On the way back to Song'an Yuan, Jiang Yitang was still thinking about Xie Yuzhao's words.
—It would hurt.
In her past life, when she abandoned him, did he also feel that pain?
Perhaps he waited for a long time in the Crown Prince's Residence. After all, she had repeatedly vowed to marry him.
Spotting Qing Su from a distance, Jiang Yitang forced herself to pull her thoughts back. She pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and walked toward Qing Su.
Qing Su had already prepared a series of items such as mugwort and hot water. Seeing her return, she urged her to wash up first. Before even asking about Songrong Courtyard, she said:
"Today, Furong Yuan made quite a scene. Tomorrow, when you go to Rongfen Courtyard, be careful not to clash with Second Miss."
After saying this, Qing Su suddenly remembered that her mistress had never provoked Second Miss on her own. Whether a conflict arose wasn't something her mistress could control.
Jiang Yitang perked up, puzzled:
"What was she making a fuss about?"
Jiang Shuangyuan was the youngest daughter of the legal wife and the youngest child of the legitimate line. Whether it was the legal wife, their father, or their grandmother, everyone doted on her.
Few in this residence could make her feel wronged.
Qing Su curled her lip and lowered her voice: "What else could Second Miss fuss about? Today, the eldest young master brought back a piece of green jade. Second Miss took a liking to it at first glance, but later, Eldest Miss remarked that the color was quite good. The green jade was then given to Eldest Miss by the eldest young master. Naturally, Second Miss had to make a scene, accusing the eldest young master of favoritism."
Jiang Yitang gave a faint smile.
Indeed, if there was anyone in this residence who could make Jiang Shuangyuan feel wronged, it was only her eldest sister.
Her eldest sister had been a beauty since childhood. She came of age this March and was renowned in Jingcheng for her looks. She was also Princess Qiurong's study companion. In the eyes of their opportunistic father, even if he doted on Jiang Shuangyuan, a hundred Jiang Shuangyuans tied together couldn't compare to Eldest Sister Jiang Anfu.
As for Jiang Anfu, Jiang Yitang couldn't quite define her feelings.
Unlike Jiang Shuangyuan, Jiang Anfu had never bullied her. It wasn't that Jiang Anfu cared about sisterly affection, but rather that she had always been a study companion in the imperial palace. As the eldest daughter of the residence, the resources and attention she received were different from the others. She simply didn't have time to focus her thoughts on them, typically adopting an attitude of staying aloof from matters that didn't concern her.
If the elders in the residence doted on Jiang Shuangyuan, then they valued Jiang Anfu.
Jiang Anfu didn't provoke others and cared about her own image, but she also didn't allow anyone to lay a finger on what belonged to her.
Jiang Yitang didn't have many interactions with her, but she remembered that in her past life, after Xie Yuzhao was placed under house arrest, Jiang Anfu had coldly remarked, "Don't drag down Shangshu Fu."
She had once thought this eldest sister was a good person, until the moment she was being dragged into this courtyard, Jiang Anfu walked past her without even a glance.
And seven years later, Jiang Anfu had already married the Third Prince as his consort, and Shangshu Fu was tied to the Third Prince's faction.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yitang suddenly realized that even if she had died in her past life, Shangshu Fu wouldn't have fared well under Xie Yuzhao's wrath.
Though she was insignificant and had taken no action since returning, Jiang Yitang's hatred for Jiang Ze Min and Jiang Shuangyuan hadn't diminished in the slightest. Now, thinking that Shangshu Fu likely met a bad end in her past life, the stifling emotions in her chest finally eased a little.
Jiang Yitang snapped back to the present, no longer dwelling on the events of her past life.
She picked up the embroidery handkerchief that had been set aside and threaded the needle. Qing Su glanced over, puzzled:
"Miss, weren't you planning to make shoes for the Old Madam? Her birthday is approaching soon. If you don't start preparing now, I'm afraid it will be too late."
Jiang Yitang lowered her eyelids:
"I'm not feeling well. You do it for me."
Qing Su let out a surprised "Ah."
Jiang Yitang saw Qing Su's expression but offered no explanation.
In her past life, she had walked on thin ice in this mansion, striving to please the Old Madam. Every year for the Old Madam's birthday, she personally prepared gifts, never delegating the task to others.
But now, Jiang Yitang suddenly realized the truth.
In this Shangshu Fu, sincerity was useless. Only when one had value would those people regard them with importance.
In the mansion, she received only a meager monthly allowance, and the occasional pieces of fabric she obtained were not even worth their notice. The items she painstakingly crafted might even be scorned as crude—at the very least, she had never seen her grandmother wear the shoes she had sent.
Since that was the case, why should she bother?
Though Qing Su didn't understand, she didn't ask further.
Moreover, the young miss had been unwell lately, and on top of that, she had to care for the one in Songrong Courtyard. It was already difficult enough, and Qing Su felt sorry for her, wanting to share some of her burden.
The next day, Jiang Yitang woke very early.
Before the hour of Chen, Jiang Yitang had already prepared herself and, accompanied by Qing Su, headed to Rongfen Courtyard.
The maids guarding the entrance of Rongfen Courtyard curtsied respectfully to Jiang Yitang and said:
"The Old Madam has not yet risen. San Gu Niang, please wait a moment."
Jiang Yitang softly acknowledged and entered Rongfen Courtyard, standing in the courtyard to wait.
This dynasty placed great emphasis on filial piety, and the layout and scenery of Rongfen Courtyard were exquisite. There was an artificial hill built from stacked stones, surrounded by a pond where the tails of goldfish could be seen swaying. A winding corridor encircled the courtyard, providing shelter from wind and rain. Maids stood guard before the curtains, and others stood beneath the corridor, all with heads bowed in silence.
The discipline among the servants in Shangshu Fu had always been strict, especially in Rongfen Courtyard.
Thus, aside from deliberate targeting, Jiang Yitang rarely encountered incidents of insolent servants bullying their masters in the mansion. However, compared to the other masters, it was inevitable that she would be looked down upon in the household.
After a quarter of an hour, footsteps echoed in Rongfen Courtyard. The approaching person muttered something, carrying a hint of irritation and dissatisfaction.
Even before seeing the person, Jiang Yitang guessed who it was.
Sure enough, the next moment, she heard the maids' voices:
"Second Miss."
Jiang Yitang tilted her head slightly, just in time to see Jiang Shuangyuan enter with Fengling. As soon as Jiang Shuangyuan saw her, she frowned.
Nothing had gone right since yesterday, and now, seeing someone she disliked, Jiang Shuangyuan's mood soured even further.
Jiang Yitang pretended not to notice. She lowered her head to conceal her emotions and, as usual, called out softly:
"Second Sister."
Jiang Shuangyuan, mindful of the tense atmosphere in the mansion these past few days, snorted coldly and ignored her.
Jiang Yitang was content with this.
The next to arrive was Jiang Yanzhen. She was also a concubine-born daughter in the mansion, with Concubine Dong as her birth mother. However, unlike Jiang Yitang, her mother was still alive, and Concubine Dong's family was involved in commerce. Every year, the Dong family offered substantial tributes to Shangshu Fu. Even if they only used money to manage relationships, it was enough for Jiang Yanzhen and her mother to live comfortably in the mansion.
Soon, people gradually gathered, except for Jiang Ze Min, his two sons who had not yet returned from the morning court, and Jiang Anfu.
Yesterday, Princess Qiurong's mansion had sent an invitation to the household, inviting Jiang Anfu to join an outing.
As soon as Jiang Yanzhen arrived and saw the two standing in the courtyard, her expression stiffened slightly.
She thought she had arrived quite early. It was one thing to be outdone by Jiang Yitang—that one was always cautious and put on such airs in the household—but how could she have arrived even later than Jiang Shuangyuan?
Jiang Yanzhen muttered to herself, then subtly moved closer to Jiang Yitang.
"Third Sister, when did you arrive?"
Jiang Yitang glanced at her, lowered her head, and whispered, "I arrived just half an hour ago."
Her voice was so soft that Jiang Yanzhen almost didn't catch it. When she realized what had been said, Jiang Yanzhen's mouth twitched involuntarily.
Half an hour?
Jiang Yanzhen had needed her maid to call her three times before she got up. She was always fond of sleeping in. Hearing her third sister's words, she couldn't help but think that Song'an Yuan was already quite far away—did that mean Third Sister had been up for at least two hours?
Just then, Granny Song, who served the old madam, came out and, overhearing this, glanced in their direction.
Jiang Yanzhen cursed inwardly.
This made her look disrespectful toward the old madam.
Pouting, Jiang Yanzhen took two steps back, annoyed, and approached Jiang Shuangyuan, saying sweetly, "Second Sister, you arrived so early today."
Her voice was slightly raised, carrying across the entire courtyard. Jiang Shuangyuan gave a light hum and nodded.
Seeing this, Jiang Yanzhen continued with flattery, "That jade hairpin on Second Sister's head is so beautiful. It suits you perfectly."
Jiang Yitang simply kept her head down, pretending not to hear anything.
She was long accustomed to Jiang Yanzhen currying favor with Jiang Shuangyuan. Concubine Dong was shrewd—ever since entering the household, she had been trying to win the favor of the legitimate wife. With her financial contributions and respectful demeanor, even though the legitimate wife typically suppressed concubines, she treated Concubine Dong with relative gentleness.
Jiang Yanzhen had inherited her mother's habits to the fullest.
They all wanted to secure a place in the household, and Jiang Yitang didn't see anything wrong with that. But Jiang Yanzhen always stepped on her to flatter Jiang Shuangyuan, which inevitably felt stifling.
However, today Jiang Yanzhen's flattery seemed to have backfired.
Jiang Shuangyuan was already irritated by not getting that piece of jade yesterday. Now, hearing Jiang Yanzhen bring it up again, her expression suddenly changed, and she glared angrily at Jiang Yanzhen.
"Do you always have to talk so much? Aren't you tired of being so noisy?"
Jiang Yanzhen was taken aback. Still young, she couldn't hold back her emotions after being scolded in public and nearly teared up.
She hadn't yet mastered Concubine Dong's skills and was left speechless, unsure how to smooth things over.
Moreover, Jiang Yanzhen was also annoyed.
Was she wrong for praising Jiang Shuangyuan?!
All of this happened quickly. Granny Song glanced over and frowned subtly, but as a servant, she couldn't interfere in the affairs of her masters. She could only say sternly, "The old madam is awake. Please come inside, young ladies."
Concubines were not allowed to pay respects to the old madam, and the legitimate wife was likely busy preparing for Jiang Anfu. In any case, only the three of them were present.
Jiang Shuangyuan naturally walked at the front, her face tense as she entered the room.
Having been scolded, Jiang Yanzhen didn't want to walk alongside Jiang Shuangyuan and fell behind Jiang Yitang. As soon as Jiang Yitang entered the room, she heard the old madam's affectionate voice.
"Oh dear, whose little face is all puffed up? Who made you feel wronged?"
Jiang Yitang lowered her head, her eyelids trembling slightly. The old madam's affectionate demeanor was reserved only for the legitimate line.
Jiang Yanzhen also pouted subtly, feeling a pang of jealousy.
Jiang Shuangyuan threw herself into the old madam's arms, complaining coquettishly, "Grandmother, Eldest Brother doesn't care for me anymore."
The old madam naturally knew about yesterday's incident. Holding Jiang Shuangyuan, she patted her back gently and comforted her with a smile.
"Your elder sister is going to meet Princess Qiurong today, so she should have some accessories to complement her attire."
Hearing her grandmother's words favoring her elder sister, Jiang Shuangyuan immediately turned her head away in frustration.
The old madam smiled and shook her head, glancing at Nanny Song, who then turned and entered the inner chamber.
During this brief pause, the old madam looked up at her two granddaughters still standing and said:
"Take a seat."
The old madam's smile remained unchanged, but the warmth in her tone had inexplicably diminished.
Jiang Yitang was long accustomed to this, but Jiang Yanzhen grew increasingly silent.
Jiang Yitang and Jiang Yanzhen both bowed their heads in thanks before sitting down, quietly observing the scene before them.
Nanny Song brought out an embroidered box, which the old madam took and pushed toward Jiang Shuangyuan:
"Open it and see."
Jiang Shuangyuan turned her head and suspiciously opened the box. Seeing a fine piece of mutton-fat jade inside, she beamed: "Shuang'er knew Grandmother loved her most."
The old madam patted Jiang Shuangyuan, signaling her to sit properly.
After some conversation, Jiang Yitang had been softly agreeing all along, neither drawing attention nor appearing overly quiet.
Suddenly, the old madam shifted the topic: "You all must know that a distinguished guest has recently taken residence in our estate."
The expressions of those present shifted slightly.
Jiang Shuangyuan had personally gone to see that day, too afraid to enter, only stealing a glance. The moment she saw the pustules on Xie Yuzhao's body, she was frightened and ran out.
Now, hearing her grandmother's words, Jiang Shuangyuan couldn't help but recall the sight she had seen, immediately wrinkling her delicate brows in disgust.
Jiang Yanzhen didn't know as much, but she remembered her concubine saying that smallpox could be fatal!
Jiang Yitang also didn't understand why the old madam suddenly brought this up.
As soon as the words fell, the old madam turned her gaze toward her.
Jiang Yitang's heart skipped a beat, and she imperceptibly tightened her grip on her handkerchief.
The old madam's smile remained unchanged, her tone gentle:
"I remember Songrong Courtyard and Song'an Yuan are not far apart."
Not far apart? They were practically separated by only a single wall.
"Your father and mother are usually busy. Although the Crown Prince is an outsider, you are still young. Moreover, as the hostess, since you live nearby, keep an eye on Songrong Courtyard in your daily routine."
Rongfen Courtyard fell silent for a moment.
Jiang Yanzhen stole a glance at her third sister, feeling somewhat sympathetic.
The old madam's smile faded slightly. After a long silence, Jiang Yitang finally spoke:
"Your granddaughter understands."
Only then did the old madam smile again:
"If you lack anything, go tell the steward. That guest is distinguished and must not be neglected."
Jiang Yitang felt a flicker of silent mockery in her heart.
Must not be neglected? Yet Shangshu Fu had already neglected him for many days.
But before this mockery could fade, self-derision rose in Jiang Yitang's heart.
Had her grandmother decided to push her into the fire pit even before the palace issued any reprimand?
In everyone's eyes, wasn't Songrong Courtyard now equivalent to a fire pit?