Eight Treasures Trousseau

29

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Pass Away

Watching as Lu Zhu stopped beseeching Mistress and really turned to leave, Bai Xia felt as though her legs would go soft. If Mistress had sentenced Lu Zhu to a beating or sent her to the outer compound to do heavy work, it would have still been more benevolent that having her leave the junwang fu. If Lu Zhu stepped out of the junwang fu today, another corpse would end up in the mass grave tomorrow.

"Junwang Fei." Bai Xia knelt down again. She wanted to plead, but she didn't know what to say. Ask Mistress to spare Lu Zhu once? But Mistress did not beat or scold the other, and she even let Lu Zhu leave the fu. Ask Mistress to let Lu Zhu stay? But which female mistress could tolerate a servant girl around them who had intentions towards the male master?

Her lips trembled. A moment later, she said, "Mistress is kind."

Hua Xi Wan looked hard at her. A moment later, she moved her gaze away and said, "If any of you have someone you like, remember to tell me. We are mistress and servant, I will not let you have a marriage that slights you."

"Mistress, this servant and the others do not have any disloyalty. If we break our oath, we will..." Zi Shan, Bai Xia and Hong Ying knelt in fright. They wanted to express their intentions. As long as Mistress believed them, it would be well.

"All right." Hua Xi Wan's gaze moved past them towards the yard that was illuminated in the sun. "Stand up, do what you are supposed to be doing." Finishing, she pointed at the second-rank servant girl who had told her Lu Zhu's actions of yesterday. "Starting today, you take over Lu Zhu's empty position. Change the name as well—you will be Cheng Qiu."

"This servant thanks Junwang Fei for the name." Cheng Qiu was overjoyed, but she was proper when she went forward and curtsied. After bowing to Hua Xi Wan, she then made bows towards Bai Xia and the others before silently retreating to the side.

Hua Xi Wan did not care what they thought. She leaned against the chaise and started to rest.

"Pah! You blind slut, is such a noble room one you can stay in? Quick, get out, do not dirty our eyes." A heavy labor mama pointed at the crow on the branch that was cawing. There were two old women beside her who were cheering her on.

Lu Zhu had a bag on her back as she listened to these words that were actually for her. She felt both sad and humiliated. She looked at the crow that was cawing on top of the branch and felt very sorrowful.

She had served Mistress for so many years. Even if she did not have merit, she had worked hard, yet this was her outcome. Such a cold and emotionless woman remaining at the side of Junwang Ye, wouldn't it cause him harm?

Suddenly, she saw a procession far away in the corridor. The man at the front was wearing white robes, with a feather fan and a jade coronet. Who was that if not Junwang Ye?

"Junwang..."

Before she could finish, someone covered her mouth. Then another person pressed her to the ground. Smelling the dirt, she wanted to turn and see who dared to grab her, but the person pressed her face into the ground. The mud went into her nose and mouth.

"Shameless lowly servant, you dare to run and shout in the junwang fu. Why don't you look in the mirror and see who you are? You dare to have thoughts. Do you think you are still a personal servant girl of Junwang Fei?" A brawny woman pulled her hair and slapped her face. "Our junwang fu does not have someone this shameless. Get out!"

The other women who had been watching started to pull Lu Zhu outside when they heard this. Maybe it was intentional or not, but the bag that was tightly tied slipped open. The clothing, jewelry and silver that had been inside spilled to the ground. Lu Zhu wanted to pick them up, but the women didn't just stomp on her hands—one of them pulled her by her clothing and started to walk.