“That’s how it is,” Jiang Fei said. “The money from pawning the jewelry today was lost on the way. Should we report this to the authorities or…”
Yao Shi fell silent.
If they reported it to the authorities, not only would she lose face if word got out, but the entire Jiang family’s reputation would be tarnished.
She took a deep breath. “The authorities aren’t idle either. Since it’s lost, just let it be.”
Jiang Fei remained silent, lowering her head to fiddle with her sleeve.
It’s easier to invite the deity than to send it away. Yao Shi gritted her teeth. “How much? I’ll compensate you.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Jiang Fei smiled. “One hundred twenty taels.”
Yao Shi gasped sharply.
Jiang Fei’s two pieces of jewelry had been sold for twenty taels. She had spent less than half on meals, with the remainder still tucked in her pocket.
She heard that Jiang Rulin’s monthly allowance was only five taels. With this money, she could be considered quite wealthy.
Jiang Fei happily returned with the silver, only to discover both her knees had turned black and blue from kneeling.
A maid knelt by the bed applying medicated oil to her knees, causing her to grimace in pain.
This maid had been sent by Yao Shi. After previously driving Yun Xiang away, she had no one to attend to her and had to ask Yao Shi for help. Now that she had Jiu Tao, she could send this maid back.
…
As dusk began to fall, noisy commotion arose in the courtyard.
With her legs inconveniently sore, Jiang Fei couldn’t get out of bed easily. Leaning forward, she asked, “What’s happening?”
The maid went out to look and quickly returned. “It’s not good, Miss. There’s a fight outside.”
“Who’s fighting with whom?”
“Yun Xiang and… someone I don’t recognize.”
Jiu Tao immediately came to Jiang Fei’s mind.
In prestigious households, everything followed strict rules. Jiu Tao had previously worked in the utility rooms. Lower-ranking maids and servants weren’t permitted in the inner courtyards, so naturally no one had seen her before.
Jiang Fei struggled to sit up, having the maid support her to the doorway.
What was happening in the courtyard wasn’t so much a fight as a one-sided overpowering.
Jiu Tao sat on Yun Xiang’s back, twisting Yun Xiang’s arms behind her. “Do you yield?”
Yun Xiang looked up and immediately spotted Jiang Rufei. Tearfully, she complained, “Miss…”
Hearing this, Jiu Tao also looked up and instantly broke into a wide grin. “Miss!”
Jiang Rufei lifted her chin slightly. “Let her go first and come inside.”
Jiu Tao released Yun Xiang, who scrambled up only to kneel again, appearing deeply wronged. “Miss, she’s wearing a lower maid’s token. I wouldn’t let her enter, but she forced her way in and hit me.”
Jiang Fei’s legs ached, and seeing Yun Xiang’s tearful display irritated her. “Are you injured?”
“…No.”
“Jiu Tao knows her limits. If you’re not injured, that’s fine. From now on, she’ll be a maid in my courtyard. You should get along well.”
Yun Xiang was silenced by Jiang Fei’s words, biting her lower lip.
Previously, she had been Jiang Rufei’s favorite. Whatever was good was given to her first, and Jiang Rufei would follow her advice obediently. How could she have changed so suddenly?
Jiang Fei brought Jiu Tao into the room, dismissing the other maids until only the two of them remained.
Jiu Tao had noticed Jiang Rufei’s awkward walking posture when they entered. After helping her sit on the bed, she anxiously asked, “What happened to your legs, Miss?”
“Punishment kneeling.” Jiang Fei hissed in pain.
Jiu Tao hurriedly removed her shoes, lifted her legs onto the bed, and fetched a pillow for her to lean against. “Are you in much pain, Miss?”
“It’s tolerable.”
Jiu Tao reached out to massage her legs, but Jiang Fei quickly stopped her. If she started massaging, Jiang Fei feared she’d end up wailing like a stuck pig.
Jiang Fei leaned against the bed, finally having a moment of leisure to review the events of the day.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that “Pei Jing’s” attitude toward her was peculiar. They had never met before—why would he act that way upon their first encounter?
It was as if… as if he felt some possessiveness toward her, resenting her being with other men.
At this thought, Jiang Fei abruptly sat up straight.
Jiu Tao, who was just about to lift her pant leg to check her injury, was startled. “Did I touch your wound?”
Jiang Fei seemed not to hear her. Instead, she grabbed Jiu Tao’s arm and said seriously, “Tell me, with Pei Jing acting like that toward me… could it be that he… has fallen for me?”
The topic was so abrupt that Jiu Tao was momentarily stunned. “Huh?”
“I think it’s possible,” Jiang Fei leaned back again, crossing her arms and talking to herself. “Look, every time I’m with ‘Wei Mingzhen,’ he shows extreme displeasure, and his words are full of jealousy.”
Jiu Tao nodded vaguely. “Oh.”
Jiang Fei clicked her tongue and chuckled. “A femme fatale—it seems I’m just too charming.”
Jiu Tao: “…”
“What should I do?” Jiang Fei lay down, burying her face in the pillow. “If Pei Jing really likes me, how am I supposed to carry out my mission? How can I get him to kill someone?”
Jiu Tao looked bewildered, watching Jiang Rufei alternate between smiling and frowning. “What mission? Kill… kill someone?”
“You’re still young and don’t understand the hardships of us adults,” Jiang Fei said with earnest concern. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”
Jiu Tao replied with an “Oh.” Well, if the young lady said she didn’t understand, then she didn’t understand.
The young lady gave her pastries to eat and kept her from being punished—so whatever the young lady said must be right.
Lost in her own thoughts, Jiang Fei pondered left and right until she suddenly glimpsed a clue in the gaps.
Wait!
Although “Pei Jing” said things like “Why are you with other men?” his eyes showed disgust toward her.
Real affection wouldn’t look like that—so the one he liked wasn’t her.
And every time he encountered her, she was with “Wei Mingzhen.” If he didn’t like her, then could it be…
“Could it be… could it be…” Jiang Fei was shocked by her own idea, her eyes widening. “Could Pei Jing actually like Wei Mingzhen?”
Jiu Tao, who was about to bring her tea, trembled at these words, nearly dropping the teacup in her hand.
“Zhaoning Wang likes… Third Master Wei?”
This conclusion was so startling that even the usually slow-witted Jiu Tao was stunned.
She reached out to feel Jiang Rufei’s forehead—it was a bit warm, but not enough to indicate delirium.
…
Jiang Fei fell asleep with this alarming thought on her mind.
In the middle of the night, a “ding-dong” notification sound suddenly echoed in her head.
[Your system is now online.]
Jiang Fei squinted, feeling the urge to curse. Of all times, it had to disturb her dreams while she was sleeping.
The system sounded slightly apologetic: “Sorry ’bout that, forgot about the time difference.”
Jiang Fei: “What are you here for?”
“Just checking in on you, reviewing the results. Let me see—Wei Mingzhen’s favorability toward you.”
What? Favorability?
Jiang Fei was instantly wide awake. “You have something like that? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
The system said indifferently, “You never asked. Isn’t this a standard feature for most systems?”
Jiang Fei was utterly speechless.
After a brief pause, the system continued, “Alright, it’s here. Wei Mingzhen’s current favorability towards you…”
Jiang Fei waited for a long time but didn’t hear the number. “How much?”
The system’s voice even sounded a bit strained, “First tell me what exactly you did?”