Chapter 28 028 Care about him? Who cares!
Kangda had been hiding in his room for three days when he finally heard the news. He had been starving for three days and his face was ashen, confirming that he was sick. He changed into clean clothes and hurriedly went to Dongwan Garden.
Inside the East Garden, servants came and went in an endless stream, yet not a single sound could be heard. He sighed, "Indeed, the order is impeccable." He had a plan in mind.
Under the eaves, there was a huanghuali wood armchair with a bat pattern, and on the square mahogany flower tables on both sides were hawthorn bonsai in the shape of bells with sky blue glaze, adorned with bright red and round hawthorns, adding a touch of joy to the slightly cool autumn day and making one's mouth water.
Qingli wore a crimson satin embroidered butterfly padded long dress, with a gray squirrel fur cloak over it. Her hair was adorned with a kingfisher feather hairpin that shimmered in the light. She held a hand warmer in her hands, seemingly oblivious to the cold.
A line of servants stood outside the corridor, all of them appearing very respectful.
Qingli sat in her chair, watching Kangda rush in from outside, panting. He stood respectfully to one side. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Butler Chen, are you feeling better?"
Kangda's surname was Chen, but because of past events, he abandoned his surname and changed his given name. Since entering the Meng family, no one had ever called him that. Upon hearing it, he immediately straightened up, his scalp tingling to the bone, and the chill ran down his spine and throughout his body. Realizing what was happening, his limbs went weak. After stammering for a long time, he slowly said, "This servant is fully recovered. Thank you for your concern, Miss."
"Now that the Emperor Kangda is well, he can devote himself to managing the affairs of the household."
"Yes, this old servant will do his utmost."
Hearing the change in address, Kangda couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself. Just a day or two ago, he had been looking down on her, but now that he was being held by the throat, he dared not move.
From then on, Qingli turned her gaze to Jiang Shan, the kitchen manager standing on the other side. He was fat and had big ears, and his eyes kept darting around. Thinking about the unusual eating habits of Meng Qingshan when he was at the mansion and when he wasn't, she figured he must be a quick-witted person.
Since the Meng family mansion was small, he couldn't access the private funds of each branch of the household, so he resorted to tampering with the ingredients.
"Manager Li, I heard that Shanfuju Restaurant in the south of the city is your shop?"
While marveling at the extravagance of the courtyard, Li Shan suddenly tensed up, panicked, and stammered, "Miss...Miss misunderstands, it's...it's...the master is my cousin, Li Fu."
"Oh?" Qingli fiddled with the account book in her hand and said meaningfully, "I can't tell the difference, but just make sure you can tell which one is your master's house."
If Li Shanqian's contract is torn up, and this kind of person who loves to take advantage of others goes out and stirs up trouble in the Meng family, it will do Meng Qingshan nothing but harm. As long as he is properly warned, that will be enough.
Large beads of sweat rolled down Li Shan's forehead as he swore, "Miss, this servant is utterly loyal to the Meng family. If I were to betray you for personal gain, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death."
Kangda glanced at him sideways and sneered inwardly that Li Shan was a fool who didn't need to make such a big oath. He just didn't expect that someone who usually looked honest and unassuming would dare to do private business.
Kangda withdrew his gaze and began to ponder. The young lady had just arrived in the capital and encountered chaos in the manor, yet she remained calm and composed, focusing on the major issues and letting go of the minor ones. With just a few words, she had him and the kitchen manager under her control. The rest of the people would probably be more obedient and restrained in their actions. What a remarkable skill!
Their background...did the general reveal it?! Was it so the two of them could put on a show to test the loyalty of their lackeys?
The thought of this possibility made him lower his head in fear.
The other servants were already sweating profusely and dared not move. Thinking of their outrageous behavior a few days ago, they were afraid of being scolded by the young lady. Seeing the steward like this, they also bowed deeply.
This served as a deterrent.
Qingli thought that as long as nothing happened at the Meng family during this period, she could just turn a blind eye to everything else. As for what happened in the end, it was none of her business.
She was speechless for a moment, looked around the courtyard, and then slowly said, "Let bygones be bygones, everyone return to your posts and manage your subordinates well. From this moment on, if anyone under you makes a mistake, you will all be held accountable."
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing the phrase "guilt by association," and their backs stiffened.
This means that if something goes wrong again, they can't shirk responsibility; they'd love to go back immediately and give them a serious talking-to, warning them not to meddle in things they shouldn't be involved in.
Someone was thinking of complaining, but when they shifted their toes and found no one moving, they withdrew.
At that moment, everyone had different thoughts.
Qingli said directly, "To avoid any ambiguity, let's all define our respective responsibilities now."
Those below exchanged bewildered glances, secretly lamenting that their young lady had left them no room for slackness, and their last trace of disdain had vanished. They were all at a loss for words, neither laughing nor crying.
After Qingli finished speaking, she went back to her room, took off her cloak, and lay down on the chaise longue to pretend to sleep. Fortunately, her grandfather had found out about the Meng family's background in advance, otherwise she would not have been able to stabilize the situation so easily today.
The people outside made a racket for half an hour before Jiang Yue finally entered the room with the confirmed details. Each manager had signed and pressed their fingerprints on the document, written in red on white paper. They would have to think twice before acting in the future.
She carefully read through everything, making sure nothing was missed, before letting out a long sigh of relief. Although the Meng family had few people, as the saying goes, even a small sparrow has all the vital organs. Being busy was a bit exhausting, and the thought of having to meet these stewards every day at dawn made her even more depressed.
She wanted to send a message to ask Meng Qingshan when he would return to the manor, but she didn't want to be the first to back down during their argument, so she had to give up.
Granny Sui was still stirring things up from the side, saying, "Miss, I think you still care about the General."
Care about him? Who cares!
Jiang Zhao entered the courtyard with a grin, took an invitation card and went inside, saying happily, "Miss, Miss Tang from next door sent someone to deliver an invitation card."
This was also the first time Qingli had received an invitation. She took it and read it carefully. Her eyebrows relaxed, and her face brightened like the autumn sun outside, clear, bright, warm and joyful.
"Shuqing has sent a letter asking if it would be convenient for you to come to the mansion tomorrow."
Just as Qingli was about to ask Jiang Yue to reply, she thought for a moment, then got up, sat down at the table, ground ink, picked up a pen, and wrote a reply, doing so very solemnly.
The next day, Qingli wore a bright white brocade dress with bamboo leaves embroidered around her waist, and a bright red feather gauze cloak over it. Her hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin. She met Tang Shuqing at the screen wall of the second gate. The two smiled at each other and warmly held hands.
Upon arriving at Dongwan Garden, Granny Sui and Granny Qiu, who were already waiting under the eaves, greeted her in unison, "Greetings, Miss Tang."
Tang Shuqing was dazzled by the sight and exclaimed, "This courtyard is so beautiful!"
Qingli took off her cloak, smiled and said, "They're all from the Ministry of Works. The Tang family and the Meng family are the same."
"No, that's not true." Although it was late autumn, the area was lush with greenery and the flowers were in full bloom, showing no signs of decay. Looking west, outside the moon gate, beneath the rocky artificial hill, the pond shimmered, and one could hear the swaying of bamboo, like the sound of a zither.
Its ingenuity and cleverness are evident in every detail; it is far beyond the work of the Ministry of Works, which merely follows the textbook.
Tang Shuqing was enjoying the view when she glanced at what the woman was wearing underneath. Her cheeks flushed inexplicably, and she lowered her gaze shyly.
Qingli led her into the house, but saw her standing awkwardly to one side. She teased, "Did you want me to see you being coy?"
Tang Shuqing glared at her, her face flushed, and after fidgeting with her fingers for a moment, she said, "It's rare to see a woman dressed like this."
"What outfit?"
“Just like a man.” After Tang Shuqing finished speaking, she stamped her foot and said in one breath, “I didn’t say you were bad, you’re just too good. Your clothes are as white as snow, your eyebrows and eyes are as beautiful as a painting, and your figure is slender, just like a gentle and refined gentleman.”
Once the conversation started, Tang Shuqing lost her shyness and quietly admired Qing Li. When Qing Li smiled, the corners of her eyes lifted slightly, like a lazy cat, making one want to pity her.
Qingli tapped Tang Shuqing's nose and explained with a smile, "I just thought that the hairstyle was too complicated, so I wanted to relax my mind for a day."
She was somewhat embarrassed, as it was her first time getting up early to manage household affairs, and with time running out, she simply chose a jade hairpin to get by.
Tang Shuqing smiled and looked at it for a moment, then lowered her head as if she had thought of something. She then became interested again, but in the end, she could not compare to her previous excitement.
Qingli saw it clearly, but she didn't intend to ask any questions right away. She simply pushed the chestnut cake in front of her forward and said, "Try it."
On a white porcelain plate were stacks of chestnut cakes, three layers thick, their color a deep brown, steaming hot, and emitting a rich chestnut aroma. They were soft, sweet, and chewy. Tang Shuqing had never seen such an exquisite snack before, and she ate three pieces before stopping, her eyes still lingering on them.
Qingli said, "It's all prepared. When we leave, we'll take some back for Lord Tang and Madam Tang to try."
Tang Shuqing paused, then shrank back into her chair, looking somewhat dejected.
Qingli looked at Tang Shuqing with gentle eyes and soft brows. Her gentle gaze made Tang Shuqing's nose tingle for no reason, and she naturally poured out the sadness that had been building up in her heart. "Father and Mother had another fight because of my brother. They haven't spoken to each other for several days. I really don't know what to do."
Tang Shuqing's shoulders were thin and trembling slightly. Occasionally, a faint sob could be heard, filled with deep grievance.
Qingli gestured for the maids and nannies to leave. Once she had calmed down, she slowly said, "I really didn't know you had an older brother."
Tang Shuqing wiped away her tears and said in a muffled voice, "I can't remember what my brother looks like anymore, I only know his name is Tang Yanqing. He went missing more than ten years ago and we haven't heard from him since. Finding my brother has become my mother's obsession. We've sent out many people, but none of them have brought back good news. My mother has become depressed and ill. My father advised her to rest for a while..."
Tang Shuqing couldn't continue speaking. She understood her mother's suffering and knew her father's hardships, but she had no way to solve the problem.
Qingli saw that her eyes were red again and felt sorry for her. It seemed that Lord Tang and Madam Tang had forgotten that their daughter also needed care.
How can one feel at ease when living in a repressive atmosphere every day?
The suffering within a family, though slow, is enough to seep into the heart of anyone.
Do you know when your brother went missing?
"Winter of the ninth year of the Yuanming era."
Qingli was startled. She had also gone missing that winter. This was too much of a coincidence. Could it be that she wasn't the only one who went missing that year? She suddenly felt that the truth was shrouded in dark clouds. She wanted to clear them away to see clearly, but it seemed so far away. She couldn't help but ponder what exactly happened in the winter of the ninth year of Yuanming.
She thought that since her grandfather had found her, he might be able to help the Tang family in some way.
"Does your brother have any special marks?" Qingli used Meng Qingshan as a pretext. "My cousin travels all over the country, leading soldiers all over the place. If he has any special marks, he can be easily identified."
Then, considering that it had taken him so many years to find her, he worried that she might have too high expectations, so he thought, "It's always good to have more connections."
Tang Shuqing's eyes lit up. If she could find her brother, her father and mother would be reconciled. She quickly took out half a piece of broken jade from her purse, tied it with a red string, wrapped it tightly, and finally tied a willow leaf knot at the end, which was very special.
"This jade ring was once worn by my grandfather. It was pure white, flawless, and translucent. One day, it broke into four pieces on its own. My grandfather felt that it had a profound meaning, so he gave it to my elder brother, my two younger brothers from my uncle's family, and me. I don't know if Heaven had already foreshadowed this calamity."
As she spoke, she became depressed again.
Qingli's heart was in turmoil. She had seen this jade before. Although there were slight differences, it was the same as the jade with a red rope wrapped around it and a willow leaf knot attached to it.
Unable to suppress her astonishment, she held the jade in her palm and examined it closely. The more she looked, the more shocked she became. The words swirled in her mind several times, but she didn't say them out loud. After a long while, she regained her composure and said, "I will copy it."
As the sun began to set and the dim light could not even penetrate the windowpanes, Tang Shuqing still felt that the experience was not yet over and was reluctant to leave. She stood in the hall, twisting her body, unwilling to go.
Qingli took her hand and escorted her to the door, promising to visit the Tang residence in a few days, which made her give up.
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