Chapter Six: Truth and Falsehood

Granny Chen was startled out of her wits by Li Qiuping’s words. If this really reached the Madam, wouldn’t her scheme be thoroughly exposed?

But then she quickly composed herself. When she brought the porridge, only Spring Grass was present. Even if she denied delivering it herself and claimed that Spring Grass fetched it from the kitchen, what could they do? After all, she had worked in the Xu family’s kitchen for over ten years—surely her words held more weight than a maid with no foundation in the Xu household?

Besides, the Madam deeply despised the Second Miss. In matters such as these, she would naturally side with the Young Mistress and not show any partiality toward the Second Miss.

Thinking along these lines, Granny Chen glanced at the empty porcelain bowl on the table, pointed at Spring Grass, and began to scold her:

“I distinctly told you, that bowl of porridge was for the Young Mistress, yet you insisted on giving it to the Second Miss. All it took was a moment of inattention, and now I’m left to bear the blame. You wretched girl, how dare you? Where do you place the Young Mistress in your eyes?”

“Young Mistress, I’ll leave it to your discretion to deal with this. No matter how aggrieved I am, I failed to watch over the food and drink meant for you. I accept whatever punishment you see fit.”

With no hesitation, Granny Chen pushed all the blame onto Spring Grass.

Spring Grass turned deathly pale, so frightened she was speechless, and immediately knelt to beg for mercy. “It wasn’t me, truly it wasn’t. Granny Chen brought it herself.”

“I’ve been working in the Xu household for so many years and never once made a mistake. Now you arrive and there’s suddenly trouble? Who would ever believe such a tale!”

“It really wasn’t me, truly—”

“Hmph!” Li Qiuping snorted coldly, seeing Xu Ruojin’s calm face, as if she were watching a spectacle, and couldn’t help but sneer, “Why so silent? You dare steal food but won’t admit it, and now you’d have your maid lie and play the rogue? Shameful!”

“Who were you just calling lowborn? Who did you say was rescued by a young master from another household? I didn’t quite catch it,” Xu Ruojin said, ignoring Granny Chen’s attempt to muddy the waters, and seized on Li Qiuping’s earlier insults.

“Are you deaf? I was talking about you!” Li Qiuping spat out, but under Xu Ruojin’s gaze, her confidence wavered. Upon reflection, her words had indeed been harsh, but so what if she had insulted Xu Ruojin?

“In that case, I really must see Mother,” Xu Ruojin rose slowly. “There’s talk everywhere that my marriage is the Xu family reaching above its station, that the Zhangs look down on us. Now I see where these rumors begin—even my sister-in-law believes I’m a fallen woman, rescued by another family’s young master, my reputation lost. Perhaps I should speak to Mother and refuse this marriage altogether?”

“How could someone so lowborn and disgraced be fit to marry into the prestigious Zhang family? My father is at least a county registrar, not some minor clerk—how can he be so maligned? Perhaps I should find a rope and end it all, so as not to bring more shame!”

“You’re mad! That’s not what I said!” Li Qiuping cried out, alarmed, and hurriedly blocked Xu Ruojin’s path as she truly prepared to leave.

“If not you, then who said it?”

“You’re twisting my words on purpose!”

“Let Mother be the judge of whether I am or not. I’m going to her right now.”

“It’s a false accusation—I said nothing,” Li Qiuping denied flatly. Xu Ruojin looked at the maids and old servants behind her. Li Qiuping immediately glared at them. “None of you heard anything, did you?”

“I heard nothing, Madam.”

“How could the Young Mistress say such things? Second Miss must have misheard.”

“It certainly wasn’t the Young Mistress.”

Their denials, one after another, chilled Xu Ruojin to the core. She had always known she held no position in the Xu household, but seeing it unfold before her eyes was truly shocking.

Was there not a shred of conscience among any of them? She realized, with a trace of irony, how naïve she had been. This was not a world of kindness and compassion; if she could offer neither status nor silver, why would anyone help her?

Even if she had caught them red-handed, what would that matter? A few denials were enough to erase the truth.

Better to rely on oneself than others, but now she couldn’t even help herself…

“I heard it. The Young Mistress said those things,” Spring Grass’s voice was weak but it made Xu Ruojin’s dimming hope flare anew.

“You dare repeat that? Do you have a death wish?” Li Qiuping’s glare was vicious as she stared down at the kneeling Spring Grass, who shrank back in fright.

Xu Ruojin stepped in front of her, facing Li Qiuping coldly. “What, Sister-in-law? Others are not allowed to speak the truth? You ought to realize, those who flatter you with lies today might well flatter someone else with slander against you tomorrow.”

“Heaven sees all. I urge you to give it some thought. Besides, don’t work yourself into a rage over a mere bowl of porridge. Our parents are concerned about the little nephew in your belly, not you.”

Li Qiuping was stunned and stepped forward in a fury, “Try saying one more word!”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Xu Ruojin’s anger flared. “You let yourself be used to cause me trouble. I was willing to let it go, but now you insult my birth and say I was sullied by some young master from another family. Who is this supposed young master? Name him, if you dare!”

“For drinking a bowl of bird’s nest porridge by mistake, I must suffer the Young Mistress’s reproach. How could someone like me marry into the Zhang family? If word of today’s events gets out, who knows what storm it might stir? If I lose my marriage because of this, Sister-in-law, you will be the one to blame. I needn’t say how Father and Mother would deal with you, do I?”

Li Qiuping’s eyes went wide with shock. “You—you’re slandering me!”

“And what of it? We’ll see, when the time comes, whether those present today stand with you or with me.”

Xu Ruojin cast a mocking glance around at everyone, her hand, holding tightly to Spring Grass behind her back, drenched in cold sweat.

Spring Grass kept her head bowed, so tense she could barely breathe. The Second Miss actually dared to confront the Young Mistress so directly—she was truly throwing all caution to the wind!

Li Qiuping, unable to vent her anger elsewhere, turned to glare at Granny Chen.

Granny Chen, already shaken by the turn of events, and now under the Young Mistress’s glare, stammered, “It wasn’t me, I’d never dare, it’s just that—”

“You managed to deliver a bowl of porridge to the wrong place. Clearly, you’re not fit to serve in the kitchen any longer. Didn’t you just say you accepted punishment? I’ll see to it myself!”

A flurry of crisp slaps echoed through the room. Li Qiuping seized Granny Chen and struck her fiercely, then shot a final glare at Xu Ruojin before storming out.

The rest filed out in quick succession, leaving Granny Chen clutching her reddened cheek, staring at Xu Ruojin.

She never would have imagined the Second Miss would dare defy the Young Mistress. Was it courage, or had she simply underestimated the girl? The former Second Miss could barely even speak coherently…

Xu Ruojin looked at her coldly. “Did you find it entertaining?”

“Wh-what?” Granny Chen didn’t understand.

Without another word, Xu Ruojin picked up the celadon bowl from the table and, with a crack, smashed it to the floor! The shards scattered, one striking Granny Chen’s hand, drawing a thin line of blood.

Granny Chen yelped and clutched her hand, terror in her eyes as she looked at Xu Ruojin.

A faint smile played at Xu Ruojin’s lips. “How careless of you, breaking Sister-in-law’s favorite bowl. Such a valuable piece—surely you’ll have to pay dearly for it, won’t you?”

Granny Chen’s gaze was full of panic and grievance, but seeing the Second Miss’s mockery, she understood everything.

Retribution for her scheming had come, and all too swiftly.

She hurriedly gathered the broken pieces and fled in disgrace.

Xu Ruojin watched her scurry out the door, her fists still clenched tight.

If she could not carve out a life for herself, then she was not truly Xu Ruojin.