Chapter 218: The Final Chapter - Part 3

Chapter 218: The Final Chapter - Part 3

Minglan looked at the kneeling and kowtowing Bisi, feeling a deep sense of sorrow. "Since you were young, you never had any great aspirations. You were neither clever nor nimble, nor loyal and diligent. As long as you were given good food, clothes, and comfort, you were content." If this were the modern era, you would be a very obedient second wife material, never having the ambition to rise up.

"Being by my side, you've never acted like a proper maid, always seeking comfort and avoiding hard work. Fortunately, Danju and the others are broad-minded and didn't hold it against you. Although I don't like you, we've been together for ten years. After all, people aren't wood or grass."

They say that when one begins to reminisce, it means they are growing old. Minglan suddenly felt as if she had woken from a dream of Yangzhou, the past vivid in her mind—betrayal, hurt, departure, and separation happening over and over again. Looking back now, she realized she had already grown old.

"But, you never really caused much trouble." Bisi was lazy by nature. Unlike Ruomei, who was graceful but sharp, or Yancao, who was more calculating and foresighted, she had never really made plans for the future. "I had planned that when Xiaotao and Lüzhi got married, I would find someone who would treat you well, someone with a solid family background, so you could live a warm and secure life. That way, our master-servant bond would have a good ending."

Bisi's heart was filled with panic, not understanding what Minglan meant by these words. Suddenly, she heard a series of light, tinkling sounds, and before her, the gold and pearls of the bracelets sparkled. It turned out Minglan had thrown the pair of bracelets, still wrapped in the silk handkerchief, in front of her. Then, Minglan's cold voice reached her ears.

"I won't punish you, nor will I hit or scold you. However, our bond is now over." Minglan sighed lightly. "Remember, you still have your brothers, sisters-in-law, and elderly mother at home. I will send you back to them. Take these bracelets with you, and all the money and jewels you've saved over the years. Whether you buy some land or open a shop… In the end, you must look after yourself."

Having said this, Minglan waved her hand at the two women.

Bisi's ears were ringing, and she only heard the words "send you back home"—

No! She didn't want to go back home! Ever since her grandfather and father passed away one after another, her family's situation had worsened day by day. She had been sold into the Sheng family. Her mother was weak, her elder brother was useless, and her sister-in-law was harsh. Furthermore, her family was poor, and every penny had to be carefully accounted for. How could it compare to the luxurious life she had in Minglan's house, where she lived without lifting a finger, enjoying fine clothes and food, and passing her days leisurely?

She immediately began to cry and beg for mercy, but before she could speak, the maid's hand was lightning-fast, and a cloth was swiftly shoved into her mouth, leaving her unable to say another word.

She struggled desperately, crying out wildly, constantly pleading with her eyes to Minglan. She could only hate that the two maids held her with hands as strong as iron pincers, rendering her completely immobile. She could only watch helplessly as she was dragged away from Minglan.

Until they reached the door, one of the maids sneered at her softly, "I told you, young lady, just give it a rest! You still think of yourself as some precious mistress?" The other one added, "The madam is too merciful. A servant like this, who nearly harmed the young master's life, in my opinion, should have been sold far away to vent our anger!"

Cold and mocking words continued to drift into the room. Xia He felt a lump in her throat. Over the past two years, she had shared a room with Bisi, and although they were not like sisters, seeing her end up like this, she couldn't help but feel extremely sad. She thought to herself that once she was able to move freely, she would often visit Qisi and offer her some help.

But things did not go as planned. Several years later, she married a somewhat talented young steward and moved south with him to manage the family's estates. She was gone for several years, and when she finally saw Bisi again, it had been ten years. By then, she could hardly believe that this coarse, loud, and rough woman, with a red face and big hands, had once been the delicate girl with a slender waist, fond of fresh greenery, and enjoying the finer things in life.

After dealing with Bisi, Minglan was also in a low mood. After a moment, she said, "Xia He, go pack her things. Take every needle and thread with you, don't let anyone else steal it. Xia Zhu, go outside and keep watch. I need to speak with the madam."

The two girls answered softly. One immediately went out, while the other quietly closed the door behind her.

At this point, only the two of them remained in the room. Shao Shi was tense, sitting uneasily like a startled bird, constantly shifting in her seat. When she saw Minglan staring at her intently, her anxiety grew. "Sister-in-law, please don't scare me, I was wrong this time! I was wrong… I…"

After hearing Concubine Ren's confession, although the apology still sounded repetitive, it was more sincere this time, every word coming from the heart.

"Where exactly did you go wrong, elder sister?" Minglan asked, pressing her. "Was it because you listened to Concubine Ren's instigation, or was it because you didn't listen to my words?"

Shao Shi was instantly caught off guard, and her face turned dark red from embarrassment.

"I'll take your pulse and check on you, elder sister," Minglan continued to press her, "The two mistakes you made were: First, you didn't trust me; second, you trusted others too easily! Ultimately, the problem is that you didn't trust me. Concubine Ren said that I put you in the open as a decoy for young Master Tuan, and you believed it, didn't you?"

Shao Shi didn't dare to respond and could only repeatedly wave her hands. "No, no, no… how could that be…"

"I'll make it clear!" Minglan clapped her hands together, pushing herself up from the table, "In the chaos of the capital, the only people who would come to the Gu residence to cause trouble are either those after money or those with ulterior motives. I specifically had someone light up the main house of Jiāxī residence so that it would attract the greedy thieves. Hmph, is there any place in this house richer than where I live? After the thieves rob my house, they'll probably be too full to even leave!"

Shao Shi opened her mouth, stammering, "I… I was wondering, why your courtyard was so brightly lit…"

"If they were coming for people…" Minglan sneered, "The two brothers of the Marquis are at odds, and they've fought more than once. Half the capital knows! Whether it's the palace guards or our dear stepmother, they would only come for us, not for you! Fine, but if they really needed to break in… your courtyard is next to the lake! Two and a half sides are next to water, would the thieves bring rafts for a night attack?! There's only one way in and out, it's easy to defend and hard to attack. How many guards did I arrange? Big Tu'er already said, unless three times the number of thieves break in, no one will get in!"

Minglan pressed her palms on the table, exuding an intimidating aura, making Shao Shi so frightened she nearly wanted to crawl under the table.

"To be honest with you, the person I fear the most is actually the Old Madam! The rebels aren't even under her control, and the number of people who could cause trouble is limited. What I'm afraid of is that it's easy to dodge a direct attack, but difficult to guard against a hidden strike! There are so many old servants in this house, people's hearts are unpredictable. When the house is in chaos, the maids and servants are coming and going. With a pin, a packet of medicine, a stone, or a thorn… how can a child like Tuan Ge'er defend against that? But before it happened, could I have said such heart-wrenching things?"

Shao Shi was on the verge of tears, almost about to kneel to Minglan. She collapsed onto the table and pleaded, "Sister-in-law, it's my mind clouded with pig oil, I've been blind and ungrateful, if… if it really happens… I'll pay with Tuan Ge'er's life…"

"I won't ask you to pay with Tuan Ge'er's life," Minglan replied coldly. "I've always liked Xian Jie'er, and even if the Marquis doesn't like her, I still want to secure a good future for her. But if Tuan Ge'er were really harmed because of you, do you think I could just let it go?"

Shao Shi was shaken to the core, her hands flailing in panic. "No, no… this has nothing to do with Xian Jie'er…" She suddenly felt an overwhelming gratitude for Rong Jie'er. If it weren't for her desperately saving her brother, the mother and daughter might not have survived, and their lives would have been difficult from now on.

"That was close, just a step away…" Minglan's eyes revealed a deep sense of lingering fear. "If it weren't for Rong Jie'er's decisiveness and courage, Tuan Ge'er would have lost his life by now. The situation we could have faced… is truly unimaginable."

Shao Shi didn't dare to think further. Not to mention Minglan, even Gu Tingye's anger could easily have burned them to ashes—mother and daughter would have been gone in an instant. The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became, and soon, both her palms and back were covered in cold sweat.

Minglan coldly stared at her for a long time before speaking, "I'm not saying this for you today, I'm saying it for Xian Jie'er."

Shao Shi raised her head like a wooden figure, not understanding her meaning.

"When you ran off to Kouxiang Courtyard to hide, you only intended to bring Xian Jie'er with you, right?" Minglan sighed. "Xian Jie'er is a good child. At that time, she even remembered Rong Jie'er and called her along."

Tears immediately filled Shao Shi's eyes, and she looked up, crying, "My good daughter! I nearly harmed you, but you saved me!"

Xian Jie'er had called Rong Jie'er, and Rong Jie'er had saved Tuan Ge'er, which indirectly saved their own situation. It seemed like divine will—good deeds bringing good rewards! A deep sense of gratitude arose in her heart for the heavens and the law of cause and effect.

Minglan pushed open the door, and just before stepping out, she said in a solemn voice, "Don't worry, big sister. As long as you don't make any more foolish mistakes, I will treat both of the girls as my own daughters." She paused and added, "I keep my word."

After saying this, Minglan did not look back. She supported Xia He, who was standing outside the door, and left directly.

That evening, after dinner, Lv Zhi came to report the message from Mama Qiong. Shao Shi had told Xian Jie'er everything that had happened. The mother and daughter had cried together for a long time. Although Shao Shi felt deeply guilty, she had finally been able to let go of her worries.

The next morning, Xian Jie'er, with swollen red eyes, came to pay her respects to Minglan. She nervously twisted her hands and shifted her feet. Minglan, feeling pity for her, gently patted her head and told her to go and play with Rong Jie'er and Tuan Ge'er.

However, when facing Shao Shi, Minglan was no longer so kind. While still maintaining proper etiquette, her expression was serious and cold, and she didn't say a word more than necessary. This made Shao Shi anxious and obedient.

Minglan had once thought that if Shao Shi had feared her as much as she feared the Old Madam, even if concubine Ren had urged her on, Shao Shi wouldn't have dared to rush to Tuan Ge'er's hiding place. Qi Niang was a good example of this.

The small-minded are afraid of power, not virtue; the gentle rain of spring is not effective on everyone.

Minglan sighed deeply at this helpless reality.