TPGA - 45

Chapter 45: Jealousy

Upon hearing this, Jiang Caiping’s lips moved a few times, but no sound came out. Meanwhile, Madam Yang’s eyes sparkled with delight, yet she said, “No, no, these are rewards from the two masters for you. How can I accept them? Quickly take them back.”

“If Madam doesn’t accept them, it means you’re still upset with me for taking Shen Yunyi to Songtao Residence and causing such a huge disaster.” Seeing her response, Madam Yang found it inconvenient to decline further, especially since she really liked the ruyi scepter. She said, “Alright then, I’ll have to shamelessly accept them.”

After Madam Yang left with the ruyi scepter, Jiang Caiping, who had been holding back for a long time, couldn’t restrain herself any longer and immediately said, “Sister, why did you give the ruyi to her? Have you forgotten about the ginseng incident?”

“Of course, I remember. But we still need to learn dance under her. It’s beneficial for us to please her, and it does us no harm. Or do you really want to offend her so much that she targets us every day in the future?”

Jiang Caiping was momentarily at a loss for words, twiddling her fingers and saying, “Actually, I understand. But seeing her get a pair of ruyi so easily makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. However, since they’ve already been given, there’s no point in talking about it anymore. Let’s not say anything more.”

Yunyi smiled and took out the pair of jade pendants, saying, “Here, this is for you.”

Jiang Caiping waved her hands repeatedly, saying, “No, these are rewards from the two masters for Sister. I can’t accept them.”

“Aren’t my things yours too? Or have you forgotten what you said yesterday?” Seeing Jiang Caiping remain silent, she deliberately put on a stern face and said, “If you don’t accept them, I’ll be angry.”

Seeing her like this, Jiang Caiping had no choice but to say, “Alright, I’ll accept them. Thank you, Sister.” After putting away the jade pendant, she touched the two embroidered lanterns and exclaimed, “Sister, look how beautiful these lanterns are! The flowers and birds on them look alive. I’ve never seen such exquisite lanterns before.”

While Yunyi was putting things away, she said, “These lanterns were meticulously embroidered by skilled embroiderers stitch by stitch, so naturally, they look lifelike.”

Jiang Caiping reached out and touched them. Indeed, she could feel the traces of needlework and said in surprise, “How do you know this, Sister? Have you seen such lanterns before?”

Yunyi paused for a moment, then said, “I once saw them in a lantern shop. Because I thought they were beautiful, I asked the shopkeeper a few more questions and learned some things.”

“Oh,” Jiang Caiping didn’t think much of it, casually responded, and then focused her attention back on the two lanterns, playing with them happily.

Meanwhile, on Madam Yang’s side, as she was leaving, she happened to encounter Ji Rong returning with water. The latter noticed her and quickly walked up to greet her, saying, “Greetings, Madam.”

Madam Yang smiled and said, “Rise, young lady.”

Ji Rong stood up and looked at her, saying, “Madam seems to be in a good mood. Is there something worth celebrating, or... has the assassin been caught?”

Madam Yang smiled broadly and said, “The assassin hasn’t been caught yet, but Meixue has accomplished a great feat.”

Ji Rong raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, “Oh? What great feat did Meixue accomplish?”

“I didn’t see it myself, but I heard that yesterday Master Jiancheng was ambushed by Shen Moping and nearly had his leg bone bitten off. Fortunately, Meixue killed Shen Moping in time, making her Master Jiancheng’s savior. Therefore, just now, Masters Jiancheng and Shimin rewarded Meixue with many things. This pair of ruyi was given to me by Meixue.”

Ji Rong had noticed the ruyi in Madam Yang’s hand earlier but never imagined it would be a gift from Meixue. Even more surprising was Madam Yang’s statement, “Fortunately, Meixue killed Shen Moping in time.”

She and Meixue were from the same village and had grown up together since childhood. She knew Meixue’s personality well—gentle and easily influenced, usually too timid to even kill a chicken. She simply couldn’t imagine her killing someone. If these words hadn’t come from Madam Yang, she would have thought it was a joke.

Suppressing her wild thoughts, she cautiously asked, “Madam, was the person... really killed by Meixue?”

“Of course. The rewards have been given; how could it be false?” After saying a few more words, Madam Yang left with the ruyi. After she left, Ji Rong also returned to her room.

Chunxiu had already gotten up and was sitting in front of the bronze mirror combing her hair. Seeing Ji Rong enter, she casually asked, “Sister Ji Rong, what hairstyle do you think would look good on me today?”

After waiting for a while without hearing Ji Rong respond, she turned her head in confusion and saw Ji Rong standing there, lost in thought while holding a copper basin. Only after calling her several times did Ji Rong snap out of it, dazedly asking, “What is it?”

Chunxiu walked over, took the copper basin filled with water from her hands, and said, “Nothing. But what were you thinking about? You looked so absent-minded.”

Ji Rong recounted the events with a complex expression. The next moment, Chunxiu screeched like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, “A lifesaving benefactor? How dare she claim that!”

Ji Rong said helplessly, “No matter how unworthy we think she is, it’s an undeniable fact. For this reason, the two masters rewarded her with many precious items. Just the pair of ruyi she gave to Madam Yang is something we couldn’t afford even with years of our salary. Madam Yang was grinning ear to ear.”

Chunxiu bit her lip tightly, her eyes filled with intense jealousy, “What should we do now? Just watch her become more and more arrogant?”

Ji Rong remained silent for a moment, then said, “Chunxiu, have you noticed... Since you injured Meixue last time, she has become somewhat... different?”

Chunxiu nodded hurriedly, “Not just a little. Sister, do you remember when we went to her room before, how eerie she looked? Even now, thinking about it gives me the chills. And this time, she actually went and killed someone.” Hugging her arms fearfully, she added, “I said she was a monster then, and you said it wasn’t possible. Now, the more I think about it, the more convinced I am.”

“A monster is impossible, but...” Ji Rong pondered, “I do remember hearing from my grandfather when I was a child that some people, after hitting their heads, might lose their memory or even undergo drastic personality changes. Meixue likely falls into the latter category.”

Upon hearing this, Chunxiu breathed a slight sigh of relief and then asked, “What should we do now? Just let her curry favor with Master Jiancheng like this?” At the mention of this, she gritted her teeth in anger and said resentfully, “I never realized how seductive Wu Meixue was before. First, she somehow managed to charm Master Shimin, and now she’s become Master Jiancheng’s lifesaving benefactor. If this continues, sooner or later, we might have to call her ‘Lady’!”

Ji Rong narrowed her eyes coldly and said, “She isn’t the only one who knows how to please.” With that, she retrieved a small box from under the bed and carefully took out a small porcelain bottle from a hidden compartment.

“What is this?” Chunxiu reached out to take it but missed. Ji Rong avoided her hand and held the porcelain bottle carefully, saying, “Don’t touch it carelessly. What’s inside is precious. If it breaks, there won’t be any more.”