Once she finished her report, Madam An left the Yun matriarch’s quarters. When she heard bouts of laughter ringing out, however, she couldn’t help but stop once more.

She truly is a demon, able to get in the good graces of even someone as shrewd as the old madam. Wasn’t she just fine beforehand? What a good, obedient child. How did a demon end up possessing her? Surely we can’t let this continue! Madam An sighed, even starting to feel sorry for the old Yun Ruoyan. Who knows what happened to her soul? Even if we forcefully expel the demon from her body, she’d probably be an idiot by now. At least that would save us all some trouble!

“Madam, are you alright?” Madam An’s servant, Hong Yu, asked her anxiously. Madam An suddenly stopped moving and her features went slack. All of a sudden, however, her lips curled up in a smile. The exceedingly strange changes left Hong Yu fearful for her madam.

Madam An broke out of her reverie, waved a hand at Hong Yu, and resumed walking. As she did so, she wondered, It’s already been a few days since I gave Ling Lan the realgar wine, so why hasn’t Yun Ruoyan shown any reaction yet?

“Call Ling Lan over. I have a few questions for her.”

Not long after Madam An left, Yun Ruoyan noticed that her grandmother was looking somewhat tired, so she bade her farewell.

The Yun matriarch motioned for her servant to bring out a sandalwood box, which she handed to Yun Ruoyan. The Yun matriarch opened it in front of her, revealing a few ornaments and pieces of jewelry, as well as a few taels of silver.

The jewelry wasn’t as exquisite or precious as those that Lin Yuemei had left her, but they were still valuable. There were about a hundred taels of silver, not too much but not too little. Although the Lin family still had some money, Yun Ruoyan didn’t want to beg her grandfather unless it was absolutely necessary. This hundred taels of silver would be just enough to handle her urgent financial needs.

“Ruoyan,” the Yun matriarch began, “All these years, I’ve not given you very much. Take this box of things and get yourself a few nice dresses.”

Yun Ruoyan thanked her grandmother before leaving with the box.

As she reached the door, as if she had suddenly thought of something, she turned back and asked, “Grandmother, will my brother be back for your anniversary?”

The Yun matriarch had already lain down on her mattress, and her servant was draping a thin blanket over her prone body. When she heard Yun Ruoyan’s question, she briefly opened her eyes and said, “I’ve told your father to send a letter to the barracks, but I haven’t yet gotten a response.”

“Oh, is that so?” Yun Ruoyan looked a little dejected, but she quickly cheered up. “Grandmother, have a good rest. Tomorrow, if I’m free, I’ll come play cards with you again.”

The Yun matriarch’s servant, Xiao Lan, sent Yun Ruoyan out the door. As she turned to wait on the Yun matriarch once more, Yun Ruoyan called her back.

“Xiao Lan,” Yun Ruoyan smiled as she tugged on her hand.

Xiao Lan turned and looked back at Yun Ruoyan. Her dark, voluminous hair, starry smile, and beautiful face really made her appear pleasing to the eye.

“Miss Ruoyan, is there anything else I may do for you?”

Yun Ruoyan took out a jade bracelet from her sleeve and put it on Xiao Lan’s wrist.

“Miss, I can’t accept this!” Xiao Lan tried to take off the bracelet, but Yun Ruoyan held her hand still as she said, “This is simply my thanks for the phoenix orchid design that you’ve shown Xi Lan. She’s already embroidered it on my pillow, and I’d like to ask for a smaller design of the same sort for my slippers. Xiao Lan, would you have the time to make me such a drawing?”

Because it was in thanks for her efforts, Xiao Lan couldn’t really refuse the gift. She immediately agreed to make Yun Ruoyan such a drawing as soon as possible. When she returned to the matriarch’s quarters, Xiao Lan showed her the jade bracelet. The matriarch nodded and motioned for Xiao Lan to keep the gift.

“This child, she waited for all this time to ask that question, didn’t she?” The Yun matriarch’s eyes were shut, but she didn’t feel as sleepy as before. “Full siblings by birth, yet with no way to communicate to each other…”

Xiao Lan piped up, “I think Miss Ruoyan’s rather pitiful. She clearly misses her elder brother, but doesn’t dare to ask about him outright. Madam, did you see how dejected she was when you told her that there wasn’t any news?”

The Yun matriarch sighed. “Xiao’er’s stubborn by nature, and particularly protective of his sister. Three years ago, when he returned for a holiday, he severely injured his cousin Moyuan. If he were to find out that Ruoyan was expelled from the family academy, he’d surely make a big fuss.”

“But wouldn’t the young master find out about it when he returns anyway?” Xiao Lan asked worriedly.

“It’s different now.” The Yun matriarch began to smile. “Ruoyan struggled hard and managed to get into Kongming Academy based on her own determination. With her intellect, she surely wouldn’t complain to him.”

Back in Madam An’s residence, Hong Yu finally found Ling Lan and brought her over. By the time she did so, Madam An was impatiently tapping her fingers against her tea table. “Why are the two of you only back after so long?” she asked coldly.

Ling Lan was her usual trembling self.

“Ma-Madam An, Xi Lan insisted on dragging me to the main kitchen to help make Miss Ruoyan a little soup while the cooks were having their mid-afternoon nap. She told me to help light the fire, and it was only after a full hour that I was free enough to leave.”

Madam An looked at Hong Yu, who nodded in confirmation of Ling Lan’s words. Only then did her face soften, and she continued, “Did you put what I handed you in that soup?”

“Yes, Madam,” Ling Lan replied, her head still bowed. “Whenever I have a chance, I put a little in Miss Ruoyan’s food. However, because of the strong smell of the alcohol, I don’t dare use too much in one go.”

“Hmm.” Madam An nodded and thought for a moment before she concluded, “Keep doing what you’ve been doing. You can return.”

By this point, Ling Lan was so anxious that her heart was about to leap out of her mouth. This was the first time that she’d lied to Madam An. Luckily, she’d always seemed to be afraid of something or another, so she didn’t have to hide how nervous she was.

When Madam An finally dismissed her, she was tremendously relieved. She turned and was about to leave when she was called back.

“Here, this is for you.” Madam An handed a bag of fragmented silver taels to Hong Yu, who then passed Ling Lan the bag.

“Keep working hard for Madam An, and she won’t mistreat you,” Hong Yu added.

Ling Lan took the bag of money gratefully, bowing once and again, before Madam An finally dismissed her once more.

In Yun Ruoyan’s cottage, Peony and Xi Lan were doing embroidery.

Ling Lan held a handkerchief in her hands as she sat gracefully on the bamboo bench. Mimicking Madam An, she parroted, “How’s Ruoyan doing? You need to keep a close eye on her and her servants in case they’re doing anything untoward. Make sure you don’t get caught!”

“Ahem.” Ling Lan coughed drily, changed her posture, and raised her wrist. “Here, this is your reward.”

By this time, Peony and Xi Lan had long since put away their needles and were rubbing their stomachs as they tried to stop laughing.

“My goodness, Ling Lan, you’re really something!” Xi Lan clutched her stomach as she pointed a trembling finger at her. “I thought you were an honest girl, but you’re even more scheming than I am!”

“Oh, you,” Peony smiled at Xi Lan. “It’s all because you’ve been teaching her the wrong things!”

When Yun Ruoyan walked back with the redwood box, the first thing she noticed was her three servants all laughing like madwomen.

“Care to share what’s so funny?” Yun Ruoyan smiled as she walked closer.

Xi Lan immediately jumped up and repeated Ling Lan’s motions. Ling Lan had long since stood up from the bench and was standing respectfully to the side, her head bowed and her cheeks flushed.

Suddenly, Ling Lan raised her head and took out a bag of silver bits, which she handed to Yun Ruoyan. “Miss, this is what Madam An rewarded me with.”

Yun Ruoyan went from the silver in her hands to her body. The Yun family servants had different uniforms based on their rank. Ling Lan was a third-rate servant, and she wore hemp. Her attire was rather tidy, but third-rate servants needed to get their own footwear. Ling Lan’s slippers were well-worn and had been patched many times.

“Since she gave it to you, you should keep it. Get yourself a good pair of slippers,” Yun Ruoyan instructed.

Miss cared even about her slippers? Ling Lan’s heart warmed, and she almost began to cry.

Meanwhile, back in Madam An’s quarters, Madam An had summoned Yun Ruoyao, Yun Ruoyu, and Yi Qianying. “We really can’t let this demon do as she wishes,” Madam An began. “Even the old madam’s been completely brought over to her side!”

Yi Qianying added, “First, it was the crown prince, then the Yun matriarch. Next, will it be Father? Once everyone’s bewitched by her, she’ll control the entire family!”

“In that case… in that case, what should we do?!” Yun Ruoyu began to panic. Everyone present despised Yun Ruoyan, but only she and Yi Qianying loathed her with bitter hatred.

“Mother, didn’t you have someone put realgar wine in her food? Why hasn’t it had any effect?” Yun Ruoyao asked.

“It’s possible that this demon’s cultivation is so high that even ordinary realgar wine wouldn’t have an effect,” Madam An replied heavily.

“Mother, what are we going to do?! You have to find a solution! We can’t let her keep doing as she pleases!” Yun Ruoyu called out.

Madam An looked askance at her, displeased by her ruckus.

“If ordinary realgar wine won’t do the trick, then we just have to use something more potent.” Madam An’s smile was sinister.

Yun Ruoyao, Yun Ruoyu, and Yi Qianying perked up simultaneously. “What’s this something?”