faded into the distance.
Jiang Shiyao stood by the roadside, watching the rapidly disappearing figure.
Suddenly, she smiled bitterly.
The year she was pregnant with Fu'er, the entire household was staying at the Dongshan estate to escape the summer heat.
The estate had a Green Plum Forest, where all the household's green plum wine was made from the plums grown there.
There were also several mulberry trees in the forest, and the mulberries were just turning purple-red at that time.
Jiang Shiyao had eaten her fill alone under the trees.
When Mingyu finally found her with an impatient expression, she realized she had been out for over two hours.
She had eaten too much, and with her large belly, she walked in stops and starts. When she came out, she hadn't realized the woods were this far, but on the way back, it felt endless.
Mingyu grew impatient with her slow pace and ran ahead alone.
Just then, Zhou Congxian appeared leading his horse. "What are you doing here?"
Startled, she stepped back, her heel hitting a stone hidden in the grass. Losing her balance, she nearly fell.
Zhou Congxian grabbed her arm. "Have you no consideration for your condition?"
In that moment, Jiang Shiyao twisted her ankle.
Cradling her belly, she whispered softly, "This… this humble one has sprained her ankle. Could the Young Lord escort me back?"
Zhou Congxian frowned at her foot, then turned and walked away.
"Young Lord?" Jiang Shiyao was bewildered. Was he going to abandon her here?
"Chitu won't allow anyone else to ride him. I'll send someone to fetch you."
Zhou Congxian led his horse away. She waited until dusk, the mulberries in her stomach long digested.
Neither Zhou Congxian nor anyone sent to fetch her arrived.
In the end, she hobbled back alone.
But now she understood—Chitu simply wouldn't allow her to ride him.
The distant figure had faded from view before Jiang Shiyao blinked back her tears.
When Shuangjiang returned, her eyes held unconcealed shyness.
Jiang Shiyao remarked, "Young Lady Shuangjiang took quite long. I thought you had already returned to the estate."
Shuangjiang's heart skipped a beat, but when she looked up, she saw nothing unusual on Niangzi Jiang's face.
Guiltily averting her gaze, she stammered, "This maid… this maid had to wait in a long queue!"
Jiang Shiyao nodded understandingly. "So that's why. I nearly misunderstood you."
"By the way, I've already spoken with the shopkeeper. From now on, we'll purchase all our silk threads here."
"All here?" Shuangjiang's eyes widened slightly.
The shopkeeper's wife added, "Our shop can also deliver to your residence."
Shuangjiang glanced at Niangzi Jiang and the shopkeeper's wife, pressing her lips together.
Back at the estate, she reported Niangzi Jiang's words to Gao Mama.
Gao Mama pondered thoughtfully. "I understand. You may go now."
The side room in the small courtyard had been converted into an embroidery studio.
On wooden racks stood rows of brilliantly colored silk threads—perhaps more vibrant than all the colors under heaven.
Jiang Shiyao sat before the embroidery frame, her fingers flying skillfully.
Fu'er tiptoed quietly inside, sunlight casting a long shadow of the little girl behind her.
The elongated shadow fell across the embroidery frame. Jiang Shiyao watched the shifting shadow at her fingertips, her eyes curving into smiles, but she didn't move.
When the child drew near, she suddenly turned and scooped her up.
"Ah!—Giggle-giggle!"
The little girl shrieked in surprise before dissolving into giggles in her mother's arms.
Jiang Shiyao kissed her daughter. "Where's Shuangjiang?"
Fu'er's round almond eyes glistened with moisture. "Sister Shuangjiang just came back."
Lowering her voice, the child cupped her tiny hands around her mouth, looking mysteriously conspiratorial. "Sister Shuangjiang found silver!"
Jiang Shiyao's eyebrows lifted slightly. "You saw it?"
Fu'er shook her little head. "I saw her smile! Just like when Mother counts silver!"
Jiang Shiyao chuckled. "Don't tell anyone, or Sister Shuangjiang will be sad."
"Mother needn't worry! Fu'er knows how to move… move gold!"
"Move gold?" Jiang Shiyao tapped her small nose. "You mean 'a promise is a promise'."
When Shuangjiang entered, mother and daughter were at the embroidery frame, with Jiang Shiyao teaching Fu'er how to split silk threads.
Threads finer than strands of hair—so delicate that a single sneeze could make them vanish.
This was Nanny Chang's exceptional skill. Back when so many young girls in the estate learned from her, she taught it exclusively to Jiang Shiyao.
Jiang Shiyao set her daughter down. "Embroidery strains the eyes too much. My Fu'er need only live joyfully in this life."
Shuangjiang stepped forward to hold Fu'er's small hand. "Mistress, Miss Mingyu has come."
Jiang Shiyao looked up and through the window saw Mingyu standing at the courtyard gate with lowered head.
So she was still in the estate.
Of course—Mingyu was born of house servants. Her parents had accompanied Lady Zhao, the Duchess, as part of her dowry. Though her mother was now stationed at a manor estate, they still held some slight favor in Lady Zhao's eyes.
The moment Mingyu entered, she fell to her knees weeping. "Mistress, I beg you to save this maid!"
Jiang Shiyao sat in the host's position, holding a bowl of light tea.
Her tone was resigned. "Mingyu, you're putting me in a difficult position."
Mingyu belonged to the Duchess, yet now she'd been humiliated by Old Madam's people. The Duchess likely wouldn't wish to see her now either.
A second-tier maid whom no household in the estate would accept—what awaited her was either hard labor in the back courtyards or banishment to the manor estates like her mother.
Mingyu now regretted having gone to complain on her own accord.
"Mistress, please consider that I've served you and the young miss for over four years! Please put in a good word for me!"
Jiang Shiyao sighed. "Mingyu, don't make this hard for me. How could I plead for you? And to whom could I possibly appeal?"
Mingyu straightened urgently. "Gao Mama! Just say a few kind words to Gao Mama!"
"You're after all the Young Lord's companion—Gao Mama wouldn't refuse you this courtesy!"
Jiang Shiyao looked perplexed. "Why appeal to Gao Mama?"
"I recall your mother came with the Lady as dowry, and you served in the Young Lord's courtyard for three years. Wouldn't begging the Lady be more appropriate?"
Mingyu faltered. If she could seek the Lady's help, why would she be desperate enough to come here?
Jiang Shiyao continued as if to herself, "It's not that I'm unwilling to help. You know when I first arrived, I was beneath the lowest maid. What standing do I have to plead for anyone?"
"Truth be told, how am I any different from you?"
Hearing this, Mingyu swallowed the words she meant to say.
She remembered how Jiang Shiyao had first entered the estate—not even fit to hold her shoes!
It was only by climbing into the Young Lord's bed that she gained status.
Mingyu was the one the Lady had prepared as the Young Lord's chamber maid, but Jiang Shiyao with her better luck had seized the opportunity first and even borne a child.
If she could have won the Young Lord's favor, not just Gao Mama but even Old Madam wouldn't dare cross her now.
Watching the shifting emotions on Mingyu's face, Jiang Shiyao's lips curved in an almost imperceptible smile.
She took a sip of tea, murmuring as if in reflection, "This spring's newly delivered tea—perfectly roasted."
"Mingyu, though I can't help you otherwise, I can spare some of this new tea for you."
Mingyu withdrew her gaze and slowly stood. "No need. Keep it for yourself, Mistress. This maid will obtain her own new tea."
Mingyu departed.
Unlike her sorrowful arrival, her retreating figure carried a hint of delight.
Shuangjiang emerged from the inner chamber with Fu'er.
"Mistress, Mingyu was punished by Gao Mama precisely for betraying her mistress to seek favor. How could she have the nerve to beg you?"
Jiang Shiyao smiled faintly. "We all live under the same sky. None of us has it easy."
Shuangjiang's lips trembled slightly as she recalled Gao Mama's warning never to be deceived by Niangzi Jiang's fragile appearance.
"When the Young Lord's courtyard was filled with so many young women and none succeeded, only she managed to conceive and was directly elevated to concubine. She is no simple woman."
Though Gao Mama's words echoed in her mind, the Niangzi Jiang before her was gently rebraiding Fu'er's loosened hair, appearing completely unaffected by whether Mingyu had betrayed her master.
Unconsciously, Shuangjiang began defending Jiang Shiyao in her heart.
Perhaps after witnessing so much inner-household strife, the Young Lord simply preferred someone uncomplicated.