Chapter 8 Chapter 8 "After the daughter of the Luo family comes into the house, I will tell her...
Jasmine continued to remain silent.
Really, I don't know how to respond.
The Duke pressed her into his arms and spoke to her honestly, "I don't know what's going on. Ever since last night with Jasmine, I haven't thought about anything else but this. Jasmine, what's going on?"
He actually asked her?!
Jasmine was speechless.
The Duke asked, "Is it possible that I have been poisoned? Did you poison me?"
Jasmine didn't dare remain silent any longer: "Absolutely not. How dare Jasmine?"
The Duke nodded: "Then tell me why?"
Before Jasmine could even think clearly, she was pushed into the water. At some point, her clothes were gone, and the more she struggled, the closer the Duke came.
The whole bathroom was filled with smoke, water was gathering on the ground, and the water in the bucket was almost gone.
Jasmine didn't know how much time had passed, but the water beneath her was ice-cold, while her body was burning hot.
She begged for mercy, and the Duke didn't know whether he really didn't hear her or was pretending.
Finally, the bathtub was so painful that she cried out that she wanted to go to the bed, and the Duke reluctantly agreed.
I don’t know if the Duke can fly, but Jasmine was already in the bed curtain in the blink of an eye.
Then she became even more miserable.
Of course, Jasmine didn't get any sleep that night.
While she was dazed, Jasmine suddenly remembered why the Duke did that.
This was the first time her grandfather had touched a woman in his twenty-six years of life. It was like the first time she had braised pork in soy sauce after entering the Duke's Mansion. How could she not think about it every meal?
Thinking of this, she actually felt a little sorry for this guy.
Jasmine hated herself.
Jasmine still cherishes her life very much. She can't sacrifice her life just to serve this master, right?
She decided that if this man continued to cause trouble in the next few days, she had to prevent the tragedy from happening.
Jasmine told the Duke on the evening of the next day that the three young ladies and the old lady had sent her gifts.
There were clothes from Concubine Liang’s clothing shop given by the eldest young lady, a jade hairpin given by the third young lady, porcelain from the fourth young lady, and a lot of cloth snacks given by the old lady.
Jasmine put all the things in the compartment in the main courtyard.
Jasmine pointed it out to the master and said nervously, "I refused, but I didn't refuse it. Did I cause trouble for you?"
The Duke glanced at the items on the table, then looked at Jasmine: "These are nothing special, just accept them."
Jasmine was still worried and asked again, "Then do I have to return the favor?"
The Duke said: "We are all family. If we return the gift, it will seem strange."
"I will obey you, Master." Jasmine seemed to be thinking about something.
This seems to be different from what she thought.
She also thought that the relationship between the Duke and the three uncles including the old lady would definitely not be very good.
After all, among the four masters of the Duke's Mansion, the Duke was neither the first born nor the old lady's biological son, and the old lady's biological son, the fourth master, was also healthy.
As a result, I became a Duke.
Jasmine remembered that when she was at home, she often quarreled with her brothers and sisters over food. Jasmine was dissatisfied with her father's favoritism towards her two brothers, and she was also unhappy with her mother's constant insistence that she was older than her sister and should give in to her.
Her family can quarrel over who gets to eat more food, let alone such a wealthy family.
The centenarians in the village often told stories on the street, and when she got tired of work, she would sneak in to listen. Many of the stories were about the intrigues in the mansion.
According to the centenarian, the bigger the family, the more dirty things there are. If others can't see it, it must be because the wealthy family cares about their reputation and keeps it hidden from others.
Jasmine was very confused. Could it be that she was overthinking it?
What she heard were just stories. In fact, there were still brothers and sisters from wealthy families who loved and were united with each other.
Jasmine recalled the faces of the old lady and the three masters and three young ladies in her mind.
Jasmine had a hunch that something was wrong.
But you wouldn't lie to her, would you?
Or...
Is this guy stupid and naive?
Jasmine quietly raised her eyes to look at the master, and just one glance scared her so much that her brain stopped working.
The Duke was also looking at her. That look was so familiar to her!
The Duke saw her looking at him and asked, "I'm going to take a bath, do you want to come with me?"
Jasmine subconsciously refused: "I have to clean up these things!"
After Jasmine finished speaking, she felt that her words were particularly insincere. If she were the master, she would definitely say, "Is cleaning up more important than me? It's not too late to clean up after serving me."
Fortunately, the Duke didn't react at all. He nodded and said to her, "Then I'll be out soon."
Jasmine understood that this meant she had to wait for him.
Jasmine now hoped that the daughter of the Luo family would come in sooner rather than later. This would also relieve her.
The Duke came out faster than Jasmine expected.
While Master was in high spirits, Jasmine asked something that had puzzled her for days: "Why did Master agree to let Madam Luo be his wife?"
The Duke was holding his concubine in his arms, his mind wandering. Upon hearing this, he still looked up at her.
Jasmine knew there was something ambiguous in this statement, so she quickly added, "What I meant was, why isn't it Madam Lin or Madam Fang, but Madam Luo?"
The Duke didn't think much about it and said, "The old lady chose it."
Jasmine: "But I heard that the father of the Luo family's wife is not a high-ranking official. With your conditions, you can easily choose a princess or the daughter of a noble family. Don't you feel wronged?"
The Duke said: "Marry a virtuous woman. A princess may not necessarily be good. The old lady chose the daughter of the Luo family, so there must be something special about her. Especially since Lord Luo is a rare and good official, marrying her can save a lot of trouble."
After the Duke got angry again, Jasmine spoke again with difficulty, "It seems that the Master trusts the Old Madam very much?"
The Duke lay down, panting, and holding the woman in his arms, he said, "My biological mother died young, and later the old Duke married the old lady as his second wife. When the old Duke was alive, all the affairs of the Duke's Mansion were handled by the old lady. Later, when I inherited the Duke's Mansion, it was the old lady who handled it all. So, the old lady wrote to tell me that she had taken a fancy to the daughter of the Luo family and asked for my opinion. I agreed. When the daughter of the Luo family comes into the family, she will help share some of the burden with the old lady."
Is her grandfather determined to marry a housekeeper?
Sharing the burden with the old lady? This would be stealing her job, and the old lady would probably not like it.
Jasmine suddenly understood why the old lady chose the Luo family girl! The old lady must have wanted to control the Luo family girl, thinking that she would be easy to control without anyone behind her. Once the Luo family girl came into the house, she would be able to make her obey her.
Jasmine couldn't help but smack her lips. The old lady was very clever.
This man has been guarding the border for many years, interacting with men, and does not understand the twists and turns of the backyard. He also thought that the old lady was really thinking about him.
Jasmine certainly wouldn't be stupid enough to tell him her thoughts. Not to mention whether this man could trust her.
Even if she could, if everyone in the mansion knew that she was the one whispering in the Duke's ear, her days in the Duke's mansion would be difficult.
Of course, Jasmine didn't think the Duke would believe her.
Let's take it slow. The Duke saved her life, and although she repaid him with her own body, she still has a good life. This favor must be repaid.
It would be best if everyone was at peace, but if someone really wanted to attack the Duke, she wouldn't just sit there and watch.
Jasmine felt like she was going to pass out, but this master was full of energy. Suddenly, she heard a voice in her ear: "Jasmine, don't worry. When the daughter of the Luo family comes home, I will tell her to treat you well."
Jasmine really wanted to open her eyes and roll them back at him. Even if he was the master, could he guarantee that the Luo family girl would obey him?
Do you understand that women’s hearts are as deep as the sea?
Needless to say, this guy definitely doesn't understand.
But I have to admit that Jasmine was still a little touched.
In the blink of an eye, Jasmine had already stayed in the Duke's Mansion for more than a month.
She knew everything about the people in the Duke's Mansion, including how many fish ponds, pavilions, waterside terraces and gates the mansion had.
During this month, whenever the Duke was at home, she could only spend her time in bed.
Fortunately, the Duke is still diligent. No matter how long he makes noise at night, he will get up at the hour of Mao.
Jasmine envied his energy.
During the day, when the Duke was away, the three young ladies would come to chat with her, and the old lady would occasionally invite her over to watch a play or have tea.
Jasmine had recently accepted a lot of gifts from everyone, and she had nothing to return. She couldn't just give what one person gave her back to another. Since the Duke had said it was okay to accept them, she couldn't refuse, so she simply accepted them all.
She also had her own little thoughts. If she was kicked out of the house one day, she wouldn't have to become a beggar if she had these things.
During this month, no one made any demands on her. It was as if she was truly a member of the Duke's Mansion and was accepted by everyone.
Just when Jasmine thought that she was really being mean-spirited, something big happened in the Duke's Mansion.
Uncle Yan Bo skipped work and went to Yihonglou and was caught!
When Jasmine heard Shancha's story, the news had already spread all over the mansion.
Apart from the eldest wife, the others were of course just watching the fun. Those who were at odds with the eldest young lady would hide away and celebrate, gloating over the misfortune.
For example, the third young master’s wife.
At this moment, the Third Young Master's wife was in her own room. She asked two trusted maids to guard the door while she set up an incense table in the room to worship Buddha.
The Third Young Master's wife muttered something, thanking the Buddha for punishing the dangerous and mean-spirited First Young Master's wife. She then lit another incense stick, this time asking the Buddha to bless her with a smooth life:
"...If the Buddha is merciful and wishes to grant me a son, I will burn three sticks of incense daily to pay homage to him."
"Do you think the uncle was caught for skipping work or for going to Yihonglou?" Shancha asked Jasmine.
Jasmine: "Just skip work. After all, I work for the court. If I'm caught neglecting my duties, that's definitely not okay."
Shancha looked at me with a look of 'Are you stupid?' "Of course it's because he skipped work and went to Yihongyuan. I heard that our emperor particularly dislikes men visiting brothels and doesn't allow officials to go there. In Kyoto, places like Hua Man Lou and Xiang Man Lou have either closed down or reopened under new names."
Jasmine glanced around, and seeing that no one was around, she threw a melon seed shell at her: "Then why are you asking?"
Shancha: "I just wanted to see how clever you are, Auntie. Now it seems that she is just that clever. When Madam Luo comes into our family, we will have a lot of trouble. If Madam Luo wants me to go with her, Auntie, please don't stop me. I will never stay."
Jasmine quickly cracked a bunch of melon seeds and was about to grab a handful and throw them over when she caught a glimpse of someone. She hurriedly threw the shells to the ground and sat up straight.
"Sister Jasmine! Sister Jasmine!"
Jasmine looked in the direction of the sound and saw the eldest young master's wife running towards her. She hurried over to greet her, "Madam, what's going on..."
The eldest young lady's wife grabbed her hand, her former arrogance gone, and she looked like she was begging for help: "Sister Jasmine, you are the only one who can help me now. Whatever you want, as long as you ask, I will agree to it. I only ask you to talk to the Duke and ask him to release me."
Jasmine was startled and tried to pull her hand back, but the eldest young lady's wife held her hand too tightly.
The eldest young master's wife sensed she was about to escape, so she pressed harder, "Sister Jasmine, you've only been in the mansion for a month, but honestly, have I been the best to you in this mansion? You must do me a favor!"
Jasmine was in a dilemma. She couldn't break free, so she simply grabbed the eldest young lady's hand and led her to the stone table. "Madam, if you have something to say, please speak slowly. Jasmine will pour you some water. Please drink some water to moisten your throat first."
Only then was Jasmine able to withdraw her hand.
She poured a cup of tea for the eldest young lady's wife, and then spoke to comfort her: "Madam, don't worry. The master is the Duke's brother. The Duke will definitely find a way."
"You may not know yet, but the master was captured by the Duke." The eldest young lady said resentfully.
Jasmine really didn't expect this.
He stared in shock and asked, "Isn't the Duke in the garrison camp? How could it be..."
The eldest young lady's face turned even more grim: "The Duke hasn't returned home in the past two days. What do you think he has been doing?"
The eldest young lady's wife answered her own question, "I'm on an errand for His Majesty. My job is to secretly apprehend those officials who neglect their duties. Most of the court officials are now dead at the hands of the Duke, including his only biological brother."
Jasmine was even more surprised. When the Duke told her he wouldn't be coming home for the next two days, she burst into tears of joy and wondered what big thing he was up to. He was so willing to stay away for a few days.
Jasmine thought he had a beautiful mistress outside and wanted to go and keep her company.
It turned out she had misunderstood him. The Duke had indeed gone on a big business.
"The Duke is a man of few relatives..." The eldest young lady gritted her teeth and continued, "Yes, that's what I said. Our Duke is a very cold-blooded and ruthless man. Since he can personally imprison his brothers, he will definitely not release them without a thorough investigation."
The eldest young lady's wife grabbed Jasmine's hand again: "But Jasmine, you are different. You are the Duke's woman. Men listen to women the most. Can you help me?"
Jasmine didn't understand the basis for the eldest young lady's words: "But I am just a concubine."
Jasmine added cautiously, "Everyone knows the Duke's temper. Not to mention a concubine like me, even the Duke's wife who will marry into the family in the future won't be able to handle him. Madam, you are really praising Jasmine."
The eldest young master's wife: "I'm not flattering you, you are really different. Don't think that I don't know what's going on in the main courtyard. When the time comes, you will..."
The eldest young lady asked her to come closer to her ear, and Jasmine, whose face had already blushed, had no choice but to do so.
By the time the eldest young lady finished speaking, Jasmine's face had turned the color of liver.
Jasmine was shy.
The eldest young lady's wife said: "We are all women, how could we not know that men are most obedient at that time? Just make sure that the Duke has spoken. Given the Duke's personality, even if he regrets it, he will definitely not go back on his word."
"Can……"
Before Jasmine could speak, the eldest young master's wife interrupted her, "I know the Duke might blame you later, but as long as you coax him, Jasmine, and considering how much he loves you, I guarantee that within three days, he will be back with you."
Jasmine hesitated.
The eldest young master's wife shook her arm and said, "Don't worry, if you save the master, I will never forget your kindness. You know, I am the legitimate daughter of the Yang family, the richest family in Luozhou. Whatever you want in the future, I can give it to you. How do you do it?"
Jasmine knew that if she didn't agree, the eldest young lady would probably not give up.
If she resolutely refused and left in anger, Jasmine was sure that the eldest young lady would find ways to punish her in the future.
Jasmine had no choice but to agree.
"Then I'll wait for your good news!"
Jasmine: "Madam, there's no need to wait. The Duke may not even be back tonight."
The eldest young lady's wife said: "Don't worry, the Duke will definitely come back tonight."
Jasmine thought to herself, could she come back just like that? How could it be such a coincidence?
As a result, the Duke really came back tonight.
Perhaps the eldest young lady had asked Jasmine for help, so when she learned that the Duke had returned, she did not go near him.
The master was a bastard, not even the old lady's biological son. To save face, the old lady asked about it when the Duke came to pay his respects. After realizing that it was impossible to release the master, she put on a sad face and stopped asking.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with the Duke, the old lady urged him to go back and rest. He had been exhausted these past few days, so he shouldn't come out for dinner tonight. She would send someone to bring it to the main courtyard.
The Duke thanked the old lady.
When the Duke stepped into the main courtyard, he saw his aunt standing obediently under the eaves, waiting for him.
The Duke quickened his pace and walked forward: "No need to wait in the future."
After thinking for a moment, the Duke, fearing his concubine might misunderstand his words, said, "My Lord's meaning is that you don't have to stand in the wind waiting. You can go into the main courtyard. You don't have to be shy while I'm away. You can use anything in the main courtyard and even sleep on the bed."
Jasmine said hurriedly, "This is illogical. If the mistress comes in and sees this, she'll definitely think I'm being spoiled and arrogant. I dare not provoke the mistress."
The Duke thought so too. He wanted to say that there was still half a year left, but what about after half a year? The Duke didn't say anything more. He just nodded and praised: "You think more carefully than me."
The Duke walked into the bedroom, grabbed Jasmine and went to the bathroom at the back.
How could Jasmine not understand what he wanted to do.
"Master, Master, slow down..."
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