Chapter 6: Leading the Troublemaker Eastward

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Dantai Jing, walking along the path, gently wrote a few characters in Suxin’s hand. Perhaps because Suxin had always been by her side in her past life, Dantai Jing was already accustomed to this way of communication, though Suxin felt a pang of sorrow. The Third Miss had once possessed a beautiful voice, but now it was utterly ruined; she would never again be able to speak softly to anyone.

On a summer evening, the garden was much cooler.

The Hundred Gardens had originally been created by Dantai Jing’s mother. Madame Dong loved plants and had tended the Hundred Gardens so that fragrant blossoms bloomed through all four seasons.

When Madame Dong was alive, Dantai Jing often came here with her to enjoy the cool breeze. But since Madame Dong’s passing, Dantai Jing refused to come back, unwilling to be reminded of the sorrow.

Instead, it was the twins born to Lady Ye—Fifth Miss Dantai Xuan and Sixth Miss Dantai Zhi—who had taken over the garden!

Dantai Jing walked straight to the center of the garden without looking around, seemingly unaware that Fifth Miss Dantai Xuan was sitting beneath the rose arbor at the back, enjoying the coolness. Dantai Xuan, too, was too lazy to greet Dantai Jing properly, unwilling to come out, and so pretended not to notice her at all.

Suxin, carrying a bamboo basket, smiled brightly and pinched two fine peonies. Her voice was clear and cheerful as she asked, “Third Miss, does Young Master Wang prefer this vibrant crimson or the palace pink? Third Miss knows he likes peonies, but did she not ask about the color? If not, this servant could pick a bloom of each shade.”

At the mention of Young Master Wang Ziyu, Dantai Xuan suddenly sat up straight from her wicker chair. She peered through the rose arbor at Dantai Jing and her companions, and sure enough, Dantai Jing nodded with a bright smile.

Dantai Xuan gritted her teeth in frustration. Even though Dantai Jing had become mute, she still thought of Brother Ziyu. Did she not consider that, as a mute, she was unworthy of him?

Her gaze circled around Suxin’s bamboo basket. So, Brother Ziyu liked peonies.

Dantai Xuan signaled to her maid Feiwu, who immediately understood. Feiwu slipped away from under the rose arbor, crept out, and circled around from the fragrant courtyard just in time to cross paths with Dantai Jing and her group as they were leaving, right on the narrow rain-stone path.

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Feigning urgency, Feiwu hurriedly greeted Dantai Jing and said anxiously, “Third Miss, the ice in Fifth Miss’s courtyard is all gone. She’s throwing a tantrum now. This servant must fetch some at once!”

Dantai Jing smiled gently and nodded slightly, seemingly understanding the maid’s anxious demeanor.

Taking advantage of the moment, Feiwu slipped past Suxin and, by chance, bumped into her, causing both to tumble onto the path. The peonies in Suxin’s basket all fell into the dirt. Feiwu took the opportunity to crush several blossoms; the once lush and vibrant peonies instantly changed color.

Feiwu scrambled to her feet and knelt, panicked, apologizing, “It was all this servant’s carelessness. If you like, I can pick some more for Third Miss!”

Dantai Jing’s delicate brows knitted lightly, a trace of annoyance flickering across her features. Suxin hurried to bow and apologize as well. Seeing this, Madam Xu quickly intervened, “Feiwu, you must attend to Fifth Miss’s errands closely. Let Suxin go and pick some more flowers, then.”

Feiwu awaited this very command, then bowed her head and fled like a gust of wind.

Suxin glanced at Dantai Jing, who gave her a slight nod. Suxin turned back with her basket to gather more peonies, but in just a short while, the flourishing blossoms were nowhere to be found. Only buds or nearly withered flowers remained. Feigning frustration, Suxin stomped her foot and instead picked some lemons nearby before returning to relay the message to Third Miss.

Hiding beneath the rose arbor, Dantai Xuan held the basket of peonies just picked by her maid Feixue and snorted coldly. In a coquettish voice, she said, “If you’re going to compete with me, you’d better see if you can actually win. You can’t!”

Feixue kept her head bowed low. Fifth Miss was bullying Third Miss again. Third Miss had lost her mother and now had been reduced to silence by Fifth Miss’s cruelty. How could Fifth Miss be so relentless?

Yet Feixue dared not speak these words aloud, for when Fifth Miss had pushed Third Miss into the water before, Feixue had tried to persuade her to apologize to the Master and Lady of the house. In response, Fifth Miss slapped her so hard that the sting still burned.

Dantai Jing glanced at Suxin’s basket and knew for certain that Dantai Xuan had taken the bait. Tomorrow she would surely use the peonies to curry favor with Wang Ziyu!

Dantai Jing’s lips, radiant with a soft pink glow, curved slightly, forming a crescent smile. It was true that Wang Ziyu liked peonies; he prided himself on his refined tastes and looked down on those who fancied peonies. Yet he had a particular fondness for the “xiang” peony.

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However... the peony had another name—it was called “Jiang Li Cao.” When exchanged between men and women, peonies carried only two meanings: one of reluctant parting, and the other of forming a romantic bond.

Now, Dantai Jing was quite curious whether Wang Ziyu would accept the peonies filled with Dantai Xuan’s tender feelings.

Madam Xu carefully observed Dantai Jing’s expression all the while, recalling her earlier actions. What was Third Miss thinking? Had she given up on Wang Ziyu out of despair because she could no longer speak? Or had she truly seen through him and lost interest?

Madam Xu sighed softly. Wang Ziyu, only fifteen, had already become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations—an unprecedented achievement in Ze City. No wonder the Master had allowed this boy from a humble background to study at their household school. If he were fortunate enough to secure a government post in the future, he would surely be grateful to the Master.

But if such a scholar from a poor family failed to rise, would he not be a waste of Third Miss’s future?

Madam Xu had never thought highly of Wang Ziyu. Third Miss was the legitimate daughter of a fifth-rank prefect, with an uncle who was a fourth-rank regional governor. Even though her mother had passed away, her maternal family ties remained strong. She could easily find a respectable official’s wife to marry. There was no need to waste her youth and beauty enduring hardship with a poor scholar.

Noticing Madam Xu’s quiet scrutiny, Dantai Jing could no longer bear it. She gently opened Madam Xu’s hand and wrote in her palm: “Mother, rest assured, Jing’er does not like Young Master Wang.”

A weight lifted from Madam Xu’s heart, and her smile became sincere. The three of them returned to the Pear Blossom Courtyard, where they saw their Master, Dantai Shanchang, hurrying over, followed by Suoyue, who kept her head lowered and cheeks flushed.

Dantai Jing smiled faintly. Dantai Shanchang must have come because of the dream. If she wanted to become his indispensable lucky daughter, she had to seize this opportunity. Otherwise, if Dantai Shanchang continued to neglect the inner chambers and let Lady Ye control her, she would never rise in this lifetime.

With these thoughts, Dantai Jing wore a gentle smile and stepped forward to greet him...