Chapter 3: A Father's Love Like Silk

From the moment Dan Tai Shanchang entered the main hall, the gentle smile that had been on his face turned as dark and foreboding as an impending storm.

Everyone stood and bowed to him. Ye’s wife, a little uneasy, stepped forward with a soft smile and asked gently, "Master, why have you returned to the residence at this hour? Is there something at the government office?"

Dan Tai Shanchang shot Ye’s wife a sharp glare, his anger evident. "Matters at the government office are not something for a mere woman like you to inquire about. Even in the palace, the harem is forbidden from interfering in politics. Do you think you hold more prestige than the empresses and consorts inside the inner court?"

Ye’s wife had never expected Dan Tai Shanchang to embarrass her in front of the two young ladies. She was immediately rendered speechless, biting her lip as she stepped back to give Dan Tai Shanchang precedence. Her eyes involuntarily flicked toward Dan Tai Jing—could it be that the third miss had sent someone to report her misdeeds?

Since paying her respects, Dan Tai Jing had stood at the back, supported by Nurse Xu and Suxin. Why would she, frail and ill, come all this way just to greet Ye’s wife? Ye’s wife must think far too highly of herself.

Dan Tai Jing’s choice to come now was because she recalled from her previous life that after being pushed into the water by Dan Tai Xuan, her father was reprimanded at the government office. He had taken leave early that afternoon, his face darkened for over a month.

At that time, Ye’s wife had silenced Dan Tai Jing with the excuse that her father was displeased and should not be told that the fifth miss had pushed her into the water, lest it anger him and harm his health.

But now that Dan Tai Jing had been reborn, she was no longer so easily bullied. Ye’s wife surveyed her and wondered if she was still the third miss who had once allowed Ye’s family to mistreat her but refrained from causing a scene out of concern for the family’s reputation.

Dan Tai Shanchang was already vexed; he had intended to take a good rest at noon, but never expected Ye’s side to be surrounded by so many people.

"What are you all doing here? It’s noon rest time. Shouldn’t you be resting properly instead of disturbing your mother? Is this how you show filial piety?" Seeing the crowd, Dan Tai Shanchang felt a headache coming on, recalling the scolding he had received at the government office—publicly before all the household officers. How could he face them again?

Nurse Xu had wanted to speak up on behalf of the third miss’s grievances, but seeing Dan Tai Shanchang’s mood, she found herself unable to utter a word.

Upon hearing this, Ye’s wife realized Dan Tai Shanchang did not know that Dan Tai Xuan had pushed Dan Tai Jing into the water. Seeing Dan Tai Jing’s unsteady state, Ye’s wife suddenly had an idea. "Master, please don’t speak of this. The third miss stumbled into the water and has had a high fever that won’t break. The doctor said the fever has damaged her brain and caused her to lose the ability to speak. I was just about to go to the government office to find you."

Only then did Dan Tai Shanchang turn his gaze to Dan Tai Jing. She wore a pale lilac diagonal collar jacket and was being supported by Nurse Xu and Suxin, swaying as if about to fall. She had really lost her speech?

Frustration from the government office and his current shock turned into an angry rebuke: "Have you no sense? You are twelve years old—how can you still stumble into the water?"

When Nurse Xu heard the words “stumbled into the water,” she suddenly looked up sharply and fixed Ye’s wife with a burning gaze. Dan Tai Jing, with great effort, pinched Nurse Xu’s hand under the table, turning that sharp look into one of confusion and pity.

Dan Tai Xuan heard those four words, initially puzzled, then glanced at Ye’s wife with admiration. Indeed, old foxes are craftier. Now that Dan Tai Jing was mute, even if she wanted to tell their father that she had been pushed into the water, she would have to be able to speak.

Dan Tai Xuan’s mood lifted immediately. She turned and stood beside Ye’s wife, her eyebrows brightening considerably.

Dan Tai Jing kept her head bowed, silent. She wanted to see how this mother and son would twist the truth this time.

Before Dan Tai Jing could act, fearing she might pick up the nearby wolf-hair brush and write down everything that had happened, Ye’s wife hurried over and grasped her hand tightly. "How can Master speak like that? When the doctor came earlier, I was so frightened I could hardly stand. The doctor said that if the third miss’s fever hadn’t broken, she might not survive till tomorrow. It’s already a miracle that she pulled through."

Ye’s wife spoke gently to Dan Tai Jing, "Jing’er, don’t blame your father. He’s just worried about you and is confused with anger. If you had been pushed into the water by someone else, your father would tear that person apart to ease his anger."

Dan Tai Jing slightly lifted her delicate head; the pearls adorning her fringe trembled faintly. Looking into Ye’s wife’s kind eyes, she understood that Ye’s wife wanted her to soften her heart and spare Dan Tai Xuan.

Dan Tai Jing sneered inwardly. Had it been her previous life, she would never have concealed Dan Tai Xuan’s deeds. Ye’s wife had already come this far; if she continued to disregard everything and revealed Dan Tai Xuan’s actions to Dan Tai Shanchang, it would mean Dan Tai Xuan’s life was at risk. But now…

Dan Tai Jing gently withdrew her hand from Ye’s wife’s grasp and softly patted the back of her hand, her expression warm and free of resentment.

Ye’s wife exhaled deeply. This Dan Tai Jing was indeed easy to fool. Just a few words and she had her mouth shut!

Feeling reassured, Ye’s wife withdrew her hand and turned back to Dan Tai Xuan with a meaningful glance: this matter was settled—the third miss had stumbled into the water herself, and no one else was involved!

Ye’s wife’s heart finally settled. She devoted herself to flattering Dan Tai Shanchang. "The third miss is truly fortunate. Fortunately, she is a girl and already twelve years old. When she marries, she need not speak much, only manage the household well and bear children—that will be enough. But what about Master?"

Dan Tai Shanchang was now only concerned with his own future. If he couldn’t even keep his official position, whether his daughter was mute was of little consequence.

He glanced at his two daughters; the government office’s matters could not be allowed to reach the children. Ye’s wife had calculated this well, which was why she spoke as she did. Seeing the look Dan Tai Shanchang gave that suggested he wanted to dismiss them, she hastily waved her hand, ordering Dan Tai Jing and Dan Tai Xuan to return to their respective chambers.

But Dan Tai Jing clearly did not want to leave. She gave Nurse Xu a look, and Nurse Xu helped her toward her father’s side.

Ye’s wife panicked, thinking Dan Tai Jing was coming to accuse her. She quickly signaled to Taohong and Liulu, "Help the third miss back to the Pear Blossom Courtyard quickly. What if she gets hurt again?"

Taohong and Liulu obeyed immediately, pulling at Dan Tai Jing. Nurse Xu seemed to lose patience, grabbing the two maids and shouting, "Is there any discipline left? How dare two maids lay hands on their mistress!"

Taking advantage of the commotion, Dan Tai Jing quickly dipped her finger in tea and wrote on the ground: "Jing’er had a high fever earlier and suddenly dreamed it concerned Father’s future. She came here dragging her body to seek Mother."

Facing away from Ye’s wife, who thought Dan Tai Jing was complaining, Ye’s wife gave Taohong and Liulu a fierce look. The two maids, frightened, ignored Nurse Xu’s shouts and the presence of their master, and pulled Dan Tai Jing away. Taohong was a bit wiser, shouting, "Third miss, your body is not yet well. It’s better to rest back in the courtyard!"

Dan Tai Shanchang, already anxious about his own future, could not help but be alarmed upon seeing Dan Tai Jing’s written words. He immediately rebuked Taohong and Liulu, "Is there no discipline? How dare you lay hands on the third miss!"

At that moment, as Dan Tai Shanchang stood up and shouted at Taohong and Liulu, Dan Tai Jing knew she had achieved her purpose. Just in time, she fainted, finally able to rest after enduring her illness for so long…