A Maid Dressed As A Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role (Transmigration) - Chapter 22.2

Zhi Yuan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that, but then he started to worry for Steward Qi. “If we let her handle this, will she find out anything?”

Like Steward Qi’s private embezzlement.

Steward Qi glanced at Zhi Yuan, thinking that he was still too young. He wouldn’t bother being so patient with him if he weren’t his own son. “Zhi Yuan, you have to understand that there’s no one in this world who doesn’t like money,” Steward Qi said with a smile. “That girl is no different.”

A’Zhi would naturally swallow the bone that fell into her mouth, no matter how loyal she was. No one would pass up such a big profit. Once A’Zhi benefited from it, she wouldn’t give it back. So what was the difference between her and him? They were both of the same kind. A’Zhi wouldn’t dare to say anything about him, nor would she expose him. How could she make a profit in the future if she did? This was a tacit understanding they had. It was just a shame about all that money! Steward Qi’s heart still ached just thinking about it.

“At least the matter with Xiao Que was handled well,” Steward Qi consoled himself.

Zhi Yuan didn’t understand. “Didn’t the Xiao Que situation get resolved?” She was given a deed of freedom by the little princess and even went back to the Duke’s estate with Miss Liang to be a concubine. She was incredibly lucky and was now set for a good life.

“Who said it was resolved?” Steward Qi narrowed his eyes, his tone full of meaning. “It’s only just beginning.”

The little princess had just returned to the capital and already got herself into a mess by offending the Liang and Chu families. Even if her own mother were here, she would scold her for being an “idiot.” Why would she meddle in such a matter? A servant like Xiao Que was nothing compared to the Liang and Chu families. She was willing to break the fragile peace and expose everything when the relationships could have been maintained by sacrificing a single servant. Now, the Liang family hated her, and the Chu family probably did, too.

********

Liang Youyun indeed hated Chao Mu, and she hated Xiao Que just as much. On the way back from the Qi Estate, A’xiu had wanted to pull Xiao Que from the carriage and make her walk behind it. Who was she to share a carriage with the mistresses?

Liang Youyun’s lips were pale, her eyes rimmed with red. She pinched the skin on her fingers, hidden by her sleeves, to maintain her composure. Her voice trembled as she scolded A’xiu, “Have you not brought enough shame on the Liang family today?”

So many people had come to the banquet. Some were bound to be at odds with the Liang family, and others just didn’t like her. By now, the story of what happened at the Qi Estate was probably being passed around by word of mouth. Who knew how many people were waiting to see the Liang family make a fool of themselves? If they were to throw Xiao Que out of the carriage now, wouldn’t they be giving them exactly what they wanted?

Liang Youyun had lost enough face for one day; she couldn’t take any more.

A’xiu bowed and retreated. “Yes.”

The curtains were drawn, blocking out the light outside and seemingly the air, too. The small carriage suddenly felt suffocating. Xiao Que, hugging her bundle, sat in the corner. She looked at Liang Youyun, trying to say something, but was intimidated by the glare she received. She had never seen such a fierce mistress. She was so cold it was as if she were a different person. She didn’t look like the gentle and generous person she usually was. Even her soft pink dress seemed to have a sharp edge to it.

Liang Youyun, still pinching her fingers, looked up at Chu Qingqiu sitting across from her. “Qingqiu,” she called softly.

Since getting in the carriage, Chu Qingqiu had been leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. She clearly didn’t want to look at or speak to Liang Youyun. Liang Youyun felt that if it weren’t for their lifelong friendship, Chu Qingqiu would have stormed off at the Qi Estate and gone straight back to her own home, instead of waiting for her so she wouldn’t be embarrassed alone.

“Qingqiu,” Liang Youyun called again. Seeing no response from Chu Qingqiu, she leaned forward and gently placed her right hand on her knee. This time, Chu Qingqiu finally reacted.

Chu Qingqiu opened her eyes and looked down at the delicate hand on her knee. Her gaze traveled up the arm to the face of the woman who usually looked so pitiful. Liang Youyun often wore light pink, and she was like a pink lotus that rose above the mud. Growing up in a corrupt environment, she managed to stay upright and unadorned, so gentle and generous that people were drawn to her. Chu Qingqiu’s friendship with her from a young age was not because she was the Duke’s legitimate daughter, but because of who she was. That was why when they went out together, Chu Qingqiu liked to wear a light green dress, content to be the lotus leaf that supported her.

But today, Liang Youyun had utterly shocked her. It was less shock and more a deep disappointment and heartache. They had grown up sleeping on the same couch and using the same handkerchief, and soon, Chu Qingqiu would become Liang Youyun’s sister-in-law. Yet, Liang Youyun had never mentioned a word about Xiao Que and Liang You’an. When she spoke of her brother, Liang You’an, Liang Youyun only ever had good things to say. She had even held her hand once and said, “When you marry into our family, we’ll be family. I won’t marry anyone else; I’ll stay at home with you, and you and my brother can take care of me for the rest of my life.” Liang Youyun’s descriptions were always of a beautiful family life, and she never mentioned Liang You’an’s private character.

Chu Qingqiu had been to the Duke’s estate many times, but she honestly had no memory of Xiao Que. With her photographic memory, she would have remembered if she had seen her. The only explanation was that whenever she visited, these maids were deliberately kept out of her sight.

What broke Chu Qingqiu’s heart and disappointed her wasn’t the cruel, cold side Liang Youyun showed when she raised her hand to hit Xiao Que. The stem of a lotus flower was naturally thorny. To appreciate its beauty was to accept its thorns. What Chu Qingqiu couldn’t accept was that Liang Youyun had kept this from her and had never truly opened her heart to her. If Liang Youyun had simply told her all this, Chu Qingqiu would have agreed to the marriage for the sake of their families’ interests.

She was the legitimate daughter of the Chu family, and it was her responsibility to fulfill her duty to the family—to form a marriage alliance. It was a common understanding among many officials to use their daughters’ marriages to secure political alliances and strengthen their positions in court. Chu Qingqiu didn’t involve herself in worldly affairs, but that didn’t mean she was ignorant. Rather than being a pawn married into some other family, she would prefer to marry into the Liang family. At least she had known Liang Youyun since childhood and got along with Liang’s mother.

But now that Liang Youyun had kept Xiao Que a secret, everything seemed different. It was as if their trust and reliance on each other had suddenly crumbled, and the rest of their relationship was now a cracked and fragile mess. She no longer knew whether there were other secrets in the things Liang Youyun had said and done over the years.

Chu Qingqiu looked at Liang Youyun, her eyes full of undisguised disappointment and sadness. She didn’t say anything; she just looked at her. Chu Qingqiu was never the type to complain or resent. She was like a proud cat that, when hurt, would hide in a corner and lick its own wounds, never showing her emotions to others.

Liang Youyun wasn’t just anyone. She was the person who had once found Chu Qingqiu hiding in a corner and cried with her. She was different. And Chu Qingqiu treated her differently. For a moment, Liang Youyun almost teared up. She felt so guilty that she couldn’t look Chu Qingqiu in the eye, and she just whispered, “Qingqiu.”

“As the daughter of the Duke, I have my own reasons for doing what I do,” Liang Youyun said, her voice choked with tears. She kept her hand on Chu Qingqiu’s knee and looked up at her. “You know how hard it is for me.”

“I know,” Chu Qingqiu said, her voice clear. “But you also know that if you had just told me, I would have agreed.” Never mind one Xiao Que; she would have accepted even a dozen more. She didn’t care if Liang You’an had slept with maids. Even if he hadn’t, there would still be concubines. What she cared about was that Liang Youyun had kept this from her and hadn’t been honest. If this incident hadn’t happened at the Qi Estate, she would have never known that Liang Youyun was hiding things from her.

Or perhaps, when it came to Liang You’an’s character versus their friendship, Liang Youyun chose the former, not because she didn’t trust her, but because she valued her family’s interests more.

“I thought our relationship was as pure as snow, without any secrets,” Chu Qingqiu said softly, looking down at the hand on her knee. “I thought we were completely honest with each other.”

“Of course we are,” Liang Youyun said, her tears falling. “Qingqiu, you’re blaming me.” She whispered, “But my mother said that no girl could accept something like this and told me to keep it a secret. She said that once you were in the household, we would be even better to you and that we would make sure my brother didn’t do anything else to hurt you.”

Liang Youyun’s fingers crumpled Chu Qingqiu’s skirt as she looked up with a tear-streaked face. “If you’re upset, just scold me. I was too weak and didn’t dare to stand up to my mother. After what happened today, I don’t know what will happen when we get back…” She closed her eyes and pursed her lips, looking as if she were ready to accept Chu Qingqiu’s anger.

Chu Qingqiu looked down at her, then closed her eyes as if she were giving in. She said softly, “It’s not entirely your fault.” She understood Liang Youyun’s difficult position. Chu Qingqiu opened her eyes, catching Liang Youyun’s tears with her fingers. The cool moisture instantly soaked her skin. “A’yun, let me think about marrying into the Liang family again.”

Liang Youyun wanted to say something, but she bit her lip and held it in. She nodded obediently. “Okay.”

Chu Qingqiu took out her handkerchief and wiped Liang Youyun’s tears, just as they had done when they were little girls. Even though Chu Qingqiu was the one who had been wronged, Liang Youyun would cry more loudly, as if she were crying for her. Remembering the past, a faint smile appeared on Chu Qingqiu’s lips, like a snow lotus blooming on an icy cliff. It was beautiful and fleeting, disappearing as quickly as it came.

The carriage stopped at the Chu family’s gate. Chu Qingqiu and her maid got out, standing at the back door to see the Liang family’s carriage off. Liang Youyun pulled back the curtain and waved to her. “I’ll come to find you in a couple of days,” she said softly.

Chu Qingqiu nodded slightly.

After seeing Liang Youyun off, the Chu family maid looked at Chu Qingqiu. “My Lady, are you still going to marry into the Liang family?” she asked softly. It was a matter concerning her lady’s future, and the maid had been listening very carefully next to the carriage. She asked tentatively, “My Lady, was it really Madam’s idea?” In her memory, the Duke’s wife was even more gentle and weak than Liang Youyun. She didn’t seem like such a cruel person.

Chu Qingqiu fidgeted with the handkerchief in her hand and turned to walk back into the estate. “If she says it was, then it was.” “As for the marriage, we’ll see what the Liang family’s attitude is first, and then we’ll ask my father what he thinks.” As for what she wanted or was willing to do, it didn’t matter at all. “Let’s go. We shouldn’t keep the tutor waiting.”

“Oh… oh.” The maid had almost forgotten that there was a calligraphy tutor waiting for them inside. She looked at her lady with sympathy and pity. Despite everything that had happened, she was still thinking about calligraphy. Her lady had only ever been close with Liang Youyun. She must be heartbroken to have been betrayed like this.

*******

At the same time, after the carriage curtains were drawn, Liang Youyun’s soft and delicate expression disappeared completely. She expressionlessly wiped the tears from her eyes, glancing at Xiao Que. Her gaze was colder and more chilling than the icy water Xiao Que used to wash clothes.

Xiao Que shivered. “M-My Lady.”

“What are you so afraid of?” Liang Youyun asked. “You were so bold and brave at the Qi Estate. Now that you’ve achieved your goal, what are you afraid of?” There was no emotion in her voice. She was just looking at the empty carriage wall in front of her. “The Liang family, no matter how arrogant we are, would never be so lawless as to kill a commoner sent by Princess Fu Jia.” Liang Youyun turned to Xiao Que and gave her a smile. It was the same gentle smile she always wore. “So don’t be afraid. We are the ones who should be afraid.”

Xiao Que’s teeth were chattering. It was hard to breathe in the carriage. She stammered, “My Lady, I’m not… not a person of Princess Fu Jia.” Liang Youyun simply reached up and tidied her hair, and Xiao Que couldn’t tell if she believed her or not.

The carriage arrived at the Liang Estate and stopped in the back courtyard. Liang Youyun got out. It was clear that the servants had all heard about what happened today. They secretly looked at Liang Youyun and the bundled-up Xiao Que following behind her. Hmm, were the rumors fake? They saw that their lady still had her gentle and generous demeanor. Her face showed no sign that such a thing had happened to the Liang family. Even the Duke’s wife was more anxious than she was.

And Xiao Que had indeed come back.

Liang Youyun looked straight ahead and walked with Xiao Que into the main courtyard where the Duke’s wife resided.

“My dear, are those rumors true?” The Duke’s wife, having heard that Liang Youyun was back, rushed out to greet her. Her eyes were only on her daughter as she held her hand and asked.

“Of course,” Liang Youyun said, gesturing to the person behind her, her tone already calm and gentle. “You see, I brought her back.”

“Oh, my goodness!” The Duke’s wife saw Xiao Que and her vision went black. Her thin frame swayed.

Liang Youyun supported her. “You should have been less soft-hearted and sold her off sooner. Now your soft heart has gotten you into trouble.”

“My dear, what should we do now?” the Duke’s wife asked in a panic. “The marriage between the Liang and Chu families was agreed upon by your father and Lord Chu. Now that this has happened, what should we do?” If their marriage was ruined because of Liang You’an, the Duke would beat his unfilial son to death! The Duke’s wife’s eyes were red, and she held Liang Youyun’s hand tightly. “My dear, think of something. You’ve always been so clever. Please, think of a way to save your brother.”

The Duke’s wife had always been weak and ineffectual. Even after giving birth to Liang You’an, the legitimate son, she had almost failed to secure her position as the Duke’s wife. She and her children had been wronged in the estate for many years. Thankfully, her younger daughter had always been sensible and intelligent. By the time she was eight, she was already making decisions for her. Perhaps because she had relied on her daughter for so long, the Duke’s wife would ask for Liang Youyun’s opinion on everything. The roles of mother and daughter seemed to have been reversed. The daughter was now the worried mother, and the mother was the daughter who needed protection.

Perhaps this was what had forced Liang Youyun to mature from a young age.

Liang Youyun sat down in the room, her composure returning. “The Liang family has already lost face. It’s useless to panic. We should think of a way to salvage the marriage.” After today, the Duke’s estate would be the subject of gossip for some time, along with her, the deceitful daughter of the Duke. The image Liang Youyun had worked so hard to maintain for years had been shattered in less than an hour today. She was a legitimate daughter of the Duke and appeared poised and dignified, but no one knew how much backstabbing was involved. Since she was four, she knew that her mother’s and brother’s positions were unstable. If they were to be ousted, she would no longer be the legitimate daughter. From that moment on, Liang Youyun had become cunning. She became the gentle and generous daughter that everyone was happy with, and she worked hard to maintain her mother’s position and her own image.

But today, because of Xiao Que, all of it was like a thin layer of ice on a lake, shattered by a single stone, revealing her true colors and the precariousness behind her dignity. Her problems were minor. The biggest issue was the marriage between the Liang and Chu families. The princes had grown up and were about to take flight, and the officials were either willingly or unwillingly getting involved in the fight for the throne. The Duke’s estate was no exception. To stand firm in this treacherous political climate, they needed an ally, and the Chu family was the best choice. If this marriage were to fall through because of Xiao Que, her father would beat her brother to a pulp!

Liang Youyun’s heart was filled with hatred for Chao Mu. This entire incident was clearly her fault. Who would have thought that the sweet, innocent-looking princess could be so malicious, and that she had timed the banquet so perfectly? If she had just waited a few more days, the two families would have finalized their marriage. Liang Youyun would not have believed it wasn’t intentional even if you beat her to death.

Liang Youyun forced herself to calm down. She stood up, supporting herself with her hand on the arm of the chair. “I’m going to talk to Father.”

The Duke’s wife was visibly afraid of the Duke’s anger. She said timidly, “Your father isn’t back from court yet.”

“Then I’ll stand at the door of his study and wait for him.” At least she had to show that she was trying.

Liang Youyun asked, “Where is my brother? Tell him to come with me.”

The Duke’s wife looked a little guilty. She said awkwardly, “He was afraid when he heard about this and said he was going to hide at a friend’s house for a couple of days. He’ll only come back after your father calms down.” A useless, spoiled playboy who was no help at all.

Liang Youyun’s fingers dug into the mahogany arm of the chair. She bit her lip to keep from losing her composure. She saw the Duke’s wife’s head hanging low, looking like she had done something wrong. Liang Youyun forced a gentle smile and comforted her. “It’s alright, Mother. I can handle this. I will.”

When she left the main courtyard, she was so angry that her shoulders were trembling. “Go find my brother. Tie him up and bring him back if you have to. If he isn’t in the estate today, all my efforts will be for nothing.” How could he be so useless and only know how to run and hide when something went wrong?

Liang Youyun had wished she were a man more than once. If she were a son, she and her mother wouldn’t have to deal with this useless brother who only knew how to cause trouble! Liang Youyun took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but she couldn’t. She was so angry that she reached out and shattered a flowerpot on the side of the path. Seeing the soil spill out and the fragments scatter, she felt a little better. It was just a small incident. She was a person who was determined to climb higher. How could she be defeated by such a small thing?

Liang Youyun forced a smile and returned to her demeanor as a young noble lady. Chao Mu, there’s still a lot of time ahead of us. We’ll see who comes out on top.

At this moment, Chao Mu, who was the subject of all this hatred, was in the study at the Qi Estate, trying to recite a book. She sneezed, put a finger to her nose, and her watery almond eyes looked confused. “Hmm, who’s talking about me?”

Cui Cui, who was serving nearby, reached out and closed the open window. “Maybe it’s A’Zhi. She was still thinking about you before she left.”

“Thinking what about me?” Chao Mu asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Cui Cui, “…” Cui Cui’s round eyes rolled. “Thinking about whether you got blown by the wind.”

Chao Mu’s lips curved into a smile, and she let out a little hum. “She wouldn’t do that.” Chao Mu told Cui Cui, “A’Zhi looks honest and reliable, but she’s actually very cunning~ Now that she’s finally out of the estate, she wouldn’t be thinking about me.”

Cui Cui didn’t dare to respond to that, so she just smiled sheepishly and went back to her work.

A’Zhi’s actual words before she left were, “Which place in the capital sells good pastries? I want some with black sesame filling. I need to be full before I come back.”

“Those are glutinous rice balls,” Cui Cui had corrected her at the time, thinking she was just craving sweets.

A’Zhi shook her finger. “I don’t want glutinous rice balls. I want pretty little pastries.” She specifically asked for black sesame filling. She needed to be full to have the energy to work.