Chapter 52: Hong Ying
Hong Ying's pretty face flushed red. "Young Miss truly jests. Such words humble this servant too much."
Jiang Ruan smiled even more warmly. Hong Ying was tactful—more clever than she had imagined, at least not outright rejecting her overtures. She reached out and took Hong Ying's hand. "My words are absolutely sincere. With Fifth Aunt's grace and bearing, no wonder Father dotes on you so." Her voice lowered. "Now that I've just returned to the Jiang residence, everything here is unfamiliar to me. Yet the moment I saw Fifth Aunt, I felt an inexplicable closeness. In the days to come, I hope Fifth Aunt will look after me. If I ever make a mistake and anger Father, I hope you might speak a word or two on my behalf." After saying this, she fixed her unblinking gaze on Fifth Aunt.
These words carried profound implications, as if hinting at something. Hong Ying was momentarily stunned. When she looked up, she met Jiang Ruan's smiling eyes. To Hong Ying, that gaze seemed veiled in mist—clear and transparent at first glance, yet impossible to decipher. After turning the matter over in her mind several times, she put on an expression of flustered humility. "Young Miss speaks too kindly. If there is any way this servant can be of assistance, I will spare no effort."
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "Then I shall thank Fifth Aunt in advance. Truly, in this household, the only one I can rely on is someone like you. With Fifth Aunt's beauty and grace, even the official wife cannot compare."
Hearing this, Hong Ying's heart gave a sudden jolt. She glanced at Jiang Ruan tentatively and laughed. "Young Miss mustn't jest like this. The Madam is of noble birth, while this servant comes from humble origins—the difference is as vast as clouds and mud."
"Fortune is ever-changing. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—have you heard this saying, Aunt?" Jiang Ruan said. "No one can predict what the future holds. Fifth Aunt shouldn't belittle yourself. Are kings and nobles born to their stations? A lowly origin doesn't necessarily preclude a bright future."
Hong Ying paused, then lowered her head and spoke softly. "The Lantern Festival is in three days. Has Young Miss visited the Old Madam yet?"
This abrupt remark startled Luzhu, who was following behind. Jiang Ruan replied, "Indeed, all my sisters will be going together."
"Young Miss is kind-hearted, but some matters still require extra caution. The Madam and Second Young Miss have been acting strangely these past few days. Young Miss... must take care." Having said this, Hong Ying did not linger. Without waiting to see Jiang Ruan's reaction, she hurried away.
Behind her, Luzhu seemed thoughtful. "Miss, Fifth Aunt's words seemed to carry another meaning."
"She is clever," Jiang Ruan said. "If only she could have given me such advice in my past life, how good that would have been."
The last sentence was spoken so softly that Luzhu didn't catch it. She blinked. "What?"
Jiang Ruan smiled. "Nothing. Let's return."
Upon arriving back at Ruan Residence, just as Xia Yan had said, the newly sent maids were already waiting in the room. When Jiang Ruan entered, they lined up in perfect unison.
Zisu and Lianqiao were first-rank maids who attended to her personally, while Luzhu was a second-rank maid. In the Jiang residence, every young lady was allotted two first-rank maids, four second-rank maids, and six third-rank maids. Delicate Splendor Courtyard had sent four this time, saying the rest would be selected by Jiang Ruan herself in the coming days.
The four maids stood in a row, all of them beautiful young girls in the bloom of youth. Yet when Jiang Ruan entered, she didn't spare them a single glance. Instead, she walked straight to the daybed and picked up a book to read.Lianqiao and Zisu stood silently behind Jiang Ruan, occasionally handing her hot tea, truly treating the several young maids in the room as if they were invisible.
This went on for the better part of an hour until someone finally couldn't hold back. One of the maids stepped forward first and said softly, "This servant greets the Eldest Miss."
Only then did Jiang Ruan slowly raise her head, appearing utterly languid as she swept her gaze over the maids. Yet her upturned, alluring eyes gleamed sharply, finally settling on the face of the maid who had stepped forward.
The maid had a face as beautiful as flowers and the moon, with an air of scholarly refinement that doubled her charm. She lowered her head humbly.
"What is your name?" Jiang Ruan smiled faintly.
"This servant is called Shuxiang," the maid replied meekly.
Shuxiang. Jiang Ruan slowly sipped her tea. In her past life, this was the maid who had accompanied her into the palace. Outwardly humble, obedient, kind, and amiable, she had initially kept her by her side because she could read and write. The last memory Jiang Ruan had of her was on the day before she was made into a Human Pig, when Jiang Susu came to see her in the prison, with this very maid following closely behind.
Now, she had been sent back to her side again.
The fourteenth day of the first lunar month was the annual Lantern Festival of the Da Jin Dynasty, a grand occasion for the youth. Days before, the slightly renowned clothing and jewelry shops in the capital were bustling, and cosmetic shops were overwhelmed with demand. On that day, young scholars would gather early in taverns, discussing who would take the top spot on the Exquisite Boat this year.
Early in the morning, Jiang Ruan was roused by Zisu and Lianqiao, who busied themselves selecting her outfit and accessories for the day. Luzhu lamented that she couldn't accompany them, grumbling, "Miss will surely be dazzling tonight. What a pity I won't get to see it—how many hearts will you bewitch?"
Lianqiao caught the sour note in her words and teased, "What nonsense are you spouting? Should I give you my spot and stay behind in the manor instead?"
"That won't do," Luzhu pouted. "I'm just thinking of Miss's interests. Besides, those new maids in the courtyard aren't easy to deal with. With you all gone today, it's the perfect chance for me to put them in their place."
"Sister Luzhu, you should take it easy," Zisu chimed in, unusually playful. "Don't scare those delicate little girls."
"They're just servants—what's so delicate about them?" Luzhu's eyes flashed with disdain. "And they're all black-hearted. Today, I noticed that Shuxiang was rummaging around the inner room several times, so I followed her. Do you know what I found? That Shuxiang actually stole one of Miss's handkerchiefs!"
"What!" Lianqiao, who was combing Jiang Ruan's hair, jerked her hand in shock, stopping abruptly. "Why didn't you stop her?"
Jiang Ruan's gaze paused, also turning to Luzhu. Unlike Lianqiao, she didn't seem urgent but remained composed.Luzhu said, "Miss told me to keep a close eye on those maids, especially Shuxiang, and to act according to circumstances if necessary, as long as I knew the maid was aligned with Delicate Splendor Courtyard. I grew up following traffickers around, so I've seen a lot. If Shuxiang was just light-fingered, that would be one thing, but what I feared most was that she harbored those filthy intentions. A handkerchief is no small matter—if it fell into the wrong hands, it could ruin Miss's reputation and unjustly ruin her life. Miss was asleep at the time, and if I had gone to report to her, it would have been too late, so I took matters into my own hands."
Jiang Ruan looked at her. "What did you do?"
A hint of pride flashed in Luzhu's eyes. "While she was out, I swapped the handkerchief she had hidden under her pillow—Miss's handkerchief—for the Second Young Miss's."
Zisu gasped. "How could you do that?"
(End of Chapter)
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