Xu Rong led his people out of the mansion in a cheerful manner, and they happily selected a well-known old restaurant. The group of people went in and sat at four tables, one upstairs and one downstairs.
The three tables in the lobby downstairs were for servants, while Xu Rong and Xiao Xin were upstairs. The restaurant was suddenly flooded with customers, and the waiters were running up and down the stairs trying to please them, all very cheerful and attentive.
The steaming hot porridge and various snacks were served in no time. Xu Rong was also hungry at this time, so he didn't stand on ceremony with Xiao Xin and started eating by himself.
Xiao Xin remained silent. The two sat facing each other, and the plates and dishes were emptied one after another. When the meal was coming to an end, Xiao Xin put down his empty bowl of porridge and said, "I have an acquaintance here. I'll go say hello."
He stood up and went outside.
Xu Rong watched his retreating figure, a thought flashing through her mind. She wanted to call out to him, but in the end, she didn't say anything. She just smiled, rested her chin on her hand, and casually tapped her fingers on the table.
A moment later, Bai Fu quietly ran up, panting, and said, "Miss, I saw the second young master talking to the shopkeeper. It seems like he was going to pay the bill. There are so many of us—does he have enough money?"
Xu Rong was aware of Xiao Xin's predicament, and the maids were also well aware of it.
Xu Rong said, "Since he's going, he can certainly afford to pay for this meal. Let him be."
Bai Fu said worriedly, "The young lady told us to make ourselves at home, but they rarely come out, so they didn't stand on ceremony. I should have stopped them."
In addition to four personal maids, Xu Rong's dowry included two rough-working old women who were in charge of sweeping the courtyard, as well as several family members who did not enter the inner courtyard and were responsible for handling matters outside the mansion. Among them were the parents and brothers of Hongliu and Qingzao. With so many mouths to feed, a single meal could potentially leave the young master penniless.
"It's alright," Xu Rong reassured her. "There's a saying that poverty can strengthen one's resolve. The fact that the Second Young Master is poor will help him temper his will and strengthen his confidence in studying hard. There's a wealth of knowledge in books."
She casually misinterpreted the poems and texts. Bai Fu didn't understand these things, but she instinctively had a sense of awe for knowledge, so she believed her and didn't mention it again. Instead, she worried about another issue: "Miss, what will we do in the future? Will we always be eating out?"
Xu Rong immediately waved his hand: "How can we waste money like that? Just this once, we won't need to do it again."
"What does the young lady mean?"
"Unless Madam Xiao wants the whole city to know that the Marquis of Changxing's mansion is starving, this kind of thing will not happen again."
She was certainly reluctant to spend so much money, and Madam Xiao couldn't bear to lose face like that.
The logic was easy to understand, and Bai Fu realized it. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Miss, if we do this right away, won't we offend Madam Xiao too much? After all, she is your mother-in-law."
She hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped, so Xu Rong encouraged her, "Say it."
Bai Fu's voice trailed off uncertainly: "I think this might not have been Madam Xiao's idea. Even if she wanted to set rules for the young lady, she didn't need to be in such a hurry, nor should she have used this method—"
This is too degrading. There are plenty of ruthless and vicious women in wealthy families like Madam Xiao. This is just not right. In short, she has fallen out of her proper social class.
Xu Rong laughed: "You're right. This matter shouldn't have much to do with Madam Xiao. If I'm not mistaken, I'm probably implicated by the Second Young Master—well, I shouldn't call it implicated, it's more like we're sharing the same fate. What kind of treatment he received in the manor before, that's what I'm getting now."
Xiao Xin's willingness to come out with her so readily, and his insistence on finding excuses to pay the bill, all had various reasons behind it, but he didn't say it outright, and she didn't point it out either.
Bai Fu was shocked: "That girl also—"
"Do you think I shouldn't have made such a big deal out of this? I should have just gone to the kitchen to argue with them?"
Bai Fu wanted to nod, but was too embarrassed.
Xu Rong smiled understandingly at her, then shook her head firmly: "That's not enough. The most I can do is smash up the kitchen, and that might fix things for a while. But then what? The kitchen goes back to its old ways, and I go and smash it up a second or third time? Will I still be in the right then?"
Bai Fu stared in disbelief: "Miss, you can tell Madam Xiao—"
She stopped after saying only one sentence, realizing just how naive she had been. She sighed with shame, "It's so hard being a girl."
"It's not difficult. She'll give me a hard time sooner or later. Do you know the most effective way to stop her?"
Bai Fu opened her eyes wide and shook her head.
Xu Rong stood up with a smile: "I'll give her one first."
Bai Fu was both amused and exasperated: "Miss!"
Xu Rong greeted her casually, "Let's go. The second young master's bill should be paid soon. Go back early so as not to delay his studies."
It was rather amusing that Xiao Xinmo had silently insisted on paying the bill. Xu Rong thought to herself and turned back by the door, asking, "Guess how many copper coins the Second Young Master has left in his pocket?"
Bai Fu remained silent, offering only a forced smile.
Xu Rong was a quick-witted person. She turned her head and, sure enough, Xiao Xin was standing outside the door, glaring at her coldly.
**
On the way back to the manor, Xu Rong, besides asking Bai Fu to buy an extra bag of pastries, followed Xiao Xin around apologizing all the way, finally managing to calm Xiao Xin down and get him to speak.
"After you enter the mansion, do not speak."
Xu Rong was taken aback. Was he implying that she talked too much?
Xiao Xin continued, "Today's events were my idea."
His words were concise, but his meaning was very clear—he wanted to take the blame for leaving the residence without permission.
Xu Rong understood, and was stunned for a moment, unsure of what expression to make. This feeling was both novel and unfamiliar. She had never been blocked behind her like this before, especially since Xiao Xin's shoulders did not look particularly imposing.
She smiled and said, "I'm afraid Madam won't believe it."
Xiao Xin glanced over, his gaze questioning.
Xu Rong first pointed to herself: "Second Young Master, look," then swung her arm in a semi-circle and swept it towards the vast crowd behind her. After completing the set of movements, she couldn't help but laugh: "It's clear at a glance who the principal offender is and who the accomplice is."
A whole bunch of her people, not to mention that there are likely Madam Xiao's spies among them, such as that "Sister Cuiting" who was forcibly dragged out.
Xiao Xin: "..."
He was speechless, then turned and left.
Xu Rong, standing beside him, said, "Second Young Master, don't worry, nothing will happen."
Xiao Xin coldly replied, "I'm not worried about you; I'm more worried about myself."
"What?"
Xiao Xin ignored her for a moment, and as he walked, he pulled one hand back into his sleeve and rummaged around for a while before finally pulling it out, his palm open, revealing four copper coins lined up in a row.
Xu Rong was taken aback, then burst into laughter, his shoulders trembling as he clutched his cloak: "Second Young Master, you—"
Xiao Xin showed off his skill and then took the copper coin back. Xu Rong laughed for a while longer, and only stopped when she saw that the gate of the Marquis of Changxing's mansion was about to open. Finally, she said a complete sentence: "Second Young Master, you seem to be in a good mood?"
Given Xiao Xin's temperament, he would never play such tricks with her unless he was in a good mood. It was only because he did it that it seemed particularly funny.
Xiao Xin replied, "So-so."
He spoke casually, but a smile played on his lips, and in the morning sunlight, his face seemed to soften a little.
Xu Rong pressed him, asking, "Second Young Master, do you only have four copper coins left?"
Xiao Xin, sparing with words, simply replied, "Hmm."
Xu Rong was amused and chuckled quietly as she walked into the mansion. The servant at the gate hesitated for a moment before saying, "Madam has ordered that the Second Young Master and Second Mistress come to the main courtyard immediately after their return. Madam has some questions to ask them."
Xu Rong didn't even turn his head: "I understand."
Most of the dowry servants were sent away, leaving only Bai Fu and Xin Cheng to follow behind. These two maids would be working in the mansion from now on, so they should come along to broaden their horizons and get to know people.
Xin Cheng's journey with the man was worthwhile. When they arrived at the main courtyard, a man happened to come out. Xin Cheng's eyes widened in surprise. The man also seemed taken aback, but then casually avoided Xin Cheng's gaze and walked away with his head down.
“Miss,” Xin Cheng quickly moved closer to Xu Rong and whispered, “It’s her!”
Xu Rong: "Hmm?"
"It was this woman in the dark blue vest who gave me that plate of shrimp cakes." Xin Cheng glared at the departing figure, saying with a mixture of resentment and certainty, "I remember her, I've heard people call her Sister-in-law Jiang."
Xu Rong nodded slightly: "I understand."
Xin Cheng, satisfied with her complaint, retreated. The maid who had gone in to announce her arrival came out at this moment and stood by the door, saying in a clear voice, "Madam says that she would like to invite the Second Young Master and Second Mistress in."
The main courtyard where Madam Xiao lived was located on the central axis of the Marquis's mansion. All the materials and dimensions were built according to the regulations of the imperial court, so it was similar to the Marquis of Ji'an's mansion, except for the details of the furnishings.
Unless there are distinguished guests or important matters, the main hall in the center of the courtyard is not used. Madam Xiao's daily life and affairs are handled in a side courtyard connected to the east of the main hall. The room was lavishly furnished, with incense smoke gently rising from a corner burner. Madam Xiao sat upright on the kang (heated brick bed), her expression initially composed. However, as Xu Rong and Xiao Xin entered one after the other, she glanced at them out of the corner of her eye, and her face immediately darkened further.
These two, swaying and wobbling, not at all nervous or prone to making mistakes, but rather as if they had just returned from some kind of debauchery.
Madam Xiao remained silent, her anger palpable, and slammed the teacup she was holding onto the kang table.
She remained silent, maintaining her airs, but Xu Rong had something to say. He took the bag of pastries he had bought along the way from Bai Fu, placed it next to the teacup, curtsied, and said with a smile, "Madam, these are pastries from Yingmingzhai, a famous old brand in the capital. They use high-quality ingredients and their pastries are sweet and delicious. Their rose cakes and sand cakes are especially exceptional—"
She went on and on praising him, and Madam Xiao soon grew impatient. Xu Rong, oblivious to her surroundings, continued to fan the flames, talking incessantly. Madam Xiao couldn't find a chance to interrupt until just before she was about to explode in anger. Xu Rong finally finished speaking, "Madam, I just learned that the situation in the manor is not good, but it's alright. This package of pastries is a gift from my second son and me. You can enjoy it without worry."
Her voice trailed off with a sigh of sympathy, tinged with a hint of smug superiority. Her whole demeanor exuded a shallow, almost palpable, joy that practically radiated from Madam Xiao's face.
Madam Xiao: "..."
Her anger subsided, replaced by a bewildering sense of unease: "What did you say? What's wrong?"
Xu Rong said cheerfully, "Madam, don't hide it from me. I'm not an outsider. Everyone in this mansion is eating the leftovers from last night's wedding banquet. Isn't that a bit difficult? Sigh."
Her sigh was completely opposite to her expression, conveying a vivid sense of schadenfreude, and considering the context, her reaction was surprisingly plausible.
Xiao Xin looked at her profile.
She kept smiling, but he noticed that her smile was different from the one on the street. Her eyes never curved upwards; only the corners of her mouth turned up, revealing her white teeth. There was a sharpness between her lips and teeth, and her smile carried a blade.
Madam Xiao was struck by the keyword "leftovers" and finally snapped: "Where did this nonsense come from? Who said this? Was it Erlang?!"
She approached Xiao Xin, who looked away, his face turning cold, and said, "I didn't say anything."
Xu Rong cheerfully replied, "Madam, it's not the second young master, it's Aunt Jiang from the kitchen."
“This morning my daughter went to the kitchen to get her breakfast, and Sister Jiang gave her a plate of burnt shrimp cakes from the previous day. My daughter is naive and argued with her for a bit, and that's what she said.”
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