Chapter 29 Chapter 29 "I've never heard Auntie talk about my family...
"Is this slave very fierce?"
Jasmine asked tentatively while rubbing her grandfather's hair.
The Duke: "It's better to be a little fierce, it saves me a lot of trouble. My aunt, please remember to be like this in the future."
"Yes." Jasmine smiled secretly behind her grandfather. She knew it.
For three whole days, Jasmine stared at the Duke as if he were the apple of her eye. She wouldn't let the four maids get close to her, not even to let them take a look at her.
The maidservant called Zhili was not polite at all. When she couldn't find an opportunity at night, she would wait until the morning.
Jasmine couldn't get up every day to change her grandfather's clothes. Seeing this, Zhili sneaked over.
The Duke had always found the official robe difficult to wear, so when he saw someone coming in to help, he didn't refuse.
Jasmine, ever the more cautious, caught the man on the spot, then leaped to her feet and chased him away. For several days afterward, Jasmine would brace herself to get out of bed with her grandfather.
Jasmine sent the four of them to clean the backyard. The Duke was mostly confined to the front yard and his bedroom. Seeing no chance, the four of them resented Jasmine even more.
The four maids came together to talk to Jasmine again, and their words were full of threats.
Jasmine didn't say anything this time, but Shancha couldn't help herself: "You guys are seducing the master, and you think you're right? Not to mention that your wife hasn't even entered the house yet. Even if she had, with your attitude, my aunt can still deal with you."
"Right, Auntie?" Shancha turned around and asked Jasmine.
"Yeah." Jasmine agreed with her of course.
If the four of them were still tossing and turning.
Knowing the truth: "Aunt, believe it or not, we will go back and tell our wife everything you have done. We can't do anything to you now, but when our wife enters the main courtyard and becomes the mistress of the house, you will have a hard time!"
Jasmine waved Shancha away, glaring at her coldly. "Do you think I'm afraid of you? Go ahead if you dare. To tell you the truth, I'm not just targeting you right now. When your wife comes home, I won't let her go either."
Jasmine had a smug smile on her face as she glanced at the four of them and spoke in a voice that only they could hear.
The four of them looked at her in shock and anger.
The one who knew the situation and was closest to her pushed her shoulder.
Jasmine fell backwards, and Shancha quickly caught her, so Jasmine had to straighten her waist and fall to the side.
It was a cobblestone ground, summertime, and she was wearing thin clothes. She fell straight and sideways, and anyone who just looked at her felt pain.
Shancha was stunned. She looked at her empty hands, then at her aunt.
How could the four of them not see that she did it on purpose.
Zhili exposed her: "You did it on purpose!"
Knowing the truth: "What do you want to do? Frame us?"
Jasmine covered her left arm and struggled to get up. She curled her lips smugly at the four people, then ran all the way to the main courtyard gate.
The four of them subconsciously wanted to stop her.
Shancha was no fool, so of course she tried to stop the four of them. But how could she stop them alone?
In short, when the four thought they were about to catch up, Jasmine had already knelt in front of the old lady.
The four of them looked at each other in panic, and those who knew the truth whispered, "There's no need to be afraid of her. Our wife was chosen by the old lady herself. The old lady will definitely help our wife."
The four of them soon stopped worrying and also stepped forward to kneel down.
After the fall, half her body was covered in dirt and grass, her hair was loose, and she looked panic-stricken. Anyone who looked at Aunt Moli knew that she had been bullied.
The old lady looked confused and asked, "What happened?"
When the four maids knelt in front of her, the old lady's face became even uglier.
Jasmine took the initiative and said, "Madam, I know I don't have the right to ask you to send them away, but I still want to ask you. Can you ask the Luo family to send a few honest and reliable maids?"
The servants looked at her and thought she was the old lady messing with her concubine again. If the Duke heard about it, what would he do? The old lady said in a gentle tone, "You should stand up and talk first."
Jasmine shook her head: "This servant begs the old lady!"
The four maids also started to beg for mercy.
Zhili: "Your Highness, we are wronged."
Knowing the truth: "Yes, old lady, you can't just listen to the concubine's one-sided words. The concubine doesn't like us servants, and she is determined to drive us out of the main courtyard!"
Before she even started talking, the old lady already felt the dilemma. She knew that if she continued asking, she would be the only one who would suffer.
Then, looking at Jasmine, she said, "It's understandable that you dislike them, Auntie. But after all, they were sent by the Luo Mansion, so you should be understanding."
Jasmine shook her head again. "This isn't just for my own sake. I don't want the Duke to have to deal with them after a hard day out in the field, returning home late at night. I also don't want people to gossip about him. It wouldn't just affect the Duke, it would affect our entire Mansion."
Jasmine pointed at the four maids.
"These four weren't meant to be maids. On the first day they arrived, I kindly invited them to dinner, intending to have them take their food elsewhere. However, they ignored me and sat directly in front of the Duke. I wanted to help him wash and brush his teeth, but they started fighting over it and refused to leave even after repeated requests. Early in the morning, when he was about to attend court, they insisted on performing in front of him. When I chased them away, they started to hold a grudge against me and threatened me, telling me not to get too complacent or else things would get ugly when Madam Luo arrived."
The four maids couldn't help themselves and immediately pointed at Jasmine and complained, "Old Madam, it's obviously the concubine who is pretending!"
"That's right, old lady, you know what Auntie said just now: she's not just going to deal with the four of us, she's going to deal with our wife as well once she gets home."
"Madam, we are the servants who are fighting for the lady and that is why we angered the aunt!"
Jasmine looked at the old lady with tears and snot, looking pitifully at her. "Old lady, if the Duke wants to marry them, I'm afraid the main courtyard and the back courtyard will be in turmoil. The Duke is getting married soon, and if word gets out, it will definitely affect his reputation. That's why I've come here in such a hurry to ask you to make the decision!"
The old lady has seen this kind of scene many times.
The old lady stared at Jasmine with a solemn expression. The Luo family mother and daughter had sent four beautiful maids, and the old lady knew what they meant. She didn't refuse, thinking it was harmless. Besides, the Duke wouldn't care if he disliked them.
But Jasmine's words made the old lady worried. What if the maid seduced him deliberately and used tricks, and the Duke fell into her trap?
Look at the four bitches in front of me, none of them are content. The Duke is so inexperienced, if the concubine hadn't stood in front of him today, he would have been caught.
The Duke hadn't even married yet, and his wedding was imminent. The fact that he had returned from the border with a concubine had already caused an uproar within and beyond Kyoto.
If he took in four more concubines on the eve of his wedding, and they were maids sent by the Luo Mansion, I'm afraid something terrible would happen.
What might have been a harmless incident in other people's homes was a fatal blow to the prestigious Duke. And the Duke's loss of face affected the entire Duke's Mansion.
The old lady immediately complained to the Luo family mother and daughter. What a foolish mother and daughter!
Her original intention was to marry someone from a small family who was easy to control, but now it seems that she was completely wrong. It's not a big deal if a daughter from a small family is not very successful, but the real trouble is that she might do something stupid that is hard to prevent!
The four maids in front of her must be driven away, but the old lady was worried that the mother and daughter of the Luo family would hate her.
After thinking for a moment, the old lady said to Jasmine with an embarrassed look on her face, "Why don't you ask the Duke about this matter? The maid sent by the Luo family was admitted with the Duke's consent. If I suddenly drive her away, the Duke will probably blame me for being too overreaching."
Jasmine grumbled inwardly, "Weren't you the one who informed the Duke after you slammed the table and ordered him to stay? What nonsense are you talking about now?"
Jasmine also looked embarrassed. "The Duke is busy with matters outside. He doesn't return until dark every day, and he is always exhausted when he comes back. I really don't dare to bother him with these trivial matters."
Jasmine raised her eyes to look at the old lady and said, "I thought that the old lady must also feel sorry for the Duke, so I came to ask her for advice."
The old lady was speechless for a moment. After a moment, she nodded, "Yes, of course I feel sorry for the Duke."
The current head of the Duke's Mansion was still her old lady. While the masters were away fighting, she, as the head of the house, was responsible for managing the inner chambers.
The old lady thought again and realized that if she had to wait until the Duke came back to deal with the four maids, she would be laughed at by everyone and scolded as a useless old woman.
What the old lady fears most is that the power of the steward of the Duke's Mansion will fall into the hands of others.
So the old lady slammed the table and ordered the doorman to notify the Luo family and take the four maids back.
The four maids cried and begged for mercy, but no one paid any attention to them.
When Mrs. Luo heard the news, she rushed to the house to ask for a meeting.
First, he apologized to the old lady, scolded the four maids, and then ordered the four maids to kowtow and apologize to the old lady.
Then, Madam Luo said to the four maids with a stern look in her eyes, "You should also ask Aunt Moli to forgive you."
The four maids were unwilling, but if they were really sent back to the Luo family, it would be a shame. If they could not escape from the Luo family, they would definitely be despised and suppressed by the Luo family.
The four maids immediately kowtowed to Jasmine without hesitation.
Mrs. Luo smiled at Jasmine again.
Is Mrs. Luo planning to apologize to her herself?
Jasmine stood beside the old lady. Before Madam Luo could speak, she knelt down before her and said, "Old lady, I feel so sorry for these four maids. I was reckless just now. Please, old lady, have mercy on them and don't chase them away."
The old lady thought, how come it was you who came to ask them to be kicked out of the house, and now it’s you who is begging for mercy?
A little concubine was manipulating her, the mistress of the house! How unreasonable!
The old lady immediately frowned: "Don't forget that you are just a concubine! It is not your place to give orders in the Duke's Mansion."
Jasmine kowtowed and apologized: "Yes, it was my fault. I won't do it again."
What Madam Luo wanted to say to her got stuck in her throat. She gave a stiff smile before addressing the old lady, "Madam, the Luo family is no match for the Duke's mansion. I knew the maids would get into trouble, so I thought of sending them here ahead of time to learn the rules. When I sent them here, I repeatedly warned them, but I never expected a misunderstanding to occur."
Madam Luo looked at the old lady with tears in her eyes. "But it's precisely because they are incompetent that I sent them here. It's also for the future Duke's wife. Look, old lady, the Duke hasn't said anything yet. Why don't you just forget about it?"
You said forget it? How could you, a wife of a lowly official with no rank or status, have the nerve to take on the Duke's Mansion?
Could it be that he thought that by choosing her daughter as the Duke's wife, he could rest easy and bully her?
The old lady was furious. She stared at Madam Luo, her lips curled into the signature smile that belonged only to the old ladies of Duke Yan's mansion. "Madam Luo, you're being so easy. If we really let this matter go, others, unaware of it, would still consider me and your Luo family on the same side. Do you think the mistakes of these four slaves are insignificant?"
Mrs. Luo said in panic, "Old Madam, what are you talking about? I am more anxious than anyone else. I just want to ask Old Madam to give me one more chance. Ming'er is your favorite, so I hope you will take good care of her in the future."
In the past, when Mrs. Luo said this, the old lady would not take it to heart. But now, when she heard it, she always felt like a hand was strangling her throat.
The old lady was too lazy to argue with her any further and said straight to the point, "Please don't think everyone in the Duke's Mansion is a fool and can't see what you're up to! You're the one who wants to send these four slaves to the Duke's bed, aren't you? You're talking about learning the rules, but who do you really think is a fool? If you succeed today, where will the Duke be, and where will the Duke's Mansion be? The Luo family girl hasn't even arrived yet, and you've already got so many tricks up your sleeve. How could she handle it once she does?"
Mrs. Luo had never seen the old lady so angry before, and she was immediately panicked, fearing that the old lady would say she wanted to break off the engagement in a fit of rage.
Madam Luo immediately announced that she would take the four maids back to punish them. "...Don't worry, Madam. I will punish them severely when I get back. I only hope you don't get too angry and become ill."
With the old lady's approval, Madam Luo fled from the Duke's Mansion with her four maids.
The old lady turned her eyes to Jasmine again, examining her for a long moment before asking, "Did you really mean it? Not only will you bully them, but you'll also bully the Luo family's wife once she enters the family?"
Jasmine denied it outright: "No, I didn't say that."
What a joke. How could Jasmine admit this?
At that time, there were only four maids, her and Shancha. As long as she refused to admit it, it would be the four maids who falsely accused her.
Jasmine decided to act more pitiful. She crawled forward on her knees and hugged the old lady's knees. "Old lady, Jasmine has never thought of competing with anyone. Jasmine knows her own limitations. I just hope to live a peaceful life as the Duke's concubine. I also hope that the Duke will be well."
The old lady frowned at her. She had seen so many hypocritical women in her life that she didn't immediately believe her. But she didn't seem to be pretending, especially since if she was restless, she would definitely whisper in the Duke's ear. But the old lady tentatively asked the Duke, and he confirmed that she wasn't.
The old lady found the concubine's pitiful appearance very irritating and was just about to give her a warning to frighten her.
Just then—
"Jasmine."
The Duke has returned.
When did the Duke arrive? The concierge didn't even announce it!
The old lady hesitated for a moment, then immediately reached out and helped Jasmine up. Her expression changed to a kind one: "Good child, what are you talking about? Get up quickly..."
Of course, Jasmine also heard the sound and turned around.
The Duke saw his aunt looking miserable and pitiful, with red eyes and nose, and she must have shed a lot of tears.
The Duke's expression was solemn, and he forgot to bow to the old lady. He just looked at the concubine with a serious look and asked her in a low voice, "What happened?"
I was afraid that if I spoke louder, it would scare the tears out of her eyes.
Jasmine wiped the corners of her eyes and shook her head: "I am fine."
The Duke's gaze slowly moved from her face to her body.
"Why is it so dirty?"
As the Duke spoke, he reached out to brush the dust off her left shoulder.
"Hmm..." Jasmine screamed, and the tears in her eyes successfully burst out.
I saw my aunt covering her shoulders, tears streaming down her face, and she shrank in pain.
The Duke was stunned for a moment, then shouted loudly, "Please ask the court physician to come to the main courtyard."
Then he said to the old lady, "Mother, there's nothing to do here. I'll take my aunt back first."
"It's okay, go ahead." The old lady stood up, still thinking of saying a few words to the concubine, when she saw the Duke of Guo holding the concubine and walking out. He asked the concubine, "Are you going?"
The aunt replied: "My hand hurts, my foot is fine. Master, don't worry."
The old lady didn't feel upset until she saw the man walking away.
She grumbled to Aunt Qian: "Why did he come back at this very moment?"
Nanny Qian had just thoughtfully asked the concierge, and now she replied to the old lady, "It was the Duke who forbade it from being announced."
The old lady was startled: "What does he mean?"
Nanny Qian whispered, "The Duke has returned now, I'm afraid he knows something happened in the mansion."
The old lady was startled again, and then responded: "You mean he placed an eye in the Duke's Mansion?"
"I dare not say anything more." Nanny Qian was glared at by the old lady before she continued, "That's the Duke. Even if the Duke didn't give orders to those around him, there would always be someone in the mansion who would pass on the message to the Duke."
The old lady was even more annoyed: "Do you think the Duke will think that I bullied his concubine?"
Nanny Qian comforted her, "What are you thinking, Madam? The Duke has always respected you and would never do that for a concubine. Besides, Madam didn't bully the concubine. It was all a misunderstanding. Besides, even if you really punished the concubine, the Duke would definitely stand by you."
The old lady said, "But you saw it just now. With that concubine around, he no longer sees me as his mother. How come I didn't realize earlier that he valued that concubine so much?"
Madam Qian looked puzzled: "Isn't the Duke still the same?"
"You're just an idiot!"
Madam Qian said with a wronged expression, "I really didn't notice it. I remember that my son fell off his horse many years ago while driving for the Duke. When the Duke came to see him, he also looked so solemn."
The old lady recalled what had just happened and wondered if she had really seen it wrong. After thinking about it carefully, the old lady found that it was indeed the case.
When the old Duke was seriously ill and the war was urgent, he had the same expression when he was driven away.
The old lady recalled that once she was choked by lotus seeds in the lotus seed soup, the second master, who was only seven years old, put down his bow and arrow, turned around and ran to ask her, "Is mother okay?" He seemed to have the same expression on his face at that time.
The old lady was no longer anxious. She even had time to ask Madam Qian, "How's your boy doing lately?"
Nanny Qian smiled and said, "Thanks to the old lady and the Duke, they didn't mind the boy being a cripple. After the Duke returned, he transferred Changdong to the garrison camp to manage the armory."
The old lady nodded and sighed, "The Duke hasn't forgotten Changdong."
Nanny Qian smiled and nodded, but didn't say much.
...
Jasmine knew that she had fallen quite hard, but she never expected that her arm was also broken!
No wonder she couldn't lift her hand and it hurt so much.
Jasmine had shed all her tears, and now she felt like crying but had no tears left.
The court physician was sorting out the equipment needed for bone setting.
The Duke comforted her: "It's okay, just bring her back."
The Duke then thought that she was not a rough soldier in the military camp, so how could she not be afraid? The Duke thought for a moment and said, "I am here, you will be fine."
Jasmine was in great pain, but she wasn't afraid at all. What was there to be afraid of? This was the Duke's mansion, with a skilled physician and so many servants.
But after hearing what her grandfather said, Jasmine felt that if she didn't show some fear, she would be unworthy of her grandfather's condolences.
Will this guy no longer care about her no matter what happens to her in the future?
Jasmine squeezed out two tears and nodded pitifully, "I understand."
When the court doctor came over after tying her sleeves and washing her hands, Jasmine closed her eyes, turned her face away, and waited for the sharp pain to come.
Jasmine felt a strong arm wrap around her, and her eyes snapped open as her head rested against the familiar embrace.
Of course, that arm belonged to her grandfather.
The Duke stood up and held her in his arms, one arm around her shoulders and the other big hand holding her good arm.
The embrace is warm and reassuring.
Jasmine was sure she liked it. But why did her grandfather hold her so tightly? This wasn't a hug, it was confinement!
"Master, please loosen up."
"Don't move."
Jasmine heard another voice coming from above her head. It was the Duke and the court physician speaking, "Let's begin."
Jasmine wasn't afraid at first, but the feeling of being trapped made her feel uncomfortable. She couldn't breathe, and she wanted to escape.
But she couldn't escape.
"Let me go, help...ah..."
The aunt's cries were heard from far away. If this happened in an ordinary family, the neighbors would have reported it to the police.
"Auntie, it's okay." said the court doctor.
But my aunt was still crying.
The Duke patted her head and said, "It doesn't hurt anymore. Do you feel it? Stop crying."
The moment the Duke loosened his hand, Jasmine almost fell off the chair, but fortunately the Duke was quick to catch her.
Jasmine gasped, her face fierce.
Yes, the Duke confirmed that he was not mistaken. The look on the concubine's face was fierce. It was as if if he didn't let go, the concubine would eat him.
The Duke wiped her tears with a funny look and said, "I didn't mean it. Please forgive me."
Jasmine slowly turned her neck and looked at her grandfather with dull eyes, but after a moment, her eyes became confused again.
He blinked twice and suddenly became clear-headed.
She turned her head and looked around, checking her surroundings to confirm where she was. She gasped for breath again as if exhausted.
The Duke saw that she was crying again and had to continue wiping her tears.
Suddenly, Jasmine grabbed his hand, seemingly forgetting that one of her hands was injured.
The Duke had no choice but to remind: "Be careful with that hand."
Jasmine just held the Duke's hand, as if it were a life-saving straw, which made her feel at ease.
Half an hour later, the court doctor bandaged her.
Having seen many injured soldiers while guarding the border, the Duke has some understanding of them.
He asked the court doctor suspiciously, "My aunt's hand is only dislocated, why does it need to be bandaged?"
The court doctor said: "It seems that your aunt's hand was broken before. It must have healed on its own because she was young, but it didn't heal well enough, so it broke easily."
The Duke went to see her and asked, "Is that so?"
Jasmine didn't want to say more and nodded.
The Duke then asked the court physician, "Is it possible that he will recover now?"
The court physician said: "Please rest assured, Duke. I have successfully repaired the wound. With proper care in the future, your hand will not have any problems."
The Duke nodded and said, "Go ahead."
After the court doctor left, the Duke asked his aunt curiously, "You were injured when you were a child, why didn't you get medical treatment?"
Jasmine didn't want to say it, but was afraid of alienating her grandfather.
The Duke did not wait for an answer and asked again: "But your family is poor and you have no money to hire a doctor?"
If she answered yes, would her father ask, "Where are all the family members of my aunt? I will ask someone to send some money to them," or, "How about I bring them to Kyoto?"
Given her current relationship with her grandfather, Jasmine felt it was very possible.
Jasmine had no choice but to say, "I don't remember. I only remember falling from a tree when I was little. I didn't dare tell my family. My hand hurt for several months after that, and then the pain gradually subsided."
The Duke was silent for a moment.
Jasmine didn't look up, but she knew her grandfather was looking at her. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest.
"I didn't expect that my aunt is so naughty." The Duke wanted to laugh whenever he thought of the scene of his gentle and well-behaved aunt climbing a tree.
Jasmine gave this guy an extremely ugly smile.
The Duke thought about it and asked again, "I have never heard Aunt talk about family matters. When can you tell me about it?"
Jasmine has a headache.
"There's nothing much to say about my family. I lived in a small village in Yizhou. My parents were ordinary people. Unexpectedly, a flood hit. I fled and encountered robbers. Fortunately, you saved my life."
"Where are my parents?"
"They were all drowned."
Jasmine was afraid that he would ask again something like "How do you know he drowned? Otherwise I'll look for him."
Jasmine quickly changed the subject: "Master, you won't blame me for driving away the four maids sent by the Luo family, right?"
The Duke looked at her with eyes as calm as a pool. "No. I also want to thank Auntie for saving me."
The Duke added seriously, "I will remember your kindness."
She had driven away the four maids purely for her own sake. Besides, if the Duke wanted to drive them away, it would have been a simple matter of a word. He even thanked her and remembered her kindness.
Jasmine subconsciously felt that this man was joking with her again.
Jasmine found that this man had been teasing her recently, but she was too lazy to argue with him.
Because the concubine's hand was injured, the Duke took out the extra quilt.
Jasmine didn't mention going back to the courtyard to sleep.
When it was time to go to bed, the Duke wished he were as far away from her as a river or a river. He said, "Rest," turned off the light, and fell asleep.
That night, Jasmine dreamed of that dilapidated home again after a long time.
She actually came back!
Standing at the crumbling fence gate, Jasmine was so frightened that she broke into a cold sweat. She ran, turned around and ran two steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back.
I looked at the little girl in disbelief as she walked out of the dark and shabby threshold.
The little girl had yellow hair like dead grass on her head, her clothes were tattered, and she was barefoot. She moved out step by step, looking back from time to time, her eyes full of fear.
When they walked out of the fenced yard, the little girl's face lit up with joy. Without looking back, she ran towards the exit of the village.
Jasmine shouted at her with a face full of fear: "Come back! You can't get away! Come back here!"
Seeing that the little girl didn't listen, Jasmine hurried to chase her.
Before she could catch up with the little girl, an equally sloppy-looking couple came running up behind her, and she saw the man was about to catch up.
Jasmine ran as fast as she could, shielding the little girl behind her. The next moment, the man had grabbed the little girl by the back of her collar.
The little girl was picked up directly.
"What are you doing? Let her go!"
Jasmine reached out to stop them, but she couldn't touch them.
The man asked the little girl fiercely, "It's bad enough that you ran away, but you even dared to steal money from home? Hand it over now!"
The uncle who had originally seen the commotion and was about to stop it now stopped and just watched coldly as the man scolded his daughter.
More and more people gathered around, but no one spoke and no one stepped forward.
The little girl stood still, and the man started searching her directly, and finally found the three copper coins from her body.
"Tell me, which hand did you use to steal it? Who taught you to steal money from home? Tell me quickly, which hand!"
Jasmine was in tears. She rushed forward to push the man again and again, fell down, got up, and rushed forward again.
"Please don't, please let her go..."
The little girl's screams were like thunder exploding in her ears.
"If you have the guts, run farther next time and don't let me find you. Otherwise, I'll break your legs..."
Jasmine shuddered, opened her eyes, and saw the wind chimes above her head clearly. Only then did her whole body relax.
He rolled over and hugged the person next to him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
