Chapter 31 Chapter 31 She seemed to have been plotted against.
When Jasmine got out of the car, Zhixia, who was standing beside Mrs. Luo, was already waiting for her with a smile on her face.
"Auntie, please come this way."
When she arrived at Mrs. Luo's courtyard, before she even entered the living room, Mrs. Luo came out to greet her: "Jasmine!"
As expected, the Luo family's wife was also wearing a moon-white, flowing dress. A maid ran after her, holding a golden hairpin in her hand. "Madam, please come back quickly. You haven't finished dressing yet."
Mrs. Luo replied without even turning her head: "Don't worry."
Then she took Jasmine's hand and said, "I wanted to go out to greet you, but unfortunately, Mammy was slow and only got your hair halfway done. Let's go inside and talk."
Jasmine was led into Mrs. Luo's boudoir.
"You sit next to me."
Mrs. Luo was sitting in front of the dressing table. When Zhiqiu heard what she said, he immediately brought a stool and placed it next to her for Jasmine to sit on.
"Is this okay?"
Mrs. Luo looked in the mirror and asked Jasmine.
Jasmine praised sincerely, "My wife is very beautiful."
"Okay, now it's your turn."
As Mrs. Luo was talking, the nanny behind her actually walked around to Jasmine and started to mess with her hair.
Jasmine was at a loss: "My lady, what are you doing..."
"We wear the same clothes, but our hairstyles are very different. If others see us, they won't think I'm bullying you. We get along well, and since you treat me as a sister, you shouldn't be so formal."
Jasmine wanted to say, "But you are the mistress after all, and I am the concubine." But after hearing the words "Don't be so formal" said by Mrs. Luo, Jasmine didn't dare to say anything more.
Jasmine had only one thought: Xiuhong and Shancha's early morning work had been in vain.
If she had known that she would have to put on makeup before coming, she would have just brought a hat and come directly.
Seeing the golden hairpin in the mirror, Jasmine protected her head and said, "No."
Mrs. Luo took her hand away personally: "Nothing is impossible. Jasmine deserves the best."
Jasmine was actually somewhat moved when she heard this, but then her heart and face were filled with fear and uneasiness.
If a concubine were to parade around town wearing gold ornaments, everyone would suspect that she was taking advantage of her mistress.
But fortunately, this is in the backyard of Luo Mansion and there is no one else here.
Jasmine looked at herself in the mirror carefully. Needless to say, this plain little face looked dazzling and radiant when reflected by the bright yellow light.
Paired with the flowing skirt she is wearing, it goes without saying.
The nanny agreed.
Jasmine thanked the nanny, stood up, and nervously asked Mrs. Luo, "How is it?"
Mrs. Luo slowly curled her lips and said, "It looks great."
Jasmine turned around and continued to look at the mirror.
Mrs. Luo looked at her with a smile and said, "It's dark in the room, let's go out and enjoy the flowers."
Jasmine hesitated: "But..."
Mrs. Luo went to pull her back: "This kind of clothes looks better in the sun. Let's go."
Jasmine had no choice but to follow.
Zhixia and Zhiqiu also brought out a mirror, and the two girls held it from a distance to look at the two of them.
Jasmine was pleasantly surprised: "My wife is right. The skirt looks even more beautiful outside."
"Don't move, my lady."
Jasmine was curious about what she said, and then she noticed that there was a person standing next to the rockery. The person was holding a board and a pen in his hands, and looked up at her from time to time.
Jasmine was horrified: "Madam, is he drawing me?"
"No, he's drawing the two of us. We're dressed so nicely, and it's so rare for us to be together, so of course we have to be drawn."
Jasmine was about to speak when Mrs. Luo said, "Let him draw two pictures, and we'll each have one as a souvenir. What do you think, Jasmine?"
Hearing this, Jasmine felt relieved. She thought it was not impossible.
"Let's go over there."
Suddenly, Mrs. Luo pointed to a pavilion and said.
Jasmine was dragged away trembling with fear. She looked around and felt relieved when she didn't see anyone else.
Mrs. Luo reminded her: "Change your posture."
Jasmine: "Didn't you say you only wanted to draw two?"
Mrs. Luo: "Let's draw one each individually, and then one together. Do you think it's better for us to sit together or stand together?"
"Otherwise, I'll stand and you sit."
"Ming'er!"
As Jasmine was speaking, she was about to help the Luo family's wife sit down when she suddenly heard a woman's cry.
Jasmine turned around and looked, and she felt unwell.
At some point, a number of young women and girls were standing in front of the moon-shaped gate at the entrance of Luo Mansion, and all of them were coming towards them with smiles on their faces.
The one who was shouting was a young lady in red clothes, walking in the front row and waving at the wife of the Luo family.
Jasmine whispered to the Luo family's wife, "Madam, why are there so many people?"
Madam Luo also waved to Madam Feiyi and said with a smile, "Because today is the flower viewing banquet I planned. Look at these flowers, aren't they all beautiful?"
Jasmine was sweating profusely from anxiety, and said to her, "Then the lady will stay here to entertain the guests. Jasmine will go change her clothes first."
Seeing a large group of people approaching, Jasmine turned around and left, but her wrist was grabbed.
Mrs. Luo smiled warmly and said to her:
"Don't worry, Auntie. The people who come here are all my good sisters."
Jasmine struggled.
Seeing this, Shancha ran forward in two steps, trying to grab her aunt's hand back: "Madam, why are you holding my aunt?"
Shancha was used to being rude, and when she saw Jasmine anxious, she became even more anxious and didn't control her strength when she hit her.
When Mrs. Luo let go, four bloody claw marks were left on the back of her snow-white hand.
"My wife!"
"What are you doing?"
Zhixia and Zhiqiu immediately protected their wives behind them and stared at Jasmine and the other woman with a fierce look.
Zhixia shouted even louder: "Hurry up, my wife is injured!"
Of course, it was impossible for Jasmine to leave at this time. Even if she wanted to leave, she was afraid she couldn't.
Jasmine didn't want to admit that she seemed to have been tricked.
...
Madam Hongyi ran into the pavilion first. She first glanced at Madam Luo's injuries, then turned around and glared at Shancha: "Do you know who you scratched? You are so bold, you servant!"
Shancha was also very scared at the moment. She didn't dare to say a word and just hid behind Jasmine.
Lady Red looked at Jasmine again: "Who are you?"
Jasmine bowed, "My lady, I am Jasmine."
A lady in a green silk dress, who had arrived and heard the conversation, looked at Jasmine and asked, "If you are a servant, why are you dressed so gorgeously? Others, who don't know, would think you were the legitimate wife of this mansion."
Jasmine was surrounded.
Everyone looked at her with different eyes, some were curious, some were suspicious, and most of them were looking at her with disgust.
The golden hairpin on her head made her feel ashamed. Jasmine reached out and quickly took it off from her head and hid it in her sleeve.
Someone else scoffed at her with disdain: "It's not enough to just take off your hairpins and rings, I'm afraid you have to take off your clothes too."
At this time, the Luo family's wife spoke to try to reconcile: "Youyou, stop talking. This is the Duke's concubine Jasmine."
Mrs. Luo smiled and tried to persuade the others, "I'm fine. Everyone is here to enjoy the flowers today, so why don't you all be happy?"
When people learned that Jasmine was the Duke's concubine, the pavilion immediately became more lively.
Everyone was talking at once:
"Why is she here?"
"She's wearing Madam Luo's clothes, right? They look the same as Madam Luo's. She's just a concubine, how could she think of climbing over the head of the mistress?"
"Did you see the golden hairpin on her head? If she is a concubine, why does she wear gold jewelry?"
"What a bold concubine! If this happened in my house, I would definitely not let her off lightly!"
Among the murmuring sounds, there was one that was particularly fierce and loud.
Jasmine subconsciously turned her head and saw the young woman in Xiangfei Luo skirt staring at her with dignity and disgust.
Jasmine didn't dare to speak, and only whispered to Madam Luo, "I'm sorry for today, Madam. I'll bring Shancha to apologize to you another day. I'll be leaving now."
As Jasmine spoke, she handed the hairpin and ring in her hand to Zhixia. Zhixia refused to take it. Jasmine glanced at Zhiqiu who had his eyes downcast, and had no choice but to place the hairpin and ring on the round table beside her.
Mrs. Luo nodded kindly: "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious. Be careful on the road."
Jasmine took Shancha to the open space on the right, but was blocked by the lady in the green vine skirt. She had to move to the back, but the two young ladies stood there motionless.
Jasmine had a cold expression on her face and was about to pass by the Luo family lady.
This time, it was Madam Feiyi who stopped her. Madam Feiyi looked at her, but her words were directed to Madam Luo: "Ming'er, you're getting married in less than two months, and this wound will definitely leave a scar. I'm afraid Auntie is targeting you on purpose, isn't she?"
Jasmine said coldly, "My lady, you have misunderstood. I know my identity and was just careless."
Lady Scarlet: "You say you know your own status? Would a servant who knows her own status wear a golden hairpin and dress better than all of us?"
Jasmine explained, "The clothes were given to me by Madam Luo, and the gold hairpin was also arranged by Madam Luo for me to wear."
Lady Red-clothed laughed, "You're quite clever. Are you blaming Ming'er for harming you out of kindness? Ming'er treats you as a sister, yet you're so heartless as to frame her. Do you still have a heart?"
The lady in red clothes said this, stretching out her finger to poke Jasmine’s chest. Jasmine dodged and said, “What are you doing?”
"You dare to hide?" Lady Feiyi was immediately annoyed.
Jasmine went to see Mrs. Luo.
Luo Ming'er and Jasmine met eyes and immediately said, "Ziqing, stop talking. I'm really fine. There will be a little scar left, so I can cover it with my sleeve. Let them pass."
"Since Ming'er said so, then you can go." Mu Ziqing said, but did not move.
Jasmine raised her foot and stepped forward, squeezing through the gap between the two of them.
"What are you doing?"
Hearing Shancha's voice, Jasmine quickly turned around.
Shancha was unable to squeeze out, and the gap she had just come out of was now blocked tightly by someone.
Mu Ziqing glanced back at Jasmine, then folded her hands and said to Shancha, "Ming'er said to let your concubine go, but she didn't say to you. You, a lowly servant, hurt the future Duke's wife, and you still want to walk away. Who gave you the face to do that?"
Camellia couldn't get out no matter which direction she tried, and was getting very anxious.
Just as Jasmine was about to step forward, she saw Shancha panting heavily through the gap, staring at Mu Ziqing with a look of anger on her face.
"Don't!"
As soon as Jasmine spoke, Shancha rushed towards Mu Ziqing.
Mu Ziqing flew out.
Shancha's face lit up with joy, she grabbed Jasmine's hand and ran away.
Everyone was stunned by this scene.
It was Luo Ming'er who first came back to her senses and went to check on Mu Ziqing who had fallen from the pavilion.
"Ziqing, are you okay?"
Mu Ziqing closed her eyes tightly, and no matter how her maid Xing'er called her, she didn't respond. When she picked her up, she found that her hands were covered in blood.
Xing'er screamed "Ah" and sat down again.
...
In the evening, the Duke did not return home. After leaving the garrison camp, he rode his horse straight to the residence of the Censor.
Chunli Zuohe accompanied him.
The Duke had heard yesterday that his concubine would be visiting the Luo Mansion today. The Luo family's wife had personally invited him, wanting to show her favor to his concubine, and the Duke was very happy to see it happen.
Unexpectedly, someone from the Duke's Mansion came in the afternoon to tell him that something had happened to his aunt.
Seeing that the situation could not be resolved amicably, the Luo Mansion informed the Duke's Mansion, who then hurriedly reported the matter to the Duke.
Jasmine hadn't expected Shancha's collision to cause Mu Ziqing to fall so hard, and even to be in critical condition.
Before she and Shancha could run out of Luo Mansion, they were stopped by someone.
In the afternoon, the Luo Mansion invited three doctors and notified the Censorate. The Censor's wife went to the palace in person to ask for the imperial physician.
Finally, Mu Ziqing's life was saved.
The censor's wife hugged her daughter and cried. When she learned that it was a maid who hit her daughter, she immediately wanted to take everyone back to the censor's residence.
Mrs. Luo explained that Shancha was a maid in the Duke's Mansion and a personal maid to the Duke's concubine, but how could the Censor's wife care?
She even said that even the senior maidservant beside the imperial concubine must be taken away today!
Of course, Jasmine couldn't just stand by and watch Shancha being taken away. She was certain that if Shancha left her sight, the Censor's wife would kill her the next moment. Jasmine could only follow. She followed the Censor's wife's carriage all the way to the Censor's residence.
Her mind was in a mess, and she told herself that she had to stay calm in order to save people.
There was no sunset glow this evening, and a flash of light illuminated the courtyard of the Censorate.
The Censor's wife was sitting in the corridor in front of Mu Ziqing's room, surrounded by a dozen maids and servants. Shancha was tied up and thrown into the courtyard.
Jasmine dragged her feet in and just saw the censor's wife ordering someone to hit her with a stick.
Jasmine rushed over and pushed the man away. He hugged Jasmine and knelt down to beg for mercy from the Imperial Censor: "Madam, she didn't mean it. Madam Mu is still alive. Can you please show some mercy? This girl grew up in the countryside, without a father or mother. It hasn't been easy for her to grow up this big. Please treat her like an insignificant puppy and give her a chance to live?"
How pathetic, Jasmine described it. If she hadn't been so exhausted, she would have wanted to pinch Shancha and make her wail.
But for now, I can only give her a look and let her understand.
Shancha looked at her with a wooden face, not being able to understand her intention at all.
The Censor's wife was obviously furious. She slammed the long table where the tea was placed. "What right do you have to say that? My daughter almost died, and you asked me to let her go? My daughter is alive because she is lucky, not because of the kindness of this lowly servant!"
Jasmine continued sadly, "I know you, Madam, love your daughter deeply. I am heartbroken that Madam Mu was injured. Madam, what can I do to appease you?"
Madam Censor pointed at Shan Cha and said through gritted teeth, "I just want her to die!"
Jasmine met the Censor's wife's sinister gaze, "She is my maid. Even if she is guilty, it will be the Duke's Mansion or the government who will judge. It is not your turn to punish her."
"What a sharp-tongued maidservant!" The Censor's wife sneered, "This girl injured the daughter of the Censor-in-Chief, and I am only a second-rank official! I could kill a maidservant if I wanted to! Even if I didn't kill her, I would definitely make the Duke's Mansion and the government do it for me!"
Jasmine: "Then Madam, please report it to the police."
The censor’s wife was startled.
Jasmine continued, "Let Jingzhao Prefecture judge this case and see how Madam Mu was injured. And how much fault did I have?"
The Censor's wife was naturally unwilling. She had already found out everything before arriving at the Luo residence. It was her daughter who had provoked the family first. The maid had certainly not done it on purpose.
Ever since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the Jingzhao prefect has been damn fair and just, especially when it comes to cases involving disputes between the people and officials. If the people make a scene at the Jingzhao prefecture, the officials will definitely suffer.
Several officials in the court lost their official hats because of this.
Therefore, while the Censor's wife said this, she had made up her mind to do it herself.
"lady……"
"Get out of here!"
The steward came running over, and the Censor's wife thought he was trying to persuade her. She shouted, stood up, and shouted to the crowd, "Who is my daughter? What qualifications does this servant have to be compared with my daughter? If I let her go today, I'm afraid that cats and dogs will bully my daughter tomorrow! Not to mention a maid, even if you are the Duke's concubine, I will beat you to death today!"
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