Wen Ning didn’t need to guess—she knew Wen Yu had scraped those coins together from his monthly allowance.
Concubines and illegitimate children of the Wen family were allotted 1 tael of silver per month, but in reality, they never received the full amount.
Wen Yu shoved the pouch back into her hands, lips pressed tight. “This is for you, Sister. If you won’t take it, then I won’t keep it either.”
Without waiting for her response, he turned and quickly retreated to his room.
Seeing Wen Ning’s furrowed brows, Aunt Hongxiu sighed helplessly. “Third Miss, just accept it. It’s summer now, and expenses aren’t as heavy as in winter. You haven’t come home for half a year—Sixth Young Master is afraid.”
Afraid she truly saw them as burdens, and afraid of becoming one himself.
But Wen Ning handed the pouch to Aunt Hongxiu instead. “I don’t lack silver. The Protector’s household provides everything, and my monthly allowance is always full. You need it more here. Since that boy won’t take it, keep it for him. Use it whenever necessary, but don’t tell him.”
Aunt Hongxiu hesitated, but Madam Zhao, seeing Wen Ning’s resolve, sighed softly. “Take it. Don’t let Yaoyao return to the Protector’s household still worrying about us.”
Only then did Aunt Hongxiu accept it.
Wen Ning smiled faintly. “Then I’ll be going.”
“Hmm.” Madam Zhao answered, raising her hand to smooth her daughter’s hair. “The Protector may not be harsh with those around him, but you must still be cautious in his household. As for what you spoke of, if it succeeds, all well and good. If not, don’t force it. Above all, protect yourself, do you understand?”
It had been so long since Wen Ning felt her mother’s care. She smiled and nodded. “I understand.”
Madam Zhao held her a moment longer, offering more words of caution, before finally letting her go.
After Wen Ning left, Madam Zhao did not immediately return inside. She stood there, staring blankly at her daughter’s receding figure.
Aunt Hongxiu chuckled. “Madam, why do you look unhappy now that your daughter has grown so much?”
Madam Zhao couldn’t quite explain her feelings. She was happy, yes—but also felt something precious had drifted forever out of reach. She turned to Aunt Hongxiu with a faint smile. “Of course I’m happy. But Yaoyao saying she wants the Protector to release her worries me.”
Aunt Hongxiu nodded gravely. “Who wouldn’t worry? Ordinary people can barely speak a full sentence before the Protector, yet Third Miss says she’ll negotiate with him. Still, if she truly succeeds, and later marries into a good family after leaving the household, that would be a blessing.”
“It’s just a pity about the Wang boy…”
At the mention of Wang Cheng’an, Madam Zhao’s eyes grew distant. She shook her head. “Cheng’an is a fine child, but what’s missed is missed.”
Aunt Hongxiu blinked. “But Young Master Wang treated Third Miss so well. Lord Wang and Madam Jiang always cherished her like their own daughter. Perhaps, once she leaves the Protector’s household, Young Master Wang will still want to marry her.”
She knew that in Madam Zhao’s heart, Wang Cheng’an was the perfect son‑in‑law.
Though she realized Aunt Hongxiu was only teasing to cheer her, Madam Zhao laughed, scolding lightly: “If that truly happens, I’ll go to Lingyin Temple outside the city and thank the Bodhisattva and Buddha for three days and nights.”
Meanwhile, Wen Ning returned to the Protector’s residence before nightfall.
Madam Zhao had wanted her to stay for dinner, but Wen Ning sensed her mother had already guessed something. Not wanting to overwhelm her on their first reunion, she chose to leave early.
On her way back, Wen Ning kept calculating how she might uncover the secret Wen Yu was hiding at Changle Academy. But as soon as she stepped through the gates of the Protector’s residence, she unexpectedly saw Chen Wuyou—dressed in a flowing teal robe with wide sleeves, her face as usual covered by a veil—walking slowly toward her, surrounded by a group of maids.
The two met again, both momentarily startled.
After all, Chen Wuyou was Chen Jinfeng’s younger sister; her status in the household was far from ordinary. Wen Ning hesitated, then stepped forward, bowed politely, and said with a bright smile: “Greetings, Lady Wuyou.”
Chen Wuyou recalled Fang Wu’s warning from the day before. She had intended to ignore Wen Ning and walk past, but since Wen Ning had greeted her first, with her own temperament and upbringing, she could not simply pretend not to see. So she merely curved her eyes slightly and gave Wen Ning a small nod—enough to acknowledge her.
Just then, a gust of wind blew. Because Chen Wuyou’s attention was fixed on Wen Ning, she failed to react in time, and the wind lifted her veil high.
At once, a delicate oval face was revealed before Wen Ning. But to her shock, that face was covered with clusters of red blotches, especially around the mouth, where there was hardly a patch of unblemished skin.
Chunxi couldn’t restrain herself—she clapped a hand over her mouth in alarm.
The next instant, Chen Wuyou crouched down suddenly, clutching her face tightly, breaking down with a low, desperate cry: “Don’t look! Don’t look! Don’t look at my face…!”
Her maids rushed forward, surrounding her protectively. One of them glared fiercely at Wen Ning and Chunxi, shouting: “Why are you still standing here!”
Wen Ning recognized her, one of the concubines from the rear courtyard.
Those women were always more trouble than help.
Before the maid could say more, Fang Wu’s voice rang out from nearby. “What happened? What’s wrong with the young lady?”
From a distance, he already saw Wen Ning beside Chen Wuyou. Even before reaching them, his eyes blazed at her as though he would devour her alive. “What did you do to the young lady! Do you know she is the apple of her brothers’ eyes? How dare you set your sights on her!”
“N‑no… it wasn’t her, Fang Wu!”
Still crouched on the ground, Chen Wuyou was consumed by shame and self‑loathing, but unwilling to let an innocent person be blamed. She lifted her tear‑filled eyes and said: “Lady Wen did nothing. It was… it was the wind that blew my veil away. My face… my face was seen…”
Fang Wu froze for a moment, but his gaze toward Wen Ning remained hostile. “It’s still her fault! If she hadn’t been here, if she hadn’t seen the young lady’s face, this wouldn’t have happened!”
In his mind, Wen Ning was no different from the other concubines—deliberately appearing before Chen Wuyou.