Nonsense! She’s Not a Bad Woman! - Chapter 91

Outside the city, in a country estate.

Madam Wu lounged beside the charcoal brazier, eyes half-closed, enjoying the warmth. Just as she was drifting in comfort, faint noises drifted in from outside. Her brows pinched with irritation. She rose abruptly and stepped out the door.

“In broad daylight, can’t you see I’m resting? What’s with all the racket?” she snapped before she even saw anyone.

Through the main hall’s window, shadowy figures could be seen, but it was unclear what exactly they were doing. Even after hearing her sharp voice, neither of them answered.

Wu’s irritation only grew. Anger flared hotly as she strode toward the hall where the two old servant women lived.

“Deaf, are you? Didn’t you hear me calling? What are you packing up for?”

Her brows drew tightly together as she noticed the two women, arms full of bundles, as though they meant to take everything with them. To an outsider, it would look like they were quitting service and never planning to return.

But the two women ignored her. They finished packing briskly, hefted their bundles, and headed for the door.

Wu stepped in front of them, blocking the way, voice sharp as a blade. “Where do you two think you’re going? You’re servants of the Qiao family—you’re supposed to be here to serve me! Thinking of running away? Careful, or I’ll tell the Master and have you sold off! Don’t forget, your slave contracts are still in the Qiao family’s hands.”

One of the women let out a cold laugh. “Our contracts are with the Minister’s household, not in your hands. What are you putting on airs for? Besides—do you think the Master is someone you can just waltz up and see?”

She sneered again. “You’ve been rotting away on this estate for over ten years. Have you even once set eyes on the Master? And you dare say you’ll ‘report’ to him? Can you even step past the Minister’s residence gates?”

Wu froze, caught off guard. She hadn’t expected the two usually meek, cowering women—always enduring her scolding—to dare talk back like this.

She was the mistress of the Qiao family! Their superior! Yet these wretches dared to defy her?

The two shoved past her shoulders without a backward glance, walking out with long, unburdened strides. Their hearts felt lighter than they had in years.

Wu chased them out the door, shouting abuse at their backs. But no matter how venomous her curses, the two never turned around.

She ranted until her throat turned dry, before finally slinking back into the courtyard.

Looking around the cold, desolate estate—now emptied of everyone but herself—Wu was suddenly struck dumb.

Why had those two wretches suddenly left?

They would never dare abandon their posts without their master’s orders. Their slave contracts were still in the Qiao family’s grip. Leaving without permission was against the law—grounds for government pursuit and punishment.

Unless…

Unless it was that wench Madam Jin stirring up trouble?

Yesterday, when Liu Yanran had returned, she’d mentioned that outside the estate, Wu had cursed Madam Jin and that vixen daughter of hers—only to be overheard by His Highness the Crown Prince and that little fox.

Now that she thought about it, eight or nine chances out of ten it was that vixen who went running back to Madam Jin with tales. Madam Jin must be taking revenge!

Wu clenched her teeth. Tonight, when Yanran came back to stay, she’d make sure to tell her what evil tricks Madam Jin had pulled. Yanran could then pass the word to Yihuan, and Yihuan could whisper it into the Crown Prince’s ear!

As for Wu herself? She felt no unease about being overheard scolding Madam Jin that day. After all, she was Yihuan’s mother. The Crown Prince had already let the whole capital know he doted on Yihuan, the eldest daughter of the Qiao family. With such open favoritism, he would hardly care about something so trivial.

Only Madam Jin and her daughter were so narrow-minded.

But—when night fell, it wasn’t Yanran who returned.

Instead, it was a group of burly, unfamiliar men who came through the gates.

Three or four men dressed in black night clothes vaulted over the wall.

Inside the room, Madam Wu was stoking the charcoal fire, cursing under her breath while her stomach grumbled with hunger.

The door was suddenly kicked open. She jolted in fright, only to find that it wasn’t Liu Yanran—the girl she had been waiting on for ages—but a group of masked strangers. Her heart instantly sank. She scrambled up and stumbled back two steps.

“Y-You… who are you?”

None of them answered. They simply advanced toward her, step by step.

The night outside was silent as death.

At that very moment, Qiao Yihuan remained completely unaware of the danger unfolding in the manor. She sat with a gentle smile, chatting warmly with He Baozhu. The atmosphere inside the boudoir was peaceful and cozy.

“Thank you for your kindness, Princess. But my mother at home surely wouldn’t allow it. I still have to serve my father and mother,” Yihuan said softly.

He Baozhu looked a little disappointed. Ever since she had inexplicably found herself in this ancient era, she had been uneasy at heart.

But after spending time with Qiao Yihuan today, she actually felt reassured. At least in this unfamiliar world, she had found a friend—a friend this gentle and kind.

Yihuan smiled again. “Why not let Yanran live with the Princess instead? Yanran is my good friend who came all the way from Yongzhou. Since my family wouldn’t take her in, I had no choice but to arrange for her to stay at the manor outside the city with my mother. She’s still young, and she and my mother hardly have much to talk about. If she could stay here with the Princess, we could also spend more time together.”

There was a trace of expectation in Yihuan’s tone. He Baozhu agreed without hesitation.

Liu Yanran’s heart leapt with joy. Compared to that dreary country manor, the Princess’s residence was a far better place.

Even if this princess wasn’t favored, her status was still higher than Qiao Wanyan’s by a whole rank. If Yanran could get close to her, she might not only shield herself from Qiao Wanyan’s schemes, but also avoid being kidnapped and interrogated by her again.

“Yihuan, how’s your knee? Lord Qiao is truly too much—how could he punish you so harshly for your mother’s mistake? If I had such a well-behaved and beautiful daughter, I’d treat her like the apple of my eye, afraid even a breeze might harm her!” He Baozhu sighed.

After spending the whole day together, she had more or less learned the situation.

Lord Qiao and his wife treated this eldest illegitimate daughter with harshness and indifference. Just yesterday, because Yihuan’s mother had spoken out of turn, Yihuan had been punished to kneel in the ancestral hall.

Even earlier, when Yihuan walked, her steps had been unsteady. It was hard to imagine what kind of life she endured day by day.

Liu Yanran chimed in with a sigh, “All daughters of the same family, yet one is cherished like a jewel while the other is ignored and mistreated. Yihuan, it’s been so hard for you all these years. If it weren’t for Qiao Wanyan tattling, you wouldn’t have been punished like this.”

Subtly, she planted seeds in He Baozhu’s mind about Qiao Wanyan’s cruelty.

He Baozhu paused to nibble on some peanut pudding before casually saying, “But this isn’t really the Second Miss Qiao’s fault, is it? She only spoke the truth.”

Qiao Yihuan’s gaze flickered for an instant, then she smiled faintly. “Yanran, this truly isn’t my sister’s fault. She suffered grievances, so it’s only right that I take my mother’s place in receiving the punishment.”

He Baozhu was struck by the thought. In the modern world, she had always hated those “white lotus” types in TV dramas.

Yet now, faced with Yihuan, she felt differently.

This girl really was a white lotus—but not one you could ever bring yourself to dislike.

Beautiful, harmless, and so gentle that you couldn’t help but be drawn closer.

“By the way, Yihuan, you mentioned earlier that you wanted to prepare a gift for the Emperor’s Longevity Festival. Why don’t I help you come up with one?” He Baozhu offered brightly.

Yihuan’s smile bloomed like a flower. “Then I shall trouble the Princess to lend me her thoughts.”