Madam Yun felt uneasy.
Jiang Ran walked ahead, and the three of them made their way to the Jiang family’s main house.
They passed through the neat courtyard, lifted the curtain, entered the house, and then went into the eastern room.
The moment Jiang Ran stepped inside, she saw her Second Sister nestled beside their grandmother, Madam Liu.
Though it was also a three-room house, this one was obviously much better than the third branch’s home. It had proper furniture arranged neatly. The two sat on a luohan bed, with snacks placed on the small table between them. A folding screen divided the inner and outer sections of the room.
Madam Yun fidgeted awkwardly with her fingers.
“Mother, why did you call me and Ran’er here?”
Madam Liu slammed her palm against the table.
“I already told you! Xing’er wants to go serve at the marquis manor, so why did you still let Jiang Ran keep getting close to the young ladies?”
Madam Yun was honest and timid by nature. The explanation caught in her throat, and she couldn’t get the words out.
Jiang Ran had no choice but to speak up.
“Grandmother, Fourth Young Lady and Sixth Young Lady wanted to pick wheat stalks. At the time, Second Sister was accompanying Fifth Young Lady, so the two young ladies asked me to go.”
Hearing this, Madam Liu turned her cloudy eyes toward Jiang Xing.
Jiang Xing guiltily looked away.
Jiang Ran lowered her head slightly.
Madam Liu cleared her throat and said, “Your Second Sister is older and clever. That’s why she’s managed to become familiar with the young ladies. Don’t think just because she’s capable and smart that you should copy her.”
Madam Yun opened her mouth.
“I didn’t—”
Jiang Ran nearly stumbled.
Copy her?
Copy what? Forcing her way forward and trying desperately to become familiar with the marquis manor’s young ladies so she could become a maid?
It wasn’t that Jiang Ran looked down on maids.
No profession was inherently noble or lowly, and no one got to choose their birth.
If someone was truly smart, finding a way into the marquis manor would definitely be better than farming on the estate.
But Jiang Xing going to Madam Liu today to poison the waters and make her summon and lecture Jiang Ran and her mother?
That wasn’t clever.
Jiang Xing had already chosen Fifth Young Lady long ago. Jiang Ran had only helped Fourth Young Lady and Sixth Young Lady find their way around.
So Jiang Ran played dumb.
“Grandmother, I really didn’t know anything about that. I only did what Fourth Young Lady and Sixth Young Lady told me to do. Don’t you always say we shouldn’t offend people? I didn’t want to go either, but I didn’t dare refuse.”
Madam Liu had never liked this granddaughter.
She took after Madam Yun—awkward with words.
Impatiently, Madam Liu waved her off.
“Enough, enough. And another thing—Xing’er wants to become a maid at the marquis manor. A rich and noble place like that isn’t somewhere ordinary people can enter. Our whole family should pool some money together and give it to the nanny beside Fifth Young Lady. Once Xing’er can speak with some influence in the manor, there’ll naturally be benefits for all of you.”
For a moment, even Jiang Ran’s fake clueless expression froze.
If she kept listening, it felt like her face might crack.
Pay money just to go become overworked labor, and even sign a contract of servitude?
Genius.
Jiang Ran suddenly remembered how, in her past life, her mother had spent 200,000 yuan to help her get a job that only paid 3,000 yuan a month.
Madam Yun didn’t want to agree, but she never knew how to refuse.
Blankly, she asked, “How much are we giving, Mother?”
How much?!
Jiang Ran took a deep breath.
“Then we should give a lot. I heard the maids say they all get monthly wages. Once Second Sister rises to become a senior maid, she’ll earn several taels of silver each month. Our family will benefit too. She’d have to give us at least half a tael every month! Mother, why don’t we just hand over all our savings?”
Madam Lin, Jiang Ran’s eldest aunt, instantly changed expression.
Jiang Xing, who had been holding Madam Liu’s arm, tightened her grip.
“No!”
Jiang Ran blinked innocently.
“Aren’t we supposed to contribute money?”
Madam Lin smiled gently and said warmly, “Actually, we’re not that short on money. Her father and I can manage it ourselves. Xing’er’s matter is our responsibility. How could we trouble your third uncle and aunt?”
Jiang Ran smiled.
“That’s alright. We’re family, aren’t we? We share blessings and hardships together.”
Jiang Xing hadn’t even entered the marquis manor yet, but Madam Lin and Madam Liu were already imagining her earning favor with Fifth Young Lady, becoming a senior maid, and collecting endless wages and rewards.
Why should any of that benefit the third branch?
Just because they contributed a tael or two at the beginning?
Madam Lin said, “No need. Xing’er’s future is her own matter. We can’t trouble the whole family over it. I wasn’t thinking clearly earlier. Let me apologize to your mother.”
Madam Yun mumbled a couple of agreements.
But Jiang Ran acted as though she hadn’t understood.
“Eldest Aunt saying that makes it sound like you don’t consider us family. Even if my mother doesn’t contribute silver, once Second Sister becomes successful, surely the third branch won’t be left out of the benefits. Mother, don’t you think?”
Madam Lin thought to herself that if the third branch had any real ability, then sure, they could latch on.
But after all these years, Madam Yun and Jiang Chuanli had always been honest and obedient. At most, they worked a little harder during harvests.
Why should they share money with them?
This family had no skill and no cleverness.
There was nothing to rely on in the future.
The more Jiang Xing listened, the more anxious she became.
Her hand gripping Madam Liu tightened.
Jiang Ran was so stupid—why should Jiang Xing share the silver she earned with her?
No way.
Especially later, when she returned to the estate dressed far better than before.
Even if she claimed she hadn’t benefited, who would believe her?
She still wanted new clothes, cosmetics, jewelry.
How could she possibly have spare money for anyone else?
Finally, Madam Liu spoke.
“I said there’s no need, so there’s no need. Enough. You can leave now.”
Jiang Ran turned and walked out.
At this rate, the family would probably split apart soon.
Honestly, she had been worrying that they wouldn’t split households.
When they got home, Jiang Chuanli and Jiang Ran’s older brother, Jiang Song, had already returned.
After drying grain in the sun all noon, Madam Yun poured the two men cups of cool water.
She told them what had happened in the main house.
Jiang Chuanli stayed silent.
Jiang Song was tall and somewhat lean. It was hard to tell whether he resembled either parent.
His brows were sharp, his eyes bright, though now shadowed with cold anger.
“We always do the most work and get the least. Now that Second Sister has a promising future, they can’t wait to cut us off.”
Jiang Ran looked at Jiang Song in surprise.
Madam Yun and Jiang Chuanli had spent years being emotionally manipulated by the Jiang family elders until they had gone numb.
Back in the main house, Madam Yun’s expression had barely changed no matter what Madam Liu said.
She simply obeyed.
Yet Jiang Song, raised in this environment, somehow hadn’t been completely worn down.
Jiang Ran nodded.
“Exactly. Why kick us aside now?”
Jiang Chuanli said, “Don’t talk nonsense. Your grandparents aren’t like that.”
Jiang Song suddenly looked sharply at his father.
It wasn’t jealousy.
If he were that sort of person, he wouldn’t have worked so hard all these years.
Clenching his fists, Jiang Song said, “When planting and harvesting, I can do the work of two people myself. Every time we dry wheat or rice, we’re the ones working during the hottest hours at noon while everyone else goes home, eats, naps, and only comes back later. And school? Fifth Uncle and Big Brother weren’t even better students than me, but I wasn’t allowed to study. We supported them for years.”
Madam Yun opened her mouth as if to say something, then lowered her head instead.
Jiang Chuanli simply picked up his bowl and drank the cool water.
Jiang Song’s eyes turned red.
“You never say anything.”
When a question was too hard to answer…
They simply stayed silent.
Jiang Ran glanced at Jiang Song.
The boy before her had been tanned wheat-brown from working in the fields.
He really had suffered.
Pitifully, she called out, “Brother…”
Jiang Song already looked completely disappointed.
“Uncle, Aunt, and everyone else plan for their children. If you won’t plan for me and Jiang Ran, then at least don’t drag us into suffering too.”
If the eldest branch hadn’t changed their minds out of fear that the third branch would cling to Jiang Xing later, they might have forced the third branch to contribute silver too.
Madam Yun and Jiang Chuanli said nothing.
Jiang Ran suddenly thought—
Maybe this was good.
Some people acted timid and obedient outside but threw their weight around at home.
Madam Yun and Jiang Chuanli?
They were obedient everywhere.
Jiang Ran looked at Jiang Song.
“Brother, what if they really kick us out and split the family?”
Madam Yun and Jiang Chuanli’s expressions shifted slightly.
Jiang Song said, “I can farm. Splitting up would be better.”
The family division came even faster than Jiang Ran had imagined.
In novels, these things dragged on for ten days or half a month.
Apparently, being spineless had its advantages.
In the Jiang family, the household split was settled in one evening.
The third branch had never had much say.
At dusk, Madam Liu gathered the whole family together and announced the division.
She addressed everyone:
“From now on, your father and I will stay with the eldest branch. You don’t need to worry about supporting us in old age. Chuanbao still isn’t married, so he won’t split off either.
“As for the rest of you, property will be divided according to headcount. We’ll still divide money every year. I don’t have much saved—there are only thirty taels in total.
“I’ll take out ten taels. The second and fourth branches have more people, so they’ll each get four taels. The third branch gets three taels. The rest stays with the eldest branch and us for retirement.
“Even though we’re splitting households, we’re still family. Don’t become distant. Honestly, this should’ve happened long ago. You’re all grown now. In the future, learn to make your own decisions.”
Old Master Jiang agreed.
“You’re all brothers. Help each other and keep the peace. The wheat in the fields still hasn’t dried, so we’ll divide things after that. In the future, each household can contract as much land as they can farm. Handle your own grain. We won’t mix everything together anymore.”
Before, staying together had benefited from the third branch’s hard work.
Meanwhile, the family supported two scholars who never worked the fields but still took a share of the profits.
Giving up some benefits now was simply because they feared the other branches would become unhappy.
Jiang Song clenched his fists.
“Let’s split.”
Old Master Jiang looked at the third branch in surprise.
Jiang Chuanli hadn’t spoken, yet Jiang Song was making decisions?
Still, he said nothing.
Neither the third nor fourth branch objected, though everyone’s expressions differed.
They signed the agreement.
The whole separation took less than the time it took to burn one stick of incense.
After it was done, Jiang Song led the three of them home.
Madam Yun and Jiang Chuanli looked dazed.
Jiang Song looked relieved.
Jiang Ran pretended to be upset and went into the small room.
Their home had three rooms, and hers and Jiang Song’s space was only separated by wooden boards.
Lying on the bed, she covered her face and silently laughed.
After laughing for a while, she got up to wash.
She needed to sleep early.
Tomorrow morning, she still had to make rice noodles for Fourth Young Lady and Sixth Young Lady.
She wasn’t sure whether to tell Jiang Song about this.
The family had split, but she still didn’t know them well.
What if Jiang Song turned out just like Madam Liu and the others?
What if she earned money, only for it all to end up handed over to Madam Yun and Jiang Chuanli out of filial duty?
He still needed observation.
The sudden family division left some people worried and others happy.
The second branch didn’t seem upset.
Though they lost out a little, at least they no longer had to support two scholars.
After so many years, the family had only saved thirty taels altogether despite farming every year.
That showed how expensive education had been.
Wouldn’t life be much better just shutting the door and living their own lives?
The eldest branch was certain Jiang Xing had a bright future at the marquis manor.
But did that mean the second branch couldn’t earn money too?
Jiang Rong lifted her eyelids.
“Splitting’s good. I’ve been waiting forever. Before, Eldest Uncle and Aunt never wanted it. Now they see Second Sister might enter the marquis manor and think we’ll drag them down, so they finally dumped us troublesome burdens.”
Then she sneered.
“But have they even looked at what kind of person Second Sister is? She’s hung around Fifth Young Lady for a whole year and still hasn’t succeeded. Now she wants to bribe her way in? Hah. Everyone else sells themselves to make money. She’s spending money and still might not even get in. If she can enter the manor, then so can the pigs at home.”
Did Jiang Xing really think entering the marquis manor meant instantly becoming a favored senior maid?
Naturally, she would have to start from the bottom.
Sure, the maids following the young ladies outside looked glamorous and well-dressed.
But such a huge manor surely had servants for sweeping, cooking, washing clothes—
Even cleaning chamber pots.
The Jiang family were tenant farmers.
Did they really have enough status for Jiang Xing to become a head maid immediately?
She’d probably have to start from scratch.
As for whether she could climb higher—or how long it would take—who knew?
And even if she succeeded and became a senior maid, her fate would still depend entirely on her mistress.
If the mistress married well and lived comfortably, then so would she.
If not, she wouldn’t.
By then, who knew how old she’d be?
Her marriage prospects might already be ruined.
Most maids ended up marrying servants in the manor with little future.
Wouldn’t it be better to skip all that hardship and instead marry a capable steward or accountant in the manor? That way, she could still build ties to the marquis household without suffering as a maid.
Jiang Rong looked at her parents.
“You don’t need to envy Second Sister for entering the marquis manor. Whether life turns out well or not, time will tell. I’ll work hard. I won’t let you lose face in front of Eldest Uncle and Aunt.”
Night fell.
The moon rose.
Many dogs were kept on the estate. After barking a few times, silence settled again.
The sky was packed with stars, so many it seemed ready to overflow into a brilliant silver river pouring across the heavens.
Thin gray clouds spread over the dark sky.
As the night passed, the stars gradually faded, and red streaked the horizon.
Jiang Ran got up early.
She mixed the rice batter and pressed out rice noodles.
Following yesterday’s method, she made two bowls again.
She had considered trying new flavors but, after some thought, decided against it.
The young ladies were only staying briefly at the estate.
Fourth Young Lady seemed temperamental but not bad-hearted. Fifth and Sixth Young Ladies were food lovers—innocent and adorable.
But that was only what they had shown her these past few days.
This was the marquis manor.
People there held power.
What if, on a whim, they asked whether she wanted to become a maid?
What would she do then?
Jiang Ran didn’t want to offend anyone.
Wealth and glory could dazzle people’s eyes.
But one wrong step, and you could fall straight into the trap.
After making breakfast, Jiang Ran stayed inside.
Only in the afternoon, when the young ladies from the marquis manor were preparing to leave, did she quietly step outside to take a look.
People bustled around loading gifts onto the carriages—vegetables, eggs, live chickens, live ducks from the estate.
Among the blue dresses of the manor maids, Jiang Xing stood out sharply in her apricot-colored outfit.
A small bundle hung over her shoulder.
She climbed into the marquis manor’s carriage.