In late spring, in the ornate courtyard of Second Miss Zheng Yutan at the Jing'an Marquis's residence, a pear tree had shed all its blossoms, leaving a carpet of snow-white petals on the ground. Among the lush green leaves on the branches, small green fruits had formed.
When the breeze passed, the twisted branches rustled, making the fruits tremble slightly, the boughs drooping under their weight.
Inside the house, laughter rang out, startling the sparrows under the eaves.
The birds in the golden cage flapped their wings and shuffled aside to find a quieter spot to rest.
One wave of laughter subsided, then another rose.
"...Really? The manager of Zhai Yu Xuan didn't even kick her out?" said a maid dressed in a pale green short jacket.
They were talking about Zheng Qian.
"No, it must be that our young lady gave the name of our household, so they couldn't throw her out," another maid replied. "She actually thought she could sell those beads she bought on the street to Zhai Yu Xuan—what a joke. She's so desperate for money, she's even lost her wits."
The women laughed again.
The carriage driver hadn't gone inside Zhai Yu Xuan and could only guess from the bits he overheard.
Thus, everyone assumed that Zheng Qian, out of desperation, bought some Buddhist beads on the street and foolishly tried to sell them to Zhai Yu Xuan.
The people of the Jing'an Marquis's residence didn't know who the master behind Zhai Yu Xuan was, but they had heard it was someone very influential, possibly a prince or duke.
"The Third Madam must have been joking when she told the matriarch. The matriarch must have been furious," a maid asked.
Zheng Yutan listened quietly and laughed a few times herself.
Unlike Zheng Qian's relatively plain features, Zheng Yutan was a great beauty. Her enchanting eyes always seemed to hold a pool of emotion—full of warmth when looking at people, pitiful when wronged, and coquettish when angry.
She was intelligent, perceptive, and much beloved by both the matriarch and her father, the Jing'an Marquis.
Zheng Qian, relying on being the eldest daughter, always wanted to compete with her sister, overestimating her abilities.
The last time Zheng Qian had threatened suicide, Zheng Yutan had originally not intended to tell their grandmother. But if the situation got out and people thought she had driven her elder sister to it, her reputation would suffer.
So she had to act first, letting their grandmother intervene and forcing Zheng Qian to take responsibility.
Unexpectedly, the usually weak and feckless Zheng Qian had been resolute. Even after her allowance was cut off, she didn't bow her head, and she still came up with such a ridiculous way to make money.
Did she think Zhai Yu Xuan would hand out money everywhere just because it was wealthy?
It was laughable.
This eldest sister was truly a pitiful figure.
"Our young lady is too kind," a maid giggled. "She's out trying to make money when she could just kowtow and apologize to our mistress."
"She will have to kowtow eventually," said another maid named Lan Pei.
Zheng Yutan sighed softly. "She is my elder sister after all. I cannot condone this."
"Second Miss, you're too softhearted," the maid said immediately. "She's ruined your reputation this time. Outsiders might think you drove her to hang herself. If she doesn't kowtow, this cannot end well."
"Yes, Second Miss," another maid chimed in.
Zheng Yutan smiled lightly. When her smile spread, the whole room seemed to brighten.
"I heard our eldest sister even has a cat, which she found herself. That cat is covered in sores, dirty and ugly—no one else would want it. She probably saw you, Second Miss, were blessed and wanted one too," the maid said.
The women laughed again.
They considered the eldest sister's cat a funny anecdote and felt even more sorry for her.
"If I were her, I wouldn't want to live either. What's the point?" a maid sneered. "She's inferior in everything—better off dead."
Laughter broke out again.
Later, another maid asked, "So what did Zhai Yu Xuan say in the end? Did they report to the Marquis?"
"Apparently not yet. Merchants, even with powerful masters, prefer to stay out of the spotlight. They probably let this go for now," another replied.
"Probably haven't informed their master. Just wait, Zhai Yu Xuan will report eventually. Only the matriarch and Third Madam know for now, so they haven't told the Marquis. When he finds out, he'll be even angrier."
"Our young lady will get scolded again."
"She respects the Marquis so much. Once he scolds her, she can't bear it—she might try to hang herself again."
"Oh, our eldest sister really knows how to make trouble."
Zheng Yutan listened to the maids' chatter and couldn't help but be amused.
Her eldest sister was truly a ridiculous actor—pitiful, sad, and laughable. Just collecting her sister's misadventures was enough to entertain her.
There is no secret in the world.
These stories eventually reached Hui Ning Garden.
The maids and Madam Dai were dejected, thinking their mistress had embarrassed herself again.
Only Hongluan kept insisting, "Really, they're lying! Miss sold a treasure to Zhai Yu Xuan."
"Was it those beads strung on wood?" Madam Dai asked.
"Yes, but—"
"Sigh!" Madam Dai sighed deeply. "The matriarch is so angry she won't even call the young lady to scold her. You can see how furious she is. Don't make it worse; it's already embarrassing enough."
The maid Cai Yuan added, "I'm worried it reaches the Wen family's ears, then—"
"You jinx!" Madam Dai scolded.
Cai Yuan covered her mouth and didn't speak further.
Among the maids, only Hongluan knew the truth. But she was usually so loud that no one believed her.
"If our mistress were truly desperate, why not apologize to Second Miss or the matriarch?" Madam Dai said. "Or ask our mistress for help instead of doing something so humiliating at Zhai Yu Xuan."
Hongluan: "Miss isn't embarrassed."
"Enough, shut up—you're driving me crazy," Madam Dai said.
Hongluan: "..."
At this point, Hongluan realized how truly pitiful their mistress was.
Zheng Qian, however, was indifferent, as if all the rumors didn't concern her.
She spent her days eating, drinking, and playing with the cat.
Several days had passed without her allowance. The senior maid responsible for cleaning was ready to leave; the younger maids were complaining as well.
Madam Dai took out her savings and distributed the allowances to the senior and junior maids.
The three head maids, already having some money and loyal to Madam Dai and Miss, didn't leave—for now. Their contracts were in the mistress's hands, and they had nowhere else to go.
Hui Ning Garden was heavy with gloom.
Every day, Hongluan hoped for the Zhai Yu Xuan people to send money to prove to Madam Dai and the others that Miss hadn't acted recklessly—she was truly earning it.
The manager of Zhai Yu Xuan, Liu Zhongde, was capable, and their master, Prince Ancheng, was very wealthy.
Hongluan told Madam Dai this, but she and the others didn't believe her, thinking she was lying.
Those ten days were particularly agonizing for Hongluan.
After ten days, Liu Zhongde personally arrived at the Jing'an Marquis's residence. He did not come quietly, but with ceremony, accompanied by music and six large crates.
Unaware bystanders might have thought he came to propose marriage.
Neighbors came over to see the commotion, and it drew the Marquis's attention.
"What's going on? Did Zhai Yu Xuan come to complain?"
"Doesn't seem like it. What's happening?"