Chapter 26: The Schemes of a Scoundrel
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Soon afterward, Madam Jiang’s voice came from outside the carriage as she paid her respects to Tantai Jing. Su Xin lifted the curtain and said with a smile, “Mammy, come up quickly. The sun is terribly fierce out there. You mustn’t let it scorch you.”
With lowered head and modestly downcast eyes, Madam Jiang climbed into the carriage, then obediently took her place beside it. Su Xin whispered a few words to the coachman, and Tantai Jing’s carriage gradually slowed. Madam Xu, Madam Gui, and the others behind them departed first, heading straight for the Tantai residence.
Tantai Jing gently lowered the indigo brocade curtain over the carriage window, a warm smile playing about her lips. She was rather curious to see whether Lady Ye could still manage the household after this.
Meanwhile, at the side gate of the Tantai residence, Su Yue, dressed in a peach-red short jacket, crouched and peered outside, stamping her feet in exasperation. This Wang Ziyu truly was impossible. He had actually been standing there for three whole hours!
Even though Su Yue was standing in the shade behind the gate, she was sweating. Twisting her handkerchief, she cursed inwardly: Why hasn’t Su Xin brought Third Miss back yet? Surely she doesn’t intend to stand here with Wang Ziyu all day?
Just as Su Yue was thinking this, a matron in a crow-black vest came walking over. Su Yue hurriedly turned and went a few steps toward her, blocking her path.
“Someone from the Dong residence will be coming shortly,” she said. “It took me great effort to sweep these flagstones clean. Please have a little consideration for me, Mammy. If you’re leaving the residence, would you kindly use the eastern corner gate?”
When the matron heard that someone from the Dong residence was expected, she knew better than to provoke them. She quickly answered with a few ingratiating words, then turned and left.
Su Yue let out a long breath. But when she turned back, her brows drew together tightly. Should she go to Madam Ye as well? If Third Miss ultimately lost to Madam Ye, her own fate would surely be bleak.
While Su Yue was still struggling with the question, someone knocked on the gate. She hastily peered through the crack and saw Madam Xu at the front. At last, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickly opened the gate a little. After glancing at Wang Ziyu, she said anxiously, “Mammy, you’ve finally returned! Several people tried to leave through the side gate just now, but I managed to turn them back. What if someone sees what’s happening outside? Where is Third Miss?”
Madam Xu lowered her voice and said, “Third Miss told you to report the matter concerning the side gate to Madam Ye.”
Su Yue froze. The last time Third Miss had ordered her to report what happened at the academy to Madam Ye, Madam Ye had been confined to her quarters the very next day. If she went to deliver another message today, who knew what fate awaited Madam Ye this time?
Madam Xu cast her a sharp glance and scolded in a low voice, “Why are you still standing there? Go at once.”
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Su Yue hesitated slightly and glanced behind Madam Xu. A matron wearing a pale green vest edged in silver was watching her in profile, a smile touching the corners of her eyes and brows.
Su Yue’s heart gave a jolt. This must be the stewarding matron sent from the Dong residence.
She had no time to think further. For now, she had to get past the matter at hand. If she offended the new stewarding matron, then regardless of whether Madam Ye or Third Miss emerged victorious in the future, Su Yue could at least make certain the blame did not fall on her.
With that thought, Su Yue hurriedly bowed and stepped aside.
“This must be the new stewarding matron,” she said. “Please come in first. I’ll go at once to the Refreshing Studio to deliver the message to Madam Ye.”
Madam Gui observed the hesitation in Su Yue’s eyes but revealed nothing on her face. Smiling broadly, she said, “You have my thanks, young lady. I’m in no hurry. Finish your errand first; we can attend to other matters afterward.”
Madam Gui took a step forward and stood beside Su Yue, smiling as she asked, “You must be Su Yue, the maid who attends Third Miss. Just now, Third Miss was praising you before the Dowager Lady Dong. She said you were truly loyal and devoted. In this blazing midday heat, you have actually stood guard here for several hours.”
As she spoke, Madam Gui slipped a jade thumb ring from her finger and placed it in Su Yue’s palm.
“Young lady, your future prospects are boundless,” she said with a smile. “I came in such haste from the Dong residence that I brought nothing worthwhile. Take this little trinket and play with it.”
Su Yue stared in shock at the jade thumb ring in her palm, its green radiance seeming to ripple like a pool of clear water. The matron had actually called such a thing something to play with. The Dong residence was indeed extravagantly generous—one of its matrons could be so lavish-handed.
Now that Su Yue had received a gift, how could she refuse to carry out the errand? Regardless of whether Third Miss won in the end, securing a few benefits first was certainly no bad thing.
Before long, Su Yue lifted the hem of her peach-red skirt and hurried away.
Madam Gui exchanged a glance with Madam Xu and said in a low voice, “She really is just as you described. That girl is certainly not easy to manage.”
Madam Xu smiled helplessly. Su Yue might not be an especially reliable girl, but Third Miss currently had no one else around her and had no choice but to make use of her.
Madam Gui glanced at Wang Ziyu in the distance. His forehead was already beaded with sweat, and the back of his bamboo-leaf-green outer robe was damp. Madam Gui narrowed her eyes slightly. This fellow was truly shamelessly persistent—he really could put his dignity aside.
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Madam Gui gave Madam Xu a sign, and Madam Xu turned and entered the residence, going straight to look for Madam Zou. She had asked Madam Zou to return ahead of them, and by now, she ought to have taken care of the matter.
Waving the palace fan painted with blooming peonies in her hand, Madam Gui walked a few steps forward and fanned Wang Ziyu. He had nearly fainted from the sun, but the cool breeze brought a little clarity back to his expression.
Madam Gui smiled and asked, “And what brings this young gentleman here?”
Wang Ziyu had noticed earlier that this matron had gone toward the side gate with Madam Xu. He therefore surmised that she served Third Miss Tantai Jing and hurriedly replied, “Yesterday, at the academy, I was discourteous to Third Miss. I have come today to apologize.”
Madam Gui pursed her lips slightly and fanned him more briskly, knitting her brows.
“Oh, dear. Why didn’t you make proper inquiries before coming? Third Miss isn’t at the residence today. She has gone to the Dong residence instead. Our Dowager Lady intends to keep her there for several days, so I came along to fetch some clothing for her to change into.”
Resentment stirred in Wang Ziyu’s heart. Early that morning, as soon as he arrived at the academy, the tutor had summoned him and quietly warned him not to spread what had happened the previous day. He said that Tantai Shanchang himself had come to the academy to give instructions.
Wang Ziyu had spent the entire night thinking about it, yet he still could not understand how Tantai Jing had suddenly changed her mind. He had confessed his feelings to her so earnestly, and she had actually struck him.
But when the tutor told him what had happened, Wang Ziyu was stunned. Tantai Shanchang had gone to the academy personally to issue such instructions. From this, it seemed that his hopes of becoming the Tantai family’s son-in-law were in serious jeopardy.
Yet Wang Ziyu did not want to give up. If he could not seize this opportunity to establish a connection with the Tantai residence, his future prospects would likely be ruined. After what had happened, there was no chance that Tantai Shanchang would ever lend him a helping hand again.
After pondering for a long while, Wang Ziyu had ultimately asked the tutor for leave and hurried straight to the Tantai residence. To avoid humiliation, he had chosen the side gate. Only the people of the Tantai residence would know what happened there, and so long as Third Miss did not wish the matter to spread far and wide, she would certainly come out to see him.
Who could have imagined that Tantai Jing would truly not be at the residence?
She would be away for several days. If he waited until she returned, the matter would most likely have blown over completely. What was he supposed to do?
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