Chapter 230: Chapter 230

The facts proved that the situation was even worse than she had previously imagined...

"Second Young Miss, please return. The old madam is unwell today and had already given instructions earlier that morning greetings are to be waived for these next few days. Second Young Miss need not make this trip again in the future..."

"Thank you for your trouble, Zhang Ma!"

Pretending not to see the bottomless avoidance in the visitor's eyes, outside Shou'an Hall, after performing a proper bow toward the tightly closed door, Yang Yuan rose with her usual graceful smile and took her leave.

Her demeanor remained as elegantly ethereal as ever, making people feel as if bathed in spring breeze, as if she hadn't suffered the slightest neglect.

Counting the days, this was already the third time this month.

From Shou'an Hall to the western small courtyard, just a short distance away, all the servants encountered along the way lowered their heads and passed by, with none of their previous enthusiastic flattery remaining.

In deep mansions, there was never any shortage of clever people. This was especially true for servants—if nothing else, their ability to read situations was more than sufficient. Although they didn't know where the always talented and virtuous Second Young Miss had offended the upper masters to receive such cold treatment.

However, when those above show preference, those below will follow suit. No matter how generous and kind Second Young Miss was, it wasn't worth them going against the intentions of the several masters above.

Seeing this situation, a little maid with twin buns hairstyle beside Second Miss Yang was so angry that tears nearly fell.

Especially now in the main kitchen, where a young maid who had previously been enthusiastically calling her "Sister Chuncai" now didn't even lift her head when seeing someone. She just focused on arranging the fruits and pastries in her hands.

As if completely unaware of that jade-green figure not far away.

"These people are too much! Don't they think about how well the young miss treated them before? Clearly compared to the other two young misses in the mansion, our young miss doesn't have much financial flexibility, yet every time there were rewards, she never fell behind others. She never treated these people harshly either. Just because..."

"How could they... how could they..."

"And the First Young Miss—in the past because of you, young miss, she met so many talented noble young ladies, but now..."

Thinking of all that had happened recently, in the small room, Chuncai angrily rubbed the plain handkerchief in her hands, her eyes red with anger.

Meanwhile, Yang Yuan's expression remained unchanged. Since earlier, she had been sitting properly before the couch, staring fixedly at the window filled with bright red maple leaves. After a long while, she suddenly spoke:

"Chuncai, do you remember how long it's been since we received any invitation cards?"

Only when her young miss mentioned this did Chuncai suddenly realize. Yes, it seemed that since that day at the Grand Princess's residence, her young miss hadn't received any invitations for quite some time.

One must know that her young miss had always been known for her talent, and her conduct was gentle and proper. She usually had quite good connections among the various young ladies of noble families.

Thus, whenever there were flower parties or poetry gatherings in the capital, her young miss would always receive invitations immediately.

Since when had this changed...

Thinking here, the little maid's face instantly turned pale.

Chuncai clearly understood in her heart that her young miss had never been favored in the mansion. Unlike the First Young Miss, who had the old madam's affection above and the madam's support below. Nor like that Third Young Miss, who could be called the madam's heart's treasure—her daily provisions were always the best.

Even the master, though he never said it aloud, clearly showed favoritism in his heart.

As for their young miss, her birth mother held little influence, and the master hardly ever remembered this daughter. If not for their young miss striving on her own, repeatedly gaining face outside, and meeting so many high-ranking noble young ladies...

Thinking here, the little maid felt even more wronged.

In Chuncai's view, her young miss had excellent talent, virtue, and appearance, and being born as one of twins, she had first-class good fortune. The old madam was one thing, but how could the master fail to see this!

Thinking of all the needlework sent over these years, the little maid felt even more that her young miss wasn't valued enough.

The incredibly intelligent and filial one went unnoticed, while the one who knew only how to act cute and spoiled, achieving nothing, was held in the palm of their hands.

Just what kind of reasoning was this!

"Alright, Chuncai, you may withdraw first..."

"Yes... yes, young miss..."

On the square table, an ordinary-looking incense burner continued to burn slowly.

Only when the little maid's figure completely disappeared did Yang Yuan seem to lose all strength, collapsing before the couch.

"System, I'm afraid we're in serious trouble now..."

Second Miss Yang's usually elegant face now showed indescribable gravity.

Listening Rain Pavilion

Carefully inserting colorful crimson camellias into a white jade porcelain vase about the size of a palm.

Under the morning light, jade-like hands resembling premium solidified mutton-fat jade contrasted beautifully with the various crimson danzhu flowers in the vase, creating a view as gorgeous as an oil painting at first glance.

Beside her, all the maids unconsciously softened their breathing.

Setting down the jade vase in her hands, though appearing completely focused, An Ning's thoughts had actually long drifted away.

Watching the movements over there through the system, An Ning wasn't surprised. Honestly, given the intelligence this original second sister had usually displayed, only discovering the problem at this point was extremely abnormal, even below her usual standard.

It seemed that discovering the system's problems had affected her more seriously than she had previously thought.

Or perhaps, when the imperial family acted, the effects were indeed immediate.

Surveying the suitable exquisite utensils around her that had been completely replaced within just a few days.

An Ning couldn't help but click her tongue inwardly—this was how those in high positions operated. They never needed to do much themselves, as there would always be plenty of people below willing to carefully consider their wishes and even work for them.

Just like how Her Majesty the Empress Dowager now didn't even need to make any comment about or suppress Second Yang—she only needed to clearly show her fondness for her, this third young miss, and throughout the vast capital, there would naturally be too many clever people willing to speculate about the underlying situation.

Actually, normally speaking, although Second Miss Yang had looked unusual that day, it couldn't be considered concrete evidence. There weren't too many witnesses either, and they were all young ladies from inner chambers, far from reaching the point of spreading rumors or being silently understood by most families in the capital.

But with the Empress Dowager's move from the palace, everything became completely different.

Not to mention the eminent monk Master Wuxiang who had been frequently summoned to the palace these past few days, just the increasingly proven effectiveness of jade talismans under the patronage of capital nobility recently made everything she had said that day increasingly credible.

Coupled with the Empress Dowager's inexplicable "appreciation," one could say that whether people believed it or not, even if there was only a ten-thousandth possibility, unless an exception was made, Yang Yuan could no longer stand out among the capital's young ladies.

Let alone use this to build her reputation and increase her own fortune.

Picking up small scissors, she neatly trimmed the last stray branch. Speaking to a certain still confused system within her consciousness, An Ning said with considerable pleasure:

"It seems that with two precedents already, the operating rules of this system have been mostly figured out by that person in the palace at the very least..."

Now let's see what cards this second sister, no, or rather that "system," has to play!

With the continuous inability to absorb fortune, how long can that little bit of energy from earlier be maintained?

Within the space, An Ning was currently spreading her spiritual awareness, carefully tracing the talisman in her hand.

To be honest, she was really quite curious about this point.