Volume Two, Step by Step to Victory, Chapter Seven: Taking Chestnuts from the Fire
The First Madam knew he was right, but she couldn't bear to disappoint her son. She said, "He's seventeen years old, and he hasn't even touched the two maids in his own room. That shows he's not a womanizer. Manhua must be very much to his liking for him to care so much. Can you bear to disappoint him?"
“There are plenty of maids at home, you can pick one he likes, but Manhua is the only one who won’t do. First, her reputation is bad, and second, I’m afraid my third brother will take the opportunity to cause trouble.” Ruan Hong said earnestly, “You saw it last night, my third brother was very aggressive. And Xuan’er doesn’t know what’s good for him. If they get into a fight because of Manhua, I’m afraid… Xuan’er will suffer.”
Thinking of Ruan Chi's words last night, the First Madam was both frightened and angry. She said, "I really don't understand. Master, you are a third-rank official, so why are you afraid of this half-brother? Letting him threaten Xuan'er."
“Madam, you don’t know, he’s not threatening Xuan’er, he’s using Xuan’er to threaten me and Mother. Don’t worry, I’ll arrange for my colleagues to send him to an outside post.” Ruan Honglian said as he walked into the inner room, took off his official robes and put on a straight robe.
"What about Xuan'er?" the First Madam asked as she followed in.
"Make him kneel in the ancestral hall all night and reflect on his actions."
The First Madam said with heartache, "You feel sorry for those two girls kneeling for a while, but don't you feel sorry for our son?"
“How can that be the same? Xuan’er is the eldest son and grandson of our Ruan family. The whole family will depend on him in the future. If he is so reckless, how will he establish himself in the capital?” Ruan Hongli straightened his sleeves and said, “Jade must be carved to become a vessel, and a person must learn to know righteousness. Madam, you feel sorry for him, but you must bear with it. I’m going to pay my respects to my mother. Send those two maids kneeling outside back. They are almost adults, and it’s too unsightly for them to be seen with so many people coming and going.” With that, he strode away.
The First Madam sat alone in the side hall, sulking for a while, before finally instructing, "Send the Fourth and Fifth Misses back home. Make them copy 'Admonitions for Women' ten times and hand it in tomorrow. Also, have a doctor examine the two young ladies." No matter how angry she was, she still had to maintain appearances.
Baozhen went out and relayed what the First Madam had said.
The fourth sister respectfully kowtowed towards the house.
Ruan Bi didn't want to kowtow, so she stood up and led Xiuzhi out of the First Madam's courtyard.
Qiulan helped the fourth young lady walk behind, saying as they walked, "Miss, I told you long ago not to meddle in other people's business. Now look what's happened. Not only is the madam angry, but she also got a cut on her forehead. What if it leaves a scar?"
The fourth sister said, "There's nothing we can do about that."
Qiulan continued to grumble, "Besides, you have to consider who you're helping! They didn't appreciate it at all, not even a thank you, and it made me feel like I was being snubbed..."
Ruan Bi chuckled upon hearing this, and couldn't help but turn around and say, "Qiu Lan, do you think your young ladies are helping me?"
Qiulan glanced at her, nudged the Fourth Sister and said, "Look, Miss, it's not worth it at all."
Ruan Bi stopped and turned around, saying, "Let me tell you, if anyone should thank me, it's your young lady. You don't understand this, but your young lady knows it perfectly well."
The fourth sister shuddered and looked up at Ruan Bi with great seriousness.
Ruan Bi met her gaze without flinching.
Qiulan and Xiuzhi, who were standing nearby, were stunned as they watched the two exchanging knowing glances.
After a while, the fourth sister lowered her eyes and said, "I didn't understand a word of what the fifth sister said. I do things according to my conscience, so you can think whatever you want. Qiulan, help me go see Aunt Lin first." After saying that, she took another route.
As Ruan Bi watched her walk away, frail and delicate, she couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. At least that girl had a mother and a brother, someone to rely on and someone to look forward to. If she had those two things, she would definitely do the same, using some tricks to fight for a future for her brother. But she had nothing—no money, no power, no one to rely on.
Just as I was feeling sad, the Second Madam came over with her maid.
Ruan Bi quickly curtsied and said, "Hello, Auntie."
The second wife helped her up and, seeing that half of her face was swollen, asked in astonishment, "What happened?"
Ruan Bi's eyes reddened slightly as she said, "Auntie... please don't ask anymore."
"I just heard a little about it too. It's truly unheard of for an elder brother to beat his younger sister like that." The second madam took Ruan Bi's hand. "Come, come and sit in your aunt's room for a while. Tell your aunt if you have any grievances." Her sudden enthusiasm was a little strange, but it suited Ruan Bi's wishes just the way it was.
Ruan Bi nodded and followed her to the second house's courtyard. The courtyard was named "Fangjing," probably derived from "fragrant scenery is worth lingering over," or perhaps meaning "a courtyard of fragrant scenery." Upon entering, a century-old ginkgo tree came into view, its branches and leaves lush and verdant, just beginning to bear fruit, tiny white dots dotting the leaves, resembling a sky full of stars at first glance.
The second madam first had a maid take her to the third young lady's room in the east wing to wash her face and comb her hair, and then invited her to sit in the main hall. She instructed the maid, "Brew a cup of Wanchun Yinye for the fifth young lady." Then she turned to Ruan Bi and said, "This Wanchun Yinye is newly made this year, and its quality is better than in previous years."
Like most modern people, Ruan Bi drinks coffee, beverages, and juice, but rarely drinks tea. However, just from the name, one could tell it was a very high-end tea. Sure enough, before the maid even brought it in, a delicate fragrance wafted over. Once it was in her hands, the fragrance lingered around her nose. Looking into the cup, the dark green leaves were clearly visible, each shimmering with a hint of silver light, truly living up to its name.
The second madam then instructed her head maid, Yinxing, "Take Xiuzhi down for a cup of tea."
Yinxing knew they had something to say, so she quickly pulled Xiuzhi downstairs.
The second wife placed the teacup on the table, sighed, and said with affection, "I know about your life... but since you are registered under their names, there are some things I can't say, lest she think I have ulterior motives. Even if you don't say it, I understand your grievances. You've really suffered."
Ruan Bi's eyes reddened, and she said, "I feel much better after hearing what Auntie said."
"Why this time? They even broke into your room and started hitting you."
"Perhaps it's because of that Manhua." Ruan Bi didn't hide anything from her and told her about how she encountered Ruan Jiaxuan by the lotus pond, who was entangled with Manhua.
The second wife suddenly realized and said, "No wonder the old lady called me over earlier and said that she wanted Manhua to take our Guo family's merchant ship back to her parents in Yangzhou. I thought it was just a coincidence last night and the old lady was afraid that Manhua would be hurt by what she saw."
So the old lady wanted to send Manhua away. No wonder Ruan Jiaxuan went crazy; it seems he did care about Manhua. However, his reckless and violent nature makes him unsuitable for great things. If the Ruan family were truly handed over to him, the future would be bleak. Ruan Bi held her teacup, her mind racing.
At this moment, a maidservant announced from outside the door: "Second Madam, Fifth Miss has come to her room. She said that the doctor whom the First Madam invited is waiting for her."
Ruan Bi put the teacup on the table and said, "Auntie, I'm going back now."
The second madam said, "Come over more often when you have time. You can talk to me, or do needlework with the third girl."
"Yes, Auntie."
Ruan Bi led Xiuzhi back to the east wing of Liaoyuan Garden. The steward's wife and the doctor were already waiting in the hall. It was the same young doctor from last time; she remembered his surname was Xu. Doctor Xu looked at her face and said, "It's nothing serious. I'll prescribe some ointment to reduce swelling, and it'll be fine."
"Thank you, Physician Xu." While the steward's wife was talking to Xiuzhi, Ruan Bi added in a low voice, "The one from last time." Last time, she was clearly not poisoned, but this Physician Xu said she was poisoned, which clearly meant he guessed her situation was bad and wanted to help her.
Doctor Xu glanced at her and said, "Treating patients is my duty, so there's no need for thanks. However, your health has been severely depleted recently, especially your spleen and stomach. If you don't take good care of yourself, it may become a chronic illness."
Ruan Bi was well aware that this body was very weak; the strongest evidence was that she was already thirteen years old and hadn't yet started menstruating. However, given her current situation, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Doctor Xu left behind some ready-made plaster, and the steward's wife led him away.
Xiuzhi applied a layer of ointment to Ruanbi, and fearing it wouldn't be effective enough, she applied another layer, asking, "Would you like to rest in bed for a while, Miss?"
"No, I'd like to take a walk in the garden."
"Okay, I'll go with you, young lady."
"No need, Xiushui, come with me." Ruan Bi looked at Xiushui standing by the door, her eyes clearly darting away.
Although Xiuzhi was puzzled, she didn't say anything, only instructing Xiushui to take good care of Ruanbi.
Leaving Liaoyuan Garden, instead of using the covered walkways, she strolled slowly along the flower-lined paths. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she arrived at the spot where Xiushui had waved to her the night before. Ruan Bi stopped and looked around. The view was clear at a glance; although the artificial hill partially obscured the view, she could still recognize anyone standing behind it.
Xiushui roughly understood, her face paled slightly, and she spoke first, feeling guilty: "Why aren't you leaving, Miss?"
"Xiushui, why?"
"Girl, what...why? I don't understand..."
Ruan Bi said slowly and deliberately, "You understand, you know, and I know too. Last night I told you to keep quiet, but you still deliberately shouted loudly, alerting the young master and Manhua, letting them know I was nearby. Today you told the old lady about last night through Manyun. Tell me, why?"
Xiushui lowered her eyes and remained silent.
“Fine, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t force you,” Ruan Bi continued. “Even if you don’t say it, I already know that you don’t like Manhua, that you resent Manhua, and that you probably already knew that Manhua had dealings with the young master. By the way, you like the young master…”
Xiushui blurted out, "No, I don't like the young master."
She only denied that one sentence, which means everything else is correct. Ruan Bi nodded and said, "I misspoke. It's Man Yun who likes the young master, and you did it for her."
Xiushui looked at her in surprise. "Girl, how did you know?"
Ruan Bi said calmly, "I just know."
Actually, she was guessing. The old lady was a shrewd woman who planned everything. She currently only had two head maids, Man Yun, sixteen, and Man Hua, seventeen, both of prime age and beautiful. Man Hua was gentle and affectionate, spoiled and pampered, meant to temper Ruan Chi's youthful spirit. Man Hua was composed and dignified, polite and courteous, very likely groomed for the future head of the family, Ruan Jiaxuan. Xiu Shui's reaction proved her guess correct, and the old lady might have spoken to Man Yun about it, which explained Xiu Shui's keen interest.
"Xiushui, tell me, if I tell the eldest young master that you told Manyun, and Manyun then tells the old lady, do you think he will still want Manyun?"
Xiushui had just witnessed the young master's temper, and she trembled, saying in a trembling voice, "Miss, you wouldn't do this, would you?"
“I will do it. Unless…” Ruan Bi said slowly, “someone can dissuade me from this idea.”
"Then how can we dissuade the girl from having this idea?"
Ruan Bi smiled and said, "Man Yun knows."
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