Wan Tang shrank into the corner, her back pressed against the wall, glaring warily at Cai Lian and Ziyan. “If you dare, go cry to the masters! At worst, we’ll all be punished together!”
Cai Lian and Ziyan had come to hurt her in secret, undoubtedly on Song Zhiyun’s orders.
Song Zhiyun no longer dared to mistreat her openly, so she resorted to such underhanded methods to vent her anger. It was always like this—even when it wasn’t her fault, Song Zhiyun still found her displeasing. Anyone could see that Xiao Yujue harbored ill intentions, but Song Zhiyun would only hold her accountable.
Wan Tang was certain that Ziyan and the others wouldn’t dare to make a scene openly, which was why she seized the opportunity to fight back.
She glanced at her arm, covered in dense red spots that had already swollen. By tomorrow, once she was dressed, no one would be able to see these injuries.
Were they already resorting to needles so early in this life?
She looked at her fingertips, suddenly reminded of that heart-wrenching, bone-deep pain.
Ziyan suppressed her sobs and hissed, “Do you think the Eldest Mistress would believe you? You vicious wretch, did you want to bite the flesh right off my hand?”
Cai Lian’s mouth was cut from the fall, too painful to speak. Blood-tinged saliva seeped through the fingers she held over her mouth as she whimpered softly.
Wan Tang regarded them coldly. “You hurt me first. The Eldest Mistress is magnanimous and believes I didn’t do it on purpose. What right do you have to act so high and mighty in her name? The Eldest Mistress was just reprimanded for not caring for the servants, yet you’re here bullying me under her name. If this escalates, do you think she’ll protect you? Are you trying to make her reputation even worse, adding fuel to the fire?”
Ziyan and Cai Lian exchanged glances and hurriedly denied it. “You’re talking nonsense! We’re not adding fuel to the fire!”
After delivering her threat, Wan Tang softened her tone. “I won’t make a fuss, and you should stop too. If we all keep quiet tomorrow, it’ll be better for everyone. If you want to curry favor with the Eldest Mistress, I won’t expose you. I’ll even obediently kneel and apologize to her. But if you still want to cause trouble, don’t forget that I’m now serving the Ancestor and the Marquis. If I find a chance to report you, just try and see who’ll end up worse off!”
With this mix of threats and persuasion, Ziyan and Cai Lian both slumped to the ground.
In the end, the three of them reached an agreement: no one would report the incident.
As Ziyan grumbled and left with Cai Lian for the neighboring room, Wan Tang stepped barefoot onto the floor, quickly closed the door, and slid the bolt into place. Only then did she let out a long sigh of relief.
She shared a room with Mingyue, but tonight Mingyue was on night duty. Otherwise, she might not have been ambushed.
Wan Tang smiled bitterly. Though Mingyue was kind-hearted, she was timid. Even if she had been there, she wouldn’t have been able to help.
She examined the injuries on her arm but ultimately couldn’t bring herself to use the jar of Jade Beauty Ointment Xiao Zhi had given her.
There were still many days ahead. Such minor injuries weren’t worth using such precious ointment, and besides, she had other uses for keeping these wounds.
Early the next morning, when Mingyue returned to the room, she avoided meeting Wan Tang’s eyes, her gaze flickering uneasily. After stealing a few glances and noticing the dark circles under Wan Tang’s eyes, she couldn’t help but ask, “Are you all right?”
Wan Tang smiled bitterly. “I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”
Mingyue hesitated several times before finally saying, “I noticed Ziyan seems to have injured her left hand. She said she burned it while tending the stove. And Cai Lian has a cut on her mouth, as if she slipped and fell.”
Wan Tang understood that Mingyue was hinting at what those two had said in front of the Eldest Mistress. Gratefully, she took Mingyue’s hand and patted it: “Thank you, Sister Mingyue. It’s really nice to share a room with you. You should go rest for a while now. I need to go attend to my duties.”
Mingyue’s eyes grew moist. Seeing Wan Tang about to leave, she anxiously grabbed her arm, wanting to say something.
Wan Tang drew in a faint, almost imperceptible breath of cold air.
She had thought resting for half the night would have mostly healed her, but it still hurt this much?
Mingyue sensed something was wrong and forcefully pushed up her sleeve to check. When she saw the bean-sized red marks on Wan Tang’s arm, her eyes nearly popped out in shock: “What… what happened?”
Yesterday, she had only heard the Eldest Mistress order Ziyan to discipline Wan Tang, but she didn’t know how Ziyan had carried it out.
Wan Tang pushed Mingyue’s hand away, straightened her sleeve, and said calmly, “Sister Ziyan said I couldn’t endure loneliness and taught me a lesson. I didn’t do anything. I’ll just stay away from Daye from now on.”
Mingyue watched her leave and whispered softly, “Wan Tang, I’m sorry. It’s my fault for not warning you.”
In the main room of Jinxiu Garden, Wan Tang was attending to Song Zhiyun during her morning meal.
She was even more subservient than usual, not daring to glance toward Xiao Yujue even out of the corner of her eye.
Song Zhiyun was quite satisfied with this.
Yesterday, she had returned to the Jingyang Marquisate to complain about her grievances, only to be scolded by her mother. She came back seething with anger and then saw her own husband rolling around with a maid, which naturally filled her with pent-up fury.
Earlier, Ziyan and Cai Lian had both said they had properly disciplined Wan Tang. Seeing Wan Tang now behaving with excessive meekness, the resentment that had built up overnight vanished completely. Song Zhiyun even ate half a bowl more for breakfast than usual.
The slap mark on Wan Tang’s face had already faded. As usual, she went to Meiyuan, only to learn that Xiao Zhi was not at the Houfu. She couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.
She had intentionally left the injuries on her arm, originally hoping Xiao Zhi would notice them inadvertently. However, her plan ultimately failed. Xiao Zhi was absent from the Houfu for several days in a row, and the swelling and pain on her arm gradually subsided even without applying medicine.
Although she kept missing him, she would still linger in Meiyuan for a while each day, making fresh pastries with different variations.
She had no other way but to silently pray that Xiao Zhi’s shoulder soreness wouldn’t heal too quickly and to hope even more that he wouldn’t forget about her, a mere maid.
On the fifth day, Wan Tang still hadn’t waited for Xiao Zhi. Counting on her fingers, she realized there were only forty-four days left.
Anxiously, she headed back to Jinxiu Garden when, halfway there, a tall figure suddenly blocked her path.
Thinking Xiao Zhi had returned, she looked up joyfully, only to see Xiao Yujue’s face—the one she detested—reflected in her eyes.
Her smile instantly froze, and all her joy vanished. Wan Tang bowed her head properly in greeting: “Daye.”
Xiao Yujue had just seen her smiling, radiant face, and his heart swayed fiercely.
Although he hadn’t brought any servants with him, he still cautiously glanced around before grabbing Wan Tang’s arm and pulling her toward a nearby corner. Wan Tang didn’t dare cry out, afraid of being seen by others, and could only resist silently.
Xiao Yujue trapped her in the corner, gazing affectionately at her rosy lips, his throat moving: “Wan Tang, are you blaming me for not protecting you that day?”
“This servant wouldn’t dare. This servant still needs to go back and embroider handkerchiefs for the Eldest Mistress…”
Xiao Yujue blocked her path, pinched her chin, and forced her to look up: “Don’t move. Let Master see if your face has healed.”
Wan Tang felt a wave of disgust and wanted to pull away, but a glance from the corner of her eye caught his other hand seemingly trying to wrap around her waist. She dared not move again. “Daye, I beg you, please let me go.”
Seeing her become more compliant, Xiao Yujue ultimately did not wrap his other hand around her. It would be unwise to stir up feelings in broad daylight.
“Still saying you don’t blame me? Your deed of servitude is in Yun’er’s hands. If I protect you, she will only bully you more in the future. I can’t be by your side every day to shield you. What a pity—Master can’t tuck a little beauty like you into his pocket and carry you around, or else how could I let you be bullied?”
Wan Tang felt so disgusted that goosebumps rose all over her body, but she still feigned compliance. “I understand Daye’s good intentions, but I’m truly terrified. I beg you not to do such things again in the future.”
A beauty shedding tears, delicate and soft—Xiao Yujue watched her, wishing he could give her his heart.
The two whispered quietly, neither noticing Xiao Zhi not far away.
On his way back to Meiyuan, he heard a familiar voice and paused to look over.
From his angle, he could clearly see Xiao Yujue pinching Wan Tang’s chin, with Wan Tang seemingly nestled in his arms, tearfully murmuring something.
Not a hint of resistance.