Chongfei Manual [I]

Chapter 2

The next day, just as Ah Luo had predicted, the continuous rain that had lasted for two weeks, finally ended. The sky cleared up.

The sunlight was hitting the glazed tiles of the Ying Duke's residence. It reflected into the courtyard, where the trees threw spotted shadows over it, painting a beautiful picture.

The maidservants of Pine courtyard (Songyuan) had finished serving the masters, and already couldn't wait to pick up the colorful jumping rope to play in the garden. Pink coats and azure skirts were swaying back and forth with the rope, the garden was filled with laughter and happy voices. One maidservant was particularly skillful, could both skip rope and kick the shuttlecock. She kicked the shuttlecock in the air, jumped over the rope, then extended a long leg to catch it behind her steadily.

People cheered in unison. The Duke's residence wasn't very strict with the servants, as long as they had completed their tasks and let their masters know, they could play or take care of their own matters.

The maidservants were playing in high spirits, when a little girl wearing a scary green mask suddenly jumped out from under the parasol trees, and ran towards them with open arms: "Boo — "

Several maidservants were caught off-guard and got fooled by her. A timid one directly fell on her butt, her face ghostly pale.

Under the mask, a clear giggling could be heard. Wei Luo laughed loudly and pointed at the fallen maidservant, barely gasping out: "Elder sister Jin Ge is a coward!"

Jin Ge stood up from the ground sluggishly, patted away the dirt on her clothes, and said with an embarrassed face: "Fourth Miss is bullying people..."

The girl raised her hands to untie the strings and took off the mask, first revealing a pair of lustrous black eyes, then an exquisite fine nose, tender pink lips, rosy cheeks as if carved out of jade. She was wearing a green dress woven with gold threads, standing under the parasol trees grinning. A blossom landed on her bun triumphantly. Placing her hands on her waist, she asked: "I've frightened you with this same mask several times already, and each time you get scared. You tell me, did I bully you, or are you just stupid?"

Clearly only a six year old, but her words were so tyrannical, not giving way to anyone.

The speechless Jin Ge blushed and ran away.

*****

Wei Luo stood under the eaves, thinking of her old self.

That childishness and naivete was something of the past.

She clearly remembered today's scene. She wore the mask to frighten this group of people, her father and Madam Du came afterwards. Madam Du coaxed her with a few words and led her alone to leave the residence. Wei Zheng stayed home. At that time, she should've found it strange. Madam Du loved Wei Zheng so dearly, why wouldn't she take her to the lively festival, but leave her behind instead?

It was a scheme in the first place, did her father know about it? In the past, she was almost killed by Madam Du, what was his response?

Wei Luo didn't know, but in any case, she hated Wei Kun. Hated that he married a second wife early, hated that she couldn't call her own biological mother, but had to call a cruel and ruthless woman 'mother'. She raised her hands and threw the mask on the stairs, where it got cracked in two.

The servants in the courtyard got alarmed by the noise, one by one stopped their activities to take a look at her.

She was amused, and even jumped on the broken mask, splitting it into more pieces before she stopped. Her father had bought her that mask from the lantern festival, it was her treasure. The mask had really suited her tastes, and she had often brought it out to scare people, just like a child. Now, she didn't want it, only wanted to destroy it.