“What’s wrong, Ru’er? Are you frightened because of your mother’s punishment for the servant’s misbehavior?” asked the Old Madam as she stroked Shao Yanru’s hair lovingly.

The Old Madam has been feeling better lately, and the physician left instructions that her condition only needs to be treated slowly and gently. In her copper-brass frock bedecked with a necklace of Buddhist beads, the Old Madam and her benign and kind smile demonstrated her as a kind and pleasant person with great observance to Buddhist teachings of benevolence.

With a face filled with concern, she lightly tugged at Shao Yanru’s hands for her to come closer.

“Come to think of it, your mother should have handled the matter with more care. I won’t disagree with meting out punishment; the girl should count herself lucky that your mother decided to settle the score privately than have her dragged to the county magistrate. But there was no need for everyone to watch her being punished. Look at how badly shaken you are now!”

The Old Madam looked painfully at the pale-stricken Shao Yanru, blaming instead the daughter-in-law she has always loved.

But it was hardly anything of surprise; Shao Yanru might not be the oldest of the Old Madam’s grandchildren, but she was the old dowager’s favorite that not even Shao Hua’an, the eldest, could possibly compete.

“I’m worried about Fifth Sister, Grandmother!” whimpered Shao Yanru, lowering her head as she tugged at the Old madam’s hand, “I want to see her, Grandmother, please! I wonder if she’s awake! She’s a daughter of this house, it’s not right that she is kept at the home of the Great Elder Princess!”

The very mention of Shao Wanru caused what pleasantness on the Old Madam’s face to evaporate immediately and was replaced by cold fury. She knew all about what happened to Shao Wanru at the Yuhui Nunnery yesterday and it hardly amused her. “Nothing she did suggests that she treated this place as home. There’s no need for you to be worried about her. You’re too kind, Ru’er. Remember how you insisted to go accompany her when she went to the mountains to live in peace, and look at where that has landed you!”

An irate Old Madam poked at Shao Yanru at her forehead forcefully for good measure.

“But Grandmother! She’s our Fifth Sister!” exclaimed Shao Yanru with protest, her eyes reddish and wet.

The Old Madam sighed as her hand lowered wearily. “Heaven knows for what reason she’d left downhill then only to get into trouble. And after she was rescued, she did not return home only to head for the Great Elder Princess’s residence instead. Now, not only us, in fact, a word about her has reached even the ears of others. I’d say this: to be such a disgrace and traitor to the family, we should not have to be too kind to her.”

Nanny Yu, who had been just behind the Old Madam in silence, lifted her chin suddenly as if to say something although Shao Yanru’s glance at her made her cower quietly as she quickly yanked at her sleeves nervously to prevent herself from blurting.

The incident surrounding the Fifth Miss of the family was now the talk of the streets, saying how the Fifth Miss of the house had, under some cruel trick about the old Madam Dowager Qin, been duped into leaving her peace. She turned fainted halfway and was found by servants of Great Elder Princess Rui’an before taking her to her residence. The rumors spoke about how her family neglected to do anything about this, which was why the Fifth Miss of the house was not sent back home nor Duke Xing’s Mansion, which sentries purported claimed ignorance as well.

As a servant, she could not forthrightly tell her lady how mistaken she was no matter how she wanted to.

But the fact remained: the Old Madam had been wrong all along.

“Please stay your anger, Grandmother. No matter how Fifth Sister has erred or whether she still treats us as family, it doesn’t change the fact that she is one of us. Please don’t mind her. I’m very worried about her, Grandmother. Can’t I just go and see her?” Shao Yanru shook her grandmother’s arm, trying to coax her by behaving adorably.

Unable to say no to the imploring face of her most doted granddaughter, the Old Madam felt only annoyance and resentment. She has only the deepest loathing for Shao Wanru, a veritable troublemaker, and she had to rub the Buddhist beads on her necklace, struggling to find solace and calmness.

Was this a debt from a previous lifetime, the old dowager wondered, that her entire family is now paying the price for.

“Go,” she said, “Bring something for her health too. See if she is still unconscious or if everything’s just a ruse. Tell her, if she’s awake, to come home. She’s a daughter of the house of Duke Xing and it’s unsightly for her to stay at the home of maternal relatives. I don’t want people to say that we don’t have enough place for her here.” On that note, the Old Madam ended with a frosty snort.

Nanny Yu once again looked as if a thousand words were trying to spill out her mouth. It was true that the little room was prepared specially for the Fifth Miss, but it did not come without the fear for the influence of the Great Elder Princess. What was more, the Madam of the house had only asked servants to move all furniture outside with nothing else brought in return to make the room habitable at all.

Knowing better than to contradict the orders of the Madam of Duke Xing, Nanny Yu’s head drooped again with silent reticence.

“All right then. I’ll go now to see Fifth Sister, Grandmother. I’ll tell you about her when I get back so don’t you worry!” chirped Shao Yanru cheerfully.

With her cold demeanor now melted, the Old Madam bobbed her head profusely. “Go then, my dear. But remember to not antagonize her. Just come back if she says anything nasty and ignore her. Just get back here safely!”

Shao Yanru was not her grandmother’s favorite only because of her cute and delightful charms, but also because of the hopes resting on her shoulders. The Old Madam Dowager has always believed that her most doted granddaughter would one day be the very instrument that would further the influence of her family and the dukedom, ensuring a dynasty that could last even centuries.

And for this reason, the Old Madam has only the deepest approval and love for Shao Yanru.

“I know, Grandmother!” replied Shao Yanru mirthfully. She got up and bowed deeply to the Old Madam before wheeling around merrily and trotted away with her servant girl in tow.

“This little young lass… She’s just too kind,” breathed the Old Madam heavily as she watched her granddaughter leave, “She’s as important as a blade of grass to them, yet she’s so concerned about them.”

Understanding that the Old Madam was making conversation, Nanny Yu responded with a benign smile, “Please don’t blame the First Miss, Old Madam. She’s a kind and gentle young lady of exemplary pedigree, and it’s all because of you. No one across the entire capital ever speaks of the First Lady in vain. In fact, many have only the greatest of praise for her. She’s truly one who possesses the bearing of a true lady of the house.”

No one would object that Shao Yanru was destined to be married to someone from the imperial family; it was no secret to the upper echelons of the house, including a few of the more trusted servants in the household.

And by “lady of the house”, Shao Yanru could at least be a princess consort in the near future, or greater, the eventual queen of a nation!

The Old Madam squinted her eyes at the glamor of her granddaughter’s prospects, nodding her head encouragingly. “Of course, of course. But this little young lass’s just… You’re right, I guess. She has the makings of a great lady because of the distinguished upbringing she’s been accorded to. The same can’t be said for the youngest… Petty, to say the least of that little wench of common rearing. Hardly the material to be a proper lady, I might add!”

The Old Madam was full of tenderness when she spoke of Shao Yanru, but she quickly turned sour, grumpy, and even disdainful once the conversation steered towards Shao Wanru.

She had never been any more regretful for taking in Shao Wanru. It was all a mistake and she should have done more to stop the girl from reclaiming her place in the family. And now she’s the proud little minx who has hardly the best interest of the family nor the dukedom at heart, preferring to fraternize with the Great Elder Princess and slander the family!

The Old Madam could feel every fiber of her being quaking with anger whenever she thought of Shao Wanru and the foolishness of her softheartedness!

She had been a rebellious type even before her official introduction back into the family, but her recalcitrant streak barely diminished since then and yet she insisted to retreat into the mountains right after that to hold a vigil. Any disciplining would have to wait until she returns from the Yuhui Nunnery.

The house of Duke Xing would make no marriage arrangements for her if she remains the same abominable hellion, vowed the Old Madam. The house of Duke Xing could afford the expenses of having her here, even if she would remain a spinster. In fact, they could have her confined at this cottage, here at the rear courtyard within the enormous grounds of the residence for the rest of her life. This might rid the entire family of any more trouble before she brings trouble and shame upon the house.

“I daresay the biggest difference between First and Fifth Misses, is that only one of them was personally brought up by you, Madam,” chuckled Nanny Yu.

“Wait till Wanru’s back, I’ll make sure she becomes well-disciplined. I don’t want her strutting around the capital, putting the family to shame,” said the Old Madam to herself, hatching a determined plan of action. With still a few months ahead, she could well make some preparations so that she could begin the regimen as soon as possible to domesticate Shao Wanru before she even forgets what family she belongs to!

The carriage from Duke Xing’s mansion came to a stop outside the residence of the Rui’an Great Elder Princess. A servant girl had come before the carriage carrying Shao Yanru arrived to inform the residence of the latter’s arrival. As Shao Yanru sat quietly in her carriage, she brooded silently with disquiet. She was utterly unaware of how Shao Wanru is now and she was worried to know how she is.

The rumor mill has been spinning all across the capital, saying it was either her or Qin Ruyu who had caused harm to Shao Wanru and this matter has caught even the attention of the Ministry of Justice.

Although it was Qin Yuru who had been responsible, she needed to be subtle lest she could be implicated as well. In her apprehension, she needed to meet Shao Wanru to decide her next course. She could always rely on Princes Yue and Zhou to help prove her innocence since the true perpetrator was Qin Yuru and she only needed to be careful to put as much distance as possible.

Another servant came scurrying out of the doors and led the carriage through a side entrance. Once inside, an elderly female attendant appeared to guide the carriage further inside.

When they reached a designated spot, Shuqi helped Shao Yanru disembark the carriage.

Shao Yanru looked around and found themselves in a vast courtyard with only two – including hers – carriages in the empty space. This must be where all the guest carriages stop, she realized, although that would mean someone else is here too to see the Great Elder Princess.

The other carriage was parked in a deeper corner with the side which should carry the emblem of the house it belongs to facing the other way. Shao Yanru could not discern from which family the carriage came from, but from the size of the carriage and its design, she surmised that it could only be a conveyance owned by a family of lesser stature and power.

All it took was just one glance and Shao Yanru finished her brief visual observation of the other carriage and she followed the elderly female attendant into the residence.

Her main mission here was to find out about Shao Wanru. Has she awaken or is she still unconscious, she wondered, but she knew better: Shao Wanru should be up by now.