Meng Qing finally realized the severity of the situation and stammered, “Y-You wouldn’t dare! My parents would never agree!”
“Whether your parents agree or not doesn’t matter. What matters is whether the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review agrees.”
After both Meng Qiao and Meng Qing had suffered losses at Jiang Suihuan’s hands, Jiang Meier couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward again. “Sister, we’re all like sisters here. Why must you be so unforgiving when you’re in the right? You even want to send Sister Meng Qing to prison—aren’t you forcing the General’s Residence and the Houfu to become enemies?”
Jiang Suihuan glanced at her sideways, a slight smile curling her lips. “Has my dear sister cured her baldness? You even have the mind to speak up for others now.”
“You!” Jiang Meier instinctively covered the hair at the back of her head. For some unknown reason, that bald patch on her scalp hadn’t grown back any hair. She could only cut her maid’s hair to make a hairpiece to cover the back of her head.
Jiang Suihuan turned to Meng Qing, her expression stern. “As the legitimate granddaughter of Zhenyuan General, you spread vulgar rumors on the streets. If your grandfather finds out, you’ll be confined to your quarters for at least three months!”
Meng Qing shrieked, “No! You can’t tell Grandfather!”
Jiang Suihuan sneered coldly. “I can choose not to report this to the authorities, and I can keep it from your grandfather too. All you need to do is bow your head and apologize to me and Young Master Li. As for me, I’m magnanimous enough not to hold it against you.”
Afraid that Jiang Suihuan might actually report her to the authorities, Meng Qing had no choice but to reluctantly lower her head and apologize. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things.”
“It’s alright.” Jiang Suihuan smiled faintly. “Let me introduce you—this is Young Master Li Xueming beside me, an instructor at Fuqing Academy.”
Meng Qing, Meng Qiao, and Jiang Meier all froze simultaneously.
Fuqing Academy was the premier academy in Jingcheng, and the Emperor had always held it in high regard.
In recent days, the Li Fuqing poisoning case had caused quite a stir in Jingcheng. Everyone knew that the instructors at Fuqing Academy had been replaced, and the new appointments were personally selected by the Emperor.
Many official wives were eager to show goodwill to the newly appointed instructors, yet the three of them had completely blocked their own path right from the start.
Jiang Meier’s face turned pale repeatedly. She had heard from Chu Jue that Li Xueming was exceptionally intelligent, and Chu Jue wanted to recruit him as an advisor.
If Li Xueming refused to work for Chu Jue because of her, Chu Jue would surely blame her.
She quickly adjusted her expression and smiled gently at Li Xueming. “Young Master, please don’t blame Meng Qing. She’s just straightforward by nature and meant no harm.”
Li Xueming replied indifferently, “I don’t mind, but Miss Jiang is a woman. If such words were to spread, it would damage her reputation.”
Meng Qing gritted her teeth and said, “I understand. I won’t do it again.”
“Since this is your first offense, I’ll forgive you.” Jiang Suihuan’s voice was as cold as ice. “If you dare spread vulgar rumors again, I’ll personally see you sent to prison!”
Meng Qing lowered her head in acknowledgment, too ashamed to remain any longer, and pulled Jiang Meier and Meng Qiao to leave.
Jiang Meier stopped and turned back to say, “Oh, by the way, Sister, the Houfu is holding a family banquet in three days. Remember to come back and attend.”
“Mm.”
“Sister, you haven’t returned to visit Father and Mother since you moved out. The servants in the residence are all gossiping about how unfilial you are.” Jiang Meier’s expression was indignant, as if she were standing up for Jiang Suihuan.
Jiang Suihuan smiled insincerely, “You seem quite familiar with the servants in the mansion. One might mistake you for a servant yourself.”
Jiang Meier bit her lip lightly and bowed slightly with a pitiful expression, “I’ll take my leave now, sister.”
She deliberately acted vulnerable in front of Li Xueming, hoping to make him believe Jiang Suihuan was an unfilial and unreasonable woman. This was the same tactic she had used to make Chu Jue fall for her, but Li Xueming showed no reaction whatsoever.
After the three left, Jiang Suihuan bent down to help the fainted girl up and take her to the medical clinic, but the girl woke up and knelt before Jiang Suihuan. “Thank you for saving my life, young master! Hong Luo has no way to repay you except by offering myself to you!”
“Ah, this!” Jiang Suihuan was dumbfounded and scratched her head. “How old are you? How can you offer yourself to me?”
“Young master, I’m already thirteen,” Hong Luo replied, somewhat flustered by their strong reaction. “That’s how it’s always written in storybooks – when a beautiful young master heroically saves a maiden, she offers herself to him.”
Jiang Suihuan couldn’t help but laugh. “But I’m a woman too.”
Hong Luo was stunned for a moment, then quickly understood. She kowtowed vigorously on the ground. “Thank you for saving my life, young mistress! Hong Luo is willing to become your personal maid and serve you for life!”
Jiang Suihuan hesitated. She did want to hire more servants, but Hong Luo seemed too young.
Hong Luo was determined, adopting a stance of not getting up unless Jiang Suihuan agreed. “My stepmother sold me to a brothel. If I go home, my father will beat me to death. Please agree, young mistress! I don’t eat much, and I work very efficiently.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Suihuan had no choice but to help her up from the ground. “Come with me.”
Hong Luo’s arms under her clothes were extremely thin, clearly from years of malnutrition.
“Really?” Hong Luo’s tears turned to smiles. “Thank you, young mistress!”
Jiang Suihuan bid farewell to Li Xueming and took Hong Luo home.
After arriving home, Jiang Suihuan gave Hong Luo medicine for internal injuries. Being young, the girl recovered quickly and was soon bouncing around energetically after taking the medicine.
She gave Hong Luo a set of clean clothes and had her take a bath.
After Hong Luo finished bathing, Jiang Suihuan brought a plate of pastries and placed them before her. “Look how thin you are. Have something to eat first.”
Having been hungry for a long time, Hong Luo grabbed the pastries and wolfed them down, saying indistinctly: “So delicious! This is the first time I’ve eaten such delicious pastries. Thank you, young mistress!”
“Eat slowly. There’s more after you finish.” Jiang Suihuan felt heartache watching her. “How long has it been since you last ate?”
“About three or four days, I think.”
Hong Luo continued eating while speaking. “My stepmother said my brother is growing and needs all the food in the house.”
Jiang Suihuan frowned and said, “From now on, you’ll be my personal maid. I’ll pay you five taels of silver each month. Are you willing?”
“Cough cough cough.” Hong Luo nearly choked, pounding her chest as she exclaimed, “Five taels of silver? That’s more than my father earns in half a year!”
She waved her hands in refusal. “Young mistress, I can’t accept that. Just having food and a place to live is enough. If you give me too much silver, my stepmother will take it from me.”
Jiang Suihuan said solemnly, “Your stepmother sold you. You have no connection to your original family anymore. You don’t need to give them any silver.”
“But my father is very fierce. If I earn money and don’t give it to him, he’ll beat me,” Hong Luo’s voice trembled slightly.
“While you’re under my roof, who would dare lay a hand on you?”
After Jiang Suihuan comforted her a few more words, Hong Luo gradually felt reassured.
Hong Luo proved to be truly diligent. After eating and drinking her fill, she busied herself with cleaning and even took all the dirty clothes to the backyard to wash.
When Ying Tao woke from her nap and went to the backyard, she saw Hong Luo and thought a thief had broken into the house. She screamed, “Miss! Miss! There’s a thief in the house!”