Chapter 23: The Dong Family Mansion

The soft sedan chair did not stop until it reached the hanging gate. Mother Xu stepped forward to assist Tantai Jing. In truth, her leg injury was merely a superficial wound and not particularly serious. However, now that she had arrived at the Dong residence, she was determined to conceal the extent of her injury; if her grandmother were to discover the grievances she had suffered at the Tantai estate, she feared she would immediately insist on moving her in.

Tantai Jing had no intention of being a runaway. The Tantai estate was her home; she might not desire it, but she would not allow others to occupy her nest.

Mother Jiang, who served directly under the Old Madame of the Dong family, came out personally to receive them. The moment Tantai Jing stepped out of the sedan, Mother Jiang greeted her with a warm smile. "You have finally arrived. The Old Madame has sent me to check several times, fearing that we might slight the young miss. I decided to simply wait here at the back, just to avoid the Old Madame chiding me upon my return."

Mother Jiang was the most trusted aide to the Old Madame, having accompanied her to the Dong household as part of her dowry. After she married and her husband passed away, she chose not to remarry, remaining by the Old Madame’s side ever since.

The Dong family was unaware that Tantai Jing had lost her voice. As Mother Jiang supported her, she waited for a response from the young miss. After a long moment of silence, she felt something was amiss. Looking up, she saw Tantai Jing smiling brightly at her, nodding in greeting.

Mother Xu had originally assumed that Tantai Jing would speak at the Dong residence. She had not expected her to keep even the Dong family in the dark. Though she did not understand why, she stepped forward, took hold of Tantai Jing’s hand, and said to Mother Jiang, "The Third Miss suffered a severe illness, which is why she hasn't visited in so long. You have no idea how much she has missed the Old Madame."

Though Mother Jiang was somewhat puzzled, she was a seasoned servant. Hearing the subtext in Mother Xu’s words, she understood that some things were not meant to be spoken of in public. She smiled and guided them through the corridor directly to the main chamber in the rear.

The Old Madame had always doted on her daughter, Lady Dong. After her passing, the Old Madame had mourned for a long time and originally intended to bring Tantai Jing to live in the Dong residence. However, her two eldest sons had objected, explaining the implications to her, and the Old Madame had eventually relented.

Having heard some gossip in recent days, she was already feeling uneasy when she received word that Tantai Jing was coming, and she had been waiting with great anticipation.

Tantai Jing knelt to pay her respects but did not speak. The Old Madame frowned slightly and waved her hand. The room, previously crowded with people, was soon left with only Mother Jiang and Mother Xu in attendance.

"Come, sit by your grandmother," the Old Madame beckoned. Tantai Jing obediently sat beside her.

Observing Tantai Jing’s silent demeanor, the Old Madame stroked her soft hair and looked at Mother Xu, asking, "What has happened?"

The Old Madame was the matriarch of the Dong family. Even though she had gradually delegated her responsibilities over the years, her word remained final. Her voice carried a chill as sharp as February frost.

Mother Xu knelt and burst into tears. "Old Madame, the Third Miss... she can no longer speak!"

The Old Madame waved her hand impatiently. "I have already seen that for myself. I am asking, what is the cause of this?"

Mother Xu recounted the events of the past two days in full detail. Finally, she wept, "The Third Miss has been bullied to this extent by that woman Ye and her daughter. This servant was at my wit's end, so I brought the Third Miss to seek your guidance."

The Old Madame remained silent for a long moment. Tantai Jing was her granddaughter; her heart ached that she had been rendered mute. Yet, she could not live the girl's life for her. The Old Madame could certainly go directly to Tantai Shanchang to stand up for her, but what about the future?

Could she keep Tantai Jing living in the Dong residence forever? Her sons were right—Lady Dong was a precedent. Had she been more shrewd, she would never have kept that wretch Ye in the house, let alone allowed her to give birth to those twin daughters. Now, the retribution had fallen squarely on Tantai Jing.

The Old Madame could no longer pamper Tantai Jing as she had pampered Lady Dong; that would only be her undoing. Tantai Jing’s life had only just begun, and she had a long road ahead of her.

The Old Madame looked at Tantai Jing with affection and asked gently, "How do you want your grandmother to help you?"

The Old Madame realized she needed to make Tantai Jing understand that she could not protect her for her entire life. She had to learn to face things herself instead of retreating to the Dong estate whenever trouble arose.

It was not that the Dong estate could not protect her, but living under another’s roof was a fragile existence; it lacked the necessary strength of character.

Seeing the expression on her grandmother’s face, Tantai Jing realized that she was still the same grandmother she had always known. In her previous life, she had been blind to her grandmother’s true intentions. Now, reborn, she finally understood how deeply her grandmother had loved her. Yet, in her past life, she had broken her grandmother’s heart so thoroughly that she had eventually refused to see her, even severing ties.

Tantai Jing calmly took the Old Madame’s hand and wrote in her palm: "Jing’er only asks for two people. I am young, and if I am to suppress the affairs of the estate, I need two capable people."

"Is that all?" The Old Madame did not expect that Tantai Jing would not ask her to intervene personally. "Do you not need your grandmother to summon your father and give him a talking-to?"

Tantai Jing shook her head gently and wrote in her grandmother’s palm: "My father could never help with matters of the inner chambers. Besides, no one can live my life for me."

These words resonated perfectly with the Old Madame’s own thoughts. While she felt comforted by Tantai Jing’s newfound maturity and sensibility, she also felt that the girl’s fate was bitter; only a child who had lost her mother’s love would be so precocious.

"Very well, very well. Rest assured, with your grandmother behind you, no one shall bully you again." The Old Madame held Tantai Jing’s hand tightly.

The little girl had long shed the naivety of her youth. Her roundness had vanished, her stature was growing, and her palm-sized face, now filled with a gentle smile, bore a seven or eight-part resemblance to Lady Dong in her youth. The Old Madame poured all the affection she had once held for her daughter into Tantai Jing.

She had failed to teach Lady Dong the ways of backstabbing and survival in the inner chambers, but she would teach it all to Tantai Jing now.

"Jing’er, what kind of people do you want your grandmother to provide?" the Old Madame asked softly, her eyes slightly narrowed.

Tantai Jing looked at Mother Xu. Writing in her grandmother’s palm was slow; it would be better for Mother Xu to explain.

Mother Xu stepped forward and bowed. "The Third Miss made it clear yesterday. We need a mama who can establish the rules of the inner household, and another who is a steward capable of managing the shops and estates outside."

The Old Madame nodded slightly and looked at Tantai Jing with a smile. "Finding someone for the shops and estates is easy; as long as they are honest and loyal to their master, the Dong estate has plenty. However, the mama for the inner household is something you must choose yourself. I will summon them, and you can pick one to take back to the Tantai estate. How does that sound?"

Tantai Jing smiled gently. She knew her grandmother was beginning to teach her the ways of inner-chamber management. She had failed because of this in her past life; how could she not learn well now? She nodded repeatedly.

"Mother Jiang, go and summon Mama Wang, Mama Jiang, and Mother Gui. Let it be known in advance that I am looking for someone to serve the Young Miss!" The Old Madame picked up a teacup, gently blowing away the tea leaves as she spoke.