32 Chapter Thirty-Two

"There's no need to tell her for now."

Chapter Thirty-Two

Liu Qingqing stared blankly at him, then blinked gently before looking out the window at the willow tree that was being carefully planted in the pit. She swallowed hard.

Xie Lang stood beside her for a long time, watching her gaze intently as if she wanted to see through the tree, but she never got a chance to ask the question—"What kind of willow is it?"

The two of them ate their dinner in this state of mind, each lost in their own thoughts, and then went about their own business.

Night fell, just before the two went to sleep.

The willow tree kept appearing in Liu Qingqing's mind, but she dared not think about it too much or ask about it. So she suppressed it and forced herself to think about other things.

This reminded me of Manager Tang. After asking Xie Wu, I learned that Manager Tang was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. However, he was fat, greasy, and unkempt, and his messy beard made him look like he was over forty.

Could it really be as he said, that he ruined himself into this state to avoid being touched?

Unable to sleep, she tossed and turned, when suddenly a gentle hand took hers.

Why aren't you asleep yet?

Perhaps due to fatigue during the day, his deep, magnetic voice was slightly hoarse in the night.

Liu Qingqing immediately lay down, "I'll go to sleep now, I won't disturb you."

Xie Lang laughed, "What's the big deal? I'm not sleepy either. Tell me why you can't sleep?"

Liu Qingqing then leaned on his shoulder, hoping to see his expression clearly in the darkness and tell him what was going on.

"Shopkeeper Tang was forced to submit to someone because his mother was being manipulated. His promising future vanished like smoke. It's quite pitiful."

The storybooks she was used to reading made her innocent and naive, and she felt that fate was playing tricks on her.

"Perhaps this is his fate."

Xie Lang said calmly, "If what he said is true, it has been nearly ten years. If he really had a way, he might not be unable to get out. Perhaps he has also become addicted to this life of getting something for nothing."

"There is gain in loss, and perhaps this is the most suitable choice for him."

In the capital, it's incredibly difficult to become a scholar at the age of seventeen or eighteen, let alone a provincial graduate.

Studying hard is nothing compared to the comfort of having plenty of money.

"But he was once dashing and debonair; perhaps he could have achieved great things?"

Xie Lang laughed upon hearing this: "Does he really mean it if he's dashing and debonair? How can a mere scholar achieve great things? Madam, don't believe his nonsense."

Liu Qingqing was slightly taken aback.

Xie Lang's words, spoken so casually as if a god disdained ants, stung her.

Liu Qingqing, skeptical, suddenly became determined and asked again, "What would happen if my husband were in such a predicament?"

This was truly hilarious. Xie Lang laughed as he thought about it, holding her hand and pressing it against his chest.

A deep laugh reverberated, “Of course I wouldn’t fall into that situation, so I wouldn’t have faced such difficulties.”

Those in high positions are so calm and composed.

He had probably never been so helpless before.

Although she didn't know why she was feeling down, she just felt listless. She propped herself up on her arm and lay back down.

Seeing her silent, Xie Lang assumed she was tired, so he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Go to sleep. Don't we have to go to the farm tomorrow?"

He patted her shoulder gently with his large hand. "If you need anything, just tell me."

Liu Qingqing lay on his warm chest, her hand still resting on his chest, his heart beating in her palm.

Even though they were physically so close, why did she feel like they were so far apart?

He looked down on Manager Tang's submissive attitude. Did he also think that she was weak and cowardly during those years at the Liu family mansion? That she brought it all on herself?

Thinking about it this way, my heart felt like it was being torn apart.

I closed my eyes and told myself not to think anymore. I don't know how long it took before I finally drifted off to sleep.

After her breathing calmed down, Xie Lang turned to his side, supporting the back of her neck with one hand and withdrawing his arm. He then settled her back into her quilt and lay down on his own side.

The matter of Manager Tang was like a speck of dust in the air, leaving no trace in his mind.

I woke up early the next morning to the faint light of dawn.

Xie Lang's place was already empty; he must have gone to practice martial arts.

After practicing martial arts, he would go to the government office, year after year, regardless of winter or summer.

After the initial sweetness faded, she finally realized the huge gap between herself and Xie Lang.

He is already a pillar of the nation, while she is so weak and helpless, forced to depend on others.

Before they got married, Xie Lang probably didn't like someone like her, right?

Originally, she only thought about marrying him to gain protection and retrieve the dowry left to her by her mother, but now she has new worries.

She saw a bigger sky and wanted to fly higher.

She wanted to be someone worthy of him.

Thinking about it this way, the slight frustration was dispelled!

She has no time for self-pity; she has already lost many ideas, and now that she has the opportunity, she should work even harder.

After encouraging himself, he washed up and ate breakfast. He then asked Granny Li to instruct the gatekeeper to prepare the carriage and also to have the steward make preparations in advance.

I'm going to the clinic today to see how Manager Tang is handling things.

Before even stepping into the clinic, I saw the old doctor taking pulses and diagnosing patients. The curtain was drawn, so I could only see the patients sitting down.

Liu Qingqing withdrew her gaze and glanced to the side of the door. Manager Tang was sitting inside. Hearing the noise, he looked up and his eyes lit up when he saw Liu Qingqing. Then he started to act, making faces at her.

What business do you have now?

He gestured for them to go to the back.

Xie Wu wasn't with them today; the men disguised as guards were Xie Lang's men. Upon receiving the signal, they unceremoniously shoved Manager Tang into the back courtyard.

It has to be said that Manager Tang has been eating very well these past few years; with this push, his fat jiggled like ripples on water. Where is the dashing figure he once described?

There was no one in the backyard, nor were there any of Xiao Ying's spies.

Manager Tang stood facing the door, so he could see anyone coming immediately.

From a distance, his face appeared quite fierce and ruthless, but only when you got close could you hear that he spoke with great respect.

“Yesterday, someone from Madam Ying came to inquire, but I turned them away. Given Madam Ying’s cautious nature, she may come again.”

It must be said that Manager Tang is truly a master of social skills.

Now they've become spies on both sides.

When someone from the Ying family came to inquire, Manager Tang turned the tables and claimed that the bloodstain on his forehead was caused by Liu Qingqing.

Because her mother was being controlled by them, Xiao Ying never imagined that Manager Tang would dare to turn against her.

There is another unusual thing.

He had been drifting aimlessly through the years, and this was something he suddenly remembered after reflecting on all those years.

Every month, Xiao Ying would instruct him to prepare some medicinal herbs, even if there was no time to process them.

The amount of medicinal herbs was small, but he didn't know where they were going. Each time, Madam Ying only asked him to prepare them.

He initially followed them secretly, but lost track of them.

"The medicinal herbs are nothing special, but I don't know why they are always being transported out of the country. And the money involved is not recorded in the accounts."

Liu Qingqing: "What kind of medicinal herb is it?"

Shopkeeper Tang: "It's raw aconite, not some rare medicinal herb. It has the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, warming the meridians and relieving pain."

That's strange.

It's not a rare or expensive medicinal herb, yet it's been shipped out year after year.

Having no clue what to do for the time being, I kept it to myself.

“I usually go to the farm and shops every ten days to check on things. It’s no big deal to say I’m going a few days earlier. I’ll go and find out the situation before I come back to report to you, Madam.”

After finishing the business, Manager Tang hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What about my mother..."

Liu Qingqing understood and handed him a paper packet. "Try this medicine when you get back. If you don't believe me, consult a few doctors first."

When Xie Lang returned home last time, he returned the purse to her and gave her a deep, meaningful advice: "Be careful around people."

She knew he was right, but she also had her own thoughts.

She has no power; if she wants to move about, she must treat people with sincerity.

This morning, she carefully cut the remaining half of the pills her mother had left her into thirty pieces, turning them into individual pills.

She thought that since this medicine could save Xie Lang's life, it might give Tang's mother a chance to catch her breath.

Manager Tang took it, his eyes bloodshot and his hands trembling. If he weren't afraid of being seen by his spies, he would have kowtowed immediately.

As she walked around to the edge, Dr. Lu had just finished his consultation and, seeing her arrive, quickly got up to greet her.

Before he could even speak, he hurriedly grabbed her wrist to take her pulse. His brow furrowed with worry, revealing his solemn concern. After silently feeling her pulse, Doctor Lu breathed a sigh of relief, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.

He then carefully examined Liu Qingqing's complexion, stroked his gray beard, and nodded with great satisfaction, "The husband Miss has chosen is very good."

Liu Qingqing remembered that the old doctor had told her to bring Xie Lang along for the pulse diagnosis, so she asked about it.

But Dr. Lu shook his head: "There's no rush."

He paused slightly and then said, "If you trust me, Miss, please come over when you have time."

As they were talking, Manager Tang came over, giving them a cold look; the scab on his forehead was quite conspicuous.

Doctor Lu was unaware that Manager Tang had become her man. He glanced at her and sighed softly, "Don't be fooled by Manager Tang's fierce and domineering demeanor. He's all bark and no bite and is a pitiful person who has no choice in the matter."

He usually curses like a madman, but after drinking, he kneels in the backyard with his butt sticking out and cries loudly, as if he has suffered some great injustice.

He would secretly give them extra money, and during festivals, he would cut off extra pieces of meat and throw them to them. If any patient was unable to pay, he would turn a blind eye.

This may also be the reason why, despite not being able to stand what I see all these years, I haven't left, even though I've entrusted it to someone.

They left the clinic, boarded a carriage, and headed straight for the estate.

Estates typically had a manager, overseen by the mistress of the estate. Because the new dynasty placed great importance on the livelihoods of tenant farmers, mistreating them and causing death was a serious matter. At best, the tenant farmer would be impeached by censors; at worst, the owner or official would lose their career.

Therefore, even though Xiao Ying was prone to petty tricks, he did not commit any major evils.

She went there without prior notice because she wanted to see what the estate was like now.

Soon after leaving the city, the road became a dirt road, and the carriage bumped along.

Once they were out of the way of people, Granny Li carefully leaned close and asked worriedly, "How could Miss give away that medicine?"

"Grandma"

Liu Qingqing patted her rough hand, "Now that we need people, we must treat them with sincerity."

Looking into her eyes, he said, "Perhaps this is our only chance."

After a moment of silence, tears welled up in Li Mama's sunken eyes, and her lips trembled uncontrollably. She reached out and grasped Liu Qingqing's hand, "...My young lady has grown up."

He then took another picture of her, just like he had just done, and exclaimed, "The young lady has grown up."

Liu Qingqing smiled shyly, pursed her lips, and lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.

As summer arrives, the mountains are verdant, a warm breeze blows, and birdsong fills the forest.

"Granny, I never imagined I would live such a life before."

She murmured to herself, then perked up at the thought of Xie Lang, "I need to work even harder!"

Although she longed to get her dowry back, the sudden handing over of such a large fortune to her brought a wave of joy followed by an overwhelming fear. Although Xie Lang sent the most capable steward of the Marquis's mansion to assist her, she was unaware of the unspeakable things that came with being around the mistress of the house, so she could only proceed cautiously, taking it one step at a time.

Xie Lang had helped her so much; it wouldn't be right for him to lose face again.

Before this trip, the steward taught her a lot.

To tell whether crops are growing well, whether the landlord takes good care of them and doesn't mistreat them, and whether the land is productive, you can tell by looking at the tenants' expressions and clothing.

The entire route was lined with fertile fields belonging to the families of various officials.

She put down the fine gauze, and although she didn't get off the carriage, she could see clearly.

Just past noon, when the sun was blazing, the tenant farmers were resting and eating on the ridges of the fields.

Just as the steward had said, each tenant farmer's household was different.

Some looked calm and were eating solid dry rations.

Some were numb and silent, drinking thin porridge.

Some looked distressed and could only drink well water to stave off hunger.

To avoid attracting attention, Liu Qingqing did not stop the carriage.

Looking along the road, her land stretched to the horizon.

She looked closely at the tenant farmers working in her field; it was a large family, perhaps with two or three branches. Everyone was tanned dark, and their clothes looked worn for a long time, almost completely worn through at the joints.

Men, women, and children were all working diligently without taking a break, it was unclear whether they had already eaten or simply hadn't.

An old man, his teeth all gone, was bending over weeding, his rolled-up trousers revealing legs as thin as sticks. Beside him, a little girl who looked no more than three or four years old was already quite adept at chores, catching vegetable worms.

I knew that Xiao Ying had no compassion, but I never expected her to be so ruthless.

Manager Tang said the rent for this land was high, and it seems that what he said was true.

Once you've seen it, you'll understand.

This is not something that can be resolved in a day. She has a feeling that the affairs of this estate will require some time to be dealt with by Xiao Yingshi.

He then ordered the carriage to head back.

The journey feels slow when you don't know where the destination is, but the return journey seems shorter.

Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped.

Granny Li, having shed her previous melancholy, immediately stood in front of Liu Qingqing like a mother hen protecting her chicks, and asked sternly, "What happened?"

The coachman said in a tense, alert voice, "Someone is stopping the carriage."

Granny Li was even more anxious. Just as she was about to look for something suitable in the carriage, she heard a clear young boy's voice coming from outside.

"Sister, it's me. I only followed you carefully after I saw you leaving the city."

Liu Qingqing and Granny Li recognized the name and exchanged a glance. Granny Li lifted the carriage curtain and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the person's face.

"You little rascal, you scared this old servant to death."

Then he turned to Liu Qingqing and reported, "Miss, it's the boy you saved last time."

Before Liu Qingqing could get out of the car and say anything, the boy knelt down in front of the car with a thud.

"Sister, I can do any kind of work, I'll pay you whatever you ask, I just want to find a place to settle down."

As he spoke, he lowered his head, tears streaming down his face. The boy, trying to suppress his trembling sobs, said, "I really don't want to be beaten anymore. That man in the dilapidated temple said that if I dare to go back, he will kill me and eat my flesh."

"Please accept me!"

Liu Qingqing gripped her handkerchief tightly, seeing that the man was about to kowtow until his head bled, she had no choice but to speak up and stop him, "Get up first..."

In the center of the dark tunnel at the other end.

Xie Lang was processing a secret letter when suddenly he heard hurried footsteps.

Before the newcomer had even stopped, Xie Lang reached out his hand without even raising his head.

Xie Wu tacitly handed over the secret letter. Although he knew about it, he still took five steps back and hid in the shadows away from the candlelight.

Unfolding the letter, Xie Lang read ten lines at a glance.

His guess came true. He took the letter, walked to the candle, and lit it.

The flames flickered, seemingly captivating the soul.

It's hard to describe the feeling.

"My lord, there is one more thing. In a few days, the Regent's wife will be hosting a banquet for the families of officials in the capital."

Upon hearing this, Xie Lang lifted his eyelids and glanced at Xie Wu indifferently, waiting for him to continue.

Xie Wu swallowed hard, thinking that his wife had mustered up the courage to say, "The Regent's wife will definitely appear that day. Should we inform your wife about this?"

A long silence followed.

After a long pause, Xie Lang replied, "There's no need to tell her for now."

Xie Wu remained silent.

Xie Lang: "What? You think we should tell her?"

Xie Wu was the biological son of Xie Lang's wet nurse, and had been by his side since childhood. Although there was an insurmountable difference in their social status, Xie Lang genuinely considered him one of his own. Therefore, some of Xie Wu's words were not considered overstepping his bounds.

Xie Wu hesitated.

Although he was not romantic, he understood reason.

Although the lady is the legitimate daughter of the Liu family, she has been living under someone else's roof for many years. If she knew that her mother was still alive, she would be overjoyed.

He had a vague feeling that something was wrong, even though they were clearly husband and wife as a unit.

But I don't know exactly what's wrong.

When the lady used medicine to save the man without reservation, he kowtowed and acknowledged her as his sovereign.

Now, having to keep this a secret from his wife, his seemingly shrewd but actually stubborn and earnest nature only made him feel uneasy.

Knowing that the lord's mind was made up and would not change, he simply shook his head.

There was nothing wrong here, so the adult waved for him to go out and rest.

A moment of worry passed, but when I came to my senses, I had already reached the waterside pavilion.

He simply lifted his robe and sat on the steps, gazing absently at the willows beside the water.

He wouldn't believe it if you said that the master didn't care about his wife.

If you don't care, why bother digging a pond in the yard for your wife to raise fish, and then transplanting willow trees here?

But if you care...

His thoughts swirled into a ball of yarn, and Xie Wu, like a silly cat, scratched his face in frustration.

"Brother Xie?"

Upon hearing the soft female voice, Xie Wu immediately straightened his face and lowered his voice. He turned around and saw that it was Zhao Pansheng beside the lady, which made him relax his brows. He quickly bowed and greeted her, "Hello, Miss Zhao, is there something you need?"

Nothing happened.

Zhao Pansheng smiled and said, "The sun is shining brightly at noon. The mung bean soup that was cooked in the small kitchen has just been chilled. Let Brother Xie have a bowl to try."

"this……"

Xie Wu was surprised that someone still remembered him. He hurriedly wiped his hands with his clothes before accepting the gift, saying, "Thank you, Miss Zhao."

The dough, baked in the bright sun, was hot, but the mung bean soup was cool and refreshing; it went down easily in my stomach with just one swallow, and felt wonderfully comfortable.

Xie Wu tilted his head back and drank it all. After returning the porcelain bowl to Zhao Pansheng, he stood up and bowed to her with his hands clasped in greeting.

Zhao Pansheng smiled, curtsied in return, and then turned to leave.

Seeing her walk further and further away, Xie Wu scratched the back of his head and hissed softly.

Am I overthinking things?

I thought she was deliberately getting close to him.

It's no wonder Xie Wu was suspicious; as Xie Lang's most trusted confidant, he was the subject of much scrutiny. He was extremely cautious, afraid of causing trouble for his master.

He wouldn't accept even the finest delicacies from royalty or nobles unless they were his wife's people.

However, Zhao Pansheng returned to the small kitchen shortly afterward.

Qingju was preparing dinner, making delicious cold noodles for the young lady, when she heard Zhao Pansheng return and asked, "What were you doing again?"

Zhao Pansheng smiled and shook his head: "Go and take some sweet soup to Brother Xie."

Qingju breathed a sigh of relief but smiled, "You know how to do things. Very good! We are Miss's people, so we naturally need to maintain good relations with the young master's side."

Zhao Pansheng lowered his head and continued brewing tea. Although he answered with those words, what he was thinking was different.

The young lady saved her from dire straits and secretly helped her find out about her sister. She was so grateful that her life depended on the young lady! She was willing to go through fire and water for her.

Lately, the master and the young lady have been deeply in love, but she feels that the way the master looks at the young lady is not quite right. Having experienced famine and almost being cooked and eaten by her own parents, she knows the wickedness of people best and is adept at reading people and observing their expressions.

She doesn't believe in any of that nonsense about tenderness and love.

She noticed that the master's gaze, which had previously been indifferent towards the young lady, had recently become increasingly furrowed.

Mutual affection?

She didn't seem to think so.

Although you, sir, have been quite kind to the young lady, isn't that only natural? But if you are not of one mind with the young lady, and she has given you her true heart, that would not be good.

So she approached Xie Wu, that silly roe deer, to see if she could find out anything.

If it's not right, she should let her mistress know as soon as possible.

I returned home at dusk, and Xie Lang wrote that I would be staying in the study tonight.

Although he sleeps in the main room most days, he will sleep in the other room if he is busy with official business.

After eating cold noodles, Liu Qingqing washed up and prepared to rest. After a busy day, her whole body felt loose and like it was about to break.

He closed his eyes in a daze.

Xie Lang has been busy these days, and so has she.

She didn't want to ask too much about Xie Lang's affairs, but she guessed it was related to his recent injury.

Perhaps because I went to bed early last night, I woke up at the crack of dawn.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of the clinic and the estate, and she couldn't fall asleep. She got out of bed, wrapped herself in a long robe, and tiptoed out of the courtyard. Granny Li and the others were busy in the kitchen. Hearing the noise, they peeked out, but Liu Qingqing gestured for them not to follow, saying they were just going to take a walk.

Jialan Garden is not far from the mansion's garden; it's just past the courtyard of Second Uncle Xie Pan.

The masters in the mansion had not yet gotten up, and the sound of servants sweeping the floor could be faintly heard in the distance.

The morning breeze was slightly cool, and she wrapped her long coat tightly around herself.

She had never walked alone so early before, whether in the Liu residence or the Hou residence, and suddenly felt as if she were the only person in the world.

It calms the mind.

A gust of wind rustled the bamboo grove beside the hanging flower gate.

The path is carefully paved with cobblestones, and on the side of the flowerbed are strange rocks that were found in Jiangnan.

She hadn't looked at them closely yet.

It's rare to have the mood and time at this moment, so I slowly strolled around and carefully examined everything.

He turned to look and suddenly stopped, his eyes widening in disbelief.

A slender figure in white robes stood in the long corridor opposite the waterside pavilion. How come, it looked like Aunt Jia?

The moment it blinked, it was still there. It quickly ran around the flowerbed towards the waterside pavilion.

I stared intently at that spot, afraid that the person would disappear in the blink of an eye.

You can bypass the strange rocks that always block your view.

She had just run over when, before she could even stand still, she saw the figure suddenly turn around and look at her.

"Aunt Jia..."

She murmured.

Just as he was about to raise his voice, in the blink of an eye, the figure vanished like smoke into the rising sunlight.

After running and getting all sweaty, Liu Qingqing suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. A gust of wind came and she fell to the ground.

I returned to my room in a daze and crawled back into bed.

It took a long time for my body to warm up.

Was what we just saw Aunt Jia or Aunt Jia's spirit?

Could it be that she woke up too early and her eyes are blurry?

I kept thinking about it over and over again until my head started to ache.

I developed a fever before I could even have breakfast.

When Granny Li saw that the young lady hadn't come out, she came in to call her. She saw that the young lady's face was burning red and immediately felt something was wrong. She quickly sent Qingju to find the family doctor.

Xie Lang remembered that he needed to inform his wife, the Regent Princess, about the banquet, and was heading back to the main courtyard.

Upon encountering the physician who appeared to be in a hurry, they couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

The physician hurriedly said, "They say the lady has a fever."

Upon hearing this, Xie Lang became serious and quickened his pace.

Once inside the courtyard, Granny Li had already ordered someone to boil the first pot of hot water, which was being mixed with well water to wipe the young lady's forehead.

Seeing Xie Lang return, he didn't care about anything else; his eyes were only on his young lady.

After examining her pulse, the physician said that she was fine, just a fever from catching a cold, and that she would be better after taking three days of herbal medicine.

After writing out the prescription, he sent the apprentice to fetch the medicine. Zhao Pansheng, finding the apprentice slow, went with him.

Granny Li and Qingju each wiped the young lady's palms and arms.

Xie Lang stood by the bed and leaned down to feel her forehead. "Why are you suddenly so hot?"

Granny Li then recounted what had happened to her young mistress that morning, and felt deep regret, realizing she should have given her another cloak. Her eyes were red with anxiety.

Xie Lang glanced at Li Mama's face, then looked away.

I had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

In just a short while, the water in the copper basin cooled down.

Granny Li and Qingju carefully pulled down the young lady's sleeve and went out together to change the water.

The room fell silent. Xie Lang looked down and saw her lips moving, as if she wanted to say something.

After asking her twice without getting a response, he leaned down to her lips and heard her softly call out, "Aunt Jia..."

His expression suddenly changed drastically.