Chapter 10: The Miss will be blessed

"Miss Wu."

Two maids bowed to Nan Baoyi.

Nan Baoyi waved her hand to signal them to rise, and then she looked them over, suddenly worried that they might look down on Xiao Yi.

After all, in the eyes of the servants, Xiao Yi was still an unloved stepson.

She intended to reprimand them, her little face stern as she stood with her hands behind her back. "What are your names, and what are you good at?"

"I am called Yu Wei, and I am good at cooking. I can make delicious dishes from all over the country."

"I am called Chang Xin, and I am good at... oh, not killing, I mean I am good at fortune-telling and divination, such as predicting marriage prospects."

Nan Baoyi furrowed her brow in distress. It seemed as if she had heard the maid say she was good at killing!

Who had Madam Ji picked?

She paced around the two maids, who stood solemnly with impeccable posture, showing no signs of weakness like the maids in the inner courtyard. Even their fingertips and palms were calloused, a sign of frequent use of knives and swords.

Nan Baoyi's eyes narrowed.

Xiao Yi was a shrewd man, and he probably wouldn't allow ordinary maids to get close to him. Could it be that these two maids were originally his people?

As her gaze swept over their beautiful faces, she thought, "Xiao Yi's confidantes."

Nan Baoyi smiled warmly, "Second Brother is wise, brave, and resourceful, with a face like jade and a noble bearing. It's a pity he doesn't have someone to keep him warm. Now that you two have come, taking care of Second Brother will be your good fortune!"

Flattery was something that could be given to Xiao Yi's face, but if she flattered his concubines, Xiao Yi would surely appreciate her.

Yu Wei looked at Nan Baoyi in surprise. The way Miss Wu spoke made her sound like an old matchmaker.

Chang Xin calmly handed a letter to Nan Baoyi. "Here."

"For me?" Nan Baoyi was puzzled.

Chang Xin nodded. "Miss Wu will be blessed."

Was this a way to gain favor with Xiao Yi?

Nan Baoyi smiled as she tucked the letter into her sleeve and returned to the Embroidered Pavilion, only to see the maids carrying boxes back and forth.

Lotus Leaf grabbed her sleeve anxiously, her eyes red. "Miss, Master has been blinded by love. He has asked Miss Nan Yan to move in and live with you!"

Nan Baoyi looked over and saw Nan Yan standing in a white dress under the eaves, like a small white flower swaying in the spring breeze.

Their eyes met, and Nan Yan smiled, "Bao Yi, you're back. Father asked me to move in and live with you. You don't mind, do you?"

Nan Baoyi's expression changed.

In her previous life, this had not happened. Perhaps in this life, she had bought the inkstone that Nan Yan had set her eyes on at the Bao Yan Pavilion, which made her feel uneasy and led her to this scheme.

But she wasn't afraid at all.

In her previous life, she had been disfigured by Nan Yan and abandoned by Cheng Deyu. In the end, she had even been sold to the palace in Shengjing by the Cheng family.

She had experienced hardships in the palace that others could not imagine, and her heart had been tempered and toughened. Now, Nan Yan was just an ordinary girl who she hated. She didn't care about these little tricks.

She smiled, "I am very pleased to have you as my companion."

With that, she entered the Embroidered Pavilion with Lotus Leaf.

Nan Yan watched her indifferent demeanor and couldn't help but frown.

The maid was puzzled. "Why doesn't Miss Nan Baoyi show any anger? Doesn't she hate Master for making decisions on his own, or hate Miss Nan Yan for taking over her courtyard?"

"She must not want to show weakness, so she pretends not to care," Nan Yan explained. "But she won't be able to keep it up for long. My mother will be coming soon, and then she will be even more uncomfortable."

Lotus Leaf followed Nan Baoyi back to her boudoir and watched as she sat by the window and opened the letter. "Miss, that concubine is really overstepping her bounds. Why don't I report to Madam and ask her to drive Nan Yan out?"

"Father already dislikes me very much. If you do that, he will dislike me even more," Nan Baoyi said nonchalantly as she unfolded the letter. "She won't stay for long, and Madam Liu won't be able to enter the Nan family. You can rest assured."

Lotus Leaf went to fetch bird's nest for her, and Nan Baoyi fell into deep thought as she held the letter.

—In the spring slumber, unaware of the dawn, everywhere the cries of birds are heard, the night brings the sound of wind and rain, and who knows how many flowers have fallen. Anyone who receives this letter must transcribe it seven times and send it to their loved ones, or else their family will be ruined, their loved ones will die a violent death!!!

Her hand holding the letter trembled slightly.

The people around the powerful man were not simple at all. If she returned the letter now, would it be too late?

Nan Baoyi felt like crying but had no tears.

...

At dusk, Nan Baozhu came to the Embroidered Pavilion to play shuttlecock with Nan Baoyi, only to see Nan Yan had moved in, which surprised her greatly.

She had no mood to play anymore and pulled Nan Baoyi behind a clump of peonies. "What's going on? Everything was fine, and now that concubine has moved in. What's going on?"

"It's a long story. Don't worry about her. Let's just play."

Nan Baoyi didn't want to be disturbed by Nan Yan, but Nan Yan took the initiative to approach them.

The young girl knelt before Nan Baozhu with a soft and weak demeanor. "Fourth Sister."

Nan Baozhu waved her hand disdainfully. "Who do you think you are calling me Fourth Sister? Don't try to claim kinship with me."

Nan Yan's eyes welled up with tears, and she stood there with her head down, as if she had suffered a great grievance.

Nan Baozhu became even more disdainful and couldn't help but scold, "I didn't hit you or scold you. Why are you crying? If someone didn't know any better, they would think I was bullying you!"

Nan Baoyi watched coldly.

In her previous life, she had thought Nan Yan was a good sister, not minding her status as a concubine, and had personally brought her into the circle of the wealthy families in Shu County, helping her gradually restore her reputation and letting everyone know that she was knowledgeable and reasonable.

In this lifetime, she had no intention of fitting into the wealthy and influential circles of Shu County, let alone the Southern Mansion. She held Nang Baozhu's hand and said, "If you don't like her, let's go play in the garden. If we can't see her, she won't bother us."

Nan Yan choked up and stood in front of them, "Baozhu, father asked me to come in to take care of you and educate you. Today, you didn't study well or do any embroidery, wasting the whole day. The book says, 'Don't cherish the golden clothes, cherish the youth. If there are flowers to pick, pick them, don't wait until there are no flowers.' Even though we are girls, we still need to work hard. So, you are not allowed to go to the garden to play shuttlecock. You must go back to your room and study well. If you don't listen to me, I will tell father."

Nan Baozhu's anger flared up, and she protected Nan Baoyi behind her, "Nan Yan, who do you think you are? Grandmother doesn't even acknowledge your identity. How dare you come and teach my sister? If you have time, you should go and teach your mother. For these years, you've been clinging to my third uncle for money and not feeling ashamed!"

Ah, I'd like to ask for some votes, not sure if I can get any.