Volume One, Chapter Three: A Show of Authority

The broom fell with a sharp crack at Lin Wanti’s embroidered shoes, sending a thin cloud of dust into the air.

Her lashes trembled slightly, veiling the chill in her eyes, though her expression remained composed and impassive.

This Madam Li was making her authority clear from the very start.

“What you say is true, Madam. Since it is the custom of the Prince’s residence, I will naturally abide by it,” Lin Wanti replied, dipping into a respectful curtsey, her tone neither humble nor overbearing.

She bent to pick up the broom. The coarse handle felt nothing like the refined elegance she had imagined of a prince’s household. This broom, no doubt, had been discarded by the servants after long use before being handed to her.

Madam Li, surprised by her compliance, let a fleeting trace of astonishment cross her plump face before she snorted coldly, “As long as Your Ladyship understands. I’m only following the rules myself. Rain Listening Pavilion may be a little out of the way, but if it’s kept clean enough, it can still be a comfortable place to live.”

Lin Wanti made no reply. Instead, she began sweeping in silence, her movements seemingly casual yet meticulous, each stroke of the broom serving also as a subtle exploration of the terrain.

Rain Listening Pavilion was situated on the western edge of the residence, far from the main quarters, with high walls shielding it from outside view. Save for a few ancient trees, the courtyard was devoid of any scenery, making it seem particularly desolate.

“Your Ladyship, you can’t just sweep this place carelessly. Not a speck of dust is to remain. The Prince is most particular about cleanliness—if he finds so much as a hint of dust, there will be consequences,” Madam Li went on, her shrill and caustic tone relentless.

Lin Wanti paid her no mind. Her broom never paused, and her gaze swept over each corner of the courtyard wall, committing the terrain and the surrounding environment to memory.

She noticed a large locust tree in one corner, its dense foliage nearly concealing that section of the wall.

“Your Ladyship, you must also draw water from the well. The Prince will want his bath this evening—don’t dare neglect it,” Madam Li assigned her yet another task.

Obediently, Lin Wanti set down the broom and walked to the well. The old pulley creaked as she worked it, its “creak, creak” echoing into the quiet. As she drew water, she examined the marks around the well’s rim. The wear suggested that this well was rarely used.

It appeared that Rain Listening Pavilion was seldom inhabited.

Madam Li’s tasks continued: scrubbing window frames, making the bed, washing the tea set… Lin Wanti carried out each instruction in silence, as if she were a machine without a shred of emotion.

She memorized every word and every glance from Madam Li, quietly analyzing the power structure and relationships within the household.

As the sun dipped towards the west, painting the sky with a faint orange glow, Lin Wanti finally finished every chore, her body aching with exhaustion.

Madam Li nodded in satisfaction and pointed to a shabby room in the corner. “You’ll sleep here tonight, Your Ladyship. It’s simple, but the Prince gave special instructions: a concubine-born girl should live in a way befitting her status.”

Whether those words truly came from Murong Yunyi, Lin Wanti no longer cared to question.

She gazed at the room: the low eaves, the peeling walls, window paper riddled with holes. Without a word, she walked over and pushed open the creaking wooden door.

Inside, a musty odor assaulted her. In the dim light, she could just make out a rickety wooden bed, its thin bedding barely concealing the straw within. Cobwebs fluttered in the corner, swaying as if mocking her misfortune.

She glanced around, the corners of her mouth curling into a cold smile. This was no treatment for a concubine’s daughter—this was deliberate humiliation.

“Madam, you are very considerate,” she said evenly, turning around, her voice betraying nothing. “But as I am unfamiliar with the residence’s customs, could you tell me where the apothecary is?”

A flicker of disdain crossed Madam Li’s plump features. “The apothecary? And what business do you have there, Your Ladyship?”

“I have heard the Prince is in delicate health. I know a little of medicine and wish to prepare some herbal dishes for his benefit,” Lin Wanti answered coolly, her eyes never leaving Madam Li.

Madam Li sneered. “You’d best mind your own affairs first. The apothecary is not a place just anyone may enter. The rules of this house are not for a concubine’s daughter to change at will.”

Lin Wanti’s eyes flashed briefly. So, the apothecary must hold some secret.

She maintained her composure. “In that case, I will first take some time to familiarize myself with the residence.”

Madam Li snorted again and turned to leave, tossing a final warning over her shoulder, “You’d better behave yourself. The Prince’s household is not a place where just anyone can do as they please.”

Lin Wanti watched Madam Li depart, her gaze growing deeper.

She stepped into the courtyard, and under the faint moonlight, carefully examined her surroundings. Though Rain Listening Pavilion was remote, it bordered the rear gardens of the residence.

She walked along the garden wall, her eyes scanning each plant and flower as a plan slowly formed in her mind.

When night fell and the rear courtyard lay silent, Lin Wanti quietly opened her door and slipped into the darkness. She moved deftly, avoiding the patrolling guards, and made her way deep into the rear garden.

By the faint starlight, she found a blooming peony and studied its leaves closely.

“This peony looks lovely, but it is all for show,” she murmured to herself. “The edges of the leaves are yellowing, and the soil at the roots is too dry. It’s likely suffering from root rot.”

She moved on to a cluster of roses, gently inhaling their scent, her brow furrowing. “The fragrance here is overpowering and harsh. They must have over-fertilized, throwing the balance off.”

As she continued her inspection, she took mental notes of each plant’s condition. The rear garden boasted a great variety, but nearly every plant had problems. Some suffered from poor planting techniques, others from infertile soil, still others from pests and disease.

“The layout of this rear garden is exquisite, but the cultivation is riddled with flaws,” Lin Wanti remarked, a subtle, knowing smile lifting her lips. “It seems Madam Li is not as capable as she would have others believe.”

At dawn the next day, Lin Wanti rose early to sweep the courtyard. When Madam Li arrived and saw her hard at work, a look of disdain crossed her face.

“Up early, aren’t you, Your Ladyship?” she said with mocking sweetness. “Just remember—there’s an art to sweeping. Don’t you dare damage the Prince’s beloved flowers and plants.”

Lin Wanti set down her broom, meeting Madam Li’s gaze with calm resolve. “You are right, Madam. I, too, know a thing or two about flowers and plants…”