Chapter 13: Speaking Out Against Injustice

Ming Ling and Ming Luo had originally planned to make Ming Wei look bad, but instead, she ended up stealing the spotlight in front of everyone. Ming Ling was so angry she nearly stabbed the embroidery with her hairpin, but Ming Luo quickly held her back.

Ming Luo gave Ming Ling a look, then joined the crowd in praising Ming Wei with a smiling face.

So young, yet already so cunning... Ming Wei glanced subtly at Ming Luo, already making calculations in her heart. Meanwhile, Ming Rong, who usually maintained a composed and graceful image, couldn’t help the flash of resentment in her eyes. If Ming Wei hadn’t suddenly appeared in the spotlight, her own birthday gift would’ve been the highlight of the day.

Ming Lian was slightly surprised, but it only confirmed her suspicions further. Ming Wei really did seem different from before...

The noblewomen present were all keenly observant. With relatives from the third and fourth madams' maiden families also attending, naturally they wouldn’t let Ming Wei take all the glory. The gifts from the other girls were praised with various embellishments, but the embroidery “Blossoms of Splendor”, kept by the Old Madam’s side, was the most eye-catching of all.

Fortunately, with the banquet about to begin and everyone needing to take their seats, this little storm over birthday gifts was temporarily brushed aside.

Ming Wei, Ming Fang, Ming Luo, Ming Ling, and Ming Ying were seated at a table with Su Xuan, the legitimate eldest granddaughter of Marquis Huan’an. Ming Ling was particularly enthusiastic, fawning over Su Xuan. Ming Luo took the chance to pull Ming Wei aside and seat herself between Su Xuan and Ming Wei.

There were many noblewomen present today, so it wasn’t yet the younger generation’s turn to request opera performances. The Old Madam’s table had already selected the plays, starting with Ma Gu Presents Birthday Wishes, and the troupe was lively and bustling on stage.

As the opera for birthday blessings was being performed joyfully, conversations buzzed among the guests. The younger girls' table, being further from the elders, had looser etiquette. The Old Madam even sent word that if they grew tired, they could go fly kites, fish in the garden, or stroll through the greenhouse—everything had already been prepared.

“They're all young girls after all, not fond of opera,” the Old Madam said to the Marchioness of Huan’an with a smile. “We were the same back then, always full of mischief. Let them go play.”

The Marchioness nodded with a smile. “You’re quite right.”

The girls filled four whole tables, and Ming Yun’s table was the first to scatter. They were all in their early teens—well-mannered, yes, but still children. They quickly grew impatient.

Ming Wei’s table remained more composed.

“I want to sit next to Seventh Sister!” Ming Luo said affectionately. “I never knew Seventh Sister’s embroidery was so beautiful! You must teach me!”

Ming Wei smiled and nodded, just about to reply when Ming Fang cut her off. “I don’t think your Seventh Sister can teach you anymore!”

The others at the table didn’t react too much, but Ming Fang was visibly the most displeased. Or perhaps she was just the one bold enough to show it.

The concubine-born daughters of the second branch were poor, and the gifts they gave weren’t worth much. Hers should have been the most extravagant and eye-catching. Who would’ve thought that Ming Wei’s strange embroidery would steal all the attention?

Why hadn’t she shown it off earlier? She always acted modest and well-behaved—who would have thought she was hiding such ambition?

Ming Fang lifted her chin, her haughty posture laced with contempt. “Only the Old Madam is worthy of seeing her work. The rest of us would be lucky to catch a single glimpse.”

Ming Wei had already expected that Ming Fang wouldn’t give her a pleasant face, but she hadn’t anticipated her resentment would run this deep.

“Fourth Sister is right.” Surprisingly, Ming Ling—who usually clashed with Ming Fang—agreed with her. She said coldly, “She’s right. We were fortunate today, thanks to the Old Madam, to have seen it.”

“I thought it was just average. The Old Madam only praised it a little, and she got all smug!” Ming Fang, forgetting Su Xuan’s presence, blurted out, “As if it were something so amazing!”

Though Ming Ling’s words were unpleasant, her mockery was subtle. Ming Fang, on the other hand, bluntly tore off the pretense, making the atmosphere awkward.

The mood at the table turned tense.

Ming Fang and Ming Ling took turns, while Ming Luo and Ming Ying watched the drama from the sidelines. At the next table, Ming Lian frowned, clearly disapproving.

Ming Wei, however, remained calm. She poured her tea slowly, unaffected by their words. If she took everything to heart, she’d die of exhaustion first.

To outsiders, though, it seemed she was just holding back to avoid embarrassment.

Ming Wei’s indifference gave Ming Fang and Ming Ling a sense of triumph. So what if the Old Madam had praised her in front of all the noblewomen? She was still a soft target they could push around.

“I’m feeling a bit restless. I’ve long heard the garden’s Eighteen Scholars display is one of a kind,” Su Xuan, who had kept a mild expression until now, suddenly spoke. “I don’t know the way. Come walk with me.”

Ming Ling, sitting closest, lit up, thinking Su Xuan meant her—only to realize that fair hand was pointing to Ming Wei.

Ming Ling froze. Even Ming Wei was slightly stunned.

Weren’t she and Su Xuan strangers?

“Sister Su, let me take you instead! Seventh Sister isn’t familiar with the grounds,” Ming Ling jumped in. She had taken a liking to Su Qingyuan, the Marquis of Huan’an’s eldest legitimate grandson, ever since she saw him from afar. Su Qingyuan was Su Xuan’s full brother, and flattering Su Xuan was a shortcut to marrying up.

She conveniently forgot that she was merely a concubine-born daughter of the third branch of the Marquis of Chengping’s family. To aim for someone like Su Qingyuan was pure fantasy. That household could even marry into royalty—why would they consider her?

Su Xuan smiled faintly and said nothing. Her silence was a clear refusal. Among the girls here, her status was unmatched. Once she spoke, no one would dare object.

The others had no choice but to watch as Ming Wei followed Su Xuan out toward the glass conservatory.

But Ming Wei didn’t feel nearly as pleased as the others imagined. She remained puzzled—why had Su Xuan singled her out?

“You just sat there, letting them smear you like that?” Su Xuan suddenly turned and asked Ming Wei. “You’re all of equal status—none nobler than the others. Why are you afraid of them?”

Ming Wei was stunned, then understood. Her heart warmed. She hadn’t expected Su Xuan, who had seemed detached the whole time, to actually care about her.

But Ming Wei’s silence gave Su Xuan the wrong impression. She assumed Ming Wei was timid, afraid of Ming Ling and the others.

“The more you back down, the more they’ll step on you!” Su Xuan frowned, seeming to recall something unpleasant. She shook her head and said with frustration, “You have to stand up for yourself first, only then will others respect you!”

Ming Wei’s heart skipped a beat. In a daze, she felt Su Xuan overlap with someone from thirty-eight years ago—Tang Wan—beautiful, noble-born, and fiercely loyal…

Su Xuan was far too much like the version of herself who first arrived in this world thirty-eight years ago.

Back then, she had become friends with the Marchioness of Huan’an, Cheng Yue, after seeing her being bullied. She couldn’t bear it and stood up for her. Cheng Yue’s temperament was also similar to hers, and over time they had grown close.

Now, it was all reversed… She was the vulnerable one, while Cheng Yue’s granddaughter Su Xuan held the highest status. The same scene, playing out again.

“Are you even listening to me?” Su Xuan’s pretty face darkened. She had always been the center of attention and had never been ignored before. “If my grandmother didn’t like you, I wouldn’t even—”

“Thank you.” Ming Wei looked up, her eyes full of gratitude—and something else Su Xuan couldn’t quite name. Ming Wei didn’t explain her silence, just followed Su Xuan’s words. “I’ll do better next time.”

Ming Wei’s easy “admission” left Su Xuan at a loss. She blinked, her beautiful phoenix eyes filled with confusion. Ming Wei seemed calm and sincere—so unlike the other girls from the Marquis of Chengping’s household.

Su Xuan didn’t know that what filled Ming Wei’s heart was mostly emotion and appreciation. Cheng Yue, who had always been gentle and cautious, had raised such a strong-willed granddaughter… Ming Wei couldn’t help smiling—it truly was remarkable.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” Su Xuan said awkwardly. “I just couldn’t stand watching them bully you while you just sat there. My words were harsh—don’t take them to heart.”

Ming Wei shook her head with a smile and replied softly, “You were willing to help me—why would I feel anything but grateful?”

Such a soft-but-unyielding personality… It was exactly like how she had been thirty-eight years ago. As she looked at the slightly embarrassed Su Xuan, it was like seeing her past self.

They both smiled at each other, and something more intimate began to form between them.

“Your embroidery is amazing!” Su Xuan quickly changed the subject, not wanting to make Ming Wei uncomfortable. Thinking of the Blossoms of Splendor even her grandmother praised, she said enviously, “We have two embroidery screens at home too. My mother adores them, never even lets me touch them! I really like them, but she won’t even let me glance at them!”

Her tone clearly held admiration. Despite her noble status, once she approved of Ming Wei, she was willing to lower herself.

“I was just showing off,” Ming Wei said with a smile. “My stitching isn’t that great. But if I get the chance, I’ll make one for you. Just—” she changed tone playfully, “don’t let anyone else see it. I don’t want people laughing at my work.”

Su Xuan laughed as well and was just about to reply when they saw Ming Fang and the others approaching noisily. She immediately felt a headache coming on. While she could pull Ming Wei out of the fire, this was the Marquis of Chengping’s residence—what the girls here did wasn’t really her concern.

Ming Ling came over holding a large, beautiful butterfly kite, saying she wanted to fly it with Su Xuan.

Su Xuan disliked Ming Ling, especially her overly eager gaze. She knew that look too well. Now that her brother was of marriageable age, many noble girls in the capital had started cozying up to her. At first, she hadn’t thought much of it, but after overhearing their questions about Su Qingyuan, she realized their intentions.

They all wanted to be her sister-in-law!

Out of politeness, even someone with Su Xuan’s proud temperament had to restrain herself. She thanked Ming Ling for the gesture, but when she looked again, Ming Wei had disappeared.

So had Ming Luo. No need to guess who had called Ming Wei away.

Facing Ming Ling’s eager eyes, Su Xuan’s gaze flickered with a flash of disdain. She simply said she was tired and refused Ming Ling’s invitation. Ming Ling looked reluctant but couldn’t do anything, and could only laugh awkwardly.

When she handed the kite to her little maid, she angrily flung it down with such force the maid almost lost her footing.

Seeing Su Xuan walk away on her own, Ming Ling quickly chased after her, putting on another bright smile.




Ming Wei, dragged along by Ming Luo with nothing better to do, eventually returned to her seat.

Ming Lian, who had never left, saw Ming Luo “deliver” Ming Wei back and quickly slip away. She whispered, “Those two sisters are just too much!”

But Ming Wei didn’t mind. She smiled and said, “Ignore them. What can they really gain? Do they think someone like the Marquis of Huan’an’s legitimate granddaughter can be flattered so easily?”

“As long as you see it clearly.” Ming Lian clearly caught Ming Wei’s hint—not only referring to Su Xuan, but also to Su Qingyuan. Half a year ago, they had all gone to Cian Temple, and when Ming Wei and Ming Ling returned from the bamboo grove, their expressions had been odd.

After that, whenever Su Qingyuan was mentioned, Ming Ling’s face showed admiration, and Ming Wei always seemed flustered. Ming Lian had guessed that both of them had fallen for him.

For girls like them, being unclear about their place was the most dangerous. Their eldest sister was the best cautionary tale.

If Ming Wei could figure it out now, that would be ideal.

Ming Wei smiled and didn’t want to continue. She turned to pretend to watch the opera, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a woman rushing by.

It was a servant from the Old Madam’s courtyard who tended the flowers.

Thinking of the little maid that Liu Yi had forced out earlier, Ming Wei suddenly had a bad feeling.