Xia Zhiyu picked up the gauze and lightly covered her mouth, forcing back a yawn that had not yet had the chance to escape. She stared blankly at the sky in the distance, where the first pale hint of dawn had just appeared, and secretly rolled her eyes.
Heaven knew what kind of good person had to start classes before daylight.
Yes, she had just finished her morning lesson. Although she was standing upright, her brain was still lying down.
She had almost forgotten to mention that she had caught the last train of transmigration and crossed over into a dynasty that had never been recorded in history, Qiyuan. In one blink, she had gone from being an ordinary modern day wage slave to becoming the legitimate second daughter of the Yueyang Marquis’s Residence.
How should she put it? It sounded wonderful, but reality was a whole different kind of wonderful.
When Xia Zhiyu had first transmigrated, she had remained remarkably calm.
After all, she had been reading novels since elementary school. She understood transmigration.
According to the usual plot, the next thing that should happen was the appearance of a system. It would assign her missions and give her some special advantage. Alternatively, the transmigration bureau’s system might tell her inside her mind that this world was actually a book, and that the storyline had changed. She would then need to complete missions to alter the fates of the protagonists, supporting characters, passersby, villains, and various other characters.
She had waited full of confidence.
Who would have thought that she would wait for an entire month and receive absolutely nothing? During that month, she got nothing except her regular morning lessons, midday lessons, and evening lessons, not one of which was ever skipped.
Xia Zhiyu could only feel that the transmigration deity had singled her out.
Everyone else arrived fully armed and equipped for battle, so how come when it was her turn, she was sent out with nothing but light equipment?
She had not been given even a single useful item.
For the entire month, she had gotten up at four every morning to wash and dress, then gone to pay her respects to her grandmother at five sharp. Early each morning, her legs turned into windmills as she crossed half of the Marquis’s Residence just to say good morning.
What could she do? Xia Zhiyu could neither resist nor refuse, so she could only curse under her breath.
What a bunch of lunatics.
Of course, that was not the end of it. After paying her respects, she had to hurry across another half of the residence to attend her morning lessons in the study.
Countless times, Xia Zhiyu had silently questioned the heavens.
Every novel she had ever read clearly said that the young ladies attended their lessons after breakfast. Why was she required to finish her lessons before she could eat?
What was even worse was that the morning lessons were torturous. She had to sit with the young ladies from the various branches of the family and listen to their female tutor teach everything from Confucian classics to poetry and literature. At any moment, she also had to be prepared to be called upon to recite the Four Books and Five Classics in front of everyone.
It was practically hell for an introvert.
If anyone asked what use there was in studying all these things, the answer was that they were meant to give her good manners and a solid cultural foundation when she eventually married.
Fortunately, there were still a few little joys in her life after transmigrating, such as right now.
【The coachman said that the Eldest Young Master went to Huanfeng Tower again today. I wonder when the Eldest Young Madam will find out.】
Xia Zhiyu: Oh, wow. I heard Huanfeng Tower is a male brothel. I never expected my eldest brother to be gay. And he even deceived someone into marrying him?
【The niece of the Third Madam’s sister in law’s daughter is marrying the Fourth Cousin of the youngest daughter of the Sun family from the western part of the city. She has broken out in pimples all over her face recently.
What are they going to do if they do not clear up before the wedding?】
Xia Zhiyu: This… who is related to whom again? But do they not cover their heads during the wedding anyway? What was that song lyric? Once the lights are turned off, everyone looks the same.
【Why has Old Madam’s bad breath gotten worse and worse? I almost threw up just standing there for a while earlier. Fortunately, Old Madam sent me over to Second Miss…】
Xia Zhiyu: …I did not particularly want to hear that either.
Listening to the endless stream of gossip in her ears, Xia Zhiyu comforted herself.
Who said she had no special advantage? Was this not a special advantage?
It was just a little useless.
She herself had never figured out exactly how this special ability worked.
She could hear people’s thoughts, but she could only hear the thoughts of one person. She had tested it before. Only she could hear this person’s thoughts. No one else could.
The person whose thoughts she could hear was an old maidservant in the residence, Mama Hua.
The first time Xia Zhiyu heard Mama Hua’s thoughts, she had been frightened and amused at the same time. She had thought that this was finally the special advantage that had arrived late.
But when she eagerly ran out of the courtyard to listen to other people’s thoughts, she strained her ears until they hurt and still never heard another person’s thoughts.
After a whole week of this, she finally accepted reality.
Her special ability was extremely limited. She could only hear Mama Hua’s thoughts, and there was also a distance restriction.
As for Mama Hua, she had originally been one of the old servants who served Xia Zhiyu’s grandmother. It was only after Xia Zhiyu had fallen seriously ill a month ago that her grandmother sent Mama Hua over to take care of her granddaughter.
Mama Hua’s full name was Hua Shao. She was exactly like her name suggested, a woman of few words. Her way of doing things was the kind where she was ruthless but did not waste words. She wore a stern expression all day long, and the vertical lines between her brows looked capable of crushing any mosquito that happened to fly past. There were very few maids or servants in the residence who were not afraid of her.
Yet this very woman, if not for the fact that Xia Zhiyu could hear her thoughts, would never have been suspected of being capable of putting on an entire theatrical performance all by herself.
Mama Hua, who looked as fearsome as a Rakshasa, relied on her information network among servants throughout the various residences of the capital. Every day, she was like a crow in a melon patch, quietly rushing around to feast on gossip.
The first time Xia Zhiyu heard Mama Hua’s thoughts, she had truly been startled.
At the time, she had been kneeling in the ancestral hall as punishment.
Apart from Mama Hua, there had been no one else around.
Heaven knew how horrifying it was for a coquettish voice to suddenly ring out in an empty ancestral hall.
Her first reaction had been that the ancestors of the Xia family had manifested themselves from the ancestral tablets.
In her shock, she had instantly stood up and wanted to run outside, but the moment she turned around, she heard Mama Hua’s stern reprimand at the exact same time as that coquettish voice inside her head.
She had stood there in a daze for a long while before finally realizing that the voice…
Had actually been Mama Hua’s thoughts.
“Second Miss, breakfast is ready.”
Xia Zhiyu sat at the dining table and looked at the breakfast spread before her. Even her tongue had begun to taste slightly bitter.
Her father, the Yueyang Marquis, held a third rank official position.
As his legitimate daughter, she still had quite a variety of breakfast dishes every day. There were nourishing soups and delicate pastries, but plain congee with side dishes, steamed dumplings, and steamed buns were the eternal mainstays.
She was from Sichuan and Shu!
Yet this era did not even have chili peppers!
【Second Miss has started staring into space again. She really is such a dull girl. No wonder she is not as favored as Third Miss.】
Xia Zhiyu had not even swallowed her last mouthful of congee when Mama Hua’s thoughts nearly made her choke.
She picked up the gauze and dabbed the corner of her mouth, then looked up at Mama Hua with a kind smile.
“Mama Hua, I am finished eating. Is there anything planned for today?”
If she had not been afraid that being too different from the original owner’s personality would make everyone think she was possessed and burn her to death, she would have driven this old maid out long ago.
Xia Zhiyu cursed this sharp tongued old maid from head to toe in her heart.
In the end, she could only silently clench her fist and make a resolution.
She would go later and take the private savings Mama Hua had hidden beneath the third stone beside the little pond in the garden.
She would not leave her a single coin!
“To answer Second Miss, after breakfast, you may return to your room and rest for half an hour. This morning, Green Willow from Third Miss’s side came over with a message. Third Miss has invited you to the reception hall at the hour of Chen to jointly receive Second Miss Song from the residence of Lord Song, the Minister of War.”
Mama Hua lowered her eyes and spoke with an almost imperceptible trace of disdain.
Xia Zhiyu acted as though she had noticed nothing.
“Understood. Thank you for your trouble, Mama Hua.”
The reception hall.
A girl dressed in a pale yellow skirt enthusiastically welcomed Xia Zhiyu as she stepped into the hall.
“Second Sister, you are finally here. Wanru heard that you had been ill, so I came especially to visit you. I have been waiting here for you for such a long time. Look, all these medicinal herbs were brought by Wanru especially to help nourish your health.”
She had a delicate and pretty face, with features as beautiful as a painting and graceful willow shaped brows. Unfortunately, her cheekbones were slightly high, and when she spoke to people, she habitually lifted her chin, revealing a distinct air of arrogance.
She was the third daughter of the Yueyang Marquis’s Residence, born to a concubine, Xia Zhiyu’s younger sister, Xia Zhijin.
After Xia Zhijin finished her performance, the girl in the pink dress sitting in the seat of honor continued smoothly.
“Zhiyu, come and sit here. It is windy today, so do not catch a chill. Have some hot tea first.”
Xia Zhiyu looked coldly at the two women taking the stage one after another, her eyes keenly examining them.
The girl in pink had a lovely and delicate appearance, with a little baby fat on her cheeks. Her lips naturally puckered, making her look tender and charming without seeming affected.
But no matter how innocent someone’s appearance was, how many truly harmless people were there in a household filled with women fighting for position?
Xia Zhiyu was not genuinely a naive fool. She had not left the residence once during the past month, and her illness had happened a month ago.
She had never seen this so-called Wanru come to visit her.
The daughter of the Minister of War had come under the banner of visiting her illness, yet had learned about her condition through other people in the residence.
Even a fool would know that this was a fox coming to pay respects to a chicken.
Xia Zhiyu’s eyes swept over the medicinal herbs Song Wanru had brought. She almost laughed from anger.
They were nothing but cheap things such as goji berries, atractylodes, and plantain herbs. The only remotely valuable item was a ginseng root that was not even as thick as a finger.
These people really took her for a fool. They could not even be bothered to make their deception look convincing.
A cold laugh passed through Xia Zhiyu’s heart, but she deliberately put on a delighted expression.
“Thank you for coming especially to visit me, Wanru. You knew that my health has still not recovered and even brought so many precious medicinal herbs. I am truly grateful. Cough, cough. You have gone to such trouble. Cough, cough.”
【Second Miss really has no worldly knowledge. Even this mixed root inferior ginseng is something an old woman like me would not want. I heard the Minister of War was recently given an imperial reward by His Majesty. According to the steward of their residence, he received five premium ginseng roots that are each ten years old. There probably are not even ten like them in the entire capital…】
Mama Hua’s thoughts came at precisely the right moment, and Xia Zhiyu instantly came up with a wonderful idea.
Being the second young lady was truly miserable. Even the servants dared to put on airs in front of her, and her younger sister born to a concubine could step all over her. Then there was this fox pretending to pay respects to a chicken, making her drink hot tea in the middle of summer.
Hmph. If the tiger did not show its power, a whole bunch of monkeys would climb onto its head and jump around!
“Cough, cough. Look at me, I keep coughing. Wanru, please do not take offense. This ginseng must be the ten year old ginseng that the Minister of War acquired recently, right? Wanru, you have been so thoughtful toward me. I truly cannot thank you enough.”
Xia Zhiyu covered her mouth and coughed lightly as she continued.
“However, the imperial physician Zhou came to examine me. I have a heat condition, so ginseng is not particularly suitable for me. Still, I cannot reject Wanru’s kindness. I will accept the ginseng, and when I visit Princess Jing soon, I will offer it to her as a gift. I am sure that when Her Highness sees this ten year old ginseng, she will understand how considerate Wanru has been toward me.”
By the time Xia Zhiyu finished speaking, her eyes were filled with a radiant smile.
Song Wanru’s expression changed several times, and even the veins at her temples began to throb.
The moment she looked at Xia Zhiyu’s face, she became furious.
Why had she not died from her illness?
Xia Zhiyu’s long hair was black and silky smooth, while her fair skin carried a faint blush. Having just recovered from a serious illness, she somehow looked even more delicate and lovable, like a peach blossom that had just begun to bloom, its petals fresh and alluring.
Her lips curved ever so slightly. Even the faintest smile seemed capable of drawing someone’s soul away.
Song Wanru secretly cursed her.
What a fox!
Insulting her was one thing, but Song Wanru’s eyes suddenly widened as she turned and scolded the maid beside her.
“Oh my! How did we bring the wrong ginseng? I clearly told you to take a ten year old ginseng from Father and bring it to the Yueyang Marquis’s Residence. How could you get something so simple wrong? How do you even do your work? Hurry back and get it!”
Although the maid had no idea what had happened or why her young mistress had changed expressions so quickly, she was already well accustomed to adapting to such situations. With a loud thud, she dropped to her knees.
“Please forgive me, Miss. This servant knows her mistake. The gifts were prepared yesterday. I must have taken the wrong one in the confusion of leaving the house today. This servant will go back and get it immediately.”
Song Wanru snapped, “What are you waiting for? Go!”
Xia Zhijin, who had been serving as little more than a background figure, watched as Xia Zhiyu managed to force a ten year old ginseng root out of Song Wanru with just a few sentences.
She was completely stunned.
Was this really her second sister, the woman who had always meekly endured everything?
“Second Sister, sigh. Look, Wanru came all this way especially to visit you.
It is the thought that counts. Our Marquis’s Residence does not lack a ten year old ginseng root. Do not let others laugh at us.”
Xia Zhijin knew very well that Song Wanru was someone who never accepted a loss. If she suffered a loss at the Marquis’s Residence today, she would probably find a way to make up for it at Xia Zhijin’s expense tomorrow.
So she hurriedly tried to persuade Xia Zhiyu, hoping she would give up the ten year old ginseng.
Xia Zhiyu’s beautiful eyes shimmered with light. Upon hearing this, she looked at Xia Zhijin in astonishment and deliberately asked in confusion.
“Third Sister, what you said is truly lacking in propriety. It has only one ginseng root, so why did you make it sound as though the Minister of War’s Residence cannot bear to part with it? If our Marquis’s Residence does not lack a ten year old ginseng, does that mean the Minister of War’s Residence does? Are you saying that the Minister of War’s Residence is inferior to ours?”
Xia Zhijin was so frightened by Xia Zhiyu’s deliberate distortion of her words that she almost froze. She shook her head frantically.
“No! I am not! I did not say that! Do not make things up!”
Song Wanru gave Xia Zhijin a discreet sideways glance.
As expected, a foolish girl born to a concubine who knew nothing was useless. She could not help at all and only knew how to make trouble.
At once, Song Wanru covered her lips and smiled gracefully.
“Zhijin, what are you saying? It is only a ten year old ginseng. Our Minister of War’s Residence has plenty of them in the storeroom. The maid has already gone back to get one. Zhiyu, you should just keep it. It will come in handy when you need nourishment later.”
No one knew that after saying those words, Song Wanru’s heart was bleeding.
After all, a high quality ten year old ginseng could be worth dozens of taels of gold.
She had originally come today to humiliate Xia Zhiyu a little and support her good friend Xia Zhijin. She had never expected that instead of accomplishing that, she would end up giving away a ten year old ginseng.
After returning home, she would certainly have to endure a scolding from her mother.
Song Wanru did not want to give it away either, but she had no choice.
Prince Jing was the Emperor’s younger brother born of the same mother.
The relationship between Prince Jing and his wife was deeply affectionate, and Princess Jing happened to be a close friend of Xia Zhiyu’s mother.
That relationship itself was nothing special. After all, even members of the imperial family could not simply take someone else’s ginseng.
But Song Wanru desperately wanted to marry Prince Jing’s Residence.
The reason Xia Zhiyu had been able to come up with this idea was entirely thanks to the gossip she had previously heard from Mama Hua’s thoughts.
Previously, she had merely heard that the second daughter of the Minister of War had a peculiar attraction to ugly men and was hopelessly infatuated with Prince Jing’s ugly heir.
Xia Zhiyu had treated it as nothing more than amusing gossip. At the time, she had genuinely marveled at the thought that ancient people could have such a wide variety of preferences too.
Now that she had actually met Song Wanru, Xia Zhiyu only wanted to say one thing.
What a perfectly matched pair.
An ugly heart deserved an ugly man.
May the two of them stay together forever.