Chapter 10: Cutting Off the Retreat

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Dantai Jing lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside. The East Market, known for mostly feminine goods, was much quieter than the West Market. When her eyes landed on a familiar shop, she gently tugged on Madam Xu’s sleeve. Madam Xu promptly called out, “Stop the carriage!”

With Madam Xu’s help, Dantai Jing stepped down and looked up at the shop’s name, “Tassel Pavilion.” She tilted her face toward the sunlight and exhaled softly, as if she had lived an entire lifetime. Now, she finally had a chance to break free from her past hardships; it was time to strive for herself.

As she approached the door, Dantai Jing wrote a note in Madam Xu’s palm: “Mother, remember, this silver was given by Father. Every coin must have a purpose. No tips today.”

Madam Xu thought Dantai Jing worried too much. Nowadays, young ladies from noble households always gave silver ingots as tips, whether inside the mansion or in the market. After all, the Third Miss was the governor’s daughter, with maternal ties to the prestigious Dong family. Among the young ladies of Ze City, few could compare to her status.

Dantai Jing found it difficult to explain her intention, so she wrote again in Madam Xu’s hand: “This is Father’s first gift of silver. I want to buy some items for Father, Mother, my two younger sisters, and also for you and Suxin. If there is any silver left, save it for tipping the servants in the mansion.”

Only then did Madam Xu understand. This was the first time the master had given silver to the Third Miss. If she spent it frivolously, it would be hard to explain, and the master would be displeased, reluctant to give her money again. Moreover, since her footing in the household was still unstable, giving silver to the servants was a way to build favor—much better than handing it out to strangers.

Since Dantai Jing became mute, she had become even more thoughtful than Madam Xu, who felt increasingly heartbroken. If not for losing the former mistress and being silenced by the Fifth Miss, she shouldn’t have had to be so cautious at every step.

Madam Xu thought skipping tipping once wouldn’t hurt. Nothing was more important than the Third Miss establishing herself firmly in the household first. She even gathered the silver in her own purse with the banknotes, though her funds were meager. Buying small pouches or trinkets would be enough to handle the maids and housekeepers.

As Dantai Jing entered Tassel Pavilion, she instantly changed demeanor, coquettishly heading for the private room. The shopkeeper, seeing the carriage outside, knew the governor’s daughter had arrived and prepared the finest tea and fruits.

Madam Xu brought ink, brush, paper, and inkstone. Dantai Jing wrote a list of requests—colors, styles, fabrics—buying several bolts for all the children in the household. With some silver left, she asked the shopkeeper to help exchange it at the Treasure Pavilion across the street for silver tokens shaped like plums or leaves, to be used for tipping back at the mansion.

Dantai Jing’s order was substantial, so the shopkeeper went to the storeroom to fetch the materials. Upon hearing the governor’s daughter had arrived, Ding immediately changed her attitude, swapping tasks with the servant who usually moved the fabrics and personally came to meet this honored guest.

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The servant knew Ding’s status—having a promising scholar son studying at the governor’s academy, with a bright future. So she didn’t make things difficult, smiling as she traded jobs with Ding. After all, this was the governor’s daughter, worthy of some tipping. Still, the servant felt a bit bitter for giving up such a good job, so her smile seemed forced.

Ding was no fool. She grudgingly handed the servant a few small coins from her purse, considering it a generous outlay. After all, when her son married the governor’s daughter, this money would come back to her tenfold.

However, Ding had miscalculated. Carrying a stack of fabric that obscured her face, she approached Dantai Jing but hadn’t yet spoken before Madam Xu briskly instructed her to load the goods onto the carriage.

After shuttling back and forth for a while, Ding’s back ached badly. Hoping for a reward, she pushed herself toward Dantai Jing.

Dantai Jing’s memories of Ding were bitter. Back then, Ding, relying on her status as the wife of Dantai Jing’s step-grandfather, had tried to impose household rules and tormented her to near death—especially since Dantai Jing had become mute.

Seeing Ding eagerly crowding forward, Dantai Jing knew exactly what she was thinking. So, she did something quite ungraceful—the first thing she did after her rebirth.

Stammering, she gestured which fabrics she liked and which she didn’t.

This shocked everyone at Tassel Pavilion. The governor’s third miss was mute!

Ding’s face flushed a deep purple. She had always suspected the governor was unusually kind, feeding and housing her son and coaxing him to care for the governor’s legitimate daughter. Now she realized it was because the governor’s third daughter was mute!

The governor was playing a long game, reeling her son in first.

Anger boiled over in Ding’s head. Her son was destined to be a high official, and she was to become a titled lady. How could she allow him to marry a mute?

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What infuriated Ding even more was that Dantai Jing was meticulous with her silver, not missing a single coin. In fact, she even asked the shopkeeper for a roughly made pouch.

Such a stingy, mute daughter-in-law was unacceptable. Aside from her looks, Dantai Jing had no other redeeming qualities.

Seeing Ding’s increasingly sour expression, Dantai Jing inwardly rejoiced. Wang Ziyu listened well to Ding, who had raised him alone, so as long as Ding disliked her, Dantai Jing’s chances of entering the Wang family were slim.

But Dantai Jing had not forgotten who had caused her “accidental drowning.”

She pointed to a magenta peony fabric and eagerly wrote beside it: “For Fifth Sister. Lately, she seems very fond of peonies and has picked all the peonies in the garden.”

Ding hesitated before recalling that Wang Ziyu had come to see her a few days ago, wearing the scent of peonies, saying the governor’s daughter had given him a basket of peonies.

Ding had thought it was the third miss but now realized it was the fifth miss! Her eyes gleamed with ambition: both were governor’s daughters, legitimate children—so why couldn’t her son marry the fifth miss, who had feelings for him?

Ding sneered at Dantai Jing. Such a stingy, mute girl was utterly unworthy of her son.

Without giving any tips, Dantai Jing left Tassel Pavilion in high spirits. Most of the plan was already accomplished. The rest would likely be resolved at the academy.

Dantai Jing found herself eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s academy.