Wei

After Madam Min gave her instructions, the carriage headed toward the Marquis's Estate.

Jian Ruonan sat in the carriage, nibbling pastries and sipping tea, doing her best to play a timid little country girl who had never seen the world.

The pastries from the Marquis's Estate really are much tastier than the ones sold outside. Look at this mung bean cake, sweet but not cloying, and this butterfly pastry, crisp outside and soft inside.

System, I'm finally going to live the good life!!!

The system wailed, "Ruonan, how can you still be thinking about pastries? You'll be punished for disrupting the plot!"

Jian Ruonan's heart leaped into her throat. What punishment?

The system replied, "I don't know. Anyway, being recognized as their daughter won't go this smoothly. They might dump you in some outlying residence and investigate for three to five years to get the plot back on track."

Jian Ruonan thought, *...*

Being dumped in an outlying residence would be fine too. At least I'd have food and drink, with no work, no beatings, and no worries about being sold to some old man!

As the girl and the system chatted, the carriage suddenly stopped.

Zang Chun lifted the curtain. "Madam, miss, we've arrived at the Marquis's Estate. Please step out."

Jian Ruonan thought, Didn't you say they'd dump me in an outlying residence and leave me hanging for three to five years?

Does that slap in the face sting?!

The system replied, "...Even if you enter the Marquis's Estate, there will still be a punishment."

[Ding-]

[Plot completed ahead of schedule. Reward: 5 points. Reach 10 points to unlock the exchange interface.]

Jian Ruonan thought, Oh? Weren't you going to punish me? Why am I getting a reward instead?

Useless trash!

The system replied, "..."

Madam Min had indeed intended to settle Jian Ruonan in an outlying residence. After all, this was such a serious matter, and she did not even know whether it was true. Even if it was, she needed to plan carefully. Madam Zhou had muddled the Marquis's Estate's bloodline and could hardly escape death, but where to place Ruonan and how to restore her identity were also problems.

If it was true, then her own daughter had suffered all these years. At that thought, Madam Min's heart suddenly clenched, and she decided to take the girl home first and deal with the rest later.

Jian Ruonan was brought into Madam Min's Westglow Garden and settled in the Green Gauze Alcove.

She really is my birth mother. Blood is thicker than water! She brought me home before she'd even finished investigating. That's a real mother for you!

System, you sprang out of a rock. You don't understand the purest love we humans feel!

The system replied, "..."

Madam Min said, "Have someone prepare hot water. Zang Chun, help Ruonan bathe. Zang Qiu, send someone out to buy two ready-made outfits."

Zang Qiu saw that Madam Min had brought back a little girl, but did not know who she was. Seeing Madam Min's troubled expression and Jian Ruonan's shabby clothes, she ventured, "The fourth young miss has grown taller this year, and some of her new clothes are a little small. Miss Ruonan looks a little shorter than the fourth young miss, so they should fit perfectly. Shall I fetch a couple of dresses the fourth young miss hasn't worn? They were made by the estate's seamstresses, so they're surely better than anything bought outside."

The fourth young miss Zang Qiu mentioned was Jian Chuxue, Concubine Zhou's biological daughter.

Madam Min rubbed her temples. "No. Fetch two of the eldest young miss's old dresses instead."

Jian Ruonan was taken to the bathing room. She had almost finished undressing, but rather than leave, Zang Chun stepped closer.

Jian Ruonan was speechless. "..."

Zang Chun smiled. "Miss Ruonan, I'll wash your hair for you."

She had almost forgotten. She was now a young lady of the Marquis's Estate, free to live a life where she need only stretch out her arms to be dressed and open her mouth to be fed.

It felt awfully strange.

She had been from the south in her previous life and had never visited a public bathhouse. Having someone watch her bathe was so embarrassing.

So these were the troubles of becoming a marquis's daughter.

After the bath, Zang Chun dried her, dusted her with scented powder, and helped her into a pretty dress. In a single leap, the wild little country girl transformed into a young lady of the Marquis's Estate.

Madam Min had already ordered food prepared. The moment Jian Ruonan sat down, two young maids began drying her hair.

Madam Min said, "You must be hungry after such a long carriage ride. Have something to tide you over."

Jian Ruonan glanced timidly at Madam Min. "Thank you, madam."

On the table sat a plate of rouge-red goose breast, a dish of plum blossom sweet cakes, a bowl of pork knuckle stewed with ham, and a plate of glossy green stir-fried seasonal vegetables.

The food at the Marquis's Estate really was excellent!

This is delicious, that's delicious, delicious, delicious, soooo delicious!! Mwah, mwah, mwah!

Madam Min was speechless. "..."

She had listened carefully for ages without hearing a single useful thing.

A young maid came in and whispered a few words to Zang Chun, who immediately reported to Madam Min, "Wei hasn't needed her menstrual cloths for two months."

Madam Min frowned slightly. Two months without a period, and not a whisper had escaped. If she was keeping it so tightly under wraps, something was certainly fishy.

A maid outside announced, "Madam, Wei is at the entrance. She says she's come to pay her respects."

Jian Ruonan sat meekly with her bowl in her hands. Huh? Wei's here already? I really want to see what this sinister woman looks like.

Wei just drank an abortifacient, and she won't miscarry until tonight. What's she doing here so early? Scouting the enemy's defenses? How did my father end up with such a scheming beauty with the heart of a snake and scorpion!

Mother, you'd better keep your eyes peeled!

Madam Min was speechless. "..."

"Let her in."

Wei stood at the entrance to Westglow Garden, leaning on her maid Dingxiang's hand. The young woman had a slender figure, with no sign at all that she was three months pregnant.

Wei was Jian Zhang's younger cousin. They had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, innocent and close. After Jian Zhang's mother died and his father remarried, their families had seen less and less of each other. With the Wei family also falling on hard times, Wei had ultimately been brought into the household as a high-ranking concubine.

Remembering their old affection, Jian Zhang had always shown Wei considerable tenderness. The year before last, Wei's father had been exonerated and promoted to Governor of the Southwest. Unwilling to remain a concubine, Wei dreamed every day of being elevated to a wife of equal standing, waiting only to catch Madam Min in a misstep.

If Madam Min could be proven guilty of humiliating a concubine and causing her miscarriage, the Wei family would come demanding answers, and Wei's elevation would be assured.

As soon as Wei entered, she offered Madam Min a delicate, frail-looking bow. Afterward, her maid supported her as she sat down beside Jian Ruonan.

Jian Ruonan shot away like a released spring and raised both hands. "You all saw that! I didn't touch her!"

She moved so quickly that one might have thought Wei was some filthy thing that must never be touched.

Wei was bewildered. "??"

Who was this girl? Why did she seem so obnoxious?!

Madam Min was speechless. "..."

Her daughter seemed rather lively.

Dignified and virtuous as she was, Madam Min almost laughed at Jian Ruonan's sudden leap. She steadied herself and looked at Wei. "What are you here for?"

Clutching her handkerchief, Wei looked as fragile as a willow bending in the breeze. "I've come to apologize to you, elder sister."

Madam Min grew wary. "Apologize for what?"

Wei spoke softly. "Snowball came into my courtyard yesterday. I thought such a pretty cat deserved a treat, so I fed Snowball some pastries. I don't know why, but shortly afterward, Snowball started foaming at the mouth. Elder sister, I-I didn't mean it. Boo-hoo..."

Halfway through her explanation, the young woman began weeping in remorse, looking quite sincere.

Snowball was a long-haired cat with mismatched eyes and Madam Min's beloved pet. Madam Min adored Snowball, personally brushing the cat's fur every day and often making toys. When Snowball had failed to appear last night, Madam Min had assumed the cat was out playing and would return soon. She had never imagined such a tragedy.

Madam Min was both furious and distraught, her body trembling slightly despite herself.

She was just about to lash out at Wei when she heard Jian Ruonan's thoughts.

Mother, you absolutely mustn't punish her! The moment you do, she'll miscarry!

Why is this Wei like a hen, laying the egg in her belly whenever she pleases?

Madam Min was speechless. "..." Could her daughter please be serious at a time like this?