Volume One, Chapter Seven: She Had Long Given Up Hope

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the servant knelt down with a mournful expression, thudding to the ground.
"Young madam, I was only sent to deliver a message. The heir apparent is in a foul mood today. If I return empty-handed, I’m bound to be punished severely. Please, young madam, show some mercy and pity on me."
Having spoken, he knocked his head on the ground several times until his forehead was red.

Jiang Yutang looked up, frowning.
She didn’t want to go, but she also didn’t want to trouble a servant.
Fine, just this once.
Tomorrow, she would find someone to casually teach her the art of brewing tea, so that no one would bother her over such trivial matters again.

Jiang Yutang agreed and brewed a pot of Jiangnan Fengtuan Queye tea, which Xie Yihe and the others loved for its faint, bitter fragrance. She placed the full pot on a wooden tray and set off.

Xie Yihe’s study was not far from Dream Garden.
The orange-red afterglow spilled over neatly trimmed trees and flowers, and at the end of the cobblestone path was her destination.

Jiang Yutang arrived and knocked with one hand, but to her surprise, the door was ajar. The moment her hand touched it, it swung open on its own, revealing the scene inside the study.

Behind the rosewood desk, Yun Qianqian sat on Xie Yihe’s lap, their intimacy unmistakable—they were… entwined in an embrace!

The air suddenly froze.

Jiang Yutang held the tray, stunned and stiff as stone.

“Ah! Sister Jiang is here…”

Yun Qianqian’s delicate face flushed scarlet. She exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly slid off Xie Yihe’s lap, casting a guilty glance at Jiang Yutang. “I didn’t mean to…”

Xie Yihe’s long brows furrowed tightly, and a sharp glint flashed in his narrow eyes. “Who allowed you to come here?”

Jiang Yutang hadn’t expected their relationship to progress so quickly this lifetime—so quickly it caught her completely off guard.

Just as Xie Yihe’s voice fell, Chu Ge arrived at a brisk pace, glaring displeasedly at Jiang Yutang, as if she were the one trying to break up the couple.

“Young madam, the heir apparent doesn’t want to see you. Please leave immediately!”

Xie Yihe did not object.
He said coldly, “If this happens again, you won’t be managing the household anymore.”

Jiang Yutang had already decided not to manage the household.
She didn’t glance back at those in the study, thrust the tray into Chu Ge’s hand, and said,

“You want me here but fear I’ll cause trouble. Isn’t that contradictory? Instead of scheming against me, you should guard the door for them.”

Chu Ge’s face darkened at her words. He had only wanted Jiang Yutang to have some self-awareness…

Jiang Yutang didn’t care what they thought next. With that, she turned and left without looking back.

Her strides were brisk, and behind her, she faintly heard Yun Qianqian’s soft voice of consolation.

“Brother Yihe, Sister Jiang must be angry. Don’t be hard on her…”

“…”

Jiang Yutang returned to Dream Garden, where servants chatted beneath the corridor.

“I heard Miss Yun went to the study to see the heir apparent.”
“Miss Yun is so beautiful—soft-spoken and refined. The heir apparent likes her very much. I fear she may soon become his official concubine… Young madam!”
“Young madam, we were just chatting casually…”

The two servants were embarrassed upon seeing Jiang Yutang approach.
But to their surprise, Jiang Yutang’s face showed no emotion; she merely hummed softly and walked past them to the steps, entering a side chamber.

Yun Qianqian had even gone as far as entering the heir apparent’s study. The young madam, who had loved him deeply, not only did not make a scene but didn’t even show a hint of anger?
Was the sun rising from the west?
This was truly astonishing.

…

Having lived through a lifetime, Jiang Yutang had witnessed Xie Yihe’s indiscretions and obsession with Yun Qianqian firsthand. She was well prepared for their relationship; the scene just now was nothing to her.

On the contrary, she now knew Xie Yihe wasn’t in the main house, so she instructed Chuntao to hurry and bring all her daily belongings from the main house.

Chuntao worked efficiently and soon everything was arranged.

Jiang Yutang continued working on the accounts in the side room when she noticed Chuntao staring out the window as if watching for something.

She asked, “What are you doing?”

Chuntao hesitated and said, “I’m watching to see if master will come… to explain what happened in the study to you…”

But the lights in the main house of Dream Garden were already out.
The master seemed to have no intention of coming to the side room to explain to Jiang Yutang.

Chuntao’s heart ached deeply, and she felt like crying.

Clearly, Jiang Yutang was Xie Yihe’s legitimate wife, while Miss Yun had only been here two days, yet Xie Yihe was so concerned about her.
What did those three years that the young madam spent at the Duke’s residence amount to?

Jiang Yutang didn’t know how to explain this to Chuntao; this was only the beginning. She changed the subject. “What have you learned about the medical affairs?”

Hearing this, Chuntao pulled herself together from her sadness.

“I’ve inquired. The Imperial Medical Bureau has indeed posted notices recruiting female doctors, but the assessments are said to be quite difficult. Also…”
Chuntao paused, then cautiously added, “That Miss Yun from the Pear Blossom Courtyard has also signed up.”

The Pear Blossom Courtyard in the Duke’s residence was where Yun Qianqian stayed.

Jiang Yutang knew Yun Qianqian would apply too.

She remained expressionless. “She applies for her own sake; I’ll apply for mine. Just ignore each other.”

Since Yun Qianqian was new and busy learning about the Duke’s residence and currying favor, she wouldn’t act rashly against her for now.

Seeing this, Chuntao said no more.

The next day, Jiang Yutang got up and, as usual, went to Madam Xie’s courtyard. Then, along with a crowd of people, she arrived at the dining hall, planning to eat breakfast before going with Chuntao to the Imperial Medical Bureau.

The female relatives gathered, sitting around the eight-immortal table, thick embroidered cushions on the floor, with maids and servants waiting outside.

Madam Xie invited Jiang Yutang to sit beside her, warmly taking her hands.

She spoke softly, “Ah Tang, I was anxious about the child, and as a mother-in-law, I was too concerned. You drank so many medicinal soups for no reason—please don’t take it to heart or hold it against me.”

Jiang Yutang lowered her eyes, a trace of irony hidden within them, knowing Madam Xie had more to say.

Sure enough, Madam Xie’s tone shifted.

“Yihe is perfect in every way; I needn’t worry about him, except when it comes to offspring. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. There are some things a mother can’t say to her son, but since Yihe cares for you, I’m counting on you to help me enlighten him.”

Madam Xie hoped she would persuade Xie Yihe to have a child.

Jiang Yutang would have to be insane to seek out Xie Yihe and humiliate herself.

She met Madam Xie’s gaze.

“Mother, you should know that the heir apparent and I are sleeping separately now. Yesterday, he suddenly flew into a rage at me for no reason, accusing me of sending someone to him. I’m still baffled. Mother, do you know what’s going on?”