Chapter Ninety-Two: The Challenge

She had barely spoken for a while with Nurse Fang when a maid came to summon them, saying that Madam Liang was ready to return to the estate.

Xu Ruojin was loath to let her go.

She still had a bellyful of things she wanted to say to Nurse Fang, who would have thought their time together could be so brief.

Her little face fell into a bitter, reluctant pout as she rested against Nurse Fang’s shoulder and coaxed, “How wonderful it would be if you could stay by my side forever.”

Nurse Fang smiled and patted her hand.

Though they had not known each other long, she had already come to regard Xu Ruojin as one of her juniors.

It seemed that, in both their hearts, there was an unspoken understanding that they were family.

To Nurse Fang, Xu Ruojin had been neglected and mistreated at home since childhood. Given the chance to learn under her, the girl’s diligence, endurance, and unwillingness to be defeated were deeply admirable.

And every burst of delighted girlishness she showed before her was so bright, so lively.

In truth, Xu Ruojin had no family in this life.

She had only this body and this identity; in the deepest part of her heart, the loneliness and desolation she carried were things no one could understand.

Nurse Fang’s arrival had given her life a direction, carrying her away from that early grievance and fear.

Parting was something no one could ever truly resist.

Xu Ruojin understood this, and she did not make things difficult for Nurse Fang. However much Madam Liang respected her, she would not tolerate being made to wait too long.

Supporting Nurse Fang as they went out the door, Xu Ruojin escorted her off.

By then all the madams had already followed them to the entrance and were preparing to leave the magistrate’s residence. Madam Yang was there as well. Seeing Xu Ruojin walking toward them with such graceful poise, she suddenly felt, for a moment, that she almost no longer recognized her.

Was this still the maid she had once been able to manipulate at will?

Madam Liang held the highest rank, so naturally the others would not leave until after she did.

Madam Zhang’s face was dark as a soot pot.

That, too, was one of the reasons she had long been furious ever since Madam Liang arrived in Middle Forest County.

Before, she had always been the first to leave any gathering.

Seeing Xu Ruojin approach together with Nurse Fang in such apparent intimacy, Madam Liang smiled and nodded. “It’s getting late, and all of you madams are preparing to return as well. There’s no need to keep Madam Xu worrying. Come visit my home another day. Nurse Fang speaks of you often.”

Xu Ruojin immediately curtsied and agreed. “Thank you for the invitation, Madam Liang. I will certainly come calling another day.”

Nurse Fang said little more and helped Madam Liang into the carriage.

Before the polite farewells were even finished, Madam Zhang had already grown impatient and urged the woman beside her, “Where is the carriage? Why has it still not arrived? How long are we meant to wait? These servants only grow more and more unreliable!”

“I’ll go and hurry them along at once,” the Zhang household’s matron said, and hurried off.

Hearing this from within the carriage, Madam Liang lifted the curtain. “If Madam Zhang is in a hurry, you may as well go first. I still need to wait a moment for Liang Xiao.”

Madam Zhang froze, and her face darkened instantly.

The Liang carriage was parked right here. If she wanted to leave first, she would have to walk out with her attendants before she could board her own carriage.

Was this not deliberate humiliation?

“The young masters rarely have a chance to gather like this,” she said with a stiff, fake smile. “Why keep your son tied so closely to you? It would be better for you to go home first.”

Her words of persuasion were hypocritically smooth, as though Madam Liang were simply being unreasonable.

“That’s right, Madam Liang,” the county magistrate’s wife chimed in to smooth things over. “Young Master Liang has hardly had the chance to come here. Let him stay and share a proper drink with the other young masters. My own sons are all here as well. It’s a rare opportunity.”

That made it even harder for Madam Liang to refuse.

If she refused again, the madams would only think she was relying on her status and looking down on them.

“Then send someone to tell Liang Xiao we’ve gone ahead,” Madam Liang said, yielding at last, and Madam Zhang’s face was full of triumph.

But just then Liang Xiao appeared, carrying a jar of wine.

And he was alone.

“Madam, the young master has arrived,” Nurse Fang reported by the carriage window. Madam Liang only gave the slightest nod and said nothing more.

Seeing so many ladies gathered at the gate, Liang Xiao hesitated for a moment, then came forward more quickly.

After he clasped his hands and bowed to the assembled madams, he walked to the carriage. “Mother.”

“The madams were just speaking of you,” Madam Liang said. “Since this is a rare occasion, you may as well stay a while longer and talk with the other young masters. I’ll go back first.”

Liang Xiao understood at once what had happened.

Someone had clearly been making trouble on purpose.

“No need,” he said at once.

Then he looked toward the madams of the various households. “The young masters have all drunk themselves into a stupor and been carried home already. There’s no need for the madams to keep waiting either.”

“What?” The county magistrate’s wife was the most startled. “Even Young Master Zhang is drunk?”

“Yes, drunk. But he hasn’t left yet; he’s resting in Young Master Yuan’s study.”

Liang Xiao’s answer was deliberately vague.

Resting in the study?

In truth, he had become so ill from vomiting that he could no longer walk.

Clutching the jar of wine in his hand, Liang Xiao subconsciously glanced toward Xu Ruojin.

The reason everyone had ended up drunk was this very jar of wine.

Even Liang Xiao had not expected that after only one bowl, they would all become that intoxicated.

Since being injured, he had become constitutionally cold; he drank like water, and two full jars of ordinary wine would not trouble him.

Yet this wine alone had made him feel drunk after three bowls.

In all his life, Liang Xiao had never even known what it meant to be drunk.

And yet this wine had made him feel warm all the way through, from head to toe.

Madam Zhang and Madam Zhao both looked dreadful.

Their sons had lost all dignity, how could they have been carried home in a drunken heap, or not even made it home at all?

When they looked at Liang Xiao again, they saw that his gaze had passed over them and gone to the back.

Following that look, they found Xu Ruojin.

Madam Zhang’s expression grew even uglier. By the time Yuan Huiling saw Liang Xiao holding the wine jar, she already understood what had happened.

Originally, she and Zhao Cuiling and the others had been silently seeing the guests off, but if they missed this chance to needle someone, how could they vent the hatred in their hearts?

Yuan Huiling, too, had become shrewder. She pinched Mo Rong’s hand and tilted her chin toward Xu Ruojin and Liang Xiao, signaling her to step forward and tear open that scab.

Mo Rong was timid by nature. Though she flattered Yuan Huiling, she never liked to make herself conspicuous.

Yuan Huiling shot her a threatening glare and leaned close to her ear. “Figure out what to do!”

Mo Rong was so frightened that she quickly shrank back a step, whereupon Yuan Huiling shoved her forward without giving her any more time to think.

Seeing the young ladies suddenly stir, the madams also turned their attention that way.

Mo Rong’s face burned scarlet. Being watched like that, she could only force herself to find an excuse. “That... that, Young Master Liang, the way you keep looking at Miss Xu is truly improper. I hope you will mind your behavior.”

Everyone was instantly shocked.

Mo Rong looked as though she might burst into tears. She thought her words had been far too reckless and hurriedly added, “It isn’t that I’m overthinking things. Miss Xu is already engaged, and besides... besides, the jar of wine Young Master Liang is holding was brewed by Miss Xu herself. When Young Master Liang carried Miss Xu out of the water, there had already been physical contact between you. If anything, he should be keeping his distance from Miss Xu even more!”