“I ate too much at supper, so I took Hubo out with me for a walk to digest. Is that not allowed? Or is Yaoguang Courtyard now under your command, Qiuyue, where all the servants must obey you, and I, their mistress, have no say?” Shang Shiyan’s tone carried a trace of anger.
Qiuyue quickly backtracked. “Miss, I—I didn’t mean it that way!”
“Then why do you scold Hubo? You and Hubo are both my personal maids, equal in status. What right do you have to put on airs before her?”
Shang Shiyan lifted her chin arrogantly, her usual imperious manner. “What I despise most are servants who overstep their place. Since you love meddling so much, go to the courtyard garden and pull out every weed before dawn!”
Qiuyue’s face went pale. “Miss, I…”
“Go now! If it isn’t finished by morning, you’ll be expelled from Yaoguang Courtyard. We don’t need useless trash here.”
Qiuyue panicked, realizing Shang Shiyan was truly angry, and quickly obeyed. “Yes, Miss, I’ll do it at once.” She ran to the garden, bent down, and began pulling weeds by moonlight.
Hubo was stunned. She looked at her own hands, then at Qiuyue working in the distance. This time, she herself was spared, while Qiuyue—the one who had picked on her—was punished. So the mistress’s promise to protect her was real!
Gratitude and joy surged in Hubo’s heart. From now on, she would serve her mistress with all her devotion.
The next morning, Shang Shiyan woke late.
By then, Shang Yunrou was already in her courtyard.
When she heard Shang Shiyan had risen, Shang Yunrou barged straight into her chamber. “Sister, you made Qiuyue pull weeds in the garden all night?”
“She is your first-class maid. How could you make her do the work of common drudges? Isn’t that humiliating her in front of the other servants?”
Shang Shiyan had just woken, and when she hadn’t slept well, she was always a little temperamental. Now Shang Yunrou had intruded into her private chamber, interfering with her punishment of a disloyal servant—truly irritating.
Shang Shiyan raised her hand, grabbed the empty teapot by her bedside, and hurled it at Shang Yunrou. “My affairs are none of your concern!”
The teapot struck Shang Yunrou’s arm, and she let out a sharp scream. “Ah! It hurts!”
Her arm was visibly swelling red, tears rolling down her cheeks one after another. “Sister, how could you treat me this way?”
Shang Shiyan lifted the gauze curtain, her eyes burning with anger. “How did I treat you? You’ve lived in the Marquis’ residence for a year now—do you still not know my temper? If Qiuyue hadn’t provoked me first, would I have punished her? Yet you, sister, don’t care about me at all. Instead, you criticize how I discipline my servants. Since you value Qiuyue so highly, take her to your own courtyard to serve you.”
Shang Yunrou’s tears stopped instantly.
“I only feared that if you punished your maids too harshly, people would criticize you.” She put on a gentle, considerate expression, as though worrying herself sick for Shang Shiyan’s sake.
Shang Shiyan’s anger had not subsided.
But Shang Yunrou, seeing her cousin still acting arrogant and domineering, felt reassured. Clearly, Shang Shiyan hadn’t changed—Qiuyue must have foolishly offended her, just like Chunhua before her. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence, first Chunhua, then Qiuyue?
“Sister, you should get up quickly. Today we must go to the academy.”
Shang Shiyan didn’t believe Shang Yunrou was being kind. Risking being scolded by the tutors for being late, she had waited here only to watch Shang Shiyan’s humiliation. With the annulment scandal spreading through the capital, everyone said Shang Shiyan was “retreating to advance,” and the Crown Prince grew ever more disgusted with her. They were all waiting to see him ridicule her.
The Great Sheng Empire was won on horseback, but its literary tradition was weak. Thus, the court promoted the imperial examinations and poetry. In the capital alone, there were more than twenty academies. Even common families sent their children to study from a young age.
Among them, Shengting Academy was the most prestigious. Its students were all wealthy or noble, and even princes and princesses of the royal family studied there. Highborn families sent their daughters to the academy not only for education but also to secure good marriages.
Shang Shiyan had entered Shengting Academy at the age of five and had studied there for nine years; only one month remained before graduation.
“My wound hasn’t healed yet. I’m not going.” Shang Shiyan ignored Shang Yunrou’s words, turned back inside, and lay down to rest.
Shang Yunrou frowned at her retreating figure, resentment boiling in her heart. She clenched her fists tightly as she left.
When she reached the courtyard and saw Qiuyue’s hands covered in bloody blisters from pulling weeds, Shang Yunrou’s eyes flashed with warning. “Be more careful in the future. If you get caught again, I won’t protect you.”
After Shang Yunrou left, Shen Zuizhi came to Shang Shiyan’s courtyard with attendants.
“Ah Yan, are you awake?”
Her gentle voice sounded from outside, and Shang Shiyan immediately sat up.
“Mother!”
“Upon hearing of your injury, your maternal grandfather’s family grew very worried. Your cousin has just arrived in the capital today and brought you the thing you most wanted—Tongyan Hui ink.”
At the mention of Tongyan Hui ink, Shang Shiyan’s eyes lit up. “Tongyan Hui ink?!”
“That’s right. Your cousin is waiting for you in the main hall. Quickly tidy yourself and go see him.”
“Alright!”
Hubo and Zhenzhu helped Shang Shiyan change her clothes, and then she went to the main hall to meet her cousin.
Her cousin, Qi Yanyu, was the eldest son of her aunt’s family. Over twenty years old, he was mature and steady, and had always indulged Shang Shiyan greatly.
Whatever Shang Shiyan desired, her cousin would remember and find a way to obtain it for her.
Tongyan Hui ink was something Shang Shiyan had once seen mentioned in a book.
The saying “an ounce of gold for an ounce of ink” referred to Tongyan Hui ink. Its production was extremely complex: seeds from five-year-old paulownia trees were used to make paulownia oil, which was then burned in lamps. Small porcelain bowls were placed over the lamps to collect the soot, which was then processed into the ink. It was exceedingly rare and difficult to obtain.
Shang Shiyan had only mentioned it casually, yet her cousin remembered and even managed to make it for her. In her previous life, she had obsessed over why her brothers didn’t like her and favored Shang Yunrou instead, forgetting those who truly cared for her. This time, she would not be so foolish. When she reached the front hall and saw Qi Yanyu seated there, her eyes suddenly reddened.
The Shen family had been exiled by the emperor, and even her aunt’s family, though married out, had not been spared. Her cousin—so gentle and refined, a man of great talent—should have had a brilliant future, but instead died tragically on the road to exile, torn apart by wild beasts.
“Little Ah Yan, why are your eyes red?”
Hearing her footsteps, Qi Yanyu quickly turned his head. He saw Shang Shiyan’s tearful eyes fixed on him, her gaze heavy with unspoken thoughts.
Shang Shiyan stepped forward, threw herself into his arms, and said, “I’ve missed you so much, Cousin.”
That single word of longing, together with her reddened eyes, softened Qi Yanyu’s heart completely. At the same time, a pang of bitterness struck him—he had failed to protect his cousin, allowing her to suffer grievances.
“Blame me, blame your cousin for not coming to the capital often enough to see you. However you wish to punish me, it’s fine.”
Qi Yanyu reached out to pinch Shang Shiyan’s cheek. Her face was soft and tender. Lowering his gaze, his eyes fell upon her wrist. “Let me see how your wound is healing?”