Chapter 13: Hit Me Hard

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“Bandaging is too difficult; I don’t know how to do it.”
Watching Bai Jin’s shameless attitude, Xiao Tuyu’s eyes flickered with a hint of satisfaction. “Then we’ll have to trouble Miss Shen.”
Shen Xuanyue glanced at the attendant beside her. Before she could speak, the attendant dashed off in a flash.
“Alright, bear with it.”
Shen Xuanyue picked up the ointment, exhaling softly as she eased her movements, spreading it evenly little by little.
Bai Jin leaned over. “So, what do you think? Any risk of complications?”
Shen Xuanyue: …
Where on earth did she find such a ridiculous friend?
After coating a thick layer of ointment and wrapping the gauze two or three times just tight enough, she finally tied a perfect bow.
“How nice! No matter how fierce or domineering a person is, when it comes to bandaging gauze, it must be tied in a bow!”
Only then did Shen Xuanyue realize it wasn’t quite right and tried to untie and redo it, but Xiao Tuyu stepped back. “Leave it as it is. I think it looks fine.”
Bai Jin smacked her forehead. “It’s over, it’s over! This arrow wound has spread to your brain. No hope left.”
Shen Xuanyue glanced at the sky; without realizing it, she had been there for half the day.
“It’s getting late. I have to go back.”
Ying Xia followed closely behind Shen Xuanyue, her heart pounding nervously. She couldn’t understand where her mistress found such courage to play outside alone for so long.
If it hadn’t been for seeing her mistress so happy, she would have urged her to return when Xiao Liyang was carried away.
Now, hearing Shen Xuanyue say she was leaving, her heart finally settled.
“I’ll escort you. I happen to be heading back.”
Xiao Tuyu quickened his pace to catch up, walking side by side with her.
Suddenly, Bai Jin called out from behind, “Zishu, you dropped something.”

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Xiao Tuyu and Shen Xuanyue both turned around. They were a bit far away; Bai Jin held something tightly in her palm. Shen Xuanyue could only see a red object.
Xiao Tuyu snatched it and shoved it into his chest, his expression a little awkward. “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
Seeing his flustered retreating figure, Bai Jin sneered and muttered softly, “It’s just a hairpin, nothing worth hiding like that.”
…
When the carriage stopped at the gate of the Marquis’s residence, Shen Xuanyue could already hear the commotion inside. A gatekeeper approached with a displeased expression but softened somewhat upon seeing Xiao Tuyu.
“Third Miss, madam says you’re to go to the flower hall.”
Shen Xuanyue nodded, gave Xiao Tuyu a nod in return, and turned left with Ying Xia toward the flower hall.
Just as they reached the flower hall courtyard, a teacup flew straight at Shen Xuanyue, shattering at her feet. Most of the hot tea spilled onto her foot, even staining the hem of her dress a darker shade.
Madam Xiao sat upright in the main hall, her face half-shrouded in shadow, commanding with quiet authority.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?”
The setting sun stretched Shen Xuanyue’s shadow long across the ground. Ying Xia’s worried fingers clenched into her palms as she knelt with a thud.
“Madam, please calm your anger. It was all my fault that we returned late today. I was careless and wanted to play outside a bit longer. Miss stayed because of me. Please forgive us.”
“You’re just a lowly maidservant and dare make decisions for your mistress? Yueyue, the servants in your courtyard are far too brazen. Today, your mother will teach you a lesson.”
Madam Xiao gave a subtle signal to Nurse Wang, who immediately, with several maids, firmly restrained Ying Xia.
“Mother, it was my fault for being playful today. Ying Xia is just my maid; how could she decide for me? If you want to punish me, please spare Ying Xia.”
Shen Xuanyue felt a pang of regret. Had she known this fleeting joy would put Ying Xia in danger, she wouldn’t have risked it. She had forgotten she was still under someone else’s roof.
“That’s still punishable. If the mistress is not clear-headed and the maid doesn’t know how to dissuade her but instead causes trouble, such servants only corrupt their mistress. Beat her!”
Ying Xia was pressed down on a bench, flanked by two burly nurses. Both were as tall as men, their rough, darkened skin marked with varying shades of red. Their thick lips habitually drooped, the corners turned down, showing they were used to hard labor.
A few strikes from those boards, and Ying Xia wouldn’t survive.
The boards were raised high. Just as they were about to fall, Shen Xuanyue lunged forward. The nurse sensed something was wrong and tried to stop, but some force still landed on Shen Xuanyue’s body.

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The pain made her gasp sharply, her body weakening halfway.
“Oh dear, Miss, you’re delicate and precious. If something happened, even if it meant killing us, we couldn’t make up for it!”
Nurse Wang said, glancing at Madam Xiao, strongly seeking her approval.
The expected blow did not come down. Ying Xia tentatively opened her eyes, only to see her mistress taking the blow for her, and tears immediately poured down like a spring.
“Miss, are you alright? Did it hurt?”
Shen Xuanyue’s face was pale, but she forced a smile and shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Unexpectedly, Ying Xia cried even harder, her eyes like open faucets, choking on her sobs.
“Yueyue, what do you mean by this? I’ve raised you for so many years. Do I not even have the right to punish your maid?”
Madam Xiao slammed her palm on the fine pearwood table, shattering an entire set of teacups and teapots with a crash.
The maids in the courtyard immediately knelt on the ground, trembling with fear, as if Madam Xiao’s wrath could engulf them at any moment.
Shen Xuanyue endured the pain in her back and slowly knelt down.
This simple movement made cold sweat break out all over her.
“Mother, please calm your anger. As the mistress of the Marquis’s household, you have the authority to punish everyone here. I understand why you are angry today and why your fury burns so fiercely. If you want to vent on me, I will bear it without complaint. After all, the words spoken today were truly from my mouth alone and have nothing to do with Ying Xia.”
From the moment she stepped through the door, Shen Xuanyue knew Madam Xiao was angry because she had learned the full story of Xiao Liyang’s injury. Using the pretext of punishing Ying Xia, she was giving her a warning.
Madam Xiao snorted coldly. “I really did raise a fine daughter. At home, you’re as meek as a lamb, but outside, you’re a hungry wolf ready to bite. Liyang is your brother, yet you have the heart to slander him. How are you any different from a traitor?”
“I was merely telling the truth. Not only I saw it, but many others did too. Am I wrong to be honest?”
Shen Xuanyue remained calm. Madam Xiao valued face above all else; she was weak and alone. Now was not the time to tear the relationship apart.
“Telling the truth? Are you sure it’s the truth? Saying in front of so many people that your brother would stop at nothing to win, even harming his own uncle-in-law—that’s your truth? Yueyue, do you think… I’m a fool?”