Fangxing (Revised)
She looked at Zhu Ling, and seeing Zhou Quan also nod in agreement, she said incredulously:
"I had completely forgotten that there was such a person in the courtyard. Where is that girl right now?"
Zhu Ling nodded again, "Reporting to Madam, this servant dared not disturb you, and thought everything was as usual, just a routine inquiry. Therefore, Fang Xing did not suspect anything, and should still be resting in the side room now."
Lin Xu looked at the two figures, one red and one gray, in the carved birdcage, both shrunken and huddled into tiny balls, their former liveliness gone.
A resolute look slowly rose in her eyes. It was time to clear up some old wounds.
“That’s right. After dawn, just say that the villa is currently short of staff, and that you appreciate her intelligence and wit, and instruct her to come and serve me closely from now on.”
After nearly two hours of fussing, the sky was beginning to lighten, revealing a clear, bright day. Lin Xu sat in the study, supporting his forehead with his hand, feeling utterly exhausted.
In a daze, I heard footsteps outside the bedchamber not far away, which then gradually faded into silence. Occasionally, the maids' greetings rang out softly for a while, and then there was no more sound.
Having spent so much time with Dou Yanxun, she was already very familiar with his footsteps. She could even imagine him frowning slightly, walking away quickly with a hurried expression, and waving his hand to stop the servants from bowing respectfully.
Calculating the time, it was indeed time for him to report to the yamen. Despite feeling utterly exhausted, she quickly washed up and hurried off to pay her respects to Madam Bai.
The sun was shining brightly, and the main courtyard where Bai lived was unusually lively. Even before getting close, one could faintly hear the laughter of the women.
Zhu Ling and Lin Xu exchanged a glance, then whispered a reminder, "Judging from that voice, it sounds like both of your aunts are here."
Lin Xu nodded, suppressing the turmoil in his eyes. Just as he reached the entrance of the bedroom, he saw Fu Zhen dressed in a simple and elegant embroidered satin jacket, her smile gentle, as she gave Lin Xu a slight curtsy.
"You've arrived! What a coincidence! Aunt Guo and Aunt Zhen are here right now. Please come in."
Sure enough, the laughter in the hall grew even louder. Lin Xu glanced at Bai Shi, who was sitting high in the main seat, the two concubines sitting on either side of her, and the Fifth Miss sitting on a small stool to the side, and bowed slightly.
Bai Shi rarely smiled, and waved her hand, saying, "Get up quickly. You are usually the most well-mannered, so you don't need to be so reserved with me."
As soon as he finished speaking, a respectful young maidservant came with her head bowed to serve him a seat and tea.
Aunt Guo hadn't seen Lin Xu for a long time, so she couldn't help but look at her a few more times while holding her handkerchief, then covered her mouth and laughed:
"The second wife is indeed beautiful. Every time I see her, even I, a woman, can't get enough of looking at her. She's really lovely. The second son is truly blessed."
Lin Xu rarely interacted with Madam Guo, and was suddenly praised like this by her. He could only smile and say, "Madam Guo is so good at praising people. I am ashamed to accept such praise."
Aunt Guo patted Dou Chu's shoulder, who was sitting on a low stool, and shook her head with a smile:
"You are always so humble. The other day when I was having tea with our lady and Madam Jiang, I heard Madam Zhang praising you endlessly for your rare looks and virtuous character. Among all the noble ladies sitting there, our lady was the one who shone the brightest!"
Lin Xu had been traveling back and forth throughout the capital city for the past few days and had not stayed at home for long. He only knew that since Dou Huaisheng was promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he had been interacting with many officials in the capital. Now Dou Huaisheng had established a firm foothold in the officialdom of the capital, and Bai Shi was often busy with social engagements with many noble ladies. As a result, the women in the inner quarters also had more social interactions.
She had no idea who this Madam Zhang, whom Aunt Guo was talking about, was.
Looking at Bai Shi, who sat upright at the head of the table, slowly turning the prayer beads in her hand, she smiled but remained silent, clearly someone the Dou family members all knew. Lin Xu thought quietly, and could only nod and smile in agreement.
Dou Chu sat obediently on the low stool, sipping her milk tea in small sips, behaving very well. Upon hearing her mother mention Madam Zhang, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she glanced cautiously at Aunt Guo, muttering a few words in a low voice.
Aunt Zhen had lived in seclusion for a long time, and even when she paid her respects, she rarely met her. Today, however, she made a rare appearance, sitting there dignifiedly, and her spirits seemed quite good.
She was closest to Dou Chu, so she asked with a smile, "What was Fifth Miss saying just now?"
Dou Chu then raised his head again, glanced cautiously at Bai Shi, and then respectfully replied:
"Your Highness, Ah Chu dared not interrupt. I was merely thinking that the milk tea at Madam Zhang's residence was quite delicious..."
Before she could finish speaking, Aunt Guo's expression changed, and she quickly scolded:
"You've completely forgotten the manners I taught you! Your mother felt sorry for you coming to pay your respects early in the morning on an empty stomach, so she gave you this milk tea, and now you're praising others! How foolish!"
Bai, however, disregarded this and raised her hand to dissuade him:
"It's alright, Ah Chu is just a child speaking without thinking. The Zhang family is of high status and power, so their treatment of people is naturally excellent. Besides, when I took Ah Chu to visit the Zhang family last time, there were four or five children of similar age to her there. It was naturally more interesting for the children to play together and have some tea and snacks."
After speaking, Bai Shi stroked the Buddhist prayer beads under her fingertips, then looked down at Dou Chu, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes deepening with her smile:
"Since Fifth Miss is concerned about this, we will take you with us next time we visit the Zhang residence."
Lin Xu sat to the side, quietly sipping his tea with his head down.
For several days she was busy with trivial matters and had no time to pay attention to household affairs, but the struggles in the inner quarters continued unabated.
Aunt Guo was wholeheartedly planning for Dou Chu's future, just like at the New Year's Eve banquet. With just a few words, she put Bai Shi in a difficult position. Judging from her personality and methods, it seemed that she would do anything for her daughter.
Lin Xu saw this and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
It's hard to know how long the ruthless Bai family can tolerate this mother and daughter who are pretending to be ignorant.
She remained aloof, watching from the sidelines, and finished her half-cup of tea amidst idle chatter. Then she saw Aunt Zhen cough lightly a few times, seemingly glancing in her direction while covering her face with a handkerchief. Dou Chu, a child, spoke without thinking and was scolded; Aunt Guo had incurred Bai Shi's displeasure. Yet, the one who had just started the whole thing had reverted to her usual frail and delicate appearance.
Lin Xu couldn't help but recall where Fang Xing came from, and with a hint of realization, a cold laugh slowly rose in his heart.
She used to think that Aunt Zhen had lived a secluded life in the Dou family for many years and had no desire to fight. She thought that Zhen was just a bargaining chip used by Bai to cover up the power behind Fangxing. But now she couldn't help but think about it more deeply.
It seems that Lin Xu is not the only member of the Dou family who is adept at observing changes and waiting for the right moment to act.
She sat for a while longer before preparing to take her leave. Just before leaving, as if suddenly remembering something, Madam Bai inquired with concern about Liang Zhengyuan's recent situation.
Lin Xu patiently answered each question, and only then did he see the look of relief on Bai Shi's face.
As Lin Xu left the flower-scented bedroom, he walked briskly, but was stopped by a gentle voice from someone coming towards him.
Now noticeably larger at the waist, Feng Daizhu wore a long, flowing goose-yellow dress with butterfly patterns and tassel trim, over which she wore a very thick cloak. Two attentive nannies accompanied her on either side.
Lin Xu quickly smiled and bowed, "It's you, sister-in-law. It's been so long since I've seen you, sister-in-law. I wonder how you are doing now, and whether your pregnancy is going smoothly?"
Even with her pregnancy clearly visible, Feng Daizhu still looked radiant and elegant, her makeup as flamboyant and exquisite as ever.
She supported her prominently protruding belly with some effort, and smiled affectionately at Lin Xu:
"Although my mother is considerate of my hard work during pregnancy, I don't want to skip the usual formalities. However, it's been a bit difficult lately, as the little one is quite restless in my belly, which is quite worrying."
Lin Xu then offered a few more words of gentle comfort.
Zhao, the nanny who served Feng Daizhu, always had a kind face. With a smile on her wrinkled face, she explained to Lin Xu:
"Although it is early spring, it is still easy to catch a cold between morning and night. I have to go in and pay my respects now, so I will not bother you any longer."
The group then took their leave.
After she had walked a little further away, the two passed through corridor after corridor, returning to the rockery in the villa. Zhu Ling glanced around before whispering:
"This servant noticed that although the eldest young mistress's face was covered by makeup, she didn't look quite the same as before."
Zhu Ling has always been the most reliable and meticulous person by her side.
Lin Xu said with satisfaction, "You noticed it too?"
Zhu Ling nodded and whispered:
"Well, although I don't know the reason, I think that since the eldest young mistress became pregnant, she has been the most honored person in the mansion. Her food, clothing and daily necessities are all excellent. She also has a nanny specially sent by the old lady to take care of her daily life. Logically speaking, she should not be overworked."
Although she and Feng Daizhu had only exchanged a few words briefly, she could still see the exhaustion that Feng Daizhu was trying so hard to conceal beneath her makeup. The dark circles under her eyes would not have been so obvious unless she hadn't had a good night's sleep for several days.
As for the experienced and shrewd Granny Zhao, she must have been afraid that she would notice something amiss, which is why she quickly said goodbye and left.
Today's greetings allowed me to see all the people in the household whom I hadn't seen in a long time.
Lin Xu smiled, but in her heart there was only endless sighing. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Fang Xing, dressed in a brand new outfit, busy in front of the courtyard, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
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