Chapter 28 Chapter 28 "The Duke only wants me, his aunt...
My aunt's movements were extremely fast.
The Duke entered the room and found that all the ornaments in the living room had been taken away by Shancha. Hearing the noise in the bedroom, the Duke stepped back in.
I saw my aunt kneeling on the bed and taking down the wind chimes above her head.
The Duke strode over and hugged the man down by the waist.
Jasmine was puzzled.
The Duke was furious. "I want to keep it. I asked you to put it here because I like it. I can't sacrifice my preferences for a new bride."
Jasmine thought about it and felt that what her grandfather said was correct.
The Duke then added, "The bride doesn't need to come to the main courtyard. We can find another similar courtyard when the time comes."
After the Duke finished speaking, he turned around and left without waiting for the concubine to speak.
It seems that he is very angry.
Jasmine didn't dare delay and asked Shancha to put the things back in their original places. After they were done, she chased after him to comfort him.
"Master, I've put them all back. It was my fault for not being considerate. Please don't blame me."
The Duke: "Besides apologizing, can you say anything else?"
Jasmine knew that she had indeed not considered his thoughts, so she lowered her head and waited to be scolded.
But strangely, she didn't feel bad at all. She even felt a little secretly happy.
She tried to keep her head down so that her grandfather wouldn't miss it.
Seeing her fearless attitude, the Duke sighed. He didn't bother to talk to her and turned away.
But then he turned back and said to her, "Make some tea for me."
While his aunt was busy making tea, he teased her again, "You drank your fill at the teahouse, but I haven't had a single sip since I came back home."
Jasmine understood. "Master, this is all for me. I will be forever grateful."
Therefore, at night, when this man took his anger out on her, Jasmine endured it.
Jasmine is also proactive.
The sound of the wind chimes above his head made his ears buzz. A few days ago, the Duke was not used to it, but now he thought the sound of the wind chimes should be louder.
Jasmine blushed. The sound of the wind chimes was so loud that it could be heard outside. Jasmine was just complaining about the piercing sound when she heard her father say in her ear: "Auntie, hang two more strings tomorrow. Master will like to hear them."
...
The teahouse waiter was not a servant of the Duke's Mansion, and he was not caught in bed with his concubine. At most, he could not control his love for his concubine. What was wrong with that?
Therefore, the Duke ordered the release of the person yesterday.
The waiter did not return to the teahouse. After such an incident, how could the owner of the teahouse keep him?
Most of the teahouses and restaurants in Kyoto City have backers, but no matter how powerful their backers are, can they be as powerful as the Duke? In order not to offend the Duke, the teahouse owner is very good at not causing trouble for him.
The teahouse waiter found a small alley and stayed there for the night. The next day, as soon as the sky turned blue, the waiter went to the back door of Luo's house.
He told the impatient servant who came out to open the door that he was looking for Zhixia. The servant said to wait a moment, but ended up making him wait for more than half an hour.
The waiter knocked on the door again, but the other party didn't open it.
The waiter sneered and simply walked out of the main gate of the Luo Mansion. He directly asked Luo Ming'er to pay him back.
Minister Luo happened to be on his way to court and ran into them.
Fortunately, Mrs. Luo came out in time to avoid a disaster. Mrs. Luo sent Minister Luo away on the pretext that Luo Ming'er had bought tea on credit at the teahouse.
After Minister Luo hurriedly boarded the carriage and left, Mrs. Luo, with a look of annoyance, quietly stuffed a bag of silver into the waiter's pocket. Mrs. Luo couldn't help but complain, "I gave it to you twice, and you still patted your chest and promised that it would be successful. I was really blind to trust you."
The money was already in hand, so the waiter didn't want to be humiliated anymore. He retorted, "Madam, I don't like what you said. I did a good job, didn't I? Otherwise, I would have confessed everything after being arrested by the Duke's Mansion."
Mrs. Luo didn't want to say more to him. She waved her hand as if to shoo away a fly and ordered the waiter to leave Kyoto City immediately and not to come back.
The waiter replied in a friendly manner: "I will obey you, Madam!"
The waiter in the teahouse was the one arranged by Mrs. Luo.
Madam Luo asked Luo Ming'er to take the initiative to make friends with the concubine, and wait until the concubine lets down her guard, and then take her down in one fell swoop!
Luo Ming'er deliberately arranged for Jasmine to meet him at Dongshun Teahouse. Luo Ming'er also knew that the Duke's eldest daughter's wife would go to Dongshun Teahouse for morning tea every two days. Therefore, she arranged for the teahouse waiter to come.
For the sake of money, the teahouse waiter was not afraid even when he learned that the person he was trying to seduce was the Duke's concubine.
As long as the waiter in the teahouse seduced the concubine, the mother and daughter would be relieved of their major worries.
Of course, the mother and daughter also thought that things might not go so smoothly, and there was a possibility that the concubine would not fall for it. But as long as the concubine was suspected by the Duke, they could rest assured.
Who knew that the truth would be revealed so easily?
Last night, Luo Ming'er returned home and cried all night. Mrs. Luo slept with her daughter.
When Mrs. Luo returned to her room, Luo Ming'er had already gotten up. Her eyes were extremely swollen, so she couldn't go out today.
Mrs. Luo combed her daughter's hair herself and said, "You have little experience. One failure is nothing. You still have a long way to go."
Luo Ming'er: "But you didn't see how special the Duke was to that concubine. I saw it as early as the day of the spring outing, but mother insisted that the Duke was not that kind of person, that it was impossible for him to do that. What did he say this time? That's the Duke's main courtyard. Whose main courtyard looks like a brothel? Not only does the Duke not dislike it, he actually likes it. Mother, I heard that the concubine only stayed in the main courtyard at first, but now she has moved directly into the main courtyard. Whenever I think of the day I got married, I feel uncomfortable. I don't want that concubine to sleep on my wedding bed."
Mrs. Luo still didn't dare to believe it: "Could it be that you misunderstood, and the wind chimes and lanterns were requested by the Duke?"
Luo Ming'er didn't expect her mother still didn't believe her words at this time. She yelled angrily: "Mom! How could the Duke like that little woman's thing! It's obvious that he is indulging that concubine."
"Keep your voice down. Don't let that Huo guy hear us. We're miserable, but who knows how happy he is in the house."
Luo Ming'er didn't want to be laughed at, so she nodded to Mrs. Luo.
Mrs. Luo then said, "Those involved are often confused. It's not that I don't trust you, but I'm afraid you're too concerned about the Duke and overthinking things. I thought about it carefully last night, and I think my suspicions about the Duke aren't because he loves me so much, but because he only has this one."
Luo Ming'er looked at her mother, not quite understanding what she was saying.
Madam Luo: "Which nobleman in Kyoto doesn't have three wives and four concubines? But the Duke has only one concubine. The Duke is different from others. He has never had contact with women since he was a child. When he was a teenager, he was already in his teens and had to guard the border. Now he suddenly got a woman, and he treats her like a treasure."
Luo Ming'er didn't understand what her mother meant and said anxiously, "Mom, please tell me, what should we do?"
Mrs. Luo whispered in Luo Ming'er's ear.
Luo Ming'er pushed her mother away, angry and embarrassed: "Mom, what nonsense are you talking about? I'm not crazy. One concubine doesn't count. Find him a few more. I must be crazy! Mom, you are crazy too!"
Mrs. Luo took her daughter's arm and explained in her ear again.
Luo Ming'er slowly calmed down, waited for her mother to finish, and said coldly, "But what do we gain by doing this?"
Madam Luo: "Mother, I've told you before, there's no way you'll be the only mistress of the Duke's Mansion. Rather than letting the Duke find someone himself, or having the old lady and the others force their people on him, we should take the initiative. We have the initiative, and even if the Duke chooses someone in the future, it will be to our advantage."
Luo Ming'er asked uncertainly, "But what if one of the girls becomes favored and wants to escape from our control?"
Mrs. Luo: "Don't worry about that. I will find a few trustworthy ones for you. Of course, even if those little bitches are pretending, I will find a way to keep them from getting away."
Mrs. Luo added, "After experiencing it so often, it's no longer surprising. Look at the Duke's face, he's a man who can handle things evenly. I heard that early yesterday morning, the Duke made a speech at court, urging His Majesty not to hang himself on a tree. His words were so blunt that the entire court was embarrassed for His Majesty. I heard His Majesty was furious."
Luo Ming'er gasped: "Then, then the Duke will be okay?"
Madam Luo: "Don't worry, the Duke has fought bravely for the court and has made great contributions. Besides, my son-in-law and His Majesty are good brothers."
"Is this true? How did mother know?"
"Of course it's true. I just heard about this, too. I heard that His Majesty invited the Duke to the palace for a drink, and somehow the conversation started about their childhood. It turns out His Majesty spent two months in the Duke's Mansion as a child, and studied martial arts with the old Duke. His Majesty, aside from... hanging himself from a tree, isn't the type to vent his anger on others, so no matter how angry he was, he never picked on the Duke."
Madam Luo continued, "So, the Duke would definitely not do such a thing. He would also certainly help you, the mistress of the household, and respect you, the legal wife."
Luo Ming'er still felt uncomfortable, but she knew that her mother was right. Luo Ming'er said, "So what should we do next? We can't just give it to the Duke and have him take it without saying anything, right?"
Madam Luo poked her daughter's forehead and said, "Silly girl, how can you just give it to me? Of course, the Duke has to take the initiative on this matter."
...
Jasmine just went to deliver a box of snacks to the old lady. They were freshly baked in the kitchen. She took them and gave them directly to the old lady.
As for the snacks from the kitchen, of course the old lady had to eat as much as she could.
Jasmine was not afraid that the old lady would think she was being perfunctory. She just wanted to tell the old lady that she was not angry with her and that she still respected and was grateful to her.
Sure enough, the old lady was very surprised and delighted to see her delivering snacks.
I also apologized to her, saying that it was all her fault and that I misunderstood her without understanding the reason.
The old lady refused to let her go, insisting that since she was already here, she should stay for lunch. Jasmine happily agreed.
After lunch, Shancha returned to the main courtyard and quietly complained to Jasmine, "The old lady changes her expression so quickly. Yesterday she was so fierce and fierce, and today she's become a kind old lady. If it were you, Auntie shouldn't have wasted snacks."
Jasmine rolled her eyes: "If you have the guts, speak louder."
After a pause, Jasmine continued, "We must value peace."
Shancha: “What are the benefits?”
Jasmine thought about it. "The small benefits may not be visible for now, but the big ones are. We can't let the Duke down. Mr. He once taught me to write five characters that left a deep impression on me. 'A harmonious family brings prosperity.' If you want to emulate me, I'll teach you later."
Shancha was confused. "I don't understand that. I just know you didn't provoke them, but they provoke you. How can you be so peaceful?"
Jasmine: "There's nothing I can do. I just have to endure it."
Shancha: "Are you willing?"
Jasmine nodded seriously: "I am willing."
Shancha didn't believe her: "You must be lying. If it were me, I would secretly grab a knife and chop anyone into pieces if they offended me. If anyone in this world dares to bully me, I will definitely take revenge."
Jasmine looked at her in disbelief: "Then why didn't I see you come to see Auntie with a knife at night?"
Shancha was stunned and said unhappily, "That's because I think you're still useful. At least I can eat well with you, so I'm holding off for now."
Jasmine gave her a "I don't understand you yet" smile and stopped arguing with her. She simply said, "When I was little, life was a bit hard. Maybe it was because life was so hard before I met you, so I feel that every day is good. Even yesterday. Kneeling for two hours is better than stealing food from every house."
Shancha was stunned. She thought, "How hard is your life compared to mine?"
Shan Cha refused to accept this and immediately started arguing with her again, "I can guarantee that your life was definitely not as hard as mine. Back then, my mother took care of me..."
"... Auntie, just tell me, am I suffering or are you suffering? I'm definitely suffering more than you, right?"
Jasmine turned her back and put flowers in the vase, too lazy to pay attention to her.
Shancha didn't give up and kept chasing after her, chattering non-stop.
For many days after that, Jasmine brought snacks to the old lady, and every day she coaxed the old lady into inviting her to have lunch.
This was the seventh day that Jasmine was sent to the old lady. Unexpectedly, the eldest young master's wife was also there.
The old lady asked the eldest young lady to invite her to have dinner with her, and the eldest young lady gladly agreed.
So today, at the old lady's elegant garden, Jasmine, the old lady, and the eldest young master's wife had lunch together.
After dinner, while drinking tea, the eldest young lady's wife suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "Oh, the Duke is getting married soon. I saw that there were only a few maids in the main courtyard that day. When the new bride arrives, won't everything be in turmoil? Besides, the wife of the Luo family is delicate and will definitely need maids to serve her in the future. What will we do without anyone? What do you think, mother?"
The old lady guessed that the eldest young lady was trying to get someone into the main courtyard? She hadn't even started yet, so how could it be someone else's turn?
The old lady decided not to give her this opportunity!
The old lady said with a forced smile, "Don't worry, Master and Daughter-in-law. I have already prepared the maids for the main courtyard. They are currently being taught by an old maid from the palace. It won't be too late to send them over when the new bride comes home."
The eldest young master's wife said: "But mother sent it after all. Mrs. Luo might not be used to it. Why not let Mrs. Luo send a few familiar people in?"
When the old lady heard this, she felt something was amiss. She put down her tea and looked at the eldest young master's wife. Fearing that she might not understand, she asked directly, "Could it be that the eldest master and his wife came here on the orders of the Luo family?"
The eldest young master's wife was quite proud: "Mrs. Luo and Mrs. Luo thought that my daughter-in-law was reasonable and easy to talk to, so they came to me and wanted me to help. My daughter-in-law thought that she should inform her mother about this matter, so she came here now."
Now, the old lady completely understood what was going on.
The old lady felt a little unhappy. The Luo family was really something. Instead of coming to her, the mistress of the house, they went to find a concubine's son as their wife.
The old lady also didn't think that the mother and daughter of the Luo family had any other intentions. The reason why she chose Luo Ming'er was, firstly, because she saw that the Luo family had no power, and secondly, because the mother and daughter of the Luo family were not cunning and easy to control.
The reason why the Luo family mother and daughter chose the eldest uncle's wife instead of her was that the old lady guessed that the mother and daughter did not dare to provoke her, the old lady, so they chose the brainless eldest uncle's wife.
The old lady was filled with disdain. Someone from a humble family couldn't really be considered respectable. But this was all for the best.
Mrs. Luo wants to send her maid to live in the main courtyard? Wouldn't that mean her good days will end early?
Jasmine was having a headache when she heard the old lady ask her lovingly, "Auntie, do you agree?"
Is it any use whether she agrees or not? This question was clearly asked deliberately by the old lady.
Jasmine neither nodded nor shook her head, but smiled and said, "Mrs. Luo is very thoughtful. Jasmine will definitely help the maids learn the rules and serve the mistress well when she comes home."
She is not arrogant because of her favor, speaks sweetly, and knows how to please others. The old lady thought, if this person is not obedient, the Luo family lady will be eaten to pieces as soon as she enters the house.
Thinking of this, the old lady became even more affectionate towards Jasmine. "She is indeed a sensible girl. No wonder the Duke likes her. I am also very happy."
Jasmine lowered her head in shame.
The eldest young lady's wife was delighted: "From what mother said, mother agreed?"
How could the old lady refuse? "It's not a big deal. Why should I stop you?"
The old lady paused, then sighed and added, "Those mother and daughter are really something. They must have been afraid of disturbing me, so they didn't come to me. Grandpa and daughter-in-law, please tell them that if you have any problems in the future, you can come directly to me, an old woman. Otherwise, don't blame me for being upset."
The old lady seemed to be joking, but the eldest young lady had lived with the old lady for many years after all, so how could she not see that the old lady was really angry.
The eldest young master's wife did not dare to be perfunctory. After returning that day, she sent someone to deliver the message to the Luo family.
So, at noon the next day, Mrs. Luo brought a lot of gifts to apologize to the old lady.
This time, the Luo family's wife did not come. Mrs. Luo said that the wedding date was approaching, and she had to let her daughter stay in the room to learn more about the ways of a new bride.
Jasmine saw the four maids behind Madam Luo and guessed that they were probably going to be sent to the main courtyard to learn the rules.
The maids were all plump and graceful, with pretty looks. If Madam Luo hadn't said anything, others would have thought they were all young ladies from the Luo family.
After Mrs. Luo apologized and received the old lady's understanding, she returned to business. "Look, old lady, these girls are the ones who will follow Ming'er in the future. I was worried that when they enter the house, they wouldn't know the etiquette and might offend the Duke, so I thought of sending them to the Duke's Mansion in advance to learn etiquette. The old lady is kind and tolerant, and I know she will agree. I'm just worried that the Duke would find it troublesome."
The old lady said: "It's just a few more maids, what's the trouble? I'll take care of it."
Mrs. Luo had originally wanted to go through the eldest young lady's wife, but now that the old lady had personally taken charge, her chances of success were much greater, and Mrs. Luo was naturally even happier. She also regretted it in her heart. If she had known earlier that she would have gone to the old lady's courtyard from the beginning, she wouldn't have had to send so many apologies now.
Mrs. Luo stayed for lunch and sat for a while before leaving in the afternoon.
Nanny Qian asked curiously, "Isn't the old lady worried that the Luo family mother and daughter have other intentions? Those four maids are all beautiful, and I think they have bad intentions."
The old lady said: "You are the only one who can see it. I am blind, okay?"
Madam Qian quickly apologized: "It was my fault for saying that."
The Old Madam said, "If we want to use the daughter of the Luo family, we can't refuse any request from the Luo family right now. We must let the mother and daughter of the Luo family feel our sincerity. It would be best if we let them suffer a little loss from the Duke, so that we can manipulate them in the future."
Madam Qian had an exaggerated expression on her face: "I am grateful for your advice. It is the old lady who thinks long-term."
The old lady was not buying it: "You old thing, you're still trying to trick me like this."
...
When the Duke came back in the evening, the old lady told him about Madam Luo sending the dowry maid into the main courtyard.
The Duke also knew that there was nothing wrong with it and nodded immediately.
When he returned to the main courtyard, the Duke saw his aunt talking with four maids in the courtyard.
As the Duke walked in, Jasmine's eyes lit up when she saw him, and she brought the fourth girl forward to pay her respects.
"Master is back."
"This servant greets the Duke."
Ever since tables and chairs were placed in the yard, the first thing the Duke did when he came back was no longer to go back to his room, but to sit in the courtyard and drink a cup of scented tea made by his aunt, and then listen to his aunt talk for a while.
But now, with four more people around, the Duke felt embarrassed to just sit there in the courtyard. He paused, said "Get up," and went straight into the house.
But what was unexpected was that when the concubine came in, the four maids followed her in.
The maid had just arrived and was sent by the Luo family. The Duke knew that he could not lose face, so he did not send her away.
The Duke wanted to take a bath first, and just as he was about to tell his aunt, he heard a lot of chatter.
The concubine covered her belly, her face flushed. The Duke knew without asking.
So the Duke changed his mind and said, "Have your meal first. I'll be waiting for you."
Jasmine was shy and embarrassed. In the past, when the Duke had dinner in the right room of the guest hall and came back, Jasmine would have finished her dinner as well.
But today she was busy taking care of the four maids from the Luo family and didn't have time to pay attention.
The Duke strode out and shouted to the outside, "Serve the meal."
Jasmine only hesitated for a moment and immediately sat down to wait for dinner.
She was really hungry. If she couldn't eat now, she would have to wait until she helped the master take a bath, and then she wouldn't have to eat.
While Jasmine was eating, the Duke sat beside her and drank tea, occasionally looking up at her.
In order not to waste time, Jasmine moved very quickly.
The Duke knew she must be starving, and he found her expression quite amusing. He couldn't help but say, "I'm not hungry, so I won't fight with you. Eat slowly."
Upon hearing this, Jasmine suddenly remembered that the four maids were also hungry. This was all her fault for being careless and choking in her haste.
The Duke quickly put down the cup in his hand and went to massage her back.
A grain of rice fell out of her nose. Jasmine froze for a moment, and then she felt her grandfather pause in patting her back. Then Jasmine lay on the table, pretending to be dead.
It wasn't until the Duke was about to call the palace physician that Jasmine looked up and said, "I'm fine."
His face was so red.
"I'm glad you're alright. Why did you choke?"
"I almost forgot, they haven't had dinner yet."
The Duke then said, "You are no longer needed here. Go back and have your meal."
The fourth maidservant said: "We are not hungry."
Jasmine and her grandfather looked at each other in surprise.
Jasmine looked at the scene in front of her and guessed that because the Duke had called for food, the kitchen had sent several more dishes than usual. Jasmine said, "At this time, they might not be able to get food if they go back. Why not let them eat with me?"
The Duke also didn't like waste, so he nodded.
Jasmine turned to the four maids and said, "That's all right. You can take whatever dish you like."
The four maids panicked for a moment, but then their brows lit up with joy. "Thank you, Lord Duke, and thank you, Auntie."
Then the four of them sat down.
The Duke couldn't help but frown and glared at his aunt.
Jasmine really didn't expect these four girls to be so rude.
If it was just her, the concubine, it wouldn't be a big deal, but the Duke is still here. What kind of girls are these that the Luo Mansion sent?
Shancha knows the rules better than them, Jasmine complained inwardly.
But the person was already seated. And since he would be the future wife of the Duke, Jasmine didn't dare offend him.
He reluctantly told them, "Eat more. The Duke is easygoing. It's nothing serious."
The Duke didn't consider himself a man who cared too much about status. When guarding the border, he would often drink a bowl of wine and gnaw on a piece of meat bone with his brothers.
But right now, he really felt that the maids were being unreasonable. But it was his aunt who asked for them to eat together, and he had agreed to it. So the Duke didn't say anything else.
The Duke was not one to watch his maids eat, so after the four maids sat down, he stood up and said to Jasmine, "I'll go to the bathroom first. Come over when you're done."
"I've finished eating." Jasmine said as she stood up.
She followed her grandfather into the house.
Unexpectedly, the four maids saw this, hurriedly took two mouthfuls of rice, put down their chopsticks, and followed.
One of them, who was in the know, saw Jasmine holding the Duke's clothes in her hands, and boldly stepped forward and said, "Auntie, please take a rest. Let me handle these tasks."
As he said this, he reached out to grab the clothes from her hands.
Jasmine suddenly tightened her grip. Suddenly, she understood the Luo family mother and daughter's intention of sending four maids into the main courtyard.
Before the Duke came back, the four of them had no idea what was going on. Jasmine arranged accommodation for them and took them on a tour of the Duke's Mansion, introducing everyone in the main courtyard one by one.
Now that the Duke has returned, the four of them have changed.
During the meal, Jasmine talked about how they learned the rules. Now I understand that it is not that they did not learn the rules well, but that they did it on purpose.
Seeing that Jasmine refused to let go, the woman who knew the truth whispered in her ear, "Auntie, have you forgotten who the principal wife of the main courtyard is?"
Jasmine was even more shocked. She had never thought that a little girl would dare to threaten her. If she gave in, wouldn't she be trampled on by the four of them when the Luo family's wife came into the house?
Jasmine was considerate of the wife of the Luo family, but she was still not afraid in front of the maids.
Jasmine's face turned cold and she said, "My Lord, you only need me, your aunt, to serve you. Let me go."
Knowing the situation, he glared at her and reluctantly withdrew his hand.
Jasmine then said to the four people, "The Duke is bathing and doesn't like others to be around. You guys wait outside. I didn't tell anyone not to come in. Get out."
The concubine's voice was not small. The bedroom and the bathroom were connected. The Duke must have heard this.
Seeing that the Duke hadn't said anything, the few people who knew the situation moved away.
These girls can't be kept.
Jasmine decided to find a way to send them back and never give them the chance to enter the Duke's Mansion in the future.
Jasmine watched the dormitory door close before turning around with her clothes in her arms.
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