Marrying The Imperial Elder Chapter 27

It was already nightfall, yet the courtyard was brightly illuminated.

Wei Momo, the senior servant who attended Zhen Yiyun, stood in the center of the courtyard. Around her stood several older maids carrying lanterns and candles. With one hand raised, she directed a group of young maids to open Liushun’s and Bazhen’s trunks, cabinets, and boxes.

Even private belongings such as girls’ dressing cases, mirror boxes, clothing bundles, and personal effects had been pulled out and laid open.

Item by item, they were being inspected and counted in full view of everyone.

Although only maids and servant women were present, these were still the private possessions of young girls. For them to be spread out for others to stare at and discuss, a thinner-skinned girl would probably have wanted to dig a hole and hide in it from shame.

Bazhen, though merely a maid, had served Zhen Tingyun since childhood. Old Lady Zhen could be difficult, but Zhen Tingyun herself was generous and treated her well. Neither she nor Liushun had ever suffered such humiliation before. For a moment, she was so furious and aggrieved that her entire body trembled. Had Liushun not been standing in front of her holding her back, she might already have rushed forward to fight them.

Liushun herself was barely containing her anger.

Her face was flushed red, her teeth clenched tightly. Through gritted teeth, she managed to force out: “Have you finished searching yet?”

Wei Momo snorted. “You two girls spent all day packing. There are mountains of luggage. How could everything possibly be searched in such a short time?” Having said that, she was about to order the servants to continue.

Just then, a calm and gentle female voice suddenly rang out. Cool as the night itself. “What exactly are you searching?”

Wei Momo turned around at the sound. Zhen Tingyun was slowly walking into the courtyard, draped in a silver-gray cloak. Wei Momo’s expression stiffened. Gritting her teeth, she hurriedly bowed. “Greetings, Second Miss.”

Zhen Tingyun casually raised a hand, signaling them to rise. Then she repeated calmly: “What is going on? What are you searching for?”

The lantern-bearing servant women stood all around. Their flames illuminated half the courtyard. The firelight fell upon Zhen Tingyun’s snow-white face, casting shifting shadows that made her expression seem strangely dark and unreadable.

Seeing this, Wei Momo’s heart skipped a beat. She became even more cautious as she explained: “Today, Eldest Miss lost a white jade hairpin made of mutton-fat jade. Since after returning home she only spent a short while sitting in Second Miss’s room, she thought she might have accidentally left it here. This old servant received Eldest Miss’s instructions and had people search everywhere, but we still couldn’t find it. I feared some thoughtless maid might have stolen it, so I boldly ordered a search of the servants’ belongings.”

Zhen Tingyun said nothing. Her long lashes lowered slightly. Her gaze was cold and sharp, like blades scraping across Wei Momo’s round, pale face.

Wei Momo’s expression grew increasingly stiff. Even her voice unconsciously lowered. Still, she forced herself to continue: “This old servant naturally knows that the people serving Second Miss would never do such a thing. But if we conduct the search openly before everyone, then what’s black becomes black and what’s white becomes white. Otherwise, those ignorant little hussies below might start gossiping about Second Miss and the people she brought with her…”

“What a fine saying, ‘what’s black becomes black and what’s white becomes white.’” Though anger and fury surged within her, Zhen Tingyun actually smiled. Enunciating each word clearly, she said: “I saw that you are one of Elder Sister’s trusted servants and a woman of some age, so I showed you a bit of respect and allowed you to speak in front of me. Who would have thought that you would become even more outrageous? Your words and actions show not the slightest bit of judgment. As the saying goes, ‘When catching a thief, you must catch the stolen goods.’ You haven’t found any evidence at all, yet you’ve already come to rummage through my servants’ belongings. Anyone who didn’t know better would think that Wei Momo regarded my entire group as thieves.”

Wei Momo immediately realized things were turning bad and hurriedly begged for forgiveness. “Miss! Miss, your words are too severe! This old servant would never dare suspect Second Miss! It’s only a minor matter. I was anxious to help Eldest Miss find the jade hairpin. After searching the entire courtyard and still failing to find it, I feared someone was deliberately causing trouble. In my panic, I lost my head and made this mistake. Now everything has already been searched. Your people are completely innocent. It truly was this old servant worrying unnecessarily… I beg Second Miss to calm her anger.”

Zhen Tingyun merely looked at Wei Momo’s face, now scrunched into a miserable ball. The smile on her own face only deepened. “Momo certainly worries too much. Otherwise, why is it that you only searched the belongings of Liushun and Bazhen? Why didn’t you search Pinglan’s things? Why didn’t you search Qiusi’s? Why didn’t you search Lin Momo’s? Why didn’t you search mine?”

As Zhen Tingyun spoke, a smile still lingered on her face, but her words were sharp and cutting. Sentence after sentence left Wei Momo’s face turning green, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Seeing that Wei Momo only stammered and dared not reply, Zhen Tingyun pressed her lips together and let out a cold laugh before answering for her herself: “That’s true. Pinglan, Qiusi, and Lin Momo were all people Mother chose for me. Naturally, they wouldn’t be thieves, so of course you wouldn’t search through their things. Only my two maids and I came from the countryside. We’re the shallow-minded, ignorant ones who haven’t seen the world, and we look exactly like thieves. Unfortunately, I still carry the title of a young lady, so you don’t dare search my belongings. All you can do is search through my two maids’ things instead. After all, if they are thieves, then I, their mistress, must surely be the chief thief.”

As she spoke, Zhen Tingyun raised an eyebrow and glanced toward the neighboring room, whose lights were still on. Her tone was half mocking, half sarcastic. “Look at this. The courtyard has been turned upside down like this. Wei Momo treats me like the leader of a gang of thieves, yet Elder Sister sits comfortably in her room without so much as a sound. It seems that all of you may call me ‘Second Miss’ with your mouths, but in your hearts you don’t truly think so. To you, only my elder sister is the one and only precious, noble eldest young lady of this household. I can never compare to her.”

“Fine, fine, fine! Since I’m the one who came from the countryside, I ought to know my place. Why don’t we simply send someone to report this to Mother? Let Mother make the decision and have all of my belongings brought out and searched as well. Only then will innocence be innocence and guilt be guilt. That way those ignorant little maids below won’t have anything to gossip about regarding me and the people I brought with me.”

Just moments ago, Wei Momo had repeatedly said, “Only by searching things openly in front of everyone can innocence be proven innocent and guilt proven guilty, so that those ignorant little maids below won’t gossip about Miss and the people she brought with her.”

Now that Zhen Tingyun had thrown those same words back at her, it truly felt satisfying.

The moment Wei Momo heard Zhen Tingyun drag her own young lady, Zhen Yiyun, into the matter, she was already panicking. When she then heard mention of reporting the matter to Madam, her knees immediately went weak, and she dropped to the ground with a thud.

Zhen Tingyun merely looked down at her.

Wei Momo was quick-witted enough. She immediately raised her hand and slapped herself twice across the face, repeatedly saying, “This old servant acted rashly and forgot proper etiquette. This old servant begs the young lady’s forgiveness. Please, Miss, calm your anger… It is already very late. Eldest Miss still has to attend the women’s academy tomorrow, and Madam has likely already retired for the night. How could we dare disturb them over such a small matter…”

Zhen Tingyun merely snorted coldly and turned her head slightly away.

Under the courtyard lanterns, the lines of her profile were delicate and beautiful, her skin possessing a clear, translucent brightness like fine jade.

She paid no attention at all to Wei Momo, who was kneeling on the ground slapping herself. Instead, she lifted her chin slightly and addressed Liushun and Bazhen: “We don’t need anyone else. Liushun, Bazhen, make a trip to the main courtyard and invite Mother to come and judge this matter. Though I have only just arrived, this is still my home. Naturally, Father and Mother will stand up for me. We are family, flesh and blood. Surely they won’t watch me suffer and allow a vicious servant to bully me? There is absolutely no reason for me to be trampled upon and still swallow my anger in silence.”

At these words, the expressions of everyone in the courtyard changed repeatedly. Only Bazhen and Liushun had long since endured enough. Upon hearing this, they immediately started toward the main courtyard to fetch someone. The little maids standing beside Wei Momo did not even dare stop them forcefully and could only let them go.

Wei Momo remained kneeling, her face ashen white. Only her eyes continued moving as she desperately considered what she should do if Madam Pei arrived.

At that very moment, Zhen Tingyun stepped forward and stopped before Wei Momo. Then she suddenly smiled.

The moment Wei Momo saw that smile, she instinctively felt that something was wrong. Just as she was hesitating over whether to speak, she heard Zhen Tingyun lower her voice and remark casually: “Elder Sister really can sit still. It was clearly on her orders that you went searching for something, and it was only with her tacit approval that you dared bring people here to search through my two maids’ belongings. Now you’re kneeling here, yet Elder Sister still sits calmly in her room, unmoving and silent. She truly can sit still. As her younger sister, I really must admire her.”

Then, as if genuinely regretful, Zhen Tingyun sighed. “It’s just a pity about your loyalty.”

Wei Momo was startled. Then she immediately gritted her teeth and defended her young lady. “No, Eldest Miss, she…”

Slap.

Before she could finish speaking, Zhen Tingyun had already raised her hand and struck her across the face. With brows raised in anger, she rebuked: “What nerve you have! Bullying me because I’ve only just arrived is one thing, but now you dare drag Elder Sister into this? What kind of person is Elder Sister? How could a lowly old servant like you recklessly implicate her? It’s only because Elder Sister is so kind-hearted that servants like you have become increasingly ignorant of your place. Elder Sister may tolerate you, but as her younger sister, I absolutely cannot tolerate such slanderous words!”

Hearing this, Wei Momo became frantic and hurriedly tried to explain: “No, I meant that Eldest Miss didn’t…”

Before she could finish, Zhen Tingyun raised her hand and crisply delivered two more slaps, striking Wei Momo’s pale, dough-like face until it swelled red as if it were fermenting.

Zhen Tingyun did not hold back her strength. Even her own palm hurt afterward. Turning her head, she saw Pinglan and Qiusi, the maids Madam Pei had assigned to her, standing not far away, and beckoned to them. “Did you hear what Wei Momo just said?”

Pinglan and Qiusi had been standing a little farther away, but they had vaguely heard Wei Momo repeatedly mention “Eldest Miss.” They exchanged glances before replying softly: “Wei Momo seemed to be speaking about Eldest Miss…”

Wei Momo had already been slapped until she felt dizzy, but her loyalty remained. The moment she heard someone mention Eldest Miss, she opened her mouth to explain. Yet Zhen Tingyun mercilessly rewarded her with another two slaps, hitting her until her head spun and her brain buzzed, to the point that she forgot even to speak.

Only after Wei Momo had fallen silent did Zhen Tingyun turn to Pinglan and Qiusi with instructions: “If she were speaking about me, that would be one thing. But she serves at Elder Sister’s side, and now she has suddenly gone mad and dares speak ill of Elder Sister. If word gets out, outsiders may very well believe it, and wouldn’t that damage Elder Sister’s reputation? Therefore, even for Elder Sister’s sake, I absolutely cannot spare her. Continue beating her for me. Beat her hard. This old servant must be taught a lesson.”

Pinglan and Qiusi looked at each other, uncertain for a moment whether they should obey.

Zhen Tingyun simply put on the face of a tyrant and said: “Mother gave you to me. Don’t tell me you won’t even listen to my orders?”

Pinglan and Qiusi no longer dared be careless. They stepped forward, one on each side, and raised their hands to slap Wei Momo across the face.

One slap from one, then one slap from the other. For a time, the courtyard echoed only with the sounds of smack, smack, smack. The maids standing around were all frightened pale. With their hands lowered respectfully before them, they stood silently, holding their breath, not daring to make the slightest sound.

As the saying goes, even ghosts and gods fear vicious people. When Zhen Tingyun had first arrived, she had put on no airs. She smiled and joked and appeared approachable, which only made them think she was a small-minded country girl from a humble background. But now that she had suddenly turned ruthless, all of them felt somewhat intimidated.

Yet Zhen Tingyun still wore a smile on her face, looking cold-hearted as stone and iron as she leisurely continued: “Keep hitting her. Until I say stop, you are not allowed to stop.”

She wanted to see just how long her elder sister could continue hiding in her room.

She was beating and berating her servant right here in the courtyard, yet her elder sister could still sit calmly inside? What remarkable self-control! Zhen Tingyun almost had to admire her.

Just then, a cold female voice suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard, 

“Stop.”

It was Madam Pei’s voice.

Pinglan and Qiusi’s hands had long since begun to ache from all the slapping. Hearing Madam Pei speak, they immediately felt relieved. They quickly stopped, turned around, and moved to greet her and pay their respects.

Zhen Tingyun secretly curled her lips, then glanced at Wei Momo, whose face had long since swollen from the beating. She thought the woman now looked very much like the braised pig’s head offered during ancestral sacrifices at New Year’s, fat-faced and large-eared.

The thought of a braised pig’s head amused her. Her anger subsided somewhat. She stepped forward to greet Madam Pei, complaining: “Mother has finally come. If you had come any later, your daughter would have been bullied so badly that she wouldn’t have had the face to continue living in this household.”

Madam Pei looked first at Wei Momo, who remained kneeling despite her swollen face and dazed condition, then at Zhen Tingyun’s expression, which seemed both aggrieved and coquettishly reproachful. She immediately felt a headache coming on.

Fortunately, after spending many years accompanying her husband on official postings, she had seen much and experienced much. She merely asked calmly: “What exactly happened?”

Zhen Tingyun wore an innocent expression. “I only just returned myself and don’t fully understand everything. Why not let Wei Momo explain it herself?”

Wei Momo had already been beaten half senseless. Upon hearing Zhen Tingyun mention her, her entire body trembled, and she promptly fainted.

Zhen Tingyun: “…”

Was she really that useless?

Fortunately, Madam Pei was always steady and patient. Seeing this, she turned her gaze toward Lin Momo. “You explain it.”

Lin Momo was someone she had personally chosen for Zhen Tingyun. The woman was honest and dependable, so Madam Pei trusted her.

Lin Momo stepped forward and succinctly recounted the entire matter.

Madam Pei swept her gaze around the courtyard and quickly seized upon the key point. “Has Eldest Miss’s jade hairpin been found?”

“Not yet.” One of the little maids beside Wei Momo lowered her head and answered timidly.

In an instant, Madam Pei understood what had happened. Most likely, Zhen Yiyun had lost her hairpin. The servants had searched repeatedly but failed to find it. Growing anxious, they had decided to put on a show and use Zhen Tingyun’s two maids, Bazhen and Liushun, as targets. 

This commotion served two purposes. First, it suppressed the momentum of the newly arrived Second Miss, Zhen Tingyun, letting everyone in the household know that the person truly in charge of this courtyard was still Eldest Miss. Second, it gave them something to report back to Eldest Miss Zhen Yiyun.

At the end of the day, servants had their own calculations and schemes. After all, two legitimate daughters were now living in the same courtyard, an eldest miss and a second miss. Inevitably, either the east wind would overpower the west wind, or the west wind would overpower the east wind.

Madam Pei understood all of this perfectly and could not help sighing inwardly. For a moment, she even considered moving Zhen Tingyun to another courtyard, though she ultimately suppressed the thought.

She did not wish to make the matter any bigger, nor did she wish to drag Zhen Yiyun into it. So she asked no further questions. Instead, she reached out and took Zhen Tingyun’s hand, carefully examining the reddened palm. With a pained expression, she said: “She’s only a servant. If you disliked her, you could simply have had her dismissed. Why did you have to do it yourself? It pains me just to look at your hand. A young lady constantly talking about beating and killing people does not make for a good reputation.”

Zhen Tingyun blinked innocently. “I didn’t want to hit her either. But she was speaking nonsense and actually dared claim that all this had been ordered by Elder Sister. How could I possibly tolerate such words? So I only hit her a couple of times.”

Heaven bear witness, if Wei Momo had not fainted, she would probably have crawled up on all fours to question Zhen Tingyun: “A couple of times?!”

Was that really just a couple of times?!

Do you have any shame at all?!

Unfortunately, Wei Momo was still unconscious and lying there motionless. Thus, the only person in the courtyard who could question Zhen Tingyun’s words was Madam Pei.

But why would Madam Pei challenge her own daughter’s account for the sake of an old servant?

Therefore, her expression remained unchanged as she sighed with a smile. “You child, your temper is far too hasty…” As she spoke, she discreetly signaled for someone to drag Wei Momo away.

However, Zhen Tingyun immediately spoke up to stop them. “She is, after all, one of Elder Sister’s people. It would be improper to deal with her without first informing Elder Sister.”

Madam Pei paused before replying tactfully: “Your elder sister still has to attend the women’s academy tomorrow. Why disturb her over such a small matter? I’ll speak to her about it afterward.”

“I know Mother is concerned for Elder Sister and doesn’t want her studies affected. But I’ve often heard that the women’s academy teaches more than just the Six Arts. Understanding people and managing relationships are things one must learn as well.” Zhen Tingyun spoke softly. “Wei Momo is merely a servant, yet she has become this arrogant. That is largely because Elder Sister has been too lenient with her over the years. Right now we’re at home, and with Mother watching over us, neither Elder Sister nor I will be wronged. But what about the future? Elder Sister is nearly of age. One day she will marry and manage a household of her own. She ought to begin learning how to control and manage her subordinates. In your daughter’s opinion, Mother should call Elder Sister out. Even if she merely stands by and watches Mother handle this matter, she will gain valuable experience. If she could learn even half a tenth of Mother’s abilities, both Elder Sister and I would benefit from it for the rest of our lives.”

As she spoke, Zhen Tingyun suddenly smiled. Her bright apricot eyes sparkled, and the dimple at her cheek appeared, making her look especially sweet. “Mother, don’t you think that’s reasonable?”

Having pushed things this far, Zhen Tingyun naturally had no intention of allowing Zhen Yiyun to continue playing the role of the spotless, innocent eldest daughter.

Listening to Zhen Tingyun’s string of arguments while looking at that smiling little face, Madam Pei’s feelings were extremely complicated. However, since Zhen Tingyun had already brought the matter to this point, whether she wished to or not, she had no choice but to agree. Patting Zhen Tingyun’s arm, she sighed. “What you say does make sense.”

Thus, she sent someone to summon Zhen Yiyun from the neighboring room.

It was already nighttime, nearly bedtime. Zhen Yiyun wore only a light gauze blouse, and when she came out she had hastily draped a blue cloak embroidered with cloud-and-crane patterns over her shoulders. Her hair had only been loosely pinned up. The moment she saw the chaos in the courtyard, her steps halted and her expression changed drastically. She immediately looked toward Madam Pei. “Mother, what happened?”

Madam Pei gave her a long look. “You don’t know?”

Zhen Yiyun’s expression remained unchanged. Lowering her head, she sighed. “Your daughter was reading in her room. Mother knows what I’m like. Once I start reading, I pay attention to nothing else. How could I know what was happening outside?”

Whether Madam Pei believed her or not was impossible to tell. She simply recounted the matter involving Wei Momo and then said calmly: “Your sister’s opinion is that since this is your servant, you should be the one to deal with her. I thought it would be good for you to come out and hear about it as well.”

All color drained from Zhen Yiyun’s beautiful face. She seemed both alarmed and angry. After a long moment, she bit down on her lip and said through clenched teeth: “A servant like this can no longer remain at my side. She can only be dismissed.”

Then she looked at Madam Pei with tears in her eyes and said softly: “But Wei Momo has served me for many years. Even if she has no merit, she has certainly worked hard. At her age, although she has made mistakes, it is only because old age has muddled her mind. I only ask Mother, for the sake of her years of respectful service to me, to allow her to return home.”

Before Madam Pei could respond, Zhen Tingyun spoke first. “Elder Sister’s words are rather strange. A servant serving her master is simply what she is supposed to do. How can doing what she ought to do erase the wrongs she has committed?”

Biting her lip, Zhen Yiyun fixed her gaze on Zhen Tingyun and said softly: “Why is your heart so ruthless, Sister? Are servants not people as well? Wei Momo may have done wrong, but she has already been beaten and scolded. What more do you want? Better to spare someone when you can and let her return home.”

The courtyard lanterns were so bright they hurt the eyes. Zhen Tingyun narrowed hers slightly and replied coolly: “Elder Sister jests. If she had not bullied me, why would I, as your younger sister, concern myself with your servant? But she was arrogant and overbearing enough to trample all over me. If I still said nothing, wouldn’t I be nothing more than a spineless turtle? Besides, after doing such things, how could I allow her to return home and peacefully enjoy her retirement? Even the sages said, ‘If one repays resentment with virtue, then with what does one repay virtue?’ Elder Sister was raised on the teachings of the sages. Surely you haven’t forgotten even that?”

“You!” Zhen Yiyun bit down hard on her lip, her expression changing as she prepared to argue further.

At that moment, Madam Pei coughed lightly and interrupted the sisters’ dispute. “Enough. Both of you say less. She’s only a servant. Is she really worth making such a fuss over?”

As the mistress of the household, once Madam Pei made up her mind, she acted decisively. She immediately ordered people to drag Wei Momo away and send her to one of the family’s estates outside the city to perform hard labor. As for any further punishment, that was not something suitable for public discussion. Afterward, she soothed the maids and old women standing nearby and ordered them to keep silent and withdraw.

Only after everyone had left, leaving behind a handful of trusted attendants, did Madam Pei finally relax somewhat and take Zhen Tingyun’s hand. “My good child, you’ve truly suffered a grievance. But this matter cannot be allowed to grow any larger. If word gets out, it will inevitably damage both your reputation and your sister’s, and it will reflect poorly on our family as well…”

Looking at the late hour, she added gently: “All right. It’s getting late. Go rest early. Don’t let this matter anger you so much that it harms your health.”

Zhen Tingyun nodded obediently. She rose, bowed respectfully to Madam Pei, and turned to leave.

Madam Pei watched her return to her room. Then she glanced at Zhen Yiyun and headed toward Zhen Yiyun’s room.

Naturally, Zhen Yiyun lowered her head and followed behind.

After returning to her room, Zhen Tingyun sat down and thought over the night’s events. Before long, she smiled to herself.

Madam Pei is probably going to have a private mother-daughter talk with Zhen Yiyun again.

After all, they’re the truly close mother and daughter. Scolding is affection and beating is love. Someone like me, who came from outside, can never compare…

At the thought, a mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips. Yet her tone remained bright and cheerful as she called out: “Bazhen, go to the box where I’ve stored my money and take out two pieces of silver for Pinglan and Qiusi. They worked hard tonight. They can use the money later to buy medicine for their hands.”

This was both a reward for their obedience and a way of winning people’s loyalty.

Neither Pinglan nor Qiusi had expected to receive a reward from Second Miss. For a moment, both were stunned. Only after a long pause did they lower their heads and thank her. “Thank you, Second Miss.” They had slapped Wei Momo many times earlier, and their palms were indeed burning painfully. They truly did need medicine.

Zhen Tingyun waved a hand, dismissing them to prepare water for her bath. Then she called Bazhen and Liushun over and lectured them: “Stop crying all the time. Tomorrow you’ll be serving at Grandmother’s side. You mustn’t behave as you did today. You two need to stand up straighter when dealing with people. Never show cowardice in front of others. Most people in this world are the same, they bully the weak and fear the strong. You think that enduring things and avoiding trouble is the best course, but you don’t realize that people like that never know when to stop. Seeing you endure, they only think you’re weak and easy to bully.”

Bazhen and Liushun hurriedly agreed.

They were deeply grateful that Zhen Tingyun had stood up for them, but both were clumsy with words and didn’t know how to express their feelings. All they could do was redden their eyes and solemnly promise: “This servant and Liushun will certainly serve Old Madam well.”

***

Meanwhile, Madam Pei led her eldest daughter, Zhen Yiyun, into the neighboring room.

Just as Zhen Tingyun had thought, “beating is affection and scolding is love.”

After dismissing all the servants attending them, Madam Pei could no longer hold herself back. She raised her hand and slapped Zhen Yiyun across the face.

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