Rong Zhi couldn't recall for a moment when Chen Yanyan returned, having changed into a different outfit and adorned herself with expensive jewelry. She appeared even more radiant than before, with an air of wanting to outshine Xing Jiahui.
Seeing Moli weeping, she inquired again. Moli, through her sobs, pointed towards the inner room, "This servant is heartbroken seeing young master tormenting himself day after day, unsure when he might... I am sad."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yanyan's face also showed sadness. "That's true. Father and mother raised my brother so much, only to have him turn out so utterly useless. It's a waste of their efforts. It seems I must persuade my mother to have another child while she's still young, so this grand family fortune won't be without an heir."
Rong Zhi, listening from the side, almost dropped her jaw. She thought these two, mistress and servant, were truly incorrigible.
Despite their talk, the carriage was already prepared. Chen An, a grown man, had fainted in his room in broad daylight, yet with the door wide open, no one paid him any mind, as if they were accustomed to such scenes.
Along the way, Chen Yanyan couldn't help but ask about Xing Jiahui's well-being at the General's mansion. Rong Zhi, seeing Chen Yanyan's gossipy demeanor, knew she likely wished to hear negative news about Xing Jiahui. She therefore spoke of the animosity between the General's mansion and the Prime Minister's mansion, uttering a few non-committal words to satisfy Chen Yanyan's curiosity. As expected, it made her beam with delight.
"I told you, this Xing Jiahui, she wouldn't listen to good advice and is now facing consequences. She should have married earlier! Now that the marriage has been decreed, it's too late to regret it, and this young lady has to solve her troubles!"
As they spoke, they entered the courtyard.
Although Xia Yunting had confined Xing Jiahui, he hadn't restricted visitors. Especially since the Chen family were openly great benefactors to Xia Yunting, Chen Yanyan's passage was unimpeded.
Upon reaching the outside of Xing Jiahui's courtyard, Chen Yanyan asked Rong Zhi and Moli to wait outside while she went in alone.
Moli, looking like an unsophisticated country bumpkin entering a mansion, gazed around the courtyard with curiosity. Even a bird on a tree seemed like something she had never seen before.
Rong Zhi found her increasingly familiar but couldn't find a match in her memory. So, she took the opportunity to ask, "Moli, when we were leaving just now, your young master was lying alone in bed. Is he alright?"
Moli withdrew her gaze and eyed Rong Zhi strangely. Only when she saw Rong Zhi's candid expression, as if genuinely asking out of curiosity, did she wave her hand. "He's fine. Our young master is always like this. We're used to it."
Rong Zhi nodded thoughtfully and said, "It must have been quite difficult for you, serving in the mansion since you were young."
"Hey, don't talk nonsense. I was bought by the Grand Tutor's mansion as a servant after I grew up, and I'm still a virgin."
She understood Rong Zhi's implied meaning, and her expression soured slightly. Rong Zhi nodded, and subtly flicked a silver needle from her sleeve. It flew with internal force to a tree, followed by a bird's cry of pain.
"What happened?" Moli curiously raised her head.
Rong Zhi said, "Perhaps two birds were fighting."
She heard a yelp, and Moli suddenly lowered her head, covering her face, and grumbled, "This damn bird, pooping randomly! If I catch you, I'll roast you and eat you!"
It turned out that the bird on the tree had been startled and flown away at some point, leaving behind a little "gift" on Moli's face as it departed.
Rong Zhi took the opportunity to take out a handkerchief and stepped forward solicitously, "Are you alright?" she asked, gently wiping her face. To her surprise, Moli flinched as if burned and quickly retreated two steps. "It's nothing, I can do it myself."
She smiled awkwardly and began to clean herself up.
Rong Zhi's eyes moved, and her gaze finally settled.
From inside, Chen Yanyan's indignant voice could be heard: "Hmph, a mere steward dares to ride over us! You wait, I'll go deal with him for you!"
Xing Jiahui followed Chen Yanyan, tears streaming down her face, looking troubled. "Yanyan, don't cause trouble for me. This is the General's mansion after all. It wouldn't be good if Xia Yunting took his anger out on you."
Chen Yanyan stopped and looked back at Xing Jiahui. Suddenly, she said, "Alright then. Since you don't want me to interfere, I'll go home. Moli, let's go."
"Yanyan!" Xing Jiahui's expression turned ugly.
Chen Yanyan laughed heartily. "Xing Jiahui, you're so old, yet you still play these childish games with me. Don't you think I know why you asked me here? If you want me to stand up for you, then don't be so coy!"
Exposed, Xing Jiahui looked guilty. Her act would only work on a straightforward girl like Xiao Yao.
Seeing Chen Yanyan marching off to settle accounts with Xia Jin, Xing Jiahui's gaze fell upon Rong Zhi.
"What are you looking at? I'm asking you, did Chen Yanyan ask you about me?"
Rong Zhi replied, "Replying to Madam, she did ask. However, as I know nothing of Madam's affairs, I said nothing."
"That's more like it." Xing Jiahui's expression softened slightly. She looked curiously in the direction Chen Yanyan had left, seeming to want to see. However, leaving the courtyard during the day was easily discovered by Xia Yunting, so she could only order Rong Zhi, "You, go and see for me."
"Yes."
As soon as Rong Zhi left the courtyard, she heard sounds of pleading. It was none other than Xia Jin, followed by Chen Yanyan's scolding.
"You are a servant arranged by my family, and you dare to bully my friend? You must be tired of living."
Along with Chen Yanyan's scolding, came the sound of whipping. When Rong Zhi arrived, she saw Chen Yanyan had broken off a branch from somewhere and was striking Xia Jin with it.
Xia Jin knelt on the ground, too angry to speak, his clothes torn and bloody.
Just then, Chen Xing's voice came from afar.
"Who is using private torture in the General's mansion?"
Seeing she had been discovered, Chen Yanyan showed no panic. She merely stopped her beating and looked calmly at Chen Xing.
Chen Xing, upon seeing it was Miss Chen, immediately became respectful. "So it's Miss Chen. Why are you here?"
Chen Yanyan raised her chin and snorted lightly. "I'm not talking to you. Go call brother Yunting over; I'll speak with him."
"What a coincidence, my General attended court for official matters today and hasn't returned yet. Miss Chen, why don't you sit for a while and wait?"
Rong Zhi observed Chen Xing's expression with surprise. The people in Xia Yunting's household had tempers similar to his. She had never seen Chen Xing so respectful to anyone before.
Chen Yanyan nodded with satisfaction. "You're quite sensible. Then I'll sit for a while."
Before leaving, she couldn't resist kicking Xia Jin.
Rong Zhi watched as Chen Xing escorted Chen Yanyan to the reception hall, then quietly returned to inform Xing Jiahui, emphasizing how badly Xia Jin had been punished.
She had expected Xing Jiahui to be pleased with this news, but upon hearing that Chen Yanyan had been invited to the reception hall, Xing Jiahui's face suddenly turned pale.
"This is bad! She can't see the General! If Xia Yunting finds out I invited her, he'll surely blame me." She paced anxiously in her room, finally fixing her gaze on Rong Zhi. "You, go and drive her out."
Rong Zhi gasped. She had just helped herself to some relief at the expense of others, and now she was being asked to drive them away. The speed of burning bridges was too fast.
"Madam, she is the young lady from the Grand Tutor's mansion. How dare I?"
"I don't care. If you don't do this well, I'll break your legs!"
Xing Jiahui proved with her actions what it meant to be unreasonable.
Rong Zhi sighed helplessly and had to rack her brains for a solution as she went to the front hall. She saw Chen Yanyan sitting leisurely, as if she were at home. How could she leave so easily?
She had to call Chen Xing over.
"Madam, what is it?"
Although Rong Zhi was nominally a maid in the General's mansion now, Chen Xing still called her Madam in private.
Rong Zhi said, "Find a way to get Chen Yanyan to leave. Also, that maid beside Chen Yanyan looks familiar to me. Do you know her background?"
Hearing this, Chen Xing couldn't help but glance into the room. Moli stood quietly behind Chen Yanyan. If Rong Zhi hadn't specifically mentioned it, no one would have noticed her.
Chen Xing shook his head. "I haven't seen her."
Rong Zhi said, "She's disguised."
Chen Xing fell into thought, his expression turning serious. "Your subordinate understands. I will investigate thoroughly."
He knew that Rong Zhi wouldn't tell him such a thing without reason. Since Rong Zhi found the maid familiar, it meant this person must have had a past connection with the General. Otherwise, Rong Zhi could have investigated herself and wouldn't have bothered to tell Chen Xing.
Later, Chen Xing entered the room and said something to Chen Yanyan. Only then did Chen Yanyan reluctantly leave. As she departed, she snorted coldly towards Xing Jiahui's room. "Don't think I don't know this is your doing, Xing Jiahui. You're nice to me when you need me, and like this when you don't. I'll never speak to you again!"
Of course, Xing Jiahui knew none of this. As Chen Yanyan left in a huff, Moli also glanced back at the location of Xing Jiahui's chambers, revealing a subtle smile. This smile was caught by Rong Zhi.
Rong Zhi racked her brain but couldn't figure out where she had seen this person's build and mannerisms before.
Xia Yunting did not return late today. Logically, with no ongoing conflict, even attending court shouldn't have taken Xia Yunting so long. Yet, it was late into the night, and Xia Yunting had not appeared.
Rong Zhi had initially planned to discuss Moli with Xia Yunting, hoping he might remember something. However, since Xia Yunting wouldn't be back, she had to put the matter aside for now.
Xing Jiahui, having disciplined Xia Jin, seemed to be in good spirits and casually picked up a hairpin to reward Rong Zhi. Unexpectedly, the ever-absent Nanny Gu suddenly appeared, with a face full of smiles, and took the hairpin.
"Thank you, Madam. This old servant has been ill these past two days, and Madam still remembers me. This old servant is deeply grateful!"
Rong Zhi was suddenly pushed aside, and she saw Xing Jiahui's face visibly darken.
"Nanny Gu, I haven't been feeling well these past two days, and you didn't come to serve me. Why have you appeared now that there are rewards being distributed?"
Nanny Gu replied with a smile, "This old servant feared passing on her illness to Madam, so she dared not come to serve."
Although she wore a smile, the dark circles under her eyes and the redness in them looked somewhat alarming.
Rong Zhi had a feeling that Nanny Gu was somehow different today.