Chapter 52: Nurse Zhao

The stark contrast between the two figures, one large and one small, made Er Ya appear all the more fragile as she huddled in the corner of the small garden.

She had been in the Marquis's residence for quite some time now.

The other young masters had all been tenderly raised in the palms of Liu Xin'er's hands. Each of them had visibly grown taller, and their faces had filled out nicely with flesh.

Their complexions had been nourished until they radiated a healthy glow.

Only Er Ya still retained her frail appearance. Though she had acquired a measure of the household's dignity since her arrival, it was still not enough.

Thus, she appeared all the more pitiful.

Looking at Dou Hongyan, a few more tears welled up and rolled down her eyes.

Then, noticing the few flowers and plants she had accidentally crushed, and seeing Dou Hongyan gazing at her with a blank expression, panic instantly seized her heart.

Overwhelmed with anxiety, she dropped abruptly to her knees and pleaded tearfully, "I—I didn't mean to come to the small garden. I'll leave right now. I won't cause any trouble for the Madam. I'm sorry."

Mother had said that she must always walk around the Madam, or the Madam would surely be angry.

Mother was already so terrifying, but the First Madam, of whom Mother spoke, was even more frightening. If she grew angry and subjected her to corporal punishment, Er Ya thought...

She still had to copy books for her younger brothers; she needed to save her strength and hurry back.

Huddled like a frightened quail, the little girl trembled under Dou Hongyan's gaze, stirring complex emotions in Dou Hongyan's heart.

She sighed silently, interrupting Er Ya's pleas.

Stooping down, she helped her to her feet. "Get up. You are a young lady of the Marquis's estate; there is no reason for you to kneel here. You don't need to kowtow to anyone."

"M—Madam..."

Er Ya did not understand what Dou Hongyan meant.

She instinctively flinched from Dou Hongyan's touch, dreading lest she displease her.

Stiffening her body, she kept her head lowered as she stood before Dou Hongyan, mumbling, "Those flowers..."

"How could flowers ever be more important than a person?"

Dou Hongyan led Er Ya away at a leisurely pace, her tone gentle. "Flowers are meant for people to look at. Now that you've treated them to your crying performance free of charge, they deserve to be punished! I'll have the gardener uproot them right away."

Er Ya let out a sudden chuckle, breaking into a smile through her tears.

Then, covering her mouth, she timidly glanced up to observe Dou Hongyan's expression.

Mother was sometimes like this too—amiable on the surface, only to fly into a rage the very next second and punish her.

"Sigh..."

Another long, helpless sigh escaped Dou Hongyan. She patted Er Ya's head, signaling her to look up.

The delicate handkerchief was softer than anything Er Ya could have imagined, and Dou Hongyan's gentle voice seemed to drift down from the clouds. "You are a young lady of the Marquis's estate. When you are sad, you shouldn't cry; you should punish those who make you unhappy."

"Wuwu!"

"But I am just so sad!"

Er Ya's tears broke through their banks, and all the grievances bottled up in her heart poured out at once.

Clutching Dou Hongyan's sleeve, she wailed aloud, "My heart hurts so much, I can't breathe, but Mother never cares. Every time my brother bullies me, I feel even worse!"

"There, there. Once you've cried it out, you'll feel better."

Dou Hongyan led Er Ya back, saying calmly, "Soon, you won't be sad anymore."

As the Listen-Rain Pavilion came into view, Er Ya hurriedly wiped her tears, hesitating and daring not go any further.

Dou Hongyan pointed out a small path to her and said, "Slip back to your quarters from here and get some rest first."

Not until Er Ya had departed did Liuyun emerge from the shadows, asking with concern, "Madam, do you truly intend to lend a hand and help Er Ya—"

"Why ever not?"

The two slowly turned around, their footsteps unhurried. Dou Hongyan looked completely composed. "My own daughter has suffered; why shouldn't I help?"

Upon returning, Dou Hongyan dispatched a letter from the Marquis's estate to the Crown Prince's residence.

The letter contained just a few brief sentences, demanding that Xiao Ze find yet another female tutor to instruct Er Ya.

Receiving the letter on his end, Xiao Ze's face abruptly darkened as he clenched his fists in displeasure.

Deep in a corner of his mind, he finally recalled the existence of someone named Er Ya.