Even Marquis Lin couldn't help but glance at Qiao Nian. However, his words were directed at Lin Ye. "Fortunately, Noble Consort De intervened today. Otherwise, not only you, but even this old man might not have been able to return from the palace unscathed!"
Qiao Nian stared at the ground in front of her, a hint of sarcasm welling up in her heart.
She was certain that these words were meant for her.
Just as she was thinking this, Lin Yuan's voice came from outside. "Father..."
The voice was soft and delicate, tinged with weakness and urgency, as if she could pass out at any moment.
Qiao Nian slightly furrowed her brows. She saw Lin Yuan, supported by her maid Xiaocui, walking unsteadily into the hall. The moment she saw the blood on Lin Ye's face, her eyes widened in shock. Then, she knelt down beside Lin Ye. "Father, please calm your anger. Cough, cough, cough!"
Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Yuan was seized by a fit of violent coughing.
Marquis Lin was so 心疼 that he could barely sit still. He sternly rebuked Xiaocui. "Hurry up and help the young lady up!"
Even Lady Lin, who had been protecting Lin Ye, immediately stepped forward to assist Lin Yuan. "You're still ill. What are you doing out here?"
"I... I heard that Father was going to punish Elder Brother," Lin Yuan said, her tears falling one after another. "I... I know that Elder Brother must have caused trouble to make Father so angry, but he's not a reckless person. He must have had his own reasons for what he did! Please, Father, for my sake, forgive Elder Brother just this once..."
These words softened the hearts of both Marquis Lin and Lin Ye.
Lin Ye was deeply touched. Subconsciously, he looked at Qiao Nian.
Seeing the latter's cold and indifferent expression, with no hint of emotion, his heart felt as if it was being pierced by a knife.
Even though she was ill, Yuan'er had rushed out to plead for him. But what about her?
She clearly knew that he had gone to teach those palace maids a lesson for her sake, yet she didn't even give him a single glance!
Marquis Lin's anger had subsided significantly because of Lin Yuan. Although his brows were still furrowed, he said, "That's enough! I hope you'll remember this lesson from today's incident!" With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.
As soon as Marquis Lin left, Lady Lin directed the servants to help Lin Ye up. "Quickly, summon the mansion doctor to bandage the young master!"
The servant immediately responded and left. Meanwhile, Lin Yuan started coughing again, and Lady Lin rushed to attend to her.
Qiao Nian stood there like an outsider, watching everything. Feeling that this had nothing to do with her anymore, she turned to leave.
But before she could step out of the hall, Lin Ye suddenly spoke. "Don't you have anything to say?"
Qiao Nian stopped in her tracks and finally turned to look at Lin Ye. "What does the Young Marquis expect me to say?"
Lin Ye felt a pang in his heart. "I don't really care what you say, but I did all this today for you. Don't you have anything to say?"
He even lowered the hand that was covering his wound, allowing the blood to sting Qiao Nian's eyes.
He thought that he didn't expect her to feel sorry for him as Yuan'er did, but even just a glimmer of pity, just a tiny bit, would be enough.
It would prove that what he did today wasn't in vain.
However, there was only indifference in Qiao Nian's eyes. Her gaze swept calmly over the others in the hall. Everyone seemed to wear the same expression, all hoping that she would say something.
Something they all wanted to hear.
But Qiao Nian retracted her gaze and looked at Lin Ye. A faint sneer curved her lips. "The Young Marquis is probably really drunk. He can't even tell whether what he did today was for me or to soothe his own guilty conscience."
"Lin Nian!" Lin Ye roared angrily, looking at Qiao Nian with profound disappointment.
How could she be like this?
How could she say such things?
Even Lin Yuan couldn't help but speak up for Lin Ye. "Sister, Elder Brother has never been so impulsive. He really did this for you today..."
"If the Young Marquis truly did this for me, the first person he should have taught a lesson to wasn't those palace maids in the laundry bureau," Qiao Nian said calmly, her tone cold.
Although she didn't look at Xiaocui, everyone in the hall knew that at this moment, she was referring to Xiaocui.
Xiaocui was one of the main culprits who had bullied her over the past three years. And it was also Xiaocui who had pointed at her and wrongly accused her today. But what had Lin Ye done?
He had gone to teach those palace maids a lesson.
How ridiculous!
Lin Ye's chest heaved violently. It felt as if a large hand was tightly squeezing his throat, and his anger had nowhere to vent.
Just then, Steward Liu of the Marquis' Mansion rushed into the hall, carrying a large bundle. "Madam, Noble Consort De sent someone to deliver a bundle of clothes from the palace."
As he spoke, Steward Liu didn't hand the bundle to Lady Lin. Instead, he stood beside Qiao Nian. "It's said that Miss's laundry skills are excellent. Her Highness is not 放心 entrusting these precious clothes to anyone else for washing."
Steward Liu felt so embarrassed saying these words that he kept stealing glances at Qiao Nian's expression.
Qiao Nian understood that this was probably the compromise that Lady Lin had mentioned, the one thought up by Noble Consort De.
Since when did a young lady from a prominent family wash clothes for noble people?
This was both an insult to her and a way to admonish the Marquis' Mansion.
She turned to signal Ningshuang to take the bundle. Then, she heard Steward Liu say, "Her Highness said that these clothes must be sent to the palace early tomorrow morning. She's waiting to wear them."
If they had to be sent early tomorrow morning, they needed to be washed clean tonight.
Qiao Nian took a deep breath and nodded slightly. Then, she looked at Lin Ye. "If I have to say something, then... I thank the Young Marquis."
Thank him for going to the palace and bringing her this humiliation.
With that, Qiao Nian left without looking back. Ningshuang, carrying the bundle, hurried after her. She didn't dare to say a word along the way.
It wasn't until they returned to Fanghe Courtyard that Qiao Nian told her to prepare water. Holding the bundle, Ningshuang said, "Miss caught a cold today. You should rest early. This servant will wash these clothes!"
Today, although Miss had drunk ginger soup and taken a hot bath, she had still caught a cold.
The Second Miss was so ill, so how could Miss be completely fine?
Miss shouldn't wash these clothes. She needed to rest!
But Qiao Nian snatched the bundle from Ningshuang's arms. "Her Highness said she wouldn't be 放心 if these clothes weren't washed by me. You saw what happened today. If I don't wash them myself, there might be more trouble tomorrow. Go and get cold water."
These precious clothes couldn't be soaked in hot water. It would be a disaster if they were damaged.
Ningshuang didn't move. She stood there, looking at Qiao Nian, her nose tingling.
Qiao Nian looked at her in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"Miss..." As soon as Ningshuang opened her mouth, tears streamed down her face. "They're so unfair to you. How can they always pick on you alone? Wuwuwu..."
Once this girl started crying, she couldn't stop.
Qiao Nian let out a helpless sigh. But she didn't know how to comfort her, nor how to answer her.
She also wondered why they always singled her out to bully.
Was it because she wasn't a blood relative of the family?
Fortunately, there weren't many clothes. Qiao Nian managed to wash them all before dark. Early the next morning, she handed them to Steward Liu and asked him to send someone to deliver them to the palace.
Unexpectedly, Steward Liu told her that Her Highness's intention was for her to deliver the clothes in person.
She stood there, holding the bundle, stunned.
Was she being asked to enter the palace again?