Jade Without Fragrance - Chapter 4 : Orb

It was the beginning of spring, and a red plum blossom was quietly blooming in a corner of Luoying Courtyard, releasing a gentle fragrance into the breeze.

Wen Hao wandered through the courtyard, which felt both familiar and strange, and a twinge of bitterness filled her heart.

Her sister's maiden name was Chan, and she lived in Jiaoyue Courtyard, a name that means 'I wish you a long life and share the beauty of the moon together, even across thousands of miles.'

Wen Hao held the maiden name Hao and resided in Luoying Courtyard-meaning 'the flowers are in full bloom, and the moon is at its fullest.'

Her mother always imagined this was the life for her and her husband, unaware it was merely a beautiful dream that lasted two decades.

When she eventually woke from that dream, she would find herself facing a deep void.

"Second Sister, what's on your mind?" Wen Chan casually sat down after entering the room, taking the tea that the maid brought and passed it to Wen Hao before holding a cup for herself.

Over the years, due to her younger sister's silence, Wen Chan found herself caring for Wen Hao even more, which led to the deep trust Wen Hao had in her.

"Bao Zhu, step outside and keep watch at the door."

The maid who had served the tea left, and the only one remaining-a round-faced maid-quietly exited after hearing the command.

Everyone in the Wen household knew that the Second Miss only permitted Bao Zhu to attend to her, keeping other maids and servants at a distance.

The servants often whispered about how the Second Miss, being mute, was a bit unusual, but they failed to understand how Bao Zhu, who wasn't exactly the smartest, earned her favor.

Curiosity grew in Wen Chan as she noticed her sister had dismissed Bao Zhu.

"Eldest Sister..."

Wen Hao tightened her grasp on the teacup, weighing her words carefully.

Wen Chan reached out, gently patting her hands.

"Second Sister, just say what you need to. You don't have to be so formal with me."

Wen Hao set down the cup, looked intently at Wen Chan, and let two tears slip down her cheeks.

Wen Chan gasped, "Second sister, what's wrong?"

"Eldest sister, father has a concubine."

A teacup crashed to the floor, and Wen Chan's expression was one of disbelief: "Second Sister, are you feverish and talking nonsense?"

Wen Hao evaded Wen Chan's hand, which reached out to check her temperature, tears streaming down like pearls from a broken necklace: "If it were just a fever dreaming, that would be nice. But it's true-father has not only a concubine but also a son and a daughter. The boy's name is Chang Hui, and the girl's name is Chang Qing. They've taken their mother's surname..."

After everything she had endured, she felt too exhausted to cry, yet the tears kept coming.

Wen Chan's mind went blank, but when she heard the names of the children, the situation felt too real to deny, even if she struggled to accept that her father could do such a thing.

"Second Sister, how did you find out?" Wen Chan's heart was racing, unsure whether to believe the shocking news.

"I saw him while I was out walking. I couldn't accept it at first and followed him for a bit. I just couldn't fool myself anymore." Wen Hao wiped her tears away, a bitter smirk tugging at her lips, "Eldest Sister, you know that Chang Hui is actually older than you?"

Wen Chan's face paled in shock.

The implications hit her like a wave, and her blood ran cold.

"Second Sister, wait, could it be that you..."

Wen Hao lowered her gaze, cutting off Wen Chan: "Eldest Sister, please don't question my judgment. I might not have spoken before, but my eyes, ears, and brain have always been sharp."

Wen Chan gripped the table for support, struggling to steady herself. After a long silence, she asked in a shaky voice, "Where do they... live?"

"Ruyifang Mahua Alley." Wen Hao without hesitation tossed out the address.

With the name and address, Wen Chan felt a bit more convinced and mumbled, "That's on the way to our Father's office..."

Wen Hao took her hand and said, "Eldest Sister, let's check it out, but keep it low-key. Once we're sure, we can solve Mother's situation together."

Wen Chan nodded, though she couldn't fully trust her sister just yet.

Not wanting to linger, she quickly made her exit.

The tea on the table had cooled off, and the teacup that had fallen was shattered, tea spilling everywhere.

Wen Hao leaned back against the head of the bed for a moment and called out, "Bao Zhu."

The round-faced maid rushed in, took a quick look at the mess on the floor but didn't jump to clean it up right away. Instead, her black eyes sparkled with happiness as she asked, "What can I do for you, Miss?"

Wen Hao smiled, her lips curving up: "You seem really cheerful today, Bao Zhu."

With a grin, Bao Zhu replied, "Your voice is so lovely, Miss."

"Really?" Wen Hao teased, lightly pinching Bao Zhu's chubby cheeks. "I think so too."

In her life, the only person who always took her words seriously was Bao Zhu.

Originally a fire-making maid in the general's mansion, Bao Zhu had been the one constant in Wen Hao's life amidst changing maids.

The other servants in the Wen Mansion often wondered why the second young lady chose her maternal grandfather's family's fire-making maid to be her close attendant and even named her Bao Zhu.

For Wen Hao, that maid was truly a treasure.

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Translator: Bao Zhu means Pearl
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No one realized that the mute Second Miss Wen actually had a special ability-sometimes, she could sense the thoughts of those who weren't related to her by blood.

Even though serving a master who couldn't speak might lead a maid to harbor some frustration, Bao Zhu was different.

When Wen Hao was younger, she sensed negative thoughts from the other maids and avoided them until she crossed paths with Bao Zhu.

The one thing she caught from Bao Zhu's heart was: Miss is really pretty.

Who wouldn't cherish such a gem?

Wait a minute...

Reflecting on everything, Wen Hao began to wonder.

Since the time she fell off the wall, she hadn't heard those chaotic thoughts again.

She had encountered so many people, from the Prince Jing's Mansion to the General's Mansion to the Wen Mansion-surely she should have caught their thoughts at least once.

But why hadn't she?

Was it just a coincidence or...

Wen Hao's heart raced as her slender fingers brushed her slightly cool lips.

Was it because she had the ability to speak now?

Or maybe it was her muteness in her previous life that allowed her to hear others' thoughts.

Wen Hao bit her lip, unable to stifle a laugh.

If this meant she had to give up that ability to gain her voice, then she considered it a win.

For her, it was more of a relief than a sacrifice.

"Bao Zhu, could you grab me some pen and ink? I need to write a list for tomorrow's shopping spree."

As darkness settled in, Wen Hao changed her clothes and leaned against the headboard, planning her next steps.

Truth be told, there wasn't much to think about: it was simply about settling scores and showing gratitude.

She aimed to get justice for everyone who had hurt her and her family while acknowledging those who had helped her.

A pair of beautiful eyes flashed in her memory.

The wind howled, and the snow cut through the air. Even though the weather was cold, his embrace felt surprisingly warm.

It was like their shared blood warmed her during the cold moments of her dying breaths.

Thinking back, that guy was already hurt before he jumped in front of her to block the sword, and he was probably in as much trouble as she was at that moment.

He used his own body to take the hit for her, and even though she still passed away, that was a love that really mattered. It's a shame she never got to see his face and had to piece together who he was bit by bit.

The exhaustion brought by resurrection made Wen Hao drifted off into a deep sleep without even realizing it.

The next morning, Wen Chan slipped out of the mansion quietly, and Bao Zhu headed out too.

...

Over at Prince Jing's place, Princess Jing had just finished her breakfast when the maid came in to let her know that the young prince had arrived.