Chapter 1 Ominous Signs

  "Old lady, madam, spare my life, I'm innocent...... Waaahhh!" The pitiful cries of the maid echoed from the main courtyard of the Ministry of Rites' residence, accompanied by the "thud thud" sounds of the beating, which grew more and more mournful, startling all the surrounding maids and servant women into lowering their heads.

  "Let it go, old lady..." A woman in her thirties, supporting Xie Mu's hand, softly advised: "After all, you didn't even touch Su Er's body, so just forget it."

  "Is this okay?" Xie's mother snorted, saying: "Beating her is to let the twisted maids in this house see, Eldest daughter-in-law, you're good in every way, but just too soft-hearted." As she spoke, she closed her eyes, indicating that she wouldn't listen to advice.

  That beautiful woman was the current Minister of Rites, Xie Xuan's wife, Madame Sun. She saw that her mother-in-law's words were ineffective and made a helpless expression towards Er Fang's wife, Wei Shi. She looked up at the maidservants in the courtyard who were watching the punishment and sighed...

  The sky was bright and clear, with a million miles of morning glow reflecting off the flower-filled courtyard of the Xie estate. However, due to the sound of beating and a maid's mournful cry, a chill ran down everyone's spine. The maids in the courtyard had gathered around, trembling with fear, when suddenly they heard footsteps coming from outside. A 14 or 15-year-old stunningly beautiful girl rushed in, saw that the maid being beaten was on her last breath, and stamped her foot, shouting: "Stop! How can you not stop!" It was none other than the Second Miss of the Xie estate, Xie Ling.

  The old woman who was beating the clothes stopped her hands and looked up at the house, saying in a low voice "Second Miss..."

  "You also recognize me as the second young lady?" Xie Ling coldly snorted, seeing that her trusted maid Yue'er's skirt was already stained with fresh blood. She bit her lip and quickly ran into Madame Xie's main hall, tearfully saying to Madame Xie: "Old madam, it can't be so biased..." Before she could finish speaking, tears streamed down her face, and she suddenly used her sleeve to wipe them away, loudly shouting: "What crime has Yue'er committed, old madam, that you would punish her like this?"

  Her mother saw that she had forgotten even the most basic etiquette, her face darkened and she didn't say a word. Wang's nanny stepped forward to remind her: "Second Miss, this is in Old Lady's room."

  Xie Ling was stunned and finally knelt down, saying: "Old lady, Moon is my maid, if she must die, let her die with a clear conscience. Please ask the old lady why you want to beat her?"

  "Second Miss," Wang continued, "the old lady did this for a reason. This servant girl, Yue Er, didn't behave herself and did something shameful. It's not worth mentioning, it would sully your ears... let's just pretend she doesn't exist."

  Xie Ling suddenly raised her head and said, "Isn't it just that the second brother's bed is going to be climbed by a certain someone?" As she spoke, she stood up and coldly smiled at Sun Shi, saying: "Madam, I'll let the number one scholar's marriage proposal go to Third Sister, okay? I won't marry him, okay? In order to let your own daughter climb into this relationship, you're actually so calculating? My good mother..."

  "Xie Ling!" Xie's mother was so angry that her whole body was shaking, she stood up and pointed at Xie Ling: "You... you..."

  "Old lady..." Mrs. Sun hastily helped Madam Xie catch her breath, her eyes brimming with tears as she said: "It's all my fault, Second Miss is still young and doesn't understand things, this is all my responsibility, old lady please don't get angry and hurt your body..."

  Who would have thought that upon hearing Sun's words, Xie Ling didn't take it kindly. She let out a cold hum, her stunning face turned sour, and she pointed at Sun, gritting her teeth: "Old lady, don't be deceived by this white lotus flower, on the surface she is gentle..." Before she could finish speaking, Xie's mother angrily shouted: "Guards, take the second miss back to her courtyard and confine her for three months!"

  “Big sister……” “Big sister……” Just as the noise was getting lively, a series of voices were heard from outside, although it was the usual calling tone, but it made everyone in the courtyard let out a sigh of relief. A young girl, about 16 or 17 years old, walked in from outside with two maidservants, wearing a purple silk brocade cloud-patterned skirt, with beautiful eyebrows and eyes, a small mole on her forehead, although not as stunningly beautiful as Xie Ling, but also had an ethereal beauty. What was even more remarkable was her elegant and refined demeanor, which made people look at her with reverence. It was none other than the eldest young lady of the Xie family, Xie Xian.

  Xie Yan raised her head and looked at Yue'er, who was being beaten on the long bench, then glanced around at the many maids in the courtyard. Without a word, she picked up her skirt and was about to enter the house when someone suddenly grabbed her arm. She saw that Yue'er had grasped her with one bloody hand and was using all her strength to plead: "Elder Miss, I'm innocent, save me... don't let Second..." Suddenly, she couldn't speak anymore and fainted.

  Xie Yan lowered her head, gazing at the limp hands hanging down, silent for a moment before turning around and entering the main hall of Xie's mother. She curtsied deeply and said: "Xie Yan has seen the elderly lady, Mother, Second Lady." Her voice was calm and composed, as if nothing had happened, every move conforming to the etiquette of the boudoir, elegant and refined, natural and poised.

  "Ah..." Xie Mu saw Xie Yan come in, her expression softened, and she sat down with the help of Sun Shi's hand, saying: "Big girl came just in time, Moon Girl has made a mistake, and Second Girl is making a fuss."

  "Sister, we've been schemed by that White Lotus again!" Xie Ling saw Sun Shi being so despicable and was furious, scolding loudly without any regard for the people around.

  Xie Yan glared at Xie Ling and scolded: "Who allowed you to speak to your mother like that?"

  Since her biological mother, Madame Su, passed away, the two sisters have been dependent on each other in the mansion. The elder sister is like a mother to her, and Xie Ling listens to her sister's words even more than she did to their elderly mother. Now that she sees her sister is really angry, she pouts and complains: "If I don't make trouble, Moon will lose her life... This little girl was given to me by Mother..."

  "Alright." Xie Wan cut off Xie Ling's words and walked to the front of her mother, saying in a soft voice: "Old lady, I just heard about this too." As she spoke, she raised her head and looked at Sun Shi, sighing: "It's hard on Mother."

  "Look at what Da Ya said." Sun Shi dodged Xie Yan's gaze, lowered her head, and wiped away tears with a handkerchief: "No one expected such a thing to happen. I heard the maid from Su Ke's courtyard reporting it early this morning, but I didn't believe it until I saw the real person... Alas..."

  Xie Xian smiled slightly, just about to speak, when suddenly a woman appeared from the side and said: "Young lady, Yue'er is flirting with Second Master, all of us maids in the courtyard have seen it." As if afraid that Xie Xian wouldn't believe her, she pointed at a maid behind Sun Shi's back and said: "This maid Yin'er saw it with her own eyes."

  Yin'er saw the old woman nod at her, and she slowly stood up from the crowd, stuttering: "Second Miss, I... last night in the early hours of the morning, I saw Yue'er in Master's room. Second Master doesn't usually drink, but yesterday was Old Madam's birthday, so he had a few more cups than usual. At that time, there was no one else in the room, and she was standing right in front of Master's bed..."

  Xie Yan listened to this and did not refute it, instead nodding her head and saying: "The old lady is right..."

  "Sister..." Xie Ling called out in a wronged tone, but was stopped by Xie Yan's glare. She turned around and smiled at Xie Mu, "Old lady, second brother is at a critical moment in his studies, such an unruly maid servant deserves to be beaten to death, it's just... today isn't the right time."

  "Oh?" Mother Xiao frowned and said: "What's wrong today?"

  "The third prince died in battle, the emperor is heartbroken, the whole country is offering sacrifices. Today is the seventh day of his death, even fish and shrimp can come back to life once, but our household has killed a servant girl. If this gets out, it won't sound good, and if that person with a grudge finds out, it won't be good for us in front of the emperor either..." Xie Xian said quietly into her mother's ear, her voice devoid of any emotion.

  Xie's mother nodded, "Hmm" and pondered for a moment before saying, "It's still better to be cautious." She sighed, grasped Xie Yan's hand and said, "You also know that if it were a small matter, I wouldn't care so much. Now our family is counting on Su Er, in just a few days it will be the day of the grand ceremony... If..." The Second Master of the Xie Family, Xie Su, was known as the Child Prodigy of the Capital and the greatest pride of the Xie Family. He had passed the Imperial Examination at the age of ten, and then passed the Provincial Examination at twelve. This year, at fourteen years old, the whole family was eagerly anticipating him to become a Scholar in two years' time.

  "I understand, old lady." Xie Xian smiled slightly and said: "The maid is a small matter, the second brother is a big deal." When she said the last sentence, she raised her head and looked at Sun Shi: "Mother, rest assured, I will give you an explanation for this matter."

  "I don't care." Sun saw that Xie Ling's one sentence had saved Yue'er from death today, and she gritted her teeth in secret. However, this thief-like Xie Ling couldn't be gotten rid of no matter what, and the maidservant by her side was flirting with the masters. She wanted to see if this year's top scholar Su Li would still choose that stunning Second Miss.

  "Old lady, is the moon still shining?" asked the woman from outside who came in.

  "Drag him to the woodshed first." Mother Xie said with a stern face.

  The old woman responded with a low "en" and took Moon away.

  "Ling'er, don't you hurry up and apologize to the old lady and your mother!" Xie Xian said sternly to Xie Ling beside her.

  Xie Ling's face was full of discontent, but she didn't dare go against her sister's wishes. She walked to the front of Xie Mu and knelt down, saying: "Old madam, I was wrong. Just now I shouldn't have said those words."

  Xie Mu grunted and said, "I don't dare."

  Xie Yan smiled and persuaded: "Old lady, Er Ya is that kind of temper, when she's good, it's unbearable for you to be in pain, and when she's bad, she'd rather have someone beat her up." Saying this, she turned to Xie Ling and asked: "Old lady, do you remember the lesson you were taught today?"

  "Remember."

  Xie Mu knew that Xie Yan in front of her had already been listed on the selection list for entering the palace, and was also a virtuous name outside, so she didn't want to give any face, and said lightly: "Forget it." As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Sun Shi.

  Xie Xian saw the look on her mother's face, lowered her head and said to Xie Ling: "You get excited and talk nonsense, don't you hurry up and apologize to your mother?" Her tone was unusually stern.

  Xie Ling understood her sister's meaning and turned around, saying: "Mother, I'm sorry, I spoke thoughtlessly just now..."

  "Nothing, I'm not used to Er Ya not being like this," Sun said with a forced smile. Looking at Xie Mu, he continued, "Old lady, I don't have any other intentions, I just hope Su Ke..."

  Xie Yan didn't want to bring up the matter again, and hastily changed the subject: "Old lady, I just saw a few women rushing past the gate earlier, it seems Father has something to attend to outside."

  "Oh?" Xie Mu was indeed drawn into this matter, nodding her head and saying: "Perhaps it's because of the Third Prince."

  Xie Yan nodded and said: "To say, the third prince is the most valued by the current emperor, unfortunately..."

  The imperial court's major events, most women in the harem didn't understand, only Xie Xian could exchange a few words with Empress Dowager Xie. After a while, Empress Dowager Xie lost interest and yawned, everyone bid farewell and left. Xie Xian bid farewell to Empress Dowager Xie, Sun Shi and others, leading her younger sister back to their own courtyard.

  "Sister..." Just as she stepped into the courtyard, Xie Ling stomped her foot and said: "This time, wasn't it that white lotus flower who schemed against you again? She wants her own daughter to marry the cousin who passed the imperial examination, so she came up with this despicable plan!"

  Xie Xian saw that the courtyard was full of people, and she gave her sister a sideways glance. Without saying a word, she walked into the main house, followed by Xie Ling. Da Ya Tou Li Er came forward to help Xie Xian change her clothes, but Xie Xian waved her hand and made a signal with her eyes, and everyone retreated and went out.

  "Calculations are just calculations, but after all, she is your mother. It's a matter of courtesy. You're being so reckless in front of the old lady, what will people think if this gets out?" Xie Xiu's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and seeing that there was no one around, she finally revealed her true emotions.

  "Ugh, that White Lotus has been getting on my nerves for a long time. Now I'd rather tear her face apart and scratch off all the powder on her face! Xie Ling slapped the table in anger and said: "Sister, she's too detestable!"

  Xie Yan didn't speak, pensive for a moment, then said: "Moon's life can be saved, but it will be very difficult to stay in the mansion from now on."

  "How to save?" Xie Ling's eyes lit up and she chuckled: "I knew you were a female Zhuge, come on, say it quickly."

  Xie Yan glared at Xie Ling and said, "Before that, you have to promise me that from now on, no matter what happens, you're not allowed to do something like this again. Do you understand the rules?"

  "Alright, alright, sister, you're a Tang Monk's descendant, so young and yet so brave. Speak up quickly." Xie Ling saw that Yue Er was saved and excitedly jumped up.

  "That girl's words are suspicious." Xie Yan glanced at her eager younger sister and slowly said: "The timing doesn't match..." Before she could finish speaking, they suddenly heard three loud knocks from outside - this was the signal for a major calamity in the manor. The sisters' faces simultaneously changed color.

  "Sister..." Xie Ling was frightened and stepped forward to hold Xie Yan's hand, saying: "Who died?"

  Xie Yan shook her head and held her sister's hand: "Don't be afraid, I'm here." She said loudly: "Yu Niangniang."

  The curtain was lifted and an old woman walked in, saying: "Miss."

  "What's going on?" Xie Yan asked in a low voice.

  "Yes." Yu's nanny turned and left.

  The two sisters stared at each other in shock, momentarily speechless. Before long, Xie Ling suddenly spoke up: "Sister, could it be that Old Lady had me killed by anger?" The words had barely left her lips when Yu Niangniang rushed in, rolling and crawling, saying: "Young Mistress, the mansion has been sealed off by the Imperial Guards!"