Don’t be fooled by their noble status and prestigious families. From the outside, they all appeared refined and glamorous, but beneath the surface, most of them were rotten to the core. Lin Shanyue had learned that lesson long ago.
Watching the young master whom Jiang Wan’er had once praised as graceful as the moon, elegant as the breeze, and ethereal as an immortal turn out to be no different from the rest, Lin Shanyue suddenly felt a surge of satisfaction.
Perhaps one day Jiang Wan’er would witness this scene with her own eyes…
Although Madam Liu had managed to drive the Zhao family away, she herself suffered the consequences. Zhao Quanyou, having failed to get what he wanted and humiliated in front of so many people, slapped Madam Liu across the face in public.
As furious as she was, Madam Liu could only endure it with a forced smile. Huayue House still had a business to run, and the Zhao family was not one she could afford to offend.
Lin Shanyue hadn’t expected things to end this way. She instinctively covered her mouth in shock. Many of the courtesans were equally indignant, but in the end, the Zhao family swaggered away without consequence. Before leaving, they even tossed down a gold ingot, saying it was for Madam Liu to “treat her face.”
Did she hate them?
Of course she did.
But Madam Liu still accepted the gold. Then, expressionless, she swept her gaze over everyone around her.
“What are you all standing around for? Clean up this mess. Are we not doing business anymore?”
Everyone hurried to obey.
Seeing this, Lin Shanyue’s heart ached.
She had noticed the tears glistening in Madam Liu’s eyes. But someone as proud as Madam Liu couldn’t be comforted right now. Any attempt at consolation would only deepen her humiliation.
So Lin Shanyue quietly left.
Of course, she planned to send Madam Liu something later.
After returning to the mule cart, Lin Shanyue couldn’t help asking Chunlan,
“Does this kind of thing happen often?”
Chunlan had witnessed everything as well, and her expression remained grim.
“To be honest, I spent most of my time in the back courtyard tending the stove, so I don’t know much about what happened out front. But every now and then, I’d see many of the young ladies crying secretly in the backyard. They must have suffered some grievance in the front hall…”
Lin Shanyue’s emotions grew even more complicated.
Huayue House might advertise itself as a place where performers sold only their talents, not their bodies, but what could they do when confronted with bullies like the Zhao family? Life was already hard enough, especially for women.
The entire journey home weighed heavily on Lin Shanyue’s heart.
Little Bao seemed to notice his mother’s gloomy mood. Sitting in the cart, he clapped his tiny hands and babbled happily to cheer her up. His adorable antics finally made her laugh, lifting her spirits considerably.
But for some reason, luck simply wasn’t on her side that day.
Just as the mule cart reached the entrance to Sweetwater Alley, a group of people suddenly stepped out and blocked the road.
Leading them was the old woman from the Jiang family whom Lin Shanyue had encountered before.
“Who are you people? What do you think you’re doing?!”
Chunlan immediately tensed at the sight of so many people surrounding them.
Meanwhile, Lin Shanyue lifted the curtain of the cart with Little Bao in her arms.
“So it’s really you, you little wretch! You’re hiding in Guangde Ward now?! What exactly are you planning? Get out of the Imperial Capital immediately!”
After returning home that day, Lin Shanyue had remembered who the old woman was.
She was none other than one of Jiang Wan’er’s wet nurses, someone who had raised Jiang Wan’er from childhood and harbored intense hostility toward Lin Shanyue.
Lin Shanyue frowned.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Do I even know you? It’s broad daylight. Why are you blocking my cart?”
“Still pretending? You shameless little slut! Let me tell you, my young lady was merciful enough to let you leave before. Don’t you dare dream about marrying into nobility overnight! You’ll never compare to my young lady!”
Lin Shanyue deliberately put on a bewildered expression.
“You’re insane… I don’t even know who you are. You keep talking about your young lady—who exactly is she? Move aside. If you keep making trouble, I’ll report this to the authorities.”
The old woman froze.
She scrutinized Lin Shanyue carefully, beginning to wonder whether she’d mistaken her for someone else.
Just then, Little Bao puffed out his cheeks and spat several times in the old woman’s direction.
“Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!”
Lin Shanyue couldn’t help laughing.
“Are you leaving or not? Do you really want me to summon the constables?”
“Who exactly are you? Aren’t you that country bumpkin?” the old woman asked uncertainly.
Lin Shanyue sneered.
“You stop my cart, then ask who I am? How ridiculous.”
Chunlan was so angry she raised the whip in her hand and cracked it loudly against the front of the cart.
“Watch your mouth! My mistress came from Yangzhou Prefecture to the capital to do business! If you keep harassing us, don’t blame this whip for showing no mercy!”
Chunlan’s fierce demeanor intimidated the old woman.
Seeing no point wasting more words, Lin Shanyue ordered Chunlan to drive straight through.
The old woman was nothing more than a paper tiger. The people she had brought were only Jiang family maids and servants. As the cart charged toward them, everyone scrambled out of the way.
Lin Shanyue returned safely to Sweetwater Alley.
The old woman stood there completely dumbfounded.
Lin Shanyue felt immensely satisfied.
She had more or less figured it out.
Today’s incident was Jiang Wan’er’s own doing. If Madam Jiang herself had been behind it, she would never have sent so few people.
Lin Shanyue let out a cold laugh.
Back when she had first returned to the Jiang household, the person who had minded her arrival most was Jiang Wan’er. Before Lin Shanyue had even arrived, she’d heard that Jiang Wan’er had already cried and thrown several tantrums.
The words “fake daughter” were a thorn buried deep in Jiang Wan’er’s heart.
As long as Lin Shanyue remained in the Imperial Capital, that thorn could never be removed.
Unfortunately for Jiang Wan’er, Lin Shanyue wasn’t a saint.
Why should she be the one to leave just to make Jiang Wan’er comfortable?
If she was a thorn, then she’d only make herself dig in even deeper.
Expressionless, she returned home.
After tying up the mule, Chunlan was still fuming.
“Madam! Who exactly were those people? They were outrageous!”
For now, Lin Shanyue couldn’t explain everything to Chunlan.
Instead, after washing her hands and settling Little Bao down, she said,
“Let’s not worry about them. Let’s make some more pastries for Madam Liu. I want to develop a new recipe today. This afternoon, help me deliver them.”
Chunlan immediately agreed and hurried off to chop firewood and light the stove.
Lin Shanyue returned to her room and immediately called for Huo Yi through the silver mirror.
Unfortunately, Huo Yi wasn’t there.
At that very moment, it wasn’t only Lin Shanyue who was troubled by the Jiang family.
The Huo Group had also run into a significant problem.
Someone had suddenly reported irregularities in the company’s tax affairs. Huo Chen had been temporarily detained at the detention center. After visiting him, Huo Yi headed to see his grandfather.
The Huo family had become one of the biggest business empires in A City, and they had countless competitors. Huo Yi had seen more than enough dirty tricks in the business world.
He despised corporate warfare, but he worried about his grandfather. The entire drive to the Huo family estate left him in a sour mood.
Only after arriving at the old residence did Huo Yi remember the silver mirror.
By now, he had grown accustomed to carrying it with him wherever he went.
Whenever he had a spare moment, he would take it out and look into it—even if they didn’t speak.
Watching the graceful young woman on the other side busily going about her work in that humble little courtyard, the irritation in Huo Yi’s heart gradually melted away, replaced by a quiet sense of peace.