Standing off to one side, Senior Servant Guiâs eyes were already red. She had raised Chu Lian and followed her all the way to her husbandâs household. This was the first time that she was going to be separated from her. If only she had been a few years younger, then she might have followed along with or without Chu Lianâs permission.
Chu Lian stepped onto the carriage and turned back to look. When she saw that Senior Servant Gui had come out with Xiyan to chase after her, she felt the corners of her eyes turn a little wet as well. Chu Lian shouted, âMomo, Xiyan, go back!â
Senior Servant Gui covered her mouth with a handkerchief before nodding forcefully, âThird Young Madam, donât worry! This old servant will take good care of Songtao Court for you!â
Chu Lian turned around and stopped looking back. She stepped forcefully onto the step and boarded the carriage. Then she was seen no more as the felt curtain fell over the entrance, blocking the wind and all the gazes of the crowd.
House Jingâanâs private troops and Tang Yanâs team quickly disappeared from House Jingâanâs entrance.
It wasnât until they could no longer see any of the party that He Changqi personally escorted Matriarch He back into the estate.
Half a day after Chu Lian had left, in the afternoon, a messy-haired, crazy-looking woman stumbled over to the normally peaceful entrance of the Jingâan Estate. Her hair was a complete mess and her face was covered in dirt, making her unrecognisable.
She lurched over to the Jingâan Estateâs entrance and tried to enter, but how could the manservant guarding the door let her in just like that? He kicked her to the ground. âWhere did this crazy woman come from? Hey, canât you see where this is? How dare you try to charge into the estate! Are you sick of living?â
The messy-haired woman laid on the floor, groaning in pain. After a moment, she started shouting, âQuick... notify... notify Third Young Madam! Iâm Third Young Madamâs handmaid! Right, Iâm a handmaid who married over with Third Young Madam! Quick, notify Third Young Madam for me!â
The door guard looked at her in contempt. âTch, youâre just a miserable lying wretch! Trying to impersonate a handmaid of one of our noble madams? Why donât you take a look in the mirror first? Let me tell you, Iâve seen all the handmaids serving our Third Young Madam before. Not a single one of them looks like you!â
When the woman heard the door guardâs disdainful words, her expression almost cracked. She crawled off the ground and tried to pull at the hem of his clothes. She even brushed aside the messy hair covering her face, revealing her looks. Unfortunately, her face was still covered in dirt. The hand she used to grasp at the manservant was also covered in rotting sores. âLook at my face! Look at my face! Iâm one of Honoured Lady Jinyiâs handmaids! It was Third Young Madam who gave me my name! Iâm Mingyan! My name is Mingyan! Please, go in and notify Third Young Madam for me... Please!!â
The manservant was completely disgusted by her blackened face and sore-covered hands. How could he bother with discerning her looks? He kicked Mingyan away again with an expression full of loathing. âStupid beggar. Stop acting! If you continue like this, Iâll get the city guards to come over and throw you into jail!â
The manservant harrumphed inwardly. The only handmaids serving Third Young Madam were called Xiyan, Fuyan, and Jingyan. There was also Miss Wenqing. When had there ever been some Mingyan? Did this person really think that she could bluff her way into the Jingâan Estate just by giving herself a name ending with âyanâ?
How could Mingyan possibly give up her last chance at survival? Even though her body was already weak, she found the last remnants of her strength and stumbled forward a few steps. She grabbed onto the door guardâs calf and pleaded, âPlease! Please!! Just let me meet Third Young Madam, just once! As long as you help me pass a message to her, Iâll give you whatever you want! R-right, I know Third Young Madamâs secret recipes! If you send a message for me, Iâll tell them to you! Iâll give them all to you!â
The manservant was already at the limits of his disgust thanks to this crazy woman. This time, he showed no mercy and called over two others to pull away the madwoman hugging his leg. They forcefully removed her and tossed her down the steps in front of the estateâs entrance. The door guard had one last parting remark for her. âLet me tell you, even if you really know Third Young Madam, youâre too late. Our Third Young Madam received an imperial edict to go to the north, and sheâs already left!â
After that, he stopped bothering with the madwoman. He ordered the two retainers to beat the woman to death with some rods if she dared to get close to the entrance again.
Mingyanâs dull eyes widened, her expression filled with disbelief. She shook her head in denial. How could it be? How was that possible? Third Young Madam went to the north... How could that be? If Third Young Madam was no longer in the estate... then who was going to save her life?!
No matter how much Mingyan tried, she wasnât able to enter the Jingâan Estate. In the end, the guards tossed her into one of the corners outside the estate. Mingyan hugged her knees to herself and curled up where she was.
The cold invaded her body, stealing away her warmth and making her stiff with frost. In her mind, she couldnât help but think back to the days she had lived with Chu Lian in Songtao Court.
Third Young Madam had been so friendly, and she had never mistreated any of her servants. Although Third Young Master wasnât around, the servants of Songtao Court could always walk around with straight backs.
Third Young Madam had bestowed golden hairpins and rings on her handmaids. Those designs were so pretty. It had been her first time seeing such beautiful jewellery in her life!
What a pity that it was all gone. Someone else had taken them from her.
Third Young Madam had never avoided her handmaids when making one of her secret recipes. She would even teach them a little more when she was happy. Once, Mingyan had made a gamble and asked Third Young Madam for some dessert recipes. Third Young Madam hadnât gotten mad in the slightest and patiently instructed her. And after the first time she explained it, Third Young Madam had even asked if the steps were clear enough.
The secret recipes she had learned from Third Young Madam had become hers. If those people wanted to steal them for themselves, even if her hands rotted away, she wasnât going to reveal Third Young Madamâs secret recipes to anyone!
As Mingyanâs thoughts ran through her head, she looked up at the high wall of the estate behind her.
How she wished that she hadnât been possessed by greed back then!