Zheng Qian's rescued cat came back to life.
Its high fever had been caused by dehydration. Zheng Qian gave it fluids and treated its wounds. Slowly, the fever subsided, and the injuries began to heal.
During the treatment, she had dismissed all the maids and housekeepers—no one was allowed to watch.
Ten days later, A-Chou's wounds had scabbed and fallen off, revealing fresh, red skin beneath.
The skin was smooth.
Its ringworm had healed, and the injuries were mending beautifully. Gradually, soft fur would grow over that pristine skin, and soon it would be a lively, playful cat again.
Zheng Qian doted on him. Every day she ordered the maids to cook unsalted beef or lamb, and she even prepared fresh milk for him to drink.
A-Chou had a strong will to survive. Even without appetite, he ate desperately, trying to restore himself.
She had the maids craft him a tiny outfit to cover his patchy body.
Ten days later, when Zheng Qian sent a maid to fetch some milk again, the maid, Hongluan, finally lost her temper.
She shouted loudly, "Miss, it's bad enough already! You're still only caring for a cat! What about us? Are we less than beasts?"
After yelling, she wasn't sure if it was fear or grievance, but she began to cry, sniffling.
Two other maids rushed to calm her and apologized to Zheng Qian. "Miss, Hongluan was just worried. She spoke out of urgency—please forgive her."
Yet their eyes avoided Zheng Qian. Their words were part apology, part resentment, mostly disappointment.
The room descended into chaos.
Zheng Qian's hand softly brushed A-Chou's back. She said nothing, just calmly observing them.
At that moment, a woman in a navy blue double-happiness short jacket entered. She scolded the maids in a low, firm voice: "How dare you make a scene in front of the Miss?"
A gold hairpin adorned her hair, a jade bracelet hugged her wrist. Her speech was deliberate, her tone steady. She looked to be around forty—a house manager.
She was Zheng Qian's wet nurse, surnamed Dai. Everyone called her Mother Dai.
"Mother, Hongluan was just anxious. If the monthly allowance isn't distributed, the young maids and housekeepers might all leave. Even us, we could starve. If the allowance is cut, eventually the food might stop too," said another tall, slender maid.
Mother Dai said calmly, "There's nothing to panic about. The matriarch only said it in anger. She wouldn't really cut the allowance to the Miss's household. Maybe it will be late a day or two, just a warning. If worst comes to worst, we still have the Lady to appeal to."
"But the Lady doesn't manage things anymore," Hongluan cried. "She's always praying, hoping the Young Master recovers quickly. How can she care about Miss?"
Zheng Qian listened silently.
In the Jing'an Marquisate, the rules were clear: each household's servants received their monthly allowance from their master. Holiday rewards were distributed through the central office, then allocated by each household head.
This system reinforced authority and prevented rebellious servants.
The Hui Ning Garden, where Zheng Qian lived, had three personal maids, one wet nurse, two rough-task housekeepers, and two other labor maids—a total of eight people. The household needed 14 taels of silver monthly just for wages. Add in food, special kitchen supplements, and tipping for favors, and the total monthly expenses reached 30 taels. Without it, Hui Ning Garden couldn't operate.
Previously, Zheng Qian had clashed with her younger sister, Zheng Yutan, and even attempted suicide, which embarrassed the household. The matriarch favored the second daughter, demanding an apology from Zheng Qian. She had refused, and in anger, the matriarch threatened to cut the household allowance.
Yesterday, the day allowances were to be distributed, every household received their funds—except Hui Ning Garden.
Early that morning, two junior maids whispered anxiously, asking Hongluan what to do. She wasn't angry about the money itself, but at Miss Zheng's attitude.
Zheng Qian had always avoided conflicts with her younger sister and never dared oppose the matriarch. She knew everyone in the mansion favored the second daughter.
Zheng Yutan, though a concubine-born, was the marquis's favorite and the matriarch's treasured granddaughter. Who could oppose her and escape consequence?
Everyone yielded to the second daughter.
Miss Zheng had done the same—until now, when something had snapped, and she chose to resist her sister.
This stubbornness had consequences, affecting even their servants.
"…No allowance was given?" Zheng Qian, who had been quietly playing with the cat, spoke up suddenly.
Everyone looked at her.
She had changed in subtle ways recently.
A month ago, she had embroidered a pouch for her fiancé, Wen Zhao, only to find it destroyed by the second daughter's dog. Her gift had been stolen and ruined.
Anger and embarrassment had boiled over, and she had attempted suicide. Mother Dai had saved her. Since then, Zheng Qian had grown braver, even reckless, refusing to curry favor with the matriarch or yield to her sister.
Her maids were bound to her—brought into the household as part of her mother Pan's dowry contracts. They could not leave; they had no choice but to go hungry alongside her.
"Mother Dai, the allowance was due yesterday. Every household received it except ours," she said calmly.
"How much is our allowance?" Zheng Qian asked, gently stroking A-Chou's head.
"Thirty taels," Mother Dai replied.
Zheng Qian smiled. "Thirty taels. That's nothing. It will arrive soon enough."
"Miss, do you plan to ask the Lady?" Mother Dai warned. "She will have expenses. Giving you funds may cause complaints from her maids and nurses."
"No need," Zheng Qian said, her expression serene. Her clear eyes glimmered, sending ripples through the beauty mark at her brow.
The cat in her arms lifted his gaze to her.
His eyes were deep and knowing—almost human in their expression.
Too bad no one else noticed, lost in their worries.
Xiao Zhan, silently watching, couldn't believe it. A grand household, and the young lady fretted over a mere thirty taels of silver.
He lightly pawed her arm.
She held his paw in her hand—warm, soft, reassuring.
Xiao Zhan felt deflated. Her anxiety was beyond his help. He was just a cat, unable to speak, unable to draw even a pile of gold from the mansion for her.
"Everyone calm down. I'll figure out the money. Now, go about your duties," Zheng Qian said lightly. With a wave of her hand, she returned to her room and closed the door behind her.