Transmigrated as a Cannon Fodder Wife A in Ancient Times - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Wei Lan, broke as she was, didn’t know Lu Zijin looked down on her. She left the room in a good mood.

Yun Xiang, waiting outside, saw Wei Lan come out and mocked, “Really never seen the world, begging our miss for a few hairpins.”

Wei Lan glanced at her. She didn’t want to bother with these people, but this maid had targeted her more than once.

Wei Lan shot back, “You’re a maid in this mansion, right? I’m the lord of the house. Even if I’m not that close with your miss, I’m still a master here. You, a servant, keep provoking me. What? Do we have a grudge? Or does this Lu mansion belong to you, and I, a lord, have to watch your face to act?”

“What kind of lord are you? Look in the mirror. Our miss would choose a loser like you?” Yun Xiang, Lu Zijin’s personal maid, was pampered by everyone in the mansion. Lu Zijin treated her three main maids kindly, almost like sisters, so Yun Xiang’s attitude had grown bold.

At that moment, Lu Zijin frowned and pushed the door open, stepping out.

Wei Lan looked at Lu Zijin and mocked, “Madam, your servants are quite impressive. Do I have to live by their moods in this mansion?”

“What are you to talk to our miss like that?” Yun Xiang, still defiant, wasn’t afraid of Wei Lan, a mere live-in groom.

“Yun Xiang, who allowed you to speak to the lord like that?” Lu Zijin’s face turned cold.

“Miss, but you don’t even like her…” Yun Xiang tried to defend herself, but Lu Zijin cut her off.

“Whether I like her or not, she’s the lord of the Lu mansion. I won’t skimp on the respect she deserves. But you—have I been too kind to you lately, making you forget who the master of this mansion is?”

Hearing Lu Zijin’s anger, Yun Xiang knelt quickly. “Sorry, Miss. I was wrong. I was too worried about you and lost my sense. Please punish me.”

“You should apologize to the lord,” Lu Zijin said coldly. Since she and Wei Lan were married, she had to keep up appearances. As long as Wei Lan behaved, she wouldn’t mistreat her.

“Forgive me, Lord. Yun Xiang won’t dare again,” Yun Xiang said, her teeth clenched, wishing she could tear Wei Lan apart.

After all, she’d lost face in front of so many maids and servants.

“I hope so. With that gritted-teeth look, people might think you want to kill me,” Wei Lan said casually. She wasn’t interested in inner-house scheming or Lu Zijin, but that didn’t mean she’d let people push her around.

With that, Wei Lan ignored Yun Xiang’s expression and followed Qing Zhi to the back courtyard.

Though it was getting dark, a servant lit the way with a lantern, so it wasn’t too dim.

Wei Lan followed Qing Zhi for a while, realizing the farther they went, the more distant their destination was from Jingchen Courtyard. After nearly half an hour, passing through the Lu mansion’s back garden, they reached a place called Fuqu Pavilion.

Wei Lan shook her head with a wry smile. Lu Zijin must really not want to see her, sending her this far, like being exiled to the frontier. But this suited Wei Lan fine. She didn’t want to be too close to Lu Zijin either. This distance was perfect, giving her time to carve jade.

Unlike Yun Xiang, Qing Zhi was polite to Wei Lan, observing her expression. Most people would be upset being sent to such a remote courtyard, but this lord seemed unbothered, even satisfied?

“Is this the place?” Wei Lan asked.

Qing Zhi quickly replied, “Yes, this is it.”

She then pointed to a servant, summoning four male servants, six maids, two cooks, and two managing matrons.

Qing Zhi addressed them, “This is the lord. You’ll serve her daily needs from now on.”

“Greetings, Lord,” the servants bowed to Wei Lan, though she felt they were giving face to Qing Zhi, not her.

“Get up. It’s late, and I want to bathe and sleep early,” Wei Lan said.

The managing matron, Li, glanced at the servants. “Didn’t you hear the lord wants to bathe? Hurry and heat the water!”

“Yes, Matron Li,” the four male servants rushed to the courtyard’s small kitchen.

Wei Lan looked at Matron Li, in her forties. The courtyard’s people seemed to follow her lead.

Wei Lan nodded and asked, “Where’s my bedroom? I’ll rest now.”

Qing Zhi bowed to Wei Lan. “Lord, if you need anything, send these servants or maids to find me, and I’ll arrange it.”

“Thank you,” Wei Lan said.

Qing Zhi was polite and not as flashy as Yun Xiang. Wei Lan thought she was decent.

Some maids led the way, and Wei Lan reached her room. It wasn’t as nice as the wedding chamber but was elegantly furnished and clean.

Matron Li and another round-faced matron, Zhao, followed. Matron Li looked at Wei Lan. “The lord must be tired. Rest first. If you need anything, just let us know.”

“Alright, you can go,” Wei Lan nodded to them.

Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui left Wei Lan’s room and started whispering.

“It’s clear Miss doesn’t value the lord, or she wouldn’t have sent her to Fuqu Pavilion. It’s so far from Miss’s courtyard, it takes forever to walk. Ugh, it’s tough on us, assigned to serve her with no benefits,” Li Zhufeng said, glaring toward Wei Lan’s room.

“No kidding. Miss and Young Master Cousin grew up together. I bet she’ll divorce her and marry him eventually,” Zhao Linghui added.

“Right. I say we old sisters don’t need to bother with her. She’s just an unfavored Qian Yuan, won’t make waves. Better to give her a hard time. If Young Master Cousin becomes the master, we can curry favor with him,” Li Zhufeng continued.

“Exactly,” Zhao Linghui agreed.

Wei Lan didn’t hear their talk. The servants soon brought water, poured it into a tub, and adjusted the temperature.

Wei Lan sent them out, undressed, and got into the tub. The water was just right, and she relaxed, washing her hair too.

After bathing, servants and maids came to clear the water.

Wei Lan dried her hair and got into bed. Coming to this world felt sudden, still unreal to her.

She thought it might be because she had no jade or tools. Tomorrow, she’d buy some jade and tools. Oh, she forgot to ask Lu Zijin—would she get a monthly allowance? Buying raw jade needed silver.

With that thought, Wei Lan fell asleep.

She slept until noon, waking to change into a light blue dress and styling a simple bun.

Her jewelry box had various hairpins, but Wei Lan didn’t like wearing too many. She picked a single green jade hairpin to secure her bun, wearing no other accessories.

Opening the door, Wei Lan saw maids waiting with washing supplies.

After washing and eating breakfast, she took two maids to Jingchen Courtyard.

After Wei Lan left, Matron Li spoke in the courtyard, “Tch, some lord. Miss didn’t even stay with her on the wedding night. I bet she’ll be kicked out of the Lu mansion soon.”

Zhao Linghui glanced at the remaining servants and maids. “I suggest you don’t fawn over her. She’s unfavored. The lord of this mansion will change sooner or later.”

The maids and servants didn’t dare respond, but many started scheming. The two old matrons, with decades in the mansion, were sharp. If they said this, the new lord must be useless.

Meanwhile, Wei Lan, with two maids, headed to Jingchen Courtyard. She had them show her around the mansion so she wouldn’t get lost later.

It took a while to reach Jingchen Courtyard. The distance was indeed far.

When Wei Lan arrived, Yun Xiang was leading maids and servants to clean the courtyard.

Seeing Wei Lan, Yun Xiang smirked mockingly. This woman embarrassed her last night and now dared to show up early in the morning.

But thinking of her miss’s attitude, Yun Xiang smiled. Miss clearly didn’t want to see her, or she wouldn’t have sent her to such a far-off courtyard, practically at the mansion’s back gate.

“Oh, the lord’s here? What’s the matter?” Yun Xiang’s tone dripped with sarcasm.

Wei Lan glanced at her. “I’m here to see Madam about something.”

Yun Xiang stepped closer, whispering to Wei Lan, “You’ve got some thick skin, Lord. Miss put you so far away, clearly not wanting to see you, yet here you are, looking for her first thing in the morning.”

“Haven’t you knelt enough from last night?” Wei Lan said coldly.

Yun Xiang nearly jumped in anger. “You think you’re really the master of the Lu mansion? Go ask how many servants actually see you as one.”

“Lord?” Qing Zhi came out from a nearby room, saw Wei Lan, and bowed. “Is there something you need?”

Wei Lan nodded. “I’m here to see Madam about something.”

“Come rest inside, Lord. You lot, prepare tea. I’ll inform Miss,” Qing Zhi said, directing Wei Lan to the front hall while going to find Lu Zijin.

Seeing Qing Zhi’s attentiveness, Yun Xiang sneered, “Why suck up to her? Everyone knows she’s just a decoration, won’t last long.”

Qing Zhi looked at Yun Xiang calmly. “The lord is in the mansion for a day, and no matter what, she’s a master here. Yun Xiang, you’d better know your place, lest you anger Miss again.”

“You! Fine, Qing Zhi, let’s see what good you get from sucking up to her,” Yun Xiang said, glaring.