The Reborn Legitimate Daughter is Frivolous - Chapter 21

Liuli followed behind Murong Qing silently, her head lowered, hiding the unwillingness and disgust in her eyes.

She hadn’t expected that such a noble young lady would have such strange hobbies.

And she just had to be the one to run into her!

Murong Qing didn’t bother explaining anything to Liuli. She simply said to Qinglian, “Go and speak with Shopkeeper Wu. I’ll visit again tomorrow morning. For today, we’ll go straight home.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Qingyuan.

Liuli looked around the large garden. So this was her new master — Murong Qing, the eldest daughter of the General’s Mansion.

But none of that mattered to her. What she cared about was her own fate — what would happen to her from now on.

Qingbi was lively and cheerful, chatting with Liuli along the way, but Liuli paid her no attention.

Murong Qing only smiled at Liuli’s stubborn attitude and said nothing.

Liuli had been this way in her previous life too. If she suddenly became obedient now, Murong Qing would have worried she’d bought the wrong person.

“Hiss…”

As they entered the garden, Qingbi seemed to relax as if she had returned home. No longer as reserved as before, she took Liuli’s arm and led her toward the room to settle in and get familiar with Qingyuan.

Murong Qing had remained quiet the whole way, and Qingbi could guess what she was thinking. Since the young lady didn’t say anything, she kept silent too.

It was clear Murong Qing was being very tolerant toward Liuli.

But Liuli didn’t see it that way — to her, Murong Qing’s silence only felt more humiliating.

She shook off Qingbi’s hand, frowning.

Qingbi had accidentally grabbed her injured arm. The wound hadn’t healed yet, and now it was reopened. There would probably be a scar.

“Are you hurt?”

It wasn’t really a question — Qingbi grabbed Liuli’s hand and lifted her sleeve before she could resist.

Liuli hadn’t expected her to be so bold. Anger flashed in her eyes as she snapped, “What are you doing!?”

But it was too late. Even though Liuli quickly pulled her sleeve back down, Qingbi had already seen the scars — large and small wounds crisscrossing her arm, some raw and terrifying.

Even for a maid, no woman should have such scars.

Murong Qing had only heard of it in her past life, but seeing it now with her own eyes was another matter.

“Qingbi,” Murong Qing said calmly, “go to my room and bring the Nine-Flower Jade Dew Ointment. Treat Liuli’s wounds with it.”

“Miss… isn’t that ointment a gift from the master? It’s the best one from the palace…” Qingbi said in disbelief.

Liuli was just a maid — how could she deserve something so rare?

The Nine-Flower Jade Dew Ointment was used by imperial concubines in the palace. It healed scars beautifully and was extremely hard to find outside.

In her previous life, Murong Qing had been an empress. She’d seen countless jars of that ointment, far more than she could ever use.

Thinking of that past life, her gaze turned cold. “Ointment is meant to be used,” she said evenly. “If you or Qinglian were hurt like Liuli, I’d give it to you too.”

At that moment, Qinglian returned from outside. Hearing Murong Qing’s words, she was deeply moved and hurried forward. “Miss, your kindness will never be forgotten. Qingbi and I will serve you faithfully!”

It wasn’t the first time she’d sworn loyalty, but this time, seeing her sincerity, Murong Qing felt an unexpected warmth in her heart.

She really did need loyal, capable people by her side. Men were not to be relied on.

Qingbi knelt beside Qinglian to show her loyalty too.

Only Liuli stood there in a daze, staring at them.

She didn’t know what the Nine-Flower Jade Dew Ointment was, but judging by their reactions, it was clearly something precious.

If Murong Qing had bought her just for some twisted pleasure, why was she treating her wounds with such care?

Why were these two maids so devoted to her?

Liuli’s mind was full of “whys,” but none of them had answers.

“Get up,” Murong Qing said lightly. “Liuli’s body must have many wounds. Be careful — a woman’s worst enemy is a scar. These must not remain.”

She said it casually, as if it were nothing important, then turned to leave.

Liuli had already seen her face clearly now — so beautiful that even as a woman, she couldn’t help but stare.

At that moment, she truly didn’t understand what Murong Qing was thinking.

She was stubborn, but not foolish.

And Murong Qing was right — scars were something no woman could bear, even a maid.

So when Qingbi called her, Liuli followed quietly to the servant quarters to treat her wounds.

Murong Qing’s garden wasn’t large. The servants’ rooms were in a side courtyard just outside Qingyuan, as each master’s residence had its own servant quarters nearby.

The two smaller side courtyards on either side of the young lady’s garden were reserved for her first-class maids, who attended to her day and night.

Since Murong Qing hadn’t made new arrangements yet, Qingbi took Liuli to an empty room where they could apply medicine in private.

“Miss, why are you so kind to Liuli?” Qinglian asked softly. “You only just bought her.”

“Liuli is the same as you and Qingbi in my eyes,” Murong Qing replied simply.

That one sentence was enough for Qinglian to understand.

She still had doubts, but since Murong Qing didn’t want to explain, it wasn’t her place to ask.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Murong Qing added. “You and Qingbi have worked hard lately. Move from the northern garden to the southern one and stay together.”

“What about the northern garden, Miss?”

“It’s for Liuli,” Murong Qing said. Then after a pause, she added quietly, “Liuli won’t be staying long.”

Qinglian didn’t question it further. Hearing those words, a faint smile touched her lips.

Murong Qing was truly a good mistress — maybe distant with others, but genuinely kind to them.

And since she had said Liuli was their equal, Qinglian made sure not to neglect her. After receiving her instructions, she went to clean the northern garden.

Qinglian was steady and thoughtful — she knew when to speak and when to hold her tongue.

As for Liuli, she was still stubborn, watching Qingbi chatter cheerfully beside her, thinking that perhaps letting Qingbi handle her medicine wasn’t such a bad idea after all.