Chapter 11 of Volume 1: Better Not to Set Up Any Defenses

  Ruth rushed in, anxiously calling out in a trembling voice: "Madam, madam, I thought I'd never see you again!"

  I hugged Rove tightly and cooed softly: "Good girl, don't be afraid, isn't everything okay? Tell me, what's going on?"

  Rou Wei lifted her face, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at me: "After the lady entered the altar, I found a secret place to hide and secretly watched the altar. But the lady went in for a long time...and then...and then..."

  I smiled and encouraged her: "What happened afterwards? It's okay, there's no one else here."

  Ruo Wei nodded and continued: "Later, I saw the castle owner rush into the altar in a hurry, his expression was like he wanted to kill someone."

  Ruo Wei paused for a moment, her eyes filled with horror: "I was so scared that my legs went soft at the time. I wanted to sneak past and take a look, but Jin Niang caught me in one grasp."

  Jin Niang was indeed secretly monitoring me, I furrowed my brow and asked Ruo Wei: "What did she do to you?"

  Ru Wei continued: "Jin Niang grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth with one hand, I almost couldn't breathe. Then I saw the castle owner carrying his wife out of the altar, and I thought she was injured."

  I shook my head and continued to stare at her, only to hear her say: "After the master of the castle left, Jin Niang brought me back and locked me in the room behind. She asked me what you told me? I said that you just asked me how old I was and how I came to Furong Castle, but Jin Niang didn't believe me. She said I committed a great crime against the castle and wanted to kill me..."

  I patted her back, comforting her fear, and she didn't come to herself for a long time. Trembling, she said: "Later, the castle owner came, but he didn't say anything. However, his eyes were very frightening. He looked at me for a long time, finally letting Jin Niang release me, and also telling me to take good care of my wife..."

  "It's all right then, Yvette. Don't worry, the lord of the castle won't kill you." I comforted her by stroking her head.

  "Madam... was it you who saved me?" Rowan asked in trepidation.

  I shook my head. I didn't want to deceive her: "Rouwei, I couldn't make it in time to save you. It was the castle owner. He let you go!"

  Ling Yi, are you trying to show me kindness or use this as a bargaining chip for my compromise? I appreciate that you didn't kill Ruo Wei. But I don't owe you gratitude. Because you have no right to control others' lives and deaths. Just like you have no right to control my fate. I won't give up escaping, nor will I give up persuading you. I'll be prepared for both possibilities. I won't let any opportunity slip away.

  Ru Wei leaned her head against my leg and murmured, "Madam, I understand. The castle owner spared me because of you. Madam, you are so kind. From now on, Ru Wei will only listen to madam."

  I smiled wryly. You're still too naive, Yvette. You don't know that I'm also struggling to protect myself now. The closer you get to me, the more danger you'll be in later on. Because it's impossible for me to take you with me when I escape. And if one day you find out that I'm not really the mistress of the castle, you might feel disappointed and regretful. So it's better if you don't get too close to me. Because I won't be able to bear your dependence on me.

  I pushed open Ruo Wei. Smiled and said: "Ruo Wei, go prepare some food. We haven't even had breakfast yet, have we?"

  Rou Wei's eyes turned red as she nodded and got up to leave.

  The next morning I woke up early and sat by the window slowly combing my hair.

  Ru Wei knocked on the door and came in, saw me combing my hair, immediately came over to take the comb from my hand. I held her hand and said: "Ru Wei, don't help me comb that complicated bun anymore, just tie it up with a rope."

  "Milady, how can this be?" Yuwei furrowed her brow and said: "Is it that the castle master didn't like your hairstyle yesterday? I'll change it for you."

  This anxious little girl, I patted her and tied a ponytail with a rope myself. Last night, I decided that I would never be the shadow of Gu Qingying, I want to make Ling Yi recognize me as a person, I want him to take me seriously, I want to make him finally unable to bear to lay hands on me.

  "Madam, how can you do this!" Rowan stamped her foot in anxiety.

  I smiled and said, "Yuewei, from now on don't call me madam, just call me...". I thought for a moment in my heart, calling me sister was too intimate, calling me by name definitely wouldn't work either. For the time being, I couldn't think of a better way to be called, so I said "just call me miss then."

  "Madam, you're already married, how can you be called Miss?" Rowan shook her head and said.

  This little girl has no reservations about me anymore. I stood up with a stern expression and said in a cold tone, "I let you call me that, so you can call me that, don't ask me for the reason."

  Ru Wei was stunned and unwillingly said: "Husband..."

  "Have you already forgotten what I just said?" I cut her off sharply.

  Ruth was startled by me and said timidly: "Yes, miss."

  "Alright, now you go and let Jin Niang in, then go do what you're supposed to do." I ignored her and started washing up myself.

  Jin Niang didn't come, but Ling Yi did. He stood behind me and frowned, saying: "What kind of hairstyle is this that you've done?"

  I turned around and looked at him, smiling: "I was just thinking of shortening it a bit."

  "No way!" He rejected it without hesitation.

  I smiled and said indifferently, "Why didn't you fix the crack on your head? If there was a beauty salon here, I'd even want to get it styled."

  "What nonsense are you talking about, what are you babbling?" He glared at me.

  I shook my head: "You don't understand, never mind. Where's Jin Niang? Didn't I ask her to come see me?"

  "What brings you to Jin Niang?" He asked with some curiosity.

  I smiled slightly, he's probably heard that I'm going to see Jin Niang and came out of curiosity.

  "Let her come back and serve me!" I said casually.

  "You didn't want to see her before, so why are you asking for her to serve you now?"

  I looked at him and smiled: "Ruo Wei is too slow, her reactions are dull, Jin Niang is too serious. Rather than letting her secretly follow me, it's better to let her stay by my side directly, so she won't be tired and neither will I."

  Ling Yi was taken aback, silently staring at me with an unclear expression.

  "You won't disagree, will you?" I deliberately widened my eyes and stared at him. They say the most dangerous place is also the safest place, rather than being on guard all the time, it's better to bring her into my line of sight as well. If Jin Niang were by my side, he shouldn't be suspicious anymore, should he?

  He still doesn't speak. I sneer in my heart, you said you believe me, but then let Jin Niang secretly monitor me, so now I'll just let you see through everything and turn the tables on you.

  I turned around and comforted him: "What are you worried about? Since we have an agreement, I will definitely follow it carefully. I'm not afraid of Jin Niang watching me, because there's nothing for her to watch."

  "Good!" He squeezed out this word from between his teeth after a long while, then turned and left.

  Before long, Jin Niang arrived. She knew I was going to invite her back and didn't show any unexpected expression, just a faint and estranged response.

  I saw her standing there with a poker face, but I could sense her wariness. I smiled at her and invited her to sit down, she didn't hesitate, silently taking a seat by the round table. I poured her a cup of tea, also not speaking, just calmly looking at her.

  She was a bit uncomfortable under my gaze and finally couldn't help but say: "Is there anything else you'd like to instruct, madam?"

  I smiled and said, "Jin Niang, from now on, still call me Miss."

  She suddenly raised her head and looked at me, her eyes flashing, but she didn't retort, only indifferently said: "Yes, miss." The two words "miss" were spoken exceptionally stiffly.

  I nodded and asked her in a low voice, "Did Jin Niang also call Qing Ying like that before?"

  Jin Niang was taken aback and nodded silently.

  "Jin Niang and Qing Ying's feelings must be very deep." I said quietly.

  As I said that, Jin Niang's stiff facial lines gradually softened, and she said in a low voice: "Miss Qingying lost her mother when she was young, and I brought her up with my own hands."

  "Tell me what Qingying is like as a person, okay?" My tone was unusually soft.

  She was taken aback for a moment, and a hint of doubt welled up in her eyes as she asked softly, "Why do you want to know?"

  I pursed my lips and said quietly: "Because I lost my parents when I was young, I envy her for having a mother like you."

  A sour feeling surged up in my heart. Before I was eight years old, I was the apple of my parents' eye, a pampered little princess. But that car accident completely changed my life. Unlike Gu Qingying, who had such a good fate, I knew I was trapped in a gilded cage, and I also knew that I envied Gu Qingying.

  Perhaps it was my overly gentle expression, or perhaps it was the hint of grievance that stirred up her memories. Jin Niang's guard gradually dissipated, and she nodded: "I know, you're also a pitiful person... for Qing Ying Miss, you..."

  She paused, looking at me with some apology.

  Jin Niang's words brought me a hint of unexpected emotion, among the three people in the know, she was the only one who sympathized with me. I smiled wryly and shook my head: "There's nothing to be ashamed of, this is the truth, I understand."

  Jin Niang sighed and said: "Miss Qingying is not as strong as you, she's a weak and delicate child."

  "Because she has a father who can protect her and a nanny who truly cares for her, she should have had a good life." I sighed lightly.

  "Beautiful?" Jin Niang's tone was somewhat bewildered, leaving me stunned. Looking at her closely, a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes, disappearing instantly, making me almost think I had misseen it.

  Just as I was about to ask something else, there was a knock at the door, and Yvonne's crisp voice came through: "Miss, breakfast is ready."

  I felt a pang of disappointment, only to see Jin Niang return to her usual indifference and stand up. I had no choice but to call in Ru Wei instead. A good conversation was thus brought to an abrupt end.