Meimei
After meeting Luo Shenyuan in the temple that day, Yining has been thinking about it.
Outside, the early autumn sunlight filtered through the partitions, illuminating the jacquard pattern on the pillow, imprinting it with a faint, luxurious sheen. Yining put down the awl she was threading needle with and looked up to ask Zhenzhu, "Is the pine branch in the house?"
Zhenzhu leaned over and said with a smile, "She went to the outer courtyard office early this morning to get her monthly allowance. Why don't you wait for her to come back and I'll call her for you?"
Yining nodded, and Zhenzhu withdrew as promised. A quarter of an hour later, the dark bamboo curtain was drawn aside, and Songzhi entered to greet her. Yining was sorting the thread for her eyebrow ties by color when she looked up and saw Songzhi, dressed in an indigo-colored ruqun, looking her usual gentle and cautious self.
Songzhi had been with her for many years, and Xuezhi, two years her senior, already had a child. Yining had originally planned to let Songzhi go when she got married, find her a good husband, and give her a generous gift. She would then take care of her husband and children, and no longer have to serve anyone.
At that time, she didn't know that Songzhi was the person placed by her third brother.
Seeing Yining remained silent for a long time, Songzhi whispered, "Miss... would you like me to help you organize these silk threads?"
Yi Ning shook her head, picked up her teacup and sipped slowly, her expression calm. Song Zhi felt uneasy seeing her like this. The young lady was always very friendly and relaxed in front of them. Only when she was interrogating the stewards would she be so calm and composed, yet her demeanor was intimidating.
"I remember when I came to the Duke's Mansion from the Luo family, my situation was very difficult. Xuezhi was married off, so I brought you here." Yi Ning looked up at her and said calmly, "It's been so many years. I think I've treated you well. You were my maid, and every season you wore fashionable Hangchou velvet. I never failed to give you a monthly allowance of gold and silver jewelry. In ordinary families, only young ladies would receive such treatment. Since you're about to be released from the mansion, don't you have anything to say to me?"
Songzhi opened her eyes wide in surprise, then whispered, "I'm your servant. That year, there was a famine in the village, and the girls in my family couldn't afford to live. I was the eldest, so my mother sold me out. I was lucky enough to be promoted by the eldest daughter and now serve her. I've always been grateful for her kindness, and I have no way to repay her..."
Yining suddenly slammed his hand on the table, his expression slightly cold.
Songzhi knelt down quickly. Thinking of how the young lady dealt with those managers, she didn't dare to breathe.
Yi Ning looked down at Song Zhi. Her belief that Luo Shenyuan wouldn't harm her was one thing, but whether the maids around her were loyal to her was another. Luo Shenyuan had persuaded her today, but who would persuade her tomorrow? She had been meaning to ask Song Zhi about this for a long time.
"You have nothing to repay me with, so you use this to repay me?" She opened her dressing box, took out a letter and threw it in front of the pine branches.
That was the letter she had intercepted.
Songzhi was shocked when he picked it up. His face turned pale and he opened his mouth: "Your servant..."
"Explain this clearly, and I'll see how you can't repay me." Yi Ning straightened her sleeves and said, "Otherwise, I won't dare to keep you. Send for the maid immediately and find someone to carry you out."
Her eyes turned red and she couldn't continue. She kowtowed and said, "Miss! I have served you sincerely for so many years! Now that you know, I will tell you everything."
Yi Ning continued to drink tea and said calmly: "You go ahead and talk, I'm listening."
Songzhi's shoulders trembled slightly, and she calmed down after a long moment. "I have served you, how could I not understand the principle of a loyal servant? These past few years, I have been tormented day and night, not knowing who to tell... I didn't want to agree to this at first." Her frail body hunched over as she knelt, looking especially languid. "Third Young Master, I've been keeping an eye on you since you were very young. It was when you were ten years old, actually."
"I promised the Third Young Master. If it weren't for him, my brother would have gotten into trouble for drinking and been exiled to the frontier..." Songzhi continued, "Over the years, the Third Young Master hasn't done anything bad, and that's made him even more protective of you. Although I do find...his behavior a little strange. How could he treat his own sister like that? But I don't dare ask any more questions."
Yining closed her eyes. She had thought it must be very early, but she didn't dare to ask Songzhi. She didn't expect it to be ten years old!
Ten years old! How old was she then?
There was no reason to explain why he did this, unless he simply wanted to control her.
“…Did he communicate with you? What did he ask?” Yining asked her.
Songzhi raised a bitter smile and said, "Miss, the Third Young Master never writes to me, nor does he ask me anything. He is a very cautious person."
He would not leave any handwriting. If it weren't for his mistake that day, she would probably never know about the pine branches in her life.
"Yes, why would he write to you?" Yi Ning smiled. "You've been sending letters like this for four years?"
Songzhi remained silent for a moment, then sighed, "Actually, young lady, there's no need to overthink it... The Third Young Master is truly very kind to you. He let me watch over you out of concern for you. When you were bullied by the evil servants at the Luo family, it was the Third Young Master who arrived just in time with his guards. You were at odds with Miss Mingzhu at the Duke of Ying's mansion, and the Third Young Master came to visit after he won the top spot in the imperial examination... And there's something you don't know. How was it possible for me to find you the rare book you wanted so quickly? It was because the Third Young Master heard about it and found it for you."
"Your uterine cold has never been cured, and you often experience abdominal pain during your period. When the Third Young Master heard about this, he went to find Mother Zheng to get medicine. He truly loves you..."
Yining was a little surprised, she had never known these things.
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