Chapter 12: Estrangement
Given the gravity of the matter, even though Zhi Qing was a senior maid, she found it difficult to intervene.
Granny Zhao, harboring her own thoughts and pointing out that Granny He was a seamstress, hastily tried to cover up with words:
“Does the young lady worry that the son-in-law lacks a seamstress by his side? Miss Jade Ink’s needlework is excellent, so why send Granny He? She is elderly and may not have the sharpest eyesight.”
Granny He, having just secured a favorable assignment, naturally couldn’t bear to hear this. She craned her neck and muttered:
“Granny Zhao, don’t pick on this old woman. My bones are still sturdy, and I can serve the young lady and son-in-law for another ten years! Since the young lady has entrusted me with managing affairs, no matter who Jade Ink is, I’ll still discipline her properly!”
Shen Shi paid no heed to the advice, and Granny He, muddle-headed and unreasonable, left Granny Zhao so frustrated she could only close her eyes in exasperation.
Zhi Qing busied herself with signaling with her eyes, but unfortunately, Shen Shi didn’t notice, leaving her to fret helplessly.
Upon hearing this, the Young Lord not only showed no anger but instead smiled:
“Mother merely mentioned it in passing, never expecting it to stir up so much trouble. Very well, the Tranquil Study has Jade Ink, and that is sufficient. There’s no need to add more people.”
As he spoke, a chill had already settled in his eyes.
Though Pear Moon stood at a distance, she could tell that the Young Master was displeased.
She had long heard from Jade Ink that the Young Lord was young and handsome, treating maids and elderly servants with great courtesy on the surface.
But his temper was not gentle; once provoked, he would recognize neither family nor friends.
Earlier, the maids in the Tranquil Study, as long as they were steady and quiet, feared upsetting this formidable master.
Shen Shi, however, unaware of her husband’s temperament, believed she had him under control, thinking he wouldn’t dare to smile insincerely otherwise.
She hurriedly clutched her handkerchief and retorted softly, “This matter was raised by Mother. How could I not make arrangements? Rest assured, husband, we must add more maids. Let Granny He select five or six honest girls from the attendants I brought along and take them to the study for proper training. As for Jade Ink, the maid originally in the study, I see she is also getting older. There’s no need to force her to stay. Tomorrow, I’ll report to Mother and arrange for her to be married off early.”
Sending a trusted servant to manage affairs in the study, though unreasonable, still adhered to the rules, so the Young Lord, unwilling as he was, couldn’t openly vent his anger.
But Shen Shi’s plan to dismiss Jade Ink was entirely against the rules.
The Young Lord’s face immediately darkened, and he slammed the soup bowl heavily onto the tea table with a loud thud.
Shen Shi trembled in shock. Seeing her husband’s displeased expression, she stood up, not daring to speak.
All the maids and elderly servants in the courtyard fell silent, not one daring to make a sound.
After a long while, Shen Shi’s eyes reddened, and she dabbed at the corners with a grievance:
“While you were away from the mansion, husband, Jade Ink guarded the study for three years, which was no easy task. As the saying goes, a grown daughter cannot be kept at home forever. Since you are not lacking in attendants, why not release her early? It would be an act of virtue. I am only thinking of you, husband.”
Even a ghost wouldn’t believe such words. Pear Moon, standing far away, felt embarrassed on Shen Shi’s behalf.
Seeing Shen Shi’s determination to dismiss Jade Ink, the Young Lord no longer cared about saving face and strode away.
With his departure, he left Shen Shi alone, showing her not an ounce of consideration.
Shen Shi’s face flushed crimson, and after a moment, she lowered her head and sobbed.
Shen Shi’s father was the Chief Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat. At home, she was the cherished eldest daughter, raised in luxury and indulgence.
Having married into Ningguo Mansion for three years, she had been dearly loved by the Old Madam and Madam Ning, never having suffered such humiliation before.
Yet Granny He, filled with smug satisfaction, stepped forward and continued to stir trouble:
“Even if the Young Master is displeased, you must grit your teeth and send away that seductress Jade Ink. The Young Master is just young and inexperienced. In a few days, he will come to understand your heart and naturally come to apologize. You are a lady of noble birth; you must not torment yourself with tears like this.”
Once Jade Ink was gone, Angelica Orchid’s path would be clear. Overjoyed and almost beside herself, she hurried to offer her own advice:
“You’ve done the right thing, miss. My lady mother once said that the most important quality for a young lady from a scholarly family is integrity. When the Young Master is in the wrong, you must admonish him firmly to his face—only then can you assert your position as the rightful wife. If you merely try to please him and allow seductresses to stir up trouble, how will that end?”
Granny Zhao and Zhi Qing listened to this twisted reasoning, fuming with anger, and quickly stepped forward to support Shen Shi.
Shen Shi, her heart full of grievances, wept for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before allowing her maids to help her back to her room.
The leftover feast beneath the white plum tree was left for the junior maids to clear away.
Pear Moon took the food containers and dishes, sullenly returning to the small kitchen.
After the earlier commotion, the assignment to the Tranquil Study was naturally canceled.
Huan Huan and Autumn Abundance sat on the doorstep, both looking as wilted as frostbitten eggplants, their earlier excitement completely gone.
“We thought we’d landed a good assignment, but it all came to nothing—like drawing water with a bamboo basket!” Autumn Abundance grumbled, though her hands were busy embroidering a shoe upper.
That morning, she had gone to the Embroidery Room, where Cai Wen had given her some leftover silk scraps for making shoes.
Huan Huan was also stitching a shoe sole nearby, her chubby little face creased with worry.
“The Young Mistress wants to drive Jade Ink away. Of all the maids in the courtyard, only Sister Jade Ink treated us as her own. From now on, we won’t even have anyone to give us tips.”
Pear Moon washed the dishes and food containers, lost in thought.
Jade Ink was eighteen this year. According to the rules of Ningguo Mansion, maids left the household at twenty—she still had two years left.
She wasn’t part of the Shen family’s dowry entourage, so sending her away would require Madam Ning’s approval.
A household may have a thousand mouths, but there is only one master. The one who manages the inner household and its finances is Madam Ning—Shen Shi might not have the authority to decide this.
Moreover, Jade Ink had originally served in Old Madam’s quarters. Even if Madam Ning wanted to dismiss her, she would have to consult Old Madam first.
If Shen Shi truly had the authority to decide Jade Ink’s fate, she wouldn’t have waited until today.
Besides, the Young Master was angry today and would surely hold a grudge against Shen Shi—how could he possibly let Jade Ink leave?
As long as Jade Ink stayed, there would be plenty of arguments once Granny He went to the study.
Pear Moon thought it over carefully—there was still a chance!
As the small kitchen was preparing the evening meal, word came from the Main Chamber that Shen Shi was refusing to eat again.
After an hour or so, Jade Ink walked in as if nothing had happened, instructing the kitchen staff to prepare the usual four dishes and one soup to be sent separately to the Tranquil Study for the Young Master.
Smiling brightly, Jade Ink took out two taels of silver and three strings of coins in front of everyone, beckoning Pear Moon, Autumn Abundance, and Huan Huan over and pinching each of their cheeks in turn.
“During the flower viewing today, the Young Master praised the plum blossom soup cakes for being fitting to the occasion and asked me to reward each of you with a string of coins to buy sweets.”
Pear Moon and the others quickly thanked her and accepted the reward.
Jade Ink then gave two taels of silver to Aunt Cao: “The Young Master said that Auntie the cook is talented—not only is her cooking excellent, but she also knows how to guide the young ones. He rewards you with a few taels of silver to buy wine.”
Aunt Cao also hurriedly bowed and accepted, setting aside one tael to add extra dishes for the kitchen, for which everyone expressed their thanks.
It seemed Jade Ink knew everything that had happened during the flower viewing.
Judging by her calm and composed demeanor, she must have been confident that the Young Master would protect her from being dismissed.
In the evening, when Pear Moon returned to the small room, she saw Autumn Abundance and Huan Huan each sprawled over a pile of coins, counting them over and over, reluctant to put them away. The low-ranking maidservants had no monthly allowance, and they hardly saw a single string of cash all year round—no wonder they were like this.
“If you ask me, we should pool some money to buy a gift for Granny He. The selection for the Tranquil Study is being handled by the head lady, and she’s entrusted it to Granny He. Let’s ask her to choose us.”
Autumn Abundance was full of ideas, but Huan Huan refused.
“How much silver has Granny He seen in her life? Would she care about our few coins? I’ve heard that the needlework maids under her pay her three to five qian of silver every month, and those are the Shen family’s dowry maids. Our gifts would be wasted.”
“Then we can’t just sit around doing nothing!”
Autumn Abundance tossed the half-embroidered shoe onto the kang.
Pear Moon had just finished washing the bracken and was blanching it over a small charcoal stove. She then took the bamboo shoot tips and scrubbed them clean. As she was laying out the cutting board on the table to dice them, her sleeve was tugged by Autumn Abundance.
“Be careful! I’m holding a kitchen knife!”
Pear Moon bared her teeth at her, and Autumn Abundance stamped her foot in frustration.
“I’m talking to you about something serious! It’s already time to light the lamps—why are you still doing this?”
Pear Moon wanted to make bamboo shoot and bracken wontons.
With spring bamboo shoots and bracken as the filling, the bamboo shoots would be crisp, the bracken smooth and tender, creating a refreshing and delicious taste. There was also half a pot of chicken broth left over from the afternoon’s plum blossom soup noodles.
These wontons had a unique aroma, perfect for a late-night spring snack.
“Sister Jade Ink likes to eat small wontons. I’ll make a bowl for her.”
Seeing that she was still thinking of Jade Ink, Autumn Abundance crossed her arms, utterly speechless.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside.
Suddenly, shouts and clamor filled the small kitchen as Granny He barged in with her people!