Suian, who was brought back to the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard by Chu Yi, was not having an easy time.
Although Chu Yi was the youngest son, his seniority was high, and the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard was considered one of the finest courtyards in the estate. Not only was it spacious and bright, but its architecture was also grand, rivaling even the Zheng Yang Hall where Old Madam resided. Moreover, every time the estate underwent expansion or major renovations, Old Madam would make sure to have it repainted and refurbished for him, making the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard a veritable nest of luxury.
Having been in the estate for several years, Suian had been fortunate enough to visit the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard a few times, but each visit left her with a different impression, and this time was particularly intense.
Take Ninth Master himself, for example. His temperament was as changeable as the varied styles of the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard. In front of Old Madam, he was a mischievous son; in front of his tutors, he was an arrogant student; in front of his elder brothers, he was an obedient younger brother; and in front of the servants, he was undoubtedly a master of unpredictable moods.
For Suian, his unpredictability was the least of her worries. It was the coldness and eccentricity in his nature that truly terrified her.
Even though she had served him for many years, there was no talk of any master-servant affection or rewards to speak of.
Thus, Suian had never expected that he would voluntarily return her deed of servitude and release her after a few years.
The maids and matrons serving in the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard were all carefully selected by Old Madam. Even so, it was said that from time to time, someone would make a mistake in front of Ninth Master and be punished with caning before being expelled.
This time, having been caught by Ninth Master, Suian was already prepared to tell everything she knew without holding back. However, how a matter was perceived by others also depended on how it was presented by the speaker.
Especially based on the hints Ziyu had dropped earlier in Zheng Yang Hall, she wondered if Old Madam had already known about Commander Chu taking a concubine?
But such matters could only be speculated upon, not openly inquired about.
When Lian Xiang, the head maid of the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard, saw Suian, a flicker of surprise passed through her eyes. However, in front of Chu Yi, she remained courteous: "Sister Suian is a rare guest." She called a young maid by her side to pour tea for Suian, while she and another maid, Hexiang, attended to Chu Yi as he changed his clothes.
Chu Yi tossed out a sentence: "Go wait for me in the study," before entering the inner chamber.
Suian knew he meant the study within the Brocade Bamboo Courtyard and went there on her own to wait for Chu Yi. This also gave her a chance to think about how she should speak later.
Should she stand or kneel? Should she start by expressing her loyalty with tears after just a few words, or firmly declare her unwavering devotion to Ninth Master?
Chu Yi arrived quickly.
The weather was cold, and the charcoal brazier in the study had just been lit, but Suian’s back was already covered in a dense layer of sweat.
"Go fetch me a bowl of ice," he ordered Lian Xiang with a smile.
Seeing him in a relatively good mood, Lian Xiang mustered the courage to ask, "Ninth Master, what do you need the ice for?"
Chu Yi grew impatient: "I want Suian to try grinding ink with it. Now, have everyone else leave as well."
Hearing this, Lian Xiang hurried to prepare and soon returned with a bowl of ice.
Suian couldn’t help but swallow nervously at the sight.
Chu Yi smiled: "You already know what I’m going to do, don’t you? I’ve heard that if a woman consumes ice during her monthly cycle, not only will she suffer excruciating pain every month, but she’ll also endure great hardship when giving birth in the future…"
Suian’s face turned pale, but she forced herself to suppress her fear and said, "Ninth Master, even if you gave this servant a hundred times the courage, I would never dare to deceive you."
"You've been by my side for quite some time now, and you understand my methods—that's good. Then speak. Tell me everything you know, everything you suspect. Remember, I want the truth, and I want your honest thoughts. If you dare utter even a single lie…"
Suian was so frightened that she immediately lifted her skirt and knelt on the floor, ignoring the coldness of the tiles. "Ninth Master, this servant wouldn't dare." She recounted everything she had heard from Auntie Fang and her subsequent conversation with Ziyu.
"Auntie Fang seemed to have guessed… guessed that the eldest master had taken Mrs. Lin's younger sister as a concubine and wanted to inform Old Madam. Although she wanted to earn merit, this servant believes her heart is still loyal to Old Madam, and she remains devoted to her master."
"That goes without saying. Continue with the rest." Chu Yi's voice was icy. At this moment, he bore no resemblance to the innocent, naive youth he appeared to be in front of his mother. Instead, he was a truly cold and hardened man.
"After this servant left, Sister Ziyu reported the matter to Old Madam during her shift. Later, Sister Ziyu said Old Madam didn't say anything at the time and appeared as usual, except she ate very little. She dismissed all the maids, leaving only Mama Xu to speak with her privately. After that, the eldest master came, and Old Madam claimed she wasn't feeling well."
Chu Yi stared at Suian, who was trembling on the floor, watching her until she seemed on the verge of collapse before finally granting mercy. "Get up. Go warm yourself by the charcoal brazier."
Suian quickly scrambled to her feet and sat on a small footstool near the brazier, vigorously rubbing her numb, aching, and ice-cold knees and calves.
Unlike most scions of noble families, although Chu Yi had grown up in the inner quarters, he lacked the soft-heartedness often associated with women. By the age of seven or eight, he had been taken to the battlefield by Commander Chu to execute prisoners, a testament to his hardened nature.
After hearing Suian's account, he didn't consider it a significant matter. In his view, if someone displeased him, they could either be driven out or killed under some pretext—neither was a big deal in his eyes.
What concerned him was his mother's unhappiness. As the revered and respected Old Madam of the household, she had suppressed her emotions so quickly, showing no outward disturbance. He remembered when he was seven or eight, his father was home, and the two had even fought over a maid—of course, his father had yielded, but his mother's temper had been fierce. Why was there no reaction this time?
Lost in thought on his chair, he glanced over and noticed Suian wiping her nose with a handkerchief. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you not wish to stay in the mansion? Do you want to leave and have your name removed from the household register?"
With him asking like this, if she were to dishonestly claim she didn't want to leave, he might very well keep her in the mansion forever.
"This servant dares not lie. This servant hopes to be able to seek manumission when of age, not because there is someone waiting outside, but because this servant's father is weak and unable to work. This servant wishes to leave and care for him for a few years."
Chu Yi laughed. "Aren't you afraid he'll find you a stepmother, who might then sell you off?"
Though frustrated, Suian could only reply, "This servant's family has no permanent assets—only two acres of land, which aren't worth much. But this servant's father is frail and often ill. Even as things stand now, no one is willing to marry him. In a few years, when he's older, it will likely be even harder to find someone."
Chu Yi burst into laughter.
After laughing, he called to her, "Come here."
Suian hurriedly stood up and walked over, fearing he might kick her a few times, so she stood rather far away—well, at least keeping a distance of two or three steps.
Chu Yi paid no mind to her little thoughts, narrowing his eyes as he looked her up and down. Tall in stature, even seated in a chair, his gaze upon Suian was condescending.
Suian, however, did not feel awkward and simply stood there, letting him look.
After looking his fill, Chu Yi chuckled, "How old are you, anyway? What do you know about sweethearts?"
Seeing she didn’t answer, he suddenly felt the urge to tease her: "Old Madam said that the twelfth month is almost here, so studies can be suspended. From now on, just read and write a little each day. Tell me, should you move to Jinzhu Courtyard, or should your Ninth Master still trouble himself to go to the study every day?"
As expected, as soon as Chu Yi said this, Suian’s heart tightened again. As the saying goes, "A golden nest or a silver nest is not as good as one’s own humble abode." Though her days in the small study courtyard were busy and tiring, at least she avoided trouble, and life was quite comfortable. If she moved to Jinzhu Courtyard, with its four senior maids, twelve second-rank maids, and countless junior maids, what rank would she, a newcomer parachuted in, even hold?
As she thought this, her expression dimmed, her spirits sinking noticeably. Summoning her courage, she gritted her teeth and said, "This servant will listen to Ninth Master." She very much wanted to remain in the small study courtyard, but not only was this matter not up to her—even she herself was Ninth Master’s servant, so naturally she had to follow her master’s orders in everything.
Hearing her words, Chu Yi felt somewhat satisfied and decided not to frighten her further. He said directly, "I’ve already replied to Mother that I’ll continue studying in the small study courtyard every day. You just stay there and wait properly."
Upon hearing this, Suian’s face lit up with joy. Her features were naturally clean and delicate, and this smile was like a sky after rain—clear and bright, without a trace of impurity.
Chu Yi suddenly thought that keeping such a foolish simpleton by his side might not be so bad after all. At the very least, she wouldn’t dare lie to him.
He stood up, walked over to her, and suddenly reached out to pinch her chin, examining her features coldly.
The person before him was no longer the skinny, gaunt figure from three years ago when they first met. Her almond-shaped eyes were dark, her skin fine, fair, and radiant as frost or snow. Unlike other maids who powdered their faces, resulting in mismatched shades between face and neck, touching their faces would make him feel his hands were dirtied.
Suian was terrified by his gaze but dared not retreat even a step. She only felt layers of sweat on her back, and as the wind blew, she shivered with cold.
Seeing the genuine fear in her eyes, Chu Yi finally released her chin with satisfaction, but he added lightly, "Don’t even think about manumission."
Returning to the small study courtyard, Suian finally let out a sigh of relief. She stomped her feet vigorously, lit a candle to check the poetry notes she had made during the day, and, finding everything in order, went straight back to her quarters. She lit the stove but didn’t add charcoal to the brazier, merely boiling a pot of water. She took out the osmanthus flowers collected in autumn to brew a cup of floral tea and forced herself to eat a few bites of the pastries Ziyu had given her during the day.
Her day had been rather turbulent and, in short, particularly unlucky. She wondered if Old Madam would still go to Dacheng Temple this year to pray for Commander Chu’s blessings. If so, she should ask the stewardess to take her along to pay respects to the Bodhisattva.
After having some snacks, Suian noticed there was still some hot water left, so she fetched a basin to wash up, soaking her feet warmly. Recalling her near brush with drinking ice water, she became even more determined to pursue manumission. As for Chu Yi's warning not to even think about it, she defiantly thought about it anyway.
But things always seemed to go this way—just when you thought it couldn't get worse, it did. The next day, before dawn, as she got up to move about, someone knocked at the small courtyard gate. Grumbling inwardly, she thought, "Is this the early bird catching the worm, or the early worm getting eaten?"
Opening the door, she saw Lin Songluan.
Since Old Madam and Ninth Master had made it clear they didn’t care for this family, Suian didn’t dare appear too enthusiastic. She asked directly, "Miss Lin, you’re here so early—is there something you need?"