After returning to the room with Jiang Ruan, Luzhu remained standing silently by the side. After a long while, Jiang Ruan finally looked up, causing Luzhu's eyes to redden instantly as she whispered, "This servant was wrong. Please punish me, Young Madam."
"Where did you go wrong?" Jiang Ruan asked, watching her. Lianqiao moved her lips slightly but ultimately said nothing. Luzhu replied, "This servant should not have quarreled with someone at the manor gates, making the residence a laughingstock for others."
Jiang Ruan shook her head. "You were wrong, but not for that reason. Your mistake was being too polite to that woman from the start. I thought after following me for so long, you would have learned to read people's hearts. Yet your nature remains too straightforward—though I can't blame you for that." Jiang Ruan lowered her gaze. "Since that person dared to cause a scene at our gates, she must have felt secure in her actions and likely has further schemes. Stay indoors these next few days. Leave this matter to me."
Hearing this, Luzhu felt tears welling up again. The grievances she had suppressed over the past days suddenly found an anchor in Jiang Ruan's words. Jiang Ruan had always been fiercely protective—she had never tolerated anyone speaking ill of Jiang Xin Zhi, and now she extended the same shelter to Luzhu. With Jiang Ruan here, the earlier sorrows seemed less unbearable. After a pause, Luzhu hesitated before asking, "But... could this cause trouble between Young Madam and the Brocade-clad Guards?"
No matter how flawed Jin Er might be, he was still one of the Brocade-clad Guards. Just as Lianqiao stood unconditionally by her side, Jiang Ruan publicly humiliating Jin Er might sow discontent among the guards—or even create misunderstandings between her and Xiao Shao.
"Don't worry," Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "There’s no reason for subordinates to hold grudges against their master. If not for Jin Er’s sake today, I would have already had them driven out."
Luzhu fell silent.
Outside the manor, Jin Er helped Liao Meng into a nearby carriage. Zhou Mama was already inside—Liao Meng had forbidden her from stepping out, so Zhou Mama remained unaware of what had transpired. Upon seeing Jin Er, she was startled, and the sight of the reddened palm print on Liao Meng’s face shocked her further. Flustered, she exclaimed, "Oh heavens, my lady! What happened? Who struck you? Goodness, this swelling is terrible! Why didn’t you let this old servant accompany you?"
Jin Er looked ashamed. "It’s my fault. I failed to protect Miss Liao properly."
"This has nothing to do with you," Liao Meng interjected hastily, turning to Zhou Mama. "Zhou Mama, I’m fine. It was just a misunderstanding. Second Young Master, you should attend to your own affairs. The manor must be busy, and it’s not right for you to keep accompanying me. It’s still early—surely you have pressing matters. Zhou Mama and I can return on our own."
Jin Er hesitated before replying, "But you’re a delicate woman. What if something happens on the road? Coming to the manor was already risky. Let me escort you back."“There’s really no need,” Liao Meng smiled. “Besides, Miss Luzhu has already misunderstood. If you escort me now, it will only deepen the rift between you two. It’s alright—the coachman knows the way, and with Zhou Mama and me, nothing will go wrong in broad daylight. But you, Second Young Master, might displease the princess consort. Could that affect your standing with His Highness? Thinking about it, I feel today’s troubles are all my fault, always causing you inconvenience.”
Her words were gentle and tactful, making it even harder to respond. Jin Er’s expression shifted slightly as he said, “I told you this has nothing to do with you, so don’t dwell on it. Since that’s the case, I’ll take my leave and visit you at the residence later. You and Zhou Mama, be careful on the road.”
Liao Meng nodded in agreement, smiling as she lowered the carriage curtain. The onlookers had already dispersed. Jin Er then mounted his horse and galloped off in the opposite direction. Inside the carriage, Zhou Mama tenderly touched Liao Meng’s face. “Miss, that maid was too ruthless. This red mark will likely take days to fade. What a cruel and vicious woman—how could the Second Young Master ever want someone like her?”
The moment her fingers brushed the skin, a searing pain flared up. Luzhu had indeed struck with full force, leaving half of Liao Meng’s face swollen beyond recognition. Gritting her teeth, Liao Meng said, “I never expected her to be so vicious.” Her plan today had been to target Luzhu—playing the fragile victim to evoke sympathy. Someone as simple-minded as Luzhu should have been easy to manipulate. Yet, who would have thought this seemingly meek girl had such a fiery temper? Those three slaps had nearly stunned her, and she hadn’t anticipated suffering such a loss today.
But what unsettled Liao Meng even more was the red-clad woman who had emerged from the manor gates—Jiang Ruan, the current princess consort of Brocade Hero King Manor. She had already gathered information about Jiang Ruan before arriving, knowing the woman was shrewd and formidable. Yet, seeing her in person today, meeting that gaze, she realized the rumors hadn’t even scratched the surface. Those eyes, seemingly smiling, held a sharpness that was startling—as if they could pierce through any pretense and lay bare one’s thoughts. Moreover, Jiang Ruan’s blatant favoritism toward Luzhu was unmistakable.
Zhou Mama continued fretting, asking, “Miss, should we stop by the pharmacy to get some medicine? This wound on your face needs to heal quickly. That maid is truly wicked—who strikes someone’s face like that?”
“No need, Zhou Mama,” Liao Meng replied, snapping out of her thoughts. “I’m feeling a bit unwell. Let’s return to the residence first so I can rest.” There was no such thing as a free pass in this world. Since Luzhu had given her three slaps, she would repay them in kind sooner or later. So what if Jiang Ruan was protective? That was exactly what she wanted. If Jiang Ruan hadn’t intervened, it would have been strange. The more she shielded Luzhu, the more interesting things would become later. Slowly, Liao Meng traced her swollen cheek, a faint, imperceptible smile curling at the corners of her lips.
…Jiang Ruan had publicly humiliated Jin Er in front of the crowd gathered at the gates of Brocade Hero King Manor. The incident spread throughout the entire manor within the time it took to burn a stick of incense—or rather, it spread through the mouths of the capital’s gossipers. The servants of the manor indeed grew more and more apprehensive with each passing day. Since entering the manor as its mistress, Jiang Ruan had rarely asserted her authority as the princess consort. Though not particularly lively in temperament, she had always been gentle with the servants, overlooking their occasional mistakes—a magnanimous mistress well-liked by all. This was the first time she had so clearly expressed displeasure toward the Brocade-clad Guards, even using her status as princess consort to suppress them. If it had been over a matter of principle, it might have been understandable, but it was over a domestic affair—a situation where both sides were dear, making it difficult to take sides. While everyone agreed Jin Er had acted improperly, the Brocade-clad Guards had never interfered in personal or emotional matters, and there was no reason for them to intervene now. Moreover, Jin Er was a childhood companion, so cutting ties was out of the question. For a time, the manor became sharply divided: Jiang Ruan’s people and the Brocade-clad Guards ignored each other. Ye Feng sought out Lianqiao several times, but she now found the Brocade-clad Guards utterly disagreeable and greeted him with a frosty expression.
Not only were the servants’ relationships strained, but even the dynamic between Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan grew subtly tense. Xiao Shao had been exceptionally busy that day, leaving little time for them to meet, and now this unpleasant affair had arisen in the manor. Jin Er was, after all, Xiao Shao’s subordinate, and Xiao Shao did not punish him over personal matters. But Jiang Ruan was not one to tolerate wrongdoing—her nature made it impossible for her to argue outright, so she instead withdrew into a quiet coolness. Xiao Shao seemed oblivious, but women are often more sensitive. Unbeknownst to them, a rift began to form.
One day, Luzhu was instructing a few newly assigned maids on their sweeping duties in the courtyard when she suddenly heard startled shrieks from the girls. Before she could react, a dark figure strode toward her. By the time he reached her, her wrist was seized in a painful grip. She looked up to see a familiar face—Jin Er.
But this was not the Jin Er who usually wore a roguish smirk, nor the silent and withdrawn version of recent days. His expression now was one of anger and disappointment. Before Luzhu could speak, Jin Er demanded accusingly, “Why did you do this?”
The question was so abrupt that Luzhu was momentarily bewildered. But his accusatory tone instantly ignited her temper, and she snapped back, “Do what? What kind of mad dog bites people in broad daylight?”
Jin Er tightened his grip on her wrist and gritted his teeth. “This matter started because of me—I wronged you. But how could you be so heartless as to have someone do such a thing to Liao Meng?”"Let go of me!" Luzhu's hand ached from his grip, and in her anger, she bit down on Jin Er's wrist. Startled by the pain, he released her, and she seized the chance to break free. A red, swollen mark immediately appeared on her slender wrist. Furious, Luzhu snapped, "What do you mean by 'that kind of thing'? Let me tell you, smearing others with baseless accusations once or twice is bad enough—there won’t be a third or fourth time! Don’t you dare try to pin anything on me again!" After Jiang Ruan’s stern warning, Luzhu had steeled herself. No matter how she truly felt inside, she now faced Jin Er with composure, unafraid to scold or strike if needed, leaving no trace of their past affection. Her cold, detached tone took Jin Er aback. He frowned, glancing at the maids gathering nearby to watch the commotion. Ignoring Luzhu’s protests, he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind the garden’s rockery. Though he tried to lower his voice, suppressed anger seeped through: "Did you hire someone to harm her?"
Luzhu’s heart ached at how he acted solely for Liao Meng’s sake. Hearing his accusation, she laughed bitterly instead of raging. "Jin Er, search your conscience. We’ve known each other for years—do you truly not know what kind of person I am? Scheming in the shadows has never been my style. But your precious fiancée..." She sneered. "The thief cries 'stop thief'!"
Jin Er’s grip tightened again. Luzhu winced and glared at him, suddenly noticing his red-rimmed eyes. Swallowing her emotions, she asked stiffly, "What happened to her?"
"Last night, someone broke into her courtyard and tried to violate her. Though they were stopped before succeeding, her reputation is ruined," Jin Er ground out, each word dripping with fury.
Luzhu was stunned at first, then a surge of indignation rose within her. She laughed coldly. "Don’t tell me you think I did this?"
"Was it really not you?" Jin Er rasped.
Luzhu jerked her head up, her gaze as fierce as a lioness. Staring straight into his eyes, she enunciated, "It. Wasn’t. Me."
Jin Er released her hand, exhaustion weighing on him. Luzhu turned to leave but paused after a few steps. Seeing him still rooted by the rockery, she marched back and demanded, "Why would you suspect me?"
"The masked assailant we caught," Jin Er exhaled, though his expression remained troubled. "He confessed the one who paid him... came from Brocade Hero King Manor."
......
News of Liao Meng’s near-violation spread like wildfire across the capital overnight. The tangled drama between Jin Er, Liao Meng, and Luzhu became the city’s hottest gossip. Though the attackers had failed, the scandal tarnished Liao Meng’s reputation beyond repair. While many pitied her, others speculated wildly about the mastermind—some even pointing fingers at the manor’s maids. No matter the rumors, Liao Meng remained the one who suffered most.However, Liao Meng fared better than most young women in such situations, as Jin Er was a man of sentiment and did not reject her or break off the engagement because of this incident. In the eyes of the capital's citizens, the two were even more of a match made in heaven, for not every couple could weather such storms.
In the courtyard, Zhou Mama lifted a bowl of medicine to feed Liao Meng. The medicine was bitter, yet Liao Meng drank it without so much as a frown. Zhou Mama had grown increasingly haggard lately. She was the most guilt-ridden over what had happened to Liao Meng, blaming herself for failing to protect her and allowing outsiders to take advantage. Every day, she went to the magistrate's office to urge them to quickly apprehend the mastermind behind the incident. Only after feeding Liao Meng the medicine did Zhou Mama leave. Once she was gone, Liao Meng got out of bed on her own. These past few days, she had been bedridden from shock, her expression always tinged with fear. But if anyone had seen her now, they would have been astonished—Liao Meng's face was calm, even carrying a faint smile. She walked to the dressing table and sat down, retrieving a small box from the side. Inside the box was a tiny folded letter. She slowly unfolded it, read it quickly, then meticulously tore it into shreds before tossing it into the wastebasket she used for discarded calligraphy practice. Then she returned to bed, gazing out the window in thought.
Things had reached this point, progressing even more smoothly than expected. The world was never short of people who shielded their own. To set a trap based on someone's temperament was simply to exploit the most vulnerable part of their heart. Every person had weaknesses, and the colder someone appeared on the outside, the less they could tolerate flaws within—their demands for emotional purity were all the higher. Thus, conflicts arose instantly, and the gates of the Brocade Hero King Manor were thrown wide open.
Of course, for her, it was merely a matter of self-preservation—everyone acted in their own interest.
……
Liao Meng’s guess was correct: Jin Er’s actions had repercussions beyond just Luzhu. For instance, at this very moment, Jiang Ruan was glaring at Xiao Shao and demanding angrily, "You suspect me?"
Xiao Shao hesitated for a moment but said nothing.
Jin Er’s impulsive confrontation that day had finally ignited Jiang Ruan’s temper. While upsetting Luzhu was one thing, now the blame was being cast onto her as well. Jiang Ruan had always held the young lady of the Liao family in contempt, and hearing such accusations genuinely angered her. She had immediately wanted to expel Jin Er from the Brocade-clad Guards.
But Xiao Shao intervened. Jin Er had followed Xiao Shao for many years and held a position akin to Baizhi and Luzhu’s standing with Jiang Ruan. There was an unwritten rule among the Brocade-clad Guards: a subordinate’s personal affairs were separate from the official duties of the Guards. Xiao Shao had never expelled anyone from the Guards over private matters before. Though Jin Er’s actions were reckless, they were unrelated to official business. The rules of the Brocade-clad Guards were strict and unyielding. To maintain authority, Xiao Shao could not rashly punish Jin Er.Among the masked men who had attacked Liao Meng that day, only one was caught. The man claimed someone had paid them to carry out the job, but he didn't know who was behind it—though he vaguely hinted it might be someone from the Brocade Hero King Manor. Initially, Jin Er suspected Luzhu, but as a maid, Luzhu couldn't possibly have that much silver to spare. Moreover, Luzhu wasn't the type to hold petty grudges. Naturally, suspicion then fell upon Jiang Ruan.
Jiang Ruan was known for her ruthless methods, never showing mercy—especially toward those who displeased her. She would repay any offense a hundredfold. Since Liao Meng had bullied Luzhu, given Jiang Ruan’s fiercely protective nature, it was only expected that she would seek retribution. Hiring someone to trouble Liao Meng seemed exactly like something Jiang Ruan would do, both in temperament and financial means.
When Jiang Ruan demanded Jin Er’s expulsion, Xiao Shao refused, even stating that she shouldn’t interfere in this matter. Furious, Jiang Ruan lashed out, "You suspect me?"
"I didn’t mean that," Xiao Shao replied. "But this is his personal affair. There’s no reason to intervene."
"Your subordinate is a person, but my maid isn’t?" Jiang Ruan said incredulously. "Xiao Shao, I’ve already told you—I had nothing to do with this! I won’t take the blame for it. If you want to shield your own, I’ll shield mine. Since we each have our own stance, there’s nothing more to say!" She slammed the book in her hand onto the table and stormed out.
This was the first argument between the couple since their marriage, and it was over something that had little to do with them. But Xiao Shao was naturally aloof, and Jiang Ruan was fiercely proud. Their cold war became even more terrifying than the one between Luzhu and Jin Er, casting a dark cloud over the entire manor, leaving everyone on edge.
Xiao Shao, who usually doted on Jiang Ruan and was strict with the Brocade-clad Guards, was still someone who protected his own. Jiang Ruan was the same—only more obsessive, perhaps due to her past life’s experiences, which made her unable to tolerate even the slightest grievance against those close to her. The moment Xiao Shao showed the slightest inclination to shield Jin Er, she became overly sensitive and reacted with extreme hostility. Meanwhile, Xiao Shao grew increasingly busy, leaving their misunderstandings unresolved and the invisible rift between them deepening.
Ironically, it was Luzhu who worried most about Jiang Ruan. Watching her mistress’s solitary figure in the study, she whispered to Lianqiao, "The young mistress seems fine these days, but I fear she’s bottling everything up. His Highness hasn’t returned to the manor much lately—what are we to do?"
Lianqiao shook her head. "The young mistress is stubborn, and His Highness isn’t one for sweet words. Of course things are bad. But don’t just think about them—how are you holding up? Jin Er isn’t exactly a good match either. You must be hurting too." Now that Jiang Ruan was under suspicion, as far as Jin Er was concerned, even if she hadn’t directly caused Liao Meng’s misfortune, she was still the root of it. To him, Luzhu was now a complete stranger. With Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao at odds, Luzhu’s heart was naturally heavy as well.Luzhu lowered her head, "This was caused by me in the first place, and it was originally just my own matter. It's all my fault for upsetting the young master and the young mistress. But Lianqiao, in my heart, I feel that all of this is entirely the doing of that Liao Meng. To say something you might think is vicious of me, what happened to Liao Meng might very well be retribution. I think since she is the root of the young master and the young mistress's anger, she is the villain."
Lianqiao tapped Luzhu on the head, "You silly girl, aren’t you worried about your own affairs? Don’t worry, the young mistress is so clever and always knows how to handle people’s hearts. She certainly won’t fall into anyone’s trap. We just need to focus on our own duties."
Luzhu sighed, "It’s precisely because the young mistress knows how to handle people’s hearts and uses her usual way of judging others to guess the young master’s thoughts that things have gone wrong. The young mistress can read everyone’s heart but can’t seem to understand her own."
As they were speaking, a young maid came in to announce, "Young mistress, Young Master Qi is here."
At this moment, Xiao Shao was not in the residence. Jiang Ruan stepped out of the room and had just reached the courtyard when she saw Qi Feng approaching from outside. Lately, no one knew what he had been busy with, and even though they lived close by, he hadn’t paid a visit until now. Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "What brings you here? You’re quite the rare guest."
"A friend came to the capital a few days ago, and I had to attend to them for a while, so I couldn't make it over. Don't be angry, Third Sister-in-law," Qi Feng said with a smile. "I know I was in the wrong, so I've specially brought something to make amends." As he spoke, he raised a square box in his hand, though it was unclear what was inside. Jiang Ruan laughed and said, "Who brings gifts when visiting? This isn't some money-grubbing tavern."
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