I had some free time today, so here's a second update. Enjoy!
Hearing the servants' exclamations, everyone was taken aback and looked at what they held. It was a piece of uncut turquoise brocade, seemingly wrapping something, but it was definitely not a man's clothing. Lady Croyso was dumbfounded. The clothing had been buried under her orders; how had it turned into a turquoise brocade? Now, all their efforts seemed like a joke. Who had meddled in this? Miranda and Molly hadn’t returned to their rooms or gone to the garden; could it be that one of the maids had betrayed her?Amidst the chaos in her mind, Lady Croyso suddenly heard Lord Croyso's angry roar, even more furious than before.Lady Croyso glanced over and was equally shocked. The turquoise brocade wrapped an ordinary white cloth doll, but the crucial point was that the doll was covered in ink-stained writing spelling out Miranda's name, with bright silver needles stuck all over its body—this was a curse!Lady Croyso felt a heavy weight in her heart. The flawless plan had now spiraled ou
Molly's heart sank, and she quickly knelt down, exclaiming, "I didn't do it! I would never dare do such a thing!"Miranda suddenly lifted her head, her voice trembling, "Father, it couldn't have been Molly."If Miranda didn't plead for Molly, Molly would be doomed, cutting off one of Miranda's key allies. But now, by pleading for Molly, Miranda fell right into Lady Croyso's trap. A faint smile curled at the corners of her mouth as she feigned confusion, "Why are you so certain, Miss Miranda?""When I distributed the ice silk to everyone, Molly wasn't by my side. Moreover, Molly has been with me all day and never left my side. But the traces of soil are fresh, likely dug up today, meaning Molly had no opportunity to do this." Miranda's soft voice still carried a slight tremor, but her reasoning was clear."Molly may have arrived late, but she could have obtained the ice silk from another maid. Although she has been serving Miss Miranda all day, she could have had someone else bury these
"Lady Croyso, based on the unfounded claims of a mere maid, your head maid truly believes that Miss Miranda has been involved in an illicit affair and reports this to you as a serious matter? Don’t you think this is utterly ridiculous? I did not know that in the Croyso household, rumors could be treated as facts, and that the maids can tarnish the reputation of the young ladies without any investigation?" Lady Fitzroy spoke coldly, her words directly targeting Lady Croyso.Lady Croyso glared angrily at the maid who had reported earlier. After so many years of service, she had made such a careless mistake, reporting without checking what was buried under the soil, causing such a farce. She reprimanded sternly, "Do you know your crime?"The maid turned pale and hurriedly kowtowed, "I beg your forgiveness, I beg your forgiveness!""There’s an old saying: the servant follows the master. If Lady Croyso truly valued Miss Miranda, how could your maid be so careless and disrespectful? Even if
Night had fallen, and a shadow slipped silently into the inner chamber. The figure was clad in black, blending seamlessly with the darkness, making it nearly impossible to detect except for the brief glint of light reflecting off a silver mask that concealed their face.Miranda initially thought that Lady Croyso was playing another trick to tarnish her reputation. But she quickly dismissed the idea—if that were the case, the intruder would have made a commotion to ensure everyone knew, leaving her with no defense.The intruder suddenly froze, sensing Miranda's presence, and swiftly darted behind her, reaching out to knock her unconscious. Miranda was horrified and desperately tried to evade, her long black hair sweeping through the air in a graceful arc as her frightened face was suddenly illuminated by the moonlight.The intruder hesitated for a brief moment, then switched the intended strike into a hook. A gleaming dagger slid from his sleeve, pressing accurately against Miranda's ne
The next day, in accordance with his promise, the Earl of Croyso brought over a few maids for Miranda to choose from. Miranda selected a few plain-looking girls and assigned them to stay by her side for menial tasks. However, what was even more unexpected was that the Earl invited Lady Langley to the estate for lunch. No one knew what kind of agreement the two had reached, but on the surface, it seemed that they had reconciled their differences.Over the years, it was publicly stated that Lady Langley and the late Countess Anna had never gotten along, which was why the two families had little contact. But in private, everyone in the Earl's household knew that it was because the Earl had always blamed Lady Langley for Anna's death. For the past ten years, Sophie Croyso, as the second wife, had controlled the Earl’s household and had completely severed ties between the two families. Now that the Earl had stepped in to reconcile the relationship, did this mean the winds were changing? Sp
“I’ve heard that the previous tutor was problematic, corrupting these young ladies of noble birth. I have a list of new tutors here, recommended by Lady Fitzroy. They are said to be quite good. The Earl mentioned that he would send someone to invite them soon. To ensure you don’t miss anything important due to your lateness, I’m informing you once more!”Lady Langley’s voice was as cold and clear as jade. She first criticized Lady Croyso for her poor management of the estate, having hired an unsuitable tutor. Then, she pointed out Selena’s disgrace at the banquet, mentioned her own connection with Lady Fitzroy, and finally, emphasized that the Earl had already agreed to her suggestions. She was merely informing Lady Croyso, striking at each of Sophie Croyso’s vulnerabilities.Miranda hadn’t expected Lady Langley’s words to be so sharp, raising an eyebrow slightly.Lady Croyso was surprised as well. A decade had passed, and although their positions were now reversed, Lady Langley still
"My lord..." Sophie·Croyso called out timidly."Are you so eager to make her suffer?" Earl Croyso sighed deeply, his expression darkened. "I know you've endured a lot in the past, and Julie Langley has never been easy to deal with. But now, you are the one in charge of the household. You should exhibit the etiquette and respect that your position demands. Aren’t you afraid that your petty tricks and vulgar language will make you a laughingstock? Sophie, since my return to the capital, you’ve repeatedly disappointed me. I truly don’t understand what happened to the sensible woman you once were."It was the first time Lady Croyso had heard such harsh words from the Earl. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I’m scared... afraid that Lady Langley will bully me as she did before, so... so..."Earl Croyso shot her a stern look. "You have Selena, so it’s understandable that you can't care for Miranda as if she were your own daughter. I won't hold that against you for now. But Miranda is still young
Hidden behind the tall counter, the figure emerged, dressed in a green gown embroidered with delicate yellow plum blossoms at the collar—fresh and graceful. Her raven-black hair was adorned with white jade flower-shaped ornaments, and a delicate netted veil partially obscured her face, adding a touch of mystery to her appearance. Beneath her finely arched brows, her eyes shimmered like black mercury against a backdrop of white, clear and enchanting, a contrast so striking it was mesmerizing.Even the young gentleman, known for his discerning taste, couldn’t help but gaze at her with admiration, his eyes now filled with curiosity and intrigue.Seeing such a delicate beauty emerge, Quintina’s instincts flared with hostility. “That’s right,” she snapped. “If you dare try to brush me off again with some excuse about not having silver thread, I’ll tear down your shop!”Miranda, however, remained gentle in her tone. “May I ask, my lady, what is it that you intend to embroider with the silve