Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The visitor was a young woman.

She introduced herself as the trusted confidante and right hand of the marquis’s eldest son.

While Master and Madam Jiang received her, Miss and I hid behind a screen and watched.

The woman wore magnificent robes and arrived surrounded by several maids. She displayed the marquis estate’s waist token as though the eldest son himself had come, then spoke with breathtaking arrogance.

“With the wedding so near, Jiang Wanning conducts herself shamelessly and carries on with a scholar. Does Master Jiang not owe us an explanation?”

Being accused so bluntly by a slip of a girl turned Master Jiang’s face iron blue. He forced himself to explain, “Scholar Zhang was beguiled by a pig demon. The matter had nothing to do with my daughter.”

The woman gave a scornful laugh. “Do you take me for a fool?”

The tale of the pig demon existed for those willing to believe it. If the marquis household wanted to use the story against Miss, nothing stopped them. Song Jing had doubts but did not come to discuss them himself. Sending a woman to interrogate us was an obvious attempt to humiliate the Jiang family—and Miss most of all.

She lowered her head and tugged softly at my sleeve, already wounded by the words.

I sighed. Miss was simply too kind.

Kind people all suffered from the same flaw: tender hearts and an inability to bear cruel words.

A sharp tongue could kill without spilling blood.

The visitor continued her assault.

“Master Jiang had better keep watch over his daughter. We would not want her bringing some filthy disease into the estate.”

Master Jiang was a common merchant. Before the Marquis of Zhongyong, all he could do was swallow the insult.

Fury filled his eyes, and his fingers trembled. “It is not a maid’s place to lecture me!”

I patted Miss’s hand to reassure her, then stepped around the screen.

“Master, Miss says she is willing to break off the engagement.”

I had made that up.

Panic flashed across the visitor’s face.

I knew at once that I had guessed correctly.

The woman was borrowing her master’s authority to frighten us.

Our young mistress was marrying far above her station. Song Jing, eldest son of the Marquis of Zhongyong, was a notorious rake with an appetite for women. No family of equal rank would let a daughter marry him.

The marquis household wanted Miss because she was renowned throughout the capital as a living bodhisattva. A wife with her reputation might repair some of Song Jing’s disgrace. They would never give up the marriage easily.

With nothing to fear, I raised my voice.

“Your words have opened our eyes. We should cancel the wedding.”

Madam Jiang immediately straightened her back. “Yes, yes! Qiu Yue, fetch the betrothal agreement. We will go break it off this instant!”

The visitor’s bluster collapsed. Her maids exchanged frantic looks, all of them at a loss.

I sneered inwardly.

So this was what passed for Song Jing’s right hand? If this was the quality of his people, Song Jing could not have much of a brain either.

I raised a brow and waited at leisure.

She was only his so-called confidante. If she ruined the marriage, she would be unable to answer to her master.

Master Jiang caught on as well. Realizing how close he had come to being deceived, he roared, “Servants! Show our guest out!”

The Zhongyong Marquis Estate was a den of dragons and tigers. Miss would find no happiness there.

Master and Madam Jiang now placed all their hopes in me. I had courage, I had ruthless methods, and I was loyal to their daughter.

So they chose me to accompany her as part of her bridal household.

While Miss prepared her wedding clothes, she still felt guilty.

“I’m sorry, Qiu Yue. I had already persuaded Father and Mother that you needn’t follow me to the marquis estate.”

“You aren’t a bonded servant. You’re free.”

“If someone bullies you there, won’t it be my fault?”

She could barely protect herself, yet she was still worrying about someone else.

In Miss’s eyes, I would always be the poor little creature she had found dying in the rain: weak, pitiful, and helpless.

I shook my head and offered the proper speech of a devoted maid.

“You saved my life, Miss. Wherever you go, I will go.”

I did not care where I lived. As long as I remained with Miss, she would never mistreat me. And if anyone tried to harm her and make my life difficult as well, I would show no mercy.

After all, my life was worthless enough to wager.