Chapter 11

A Ray of Hope

Yun Yi interjected, “Has the eldest son always had such a bad temper?”

Li Shimin sighed and replied, “My eldest brother originally had a very good temperament and treated people warmly. The way he is now, however, is due to the affliction of his foot disease. His health had always been fine, but for some unknown reason, he contracted this strange illness, and despite the efforts of so many famous doctors, no one has been able to cure him.” At this point, he glanced at the sky and continued, “It’s getting late. You should help Miss Wu back to her place. By the way, has a doctor been called?”

“Lady Yang has summoned a doctor, and they’ve prescribed medicine.” Yun Yi’s response reassured Li Shimin, who said, “In that case, hurry back.”

As they left, Mei Xue glanced back several times, and Li Shimin stood still, watching until their figures disappeared from view before turning to leave.

Though their meeting seemed like a mere chance encounter, it had stirred a subtle ripple in both of their hearts, one they had not planned for.

After helping Mei Xue drink her medicine, Yun Yi went towards Li Yuan’s residence, “Song Tao Pavilion.” She was unwilling to let the opportunity she had worked so hard for be ruined by Chun Xiu and wanted to find a way to sneak in. Unfortunately, when she arrived nearby, she noticed there were guards everywhere. Before she could even approach, she was questioned several times and found it impossible to get inside. After evading the last guard, Yun Yi dared not attempt to go forward and retreated back to the dance house.

That night, Song Tao Pavilion was brightly lit, and the sound of silk and bamboo instruments filled the air, creating a very lively atmosphere. The crowd did not disperse until the second watch of the night. As soon as Jiang Caiping entered, she rushed to Mei Xue’s bedside and asked with concern, “Sister, how are you? Have you taken your medicine?”

Mei Xue forced a smile and replied, “I’ve taken it. I’m feeling a little better. After resting for two more days, I should be fine.”

Jiang Caiping sighed in relief and said, “That’s good. Have you had dinner? If not, I’ll go get some snacks for you.”

“Yun Yi just brought some, don’t worry, I’m fine.” Mei Xue then changed the subject, “How was the dance performance tonight? Was everything alright?”

Jiang Caiping nodded, then, looking nervous, said, “Sister, don’t think about these things. Trust me, you’re such a good person and so beautiful, you’ll have your chance soon.”

At that moment, a mocking voice came from behind Jiang Caiping, “Soon? Who knows how long that will be—five years, or ten? By then, she might already have gray hair and be kicked out of this governor’s mansion.” The speaker was none other than Zhang Shi, who was closely associated with Chun Xiu.

Jiang Caiping became angry and retorted, “What nonsense are you talking? Maybe tomorrow, Sister Wu will go and perform the dance.”

Zhang Shi laughed scornfully, “Oh, really? Then we’ll just keep our eyes wide open. But honestly, I’m worried I’ll never see that day, even if I die.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Caiping smiled, though her expression was cold, “You won’t see it because you’ll die soon!”

“You!” Zhang Shi was infuriated. She walked over and slapped Jiang Caiping’s face with her hand. Jiang Caiping, taken completely by surprise, stood there for a moment in shock. When she regained her senses, her fury almost made her go mad. She pointed at Zhang Shi and shouted, “You… you hit me?”

Zhang Shi nonchalantly said, “What if I slapped you? Who told you to speak ill of me and curse my death? You deserved it!”

“You!” Jiang Caiping, furious, was about to retaliate, but Mei Xue quickly held her back, advising, “Don’t make a scene, don’t be so impulsive.”

Jiang Caiping fumed, “She slapped me! She... What right does she have to slap me?!”

Mei Xue held her tightly, saying, “Forget it, it’s better to avoid trouble than to keep arguing.”

The more Jiang Caiping thought about it, the angrier she became. She wanted to slap Zhang Shi without a second thought, but her arm was firmly held by Mei Xue, who wouldn’t let go.

Zhang Shi gave a cold smile and said, “Looks like you don’t dare hit back. You really don’t have the guts. Fine, let’s go.”

Once they were far away, Wu Shi finally let go of Jiang Caiping. Enraged and full of hatred, Jiang Caiping said, “Sister, why didn’t you let me teach Zhang Shi a lesson? Look at that hateful expression of hers, she’s as despicable as they come. Besides, why should I just take that slap from her?”

“I know it was unfair to you, but now that Chun Xiu is the lead dancer, she ranks above us. If you had struck her, she would have reported it to Chun Xiu, and you would have faced difficulties. In the end, you would be the one at a disadvantage,” Mei Xue explained.

Jiang Caiping knew her sister was right, but she still felt a bit unwilling as she touched her face. “So, according to you, we just let this go? But I can’t swallow this humiliation.”

Mei Xue sighed, “What else can we do? Forget it, don’t think about it anymore. You’ve had a long day. Go wash up and get some rest.” When Jiang Caiping didn’t move, Mei Xue added, “Be good, don’t throw a tantrum.”

Under her persuasion, Jiang Caiping finally nodded, but that night was sleepless for all of them. The next morning, Chun Xiu appeared in front of everyone, looking pleased with herself. She had finally achieved her goal and became the lead dancer, receiving many rewards from people like the Wan family.

In the following days, they officially became the dancers in the governor’s mansion. They practiced their dances every day, which was much like the previous month, but now Chun Xiu and the others frequently took the opportunity to make life difficult for Mei Xue and the others. Despite this, their bond grew stronger as they faced adversity together.

One day, the three of them were sitting in the courtyard chatting when they suddenly saw Yang Mama approaching. They quickly stood up and lowered their heads, saying, “We greet Mama.”

“Rise,” Yang Mama said as she walked up to Mei Xue, smiling widely. “Congratulations, Miss Wu! This is great news!”

Mei Xue was confused by this unexpected congratulations and asked, “Mama, what good news?”

Yang Mama laughed. “The Second Madam has sent word that there will be guests at the residence tonight, and Miss Mei Xue is to perform the dance at Song Tao Pavilion tonight. Isn’t that great news?”

Mei Xue was stunned by the sudden joy and didn’t know how to react. It was Jiang Caiping who was the first to react, jumping up with joy, “This is wonderful! Sister, you’re finally going to dance in front of the governor!”

Mei Xue came to her senses and cautiously asked, “Mama, is this true? The governor really wants me to perform the dance? You’re not just teasing me, are you?”

Yang Mama immediately responded, “I would joke about many things, but not about this. You’re truly fortunate. Though you missed the chance to be the lead dancer last time, this time you have found a bright spot.”

Hearing Yang Mama’s confirmation, Mei Xue was overwhelmed with joy and tears. Yun Yi comforted her for a moment before asking, “Mama, how does the governor know about Mei Xue and why did he specifically request her to perform?”

Instead of answering, Yang Mama asked, “Does Mei Xue know the Second Young Master?”

Mei Xue nodded, “I wouldn’t say we know each other well, but we’ve met once.”

Yang Mama seemed to understand. “That’s it. I heard that the Second Young Master suggested this performance to the governor, and it was he who recommended Mei Xue.”