Since Yuan Dong was no longer serving her, Ning Shu randomly selected a servant girl from the Princess Residence to be her personal maid. However, in reality, she didn't need anyone waiting on her. The kitchen always sent someone to deliver her meals.
These days, if Ning Shu wasn't practicing martial arts, she was still practicing martial arts. She focused on perfecting her whip technique, sensing that she might soon have to head into battle. She needed to prove her worth to Li Wen, convincing him that she was more valuable in the country than as a potential bride.
After retrieving her whip, Ning Shu accepted a handkerchief from the servant girl. As she wiped the sweat from her face and hands, she asked, "Any news from the Duan Residence?"
The little servant girl, named Xiao Hong, had delicate features—pretty but not quite beautiful. Still, her lively and quick-witted nature made her enjoyable company. "Only that Yuan Dong and Er Ya are clashing and causing a huge ruckus," she replied.
"Duan Xinghui must be suffering a lot, caught between two women," Xiao Hong added.
Ning Shu smiled; this was exactly the chaos she had intended. They had all tried to use her as a shield, and now she was curious to see how Yuan Dong and Madame Duan would navigate the situation without her intervention.
It was amusing to think that now, as the high-status supporting female lead, she wasn't creating a disturbance. Who would help Duan Xinghui and Er Ya complete their 'true love story'? Their romance had been built on the ruins of the original host's reputation.
So, Ning Shu decided to let Yuan Dong get involved, allowing them to sort out their own drama.
For Duan Xinghui, the recent period had been far from easy. He felt drained and exhausted, especially with Er Ya becoming increasingly sensitive and clingy. Every time he looked at her, he saw her simple face filled with anxiety.
He had reassured her many times that he wouldn't betray her, yet Er Ya remained unsettled. Yuan Dong's provocations only intensified his fatigue.
Despite Yuan Dong being a servant from the Princess Residence and Duan Xinghui no longer holding an official position, he couldn't just throw Yuan Dong out as Er Ya wanted. If he did, and Princess Jiahui found out, the consequences would be severe.
Er Ya, frustrated with Duan Xinghui's indecisiveness, began to act out. Coming from the countryside, her scenes of discontent were loud and disruptive, turning the entire Duan Residence upside down. Duan Xinghui felt a mix of embarrassment and helplessness.
With Princess Jiahui, the powerful buffer, no longer mediating, the arguments between Duan Xinghui and Er Ya escalated, particularly due to their differing social standings. No matter how much he cared for her, Duan Xinghui was still a gentleman accustomed to the capital's norms; he wasn't used to dealing with such unruly behavior.
Er Ya was terrified of losing Duan Xinghui; she had left everything behind to come to the capital with him. He was her only lifeline, and as he grew impatient, her fear turned into tantrums—an attempt to reaffirm her importance in his life.
Duan Xinghui often wondered if this was the same innocent, pure Er Ya he had fallen for. While distressed, he tried to be patient with her, but he was quickly growing weary of the constant turmoil.
Initially, Madame Duan had hoped to watch the spectacle of Er Ya and Yuan Dong's rivalry, but Er Ya's lack of manners forced her to find someone to teach her etiquette. She couldn't let her family become the laughingstock of the capital.
Duan Xinghui's refusal to pursue Princess Jiahui in favor of this village girl was a source of shame. Madame Duan worried that if this continued, she would lose all face before her ancestors.
When Er Ya was compelled to learn etiquette, she protested fiercely. The rigid rules surrounding everything—from eating to sleeping to walking—confused her and made her life feel like a punishment. Growing up in the countryside, the expectations of capital life felt suffocating, as if someone were trying to clip her wings.
Duan Xinghui felt a deep sense of conflict. He loved Er Ya for her free spirit, yet she was being molded into the same image as every other woman in the capital—a product of societal standards. He found himself torn between the woman he loved and the mother who had raised him.
Avoiding the Duan Residence became his refuge. When he wasn't training or drinking, he faced disapproving glances from those who had once looked up to him. The perception that he was a fool only fueled his doubts.
Every judgmental stare made him question whether abandoning Princess Jiahui had been a mistake. The people who had once grovelled before him now regarded him with disdain. Had he truly made the wrong choice?