Chapter 2

The next day, Nanny Zhang sent over another bowl of medicine. This time, however, the medicine did not contain Gastrodia elata. Shen Yuanyu was secretly alarmed. Everyone inside and outside this courtyard was their people, yet they could still act with such caution. Based on this meticulous care alone, the mastermind behind the scenes would be difficult to deal with.

Shen Yuanyu deliberately said to her, "After taking the medicine, not only have I not improved, but I feel even more listless and weak!" Seeing her haggard expression and the dark circles The user wants me those words, Nanny Zhang secretly thought her scheme had succeeded. She persuaded, "Illness comes like a landslide, but goes like spinning silk. There is no such thing as a cure in a single day! Third Miss only needs to persist in taking the medicine, and in a few days, you will certainly recover! When the time comes, the Old Madam will surely be delighted to see you!"

This time, however, Shen Yuanyu refused to take the medicine. Instead, she asked, "Where is Luanniang? Why haven't I seen her attending to me these past days?" Luanniang was her personal maid, personally bestowed by her mother, the First Madam. Although the girl was somewhat dull-witted, her heart and eyes held only her mistress; she was exceptionally loyal.

Ever since Shen Yuanyu was sent to Niushou Village a year ago, because her wet nurse was unwilling to follow her to the estate to suffer, Concubine Bai had dispatched Nanny Zhang to manage the affairs of Shen Yuanyu's courtyard. Nanny Zhang found Luanniang an eyesore, fabricated a pretext, and sent her away to the outer laundry.

It happened to be right when Shen Yuanyu transmigrated over. During that period, she suffered from splitting headaches every day, living a life worse than death; she had no leisure to care about a maid's life or death. But yesterday's events made her keenly feel her isolation and helplessness, and she urgently needed a helper. Speaking of the original owner, she was truly useless. Despite possessing the status of the legitimate daughter of the main branch, she couldn't even win over a servant; she didn't have a single confidant by her side.

Nanny Zhang said, "That little slut Luanniang is clumsy. She broke Third Miss's favorite blue-and-white porcelain tea cup. That tea set was a matching set; with one piece broken, the set is ruined. This old servant punished her by sending her to the outer laundry to wash clothes."

Nanny Zhang kept her head lowered, only to hear a cold laugh from Shen Yuanyu above. "This Miss was unaware of when you became the manager of my courtyard! You are merely a second-rank nanny; what authority do you have to dismiss the head maid by a Miss's side? Who gave you such audacity?"

Nanny Zhang stole a glance upward and saw the Third Miss sitting upright on the couch, her eyes flashing like cold stars, naturally exuding an awe-inspiring, majestic aura that pressed down on her until she could barely breathe.

This... this was not the original ignorant Third Miss, the one they played with in the palm of their hands?

Her knees softened, and she involuntarily knelt down. "Third Miss, please see clearly. This old servant came to attend to Miss on Concubine Bai's orders!"

Shen Yuanyu sneered, "You know you are here to serve this Miss! When Concubine Bai sent you, did she mention promoting you to a first-rank nanny? Did she explicitly tell you to act as my housekeeping nanny?" A Miss's housekeeping nanny is always a first-rank nanny; only a first-rank nanny can keep the other maids and nannies by the Miss's side in check. Shen Yuanyu's original housekeeping nanny was her wet nurse.

"This... this... no!" Although Concubine Bai had taken over the internal affairs of the main branch because the First Madam was bedridden with illness, she was, after all, only half a master, her position not proper. Promoting a first-rank nanny was a matter that still needed to be reported to the First Madam, and the First Madam would never casually replace the housekeeping nanny by the eldest daughter's side.

"But, but Third Miss..." But Concubine Bai sending her over originally meant for her to manage the Third Miss's courtyard affairs; among the servants, everyone understood this implication. But the Third Miss insisted on seizing this point of "improper justification" to make an issue of it. She felt extremely aggrieved, yet had no way to refute it.

Shen Yuanyu interrupted her displeasedly, "Regardless, I want to see Luanniang back by my side before the noon meal today. If you cannot accomplish this, then go back to the manor yourself to see Concubine Bai! My courtyard does not keep slaves who lack rules!"

Nanny Zhang's body trembled. The original Third Miss was ignorant and didn't know how to use her status to pressure others. If she went back in such disgrace, given Concubine Bai's temperament, she would definitely not say a word for a slave like her. Fear sprouted in Nanny Zhang's heart. "This old servant will go do it at once! At once!"

She had originally planned to move Luanniang to the outer perimeter first, then find an excuse to sell her off directly to prevent future trouble. Now it seemed fortunate that things hadn't reached that step.

Only then did Shen Yuanyu nod in satisfaction with an "Mm," waving her hand to dismiss her. Shen Yuanyu merely wanted a reliable helper by her side; she had no intention of removing the scheming Nanny Zhang right now, because she knew the time wasn't right yet. If Zhang went, another Wang or Li would just come.

Sure enough, before noon, Luanniang returned to Yuanyu's side. Luanniang was twenty years old, wearing a scallion-green *beizi* and a goose-yellow piping skirt. Her round face looked loyal and honest at a glance. In her memory, the original owner relied on her heavily, and she was extremely loyal to the original owner.

However, the original owner's memories weren't of much reference value. Obviously, the original owner was just a fourteen-year-old child who didn't know how to distinguish who truly treated her well and who was just putting on a show to coax her. At the very least, the fact that the original owner recognized a thief as her mother—Concubine Bai—made Shen Yuanyu feel incredulous.

Luanniang came in crying and kowtowed to her, "Third Miss..." her voice choked with sobs, "This servant did not break your blue-and-white porcelain tea cup!"

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. This personal maid—she should be trustworthy, right?

Thinking this, her voice softened. "Get up quickly, come sit by my side."

Luanniang wiped her tears and obediently rose to sit on the small stool in front of the couch. Shen Yuanyu noticed her hands were bright red, and her left hand was covered in chilblains. Thinking of her having to wash clothes in icy water in such cold weather, a pang of pity rose in her heart.

She said gently, "You've suffered! In the third drawer of that rosewood cabinet over there, there is snake-oil chilblain ointment. Go get it and use it yourself!" She paused and added, "I know you were wronged. From now on, as long as you follow me wholeheartedly, I will never let anyone bully you again!"

Luanniang was somewhat stunned by these words. The former Third Miss only knew to get close to Concubine Bai and the concubine-born younger sister, Shen Yuanyu, unwilling even to see her own biological sister. When had she ever spoken so gently to a maid? That was why no one by her side was willing to lay down their life for her. In the past, even if her own arm was broken, the Third Miss might not even glance at it. Tears that had just stopped welled up again instantly.

She couldn't help crying, "Third Miss, you've grown up! If the First Madam saw this, she wouldn't know how happy she'd be!"

Shen Yuanyu was a bit speechless. "Alright, alright! It's just a bottle of snake-oil chilblain ointment, not some treasure! Is it worth crying like this?" Luanniang's crying actually increased Shen Yuanyu's trust in her a few notches; Shen Yuanyu felt she shouldn't be a treacherous, cunning person.

Over the next few days, Luanniang was tasked with decocting the medicine for her, and she was indeed loyal and meticulous. Shen Yuanyu nodded secretly. She drank a bowl of black medicinal soup every day, and Nanny Zhang came to check once daily. She cooperated fully, feigning an appearance of worsening illness, frail and weak. Nanny Zhang was very reassured.

Luanniang, however, was very anxious: "In another half month, it will be the Old Madam's eightieth birthday. If you don't get better soon, how can you go back to pay your respects? If you can't go back this time, who knows how long you'll be stuck at this estate?"

Shen Yuanyu dared not tell her the truth, only smiling to comfort her: "Taking medicine like this, with you all attending to me so diligently, perhaps I'll be well in a few days!"

The Old Madam's birthday was the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. After Shen Yuanyu finished the Laba porridge at the estate, the carriage from the Shen family to fetch her finally arrived. The one who came was Steward Zhu from the First Master's side, a chief steward with standing by the First Master's side. Nanny Zhang led a group of servants waiting at the estate gate. Seeing Steward Zhu alight, she hurried forward to greet him, "So it's Chief Steward Zhu himself who has come. In such cold weather, you've had a hard journey. Please come inside quickly, have some hot tea..." her tone carrying a hint of flattery.

Steward Zhu was in his forties, mild-mannered. He exchanged a few polite words with Nanny Zhang, then asked, "Is the Third Miss well? I am here on the First Master's orders to escort the Third Miss back to pay her respects to the Old Madam on her birthday!"

A look of difficulty appeared on Nanny Zhang's face. Steward Zhu was adept at reading expressions and was startled. "Has something happened?" The Third Miss was the First Master's legitimate eldest daughter. Although she was rather undistinguished, she was still the First Master's legitimate daughter, and the First Master doted on her quite a bit.

Nanny Zhang said, "I dare not deceive Chief Steward. The Miss caught a wind-cold some time ago and has been taking medicine, but not only has she not improved, she has grown worse. In the Miss's current condition, if we take her back, first, we fear she cannot endure the fatigue of the journey; second, the Old Madam is of such advanced age, if the illness infects her, even dying a hundred times would not absolve us of the crime!"

Hearing this, Steward Zhu's face also looked very bad. He had rushed from afar; if he returned empty-handed, the First Master would certainly not be pleased. "Come, let's go see the Third Miss first!"

At this moment, Shen Yuanyu had also heard that the steward sent to fetch her had arrived. She smiled and had Luanniang help her dress up.

Just as she finished, a little maid came in to announce, "Steward Zhu from the manor has come, wishing to enter and pay his respects to the Third Miss!"

Shen Yuanyu said, "Invite Steward Zhu in!"

Steward Zhu entered the inner room and saw Shen Yuanyu wearing a silver-red *ling* jacket, a lotus-color *beizi*, and a white piping skirt. Her hair was styled in double buns, adorned with a gold hairpin inlaid with a red ruby, its tassels gently tapping her forehead as she moved.

Although Shen Yuanyu was still young, her skin was fair, her features exquisite, especially her eyes—dark and bright, twinkling like stars in the sky with a moving light. Though she couldn't be called a peerless beauty, she was a rare little beauty. Especially that aura, like spiritual rain over empty mountains, made one unforgettable at first sight.

Shen Yuanyu herself was quite satisfied with this body's appearance.

Nanny Zhang looked as if she had seen a ghost, pointing at Shen Yuanyu. "You, you... how..." The current Shen Yuanyu was full of spirit, her cheeks flushed with healthy color. Where was the slightest trace of a lingering illness? Nanny Zhang naturally didn't know that to deceive her, Shen Yuanyu had stayed awake night after night, which made her look haggard. Last night, she had slept well, and everything had recovered!