Chapter Ninety-One: Admit Defeat

Yuan Huiling’s answer froze the magistrate’s wife where she stood.

Madam Zhang frowned in puzzled silence, while Madam Mo and Madam Zhao exchanged startled glances.

Madam Yang at once turned to Madam Zhang, meeting her with wordless defiance.

Madam Liang gave a soft laugh. When the others looked her way, she showed no embarrassment at all. “These are only the trifles of young girls at play. Why make such a fuss? The guests at the magistrate’s residence are not common folk, so what trouble could possibly arise?”

“Let them make a bit of merry mischief.”

Madam Liang looked to Mama Fang. “I have some ointment for bruises over there. My brother gave it to Liang Xiao. Go fetch it and rub some on Miss Xu. She is in the bloom of youth; we must not let a scar remain.”

Mama Fang immediately nodded and agreed, and Xu Ruojin’s heart gave a jolt.

Liang Xiao had already given her the medicine just now. If Mama Fang went, how could she still get any?

“Mother, may I go speak with Mama Fang for a while? There are still so many things I wish to ask.”

As soon as Xu Ruojin spoke, both Madam Liang and Madam Yang were taken aback.

At first it had only seemed a matter of smoothing things over; if she found an excuse to leave and spoke with Mama Fang alone, no one would care. But now that she had said it in front of all the ladies, it felt rather intriguing.

Madam Zhang’s expression turned especially ugly.

Xu Ruojin had just argued with her, and now she was treating a mere old servant from the Liang household with such respect. Was that not a direct slap in her face?

She had never thought much of the Xu family to begin with, and now, however she looked at Xu Ruojin, she found her especially offensive.

If this marriage could still be salvaged, she would never agree to Xu Ruojin marrying into the Zhang family.

In her heart she could only regret that it would have been better to let Zhang Zhongheng make a scene before the old man in the capital. Perhaps then the matter would have quietly come to nothing.

Now that they were to marry such a troublesome girl into the family, Madam Zhang felt a headache coming on.

Madam Yang had also thought the matter went too far, but seeing Madam Zhang’s face, she hesitated.

Madam Liang showed no sign of emotion, only smiling as she watched Xu Ruojin.

Xu Ruojin leaned close to Madam Yang and said softly, “I can’t very well apply medicine in front of all the ladies, can I? It would only offend your eyes…”

“Then go on. She was your teacher once, after all. Be sure to treat her well, do you understand?”

Madam Yang went with the flow as well, and also wanted Xu Ruojin out of this troublesome place as soon as possible.

Xu Ruojin immediately nodded, saluted the other ladies in turn, then went to help Mama Fang leave the banquet hall.

Only then did the magistrate’s wife finally recover herself. She felt deeply grateful to Madam Liang for stepping in to smooth things over.

Yet she was even more eager to learn exactly what had happened, so she found an excuse. “I should go see why her elder sister-in-law still has not come to this table to offer a toast. I’ll be right back. Please, ladies, make yourselves comfortable.”

“Please, attend to your business first…”

The magistrate’s wife pulled Yuan Huiling away at once, and Madam Zhao and Madam Mo began chatting politely with Madam Zhang.

Madam Liang remained seated with composed ease, saying little. Yet the others kept glancing her way from time to time, watching every movement she made.

Such was the presence of a woman impossible to ignore.

Madam Yang admired her inwardly, but still did not dare to strike up a conversation.

She only hoped this banquet would end quickly; she truly had had enough of the cold looks from the other ladies.

Xu Ruojin found an empty room with Mama Fang and sat down with her.

She did not hide anything, and took out the medicine Liang Xiao had given her.

Mama Fang froze. After a moment she opened the ointment, rolled up Xu Ruojin’s sleeve, and saw the redness of the injury on her arm. She sighed again and again as she began to apply the medicine.

“Don’t blame me, Mama. I had no choice.”

When Xu Ruojin said this, Mama Fang shot her a glare. Xu Ruojin could only stick out her tongue. “It was my fault. I should not have acted on impulse. It’s just that if I refused, I feared my name would be ruined again, and I was angry.”

As she felt the cool medicine spread across her arm, easing the pain in the injured place, she could not help thinking of Liang Xiao.

“By rights, this has nothing to do with Young Master Liang. He was only being kind.”

Seeing that Mama Fang said nothing, Xu Ruojin could not help chattering on.

“Please don’t ignore me. I know you came to the Xu household to teach me back then because Madam Liang perhaps felt some guilt. Young Master Liang mentioned just now how I once fell into the water. It was Zhang Zhongheng who, in a fit of pique with him, was testing his courage. But if anyone is to blame, it should be that beast Zhang Zhongheng. It has nothing to do with Young Master Liang.”

“I have always regarded you as my teacher. That has never changed.”

She hissed as the medicine seeped into her skin and stung sharply, then frowned and cried out.

“You understand everything, and yet you still act so rashly. Even if you didn’t say it, do you think I wouldn’t know? The moment you brought out that medicine, I could already guess.”

Mama Fang shook her head helplessly. “The young master as well. Why did he need to tell you such things?”

Looking at the injury on Xu Ruojin’s hand, Mama Fang’s brows tightened. “Brewing wine should not require you to rough up your hands like this. Last time you fell into the water, it was because you knew nothing. But this time? You know better than anyone how things stand, and still you chose to put yourself in danger. How am I supposed to speak to you?”

“I was only too anxious.”

Xu Ruojin rolled down her sleeve, her face bright with delight. “Mama, I’ve come up with a new method of brewing wine. It was something I’ve always wanted to try. Today they forced me to make wine, so I simply threw caution to the winds, and I never expected it would actually work!”

Thinking back to the way everyone had praised it, Xu Ruojin felt a little pleased with herself. “If I were at home, I could never gather so many things. The magistrate’s residence is truly wealthy; they can produce anything.”

She then explained her method to Mama Fang in broad strokes, and Mama Fang could only marvel at it again and again.

“Liang Xiao was the first to drink it, and he praised it as good. Everyone else who tasted it did not say a single word against it. Still, from what they said, the wine is very strong, with a mellow and fragrant flavor.”

Xu Ruojin’s eyes shone with longing. “What a pity I get dizzy the moment wine touches my lips, or I would have liked to taste it myself.”

At the mention that Liang Xiao had praised it, Mama Fang’s eyes widened. “The young master said that?”

Xu Ruojin nodded. “He even wanted me to brew this sort of wine for him.”

“And you agreed?”

“Of course not.”

“The last batch of wine, I never gave it to the young master.”

“I already know that.”

Seeing that Mama Fang was growing anxious, Xu Ruojin hurried to soothe her. “Don’t worry, Mama. How could I casually agree to such a thing? I’ve heard that Young Master Liang is injured, and besides, I explained everything to him clearly. This wine is only the first batch I’ve ever brewed, so its merits and faults cannot yet be known. And I don’t even know what condition his body is in, so how could I prescribe blindly?”

Seeing Mama Fang finally exhale in relief, Xu Ruojin added, “Besides, even if I understood everything, I still would not dare promise anything without asking you first.”

“Good, good.”

Mama Fang patted her hand. “Do not bring this matter up again. Do you understand?”

“Why is that?”

Xu Ruojin sensed that something was off, but Mama Fang refused to say more. “Just remember my words. Do not ask anything further.”

“I understand. I won’t talk too much.”

Xu Ruojin could not quite hide her disappointment.

Perhaps, because she was already betrothed to the Zhang family, Mama Fang was wary of her mentioning Young Master Liang again.

All because Liang Xiao had once gone into the water to save her…