Megan Dean was a maid given to Yvonne Brooks, but this time Ms. Turner didn’t even ask a single question. Yvonne Brooks’s face turned alternately green and white, yet she couldn’t utter a word. As for Megan Dean, it was as if she’d been struck by a pie falling from the sky—she stood there dazed for a moment before hurriedly stepping forward in delight to kowtow. After all, even as a maid, since she was given by Ms. Turner to Princess Adams, she would naturally have considerable status in the prince’s household. As for the unlucky Ruby Hall, no one spared her another glance. Only Lauren Brooks, who sat beside her, and Fiona Quinn, who stood by her side, could sense her feeling of relief.

When Princess Adams was about to leave, she absolutely refused to let Ms. Turner see her off, so Ms. Turner only sent Mrs. Carter and the four Lauren Brooks sisters to escort her to the second gate. In front of the hanging flower gate, after Lillian Jones and Megan Dean bid farewell, they accompanied Princess Adams onto the sedan chair with a blue canopy, silver tassels, and a fragrant, bejeweled phoenix cover. The other maids boarded the black lacquered carriage with blue curtains behind, and all the attendants clustered around as they departed. Ivy Brooks was absorbed in admiring the luxurious decorations of the phoenix sedan, her face full of envy, while Lauren Brooks looked thoughtfully at Ruby Hall.

Once everyone had left, the four sisters naturally went their separate ways. Yvonne Brooks trailed behind the swaggering Ivy Brooks like a follower, saying something in a fawning manner. Lauren Brooks smiled slightly, turned to leave, when Sophie Brooks suddenly called out to her.

“Third Sister, since we’re headed the same way, let’s walk together!”

Lauren Brooks was slightly taken aback, but seeing Sophie Brooks approach her proactively, she didn’t refuse the kindness. After passing through the main hall and turning a corner along the covered corridor, seeing that only their own maids were nearby, Sophie Brooks lowered her voice and said, “Thank you for what you said today, Third Sister.”

Lauren Brooks raised her eyebrows, then deliberately feigned ignorance: “Me? What did I say?”

Sophie Brooks smiled faintly, her icy, snow-like face suddenly thawing, making her look exceptionally lovely. “Aunt went south with Father, and both Third Brother and I are in the inner quarters. Even if we’re a bit far apart, I can still keep an eye on him. If he were moved to the outer quarters, who knows when we’d see each other again. But you should also be careful, Third Sister. Although it was Mrs. Carter who spoke, you brought up the topic. Not only might you offend Second Aunt, even Mother might remember it. By then, someone might say you’re inexperienced and always indulging your younger brother.”

“So that’s what you meant. I didn’t think that much about it. After being seriously injured before, I’ve come to see things differently. Forcing him to study and write all day—if it ruins his health, what’s the point? It’s better to be a bit more relaxed.”

That’s what Lauren Brooks said, but in her heart she knew this was inevitable. Mrs. Bennett was from the second branch, yet could come over to her place and scold her maids with an air of superiority; the second branch’s steward even withheld her maids’ monthly wages; the second branch had no sons, the third branch’s legitimate son was still young, and Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Walker wanted to send all the young masters to the outer quarters… She didn’t know exactly what was going on, but it was certainly more harm than good. She could only first get Ian Brooks out of the way, and if she happened to help Sophie Brooks in the process, that was a pleasant surprise.

The two sisters exchanged a smile and parted ways, one heading east, the other west. Lauren Brooks made her way back to Jinxiu Pavilion, and upon entering, went straight to the east side room of the warm chamber at the back. She didn’t even have time to take off her coat, but sat directly on the kang covered with a dark green orchid-patterned quilt, and took the hot tea handed to her by Evelyn Young, drinking it all in one go before finally catching her breath.

“Why is it so cold today? I was only outside for a little while and I’m nearly frozen stiff!”

“It is cold. If you stayed outside in this weather, you could freeze to death!”

Evelyn Young smiled as she helped Lauren Brooks change clothes, and was just about to ask about the visit to Liaoxiang Courtyard when Fiona Quinn, who had just sent away two third-class maids, found an excuse to pull her out, leaving only Ruby Hall in the east side room.

Leaning comfortably against the back of the kang chair, Lauren Brooks looked at Ruby Hall with interest and suddenly asked, “Do you really not want to go to the prince’s household?”

Ruby Hall had been silent and dazed all the way, and hadn’t said a word since entering the room. Now, she shivered, then stepped forward and knelt down, shaking her head resolutely. “I don’t want to, miss. So, thank you for saving my life. If the old madam had insisted today, I… I would have had no choice but to kill myself right there.”

Hearing this, Lauren Brooks, who had only meant to test her, was stunned. She had thought Ruby Hall was just unwilling, so out of a moment’s pity and a bit of pent-up frustration, she had spoken up to ruin the arrangement, not knowing Ruby Hall actually harbored such a fierce resolve. After a long silence, she finally asked, “Why?”

“In the past, my family wasn’t wealthy, but we had a hundred or so mu of land and got by. But after my father died, my stepmother drove my mother and me out. My mother and I went to my uncle’s, but later my mother fell ill and died. Then a scholar from the county came to ask for me as a concubine. I wasn’t even thirteen then, but my uncle agreed right away and even took fifty taels! I cried to the heavens and the earth, but no one answered. I could only run away all night to the prefectural city, but ended up falling into the hands of traffickers. I managed to escape once, but my two companions ended up in even worse places. In the end, I sold myself to a human trader and that’s how I entered this household. After so long outside, I know I’m not the only one who’s suffered—others have too. I’ve accepted my fate… but there’s one thing I just can’t accept!”