Chapter 3

“If it hadn't been for you today, who knows what a disaster we might have had.”

“I've watched you grow up. You're honest and dependable, not the sort to cause trouble. With you beside the heir, I can rest easy.”

Such was a maid's life.

Other people decided everything. Nothing was truly up to us.

I bowed my forehead to the ground in thanks.

And I promised her, “I will serve the heir well, Old Madam.”

Only then did she leave, satisfied.

I heard from the other maids that Old Madam's matrons had punished Tan Yin until she was half dead.

“Someone in the servants' quarters told me there wasn't an uninjured patch of skin on her when they brought her over.”

With Tan Yin gone from the heir's courtyard, I became the head maid.

Old Madam had made an example of her. The other maids were much more subdued now. No one competed to attend Shen Que anymore.

Shen Que was reading in his study when the teapot ran dry.

His page called several times.

The maids all kept out of the way, pretending to be too busy to leave their work.

In the end, as the least occupied person there, I had no choice but to go in and refill it.

The moment I finished, I turned to leave.

Then Shen Que spoke.

“I remember you used to share a room with Tan Yin.”

For Shen Que to remember even such a small detail as who shared her room showed just how special Tan Yin was to him.

I lowered my head.

“Yes, my lord. Tan Yin and I used to share a room.”

Shen Que nodded.

Then he asked, “I heard the other maids say Old Madam had sent for Tan Yin that day.”

“Why did you go to Old Madam instead?”

I did not know why he was asking.

Did he suspect me?

Was he testing something?

I pressed my lips together.

“You had just returned drunk that day, my lord. Perhaps you don't remember. You asked for Tan Yin by name to attend you in your room.”

“So I told her to stay here while I went to explain to Old Madam for her.”

Even with my head bowed, I could feel Shen Que's searching gaze.

“Is that so?”

When Shen Que came home, he had been drugged, but he had not been so drunk as to lose consciousness.

He knew I was telling the truth.

After a silence, he spoke again.

“You used to share a room with Tan Yin. I imagine you two got along well.”

I did not rush to answer.

Shen Que took a bundle from beneath the desk. It had clearly been ready for some time. He held it out to me.

“There is some medicine for her injuries in here.”

“I'd like you to take it to her for me, in person.”

He gave a rueful smile.

“Old Madam has been keeping a very close eye on me lately. If I take her the medicine myself, I'm afraid it will only make things harder for her.”

“You used to serve in Old Madam's courtyard. She trusts you. You're the best person to deliver it.”

“Miss Yun He, what brings you here?”

I had deliberately chosen the servants' mealtime to come over, yet someone still spotted me.

Luckily, she had once worked under Matron Liu and knew me.

I weighed the bundle in my hand.

“Tan Yin used to share my room in the heir's courtyard. She left some things behind when she moved out. I've brought them over.”

Once she knew why I had come, she pointed me in the right direction.

“Tan Yin's in the room at the far end. Go on in.”

I smiled and thanked her.

The servants' quarters were a far cry from what Tan Yin had been used to.

When I found her, she was wearing coarse cloth that had rubbed her delicate skin red.

Without proper treatment, her wounds had begun to fester.

I could even smell a sour odor coming from her.

“What are you doing here?”

Tan Yin was astonished to see me.

But her surprise soon turned to anger.

She glared at me.

“Did you tell Old Madam? Are you the one who did this to me?”

“How else could everything have worked out so neatly? The heir just happened to be drugged, you just happened to go to Old Madam in my place, and Old Madam just happened to catch us together.”

It seemed Tan Yin still knew nothing of the plans the heir had made for her.

I tossed the bundle onto the table.

“What's that?”

“Medicine for your injuries.”

Hearing that, Tan Yin grew even more wary.

“Since when were you so kind?”

She was now convinced I was responsible for her predicament.

“The heir told me to bring it.”

I had not wanted to make this trip.

I had tried to refuse Shen Que.

“Matron Liu said Old Madam forbade anyone to bring Tan Yin medicine.”

Shen Que's face immediately darkened.

“That's why I'm asking you.”

He sighed.

“Yun He, you serve in my courtyard now.”

“I am your master.”

I understood what he meant.

Whether I wanted to or not, I would have to deliver the medicine.

“The heir also told me to pass on a message. He says you should focus on recovering. Once a little time has passed and he's made the arrangements, he'll send you out of the household.”

Tan Yin's eyes immediately reddened.

“He wants to send me away? How could he bear to? I don't believe it.”

She could believe it or not.

I had delivered the message.

My mind was so full on the way back that I walked straight into someone.

If Old Madam discovered I had taken Tan Yin medicine, there would certainly be trouble.

To avoid being seen, I had deliberately chosen a deserted path.

How could I still run into someone on a path so little used that even the steps were covered in moss?

Bewildered, I steadied myself and looked up.

I met a pair of smiling eyes.

“Second Young Master?”

Shen Yu stood with his arms folded, looking down at me, his handsome features open and clear.

“What are you doing here?”

He made no attempt to hide it.

“Waiting for you.”

He glanced toward the servants' quarters behind me.

“I was practicing in the plum grove when I saw you carrying a bundle over there. I knew you'd come back this way, so I waited.”

I immediately lowered my head, no longer daring to meet his eyes.

“Why were you waiting for me?”

I felt guilty, afraid he knew I had just delivered medicine to Tan Yin.

Shen Yu laughed softly.

He brought a string of beads out from behind his back and held them before me on his open palm.

“For you.”

The beads were not made of anything costly, but the workmanship was exquisite.

And…

“I made them myself.”

That made me even less willing to accept them.

“I appreciate your kindness, Second Young Master. But I've done nothing to deserve a gift…”

Before I could finish my polite refusal, Shen Yu put the bracelet around my wrist himself.

“I had these beads blessed. They'll keep you safe.”

“Second Young Master, I can't accept this.”

I slipped the bracelet off and tried to give it back.

Shen Yu would not take it.

He remained where he was, a shadow settling between his brows.

“Yun He, has something happened?”

“Since I came home, I've felt that you're not the same as before.”

He paused.

“And why are you so distant with me now?”

Few people visited the plum grove in summer. The maids were lazy about sweeping it, too.

The wind lifted the dry leaves from the ground, then let them fall, over and over.

“Can you tell me what's troubling you? Is there anything I can do to help?”

For a long time, I said nothing. I did not know how to answer.

“Yun He.”

Someone suddenly called my name.

Matron Liu was coming toward us from Old Madam's courtyard.

Instinctively, I pushed Shen Yu behind the wall, out of sight.

The plum grove was deserted, and the household had only just dealt with the scandal involving Tan Yin and Shen Que.

If anyone saw Shen Yu and me here, no amount of explaining would clear things up.

“What are you doing here? Old Madam wants to see you.”

I made up an excuse and hurried the matron straight back to Old Madam's courtyard.

Old Madam did not yet know I had taken Tan Yin medicine. She had summoned me to ask how Shen Que had been these past two days.

“He hasn't left his courtyard, Old Madam. He spends most of his time reading in the study.”

Old Madam was very pleased and asked several more questions.

While we were talking, Matron Liu came in.

“The heir is here.”

Old Madam disliked the fuss of formal visits and had excused the younger generation from paying their respects morning and evening.

Shen Que might go ten days or a fortnight without visiting her. For him to turn up so suddenly today, he probably still did not trust me. He must be afraid I would tell Old Madam he had sent me to deliver medicine to Tan Yin.

The matron had barely finished speaking when Shen Que entered, with Shen Yu behind him.

Shen Yu did not so much as glance at me after coming in.

At last, as though only just noticing me standing to one side, Shen Que asked, “What is a maid from my courtyard doing here, Grandmother?”

“What's this? Have I treated you so badly that you've come running to Grandmother to complain?”

Only then did Shen Yu speak up for me.

“She used to serve in Grandmother's courtyard. There's nothing strange about her coming back for a visit.”

Shen Que looked surprised.

“You know even a little detail like that, Yu?”

He looked at me, then at Shen Yu beside him.

“You know Yun He—from my courtyard?”

Shen Que deliberately stressed the words “from my courtyard.”

Shen Yu's expression darkened. He forced out a curt reply.

“No.”

I lowered my eyes. Someone was angry.

I should not have pushed him away earlier.

Old Madam took up Shen Yu's explanation and spoke for me.

“Complain? What nonsense.”

“She's the head maid in your courtyard now. I called her over to ask whether you needed more servants. We've just brought in a new group of maids, all bright girls. If you're short of help, I can send you two.”

Shen Que's lips curved slightly.

“And here I thought you were worried about me, Grandmother, and had sent someone to keep watch.”

He declined her offer of more maids.

Then he took me away with him.