Madam Jiang was in a very good mood. Yingyue was well - behaved. Not only had her relationship with Liyue improved a lot, but she had also given up her former luxurious habits and focused on her studies. She had made great progress in playing musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
After all, she was the young lady Madam Jiang had raised with great care. Naturally, Madam Jiang doted on her.
Gu Liyue, on the other hand, was steady - tempered and didn't like to fight for things, which most pleased Madam Jiang. The two young ladies, one lively and the other introverted, were just at the innocent and carefree age. When taken out, many ladies would envy Madam Jiang for having such two wonderful girls.
As the days grew colder, Gu Liyue often stayed at home embroidering. But Jiang Yingyue couldn't stay still and always dragged Gu Liyue out to play.
It wasn't good to decline every time, so Gu Liyue accompanied Jiang Yingyue out several times. Usually, they would have tea with other noble ladies, visit the bookstore, or go to the theater to watch plays.
Once they were out, Jiang Yingyue didn't pay much attention to Gu Liyue, and the other noble ladies ignored her even more. Fortunately, Gu Liyue didn't like a bustling environment. She would just sit silently in the corner, eating snacks and having tea. It was quite comfortable for her, as long as she could ignore those strange remarks.
"She's really from the countryside. When she sees food, she looks so greedy... Yingyue, doesn't your Jiang family even have melon seeds?"
"Haha, Yingyue's family can't be stingy. But the person is just like that. Why are you talking about her like this? She's just thrifty. Didn't you see that she won't waste anything and wants to take it all?"
Jiang Yingyue glanced at Gu Liyue and laughed it off. "Stop talking nonsense. Come on, let's watch the play carefully."
Gu Liyue paused with the snack about to be put into her mouth. For a moment, she didn't know whether she should eat it or not.
Forget it. Even if she didn't eat, they would still say she was stingy.
Gu Liyue turned a deaf ear and stared at the play on the stage. When she was in Yangxin Town, there was once a troupe performing in the town. She couldn't remember the reason, but anyway, the whole family went to watch the play merrily. But she wasn't qualified to go.
She had to feed the chickens and ducks at home, clean up the kitchen, and do all the chores. Miao took Liu Zhenghui and Liu Qinting to watch the play, and naturally, she was the one left behind to do the work.
Now that she was sitting in a private room watching the play openly, Gu Liyue didn't want to miss it. She watched one play after another attentively.
This was not a street - side troupe but a professional theater. You had to pay to get in. The stage in the front was spacious, and the private rooms here were also broad. It only served the wealthy, and it was clean and refreshing.
There were three plays in the afternoon. After watching them, Gu Liyue was a bit reluctant to leave. Such days were a luxury for her.
After going downstairs and preparing to go home, Jiang Yingyue was extremely excited. "Don't go. I want to perform a play."
The noble ladies giggled. "Which play will you perform? The young maiden meeting her lover or the princess choosing a son - in - law?"
Jiang Yingyue pulled Gu Liyue. "Liyue, come quickly. Let's play together."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "But I don't know how to perform a play."
Jiang Yingyue laughed. "I don't know either. Just come. I'll play the princess, and you'll play the son - in - law. Let's perform this play. The newly - crowned champion is hit by the princess's silk fan, falls in love with the princess at first sight, and then vows to spend his life with her. How about it?"
Gu Liyue had no choice but to follow Jiang Yingyue onto the stage. Grease was applied to her face. She dressed as a man, and Jiang Yingyue dressed as a woman. Then they went to the front to perform. At this time, there were no guests in the theater, only the noble ladies.
After performing one play, Jiang Yingyue was very satisfied. She asked the people below the stage, "How about it? Did I perform well?"
Gu Liyue always felt out of place among them.
Just then, Jiang Yingyue slipped and fell forward. "Ah..."
Gu Liyue quickly reached out her hand to pull her, but it was too late. Jiang Yingyue fell and hit her forehead on the chair in front. Immediately, blood gushed out.
"Wow... It hurts..." Jiang Yingyue cried so hard that she could hardly catch her breath.
Gu Liyue quickly asked someone to call a doctor and sent the family servants back to the mansion to report to Madam Jiang. She then asked the people in the theater to clean up the private room and helped Jiang Yingyue to a chair to rest.
Jiang Yingyue's tears washed away the grease on her face, mixing with the fresh blood on her forehead. She looked both ridiculous and pitiful.
Gu Liyue asked someone to fetch hot water and carefully wiped the grease off Jiang Yingyue's face.
Jiang Yingyue reached out and held Gu Liyue's hand. "Liyue, I'm going to be disfigured, right?"
Gu Liyue's hand trembled. She comforted her, "No, you won't. Don't worry. The doctor will come soon, and Madam will also come. With Madam around, she'll use the best ointment for you. You won't have a scar."
Jiang Yingyue's lips moved slightly, and her eyes shifted as if she wanted to say something. But the noise outside drowned out her voice.
Gu Liyue looked back and saw the doctor coming. She quickly comforted Jiang Yingyue again. "Don't worry. The doctor is here."
The doctor checked the injury and sighed repeatedly. "How could you get such a big cut? You may leave a scar later."
Gu Liyue asked, "Will there be a scar?"
The doctor sighed. "It's so deep. If you don't take good care of it, I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."
Jiang Yingyue was completely stunned. "There... will be a scar?"
Seeing her in a bad mood, the doctor explained, "It's not necessarily. If you take good care of it, there may not be a scar. And even if..."
"You're saying that this wound of mine will leave a scar?" Jiang Yingyue suddenly stood up.
Gu Liyue quickly supported her and comforted her. "Calm down. Stop the bleeding first. Come on, sit down first."
"Stop pretending to be a good person!" Jiang Yingyue pushed Gu Liyue away and said fiercely, "Gu Liyue, are you happy now? Are you satisfied?"
Gu Liyue was completely confused. "Miss, what's wrong with you?"
Jiang Yingyue burst into tears. "When you pushed me, didn't you think about the scar? Or did you do it on purpose just to hurt me and make me have a scar?"
Gu Liyue's eyes widened. "I... I didn't... Just now I wasn't even close to you. How could I..."
Just then, Madam Jiang came in with a large entourage. "What's wrong with Yue'er? Which Yue'er had an accident?"
Jiang Yingyue cried even more sadly and threw herself into Madam Jiang's arms. "Auntie, I hurt my forehead. The doctor said I'll have a scar... Auntie..."
Madam Jiang quickly hugged her and looked carefully. She shouted in a hurry, "Prepare the carriage. Let's go back first. A Zhao, quickly take my token and go into the palace to see the empress. Ask the imperial doctor in the palace to come."
Nanny Zhao nodded and advised, "Madam, I'll go right away. But you'd better let the doctor stop the bleeding for the young lady first."
Madam Jiang helped Jiang Yingyue sit on the chair and let the doctor stop the bleeding. She then asked, "What happened? How did you fall off the stage for no reason?"
Jiang Yingyue was so sad that she couldn't speak. But the noble ladies beside her started to talk one after another.
"It was Gu Liyue. Gu Liyue pushed Yingyue off the stage."