In the early sweltering of May, Yun Si stared at the letter in her hand, her expression devoid of emotion. The script detailed heart-wrenching events, seemingly unfolding in front of her.

    Her porcelain-like hand trembled momentarily before regaining composure. Accustomed to facing adversities with intellect over tears, Yun Si had never succumbed to despair in her upbringing. She was shaped by reason, aware that to feel was to falter.

    Why then, could her mother not grasp this reality!

    Standing up slowly, she placed the troubling letter into a container. Her father had decided to demote her mother, elevating the Third Furen instead, citing the absence of a male heir from the chief wife as his excuse.

    Yun Si forced a mocking smile, her dark eyes glinting deeply. The events at the royal court had changed, and without her grandfather and grandmother, what would the Zhang family have left for her father to respect? In the past, the other party had allowed her mother to be the principal wife because, even after the deaths of both elders, there was still her uncle, who was a promising deputy general.

    However, now her uncle had lost his life while suppressing bandits, and he had no heir to carry on the lineage. Just looking at it, it was clear that the Zhang family was destined to collapse. Why should her father still care about anyone’s face? Well, even though she felt despondent that her mother remained stubbornly ignorant, the fact remained that her mother had given birth to her and raised her without favor. She couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

    Moreover... hadn't she anticipated this long ago? That's why she didn't agree to marry into the Lan family so easily. When the father who saw her as nothing more than an ornament to the household gave his orders, it was time to put her dear husband to good use.

    All the hardships she endured were for this purpose, weren't they?

    "Who's outside?" she inquired with measured calmness. Her loyal maids promptly entered. "Furen,” they addressed her reverently. Her indigo eyes swept over, then asked. “Where’s Xiao Xiang?”

    Xiao Ying and Xiao Yuan remained silent and still, their eyes filled with resentment. Xiao Xiang, the traitor who was saved from being sold into the brothel. However, she dared to betray her benefactor.

    Seeing her maid’s reaction, Yun Si surmised that Xiao Xiang, once a trusted servant, had exploited her intimacy with her husband, refusing to let go. Yun Si lowered her eyes in thoughtful silence and then instructed her people on what to do. After giving the orders, she told them to leave.

    The maids, keen and dedicated, executed her directives without query. Their allegiance to Yun Si was unwavering. For both of them, they laid their loyalty to Yun Si, not the Master Lan. 

     . .

    After that in a silent room, she resolved to await destiny's unfolding, chiding herself for losing focus and neglecting her beloved husband. From now on, she has to recalibrate herself to the right way.

    A few days later, rumor that a maid slept with Master Lan and refused to leave the Grand quarter reached the ears of the elderly Furen with Furen Lingxi being the informer.

    Having contended with her husband's other wives valiantly in the past, the elderly Furen was adept at discerning the deceit of other concubines and held a strong prejudice against them. Upon learning of the incident, she was displeased and dismissed Furen Lingxi immediately after hearing her account.

    "What shall we do next, Furen?"

     Xiao Ying inquired, reflecting concern for her mistress. While they had deliberately leaked the rumor to irritate Fifth Furen its effectiveness hinged on the elderly Furen’s response.

    Yun Si diverted her attention from the meal in front of her, raising an eyebrow slightly with a light smile. "To be a hunter, you must possess more patience than your prey," she advised.

    Xiao Ying nodded in understanding, although her worry was apparent. Yun Si shook her head gently, placing her chopsticks down and affectionately flicking Xiao Ying's forehead.

    "Look at you two, so preoccupied with others you neglect your duties.  Shouldn't you prioritize serving me during the meal?”

    This playful, light-hearted side of Yun Si was unseen by outsiders, preserving her imposing Furen personality. Seeing their mistress in good spirits, Xiao Ying and Xiao Yuan refocused on attending to her, ensuring she ate well.

    Yun Si remained consistent, managing her household affairs with unruffled poise. When rumor of the maid's fate reached her, delivered with satisfaction by Xiao Ying, there was no sympathy for the traitor.

    "According to Aunt Ping, the cook, there was a mysterious order to clean the master's house this morning. Somehow, that led to the smashing of a royal gifted vase. In her fury, the elderly Furen ordered the maid to be flogged and sold," Xiao Ying reported.

    Yun Si mused at the coincidence—a cleaning command coinciding with the destruction of a royal gift. The elderly Furen was resolute. She dared to trade the royal gifted vase in order to get rid of the maid. Even Lan Qing can’t alleviate this situation despite his mother’s fury.

     "Furen?" Xiao Yuan stepped forward and called out. When she saw the young woman look over, she quickly reported, "She is kneeling and crying in front of the residence, Miss. Should I call someone to drag her away?"

    Yun Si expressed slight surprise. The former maid, lacking a common sense, had recently betrayed her mistress. While getting in trouble, she sought mercy. Such desperation implied either a profound folly or a hidden agenda.

    Indeed, Yun Si treated other concubines fairly, the display of penitence from the disgraced maid could not go unaddressed without casting her own reputation into doubt. Her forbearance might be perceived as callousness or selfishness by other concubines until she assists her former maid.

    Huh! Even at this point, do you think to drag others down with you Xiao Xiang? Ah... I take back my words. She is not witless as I thought, quite the contrary, she's cunning.

    But... has she forgotten who taught her to be so shrewd?

    " Well, since she's come to weep at my doorstep like this, it would be remiss of me not to take a look."

    Gracefully stepping out, flanked by her close maids, they tread carefully, their eyes casting unfriendly glances at the beautiful woman kneeling outside, awaiting judgment.

    ...Who would trust a dog that has once bitten its owner!

    "Furen” I begged you for mercy, please help me. I truly repent,"

    the former maid implored, rushing to kneel in front of her previous mistress. Her pretty face was marred with tears, her sobs seemingly genuine, evoking sympathy as if a delicate flower pummeled by the storm. Yet unfortunately, Yun Si was not a man, thus was not swayed by such displays, her heart remained unmoved.

    "You are mistaken, Xiao Xiang. This is not about my mercy. Even though you were my maid, it doesn't change anything,"

    Her words clearly drew a line, creating a distinct hierarchy. In just a few days of sharing the bed with her husband, Xiao Xiang dared to use the word 'I' instead of 'servant' as she used to. It was obvious she was trying to climb the ranks. Did they expect her to nurture a viper that would turn and bite her? Yun Si was not that foolish.

    Stunned, Xiao Xiang realized the oppression against Yun Si's words; she was unequivocally demoted, no longer seen as a contender for her husband’s affection. Biting her lip until she tasted blood, though seething with hatred, she couldn't defy the power of this woman and bowed her head for survival.

    Xiao Xiang was once the most astute among Yun Si's maids, skilled at reading people and winning their favor. Since being bought from her father who intended to sell her into a brothel, she had faithfully followed Yun Si absorbing her wisdom. In the manor of master Yun. Furen Zhang Si was gullible and lacked power. The only reason she could secure a position as the Great Furen was solely because of her daughter, Yun Si, who was the real mastermind.

    While living in master Yun’s manor, she never aspired to ascend beyond her position, given the unappealing appearance of her prospective master. However, Lan Qing was different: handsome, warm, and educated—a scholar's aura enchanted her from their first encounter.

    Her passionate for him was instantaneous; her heart was wholly his, despite seeing the myriad women around Lan Qing. This emboldened Xiao Xiang to betray her mistress.

    Master Lan already has many wives, why can't he have one more!  

    "If the Furen could assist me, I am willing to serve you with my best efforts. If I had children, I would entrust them to your care without any hesitations.”

    Xiao Xiang wasn't foolish. She understood Yun Si's precarious position without her own children, making her susceptible to intrigues by other women. The offer she made was a common recourse for the chief wife barren of heirs. She looked up determinedly, believing Yun Si would accept her offer.

    ‘Huh! She was confident in her assumption that the Great Furen must have been terrified by the lack of heirs.’

    Yun Si smirked slightly, her eyes curving into crescents. She admired Xiao Xiang for enlightening her to such a cunning action; just a maid could think so strategically.

    However, Xiao Xiang chose the wrong side. It wasn’t that Yun Si couldn’t bear children; she simply chose not to. Therefore, the tonic that the elderly Furen and Lan Qing provided was worthless when mixed with the contraceptive herbs she added. Since realizing she had to marry into the Lan family, she researched drugs that could be used to her advantage, ensuring minimal side effects. Her intent was clear: not inability, but a deliberate choice to remain childless.

    Unable to love Lan Qing further, especially after witnessing his heartless actions, she dared not form deeper bonds, thus deciding against bearing his children. Yet, in a society where women lack a voice, she couldn’t divorce him. Moreover, her mother still relied on her status as Lan’s Great Furen to protect her own position. So, Yun Si resigned herself to endure her current status,

    though her heart never ceased yearning for freedom.

    She hoped one day her mother would value her more than her mean father she was infatuated with, and when that day came, she might finally spread her wings and fly freely.

    " Xiao Xiang, it's not that I don't want to help you, but I'm truly powerless to defy the elderly Furen’s order."

    Yun Si’s voice was sweet yet poignant. Xiao Xiang, familiar with her former mistress's nature, knew if Yun Si wished to help, nothing would stop her. Importantly, she believed Yun Si must be behind the recent events even though she didn’t do it by herself.

    As she clung to hope, waiting for Lan Qing’s return, convinced by his recent favoritism, she trusted he would intervene.

    Yun Si observed Xiao Xiang’s unwavering demeanor with a knowing smile; the maid was astute and scheming but failed to see through people, still expecting Lan Qing to come to her rescue. And the kind Yun Si wanted to wake up someone from their dreams!

    As Yun Si prepared to leave, she offered a sympathetic remark, "The elderly Furen’s orders can't be ignored. Resign yourself." Catching a glimpse of a tall figure in a light-colored robe, her lips moved again, a glint in her eyes,

    "But I fear a beautiful maid like you... can't escape the fate of a courtesan!"

    The words, though softly spoken, were clear to the kneeling figure. Xiao Xiang gasped, terrified of becoming a courtesan—a fate she nearly faced when sold into a brothel before Yun Si intervened.

    "You're the one behind this, aren't you? Envious of a woman like me who can give birth to Lan Qing, you concoct such vile schemes!"

    As Xiao Xiang lunged forward, Yun Si feigned alarm, stumbling backward, her act prompting gasps from the surrounding maids.

    "Furen!"

    Yun Si wasn't left to fall; someone caught her first. As the maids collectively exclaimed,

    "Master!"

    Lan Qing held his wife close, his gaze sternly sweeping over the crowd, he asked seriously contrasting with to his usual demeanor. "What is happening here?"

    Xiao Ying and Xiao Yuan glanced at their Furen’s figure in the other's arms with uneasy expressions. Xiao Xiang noticed this and smiled confidently, knowing that the two maids must be worried that master Lan would find out about their conspiracy against her.

    When seeing her former maid suddenly embrace the man beside her, Yun Si chuckled softly to herself. Can’t wait to see the next scene unfold quickly.

    "Master Lan… please help me. The Furen is conspiring against me," Xiao Xiang pleaded.

    Yun Si’s indigo eyes harmonized with her own husband. She offered a faint smile, but behind it, her gaze changed with hidden disappointment. She subtly distanced herself from his strong, embracing arms.

    Lan Qing felt some hot flashes. Why had he never known before that his wife was also sensitive?

    “Who’s going to tell me what is happening?” Lan Qing demanded.”

    Before Xiao Xiang could plead, Xiao Ying rushed forward, her genuine distress preceding any fabricated claims.

    "Please, Master, grant justice for my Great Furen. She's managed all household affairs, served you and the elderly Furen flawlessly. Never has she faltered, yet now she faces baseless slander."

    Startled by Xiao Ying's initiative, Xiao Xiang struggled to respond in time.

    "Who dares offend the Furen?" Lan Qing’s fierce tone demanded, his focus never leaving his wife, who now exuded a mix of defiance and dignity. Upon seeing this, Xiao Ying, wiping tears, elaborated,

    "Xiao Xiang was originally from Master Yun's manor, disappeared without saying anything and upon her misdeeds surfacing today, sought mercy from our Furen. Though she wished to assist, she couldn't counter the elderly Furen’s directive and personally conveyed this to Xiao Xiang, who then shamelessly insulted and assaulted my Furen as you've witnessed, Master."

    Xiao Ying unleashed her words ceaselessly, fueled by the resentment for the backstabbing that had aimed to harm her mistress, feeling no sympathy for her former senior maid. Yun Si found it amusing but, given the path Xiao Ying had paved, how could she, as her mistress, do any less?

    “I was just informed that my mother-in-law decided to sell a maid who followed me from the old manor without discussing it with me first."

    Upon hearing her former mistress's words, Xiao Xiang’s expression visibly brightened, probably fearing she would reveal her own misdeeds to the master. Yet, Yun Si’s next statement froze her in place.

    "However, as a daughter-in-law, it is my duty to serve my mother-in-law with all my heart. Hence, when she commanded this, I did not object. But I never imagined that obeying my mother-in-law's orders would lead to accusations of heartlessness and cruelty toward the servants, nor did I think that my status as the Furen would be tarnished by the sale of one maid."

    After speaking, Yun Si gestured for her maids to escort her back inside her quarter. Lan Qing was not naive. Given the direction Yun Si steered the conversation, how could he not understand?

    He watched the woman on the ground with indifferent eyes, remembering her from the previous night's report about the Furen feeling unwell and retiring early, and her assignment to serve him in replacement.

    Lan Qing wasn't blind to her attempts to be his wife, but he found no reason to refuse given her allure. However, Yun Si’s implications made him reconsider overlooking the situation.

    In this manor, what couldn't he achieve? But to have his wife's honor slighted by a mere servant warranted indirect rebuke, deeming her unworthy even without verbal condemnation.

    His mother's command to sell her long-time close maid, while distressing, was ultimately followed, yet she was demeaned in return. For a moment, Lan Qing felt guilty toward his Furen, her earlier response unexpectedly captivated him.

    As his thoughts lingered on those who had left, why should Lan Qing care about a servant on the ground? He ordered A-De to handle the situation, choosing to visit his mother's quarter instead.

    "Contact the slave traders; sell her quickly."

    Xiao Xiang was aghast, too shocked even to scream. Her master ordered her sale without inquiry, disregarding her loyal service. As he disappeared from view, she was dragged away by male servants, still unable to grasp her situation.

    From beginning to end, her master never mentioned the vase that initiated the conflict. What angered him? Or was it... the Furen?

    In the Xue residence, Yun Si listened to the news from Xiao Ying with a calm expression. The former maid had been sold to a slave trader, ending her good days just like that. Everyone knew well that these traders were ruthless, leaving nothing behind. As Yun Si thought about it, she sighed and half-heartedly wished the woman well.

    But don’t expect her to show any more mercy. The jade-carved Ma Gu Fairy was known only to those in the residence. Originally, Yun Si had planned to surprise the Elder Madam and thus had not allowed anyone to disclose the whereabouts.

    How did Concubine Xiu and Concubine Min come to know, causing strife, and destroying the gift? ,and how did Lady Jiao and the Fifth Furen know about the Sandalwood Bodhisattva carving if not for internal gossip?

    Xiao Xiang brought herself to the harsh moment. Seven years ago, Yun Si was the one who gave her a new life. Despite her ingratitude, Yun Si has to take the payback.

    Yun Si placed the latest letter from her mother, explaining her father's alleged dismissal and promotion of the Third Furen, into a box—mere rumor, confirmed untrue by her father that day.

    Naive to the world and blindly devoted, her mother believed the unloving man's words.

    Realizing Xiao Xiang’s situation was compensation from Lan Qing and the elderly Furen, Yun Si knew well the outcome was inevitable, affirming her husband's benevolence.

    With a habitual smile, she reminded herself there was no need for such a repeated smile; her husband wasn't here. As for Xiao Xiang, she chose the wrong side, one treacherous maid exchanged for the support of her husband and his mother—undeniably worthwhile.

    In the evening, her admirable husband sent his account of his overnight stay. Yun Si’s cheeks blushed, instructing her maids to prepare her bath with a nonchalant expression.

    ‘It's time to earn my keep,’ she mused, planning a visit to her mother with him in two days. ‘Then I will do my best tonight.’

    Under the vast, moonlit sky, which stars would be chosen to accompany the moon?