Chapter 10, Transformation

Zhang Lan listened to Jiang Ruan's words, feeling quite pleased at first, but her expression changed as the conversation progressed. Once Jiang Ruan finished speaking, she immediately stood up and said: "Miss, what are you saying? You are the master, and I am but a servant. Please do not belittle me, for I am very anxious in my heart."

"Father is busy with official duties, so there is no need to write this year." Jiang Ruan looked at her fingertips and said, "Lan Mama, I have no letter to take."

On one side, Chen Fang could not guess what Zhang Lan was thinking; she only felt that this usually timid and easily bullied master seemed to possess a certain aura today. Although today she was adorned with jewelry that could not compare to her own, it could not conceal her beauty. Her appearance was lively and lovely, which instantly filled Chen Fang with jealousy. Without thinking, she spoke up: "Miss, your health seems to be quite well now; you can walk around freely. I suppose you can start embroidering the handkerchief tomorrow, and it should be finished by the time the New Year arrives."

There are indeed ways, but before leaving, there is still a debt to settle

Zhang Lan looked at Jiang Ruan with some suspicion, yet could not discern anything amiss. She forced herself to suppress the unease in her heart. After all, the more disheartened Jiang Ruan became, the easier it would be to report to the higher-ups, which was a good thing for her. She smiled and said, "In that case, this old servant will go manage the grain and take my leave."

Lian Qiao was already seeing red with anger. Zhang Lan's words, on the surface, seemed flawless, yet they were a blatant affront to Jiang Ruan's dignity. After all, she was merely a servant, yet she sat while her master stood, truly lacking any sense of hierarchy. Lian Qiao initially intended to reprimand her, but upon seeing Jiang Ruan's gaze, she suddenly changed her mind and stood quietly beside Jiang Ruan, just like Bai Zhi, without uttering a word

A person who has died once views matters with greater clarity than before. She will no longer place her hopes on the heartless Jiang Quan. Rather than waiting passively, it is better to take the initiative. As for the letter, it is unnecessary; Jiang Quan will not read it. In the end, it will only fall into the hands of Jiang Susu and her mother, serving merely as fodder for others' gossip.

Zhang Lan suddenly came to her senses, startling Chen Fang beside her as well. With a mix of jealousy and anger, they looked at Jiang Ruan. This once downtrodden daughter of an official seemed like a different person today; upon a glance from her shallow eyes, she appeared unaware of her surroundings.

Jiang Ruan smiled faintly: "Madam, you are being too serious. You have devoted yourself wholeheartedly to the matters of the estate, so it is only right that you take a good rest. I truly feel guilty for making you work so hard, so why not let me massage your legs? Perhaps it will make you feel a bit more comfortable"

Zhang Lan was taken aback for a moment and smiled, saying: "Look at this old servant's memory. I wanted to ask the young lady, since we need to send grain to the manor, would you like to send a letter to the master and mistress?"

Chen Fang and Zhang Lan were smiling, and upon hearing the words, they turned to look at the door. They saw three figures approaching against the light. The leading girl, slender in build, was wrapped in a large cotton coat, yet strangely exuded a delicate charm. The sunlight made her pale skin appear crystal clear, as if overnight her features had become distinct. Her gaze was no longer as lifeless as before; it remained as calm as an ancient well, yet a hint of indescribable allure flowed from the corners of her eyes. Her eyes resembled flowing spring water, devoid of dullness, only possessing an enchanting vitality. She raised her eyebrows slightly, her voice clear and melodious, carrying a refreshing coolness: "Lan Momo?"

Zhang Lan was taken aback. Every year, Jiang Ruan would write letters to bring back, and everyone knew well whether these letters could have any effect. However, no one would voluntarily give up their hopes. Yet now, Jiang Ruan no longer brings back letters. Has she truly lost heart and given up hope?

Jiang Ruan smiled lightly and said, "Of course"

When Jiang Ruan was initially sent to the village, Zhang Lan merely remarked that everything here could not compare to the prosperity and comfort of the capital. Many tasks required manual effort, and although Jiang Ruan did not need to chop firewood or engage in agricultural work, Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao were subjected to considerable toil. These two well-behaved young maids had already developed calluses on their hands at such a young age. Jiang Ruan herself was not much better off; while she did not have to do farm work, she still had to engage in embroidery. Each month, she was required to submit twenty embroidered handkerchiefs to the village to cover her own expenses. Twenty handkerchiefs was no small number, and Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi also helped to make some, barely managing to gather enough. However, the intricate patterns and complex stitching made it extremely straining on the eyes to embroider them one by one. Especially as the New Year approached, the requirement increased from twenty to thirty handkerchiefs, which was difficult to sustain

Jiang Ruanyan raised her eyebrows and said: "Lan Mama, the urgent matter for today is regarding the embroidered handkerchief, isn't it?"

Having encountered a minor setback, I initially intended to make things difficult for Jiang Ruan. However, to my surprise, the other party readily agreed. Chen Fang gritted her teeth and said: "Then Miss will have to work hard. Be careful that if you are unable to embroider it well, it may cause trouble."

Jiang Ruan extended her hand, gently caressing the edge of the copper mirror where there was a chip, and smiled faintly

"Going back?" Lian Qiao's eyes brightened: "Has the young lady thought of a way to return?"

Jiang Ruan glanced at Zhang Lan, her tone carrying a hint of mild surprise: "Mother is actually able to stand up. Seeing that Mother is fine, Jiang Ruan felt relieved; otherwise, if something had happened to Mother, Jiang Ruan truly would not have known what to do."

"The young lady has arrived." Although Zhang Lan said this, she did not move at all; she merely tapped her leg in a somewhat fatigued manner and continued, "Today, I finally managed to free up some time after dealing with the various chores at the estate, and I thought to come and visit the young lady. However, I did not expect the young lady to be absent. After searching around, I ended up twisting my ankle, so I am resting here in the room. Please forgive this old servant's rudeness, young lady"

"Time is precious; there is no leisure to quarrel with him." Jiang Ruan sat down at the table, looking at the pale face of the girl in the rusted copper mirror: "We are all going back; what message should we convey? If there is something to say, it is better to speak directly face to face."

After Zhang Lan and Chen Fang left, Bai Zhi expressed her confusion, saying: "Why hasn't the young lady sent a message? Could it be that she is upset with the master?"

Zhang Lan felt a surge of resentment in her heart. Jiang Ruan's earlier words seemed to be a show of respect, but if the latter part of her statement were to spread outside, she would be in a difficult position. There is no reason in the world for a master to serve a servant, and even if the higher-ups hinted at it, such matters would only lead to accusations of the servant bullying the master, bringing shame to the Minister's residence. The best approach was to leave no room for error on the surface while making it difficult for the other party at every turn. Unexpectedly, after a lifetime of dealing with swans, she was today pecked in the eye by a young swan using the same method. With this thought, Zhang Lan glanced at Jiang Ruan again. Jiang Ruan wore a faint smile, standing quietly in place, exuding an air that made it hard for others to see through her. A sense of unease suddenly rose in Zhang Lan's heart; how could a mere girl just over ten years old instill such fear in her? Was she some kind of monster?

Letter? Jiang Ruan's fingertips moved slightly, as time had passed too long; she almost forgot that during the years spent in the Zhuangzi, every year at the end of the year, she would write letters to Jiang Quan and her elder brother. The content of the letters was nothing more than hoping they could bring her back. Year after year, the letters sank into the sea like stones, with no response. What she received instead was the tragic news of her elder brother Jiang Xin's death on the battlefield. After her brother's death, her life truly lost all hope.