Chapter Ten: Wronged

A bamboo basket was tossed onto the stone table. Mud and water grass clung to it, and droplets still dripped steadily onto the surface.

The mouth of the basket wasn’t sealed, so a dozen colorful frogs leapt out in a flurry.

“Ah!”

“Frogs! All frogs!”

“Don’t come near… Someone, help…”

The pavilion was attended by young maids, all in their early teens, who cherished cleanliness and beauty. They were instinctively frightened and disgusted by slippery creatures like frogs and snakes.

A dozen frogs, lively and croaking, jumped about wildly in every direction.

Fearing that these little creatures might leap onto them, the maids forgot all decorum, shrieking and running about in panic.

The pavilion was thrown into chaos.

“Haha! Hahaha!”

Somehow, a boy of seven or eight had climbed up one of the pavilion’s columns.

His hair was styled into two little horns, like ram’s horns—a style known as “double topknots.” But, perhaps from his recent escapade in the water, the boy’s horns were a bit messy, a few locks hanging down, plastered to his fair cheeks, with droplets occasionally trickling down.

His clothes were smeared with mud, a filthy mess, though one could still faintly discern the red hue of his robe, threaded with strands of gold.

It was the newly fashionable brocade embroidery that had taken the capital by storm in the past two years—intricate, luxurious patterns sewn with pure gold thread, the height of extravagance!

Yet despite the sumptuous garment, the boy showed not the slightest concern for it.

Brocade embroidery couldn’t be washed, and after his antics, the robe was ruined.

But he cared not at all, clutching the column like a monkey, thoroughly pleased by the maids’ terrified faces and frantic flight below.

For a mischievous child, what could be more delightful than a prank executed to perfection?

“Master Lang! Why are you up there?”

“Heavens, Lang, it’s too dangerous—come down at once!”

“Hush, don’t startle him! If he’s frightened and falls, what then?”

“Someone, help!”

The frogs leaping about were enough to drive the maids to collapse.

And now, glancing up, they saw their most cherished young master clinging to the column like a monkey.

The column, painted red, was slippery—one careless slip and he’d fall.

Worse still, Master Lang, seeing the servants finally notice him and quake in fear, only grew more smug.

He laughed uproariously, purposely stretching out a hand or wiggling a foot.

With each of his antics, the maids’ screams grew ever more shrill.

How amusing!

Haha, these petty servants are the most fun—timid and foolish as always.

He was after all the eldest son of the Lou family, riding horses and practicing stances with his father since age three.

In the past two years, with his father absent, he followed the old nanny, often driving away tutors and tearing up books, but his martial training had never ceased.

Climbing a column was child’s play for him.

He could even perform dangerous moves, repeatedly taunting the servants’ nerves.

But soon, Lang noticed something unusual—

“Chubby girl, why aren’t you crying?”

Amid the chaos, Lang spotted a plump little maid.

Around five or six years old, clad in a rosy skirt, her face round as a silver basin.

A true silver basin—so fat!

Among all the young girls Lang knew, none were so corpulent.

Well, perhaps not “corpulent”—the chubby girl was merely plump, not ugly!

In fact, her arched brows, big eyes, tiny nose, and rosy lips were all quite charming.

Put together, she was irresistibly endearing.

The rolls of flesh suited her, making her all the more adorable.

Anyone else so fat, Lang would have called them a “fat fool” or “ugly creature.”

But this chubby girl was just cute… Wait, what was she doing!

Not only was she not crying, she hadn’t jumped up to flee or screamed.

She was still eating!

Lang simply could not tolerate this.

In a swift motion, he slid down the column like a muddy monkey.

Bounding to the stone table, he climbed atop it, sprawled across the surface.

Wang Heng, quick and alert, snatched up the box of pastries and retreated.

Lang: …I, the dignified eldest son of the Lou family, am less important than a box of cheap snacks?

“Chubby girl! You, you—”

Lang was nearly frantic, uncertain whether to first demand why she wasn’t crying or why she cared only for the pastries.

Lang simply didn’t understand the world of the glutton.

For a glutton, good food is all that truly matters in life!

Wang Heng, meanwhile, remembered Lang’s earlier words.

Clutching the box tightly with one hand, she quickly grabbed a lotus pastry with the other and stuffed it into her mouth.

She chewed vigorously, swallowed, then mumbled, “Why should I cry?”

She wasn’t feigning ignorance—there was simply nothing or no one worth crying over at that moment.

Lang stared. “Aren’t you scared? If you’re scared, you’ll cry.”

Wang Heng blinked, seemingly unable to make sense of the logic.

After a pause, she asked again, “Why should I be scared?”

“Aren’t you afraid of frogs?”

Lang, not wanting to waste words, went straight to the “culprit.”

He stared at Wang Heng, a hint of annoyance in his tone, “All you little girls are, aren’t you?”

He glanced around as he spoke.

His meaning was clear—the surrounding maids, though eager to serve, still avoided the hopping frogs as much as possible.

Some, truly frightened but too bound by decorum to run, could only weep silently.

Their whimpering sounded like mosquitoes.

Annoying, yes, but also proof his prank had succeeded.

All of them were scared, yet the chubby girl—smaller and softer than the rest—was not.

Lang found this unreasonable!

Wang Heng understood his meaning. She tilted her little head, glanced at the frog jumping by her feet, and asked in a soft, sticky voice, “Is it poisonous?”

Lang shook his head—it wasn’t a toad, so how could it be poisonous?

Wang Heng pressed, “Will it bite?”

Lang shook his head again, of course not—it was just disgusting.

Wang Heng said nothing more.

Lang waited for her to ask another question, but she fell silent.

He hesitated, about to demand, “Why aren’t you speaking?”

Then realization dawned.

He understood what the chubby girl meant.

If frogs didn’t bite and weren’t poisonous, there was no reason to be afraid.

People fear things either because they are unknown and might be dangerous, or because they know it isn’t dangerous.

The chubby girl was the latter.

She knew frogs were harmless, so she wasn’t scared.

Lang: …

The chubby girl was rather clever—more importantly, she was calm.

But since his prank hadn’t worked on her, Lang still felt a little unhappy.

He scrutinized Wang Heng from head to toe.

Wang Heng grew nervous under his gaze, hugging the box tighter.

Her guarded look made it seem she worried Lang might snatch her pastries.

Lang: …Not greedy!

Besides, these were just the snacks he was tired of—only the chubby girl treasured them.

Treasured?

Lang’s eyes darted about, and at the thought of “treasure,” they suddenly lit up.

Hey!

He had an idea!

If the chubby girl wasn’t afraid of frogs, he’d bring out his little treasures!

Then, let’s see if she’s scared!

As Lang plotted to “make Wang Heng cry,” the sound of hurried footsteps rang out beyond the pavilion.

“What’s happened? Is Lang all right?”

“Goodness, could it be my Ninth Young Lady misbehaved and offended Lang?”

A crowd of servants surrounded two women, hastily approaching the pavilion.

The two women were naturally Madam Cui, and her niece from the Cui family.

Madam Cui wore an anxious expression, her eyes filled with worry and affection.

Even with outsiders present, the niece’s sidelong glance couldn’t help but admire: truly, her aunt was remarkable. Though she deeply despised Lang for being an illegitimate child, she could still treat him as her own heart’s treasure.

Such cunning, such restraint, such acting… all worthy… ah, never mind!

She herself was different. The Wang family needed her, while her aunt needed to please Lou Jin.

So her aunt must endure and perform.

But the niece need not!

If she was in a good mood, she might give the Wang family some justification.

If not, she wouldn’t even bother with excuses.

This time, she was in a “good mood,” using the opportunity to get rid of the burdensome Wang Heng by letting someone else do the dirty work.

Her original idea was to claim she was pregnant, but that someone in the household—namely Wang Heng—was in conflict with the fetus.

For the sake of mother and child, Wang Heng had to be sent away.

She’d barely voiced the idea when her trusted maid Pearl advised against it.

“Madam, the Wang family does indeed rely on the Cui family’s assistance right now, but excess is as bad as deficiency.”

“As the saying goes, fortunes change. No one can guarantee the Wang family won’t rise again.”

If that happened, her past arrogance would become evidence against her.

With any opportunity, she’d face disaster.

“Also, you and the master are, after all, husband and wife—not adversaries plotting against each other.”

Even if she wished to “eliminate” the burden, it should be done subtly and indirectly.

If for nothing else, for the sake of the couple’s relationship.

Pearl was her wet nurse, and their bond ran deep.

The niece valued Pearl’s advice and took it to heart.

If brute force wouldn’t work, then a little scheming would suffice.

The Lou family’s eldest son—an unpopular, mischievous child—was perfect for “framing” Wang Heng.

Thus, before she even reached the scene or learned what had happened, she pinned the blame on Wang Heng.

Wang Heng blinked innocently. Though the accusation was obvious, she felt neither wronged nor sad.

She remained obedient and quiet.

It was Madam Cui and her niece who, upon rushing into the pavilion, were stunned.

The scene was certainly chaotic, but the main players’ reactions were not as expected—

First, Lang was not laughing outrageously or throwing a tantrum.

Second, Wang Heng had not cried!

If she had cried, the niece could have claimed the two children had quarreled.

But no, the stubborn girl wore a blank, wooden expression, as though stunned.

The niece: …How am I supposed to “frame” her now?

PS: Thank you to reader 20240605084719588 for your reward. Thank you all for your monthly votes, recommendations, and collections. Please continue to support the story!