Madam?
Bai Lan took a breath. The Ning estate’s Madam was Ning Muyan’s stepmother, not his biological mother. Ning Muyan’s birth mother had died years ago. After some years, the head of the household remarried, but he passed away less than two years later, leaving the stepmother a widow.
Bai Lan remembered that Ning Muyan had never been close to this stepmother. When she married into the estate, she had hoped to have her own child and paid little attention to Ning Muyan. However, the head of the household was frequently away on official duty, and no child came of the marriage.
After the head’s death, the stepmother saw that Ning Muyan was the only remaining heir and attempted to align herself with him. But Ning Muyan, already of age and shrewd, did not easily accept her.
Knowing she could not control Ning Muyan, she had later taken in a son born to a concubine of the previous master, raising and educating him, hoping he would achieve a position of influence. With her own son secured, she no longer focused on Ning Muyan, though she continued to act as the estate’s head matron.
Bai Lan pondered the convoluted history, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Knowing the stepmother and Ning Muyan were not close, he wondered why she would summon him—a mere doctor who attended Ning Muyan.
“Miss, is Madam unwell? I can bring my medical kit to save a trip,” Bai Lan offered.
The maid, composed and precise, declined. “No need. Madam’s garden has everything. We only need Little Doctor Jiang to come.”
Though she did not explicitly say the Madam was unwell, her demeanor suggested she was not sick.
Sanleng timidly offered, “I will accompany Master to help.”
The maid replied, “Sanleng, you need not come. There will be enough hands in Madam’s garden.”
Seeing that Bai Lan was meant to go alone, he exchanged a knowing glance with Sanleng.
“Little Doctor Jiang, please follow me.”
Sanleng, anxious, paced behind. Though less skilled than the estate’s senior maids, she could sense the situation was unusual. She felt uneasy but helpless. After a moment, she clasped her hands and ran toward Bao’an Hall.
Bai Lan followed the maid, winding through corridors until they reached Xijin Garden. He had no time to admire the landscaping and entered the courtyard directly.
In the main hall, a woman of refined bearing sat on the principal seat. Though just over thirty, she looked exceptionally young, well-preserved and commanding.
Aside from the stepmother, there was an elderly housemaid who had served the estate for years, two senior maids, a few low-profile servants, a young woman named Qiaorou from the garden staff, and a kneeling maid.
Bai Lan’s guiding maid led him to a position equivalent to a second-rank maid. In total, about ten people in the hall—household staff and attendants alike—were all scrutinizing him.
The stepmother, seated in the main position, did not look at him or speak. She casually lifted the sandalwood cup of tea beside her and sipped slowly.
Silence here spoke louder than words. Bai Lan knew well that prominent families loved to put on such displays of authority. Though she said nothing, the sharp, calculating eyes from every corner of the room pressed down upon him, meant to unnerve any newcomer.
This subtle, psychological intimidation was meant purely to assert dominance. Any boy from a rural village seeing this for the first time would likely feel suffocated, shrinking back, wishing he could bow his head to the floor.
When Bai Lan had first entered the estate, he had felt exactly that way—helpless, like a fish on a chopping board.
But now… his face was calm, even in the presence of the assembled household. No one had spoken, so he took the initiative:
“Little Doctor Jiang Bai Lan greets Madam.”
After his bow, he looked at the woman in the main seat with the kind of focused, eager gaze one might give a butcher to his livestock. “Madam, do you wish for a hand diagnosis or a silk diagnosis?”
“You… you also know silk diagnosis?” the woman exclaimed, genuinely surprised, momentarily forgetting her display of authority.
Bai Lan explained plainly, “Silk diagnosis involves placing a scarf over the wrist to take the pulse. It is not the method described in books where one pulls threads over a screen. I, the little doctor, am simple, but I can perform this covered-pulse method.”
The woman set down her cup with a louder clink than usual, clearly annoyed at being outmaneuvered. The fact that a mere boy had disrupted her intimidation frustrated her greatly.
“You are the physician that Muyan brought from the village?” she asked.
“Yes, Madam,” Bai Lan replied.
“I have heard Muyan values you enough to let you enter his study.”
“Master Ning is benevolent, and thus does not disdain a humble doctor like me.”
The stepmother’s eyes suddenly sharpened. “If you know he values you, then how do you still fail to behave properly, committing such a grave misdeed?”
Bai Lan frowned. “I do not know what misdeed you speak of.”
“Even now, you refuse to admit the truth,” she said coldly. “Rural folk like you never learn until it’s too late.”
Bai Lan looked puzzled.
Exasperated, she signaled, and the old housemaid placed a piece of jade on the table, accompanied by several paintings.
Bai Lan had anticipated that the visit would not be simple; he had expected perhaps a scolding, but he had not imagined that the jade pendant would already be in her hands.
Gathering his thoughts, the stepmother spoke. “Our household has strict rules. You work in Di Mu Garden and are favored by Muyan. Not only do you show no gratitude, you have also acted improperly, taking what is not yours!”
“I did not take it!” Bai Lan immediately objected.
“Not take it? If not for the estate staff’s routine pest control today, they would never have discovered this in your room!”
Qiaorou interjected, standing with a sharp tone. “Anything of the Master—gold, silver, jade—bears a carved ‘Yan’ character. The jade found in your room matches a piece the Master owns, including the ‘Yan’ mark. Can you still deny it?”
“The Master’s study has only been accessible to you recently. Did you not also take these paintings?” she added sharply. “You have been brought here from the countryside, and yet your behavior is so vile, tarnishing the Ning estate’s reputation!”
Bai Lan felt his chest tighten. The jade pendant was his, but why were the paintings suddenly included? Was this an attempt to falsely incriminate him further?
In the past, he had lived a lifetime as a concubine’s servant, timid and afraid in the household. Now, he was just a hired worker—if he were driven out, it would not matter. He had no reason to cower or accept unjust accusation.
“Miss Qiaorou, was I present when you took these items? On what grounds do you claim all of them are mine?”
Her brows tightened. “They were found in your room! Qiu’er, speak up.”
The kneeling maid quavered: “I was sent to sprinkle pest-control herbs today. Normally Sanleng would do it, but he went out with Little Doctor Jiang. Since pest control could not be delayed, I entered the room to perform it. While cleaning, I found these items and reported them to Sister Qiaorou immediately.”
Bai Lan sneered. “Knowing that, some might think I went in deliberately to snoop. The estate’s rules are strict. I was not present—how can you be certain this is not a setup?”
Qiaorou’s face flickered. Usually obedient in the garden, she had not expected Bai Lan to speak so cleverly.
“All in the garden serve the Master loyally. Except for you, a newcomer, who else would touch the Master’s belongings?”
“Even if your argument seems convincing, why would a simple doctor want these things?”
“Of course, you came from the countryside, hoping to profit and supplement your household income,” Qiaorou accused.
Bai Lan felt a surge of indignation—did being poor automatically make someone a thief?
Tan Yun shook her head. “Muyan is young, and yet he has been surrounded by people of your character. What words do you still have…”
Before she could finish, a calm voice cut in: “Mother, it’s quite lively here today.”
Everyone in the room instinctively looked toward the door.
Tan Yun blinked in surprise. “Muyan! How have you come here?”
“I heard Mother called the doctor from my garden over. I was concerned for your health, so I came to check on you,” Ning Muyan said.
Seeing Ning Muyan arrive, Tan Yun was taken aback, though her expression darkened further. Ning Muyan, however, ignored her entirely and simply took a seat. Tan Yun opened her mouth to speak but ultimately held back.
“My doctor is right—he has no need to take those things,” Ning Muyan said.
Tan Yun’s face twisted with surprise and a hint of displeasure. That he would defend a mere doctor, whom she had thought guilty, was both insulting and unexpected.
“Muyan!” she exclaimed.
“It was I who gave them to him,” Ning Muyan replied evenly.
Qiaorou’s face paled. She had not expected Ning Muyan to arrive, much less to defend Bai Lan. Everyone in the room now cast wary glances at Qiaorou and the kneeling maid, Qiu’er.
“Muyan, did you truly give them to him? A couple of paintings would be one thing, but the jade pendant…”
“A while ago, I caught a slight chill at the manor. I could not summon a physician in time and suffered a bit. Fortunately, Little Doctor Jiang revived me with skill. In my gratitude, I gave him the jade pendant,” Ning Muyan said calmly. “There are plenty more such items in storage—what harm is there in this?”
Tan Yun forced a smile. “These items are not priceless; there is no issue in giving them to someone you value.”
Ning Muyan gave a faint smile. “Thank you for understanding, Mother.”
Then he turned his gaze toward the nervous Qiaorou and trembling Qiu’er.
“Why did you falsely accuse Little Doctor Jiang of theft?”
Qiaorou immediately dropped to her knees beside Qiu’er. “Master, your jade and paintings are valuable. I only heard Qiu’er’s report and did not know these were gifts from you to Little Doctor Jiang. I was only being cautious.”
“Cautious? Today you trusted a subordinate to rummage through someone’s private room. Tomorrow, will your ‘caution’ allow them to enter my study?”
“I—I would not dare,” Qiaorou stammered.
“You still ‘would not dare’? You are bolder than most. Even if you felt something was wrong, you could have waited for my return. Instead, you came to disturb my mother’s garden. What was your intent?”
“I… I thought Master seldom concerns himself with the servants, so I…”
Ning Muyan interrupted coldly: “You are loyal, keeping old masters in mind.”
He turned to Qiu’er, who was shaking, and reprimanded: “You violated privacy under the pretense of cleaning and caused trouble where none existed. You found a scapegoat in a child.”
Then he faced Tan Yun. “My mother, I apologize that matters in the garden reached you. I can manage the servants in Di Mu Garden myself. Qiaorou is from your garden, so please handle her as you see fit.”
Tan Yun’s expression shifted, realizing her plan had backfired. She had hoped to assert authority over both the doctor and Ning Muyan, but instead, she had only exposed her miscalculation. She clenched her teeth: “Muyan bears the weight of the household. Leave the less capable to worry him. Don’t worry—I will take care of it.”
“Many thanks, Mother,” Ning Muyan said, rising. “Now that the misunderstanding is resolved, I shall not keep you from lunch.”
He bowed to Bai Lan, whose gaze was still distant, and furrowed his brow. Coming late, he knew Bai Lan must have suffered, and seeing him still in shock tugged at his heart. He paused and added:
“Qiaorou, you are an older servant in the estate, yet you repeatedly make mistakes. Though my mother has handled this lightly, if you return to my garden, I will not easily forgive you.”
With that, he softened his tone toward Bai Lan. “You may return now.”