Chapter 1: A Delicate Dodder Vine
The sky had not yet fully brightened. The vermillion-lacquered gates of the Marquis of Jingyuan's estate remained tightly shut, their animal-headed bronze studs gleaming coldly in the dim morning light. At the secluded western side gate, a burly matron led a line of young maidservants, tiptoeing across the threshold and heading straight for the main residence in the inner quarters.
"Quiet!"
The matron walked briskly, turning her head to lower her voice in warning. "The mistress is a light sleeper. If any of you disturb her, you'll answer for it with your skin!"
At these words, the maids in their thin clothing shivered uncontrollably. They lowered their heads, practically walking on tiptoes, their hearts filled with trepidation.
These were newly purchased maids. The marquis' household had strict rules; they were originally meant to remain in the outer compound for training under specialized matrons before being allowed inside. But unexpected changes had occurred. Last month, the Second Master, who had been guarding the northwest border, returned to the capital by imperial decree. With the entire capital watching, the household had to both welcome the Second Master and entertain guests. Additionally, the marquis' wife, Madam Yan, had just given birth to a young master and was physically exhausted. The estate was severely short-handed, so they had to make do by pressing these new recruits into service.
The estate was deep and sprawling. The Marquis of Jingyuan's household had been illustrious for generations. Over a decade ago, when the Prince of Wu rebelled, all the men of the household donned armor and went to battle. The eldest young master, Gu Yan, was brilliantly clever and a master strategist in warfare. With only thirty thousand Black Armor Army troops, he crushed the Prince of Wu's several hundred thousand soldiers, achieving glorious military merits. The emperor personally ennobled him as a supra-rank Marquis of Jingyuan, a hereditary title, and additionally appointed him as Crown Prince Senior Tutor, entrusting him with the important task of educating the crown prince. The second young master, Gu Yuan, held military command guarding the northwest, protecting the region's stability.
Since then, Marquis Gu Yan had consolidated the court's foundations in the capital, while Second Master Gu Yuan held the tiger tally, commanding nearly half of the imperial troops. The Marquis of Jingyuan's household wielded immense power, ranking highest among the capital's nobility, and this had continued for over ten years.
It was true that the marquis' household enjoyed luxury—even its maids were more respectable than commoners. But making a living in such an illustrious family was inevitably difficult. Even the Metropolitan Magistrate dared not interfere in the marquis' affairs. A few deaths were like small stones thrown into rivers and lakes, unable to raise even a ripple.
"Fortunately, the mistress is kind and benevolent. As long as you know your place, you'll have your share of benefits. But if anyone harbors ill intentions... hmph..."
Before the moon gate, the matron narrowed her eyes, delivering the customary warnings to newcomers—a mix of threat and reward. After this display of authority and benevolence, she looked satisfied at the quail-like obedience of the group. With a wave of her plump hand, she handed them over to the matron overseeing the inner quarters.
The need for personnel was urgent this time; they hadn't been fully trained in rules, but all were from respectable families she had carefully selected. One thing she had said was correct: the current marquis' wife, Yan Xuerui, indeed had a gentle temperament, unlike typical noble matrons who often punished servants to assert authority. The older servants in the household knew that Madam Yan came from a merchant background. Among scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants ranked lowest. Moreover, the Yan family were not tycoons but an ordinary perfumery family from Yangzhou. With such status, she had initially been the eldest young master's concubine.
However, Madam Yan was divinely beautiful and deeply loved by the eldest young master. Since his coming of age, the eldest young master had taken only this one beautiful concubine—no wife, not even a bedwarming maid. After several years, when the eldest young master was ennobled as Marquis of Jingyuan, he used his military merits to petition for a formal title for Madam Yan, finally making her status legitimate.
This was old history from years ago, rarely mentioned in the household. Now, the marquis and Madam Yan were devoted to each other. The marquis' inner compound was uniquely tranquil in the entire capital, free of other romantic attachments, with only the two sons and one daughter under Madam Yan's care.
The eldest young master, Ming Lan, had followed the Second Master to guard the border since childhood. Nearing twenty, he excelled in riding and archery, possessed handsome features, and was full of high spirits. The second young miss, Ming Wei, two years younger than her brother, was currently studying at the academy on White Deer Mountain in the capital's outskirts. She was one of the few female disciples exceptionally admitted to the academy, returning home once every month or so. As for the young master, he was born to the marquis and Madam Yan in their later years. He had just passed his third-day birth ceremony. That day, the palace bestowed several chests of treasures, and the procession of palace attendants seemed endless. Such magnificence was evident even from a small glimpse.
***
The matron in charge of the newcomers had sharp eyes. The young girls before her bowed their heads submissively. Some stole glances at the extravagantly carved beams and painted rafters, while others were terrified by the previous matron's warnings, their expressions fearful and uneasy. The matron carefully scanned them all, then reached out.
"You, what's your name?"
The pointed-out maid seemed surprised. After a slight pause, she immediately stepped forward and curtsied. "This lowly one is named Yao Er, from Yangzhou."
"Yangzhou?" The matron's eyes flickered, her expression unreadable. "Yangzhou is far from the capital."
Yao Er kept her eyes downcast. "Yes. Two years ago, disaster struck Yangzhou. This lowly one followed my parents to the capital to seek refuge with my aunt. Now both parents have passed, so my aunt found me this position."
Two years ago, there had indeed been an epidemic in Yangzhou that even alarmed the emperor. The matron pondered for a moment. "You... come with me. The rest wait here for a moment until the matron teaches you the rules."
Hearing this, Yao Er looked slightly surprised but said nothing more. She obediently followed the matron, pricking up her ears to listen to the matron's "advice."
It turned out that Madam Yan loved blending perfumes. The marquis had specially allocated a large conservatory and perfumery for her in the inner compound. It was early spring, the season when flowers were budding. Those precious flowers were more delicate than people and required specialized care. Unfortunately, a maid from the flower room had stumbled and fallen into a well last night in the dark and died.
At this critical time of need, no area could be neglected, especially Madam Yan's. Yao Er had the best manners earlier, and coincidentally, she was from Yangzhou, sharing the same origins as Madam Yan's maternal family, so she was fortunate enough to be selected for the main residence.
The matron, fearing she might offend the nobles, gave Yao Er many pointers both openly and covertly. Yao Er memorized them while secretly observing her surroundings with side-long glances.
It was somewhat strange.
When she first entered the marquis' estate, the stone lions outside glared fiercely, and the vermilion gates were towering. Inside, the upturned eaves and bracket sets were magnificent, displaying the marquis' grandeur, but there were surprisingly few guards at the gates.
Until they entered the great garden.
The great garden was the boundary between the front and inner compounds. There were guards at all four entrances—east, south, west, and north—checking everyone's waist tokens for entry and exit. The shifts were strict and rigorous. Beyond the great garden were the women's quarters. The marquis had few female family members; other courtyards were relatively closer, just through the great garden, but Madam Yan's main residence was unusually remote.
They had to go further back, through a long covered corridor, then step onto a stone-paved secluded path, passing through three moon gates. The entire journey took a full half an hour. High walls and deep gates, layer upon layer of barriers, with many women guards encountered along the way—firm stances, sharp eyes, clearly trained fighters.
After many twists and turns, as the sky began to brighten, the view suddenly opened up, and they finally arrived at Madam Yan's courtyard. Yao Er secretly breathed a sigh of relief. A thin layer of sweat had formed on her back. Not only was she tired, but the people they encountered along the way felt more like prison guards than protectors, their oppressive presence unsettling. Only upon entering the main courtyard did it feel like stepping from a deep prison into a peaceful haven.
The atmosphere was completely different from the oppressive vibe on the way here. As soon as they entered, a fresh fragrance wafted over—not the cloying sweetness of flowers but something... Yao Er couldn't quite describe it, like the morning mist permeating the mountains, or the soil after rain. It reminded her of the wind in the fields, refreshing and soothing.
There were no "prison guards" here. The maids in the main courtyard were clearly more presentable than elsewhere, each with neat features, wearing pea-green vests over tender pink long skirts, complementing the peach, apricot, and flowering crabapple flowers in the courtyard. Colorful koi swam in the pond, a scene full of spring vitality.
"Miss Bi He, is the mistress awake yet?"
The matron spoke politely to a maid with a cheerful face, round and with curved eyebrows, outside the room.
"Just finished washing up, hasn't eaten yet."
Bi He smiled warmly, nodding at them. Her peripheral glance fell on Yao Er behind her. The matron quickly called Yao Er forward to pay respects and explain her background.
Although a maid wasn't much, the flower room was the mistress's favorite. With a new face arriving, she needed to kowtow to the mistress and acknowledge her master.
No one would be so foolish as to disturb the master during mealtime. After a while, several maids with double buns entered in procession carrying tea, pastries, and breakfast. It was said that wealthy families had many rules; Yao Er now witnessed it. For just one breakfast, over a dozen trays were brought in and out. They waited a full half an hour before hearing Bi He's voice from inside.
"Matron, come in."
Yao Er straightened up immediately, gathering her focus to follow inside. The furnishings that met her eyes were extremely luxurious and opulent. The peony petals on the red sandalwood screen layered outward. The curio shelf displayed gleaming oriental pearls—any single item was priceless. But at this moment, the dazzling treasures paled instantly. Everyone's eyes were only on the picturesque beauty by the window.
She reclined on a Xiangfei bamboo daybed, her skin snow-white and flawless. Her dark hair was loosely tied in a married woman's bun, a few strands falling at her neck. She reached out to adjust them. The rosy morning light filtered through the window lattice, scattering in fragments over her dark hair and lashes. Under the dappled light, she had an ethereal, illusory quality, as if not of this world.
She was truly beautiful. No wonder...
"Audacious!"
The matron's stern voice snapped Yao Er out of her thoughts. As if waking from a dream, she hurriedly lowered her head to apologize. "Mistress, forgive this lowly one's offense. I know my error."
"It's fine."
Before the matron could reprimand further, Yan Xuerui waved her hand, speaking gently. "She looks clever. Although the marquis' household has strict rules, as long as she knows her place, all will be well."
Her voice was soothing, like a spring breeze brushing past the ear. Yao Er, now clear-headed from that mesmerizing beauty, secretly observed her.
Madam Yan had features like a painting, the most beautiful being her eyes—bright as stars, sparkling and lively, like the spring waters of Jiangnan, brimming with shimmering light, gentle and affectionate.
Her clothing was light and silken, clearly of the finest material, yet not ostentatious. She wore a lotus-root-colored thin gauze jacket over a light green jacquard long skirt. The ruyi-patterned brocade belt accentuated a waist so slender it seemed it could break with a fold—looking precious and fragile.
Beautiful indeed, but like a dodder vine. A pity for such city-toppling beauty.
Yao Er lowered her eyes, curtsied, and said softly, "Yes, this lowly one will carefully follow the mistress's instructions."