“A few days ago, the heir asked you for a cloak to give to that young lady. She must be here to express her gratitude,” the maid gently reminded.
Pei Wu suddenly understood and ordered someone to bring Yan Zhuxing in.
She was curious to see what this woman who had caused such a stir in court looked like.
Upon seeing her, Yan Zhuxing bowed: “Thank you, Second Miss Pei, for your timely assistance.”
“You’re welcome, it was just a small matter,” Pei Wu replied, looking curiously at the person before her.
This woman was currently the talk of the capital.
First, she was sued by her own family in court, and then she received a reward from the Empress.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Pei Wu asked: “Why did Her Majesty the Empress grant you gifts?”
Yan Zhuxing repeated the reason Nanny Wu had given.
Although she felt the explanation was somewhat forced, she couldn’t think of any other reason why the Empress would do such a thing.
“Is that so?” Pei Wu nodded thoughtfully.
Staring at the return gift Yan Zhuxing had brought, she inquired: “Didn’t they say your mother treats you poorly? How do you have the silver to buy me a new cloak? Clothes from Jiuzhang Tang aren’t cheap.”
“A drop of kindness deserves a fountain of gratitude in return. If it weren’t for… ah…” Yan Zhuxing answered each of her questions one by one.
She answered skillfully, leaving hooks at the end of each sentence that made Pei Wu unable to resist asking further.
As the questions continued, Yan Zhuxing poured out all the wicked deeds of Wen Rushuang and her daughter.
By the end, Pei Wu was already sharing her indignation.
“Who would have thought the Marquess of Dingyuan’s Wife could be so malicious. Your sister was fostered outside due to illness and couldn’t stay by her side like you could. While it’s understandable that she favors your sister, there’s no need to treat you so harshly—it’s not your fault.”
Yan Zhuxing wiped her tears and choked out: “I always thought I owed it to my sister for suffering outside, so giving in to her was fine. Even a three-year-old child knows not to air the family’s dirty laundry in public, so how could I not understand? But I was afraid that if I kept giving in, I might lose my life. That’s why I said those things in court.”
“You’ve suffered so much,” Pei Wu said, growing increasingly sympathetic.
“If you ever encounter any trouble in the future, just send someone to find me. If I can’t help you, I can ask my cousin. He’s the Metropolitan Governor and very capable!”
When Yan Zhuxing was about to leave, Pei Wu packed a box of hair ornaments and jewelry for her.
“I can’t accept this!” Yan Zhuxing hurriedly refused, but Pei Wu covered the back of her hand with her warm palm.
“I accepted your gift, so you should accept mine too. Unless… you don’t consider me a friend.”
Her delicate face was full of sincerity.
After a moment of silence, Yan Zhuxing gently hugged her, took the box, and turned to leave.
She felt ashamed.
This visit had been a calculation, an exploitation. She didn’t deserve to be friends with a girl as pure-hearted, simple, and kind as Pei Wu.
If only she had met Pei Wu in her previous life.
As Yan Zhuxing drove the carriage away, Pei Wu stood in place waving at her. Pei Mingjing happened to be returning to Guogong Fu after his shift.
“Eldest cousin,” Pei Wu quickly bowed to him.
“Was that the eldest daughter of Dingyuan Marquisate who just left?” Pei Mingjing glanced at the departing carriage.
“Yes,” Pei Wu nodded, then began chattering endlessly about the day’s events.
“Cousin, do you know how pitiful Zhuxing is? The Marquis’s Mansion won’t even assign her a carriage driver, and her younger sister is even more despicable…”
After listening, Pei Mingjing glanced at her: “You, with your lack of cunning, should stay away from her as soon as possible. Between the two of you, there are eight hundred schemes—she has eight hundred and one, while you have less than one.”
Pei Wu stood frozen in place.
After Pei Mingjing left, she stamped her feet in anger and turned to her trusted maid Yingluo: “Did my cousin just call me foolish?”
“Hehehe, when the heir speaks with the young lady, this servant dares not eavesdrop,” Yingluo looked up at the sky, not daring to answer directly.
“Hmph.” Pei Wu flicked her sleeve and left.
She wasn’t foolish at all.
She could tell that Yan Zhuxing was a good girl.
…
Yan Zhuxing returned to the Marquis’s Mansion.
Upon learning that she had gone to Weiguo Duke’s Mansion to return the cloak, Wen Rushuang summoned her.
“Ungrateful girl, you grow more unruly by the day. Today, you went out without informing me, the matriarch of this household. And you dared to address me by name in front of your brother? Kneel!”
Yan Zhuxing stood her ground, staring at her: “Wen Rushuang, don’t forget that in a few days, I must enter the palace to instruct the Tenth Princess in the Battle Formation Dance.”
Wen Rushuang hadn’t expected her to dare address her by name to her face, and she was so furious she felt smoke rising from her head.
Yet, Yan Zhuxing had invoked the Empress to pressure her, leaving her unable to retort.
She glared resentfully at Yan Zhuxing: “I’ll see how long your arrogance lasts. After the Ice Frolic Banquet, you’ll face the consequences!”
“It seems Yan Mingxiu didn’t fully convey my words to you,” Yan Zhuxing said coldly.
She leaned in close to Wen Rushuang and whispered, “Tell me, if my birth parents find me and learn what you’ve done to me, do you think they’ll let you off?”
Wen Rushuang swallowed hard, stepping back as cold sweat trickled down her temples.
She nearly blurted out, “Have you remembered everything?”
Fortunately, reason returned, and she bit her tongue, forcing the words back down.
“Your birth parents should thank me for taking you in. Otherwise, you would have been taken by traffickers and sold who knows where. Besides, I am the Marquisate’s Matriarch. Who would dare touch me?”
“Oh. Then we’ll wait and see,” Yan Zhuxing turned and left.
She had merely been testing Wen Rushuang.
When she was a ghost, she had seen Wen Rushuang take out a gold bracelet, claiming it was something she wore as a child.
An ordinary family would never prepare a gold bracelet for their daughter.
Her original family must have been wealthy or noble, and they must have cherished her deeply.
But she couldn’t remember anything.
And Wen Rushuang didn’t seem to know who her birth parents were either. Everything would have to be planned carefully.
Wen Rushuang watched Yan Zhuxing’s departing figure until the hem of her skirt disappeared from sight. Only then did her tense spine relax, and she let out a trembling breath she had been holding.
“Do you think she’s remembered everything?” she suddenly grabbed Li Shi’s thin wrist.
“This servant… this servant doesn’t know either,” Li Shi was also panicked.
Back then, when they returned to the madam’s maiden home, they lost the second young lady and couldn’t find her anywhere.
On the street, the madam saw the young lady, dressed like a delicate porcelain doll, and a wicked thought arose. She took her to replace the second young lady.
The young lady was only about one or two years old at the time, but she spoke clearly, crying and screaming for her parents and brother, refusing to call the madam “Mother.”
The lady had no choice but to drug her, making her forget her own biological parents.
Now that the eldest young miss was bringing up old matters again, could it be that the drug’s effects had worn off and she remembered everything?
“No, she must be trying to trick me. She was so young back then, how could she possibly remember?” Wen Rushuang gripped Li Shi’s hand tightly, her nails almost digging into the other’s flesh.
Li Shi’s lips turned pale from the pain, but she dared not make a sound.
Wen Rushuang released her hand and slammed the table fiercely. “No. I can’t let her speak of this matter. If she does, everything will be ruined.”
Cold sweat dripped down her back as she plotted how to get rid of Yan Zhuxing next.
That girl was full of defiance.
From the day she had “poisoned” her, it was clear she was no longer the meek, obedient daughter who listened to her mother in everything.
Three days later.
The Marquis of Weining’s mansion sent an invitation, inviting them to attend the birthday banquet of the marquis’s elderly lady in two days.
Wen Rushuang wanted to refuse. With rumors about their Dingyuan Marquisate spreading all over the city, if she went, she would inevitably face veiled sarcasm from others.
She didn’t want to embarrass herself like that.
But Yan Mingyue urged her to attend.
“Mother, we must go, and we must go with confidence. Otherwise, people will surely speculate further, thinking we mistreated elder sister.”
After some thought, Wen Rushuang felt there was some truth to her words.
“Besides, I am good friends with Sister Yunfei from the Marquis of Weining’s mansion. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me not to attend her grandmother’s birthday celebration.” Yan Mingyue held her hand and pleaded sweetly.
Wen Rushuang was completely swayed by her suggestion, but thinking of the troublesome Yan Zhuxing, she grew irritable again. “It’s just that Yan Zhuxing might not be willing to go with us.”
Even if she did go, she might not behave obediently.
If she caused a scene at the birthday banquet, it would be utterly humiliating.
She didn’t dare voice these thoughts aloud.
“Wouldn’t that be even better? If she causes a scene at the elderly lady’s birthday banquet, it would be the perfect opportunity for Lord Pei and Her Majesty the Empress to see that she isn’t as innocent and pitiful as she pretends to be!” Yan Mingyue clenched her teeth.
Last time, when the courtyard was haunted, she was terrified and fell ill for a whole day.
Later, it was discovered that someone had likely been pretending to be a ghost. She suspected Yan Zhuxing but had no evidence to make her parents punish her.
But she was already convinced it was Yan Zhuxing’s doing, and she was determined to take revenge.
Originally listless from illness, fueled by hatred, she recovered remarkably quickly.
“Fine. Then we’ll do as you say and bring Yan Zhuxing along.” Wen Rushuang agreed to her proposal and ordered someone to deliver the invitation to Yulan Courtyard.
“Young miss, are we going to visit the Marquis of Weining’s mansion?” Shuangli asked nervously.
“Yes, of course we’re going!” Yan Zhuxing hadn’t expected such a perfect opportunity to fall into her lap.
She had previously thought that if the Marquis of Weining’s mansion didn’t send her an invitation, she would use Pei Wu to sneak in.
But after their encounter that day, she realized Pei Wu was an innocent and simple-minded girl, and she couldn’t drag her into this.
Now, it was even better—the invitation had come to her on its own.
She absolutely had to attend this banquet.
Because there was someone at the banquet she needed to find.
Someone very important.