Guests arrive
It took Lin Xu a moment to realize that the so-called third wife of the Qiu family was Fu Lian, who had recently married Qiu Shanhai's foolish son.
She smiled and said, "Since we have distinguished guests, let's move to the flower hall."
Having not seen each other for some time, even though Lin Xu was prepared, she couldn't help but be slightly taken aback when she slowly walked to the flower hall and saw Fu Lian, who had been waiting there for a long time.
Having finally married, Fu Lian was now dressed like a married woman, and for a moment she hardly recognized her.
In fact, Fu Lian should be no more than eighteen years old now. He has been serving by Bai Shi's side since he was young. In the past, in the Dou family, he was as noble as half a master in front of all the servants, and no one dared to be disrespectful in front of him.
Even now, Fu Lian still has a graceful figure. Her black hair is tied in a low bun, and because she is newly married, she is still wearing a crimson brocade jacket with a pink silk gauze underneath. She also has two large and small beaded sachets at her waist, dressed like a dignified country lady.
Upon seeing her arrive, Fu Lian gracefully curtsied and then warmly offered Lin Xu a seat. Lin Xu couldn't help but smile and say:
"It's been a while since I've seen the Third Madam; she's become even more elegant and refined."
She remembered that when Fu Lian got married, in order to match the Qiu family's social standing, Bai Shi had specially given her the title of a distant cousin. Now, it would be inappropriate to call her Fu Lian again.
Fu Lian's face was ashen, clearly from applying a layer of pearl powder, but upon hearing this, she couldn't help but lower her head and laugh self-deprecatingly:
"No matter what outsiders say, Second Master and Madam, you are one of us. Just call me as usual."
A moment later, a maidservant brought tea. Fu Lian took the tea and subconsciously pushed the teacup in front of Lin Xu, but stopped halfway through, looking increasingly embarrassed, and could only purse her lips.
Lin Xu maintained a calm demeanor, thanked her softly, and then smiled:
"Why should Third Madam be so self-deprecating? Everyone in Laining knows that Master Qiu is a fifth-rank official in the capital, and his ancestors produced many Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). They are undoubtedly one of the most prestigious families in this county. Many people should envy Third Madam."
In Laining County today, the only prominent families that are well-known are the Qiu family, the Sun family (the county magistrate's family), and the two Zheng families (the elder and younger).
The patriarch of the Zheng family, Zheng Fancang, was a well-known philanthropist within a radius of ten miles. He had passed the imperial examination in his youth and later went into the brewing business, becoming extremely wealthy. He also funded road construction and built an academy and Ci'en Temple in the county, earning him great respect from the people.
It is said that Zheng Jiangran of the Zheng family was appointed as a ninth-rank military officer in his early years through donation. Later, for some unknown reason, he retired early. However, over the years, his family's wealth has remained considerable.
In Laining, these prominent families are so respected that almost everyone dares to show them respect.
Now that Dou Yanxun has just taken office, even though these powerful families don't seem to be showing any disrespect on the surface, Lin Xu can see clearly that these old hands still call the shots in the county for the time being.
It's even possible that many of these people are waiting to see Dou Yanxun make a fool of himself.
If these powerful families were so easy to get along with, how come so many county magistrates couldn't even last a year in Laining?
Seeing that Lin Xu was very polite, Fu Lian relaxed a bit. After all, she had done so many things for the Dou family in the past, none of which were for the benefit of the other courtyard.
Lin Xu was willing to give her some face, which made things less difficult for her.
She instructed the maid behind her to bring out the gifts she had brought.
"...Last time, at Madam's birthday celebration, there were so many guests that I regretted not being able to speak with her. Fortunately, our family's farm is producing white lotus seeds and longans, each one plump and perfect for making soup..."
The little girl was clearly clever; she had a round face and wore her hair in two buns, and said in a crisp voice:
"Indeed, Madam Magistrate, you are new here and may not know that our Qiu family's estate in Laining has the largest output. These longans are also sweeter than those from other families, which is extremely rare."
Before she could finish speaking, Fu Lian's kind smile vanished instantly. She calmly took a breath before looking at Lin Xu and smiling again:
"The girl is ignorant, please don't take offense."
Fu Lian was not satisfied with any of the maids that the Qiu family had assigned to her.
It's one thing to be negligent on ordinary days, but to be so tactless in front of Lin Xu now. If Lin Xu really takes it to heart, wouldn't all the politeness and effort we put in today be wasted?
Lin Xu slowly and deliberately brushed away the floating tea leaves from the teacup, his expression remaining calm, as if he didn't care at all.
"The Qiu family is a prominent and wealthy household, so the products produced in their estate are naturally of high quality."
Fu Lian then put on a smile and replied:
"You are certainly used to seeing good things, these are just a small token of my appreciation. They are from the fields in the county town, just something to enjoy the novelty... In another half month, the Atractylodes macrocephala and the fine bud green tea will also be available, and I will send someone to deliver them to you then."
Lin Xu took a small sip, and without refusing, simply smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble you."
The two chatted briefly for a few more minutes. Fu Lian glanced at the sky, but before he could speak, the maid beside him whispered a reminder again:
"...The Third Madam has been out for a while now, Young Master should be waiting for you."
Lin Xu lowered his head, pretending not to see Fu Lian's ever-changing expression.
After Zhu Ling saw Fu Lian off in the front hall, she returned to Lin Xu and after a long while, she couldn't help but whisper, "Fu Lian's life these days is probably not easy either."
It's not just that it's unbearable. I heard that the third young master of the Qiu family has the intelligence of an ordinary three-year-old child. Although Fu Lian used to be a servant, she was favored by the mistress of the house and her treatment was even comparable to that of the two concubines. Naturally, she can hardly bear such a difference now.
After she married him, she wasn't going to be a respected mistress; she was clearly going to be that third young master's mother.
"...Only the Bai family could be so heartless. A girl who has served them for so many years, just abandoned like that."
Zhu Ling also reminded her, "When I saw Fu Lian off just now, I noticed that she paid close attention to the furnishings and courtyard of the mansion. I wonder if it was the old lady who instructed her to do so."
A hint of sarcasm crept onto Lin Xu's lips.
"Now that Fu Lian's activities within the Qiu family are restricted, she might as well worry about her own affairs."
Zhu Ling thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Does Madam mean the maidservant beside Fu Lian?"
“Fu Lian has been with the Bai family for many years. Although she was given a formal title before marrying into the family, the Qiu family still knows that she is just a maid. How can they truly respect her? Besides, the third son of the Qiu family finally got married, so they naturally have to keep a close eye on her to prevent Fu Lian from running away because she can’t stand it.”
Lin Xu finished his tea, wiped his mouth with a clean handkerchief, and sighed again:
"However, the Bai family has always been very cautious in their actions, so they must have a way to blackmail Fu Lian. These matters in the inner quarters are ultimately a matter of each person's own misfortune..."
She's heard so many funerals lately that her heart has become much stronger than before.
The news of Qi Shuang'er's death was delivered to her the night before, along with the trendy flowers and plants from Yuancao Residence.
Although Lan Yue had reminded her that Qi Shi was probably going to die in a day or two when she returned to the Lin family for a short stay not long ago, Qi Shi stubbornly endured another half month before finally lying on her bed and passing away.
It is said that Qi Shi had a maidservant bring her water and food every day. When the maidservant went the next day, Qi Shi's body had already stiffened.
After she was confined to Yilan Garden, no one spoke to her, and she soon went mad.
I heard that Lan Yue often asked someone to send some of Rong Ge'er's clothes, socks, shoes and hats to Qi Shi. Those things were hanging by the bedside. I imagine Qi Shi must have been in excruciating pain every day looking at them.
She lay in bed for so long, and later became plagued by all sorts of illnesses. She became emaciated, her hair turned like dry grass, and she no longer had her former charming appearance.
Lin Xu had known this day would come, but he didn't feel much emotion about it.
Qi had tried every means to harm him, and now that she was gone, Lin Xu felt no remorse, but he always felt as if he had lost all his strength.
She had no intention of harming anyone, but in the end, in order to protect herself and to prevent the Lin family from repeating the same mistakes in this life, she had no choice but to do so.
She sighed softly, thought for a moment, and then instructed someone to send a message back to Zhiyuan.
Now that Zhou Qi and Zhou Quan are no longer by her side, it's very inconvenient to inquire about the house in Straw Hat Alley. She really wants to know if Qi Rou'er, Qi's sister, will become restless again now that Qi Shi is dead.
After finishing his tea, Lin Xu rested by the window for a while, watching Rongwei and Xuetuan playing harmoniously outside, and couldn't help but smile. Although life was quieter these days, it was also a rare moment of relaxation and comfort.
She no longer needed to greet Bai Shi every morning, nor did she need to greet Dou Huaisheng with a smile and exchange pleasantries while suppressing the surging resentment in her heart.
Although Lai Ning was poor, he was free from disturbances, except for the kind-hearted Madam Sun who would occasionally invite Lin Xu to play cards with the other ladies.
Lin Xu always made excuses to avoid going, so Madam Sun would sigh helplessly and then personally visit her, bringing a lot of ginseng and tonics to keep her company.
Madam Sun was in her forties, with a son and a daughter. Magistrate Sun was also alone, and the couple seemed very harmonious. So, when they were alone, Madam Sun couldn't help but whisper in Lin Xu's ear:
"These ginseng I brought are the most nourishing. Please have the kitchen prepare them and stew them with yam and astragalus. Drink some medicinal food every day, and you won't have to worry about not getting pregnant..."
Lin Xu listened quietly, but her cheeks quickly flushed red.
Madam Sun thought she was just embarrassed, so she lowered her voice even further:
"Don't be afraid, everyone goes through this. The magistrate is very busy with official business during the day, so you often prepare some nourishing meals for him and go to see him when it gets dark... That's how our second son came to be..."
Lin Xu couldn't help but twitch her brow slightly. She swirled the teacup in her hand, unsure of what to say, and could only nod.
Seeing that Lin Xu remained silent, Madam Sun changed the subject and began to talk about the amusing incident of discord among the Qiu family's daughters-in-law recently.
Lin Xu listened calmly, her fingertips gently caressing the white porcelain cup with its intertwined peony design. The cup felt warm to the touch. Outside the window, bamboo shadows swayed, their green hues casting dappled patterns across the ground.
This matter had actually been lingering in her mind for a long time.
Now, she has been married to Dou Yanxun for almost a year. Before, the two were only superficially harmonious and had never truly been intimate. Dou Yanxun never touched her before, and she was busy navigating the inner quarters of the household, so she was naturally happy with her leisure. She also never had to worry about getting pregnant.
...But now, things are different.
Since Dou Yanxun lost control that night, things have gradually spiraled out of her control. Now, her relationship with Dou Yanxun is much closer than before. She can even clearly feel that Dou Yanxun is gradually beginning to trust her.
This is naturally a good thing. It will also make it easier for me to better plan and strategize after I leave Mujing.
But deep down, she didn't want children.
With the matter of revenge still unresolved, how could she possibly have a child with Dou Yanxun? If she did have a child, what would she do once the great revenge was achieved? Lin Xu had always known that she was afraid of trouble.
She had considered asking Fu Qing for help before. After all, Fu Qing's medical skills were superb, and in just a few instances, she had demonstrated exquisite medicinal skills that were in no way inferior to those of the imperial physicians in the palace. However, because of the incident with the fake death medicine last time, Fu Qing ultimately could not hide it from Dou Yanxun, and Lin Xu still harbored some resentment towards her.
She will never use someone who has betrayed her once again.
After much thought, she could only secretly take a bowl of herbal medicine afterward, when it was late at night and Dou Yanxun was fast asleep.
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