Chapter 74: Hidden Misfortune

The gold gourd pendant was fake?

The only piece of jewelry Father Shen had given her, which the concubine had worn close to her body for over a decade!

Shen Si Jier’s vision went dark, and she collapsed to the floor, nearly fainting.

Xiang Hui refused to let it go, but it was Zhi Qing who came over and scolded her into silence.

“What are you being so insolent for, you little wretch? If the young lady rewards you, it’s out of kindness; if she doesn’t, it’s the rule. How dare you curse at the young lady? Go slap your own face right now!”

Shen Si Jier, timid as she was, clutched the broken gourd tightly and still tried to plead for Xiang Hui.

“Sister, it’s all my fault. Don’t scold Sister Xiang Hui, or Eldest Sister will be upset if she finds out.”

Zhi Qing called another maid to attend to Shen Si Jier, helping her wash her face and comb her hair, then sent her to the main room to see Shen Shi.

Shen Shi had already finished her morning meal and was sitting on the soft couch in the Side Hall, drinking tea.

Xiafu was arranging the silk gifts, while Pear Moon brought in the fruit and pastry boxes.

Granny Zhao opened each one for Shen Shi to inspect.

Unusually, Shen Shi didn’t pick any faults and waved impatiently for them to be carried to the carriage.

Pear Moon carried the food box out and saw Shen Si Jier standing there, looking utterly pitiful.

Her eyes were rimmed with red, and bloodshot veins covered her eyeballs.

Shen Shi’s carriage was parked outside the ceremonial gate—a green-canopied carriage adorned with tassels for Shen Shi, along with two smaller carriages.

One was for the maids to sit in, and the other was for carrying gifts, as if there was no place for Shen Si Jier to sit.

Pear Moon glanced over, then loaded the gift boxes onto the carriage, securing them with colored ropes to prevent them from shaking and breaking.

Miss Ning’s pink gauze-canopied, eight-treasure-adorned green carriage was also ready, accompanied by two smaller orchid-satin carriages.

For Miss Tan’s birthday, the eldest young lady’s gifts were even more plentiful.

Ivory Go pieces, a glass backgammon board, a small red agate incense burner—all packed into several mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes.

She also sent two boxes of pastries, made by Madam Liu from the Main Kitchen.

Seeing her foster mother approaching with a food box, Pear Moon hurried over to pull her aside.

“Mother!”

“You little thing, have you gained weight these past few days? Have you been sneaking treats?”

Madam Liu was pleasantly surprised and pulled her into the shade of a tree, secretly stuffing a handful of rose candies into her hand.

With all the banquets lately, Madam Liu had actually grown thinner from exhaustion.

Pear Moon made a playful face, looking quite proud.

“I’ve been helping Granny Fan in the kitchen, making soups and porridges for the dining tables. She gives me a monthly allowance—who’s been sneaking treats?”

“What’s so great about helping Granny Fan in the kitchen? At most, you’ll learn how to make pickled fish and cured meat!”

Madam Liu, being from the Main Kitchen, looked down on the cooks of Phoenix Ripple Courtyard.

In their eyes, only Aunt Cao knew how to make a few decent dishes—the rest were all useless.

Pear Moon crunched on the candies noisily and also mentioned her responsibility of managing the Small Tea Room.

“All the pastries sent to the Tan family were made by me. If you don’t believe me, Mother, go take a look!”

Madam Liu believed her when it came to pastries, after all, she had taught her daughter herself.

After chatting for a bit, Pear Moon brought up the matter of transferring courtyards.

Now that she had managed to become a third-rank maid and had saved up several dozen taels of silver, she even had money for gifts.

“Mother, could you ask Granny Qin again when the Main Kitchen will be taking in maids?”

Madam Liu glared and poked her hard with a finger.

“You silly girl, managing the tea room in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard—why would you want to go to the Main Kitchen? Brewing tea and steaming pastries in the tea room is a leisurely job. The Main Kitchen is filled with smoke and grease—why suffer like that?”

Managing the tea room was a good position—not only was it clean, but there were also perks.

Pastries, candied fruits, tea, and snacks could all be sneaked out for personal consumption.

If she were still struggling to eat, then going to the Main Kitchen would make sense, but why go there if she wasn’t starving?

Becoming a first-rank maid so she could redeem herself and leave the mansion by the age of twenty—this was something Pear Moon couldn’t say out loud.

Both Madam Liu and her husband were born servants of Ningguo Mansion, destined to remain within its walls for life.

Speaking such words openly would surely hurt her godmother’s feelings.

Pear Moon could only pout and complain, “Those dowry maids from the Shen family are all ill-tempered. Yesterday, that Xiang Hui tried to snatch the tea room duties and came looking for trouble in the middle of the night, shouting and scolding for ages. She’s utterly infuriating.”

After all, Phoenix Ripple Courtyard was under the young mistress’s management, and those who weren’t dowry maids were bound to be bullied.

Having served as a maid for so many years, Madam Liu understood the ways of these matters.

She knew that while Pear Moon’s duties there weren’t physically taxing, the mental strain was relentless.

“Just goes to show you’re not destined for an easy life!”

Madam Liu poked her a few times, glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, then leaned in to whisper.

“I just passed by Brocade Prosperity Hall and overheard Steward Sun Cai’s wife speaking. Since the young duke inherited the title, the social engagements and entertaining in the mansion have multiplied severalfold. Several major departments are complaining about being short-staffed. Madam Ning intends to select some young maids to apprentice in the Main Kitchen and the sewing room. Once things quiet down in the next couple of days, she’ll report to the Old Madam and summon the stewardesses to discuss it.”

“Really? How will they select people?” Pear Moon couldn’t help but feel a surge of delight.

Madam Liu clicked her tongue. “It’s still just talk; I only caught a snippet. I’ll go back and ask Granny Qin for details, then let you know once I have a clearer picture.”

The Main Kitchen opening up for public selection—this was an unexpected stroke of luck!

Pear Moon’s eyes lit up, and she jumped for joy, tugging at Madam Liu’s sleeve to ask endless questions.

As they were chatting, sudden wailing erupted from the ceremonial gate—it was Xiang Hui’s voice.

Had that troublemaker chased her all the way here to cause a scene?

Thinking Xiang Hui had come to pick a fight, Pear Moon angrily grabbed a broom.

But when she turned around, she realized the matter had nothing to do with her.

Xiang Hui hadn’t had time to apply makeup, her hair tied with a red ribbon, a small bundle clutched in her hand.

She wept bitterly, rolling on the ground and pleading for mercy until her voice grew hoarse.

“I’ve served the young mistress for years—if not for merit, at least for hard work! Please, let me stay!”

Two matrons, thoroughly impatient, shoved her toward the exit.

“You served the young mistress well, which is why you’re being sent back to the Shen family to continue serving Fourth Miss! What’s with all this clinging and pulling? Hurry up and follow Fourth Miss! You’re lucky—you can just walk away without even settling your debts!”

The pitiful Shen Si Jier trailed behind, a coarse-felt carriage waiting outside the side gate.

“Is Fourth Miss leaving? Isn’t she going to the Qin family for the birthday celebration?”

Pear Moon left Madam Liu behind and quietly sought someone to inquire.

Shen Shi had said her half-sister Shen Si Jier was too timid, that her staying here only brought shame to the relatives, so it was best to send her home early.

Madam Ning had agreed with great alacrity.

As for Xiang Hui being driven back to the Shen family, that was due to Granny Zhao lodging a complaint.

Granny Zhao never concerned herself with fairness, only with stability and propriety.

She disliked any maid or matron who sought to stand out or assert themselves.

A troublemaker like Xiang Hui had long been on Granny Zhao’s list to deal with.

She had earlier urged Shen Shi, claiming Xiang Hui was stubborn and difficult, and thus perfectly suited to serve Shen Si Jier.

Without the maid’s deed of sale, she couldn’t be sold outside, so this was a solution that pleased both sides.

Seizing this pretext, they packed both of them into the same carriage and sent them back to the Shen family.

The matter was handled so swiftly that Pear Moon hadn’t anticipated it—Granny Zhao indeed managed affairs with decisive efficiency.

Just as the carriage was pulled through the side gate, the curtain suddenly flew open. Xiang Hui clung to the window, her face contorted with weeping.

“I won’t go! I won’t go!”

Slap!

After the resounding slap, the crying ceased instantly, and the curtain fell back into place.

Pear Moon watched the carriage fade into the distance, almost convinced she had seen wrong.

The frail and pitiable Shen Si Jier had just moments ago been filled with a sinister, fierce glare in her eyes.