Chapter 16: Cleaning Up the Household

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When Dantai Jing was carried back to the residence, Nanny Xu was startled. She hurried forward, heedless of the servants carrying the sedan beside her, and asked anxiously, “What happened? What is wrong with Third Miss?”

Suxin followed at her side, tears streaming down her face. Yet with so many people present, she could not tell Nanny Xu that their Third Miss had been pushed down the steps by Fifth Miss and injured like this.

Dantai Jing smiled and shook her head at Nanny Xu. She placed her delicate hand over the one Nanny Xu had resting against the sedan and patted it gently twice.

Reassured by the gesture, Nanny Xu nearly burst into tears. Her young mistress had always been this way, silently enduring every grievance. Her heart aching, Nanny Xu wept bitterly.

At that moment, Suyue lifted the curtain and came out. Seeing the scene, she hurriedly pointed at a rough servant girl nearby and said, “What are you standing there for? Hurry and inform Madam, then have the steward find a physician!”

Her words brought Nanny Xu and Suxin back to their senses. They stopped crying blindly, helped Dantai Jing into the main room, and dismissed everyone else before asking what had happened.

Nanny Xu was terribly distressed on Dantai Jing’s behalf. Pointing at Suxin’s forehead, she scolded, “Were you simply going to let Sixth Miss twist the truth as she pleased? Third Miss cannot speak—does that mean you cannot speak either? Why did you not defend her?”

Suxin pressed her lips together, unsure what to say. When the young ladies were speaking, what place had there been for her to interrupt?

Dantai Jing’s physical injuries were not serious. What mattered was that this incident had served as a warning. She could no longer keep yielding without limit. She had to seize the initiative as quickly as possible. Otherwise, between Lady Ye and Sixth Miss Dantai Zhi, she would soon be pressed down so completely that she could not breathe.

Previously, she had thought there was only Fifth Miss Dantai Xuan to contend with. Having returned from rebirth, and knowing of Dantai Xuan’s feelings for Wang Ziyu, she had believed it would be easy enough to manipulate and suppress her.

Now, however, it seemed she had underestimated her opponent.

The physician arrived soon afterward. Lady Ye merely sent Taohong to make a token inquiry and still did not appear in person. These days, all of Lady Ye’s thoughts were fixed on her husband, Dantai Shanchang. Ever since he had gone to the Great Buddha Temple, he had been appearing and disappearing without a trace. He was neither at the government office nor in the residence, and no one knew where he had gone.

Lady Ye could hardly help imagining the worst. She was now the only principal wife in the household, and there was not even a maid serving as a companion to the master. Perhaps the master had begun entertaining other thoughts...

Once Dantai Jing’s wounds had been properly treated, she glanced at Nanny Xu and Suxin, who were rushing about in confusion. Nanny Xu had kept her attention fixed on Dantai Jing from beginning to end. When she saw her mistress looking over, she immediately asked, “Third Miss, shall I bring you paper and ink?”

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“No need.”

Dantai Jing’s tender lips moved ever so slightly. Nanny Xu and Suxin were so startled that they nearly dropped what they held. Just as they were about to cry out, Dantai Jing continued, “Do not make this known. Let it be enough that the two of you know I can speak.”

Nanny Xu instantly grew alert and exchanged a meaningful glance with Suxin. In a low voice, she said, “Suxin, go stand watch outside the veranda.”

Suxin nodded repeatedly, lifted the curtain, and went out.

Dantai Jing leaned against the carved bed and beckoned lightly. Nanny Xu willingly sat down on the footrest below, waiting for Third Miss to give her instructions.

“I originally intended to hide this from everyone,” Dantai Jing said, barely parting her lips. Her voice was low, as though she feared someone might overhear them. “But some matters are too easily used against one when written on paper.”

Nanny Xu nodded at once. “Lady Ye hates you to the bone and harbors ill intentions. She cannot wait to send you away as soon as possible. It is only right that you remain on your guard.”

Nanny Xu was so delighted that she scarcely knew what to say. So long as Third Miss had not truly lost her voice, all would eventually be well.

Dantai Jing pointed toward the outside and asked softly, “What do you think of Suyue and the master?”

By now, Nanny Xu no longer regarded the Third Miss before her as a child. A motherless child matured early. After everything that had happened, Third Miss had become an entirely different person.

“In this old servant’s opinion, that girl Suyue has certainly succeeded in climbing into the master’s bed. The master is probably hesitating only because she is the maid serving at your side, Miss. That is why he has made no move yet.”

Nanny Xu had observed Suyue closely afterward. If Suyue had not succeeded, she would surely have found an opportunity to visit the outer study again. Yet over the past few days, she had behaved impeccably and had not even gone to Madam’s Clearcool Studio.

Dantai Jing had reached the same conclusion. Still, she was young and not sufficiently experienced in such matters to judge with certainty. Hearing Nanny Xu’s confident assessment, she felt relieved.

“Then, in a little while, call Suyue here...”

Dantai Jing gave Nanny Xu a series of instructions. It was time for her to put her Pearblossom Courtyard in order as well. If Nanny Xu and Suxin were the only people she could trust, her future actions would inevitably be hampered.

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Suxin was brought back inside and helped Dantai Jing change and wash. There was no time to recover properly. If she waited until Lady Ye and the two twins lodged their complaints first, she would be placed at a disadvantage.

Suxin asked worriedly in a low voice, “Third Miss, can Suyue truly be trusted? What if she betrays you? What will we do then?”

“Did you hear what Suyue said when we returned to the courtyard?” Dantai Jing asked. “If she were still Lady Ye’s woman, she would never have spoken those words. What she said just now seemed to imply that she already considered herself a concubine.”

The corners of Dantai Jing’s lips curved faintly.

In her previous life, Suyue had indeed become Wang Ziyu’s concubine—and that had happened less than a month after Dantai Jing’s own wedding. It seemed that people had their own natures and destinies. Some willingly chose degradation; even if one wished to raise them up, they could not be supported. Since Suyue so desperately wanted to become a concubine, Dantai Jing would simply grant her wish.

Suxin thought carefully and realized that this was indeed the case. Suyue had been throwing her weight around more and more these days. At first, she had shown some restraint, wary that Dantai Jing might see through her and send her back to Clearcool Studio. But in recent days, she had abandoned all caution.

She was no longer concerned in the least that she might be unable to remain in Third Miss’s Pearblossom Courtyard.

Dantai Jing watched the slight furrow between Suxin’s brows and knew that she was thinking. She felt somewhat comforted.

Suxin was utterly loyal to her, but only because she was still young, simple-minded, and had not learned to think too deeply. If Dantai Jing’s life continued peacefully, that purity would not be a problem.

But the circumstances had changed. If the people around her possessed no cunning or discernment, they would only be used by others and devoured alive.

Therefore, from this moment onward, Dantai Jing had to teach Suxin and gradually train her to shoulder responsibility.

The bamboo curtain patterned with rain striking banana leaves was lifted. Suyue entered first, her smile composed and proper.

“Third Miss, did you summon this servant?”

Nanny Xu followed behind her. The instant Suyue stepped into Dantai Jing’s bedchamber, Nanny Xu seized her arms and twisted them behind her back without the slightest courtesy. Before Suyue could cry out, a handkerchief was stuffed into her mouth.

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