Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Country folk are supposedly hardened by years of fieldwork. How is it that she starts feigning delicacy the moment she steps into the Marquis' estate?"

"If you're feeling unwell, you should have spoken up sooner. None of us are doctors; how would we know if you have a headache or a fever? People who don't know might think I, your mother-in-law, am a wicked woman deliberately tormenting and abusing you."

"Very well, you may withdraw then."

"Country bumpkins are like mute gourds with their mouths sewn shut—no manners or decorum. You must find this quite amusing."

...

The June weather felt like a colossal furnace, baking everything beneath it.

Yet, Shen Anning felt a chill in her hands and feet.

Pushing aside the curtain and stepping out from the dim light, for a fleeting moment, her vision blurred to black, and she nearly toppled straight to the ground.

Fortunately, Bai Tao, quick-witted and nimble-handed, rushed over and skillfully caught her just in time.

Seeing her mistress's ashen face, Bai Tao gritted her teeth, seething with indignation. "Why did they keep you so long? Serving from dawn till dusk on normal days is one thing, but today you are ill. You've been waiting in the courtyard since before dawn, catching a chill. Not only did they not dismiss you early, but they made you stay until this hour—four full hours! Even an iron body couldn't endure that. The Mistress is truly heartless; not even the maids in the mansion are made to work such long hours while sick."

"Both are mothers-in-law, yet one possesses the compassion of a Bodhisattva, while the other—"

Bai Tao's small chest heaved with suppressed fury.

Before she could utter the last word, a sharp pinch at her waist silenced her.

Wincing in pain and noticing the many watchful eyes and ears in the courtyard, Bai Tao had no choice but to bite her tongue and fall silent.

Shen Anning, summoning her last vestiges of strength, commanded, "Back to the courtyard."

Seeing her mistress's dreadful pallor, Bai Tao dared not delay, quickly supporting Shen Anning back to Riverbend Residence.

As the heir apparent was deemed lacking in the water element, his name, Lu Suian, was chosen to signify peace and smooth sailing. His residence was surrounded by water, and even its name was water-themed.

However, a water-encircled courtyard always felt a few degrees damper and colder than others. Coupled with the recent rains and the chill she caught during morning and evening greetings a few days prior, Shen Anning had been feeling unwell for the past two days.

Originally, Bai Tao had urged her to take a day off, but her mother-in-law, Lady Fang, was notoriously critical. Dissatisfied that her eldest son—the future heir of this illustrious Marquis' estate—had married such an unsophisticated country girl, thereby diminishing her own standing, Lady Fang had deliberately found fault with and oppressed Shen Anning since her marriage half a year ago, constantly nitpicking.

At first, Shen Anning believed it was simply her mother-in-law's inherently harsh nature. But last month, when Lady Fang's niece, Fourth Madam Fang Siyan, married into the family, the stark contrast in treatment between the two daughters-in-law—both married to sons—was glaringly obvious. One was treated like royalty, the other like dirt, with no attempt to conceal the blatant favoritism. It was then that Shen Anning realized it wasn't about inherent nature, but rather overt bullying and discriminatory treatment.

Although Shen Anning was a descendant of the former Chief Grand Secretary, and the Shen family had been posthumously exonerated by the new emperor, the Shen family was almost entirely wiped out, leaving her with no support. Having grown up in a rural household, she was uneducated and rough-mannered when she first arrived, naturally feeling inferior in this illustrious aristocratic family.

Moreover, her husband, the heir of the Zhongyong Marquis' estate, was as pure and bright as the moon in the sky, making Shen Anning feel even more inadequate. In the six months since her marriage, she had never dared to hold her head high—she felt utterly unworthy.

Yet, even so, upon learning that her mother-in-law intended to arrange a concubine for him, Shen Anning's heart ached with profound bitterness.

She was never truly the descendant of the rehabilitated Chief Grand Secretary.

In her very bones, she was meant to be a country girl, toiling in the fields her whole life before marrying a hunter or farmer of similar standing.

Shen Anning felt dizzy, her temples throbbing violently.

The moment she stepped into the main courtyard, the second-tier maid Yuan Yang approached loudly, "Madam, the eldest young lady is prone to heatstroke in summer. Yesterday, you personally promised Xueju that you would send her some cooling honey jelly today to relieve the heat. Should it still be sent now?"

Yuan Yang had previously served the eldest young lady, Lu Anran. When the heir's wedding was hastily arranged, and the newly purchased maids lacked proper training, Lady Xiao, the mistress, transferred one maid from each courtyard to serve the new mistress of Riverbend Residence. Yuan Yang was one such maid, transferred from Xueju.

With the new mistress unable to establish authority and the old mistress still holding sway, those who survived in the deep mansions were shrewd, always prioritizing their interests and knowing where to seek advancement.

Yuan Yang had always wanted to return to Xueju and never hid it, thus showing little respect for Shen Anning, the country-raised new mistress.

Bai Tao snapped angrily, "Can't you see the madam is ill? Instead of rushing to serve, you're shouting across the courtyard, bossing the mistress around! Who taught you such manners?"

Bai Tao had come with Shen Anning from Lingshui Village. Though a first-rank maid, she was unsophisticated and quick to resort to violence, with something of a country shrew's temper. Like Shen Anning, she had never fit into the Marquis' estate in the six months since their arrival.

The other maids in the courtyard not only disrespected her but often mocked her behind their backs, with Yuan Yang being the worst. Now, Yuan Yang smirked, "If we're talking about manners in this mansion, I know far more than you. And if you want to teach me, Bai Tao, you should straighten your tongue first. This is the capital, not your backwater village—I can't understand your strange accent!"

Yuan Yang covered her mouth with a handkerchief, laughing lightly, but her eyes flicked toward Shen Anning.

Yuan Yang's remark insulted Shen Anning by implication as well.

Bai Tao, enraged, rolled up her sleeves, ready to charge. Yuan Yang, however, retreated repeatedly, feigning fright and drawing a crowd. "Oh my, what are you doing? This is the Marquis' estate, not some uncivilized countryside! Besides, the mistress punished you just last month—do you want another beating? If you dare cause trouble again, it won't be just a punishment this time; the mistress will have you sold off!"

She added, "Sisters, back me up! If anyone lays a finger on me today, I'll go straight to Jinyuan and complain to the mistress!"

After this threat, Yuan Yang glanced at Shen Anning again. "Besides, this matter was personally arranged by the madam yesterday. The eldest young lady is delicate—what ordinary thing could catch her eye? I’ve watched the madam repeatedly try to please her without success, and finally came up with this idea to win her favor. If I don’t remind her kindly today and let this opportunity slip, wouldn’t I be delaying the madam’s important business?"

Yuan Yang spoke with thinly veiled sarcasm.

Everyone in the mansion knew that the mistress of their courtyard was incompetent and embarrassing—unable to please her mother-in-law, win her husband’s affection, or earn the respect of her sisters-in-law.

Shen Anning had repeatedly tried to curry favor with the two young ladies of the main branch without success, until recently, when the eldest young lady suffered from heatstroke and lost her appetite, finally giving Shen Anning an opportunity.

Even so, Yuan Yang’s words were too harsh, especially in front of so many people.

Bai Tao clenched her teeth in fury, yelling, "Bullshit! Keep lying and I’ll smash your teeth!" But halfway through her outburst, she was stopped. Turning, she saw Shen Anning mustering her strength to say to Yuan Yang, "I’ll prepare it now. Please deliver it to the eldest young lady for me later—"

Shen Anning said weakly, her head spinning.

Then, she pulled Bai Tao inside.

Yuan Yang expected Shen Anning's acquiescence. In the half-year since her marriage, Shen Anning had always been deferential. Yuan Yang called out loudly, "Then hurry up! If you’re late, the eldest young lady will be napping!" She shot Bai Tao a triumphant glance, feeling inexplicably pleased, standing out among the crowd of onlooking maids and matrons.

Soon, the crowd dispersed.

Bai Tao, however, was filled with frustration and exasperation. She couldn’t understand why her mistress had become so submissive and yielding since coming to the capital. Back in Lingshui Village, Shen Anning had been someone to be reckoned with—holding her own against her stepmother, protecting her younger brother, and even defending the weak. Bai Tao, who had been oppressed and sold by her parents, had been helped by Shen Anning repeatedly. How could she lose all her spirit in just half a year in the capital?

Could it be… that this imposing mansion had truly cowed her into submission?

Despite her anger, seeing her childhood friend so weak and thinner, Bai Tao’s heart softened. Swallowing her rage, she followed Shen Anning inside.

Fifteen minutes later, Yuan Yang marched off triumphantly to Xueju with the honey jelly Shen Anning had personally made. Exhausted, Shen Anning drank half a bowl of medicinal soup and fell into a feverish sleep. Before drifting off, she repeatedly reminded Bai Tao to wake her on time—her husband was returning today, and she needed to prepare his meal personally!

Shen Anning had barely fallen asleep when Yuan Yang returned with the untouched bowl of honey jelly, announcing loudly outside the room, "The eldest young lady has retired for her nap. In this weather, this cooling treat will spoil easily. Since I braved the sun to run this errand for you, Madam, Sister Chi Yu took the liberty of granting this bowl to me on the eldest young lady’s behalf."

Yuan Yang’s shrill cries nearly woke Shen Anning. Bai Tao rushed to the door with scissors in hand, and only when Yuan Yang saw her dark expression did she stop her provocation, retreating to the side room with the bowl.

Returning inside, Bai Tao fumed with anger. As she entered, she heard murmuring from the bed—Shen Anning seemed to be talking in her sleep.

Pulling aside the bed curtains, Bai Tao saw Shen Anning pale and drenched in sweat, as if trapped in a nightmare or fever-induced delirium.

Placing a hand on her forehead, Bai Tao recoiled instantly—Shen Anning was burning with fever.

She did not dare delay in the slightest, immediately fetching warm water to sponge her off. Only when her hand touched her neck did she realize Shen Anning was soaked with sweat.

A jolt of panic shot through her. She quickly sent Hong Li to the Qin Garden to fetch a doctor while she herself hurriedly changed Shen Anning’s clothes and continued wiping her down. She stayed by her side the entire afternoon without leaving her side for a moment, tending to her attentively. Throughout, Shen Anning kept babbling incoherently in her sleep, restless and uneasy, yet when Bai Tao leaned in close, she couldn’t make out what was being said.

Just as Bai Tao returned from urging the physician for the third time, she saw Shen Anning on the bed clutching the quilt tightly with one hand while the other thrashed uncontrollably in the air. Her legs thrashed violently, and her mouth moved soundlessly as if screaming, though no sound emerged—as though her nose and throat were being viciously choked. Moments later, her features twisted into a horrifying grimace, and her entire body began to seize violently, as if she were enduring immense suffering and torment in her dreams.

"Madam… Madam…"

"Madam, what’s wrong with you?"

Bai Tao was terrified, unsure what was happening. She immediately lunged forward, trying to shake her awake, but despite her utmost efforts, she couldn’t rouse her.

The next moment, her hand was suddenly seized in a viselike grip—long nails digging deep into her flesh, nearly breaking the skin on the back of her hand.

Bai Tao was so frightened she burst into tears. Just as she was at a loss, the convulsing Shen Anning abruptly snapped her eyes open without warning. Though her eyes were open, it was as if she couldn’t see Bai Tao at all. She swung her arms wildly, trying to drive her away as if Bai Tao were a demon from hell. Her face was distraught, and she cried out in sheer terror: "Huan Xi, Huan Xi…"

Huan Xi… who was that?

Bai Tao trembled all over, utterly horrified. In broad daylight, goosebumps prickled her skin. Madam… what was happening to her?

Huan Xi?

She vaguely recalled there was a maid in the courtyard named something like "Xi."

Her heart pounding with fear and anxiety, Bai Tao had no choice but to rush out and drag the low-ranking maid Huan Xi into the room.

The moment Huan Xi hurried to the bedside, Shen Anning, who had been cowering in the corner, threw herself into her arms.

Author's Note:

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The red envelope rain keeps pouring!