Lanyin woke up this morning.
The sky had cleared, presenting a vast blue sea and a radiant golden sun. She sat in her room having breakfast, while Shi Yu chatted beside her. “Shan Xi has already gone to the city. I relayed your instructions to him as you requested.”
They were discussing the matter of buying a house.
Lanyin sipped her plain porridge. “There’s no need to rush if it can’t be bought immediately. It’s fine if the price is a bit higher, but safety is paramount.”
Shi Yu smiled. “Don’t worry, Shan Xi is a clever one.” Mentioning Shan Xi reminded her of the smart young servant she had seen in the rain yesterday. “By the way, yesterday I noticed a clever servant sent over by Chen Fu. He was the one attending to Lord Qi yesterday. Since you don’t have many people you can use now, why don’t I have him come over later for you to take a look?”
Lanyin, however, had no intention of personally vetting him. She simply lowered her eyes, blowing on her porridge, and said, “If you think he’s good, then keep him. Just make sure to investigate his background thoroughly.”
The few maids by her side were exceptional in both loyalty and capability. Although Shi Yu could be impulsive at times, she had never made a mistake in important matters.
If Shi Yu said someone was good, Lanyin trusted her judgment. Indeed, she was currently in need of capable people.
Just after finishing breakfast and taking a sip of tea, Ting Yun arrived. “Mistress, the people from the estate and those we brought from the Earl’s residence are waiting outside. Will you see them now, or shall we let them wait a bit longer?”
“Let’s go.”
Lanyin set down her teacup and stood up.
Since she was going to meet the servants, she didn’t dress as elaborately as she had the day before. She wore a apricot-colored straight-collar long gown with a peony and bird pattern, paired with a crimson horse-face skirt. Most horse-face skirts have decorative stripes, but since hers was mostly covered by the long gown, revealing only a finger’s width of the hem, she chose one without stripes. Her hair was styled into a high bun, adorned with two gold peony-shaped hairpins and a set of gem-encrusted gold headpieces.
Accustomed to such attire, Lanyin didn’t find her reflection in the mirror unfamiliar.
Stepping outside, she saw a large crowd gathered. Song Yue and some attendants led Chen Fu and the men from the estate to one side, bowing their heads in greeting. On the other side were the maids and elderly women Lanyin had brought from the Earl’s residence, along with the women from the estate. Hearing the commotion, they also greeted her.
Ting Yun had already set up a grand chair for her under the corridor earlier, with a side table holding tea and snacks.
Lanyin sat down.
She had no intention of putting on airs and spoke in a gentle tone. “You are all long-time followers of mine. My current situation, you may know or have inquired about, so I won’t elaborate further.”
Unclear of her intentions, the people below looked somewhat nervous.
Lanyin continued calmly, speaking slowly. “I called you here today for one matter only.” She paused, holding her teacup and taking a sip. “When you followed me before, I was the wife of the Earl’s heir, and naturally, you enjoyed some prestige. But now, I am alone, and it’s likely that there won’t be as much wealth and honor for you to share in the future.”
“After all, we have been master and servant. If any of you have better opportunities, I won’t stand in your way. Whether you are family servants or were sold to me by a broker, if you wish to leave, just inform Ting Yun. After recording your name, taking your deed, and receiving five taels of silver, our master-servant relationship will end there.”
There was a commotion below.
Lanyin watched as people whispered among themselves below, but she did not interrupt, merely waiting for the voices to gradually die down before speaking again: “For those who do not wish to leave, things will continue as they were before. Though I am a woman, I still have some modest property and savings, enough that you will not go hungry. However, let me state this in advance—I cannot tolerate those who bite the hand that feeds them, nor will I condone those who harbor divided loyalties. If anyone stays behind only to spy for others, it is best to leave as soon as possible. If I later find out that someone like that remains by my side, I will certainly not show them any kindness.”
Lanyin’s tone was gentle, and her face still bore a smile, but those familiar with her temperament knew that she was not joking.
The courtyard fell into silence. After a short while, Hong Xing and a few maidservants were the first to speak, “This servant will not leave. The mistress has shown us kindness as great as a mountain—how could we leave you at a time like this? Besides, the mistress has a good temper and treats us well. No matter where we go, we are still serving others, so why should we serve those whose background and temperament we do not even know?”
Once someone spoke up, more and more people gradually echoed similar sentiments.
Chen Fu even said to Lanyin, “Mistress, you need not say more. Yesterday, I already asked the people in the estate, and no one wishes to leave. We were all assigned to you by the Old Madam. If she were to learn that we had abandoned you, how would we ever have the face to return to Jinling in the future? As for the others, they know of your kindness—you take at most only sixty percent of the rent each year, and when there is a drought and the crops are scarce, you even reduce the rent. Compared to those landlords who skin people alive, you are our living Bodhisattva.”
As soon as he finished speaking, many others immediately voiced their agreement.
Listening to them speak one after another, the initially composed expression on Lanyin’s face gradually softened.
She had not expected that they would all be willing to stay.
She set down the tea cup in her hand and stood up.
The wind stirred the bamboo chimes, carrying the chirping of birds. Standing under the corridor, Lanyin’s robes, embroidered with large peony flowers, fluttered in midair, yet her posture remained upright, as if no storm could ever bend her even a fraction. “I accept your goodwill, and I also promise you that aside from my status as the Shizi’s wife, whatever I could give you before, I will not reduce by even a single portion in the future.”
Laughter filled the courtyard, lively and joyous.
Lanyin continued to chat with them, smiling.
She had a good temper and always carried a warm smile. Some of the estate women who had initially been a little afraid of her now gathered the courage to invite her to visit the estate, saying that the fruits had grown well this year. Lanyin naturally agreed to each request.
After they left, Lanyin was just about to return to her room when she noticed that Shi Yu’s expression seemed somewhat off.
“What’s wrong?”
“That servant I mentioned to you earlier…” Shi Yu bit her lip. “He’s gone.”
“He’s gone?” Lanyin frowned.
“I had planned to go find him just now, but I didn’t see him among the crowd. I had Song Yue search for him, but even after combing through the entire residence, he was nowhere to be found. I also asked Chen Fu, and he said he hadn’t seen him return either.” Shi Yu bit her lip and suddenly asked Lanyin, “Do you think he could have been sent by the Shizi?”
“No.”
Without a second thought, Lanyin denied it. Xiao Ye wouldn’t do such a thing. He was still angry, and not only would he not send someone to inquire about her, but he probably wouldn’t even allow others to mention her name.
“Did you ask Chen Fu about that person’s background?” she asked Shi Yu.
Shi Yu quickly replied, “He said the boy is an orphan. Seeing that he was clever and diligent, Chen Fu sent him over to serve.” She then added with some frustration, “He’s really too careless, sending just anyone over to you. Thankfully, nothing happened. If something had gone wrong…”
She trailed off, visibly shaken.
Lanyin also frowned. “Tell Song Yue to keep a close eye on the estate these days. Be more cautious when going out. Also, give Chen Fu a reminder, but keep your temper in check when you speak to him. He meant well, but someone with ulterior motives might have taken advantage of his kindness.”
Shi Yu nodded.
She was still pale, and Lanyin’s expression wasn’t much better. The thought of an unidentified person being assigned to serve Qi Yubai yesterday made her uneasy. Fortunately, nothing had happened. If something had gone wrong, she would have owed him even more.
As she was thinking about Qi Yubai, a familiar female voice suddenly rang out nearby.
“Sister-in-law!”
Lanyin turned and saw Xiao Siyu, dressed in yellow, running toward her like a fledgling bird returning to its nest. Before Lanyin and Shi Yu could react, Xiao Siyu had already thrown herself into Lanyin’s arms, hugging her tightly. The impact caused Lanyin to stumble back a few steps. Shi Yu’s face changed, and she was about to intervene, but Lanyin waved her off, signaling her to leave first. After Shi Yu left, Lanyin steadied herself and looked down at Xiao Siyu, who was nestled in her arms, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Lanyin smiled and teased, “You’re a mother now. How can you still act like a child?”
“I only act like a child with you,” Xiao Siyu mumbled, still clinging to her.
Ting Yun, who had just returned from her errands, saw the scene and smiled. “Second Young Miss is here.” She then turned to Lanyin and said, “It’s windy outside. Why don’t you and Second Young Miss go inside to talk?”
Though the day was actually calm and sunny, Lanyin glanced at Xiao Siyu and nodded. She led her into the house, and Ting Yun thoughtfully had tea and snacks brought in before leaving with the others. Lanyin placed a plate of butterfly pastries in front of Xiao Siyu. “You’ve heard everything, haven’t you?”
Xiao Siyu stared at the pastries, her favorite treat, but today she had no appetite. She just looked at Lanyin, her eyes unblinking and red as if they were bleeding. “Sister-in-law, are you abandoning us?”
Lanyin smiled at her. “When did I ever say I was abandoning you? You’re the little sister I’ve watched grow up. No matter what, I’ll always consider you my sister.” But she never mentioned Xiao Ye.
Xiao Siyu understood her resolve. She wanted to persuade Lanyin, to speak on her brother’s behalf, but the scene from this morning and her brother’s behavior made her so frustrated that she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.
She bit into a butterfly pastry as if venting her anger, crumbs scattering across her mouth and the table. Lanyin found it amusing and used a handkerchief to wipe her mouth. “How’s Lin’er?” she asked.
At the mention of her son, Xiao Siyu’s tense expression softened slightly. A smile crept into her eyes, though she complained, “He’s like a little pig, eating and sleeping all day. And he’s so silly. If you shake a rattle in front of him, he just stares at you dumbly.”
Lanyin laughed. “He’s just a newborn. What do you expect, for him to play with you? Once I move to the city, I’ll come see him.”
Xiao Siyu was stunned. She even stopped eating the pastry and asked hesitantly, “Sister-in-law, are you buying a house?”
Lanyin nodded. “I can’t stay at the estate forever.” Seeing Xiao Siyu’s lips part and close several times without saying anything, Lanyin smiled gently and added, “Once I’ve bought the house and moved in, I’ll invite you over.”
Xiao Siyu didn’t know what to say.
As Xiao Ye’s sister, she should try her best to persuade Lanyin to stay. But beyond that identity, seeing how much happier Lanyin seemed compared to when she was at home, Xiao Siyu couldn’t bring herself to say anything to dissuade her. After a long silence, she finally said nothing.
She simply placed the half-eaten pastry on the table, wiped her hands clean, and then moved to sit beside Lanyin. She buried her face in Lanyin’s waist and hugged her tightly.
The last time she had hugged her sister-in-law like this was when the Xiao family was in trouble.
Back then, her father was in prison, her brother was running around outside, and her mother had fallen ill from anxiety. She couldn’t help with anything, and no one had time to care for her. Only her sister-in-law held the family together, striving to maintain a semblance of normalcy while noticing her distress. Despite being exhausted, her sister-in-law would push open her door at night to comfort her.
Back then, she had hugged her sister-in-law just like this.
“Sister-in-law, why did things turn out this way?” Xiao Siyu asked, her voice choked with sobs.
Lanyin gently stroked her head and, after a long silence, said, “Perhaps it was wrong from the very beginning.”
If she had resolutely chosen to step back after learning about Xiao Ye and Gu Qing’s past, instead of asking Xiao Ye and believing his decision to choose her, then perhaps none of this would have happened.
“It’s not your fault! It’s my brother’s fault! He’s the one who’s blind!” Xiao Siyu was furious and heartbroken on Lanyin’s behalf.
But Lanyin only smiled.
She lowered her eyes. “When it comes to love, it’s never just one person’s fault.”
Just like with Lady Xu.
If she had discussed things with Xiao Ye first, asked for his opinion before making a decision, then perhaps they wouldn’t have been so at odds during that time. She hadn’t asked Xiao Ye because she was certain that his kindness toward her was only temporary. She had never believed that he would steadfastly choose her.
But how could she trust him completely?
The man who had bowed to heaven and earth with her during their wedding, who had promised in front of family and friends to treat her well for a lifetime—yet would turn away at a single tear or a letter from Gu Qing. How could she trust such a person? She had given him chances. When she was a new bride, she had blushed for him, had been moved and delighted by a roasted sweet potato he casually bought for her. But such fleeting moments of affection weren’t enough to make her trust him wholeheartedly.
“Ah Yu, not all couples in this world can be like you and Yici.”
Childhood sweethearts, inseparable, each the other’s most steadfast choice.
Too many people were like her and Xiao Ye.
In her past life, Lanyin had thought that living like this for a lifetime would be enough. After all, it wasn’t just her and Xiao Ye who were like this. But now, she was tired. She no longer wanted to exhaust herself managing a large family, only to be met with the words—
“Gu Lanyin, you’re truly heartless.”