Chapter 5
If he was pretending, then his performance was flawless.
Because of the Ninth Prince, Yanxi began treating me as a thorn in her flesh. When the household sent an assortment of toys for entertaining children to my courtyard, her eyes went red with jealousy.
Whenever the Ninth Prince visited, they prepared all kinds of food and cakes and kept him for a meal. He would linger until just before nightfall, then leave reluctantly after making me promise he could return the next day.
After seeing him off, Yanxi stood by the courtyard gate and sneered, “What? Do you really think you can rise above your station and turn into a phoenix?”
I wanted to retort, You certainly wish you could, but the Ninth Prince will not even look at you.
Matron Cai stood nearby and barked, “Insolence!”
Yanxi was slapped twice. Her face swelled, and she stared at me with hurt and hatred.
“Miss Jinxi, please come with this servant.”
I lowered my head and followed her without asking where we were going or why.
At this point, the Marquis’s household would neither kill me nor ruin my reputation without reason. I had no need to fear for my immediate safety.
This was the first time I stood before the Marquis—and the first time he truly looked at me.
On the few occasions our paths had crossed before, he had never spared us so much as a glance.
“You are Jinxi?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Raise your head.”
I looked up at the massive man seated in the place of honor.
My elder sister resembled him almost perfectly.
“Have you grown accustomed to living here these past few years?”
I nodded.
No one visits without a reason, and a weasel paying respects to a hen never means well.
If he had suddenly begun asking such questions, he almost certainly meant to use me in some scheme.
“My wife and I have discussed it. We intend to formally recognize you as a legitimate daughter of this household. We will choose an auspicious day to enter your name in the Meng clan genealogy, and you may live in the courtyard beside Zhen’er’s. What do you say?”
What did I say?
Did I have a choice?
Compared with being handed over as someone’s concubine with no proper name or status, being recognized as a legitimate daughter and entered in the genealogy was as good as announcing my existence to the world.
Matron Cai gave me a small push from behind and urged, “Second Young Lady, hurry and kneel to thank them.”
I pressed my lips together and knelt. “Thank you, my lord and my lady.”
“We will overlook it this time. From now on, you are to call us Father and Mother. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Father.”
The Marquis nodded and signaled for me to rise.
After instructing me to obey my legitimate mother and ask her for anything I lacked, he left for the front courtyard.
The Marchioness shed her former aloofness and drew me down beside her. “Good child, from the first moment I saw you, I knew there was a bond between us.
“Mother has neglected you these past two years, but there is a long future ahead. I will make it up to you.”
I nodded lightly, every inch the sweet, obedient girl.
I suspected something had happened on the Ninth Prince’s side—something involving me that would benefit the Marquis’s household.
The Marchioness handed me an embroidered box. “Now that you are my daughter, how can you have no spending money of your own?
“Come. Mother will show you your courtyard. Whatever is missing, we will have it supplied at once.”
She held my hand with extravagant affection.
The moment we entered, the maids and older servants cleaning the courtyard bowed. “Greetings, my lady. Greetings, Second Young Lady.”
“All of you listen carefully. Jinxi is the mistress of this courtyard from now on. If any of you dare shirk your duties, do not blame me when I punish you severely.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The rooms had already been cleaned. Maids worked methodically, arranging the sheets, quilts, and bed curtains.
“This will do for today. Tomorrow, Mother will have fabrics and jewelry sent over. You can take your time choosing. We will keep whatever you like.”
I nodded and thanked her softly. “Thank you… Mother.”