Behind the high walls of an aristocratic family there are always buried many conspiracies, the death of some servants was just like an autumn leaf falling. The Duong family had returned to the same dignified atmosphere as before, and the Elder Lady, whose smile was so kind, was still praised by everyone as the archetypal gentle mother since all the witnesses were all burnt to ashes.

Lady Lan finally seemed to have overlooked the loss of her child, she again happily took care of the remaining child who carried the Phoenix's fate with all love and pride. Duong Tong Thanh still cleverly took advantage of every chance of the officialdom and got promoted, it seemed to the outsiders that the family’s prospect was due to having a good education, origin, discipline, and being blessed by their ancestors.

Duong Nguyet Nhi was six months old and her growth was now particularly rapid. Sitting on Van Truong's lap, her chubby hands tugging at his shirt, trying to grab the silver chain dangling at the collar and making a baby's nonsense sound.

The boy, whose eyes were glossy black and eyebrows were bushy lance-shaped, happily laughed and used his thin hand to pamper his little sister's cheek.

“Truong Nhi, how are your studies these days?” - The Elder Lady suddenly came in from outside. She stopped at the threshold of the door when saw her grandson playing, unsatisfied.

“Don't worry, Grandma, everything is just fine, I just come here to play with my sister for a while and then I will go back to my study library.” - Van Truong was only nine years old, so he was very afraid of his grandmother.

“You have to focus on studying so that in the future you can support Nguyet Nhi. Men should rove freely and create their own careers, and should not be encapsulated in the backyard of women. Do you understand?” - The Elder Lady admonished.

“Grandma, I'm going back to the library then. Please enjoy the tea with my mother.”- Van Truong didn't want to be lectured anymore, so he quickly handed over his young sister to the maid and left.

Lady Lan stood up, ceded her seat to the Elder Lady and then sat down in the front seat on the right, received Thu Nguyet from the maid, holding the restless daughter in her embrace, till her son totally disappear, then turned to her mother-in-law and said:

“Mother, please do not be too strict with him. You might not know that the teacher often praises Van Truong for being a good student at school. I think…”

“He is the first grandson of this family, all the hopes of the family are in his hands.” - The Elder Lady seemed agitated - “People said: Mother's darlings are but milksop heroes. I cannot take this risk!”

“I just meant it's good to give him a break…”

“Have you not seen enough Mandarin's Sons who are nothing but slackers in this capital? If you don't urge him to strive, who will support Nguyet Nhi in the future?” - Angered, the Elder Lady knocked the wooden cane on the ground. - “How long can she stand in that position without the support of her mother's side? Instead of being so leisurely, try to help Nguyet Nhi have more brothers as well as help this Duong family to not be as solitary as now.”

After saying that, the Elder Lady immediately got up to leave, and Lady Lan could do nothing but stood up and helplessly bowed to her mother-in-law. The harsh words just now seemed to cut her heart into pieces, she burst into tears. The little naughty Nguyet Nhi sitting in her mother's lap as if she was aware of the change of her mother's mood so she cried too.

Duong Tong Thanh has just returned from the Palace, his face was sanguine and bright because these days his work was quite favorable. Holding a package of pastries bought by the roadside, he walked straight into the backyard. As soon as he reached the threshold, he heard the sound of his little daughter crying loudly. He hurriedly ran inside, and surprised when he saw Ninh Lan's eyes were filled with tears, he immediately threw the packet on the table, hastily wiping his wife's tears and asking: “Lan Nhi, why are you crying?”

“I'm just a little homesick, don't you worry.” - Then Ninh Lan gave Nguyet Nhi to her husband - “Come on, go hold your daughter for a while. Darling, comfort the baby.”

“Come here to your father.” - He nuzzled his daughter, gently rocking the baby, his eyes still did not leave his wife's face, trying to comfort her he said - “The day after tomorrow is my day off, I will take you both back to visit the Marquis”

Ninh Lan earned the attention of her husband, so gave him an enticing smile, her cheeks were red, and she slightly lowered her head to tuck the fallen hair over her ears. She always knew how to skillfully show off the elegant lines on her face, making it difficult for Tong Thanh to take his eyes off.

Seeing the cake package on the table, she knew that her husband had bought it, she merrily picked it up, opened it, took a bite to try, and then gently fed her husband a piece. Although the couple had been married for ten years, they were still passionate about each other like the newlyweds. The whimpers were quickly covered by the happy laughter.

***

A Thien stood unnerved in front of Thanh Tam gate, hesitating to walk in. Suddenly being summoned by the Elder Lady made her nervous. At the same time, Thuy Diem came out from inside, seeing A Thien standing there, the lass sneered and said:

“Why don't you come in? Dare you let The Lady wait?”

There was animosity between the two before and every time they met without a fight they wouldn't have an appetite, but in this such a sensitive period, Thuy Diem's ​​sharp words seemed to bring another layer of meaning, which made A Thien more afraid. Without arguing like usual, she just lowered her head and walked inside slowly.

“Did the cat eat your tongue?” - Thuy Diem's ​​eyes widened, she pursued - “Normally, you will bite other people whenever you open your mouth, but why is it so quiet today?”

A Thien was in no mood for an argument, so she just walked straight in, each step heavy as if carrying a rock, deep inside her heart she told herself that Thuy Diem must know what the Elder Lady called her for. As soon as she reached the living room, she caught a glimpse of the Elder Lady who was sitting on the rattan daybed, softly she said: “My Lady, A Thien is here.”

“Come in!” - The Elder Lady gave permission, then A Thien walked in with her head bowed, and stood on the right side facing her superior.

“Ninh Lan still won't let you go into Nguyet Nhi's room?”- She sat on the Vietnamese rattan daybed for chess-playing and spoke with an unpredictable voice.

“Perhaps… Lady Lan is still angry because I didn't tell her the truth about that day.” - A Thien answered carefully.

“She is truly stubborn.” - The Elder Lady softly sighed when talking about Ninh Lan, after a while, she said - “I don’t care how you do it, you must make her accept you. I don't want to keep the worthless around. I need you to be on my granddaughter's side and guide her to be strong. If you can't do this menial by yourself, what is the meaning of your existence?”

“My Lady, please give me some more time, I will gain her trust.” - A Thien hurriedly knelt down in fear.

The Elder Lady only glanced at her, then she took the wooden bowl full of chess pieces and threw it straight at the maid's face. The sound of the collision echoed, the chess pieces fell on the brick floor accompanied by the sound of blood drop, A Thien bit her lips and did not make a sound, the blood flowed down and dyed one of her eyes red. She still dared not blink or wipe it away, trying to keep her back straight.

“I don't need you to gain her trust. I want you to teach Nguyet Nhi things which her fragile mother couldn't. Remember?”

“Yes My Lady, I am clear.”

“Good! This is the only time I give you help. Scat!”

“Thank you, My Lady.”

A Thien got up, took three steps backward, then turned and got out of there. When she reached the door of the living room, she called Thuy Diep to come in and serve the Elder Lady. Seeing the blood stains on her face, Thuy Diep sneakily stuffed her handkerchief to A Thien, and quickly went inside.

A Thien just crept into a corner of the yard near the kitchen hall, still clutching at the handkerchief, lowering her head and thinking until she heard the sound of footsteps coming, she immediately sobbed and used handkerchief to wipe her face.

“A Thien? What are you doing there?” - A clear female voice coming from the crowd.

A Thien didn't answer, just hurriedly turned her back toward them and shook her head, those girls still didn't leave, but went straight to her in curiosity. One of them approached A Thien, when that girl saw the wound and blood mark, she gasped in horror as she covered her mouth. Soon after that unusual reaction, the other three girls also did the same, then looked at each other, surprised and said:

“Oh my God!”

“Who did that to you?”

“Go and bandage it up! Wounds that are as deep as that will leave scars.”

“I made a mistake and was punished by The Lady.” - A Thien choked - “Now I don't dare to go to the locker room to ask for medicine, can you gal help me get it?”

Hearing that, the crowd cheered A Thien up, and soon they agreed to help. One of the maids named A Du was willing to help A Thien find some bandages, and the others would help her do her duty. When all the four girls left, A Thien returned to her room. In the meantime, she dipped a handkerchief in cold water to wipe the dry blood mark on her face, that pitiful expression soon disappeared, replaced by cold, and cunning eyes.

Not long after the news that A Thien was beaten spread to the Southern gate, Ninh Lan was knitting socks for her daughter by the window, faintly smiling as she listened to the maid's story. When her personal maid saw this expression, she immediately waved her hand for the out-round maid, who was telling the story, to retreat. She still held Thu Nguyet in her arms, gently swaying back and forth to let the baby sleep in sound.

“The Elder Lady is getting more and more outrageous day by day, after all, why does she have to force that maid into Miss Nguyet's room?” - The maid made a complaint. - “Even the stratagem of ‘Inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy's trust’ has also been used.”

Even though she was but a maid, she dared to criticize her superiors, which proved her position in Ninh Lan's heart was not simple. Ninh Lan gently put down her unfinished sock, propped her chin to look through the window, then gently said:

“My mother-in-law is the jack of all trades, but she is just too demanding. Nguyet Nhi is still a little baby and she has already planned to poison her mind. Her lack of confidence really comes from the insecurity of being a step wife.”

“My lady, I thought when you're not married into a high-status family you would not have to worry about fighting, but this kind of mother-in-law is a headache for you.” - Said the maid.

“Tu Nhi, do you think I should accept her or not?” - Ninh Lan turned back to look at her maid and asked.

“If she has come to assist Miss Nguyet, then let her use her skills to convince you, my lady.” - Tu Nhi replied - “If that girl can not, it is easy to have an excuse to refuse with the Elder Lady.”

“I'm looking forward to seeing what she can do to convince me.” - Ninh Lan smiled, looking into the void - “Growing up with my mother-in-law for such a long time, I really want to know whether she is the good, the bad or the ugly?”