Chapter 401 - 395 - _1
Without the matching wooden tags, Lin Yue couldn’t leave the estate, and it just so happened that Jiang Ziqi had already left the residence and couldn’t be found. Lin Yue felt quite vexed. She complained that living in the Jiang Family was definitely not as comfortable as renting her own place. Now she couldn’t leave because the gatekeepers wouldn’t allow it, and she couldn’t just force her way out.
"If that’s the case, I have no choice but to go back for now," Lin Yue said dejectedly as she turned back to Qiwu Courtyard, thinking to herself that once Jiang Ziqi returned, she had to make it clear to him to tell the gatekeepers to stop blocking her exit in the future. Otherwise, she would have to move out, as it was too stifling to stay.
"Madam Lin, the scenery inside the residence is pretty nice. Since you can’t leave, why not stroll around the garden and enjoy the view?" Xiaofang cautiously suggested. In fact, Madam Lin made a valid point; the gatekeepers never used to stop guests from leaving. Since they were doing so now, there must be some underlying reason. She had some understanding of it, but it was simply because Madam Lin wasn’t aware of the household rules that she’d been convinced by the gatekeepers.
Since Madam Lin had decided not to leave the estate, Xiaofang certainly wouldn’t be so indiscreet as to reveal this. It might even be the Family Head’s intention—otherwise, who would dare block the Family Head’s guest without some audacity? Moreover, if Madam Lin really did leave the estate and something were to happen to her outside, Xiaofang couldn’t afford to bear the responsibility. It was better for her that someone was preventing Madam Lin from leaving.
Lin Yue, after hearing Xiaofang’s suggestion, hesitated a bit. "That doesn’t seem appropriate. As a guest, I shouldn’t roam around the Jiang Residence freely. Let’s just go back," she said.
"Madam Lin, I see you’re bored alone in Qiwu Courtyard. Besides, with the Family Head supporting you, there’s nowhere in the whole residence off-limits to you, except for the old master and master’s quarters. And right now, the flowers in the back garden are blooming quite splendidly," Xiaofang pressed on, persuading Lin Yue more cunningly to visit the back garden. As long as Madam Lin went to the back garden, Xiaofang would get her silver.
Silver was a secondary concern; Xiaofang didn’t dare offend those few masters. Though they might seem insignificant in the eyes of the Family Head, she was just a servant. If those masters had the intention, they could easily make life difficult for her. Even though the Family Head valued her skills enough to let her serve Madam Lin, it was merely a moderate level of appreciation. She wasn’t a confidant of the Family Head; he wouldn’t truly consider the needs of a servant like her. And as for Madam Lin, Xiaofang could tell she was a kind person, but unfortunately, she was just a guest who would not stay long in the Jiang Family, ultimately an unreliable ally.
In the end, the gossip within the Jiang Residence about Lin Yue couldn’t be contained, and out of curiosity, some people acted to see what the couple who resided in Qiwu Courtyard were like and what abilities they possessed that made them so esteemed by the Family Head. Moreover, the rumors in the residence were getting out of control. While Lin Yue was not a top beauty in the Capital City, just a moderately pretty woman, her sense of style and good temperament had stirred talk that Jiang Ziqi admired Lin Yue’s beauty, which was why he had allowed Zhao Erhu and his wife to stay in Qiwu Courtyard. Others whispered that Erhu had sold his wife for wealth and status, and that Lin Yue and Jiang Ziqi were involved, amongst various other rumors.
The concubines in Jiang Ziqi’s back quarters, having already eased their minds, started speculating wildly again upon hearing these rumors. Like some others, they sought out Xiaofang, the maid assigned by Jiang Ziqi to serve Lin Yue. They all shared a common purpose: to meet this legendary Madam Lin and see what she was truly like.