Chapter Ten: Setting Out

In the Pure Lotus Garden, everyone moved with extreme caution, afraid to make even the slightest sound. Passing by the Fourth Miss’s door, they wished for wings to fly past, lest the angry young lady take them as a target for her temper. Sure enough, a shrill cry pierced through the door: “What did you say...” The voice was quickly suppressed, and the maid lowered her head and hurried away.

Inside the room, Lu Yahe slammed the table. “Say it again! The Old Madam punished that little brat Lu Yalan by sending her to offer incense? What kind of punishment is that? Is the injury on Auntie’s face just going to be forgotten?” Her personal maid stood quietly nearby, toes pointed outward, prepared to dodge anything that might be thrown her way.

Lu Yahe grew angrier seeing her maid’s timid demeanor and grabbed the teapot, splashing hot tea across the maid’s face. “Lu Yalan, that blockhead, still has a loyal maid. Why is it that I’m left with nothing but you?” The scalding tea quickly turned her maid’s face red and swollen, but the girl dared not move, wishing fervently for the Fourth Miss to go bother the Second Miss and spare her.

“No, I must go find Auntie.” Lu Yahe lifted her skirts and strode toward the courtyard of the Second Madam.

When Lu Yahe was born, the First Madam was so exhausted she fell ill and had no energy to care for her. A wet nurse looked after her for two or three years until the First Madam passed away, leaving Lu Yahe motherless. Yet, she was luckier than Lu Yalan; though the Master was unreliable, he truly cared for his children.

Seeing his youngest daughter motherless so young, Master Lu worried endlessly. He feared that without her mother, the servants would neglect her. But fears often come true. One freezing winter day, little Lu Yahe, just learning to walk, slipped away unnoticed. Not a single servant noticed her absence as she wandered to the lakeside, always curious about the forbidden area, and fell into the water.

Such a tiny child, in such cold weather, flailed a few times and vanished beneath the surface. The Second Madam happened to pass by, saw what was happening, and without hesitation jumped in, saving Lu Yahe’s life. Afterward, Lu Yahe clung to the Second Madam’s neck, refusing to let go, calm and sweet in her arms but howling and struggling with anyone else.

Perhaps it was the fierce struggles within the Lu family’s inner quarters that made Master Lu wary; though he had many concubines, all three children of the main house were born to the legitimate wife. Thinking it over, he decided to let the Second Madam care for the Fourth Miss. The Second Madam had no children and would treat her as her own, while the Fourth Miss, being legitimate, would not be hindered in marriage later. As expected, the Second Madam kept Lu Yahe close, always ready with warm clothes and food, and the two became closer than mother and daughter.

This was also why the Second Madam dominated the Lu household and dared to contradict the Old Madam.

Lu Yahe, having spent years at the Second Madam’s side, absorbed her arrogance even if she never quite mastered her shrewdness.

Among the younger generation of the Lu family, Lu Yamei was already married, Lu Yabai was a man, and Lu Yazhu stayed with her parents elsewhere. Only Lu Yalan and Lu Yahe remained in the inner quarters. On the surface, the two should have gotten along well, but Lu Yahe always looked down on Lu Yalan, preferring to play with her lively Third Sister who brought her rare gifts. Influenced by the Second Madam and Lu Yazhu, she often bullied Lu Yalan, counting on her youth to escape blame. Lu Yalan rarely retaliated, making Lu Yahe despise her even more. Over time, every encounter became an opportunity for mischief.

When Lu Yalan's engagement was broken off, Lu Yahe rushed to mock her, but was stopped at the door.

When Lu Yahe entered, the Second Madam was applying ointment given by the Old Madam to her face.

“Auntie, how’s your injury? They wouldn’t let me visit these days,” Lu Yahe affectionately nestled beside the Second Madam.

“It’s to keep you from worrying more. The Old Madam gave me ointment that guarantees no scars, so you can rest assured.”

“Mm.” Lu Yahe leaned in to inspect the injury, scooped a bit of ointment onto her pinky, and felt its coolness. Relieved by its effectiveness, she said, “Auntie, I heard about the Old Madam’s punishment for Second Sister. She’s so biased!”

The Second Madam tapped her, feigning annoyance. “Don’t talk nonsense, stop right there.”

“I’m sorry, Auntie! Please forgive me this time!” Lu Yahe shook the Second Madam’s arm, whining, “I just feel wronged for you. One careless moment and you nearly lost your face, but she walks away unscathed.”

The Second Madam’s face darkened, but returned to normal before Lu Yahe noticed. She sighed, “What can we do? She’s the Second Miss of the Lu family, I’m just a concubine. If she acknowledges me, I’m half a senior; if not, I’m just a servant. The Old Madam’s decision is understandable.”

Lu Yahe’s suppressed anger flared anew. “You’re my Auntie—let’s see who dares disrespect you!” She stood up abruptly. “You wouldn’t let me before, but today I must stand up for you!”

The Second Madam tried to pull her back but failed. “Come back, she’s your Second Sister.” Lu Yahe ignored her and marched straight to Yilan Garden.

Once Lu Yahe was out of sight, the Second Madam’s anxious expression vanished, and she reclined comfortably. “The ointment’s all clumped up, reapply some for me.”

Lu Yalan had just returned from the Old Madam’s quarters and stepped into Yilan Garden when she heard Lu Yahe’s shrill voice: “Lu Yalan, you little brat, why don’t you just die!”

Lu Yalan frowned and ignored her, continuing forward. She’d heard such insults countless times, though this one was particularly harsh.

Seeing Lu Yalan unresponsive only made Lu Yahe angrier. “Always like this! Every time you act so high and mighty, but in truth, you’re the most miserable one in the Lu family. Do you think pretending to be noble makes you less pitiable? Now all of Salt City knows that the Zhao family scorns you. You’re not only the Lu family’s joke—you're Salt City’s laughingstock!”

Lu Yalan didn’t want to argue with Lu Yahe. To her, it was just words, nothing that hurt, though the shrillness was irritating. “Are you mad? I didn’t do anything to you, yet you jump out like a crazy woman.”

Lu Yahe’s eyes widened. She was used to Lu Yalan’s passive endurance; being insulted directly left her momentarily stunned. “Who are you calling crazy? You scratched Auntie’s face and claim you did nothing to me! Today, I’ll get justice for Auntie!”

In the past, Lu Yalan had always avoided trouble, enduring Lu Yahe’s provocations and often steering clear whenever she saw her Fourth Sister from afar, leaving her feeling stifled.

But today, seeing Lu Yahe raging, Lu Yalan felt a strange urge to laugh. “Why did I scratch the Second Madam’s face? You don’t know? Since scratching is the issue, I might as well scratch you too—you’ve bullied me enough.”

Lu Yahe instinctively stepped back, intimidated by Lu Yalan’s serious demeanor. She certainly didn’t want her face ruined!

Lu Yalan offered her a way out. “Someone, please escort Fourth Miss back to Pure Lotus Garden.”

Immediately, a servant appeared to usher Lu Yahe out. She tried to resist, but Lu Yalan added, “Or shall we explain everything to the Old Madam?”

Lu Yahe obediently left.

Lu Yalan didn’t hurry indoors. She stood beneath the sun, looking up at the blue sky with a smile.

Life had changed!

Qianyun Temple was built atop a mountain outside the city, far and winding, so most travelers left in the morning and arrived by afternoon. Yet, that never dampened people’s enthusiasm for prayer, especially in these turbulent times, when the common folk suffered under endless exploitation and longed for divine help. The temple, nestled deep in the mountains, with its morning bells, evening drums, and curling incense, seemed like a celestial sanctuary, untouched by worldly dust—an alluring sight.

The road to Qianyun Temple was crowded with pilgrims, often traveling in groups of three or five, which was why the Old Madam only sent a few retainers and didn’t worry about Lu Yalan encountering bandits.

Early spring in Salt City remained chilly. Travelers wore thick robes, hawker cries ringing through the air, as Lu Yalan sat in her carriage, holding a warming stove in one hand and lifting the curtain with the other, her eyes full of interest.

Her last outing had been in summer; now, the scene was entirely different. Perhaps because of the cold, the streets, though busy, were filled with hurried passersby, lacking the vibrant energy of warmer days, appearing rather desolate. Still, Lu Yalan enjoyed the view.

Red Apricot, having packed snacks and bundles, leaned over as well. She fared better than Lu Yalan, able to stretch her legs when out shopping, and grumbled, “Why aren’t there any acrobats? Even vendors are fewer than usual.”

Lu Yalan realized what she’d been missing—so that was it, not as lively as before. She let the thought pass and continued to gaze outside.

“Candied hawthorn for sale! One skewer for two coins, two skewers for three coins—don’t miss out!”

“Stop! Wait a moment!” Lu Yalan quickly called for the carriage to halt and had the retainers buy two skewers of candied hawthorn.

The bright red, glossy candied hawthorn looked delicious. Lu Yalan took both skewers and handed them to Red Apricot.

“Miss...” Red Apricot hugged the candied hawthorn, her eyes reddening.

As a child, Red Apricot’s family was poor, often unsure of their next meal. Neighbor boys would flaunt their candied hawthorn, licking it for sweetness, biting it for the crunch, the sound of biting into an apple making her mouth water.

Red Apricot was among those drooling. She longed to know what candied hawthorn tasted like, dreaming of it so often she smacked her lips in her sleep.

Her father noticed. At year’s end, after receiving his wages, he took her to buy candied hawthorn. They reached the vendor, but Red Apricot, crying and tugging at her father, chose instead to buy a few cleaned pork bones for soup. That was the closest she ever got to candied hawthorn.

Later, when Lu Yalan and Red Apricot went out, Lu Yalan noticed Red Apricot staring at candied hawthorn, so she bought her some. Red Apricot was embarrassed, so Lu Yalan bought two, one for each. Unfortunately, the hawthorn was much too sour, so sour that Lu Yalan still grimaced at the memory. In the end, both skewers disappeared into Red Apricot’s stomach.

Though outings were rare, whenever they encountered a candied hawthorn vendor, Lu Yalan always remembered to buy two for Red Apricot.