Chapter 27: Reality Is Cruel

Life, you know, is sometimes truly unfair. Some people can have fine clothes, rich food, and soft pillows with ease, while others must struggle through eighty-one layers of hell before they can enjoy peaceful days.

If possible, Jiang Taohua would very much like to be a beauty who lives off her looks, occasionally acting cute or doing some embroidery, and having someone cover her in wealth for a lifetime.

Unfortunately, dreams are beautiful enough to make people soar into the sky, but reality is always cruel enough to shatter them into pieces.

For example, at this very moment, rumors have started circulating from who knows where, claiming that Lady Jiang of Zhenchun Pavilion went out into the streets despite being ill to secretly meet with a man. This has led to people now carrying her portrait and searching for her everywhere.

Upon hearing this, Tao Hua’s heart raced with fear. She wondered if there had been someone on the street that day who could paint and had memorized her appearance? That would be terrible. What if Prince Jing discovered the truth? Wouldn’t Shen Zaixian sacrifice her first to eliminate any potential trouble?

In a panic, she sent Qing Tai out to find a copy of her portrait. When she unfolded it and took a look, Lady Jiang Tao Hua’s eyes rolled so dramatically they could’ve sprouted flowers.

“Does this look like me?”

Glancing at the bizarre face in the painting, Qing Tai comforted, “It doesn’t, so this portrait must have nothing to do with you.”

“But if it has nothing to do with me, why would such rumors be circulating in the mansion?” Peach Blossom frowned. “Where did they come from?”

Qing Tai shook her head, indicating she didn’t know. They were still not very familiar with the mansion and remained in a passive stage; everything had to wait until the situation became clearer.

Jiang Tao Hua fell silent, her fingers resting on the registry before her, turning to the page of the Meng family.

The legitimate daughter of Minister Meng.

The Minister was an official in charge of horse administration, wielding considerable power and enjoying abundant perks. How could his legitimate daughter not enter the palace, but instead become merely a consort in the Prime Minister’s household?

In that instant, Peach Blossom felt that being a consort wasn’t all that humiliating for her as a princess, after all. She was only a common-born daughter, while others of proper noble lineage were just consorts too.

In any case, there’s nothing she can do right now. Better to wait until the water actually comes flooding in before worrying about it. Closing the booklet, Peach Blossom lay down comfortably to rest, thinking that for now, whoever wanted to gossip could go right ahead. After all, on Prince Jing’s side, Shen Zaishi would surely help cover for her. As for everything else, she wasn’t afraid in the slightest.

“Mistress.”

After lunch, Qing Tai entered with a serious expression to report: “Madam said she would be coming over shortly.”

Mei Zhaoxue? Peach Blossom blinked. Why was she coming?

Although she didn’t know many people in the courtyard yet, Mei Shi truly was the most dignified among them all, possessing the grace of a well-bred lady and not the type to stir up trouble for no reason. Her visit at this time must have been for something important.

With that thought in mind, Taohua forced herself to tidy up a bit before leaning against the head of the bed and waiting.

Mei Zhaoxue arrived alone, wearing a dress patterned with plum blossoms greeting spring, and sat down by her bedside with a gentle smile. “Are you feeling any better?”

“Thank you for your concern, Madam,” Taohua replied with a smile. “Still recovering, and unable to offer proper courtesies. I hope you won’t mind.”

“You know the rules, I understand.” Mei Zhaoxue smiled, taking her hand: “It’s just that there are things beyond your control. I never intended to hold it against you.”

If that’s not holding a grudge, then what is? Peach Blossom understood in her heart that she had broken the household rules and could only lower her head to apologize: “This humble concubine is filled with trepidation.”

“With beauty before his eyes, it’s understandable that the master would act recklessly; I can empathize.” With a soft sigh, Mei Zhaoxue continued: “But now that the rules for serving the master have been disregarded, it’s inevitable that many in the courtyard will feel uneasy. If one or two unwise ones should offend you, I ask you, Madam, to bear with them.”

Was this a forewarning that someone was coming after her? Peach Blossom forced a smile: “This humble concubine finds everyone in the courtyard to be quite sensible.”

Shaking her head, Mei Shi’s eyes held a deep and thoughtful look. She leaned closer to her and said, “Some people aren’t that easy to get along with. They’ve already lodged quite a few complaints with me. I know she’s making a fuss over nothing, so I didn’t pay it any mind, but you ought to be careful. You should also take a good look at what kinds of things are in the courtyard.”

Her eyes flickering slightly, Jiang Taohua looked up at her, then nodded, “Thank you for the advice, madam.”

Mei Zhaoxue smiled, her gaze gentle and harmless as she said, “I like women like you—cherished but not spoiled, who know their place. Once you’ve recovered from your injury, you can come and visit me often.”

“Alright,” Taohua responded, her face filled with gratitude. “Once I’ve fully recovered, I’ll surely bring a gift to thank you.”

With a slight nod, Mei Zhaoxue left her a pair of bracelets made of exquisite mutton-fat jade before departing.

“She’s really wealthy,” Qingtai exclaimed in awe. “Even Her Majesty the Empress wears the same kind of bracelets on her wrists.”

Peach Blossom took one of the bracelets and weighed it in her hand, smiling gently. “This lady knows how to handle people well—winning hearts is indeed her specialty. Truly worthy of being the eldest daughter of the Fengchang’s family.”

“Do you find her trustworthy, Master?”

Shaking her head, she set the bracelet down and said, “There is only one person in this world you can trust completely, and that is yourself.”

Moss was taken aback, feeling somewhat dejected. “Does that mean you cannot trust even me completely?”

“I could entrust my life to you,” Peach Blossom said earnestly. “But even so, I cannot place my complete trust in you.”

“…” If I could even give my life, isn’t such complete trust just as easy? Green Moss couldn’t understand, but then she considered that her master’s way of thinking was always different from ordinary people’s, so she stopped dwelling on the issue.

“Since Madam has come to advise us, we should be more cautious,” she said. “I will pay attention to the people in the courtyard.”

“No need to pay attention anymore. Just directly drive out the maid who was questioning you the other day, and say she offended her superiors. The Vying Spring Pavilion no longer wants her.”

Green Moss was startled. “So directly?”

“Since the lady has given us the chance, shouldn’t we seize it?” Peach Blossom smiled, her eyes filled with mischief. “She wants to sow discord, so we might as well go along with it and see exactly whose pawn that maid is.”

Mei Zhaoxue’s meaning was clear to her—she was warning that someone intended harm and even hinted that there were unclean things in her courtyard. With things having reached this point, wouldn’t it be a shame if she didn’t use the lady’s name to drive that maid out?

Even if the master behind the scenes wanted to settle scores, this debt would surely be accounted to the lady. She could simply take shelter under the big tree and enjoy the shade.

Moss nodded and immediately went to carry out the task. Before long, the sound of weeping echoed in the courtyard.

“Miss Jiang, Miss Jiang! I haven’t done anything wrong, so why am I being driven out?” Zhuixian cried out between sobs, “Please have mercy on me! Have mercy on me!”

Peach Blossom listened for a while, and only when the voice faded so far it seemed to be leaving the Zhenchun Pavilion did she speak. “Bring her in.”

Qingtai effortlessly lifted the little maid and carried her inside, dropping her before Peach Blossom.

Zhuixian trembled with fear, her voice choked with tears. “What wrong have I done, miss, to deserve such a severe punishment?”

In this courtyard, a maid who makes a mistake and is expelled will be directly driven out of the Prime Minister’s residence, and no other courtyard will take her in.

Leaning against the head of the bed, Peach Blossom looked at her and spoke softly: “A good servant does not serve two masters, do you understand?”

Her face paled, and Jeweled Jade looked up at her in disbelief. “How could that be…”

How could she possibly know?

“I don’t know much about this household, and I don’t care whose person you are.” Jiang Taohua sighed, looking at her with pity in her eyes: “But since the mistress has personally stated that you are not a loyal servant and have ill intentions toward me, then the Spring Contest Hall cannot keep you anymore. You may leave.”

Zhuiyu kept shaking her head, filled with overwhelming resentment: “This servant has no ill intentions toward the mistress! Even though I haven’t devoted myself entirely in these past few days of service, I’ve still tried my best. Can’t the young lady see that?”

“Time reveals true hearts; a few days alone can’t prove anything,” Taohua replied: “Compared to you, I trust the mistress more.”

If it had been someone else gossiping, at least she would have had some room to defend herself. But why did it have to be the mistress? Zhuiyu bit her lip, panic-stricken, and said: “It’s true that I served at the Soft Jade Pavilion before, but because I didn’t win Madam Meng’s favor, I was sent back to the rear courtyard to do miscellaneous work for a while before being assigned here.”

Meng? Taohua raised an eyebrow: “So it’s like that, you’re from the Meng family?”

“It is… I mean, no!” Nearly caught off guard, Zhuiyu became so anxious that tears began to fall from her eyes. “Now, this servant belongs only to you. There is no longer any bond of master and servant between me and the Meng family.”

“That’s beyond my concern.” Taohua shook her head. “Keeping you here would be disrespectful to Madam. My decision is final, no need to say more. Qingtai, drag her away.”

“As you command!” Qingtai responded, and Zhuìyù grew even more panicked, clutching a nearby large vase in a desperate attempt to struggle.

In the end, Qingtai walked over, picked her up along with the vase, and coolly escorted her out.

Taohua coughed lightly, sniffed, and hearing the screams outside, worried slightly whether the vase might have shattered.

However, Moss’s skill was reliable—she tossed the person away and placed the vase back intact.

“Good,” Taohua nodded, lying back down to rest.

When it was time to formally retire for the night, a servant in the courtyard gossiped, whispering something to Moss, who then relayed it to her mistress.

“Meng went to pay her respects to Madam late at night, saying there was some unpleasantness. She came out looking quite upset.”

With that look, it really was someone from the Meng family.

Tao Hua nodded, wrapping her clothes around herself: “Let them go deal with the rest. The slight offense of me snatching favor will be forgotten by them soon enough.”

Since she was injured and couldn’t attend to the Prince, others in the courtyard could. The real battlefield for these women was just beginning, and she wanted to stay out of it.

However, perhaps stirred by something, Meng came directly to her doorstep the next day. What was even more frightening was that she brought Shen Zaoye with her.

“I have something to report, my lord.” She bit her lip and gazed at Taohua. “It concerns Lady Jiang, so I must ask you to dismiss the attendants, madam.”

Peach Blossom was sleeping soundly, her eyes half-opened as she offered a greeting to Shen Zaïye, then waved for Qingtai to step back.

“What happened?”

Shen Zaiji sat expressionlessly on the side, sipping his tea, while Lady Meng casually picked up a painting.

This painting was none other than the peculiar portrait of Jiang Taohua.

“Our Prime Minister’s residence has always been clean and honorable, free from any rumors or scandals,” Lady Meng sighed softly. “Yet now, something like this has happened. The madam wanted to keep it from you, but I believe you should be aware of it.”