The Brocade Hero King Manor had been unusually somber these days, even more so than before Jiang Ruan had entered its gates. The servants all wore expressions of worry, and to an outsider unaware of the reason, it might have seemed as though some earth-shattering event had occurred within the manor.
And indeed, something momentous had happened in the Brocade Hero King Manor. Although Jinying Wang Xiao Shao usually kept a low profile, his striking appearance and illustrious background made it impossible for him to avoid attention. Any minor stir concerning him would swiftly spread throughout the capital. This time, however, it was no trivial matter—it involved romantic entanglements, which naturally piqued public interest. Add in an element of bullying, and oh dear, it became the hottest topic in every teahouse.
Luzhu likely never imagined she would become the subject of street gossip in her lifetime, though the circumstances were far from favorable. The capital's residents whispered that the Princess of Brocade Glory, Jiang Ruan, was no pushover—rising from an unloved legitimate daughter to the Princess of Great Peace personally recognized by Empress Dowager Yide, then marrying into the Brocade Hero King Manor, and even suing her own father. Her methods were undeniably ruthless. Now, it seemed her maid was no less formidable. Rumor had it that one of Prince Xiao's capable subordinates had already been betrothed to a woman from his hometown, yet the princess's maid took a fancy to this guard and persuaded her mistress to arrange a marriage. Now, the guard's original fiancée had come knocking, and the guard, being a man of honor, refused to yield to the princess's pressure. He canceled the engagement with the maid to honor his prior commitment to the hometown girl.
People love to parrot hearsay, and as the story spread, it became increasingly distorted. It now painted a picture of a tyrant forcing a virtuous maiden into an unwanted match—only with the genders reversed. By the end, Luzhu had been transformed in public opinion into a vulgar, unreasonable, and ugly shrew, while the Liao family's young lady was portrayed as gentle, considerate, and beautiful.
When these rumors reached the Brocade Hero King Manor, everyone was furious. Luzhu had always treated others kindly, and to see her slandered so baselessly was infuriating. Yet, with the entire capital abuzz, any attempt to clarify the truth fell on deaf ears. Punishing every gossipmonger was impractical, no matter how much they wanted to defend their own.
When Jiang Ruan heard the rumors, she said nothing, merely instructing Tianzhu to keep an eye on the Liao family's young lady. As for Luzhu, she merely laughed it off. Perhaps the ordeal had struck her so deeply that it seemed to mature her overnight, making her more composed in her actions. But seeing the once cheerful and carefree girl become like this was painful for everyone. Jin Er, perhaps out of shame or some other reason, avoided staying in the manor more and more. He grew increasingly taciturn, almost becoming a second Jin Yi. From Butler Lin, it was faintly heard that he had written home to discuss the marriage with the Liao family's young lady, though the details remained unclear.Lianqiao, indignant on Luzhu's behalf, had confronted Jin Er once, berating him for his lack of conscience and pointing out that the Liao family's young lady was no saint either, for she had needlessly cast such filth upon Luzhu. After all, Luzhu was still an unmarried woman. Initially, only those within the Brocade Hero King Manor had known of her affair with Jin Er. Now that it had spread, the damage to her reputation was unimaginable. It would be exceedingly difficult for Luzhu to find a good match in the future.
Jin Er listened silently as Lianqiao finished her tirade. He insisted that Liao Meng could not have been behind this and vowed to uncover the true culprit to give Luzhu justice, but refused to say anything more. Furious, Lianqiao declared she would wait and see who Jin Er would ultimately expose.
…….
On this day, a rare sun shone over Jiangdong, hinting at the first whispers of early spring. In the teahouse, the waiter bustled about serving tea to the patrons. It was afternoon, and the customers, nibbling on melon seeds, idly chatted about the rumors circulating in the capital.
"Did you hear? That maid Luzhu by the princess's side is quite the tyrant. Not long ago, it was said the guard had already discussed marriage with his betrothed back home, yet that maid made such a scene it reached the princess's ears. I tell you, this isn't over!" a skinny man in a felt hat said mysteriously.
The plump man across from him scoffed, "You don’t understand. Even when beating a dog, you must consider its master. No matter how lowly that maid is, she serves the princess, who naturally favors her own. But to stir up such a mess—I heard the young lady is from a respectable family, reasonable and kind. How could such a gentle and beautiful woman encounter such a meddlesome servant? Ah, heaven has no eyes. These days, good people get no reward."
Unbeknownst to them, a man and woman at a nearby table wore troubled expressions. The man clenched his fists, his face dark with suppressed rage, while the woman hesitated before starting to rise. The man grabbed her arm, stopping her, and whispered, "Miss Liao, what are you doing?"
"Naturally, to clear Luzhu's name," Liao Meng replied, slightly surprised, then smiled. "Surely, Second Young Master won’t stand by and let people slander Luzhu like this? You know she isn’t like that. Allowing a woman’s reputation to be tarnished is hardly the act of a gentleman."
Jin Er paused, then said gravely, "The truth isn’t yet out. Explaining now would be futile. Let it be. Once I find the one behind this, the truth will come to light."
Liao Meng hesitated, then sat back down, gazing at Jin Er. "But this matter arose because of me, Second Young Master. It shouldn’t have come to this. I... I think I should visit someday and explain everything to Luzhu myself. I owe her an apology. That things have escalated so far is all because of me.""This matter has nothing to do with you," Jin Er lowered his head, his voice somewhat subdued. "It's just that I wasn't destined to be her husband. With her temperament, if you go to the manor, not only will the issue not be resolved, but it might escalate further. I've wronged her, and I've wronged you too. If there's any atonement to be done, it should be me who does it."
Liao Meng lowered her gaze, looking at Jin Er's tightly clenched fists resting on the table. Finally, she patted the back of his hand and said, "It's alright, Second Young Master. Everything will get better."
That night, after Xiao Shao finished bathing, he noticed Jiang Ruan wasn't reading on the couch as usual. Instead, she was staring blankly at the screen in front of her, lost in thought. He walked over and sat beside her, asking softly, "Why do you look so upset?"
Jiang Ruan brushed his hand away and said, "You've been busy running around these past few days, disappearing all day long. Finally decided to come back and check on the manor?"
Xiao Shao caught the irritation in her tone and was momentarily taken aback. He looked at her in confusion and asked, "Has something happened in the manor?"
"It's all because of your fine subordinate," Jiang Ruan sat up straight, glaring at him with displeasure. "I even entrusted my maid to him, but he turned out to be so unreliable, doing such heartless and ungrateful things. If he weren't still working under you, I wouldn't let him off so easily."
This only confused Xiao Shao further. He frowned and asked, "Who are you talking about?"
Jiang Ruan shot him a glare and proceeded to recount everything that had happened in the manor over the past few days. When Xiao Shao was busy, he left early and returned late. Even if the Brocade-clad Guards reported matters to him, they were related to official court affairs—never such trivial romantic entanglements. Thus, he truly had no idea about the situation between Jin Er and Luzhu. Finally, Jiang Ruan asked, "What do you plan to do now?"
"Do?" Xiao Shao's frown deepened. He had never interfered in his subordinates' personal affairs before. He looked at Jiang Ruan and asked, "What do you want to do?"
"Your subordinate is your responsibility to discipline." Jiang Ruan made as if to hit him. "No matter what, bullying my people is the same as bullying me. Leave Miss Liao to me. As for Jin Er, you'd better give him a stern warning—this matter won't be settled so easily."
Xiao Shao stroked her hair and pulled her into his arms, coaxing her, "Alright, I'll find a chance to warn him. But A Ruan, Jin Er has served me for many years and has always been sensible. Don't act rashly against Miss Liao—there must be some misunderstanding."
Jin Er had followed Xiao Shao for years, and Xiao Shao was protective of his own. Naturally, he would shield Jin Er. Jiang Ruan couldn't be bothered to argue with him, though she still felt displeased. After exchanging a few more words with Xiao Shao, she let the matter drop.
Xiao Shao had said he would warn Jin Er another day, but before that opportunity arose, trouble struck again.
The next day, Luzhu had just finished instructing the small kitchen to prepare an additional medicinal dish for Jiang Ruan. After carefully relaying the instructions, she was about to return to the courtyard. Lianqiao was attending to Jiang Ruan in the study, so Luzhu had just stepped into the small courtyard when a servant from the gate hurried over to inform her, "Sister Luzhu, there's a young lady outside asking for you."
"A young lady?" Luzhu was taken aback. "What young lady?"The gatekeeper scratched his head and said, "I don't recognize her either—she looks unfamiliar. But the young lady said she's a friend of Sister Luzhu, and she doesn't seem like a bad sort. Sister Luzhu, perhaps you should go take a look."
Though Luzhu couldn't fathom who in the capital might know her, she thought it wouldn't do to delay if there was urgent business. She smoothed her skirt and said, "Alright, I'll go see."
When she reached the gate, she saw a young woman in blue standing there, delicate as a willow with refined features. Even if burned to ashes, Luzhu would recognize her—it was none other than the Liao family's young miss, Liao Meng.
Though Luzhu had appeared calm these past few days, having such slander thrown at her had left her aggrieved and furious. She had always been one who couldn't bear injustice, and these days she had forced smiles to avoid worrying others. Now, seeing Liao Meng, all that pent-up anger surged forth. Though everyone said the source of the rumors hadn't been confirmed and might not be this Liao miss, to Luzhu, even if Liao Meng hadn't spread those defamatory words herself, this mess had still started because of her. Instantly, Luzhu's smile vanished as she glared coldly at Liao Meng. "What are you doing here?"
"I—I came to apologize to you, Miss Luzhu." Liao Meng seemed taken aback by Luzhu's sudden hostility and shrank back slightly. But perhaps because she was a young lady from a prominent family after all, she quickly composed herself and bowed to Luzhu. "I've heard the rumors circulating these days, and I'm deeply troubled. After all, this all began because of me. If not for my mistakes, you and the second young master would still be a happy couple. I... this is all my fault."
"Don't flatter yourself," Luzhu said icily.
Liao Meng hesitated, then suddenly reached into her pouch and pulled out a thick stack of banknotes. She looked at Luzhu and said, "I ruined your marriage. I don't dare ask for your forgiveness in this lifetime. This money is the only thing I can offer you. Please... take it."
The stack was likely worth a couple thousand taels of silver. Luzhu was stunned at first, but after hearing her words, she whirled around, her face twisted with fury. To her, this was nothing short of blatant humiliation. Though she was a servant, Jiang Ruan had never treated her like other masters did their subordinates—Luzhu had always felt at ease by her side. Since following Jiang Ruan, this was the first time she had suffered such an insult. She took a deep breath and, instead of raging, laughed coldly. "Truly a young lady from a noble family, observing all the formalities of an apology. But if this is all the sincerity you can muster, it's rather stingy."
Liao Meng faltered, then said, "Miss Luzhu, this is all the money I have with me in the capital. If it's not enough, then..." She paused, then slowly knelt down.A beautiful and graceful young lady knelt before a maid-dressed girl at the gates of the Brocade Hero King Manor, and the onlookers couldn't help but recall the rumors circulating earlier. Coupled with the fact that many had already gathered to watch the spectacle, though they couldn't hear what was being said, it was clear from the young lady's aggrieved expression and the maid's aggressive demeanor that the situation was one-sided. Immediately, someone shouted, "Ah, this young lady is truly pitiful! That maid is bullying her with her master's influence. How can she humiliate someone like this, forcing a decent girl to kneel in public?"
"Yes, yes! I just saw the young lady give her silver notes—thick stacks of them! To take someone's money and still make them kneel is just too cruel," a woman added.
"I think that's the maid from the Brocade Hero King Manor's consort's side. The kneeling young lady must be the fiancée of that guard. Truly, seeing is believing—this maid is as unreasonable and domineering as they say, while the young lady is so pitiful. Ah, what misfortune has befallen such a good girl?"
Standing several dozen meters away from the manor gates, Lianqiao and Jiang Ruan observed the scene from afar. Jiang Ruan had instructed that if anyone came looking for Luzhu, they were to be informed immediately. Upon hearing that someone had come for Luzhu, Lianqiao and Jiang Ruan had hurried over, only to witness this very scene. Lianqiao was seething with anger. Though they couldn't hear the conversation, the woman's actions made her intentions obvious. Now, the crowd was pointing fingers at Luzhu, who was suffering unjust accusations. Unable to contain herself, Lianqiao turned to Jiang Ruan anxiously and said, "Young Madam, how much longer must we wait? Luzhu is being bullied terribly!"
Lianqiao didn't understand why Jiang Ruan, who had arrived long ago, remained silent and made no move to support Luzhu. Jiang Ruan replied calmly, "Let her learn a lesson. Luzhu is inherently naive. Since this situation is unavoidable, she must use it to understand certain truths. Some women in this world are vicious and cruel, their malice plain to see—such people are easy to deal with. Others, however, are adept at weaving gentle traps. The more malicious their methods, the more innocent they appear on the surface. Luzhu will inevitably encounter conflicts between women in the future. She must witness this now so she won't be blinded by such pretty daggers later."
Hearing this, Lianqiao fell silent and stepped aside.
This was the first time Luzhu had faced such a situation without Jiang Ruan by her side to steady her. Moreover, she was up against someone like Liao Meng, who was skilled in manipulation. The way the crowd looked at her—as if she were the villain—filled her with indignation. In the past, she might have swallowed her anger to preserve the manor's dignity. But seeing Liao Meng's feigned remorse and victimized expression, her temper flared. She thought of how Jiang Ruan would never tolerate such humiliation if she were in her place. Since everyone already accused her of bullying others with her master's influence, she might as well live up to the reputation.
Before anyone could react, Luzhu strode up to the kneeling Liao Meng and raised her hand. Three sharp slaps— pa! pa! pa! —rang out, leaving clear finger marks on Liao Meng's face.Outside, the servants who had received Jiang Ruan's orders not to intervene were stunned by Luzhu's violent actions. Even Lianqiao was taken aback—Luzhu might have a sharp tongue, but she had always been one to "use words rather than fists." Yet this delicate, pretty girl had just delivered three slaps without batting an eye, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
Jiang Ruan, however, couldn't help but laugh, her eyes gleaming with approval.
Liao Meng hadn’t expected Luzhu to strike so suddenly either. The force of those slaps left her momentarily dazed, unsure of what to do next. But Luzhu merely smirked at her and said, "I used to think that while this matter started because of you, perhaps you weren’t truly a bad person—just caught in unfortunate circumstances. But after seeing that little performance of yours just now, I realize I was wrong. How could someone as shameless and vile as you even exist? I bet you’ve bullied plenty of others with these tricks. And to think you call yourself a noble lady—pah! What a joke. Today, I’m hitting you not just for myself, but for all the girls you’ve wronged over the years!"
"Luzhu!" Jin Er's voice rang out just as she finished. He, too, seemed shocked by the scene before him. Without hesitation, he stepped forward to help Liao Meng up, glaring at Luzhu. "How dare you attack someone like this? Apologize!"
"Apologize my ass!" Luzhu snapped. "Three strikes and you're out—I warned you long ago not to treat everyone like fools. You hit me once before, and now I’ve repaid you threefold. Fair’s fair!" Luzhu truly had the makings of a spoiled young master—her words left Jin Er momentarily speechless, and the disdain on her face was so unlike her usual self that it was startling.
Liao Meng pushed Jin Er’s hand away and smiled at Luzhu. "Miss Luzhu has every right to be angry with me. Whatever punishment she deals is deserved—even slaps."
"Punishment?" Luzhu, who had been about to leave, turned back with a cold laugh. "What nonsense are you spouting, Miss Liao? Did I force you to kneel? Did I force you to offer me silver? You were the one who insisted on making amends—this was all your doing. Or is your idea of an apology just putting on a show while secretly sending someone to accuse me? Now that’s a first."
"Enough!" Jin Er cut in, his face dark with fury. He grabbed Luzhu’s wrist tightly. "You’ve gone too far. If you’re angry, take it out on me—don’t vent on an innocent person. Apologize!"
He was dead set on forcing an apology. As a trained martial artist, his grip was crushing, and Luzhu nearly teared up from the pain. Yet she stubbornly met his gaze without a word."It's quite lively out here. I didn't realize just any stray cat or dog could stir up trouble in front of my Brocade Hero King Manor these days." A voice laced with amusement came from within the gates, though for some reason, it inexplicably made everyone outside tense—including Liao Meng. She looked up to see a beautiful woman in red robes stepping out from the manor entrance, followed by a group of servants. The woman still wore a smile, and her tone remained gentle, but when those clear, autumn-water-like eyes swept over them, they felt as sharp as blades, sending a chill down one's spine.
"Young Madam..." Luzhu's eyes reddened slightly at the sight of Jiang Ruan, who had come out to stand up for her.
Before Jin Er and Liao Meng could speak, Jiang Ruan addressed them first: "Jin Er, I don’t know what grievances or entanglements you have with this young lady. However, I did just hear the surrounding commoners say that my maid was bullying others under my influence—yet this young lady was the one who came seeking trouble. Whatever the reason, her actions have led to people slandering my maid, which is the same as slandering me, and slandering me is the same as tarnishing the face of Brocade Hero King Manor. Do you mean to let your personal affairs casually smear the manor’s reputation?"
The words were spoken softly yet brooked no argument, clearly conveying the meaning of "Yes, I'm showing favoritism, so what?" Jin Er lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "Jin Er wouldn't dare."
"I knew you understood propriety. Without rules, there would be no order," Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "Now, take this girl who appeared out of nowhere and get lost."
Liao Meng's hands trembled slightly as she looked up at the woman. The woman still wore a smile at the corners of her lips, but her upturned eyes revealed a chilling coldness.
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