Chapter 48: Instigation

Yang Siqiu spoke with great agitation. She clutched her chest as wave after wave of lingering fear washed over her, flushing her face. And understandably so—she had nearly lost half her life just moments ago, so her current anger was entirely reasonable.

"I truly almost failed to recognize you. Our Mistress Yang stays so deeply secluded within her quarters. This servant saw far too many people coming and going and simply didn't recall. When we came face-to-face just now, this servant honestly thought some maidservant from another courtyard had wandered over."

Zhulian spoke leisurely. Yang Siqiu's face darkened, and she said coldly, "You, girl, ought to open your eyes wide. Failing to recognize me is of no consequence, but when serving in the presence of the Secondary Consort, you must be more careful. With so many exalted persons about, should you mistake a noble person once again, I fear that pair of eyes of yours will not be spared."

Upon hearing this, Zhulian remained neither angered nor displeased; the expression on her face was serene and composed. She shifted her body slightly, ignoring Yang Siqiu's humiliated and indignant look, and suddenly raised her sleeve to block her face. "Why must Mistress work herself into such a frenzy? Your spittle is about to spray onto this servant's face."

"This matter requires no fretting from Mistress. As for that hound, it was raised by the Second Young Miss; why not let Mistress go right before the Secondary Consort and have a proper discussion about it?"

With just a single sentence, Yang Siqiu was choked into silence. The courage she had mustered moments before seemed to have been entirely exhausted in one go, and she lapsed back into her timid and submissive demeanor.

Shen Quanyi stepped forward, shielding the other woman behind her, her tone remaining gentle: "Mistress Yang was merely startled just now, and spoke somewhat hastily out of agitation. Girl Zhulian is a reasonable person; a few words need not be taken all the way before the Secondary Consort, lest it bring distress to Her Ladyship. Isn't that so?"

Zhulian managed to check her expression, raised a hand to signal that Shen Quanyi and her entourage should wait right there in the courtyard, and led the two women inside.

Stepping in for the very first time, Yang Siqiu was almost dazzled by the exquisite and rare precious treasures and ornaments decorating the room. It was only when Shen Quanyi gave her a gentle reminder that she regained her senses, lowered her gaze, and waited properly.

Through the nanmu and primrose-colored Kesi silk glazed screen, she could see a graceful and slender silhouette swaying gently upon it, accompanied by a sweet and soft tone: "Alright, why are you just standing there like posts? Come on in quickly."

Having received permission, the two of them bowed as they entered, lowering themselves to pay their respects. Gu Tan's voice came from overhead: "Oh, truly a rare hardship, to actually be able to see such a rare visitor as Mistress Yang."

Yang Siqiu kowtowed several times: "Her Ladyship possesses the beauty of a celestial being. This concubine has long wished to gaze upon you, but my health has always been poor, and I feared ruining Your Ladyship's joyous fortune."

Gu Tan wore a yellow brocade skirt with embroidered plum, bamboo, and orchid borders. Her hair was undone and draped loosely over her shoulders, lending her a softer and more delicate air than usual. Reclining against the edge of the soft couch, she raised her eyebrows slightly and merely flicked a hand, signaling the two of them to rise and take their seats properly to the side.

"I don't eat people. Raise your heads so I can have a look at you." Gu Tan's words fell.

Yang Siqiu was forced to raise her head, her face still stiffly forcing a flattering smile. She glanced sideways, only to see Shen Quanyi seated opposite her with her head lowered, making it impossible to read her expression. For a moment, a wave of nervousness gripped her, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on the hand warmer in her arms.

"What a pity, though. That face of yours—if the lamps are blown out at night, it might pass, but in the daylight, it is truly terrifying."

Gu Tan narrowed her eyes, withdrawing her gaze from Yang Siqiu with a trace of disgust.

That look burned deeply into Yang Siqiu, stripping away every last shred of her dignity. She bit her trembling lips, instinctively gripping the hand warmer tighter until the scorching heat dyed the back of her hand a vivid crimson.

Yang Siqiu lowered her head. Her nature had always been introverted and timid, and given that Gu Tan had practically orchestrated the ruin of her face in the first place, her inner dread ran all the deeper.

Despite such humiliation, she dared not utter a single word of retort.

"Sigh, you have truly endured untold suffering. Our Mistress Shen holds a place like a priceless treasure in the master's heart—even I cannot compare. With such favor, the two of you just happen to share the very same courtyard."

With that, Gu Tan sighed, her gaze mixed with pitying sympathy: "I suppose that when she is basking in glory and liveliness while you are left in a cold, desolate chamber, your heart must often grow quite chilled."

A cold shiver ran through Shen Quanyi's heart. Gu Tan's words today were blatantly meant to drive a wedge between them. She looked up at Yang Siqiu, and fortunately, the other woman's expression remained relatively steady. Lowering her gaze slightly, Yang Siqiu replied, "What is Your Ladyship saying? Whom the master chooses to favor is not something this concubine has any right to question. Besides, had it not been for Sister Shen back then, this concubine would likely have lost her life and never been able to sit here listening to Your Ladyship's teachings."

At these words, a cold glint gathered in the depths of Gu Tan's eyes. The corners of her mouth twitched upward. She picked up the tea bowl from the rosewood side table, took a sip, and then raised a hand to lightly veil her upturned, crimson lips, watching as Yang Siqiu's eyes widened roundly.

She murmured softly with a gentle sigh: "People always say that women are inherently narrow-minded. Let alone the matter of sharing a single husband, they would usually resort to every conceivable trick and means just to seize him for themselves."

Shen Quanyi gripped her hands tightly and glanced sideways. She saw that Yang Siqiu's complexion had grown somewhat unsightly. Yang Siqiu's dense, delicate eyelashes trembled slightly; she lowered her eyelids and maintained a silent expression on her face.

Yet deep within her heart surged an inexplicable emotion she could not quite name. She felt a rising wave of fear, which she forcefully suppressed as she listened without changing her expression to Gu Tan's words.

"Our Mistress Yang and Mistress Shen are not even blood sisters, yet living together in the same inner courtyard, you possess such broad and magnanimous tolerance. It is truly both exasperating and lamentable."

Following Gu Tan's words, Yang Siqiu lowered her head even further, acting like an ostrich wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself entirely.

"Indeed. If everyone in the world could possess Your Ladyship's boundless compassion, I suppose tragedies like the one that befell Sister Yang would never occur. Those two heartless, vicious, and malicious servants—what kind of malice must they have harbored in their hearts to commit acts of such cruelty against their own mistress?"

A warmth of gratitude stirred within Yang Siqiu's heart, but hearing such bold words spoken right in front of the primary mistress filled her with a lingering, faint terror. She gently shook her head toward Shen Quanyi, signaling her to speak no more on her behalf.

Shen Quanyi's tone had been gentle and soft, but falling into Gu Tan's ears, it stung as sharply as several silver needles. Gu Tan's eyes blazed as if filled with fire, shooting a glare at Shen Quanyi as though she longed to strip her of her life then and there. Yet beneath her towering rage, she forced herself to calm down.

She gently stroked her own belly, her tone leisurely: "Ah, what deep sisterly affection indeed. I only hope that when Mistress Shen enjoys the master's favors in the days to come, she will remember to pity Mistress Yang huddled away in her cold room, and not let this sisterly bond remain mere empty words."

With that, the corners of her crimson lips curved slightly upward, forming a brilliant, gentle smile: "What do you say, Mistress Yang?"

Yang Siqiu, who had been sitting rigidly with an ashen face for half the day, stood up and uttered the most fluent words she had spoken since entering the room. She bowed deeply and said, "This concubine thanks Your Ladyship for your concern, but this concubine was originally of mere willow-like common looks, and now this face bears an even more terrifying appearance. How could one dare to show such a face before the master? I fear it would only bring the master added annoyance."

Everyone knew this was no mere self-deprecation; it was genuinely pitiful. A trace of sorrow flickered through Shen Quanyi's heart.

Meeting Yang Siqiu's clear, black-and-white eyes—if one looked closely enough, a few shreds of profound grief could still be seen within them—Gu Tan averted her gaze and raised a hand to gently massage the back of her own neck.

"Mistress Yang is certainly candid."

Yang Siqiu let out a self-deprecating laugh: "With this appearance of mine, anyone can see it. If I were not candid, I truly would become a laughingstock."