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When Jiang Yan returned to Pear Blossom Residence, she kept thinking about what she had just done and felt that she was a bully who relied on her master's power!
But upon closer reflection, I realized she hadn't done anything wrong. After all, they had bullied her, and if she acted as if nothing had happened and deceived herself, she would be too pathetic!
Anyway, the lesson she learned along the way is: I will not offend others unless they offend me, and if they offend me, I will retaliate!
When Jiang Yan returned to Pear Blossom Residence, Huang Ying was already waiting for her in the courtyard.
"Why did you come out?"
Upon hearing her voice, Huang Ying rushed towards her, asking, "Master, are you alright?"
"What could possibly be wrong with me? I'm perfectly fine," Jiang Yan said, smiling as he twirled in front of her.
Huang Ying said, "Master, you don't need to do this for me. I don't deserve it." Her eyes were red.
Jiang Yan sighed and took her hands in his: "Huang Ying, please don't think like that. Even if I weren't your master, I would still do the same thing! I've always disliked bullying the weak and fearing the strong!"
He laughed again, "Your lips are still swollen, don't pout, it looks awful!" He poked her forehead with his right hand and walked into the house.
Huang Ying couldn't help but smile slightly and followed her.
"Master, Fuqu has gone to help in the front yard. You can just tell me what you need."
Jiang Yan suddenly stopped, then turned around and stared at her without blinking.
Huang Ying felt uneasy under her gaze and stammered, "Master, why are you looking at me like that?"
Jiang Yan: "Huang Ying, I see and remember how good you are to me, so could you please stop calling yourself 'servant' in front of me?"
Huang Ying was puzzled and frowned: "Does Master dislike this servant?"
"no."
"Does Master think I'm too talkative?"
Jiang Yan smiled: "You are a bit nagging, but that's not the reason."
Huang Ying lowered her eyes shyly and pursed her lips: "Then, Master, why did you say that?"
Jiang Yan sighed and looked up at the sky: "I think we can call each other sisters..."
But before she could finish speaking, Huang Ying sternly refused: "No, Master! You are my master, and I am your servant. This will be true for a day and for a lifetime."
Seeing her determined gaze and unyielding tone, Jiang Yan felt helpless. Knowing that it would be impossible to persuade her to change her self-designation in a short time, he stopped trying to persuade her and turned to walk into the house.
"What have you been busy with in the front yard these past few days? Are you short-handed? Those two servants have gone too." Jiang Yan sat down at the round table in the center of the room.
As Huang Ying poured her tea, she said, "I heard they're building more courtyards. It's the Princess's idea; she said each courtyard will have three servants."
Jiang Yan couldn't help but ask curiously, "Could it be that His Highness has a new target?"
Huang Ying handed her the tea: "This servant doesn't know, but this servant can inquire about it."
"Then forget it." Jiang Yan took a sip of tea. "It has nothing to do with us, no need to bother."
"Yes, Master."
Jiang Yan drank a few more sips of tea, then felt a little sleepy and wanted to lie down on the bed for a while. Huang Ying couldn't help but ask again.
"Master... what did you do at Haitang Garden? Did Madam Wang give you any trouble?"
Jiang Yan paused for a moment, then continued walking towards the bed with a smile, saying as she went, "It's not a big deal... If you want me to explain in detail, I don't know where to begin. Anyway, they won't dare to bully anyone in our courtyard anymore." She plopped down on the bed.
Huang Ying looked worried: "Will Madam Wang complain to the Prince? I heard that the Prince has given Madam Wang many gifts again."
"Who knows? Whatever, we'll just take it one step at a time." He lay back on the bed.
Huang Ying was still thinking when she said, "My lady, the prince took the princess to sweep the tombs last night. It will probably be ten days or half a month before they return. By then, I reckon the princess will no longer care about this matter."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan's eyes lit up and she sat up: "You mean they've already set off?"
"Yes, I heard that the tomb sweeping trip is two days later than usual this year. It is said that His Highness has been busy with official duties recently and is unable to get away."
"That's great! Now I don't have to worry about anything. I've been worried about you for the past two days."
Huang Ying: "It's strange, isn't it? It was clearly the prince who gave the order that you, mistress, should be taken along on this trip to Yongshan to sweep the tombs. How come he only took the princess?"
Jiang Yan didn't care at all. She took off her shoes and socks haphazardly and put her head on the pillow.
"Why worry so much? I'd love for him not to take me! I don't even know him, it would be so awkward sitting together. Besides, what if I do something wrong and get his attention?"
Huang Ying also thought Jiang Yan's words made a lot of sense and nodded.
Jiang Yan: "Alright, go ahead and do your thing. I don't need you watching me sleep." She smiled and pulled the blanket over herself.
Huang Ying helped her lower the bed curtains and slowly walked out.
With Shangguan Zeyu and Princess Xiao Yiqing not in the mansion, Jiang Yan thought she could finally catch her breath and rest for a while. Little did she know that her hard times were just beginning.
That morning, Jiang Yan was lying in a rocking chair, enjoying the gentle breeze on her body with her eyes half-closed, when a maid came.
Jiang Yan didn't notice her. Huang Ying went to greet her, but she returned shortly after. Before Jiang Yan could ask, she anxiously asked...
"Master, something terrible has happened!"
Jiang Yan was startled and quickly opened her eyes to look at her.
"What's wrong?"
"My lord, Madam Wang invites you to the back garden to admire the flowers."
"Enjoying flowers? You invited me?" Jiang Yan was extremely shocked, but quickly calmed down. "I think enjoying flowers was just a pretense; you really wanted to get back at me! What was your reply?"
Jiang Yan guessed that Huang Ying would definitely refuse decisively, but little did she expect that things would turn out differently than she had imagined.
Huang Ying: "Sister Liu Ying, Madam Wang's personal maid, only said that she was informing you that you must go. Before I could refuse, she had already left."
"What?" Jiang Yan was now completely uneasy.
Huang Ying said, "Master, this servant will go find Madam Wang right away and tell her that it is inconvenient for you to attend." She then ran outside, but was stopped by Jiang Yan in time.
"No need. This is definitely a trap. If we don't go today, we can go tomorrow or the day after."
"Then, Master..."
Jiang Yan sat up from the rocking chair: "Let's see what they can do to me!!" I'm someone who has read history books, do you think I'm afraid of them?
As evening approached, Jiang Yan dressed up and went to keep their appointment with Huang Ying.
Huang Ying said, "Master, I still think your outfit is too plain, and it makes you look unwell."
"Wearing the best clothes when you're with them is a waste! Besides, clothes are meant to be worn what you like, not to please others."
Huang Ying hesitated, as if she had something to say to her, but in the end she didn't say it.
Jiang Yan: "Huang Ying, I can be a coward at times, but I can also be terrifyingly strong at others. If I do something too outrageous, please don't be afraid, and don't feel like I've ruined your young lady's reputation, okay?"
“Your Highness, you are kind-hearted and neither humble nor arrogant. Whatever you do, Your Highness, I will always support you.”
Jiang Yan smiled with relief: "If I can go back, I will definitely take you back so you can see our society and experience the charm of freedom and self-reliance!"
Huang Ying laughed too: "But Master, you don't even know how you got here, so how are you going to get back?"
Jiang Yan's smile vanished instantly: "That's true, but no matter what, don't worry, I'll take good care of you, just like your young lady does for you!"
Huang Ying's eyes immediately welled up with tears, but Jiang Yan, engrossed in her own world, failed to notice.
When the two women, mistress and servant, arrived at the back garden chatting and laughing, the other ladies had already arrived.
The first person to see her was Wang Qianqian, but she didn't walk towards her. Instead, she whispered a few words to Shen Qianqian, and Shen Qianqian walked towards her with a smile.
Jiang Yan knew they were up to no good, so she also adopted the demeanor of a concubine.
Shen Qianqian stopped five steps away from her, gave her a respectful bow, and said, "Sister, you've come at just the right time. Please take a seat."
Jiang Yan couldn't help but wonder if she was being petty and judging a gentleman by her own standards? Was he really just kindly inviting her to admire the flowers?
"Thank you, sister. Let's go together." Jiang Yan's heart was still warm, but when she walked to the table and saw Wang Qianqian's mocking smile, her mood instantly darkened again.
Is Wang Qianqian blind? Why does she always look at people with such a sly, scheming gaze?
Just as Jiang Yan was about to glare fiercely at Wang Qianqian, someone greeted her.
"This younger sister greets Consort Sister. May Consort Sister be blessed with good fortune and all things going well."
They were three women who looked rather ordinary and of average appearance. Could they also be Shangguan Zeyu's wives?
"These three are the wives bestowed upon the Prince by the Empress Dowager. From left to right, they are Minglan, Haoyue, and Qingshuang. Each of them is skilled in singing and dancing and is greatly favored by the Prince."
Jiang Yan looked over and saw that the person speaking was Wu Lanyu, the woman with slanted eyes who had dined with Princess Xiao Yiqing that day.
Like Wang Qianqian, he disliked her, his eyes and brows full of mockery and disdain.
Jiang Yan rolled her eyes at her without any politeness, then smiled slightly at the three women who were still bowing with their eyes down, and said, "Please sit down, there's no need to be so polite."
Shen Qianqian then sneered, "Look at us, how could we sisters forget such an important matter? Consort is born out of wedlock, how often does anyone bow and greet her? Our sisters' actions have made Consort overwhelmed with gratitude!"
Apart from the three proper ladies, Wang Qianqian, Wu Lanyu, and Shen Qianqian, who uttered such sharp and sarcastic words, all swayed back and forth like flowers in a strong wind, laughing exaggeratedly.
Jiang Yan was speechless, unable to understand what was so funny.
Huang Ying felt terrible and whispered to comfort her, "Master, you don't need to pay attention to them."
Jiang Yan thought to herself, why should she pay attention to them? They were like a bunch of lunatics, yet they thought they were so wonderful!
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