Chapter 44: That Is Simply Too Pathetic

A flicker of barely perceptible smugness crossed Luo Yunzhen's lips, yet she still spoke with a choked voice, "Elder sister has suffered so many grievances away from home since childhood, and my offering a new dress to make amends still leaves me feeling uneasy at heart. Eldest brother should refrain from saying such things in the future. Should sister hear of it, she would inevitably feel distressed."

"That is enough," Luo Zhoushi repeatedly intervened to halt their conversation.

She had just been chilled to the heart by Luo Yunbridge's words, but upon reflection, as her mother, she could hardly harbor petty anger toward a child.

She said, "Bridge has suffered grievances and naturally feels unhappy in her heart. As her elder brother, you ought to show her proper concern rather than standing here gossiping."

"Zhen'er, if you still have any slightly used hair ornaments there, take a set and send it over to your elder sister. Once the wedding of the Junior Prince of Nanan has passed, Mother will go and have a fine set of jewelry made for you to use." She took Luo Yunzhen's hand, her eyes already reddening. "Mother is at fault for failing to prepare them for her in time, and has even implicated you into taking out your own belongings."

"Rest assured, Mother will certainly make it up to you properly."

Luo Yunzhen naturally had little regard for such items; in her view, once a set of hair ornaments had been worn, it was no longer good, and naturally one should have new ones.

She was quick with her hands and feet, however, and had the hair ornaments delivered to Luo Yunbridge's quarters right after the evening meal.

Yinxin blocked the way outside, her brows drawn in a hostile glare. "What is the Second Miss here for at this hour? My mistress knelt through the entire night and has already fallen asleep by now; it is truly impossible to see the Second Miss."

Seeing such an attitude, Luo Yunzhen remained unperturbed.

"You really are a loyal lackey to your master, but Mother is the one who sent me here today. Do you dare to stop me?" With no outsiders watching, Luo Yunzhen naturally assumed a haughty and overbearing demeanor, taunting, "You uttered rebellious remarks today, and if Father and Mother did not punish you, it was entirely because your master has no one else to wait upon her, not because their anger toward you has subsided..."

"Yet you still dare to block me today? Aren't you afraid that Father and Mother will truly have you sold off?"

Yinxin bit her lip, yet persisted, "Even if the Lord and Mistress were to beat me to death, I will never let you bully my mistress again!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

With no one else around, Luo Yunzhen raised her arm, but before it could descend, a frail voice drifted out from within the room: "Yinxin, hold your tongue! Since Mother sent her here, let her come in."

Not daring to disobey her mistress's words, Yinxin had no choice but to step aside.

Luo Yunzhen tilted her chin up, looking exceedingly like a triumphant cockerel in a cockfighting ring, utterly arrogant.

Seeing Luo Yunbridge looking so sickly, she let out a petty-minded gloat and sneered, "I thought you possessed abilities of heaven-shaking proportions, but now it seems you are nothing much after all. You've reduced yourself to this ghostly state, yet not a single member of your family has come to care for you—"

"Luo Yunbridge, to conduct yourself to such a pass in life is lamentably a failure."

Luo Yunbridge disdained to acknowledge these remarks. "Did you come here merely to utter such nonsense?"

"Naturally not." Luo Yunzhen casually tossed the wooden box she had brought onto the floor, watching its contents spill out before saying, "The Junior Prince of Nanan's wedding is in a couple of days, and as the eldest miss of the Marquis's estate, you naturally must attend. Mother figured that you lacked suitable hair ornaments, and specifically told me to bring you the ones I used to wear. Although the style is a bit dated, it is still more than sufficient to match you."

The mockery woven into her words failed to stir even the slightest ripple in Luo Yunbridge's heart.

She had long since grown accustomed to the partiality of the Marquis's household and had long stopped harboring any expectations. For Luo Yunzhen to use these things to show off before her today was simply too farcical.

"Since the items have been delivered, you may return now," she said in a flat tone.

Luo Yunzhen widened her eyes.

She had come in person specifically to witness Luo Yunbridge's look of disappointment; how could she abandon the endeavor halfway?

She continued attempting to provoke her: "Luo Yunbridge, what does it matter even if you are the biological daughter of the Marquis's estate? Their hearts still hold only me. Your mother would rather use my discarded belongings to fob you off than make something new for you, yet she has promised me that I will soon acquire new jewelry—and that dress as well..."

"Is that why you are so reluctant to let go of the position of the Marquis's eldest miss?" Luo Yunbridge interrupted, turning the question back on her.

Watching Luo Yunzhen's stunned expression, she kindly explained, "Go and look at the daughters of those great aristocratic families—which of them relies on these trinkets to set off her status? Only you treat such things as treasures."

Luo Yunzhen's eyes reddened.

In the past, to prove she was deeply favored at home, her food, clothing, and lodging were always of the absolute finest.

Now, so as not to be looked down upon by others, the things she used could only surpass what she had before.

She had never imagined that in Luo Yunbridge's eyes, all of this was merely a joke.

Supporting her weak frame, Luo Yunbridge stood up and pronounced every single word with distinct clarity: "What of it even without these things? What of it even if everyone in the Marquis's estate favors you? Luo Yunzhen, I am forever the eldest miss of the Marquis's estate, while you are a magpie occupying a dove's nest, harboring a belly full of malicious schemes—truly disgraceful!"

"You! You!"

Luo Yunzhen pointed a trembling finger at her, sputtering "You" for a long moment without managing to utter anything further.

Abruptly, a voice sounded from outside: "Yinxin, Bridge's leg ailment has not yet fully healed, why are you not attending to her inside the room? Is she awake? I'll go in and see her."

Luo Yunbridge instantly recognized Luo Zeting's voice. Before she could react, Luo Yunzhen collapsed onto the floor, tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes, looking pitiful in the extreme.

"Elder sister, I know you disdain these hair ornaments because I have used them, but with the wedding day of the Junior Prince of Nanan approaching, it is truly impossible to craft a new set of hair ornaments in time. I beseech elder sister to make do with these for now; later on, Mother will certainly have a brand-new set crafted for you."

Upon entering the room, Luo Zeting happened to witness this scene and furrowed his brows.

He had foolishly thought that once Luo Yunbridge obtained the position of eldest miss she had desired, she would at least know to be content and rein herself in somewhat; he had simply forgotten that people raised in the countryside were always insatiable.

He questioned her in a cold voice: "Luo Yunbridge, what are you doing?"

Hearing the utter contempt in his tone, Luo Yunbridge realized once again that she had been wronged.

She disdained to offer any explanation and was far too lazy to waste her breath.

Luo Yunzhen, however, wiped the corners of her eyes and spoke up in her defense, "Eldest brother must not blame elder sister. It is entirely Zhen'er's fault. Mother thought elder sister lacked suitable hair ornaments for the banquet at the Junior Prince of Nanan's manor, so she told me to bring a set. It is truly because I had no new ones on hand, and sister's disdain is only to be expected."

Seeing the scattered hair ornaments on the floor, Luo Zeting said coldly, "Throughout the entire capital, Zhen'er's belongings are among the most precious. If even these fail to satisfy you, I truly cannot imagine what on earth could possibly catch your eye."

"I did no such thing!" Luo Yunbridge declared.

"Did nothing of what?" Luo Zeting frowned.

"I do not disdain these hair ornaments! Nor did I knock them down!"

Luo Zeting glanced back and forth, but before he could speak, Luo Yunzhen hastily cut in: "Yes, yes, yes, sister does not disdain these hair ornaments at all; it was all a misunderstanding on Zhen'er's part. Eldest brother should not blame sister; if anyone is to be blamed, blame Zhen'er."