Chapter 11 The Snowy Night Picture Caters to My Eye
There's no need to continue the topic the other person started, because that's not the key issue at all, or rather, nobody cares about the key issue; they just want to settle their own emotions.
Then don't let it land; the benefits of attacking far outweigh those of defending.
Sure enough, the woman stopped talking about whether it smelled good or not, and stood up angrily as if her tail had been stepped on, saying, "You... rude! What are you saying?!"
It seems my initial observation upon entering was correct; both ladies are human, unlike the night watchman.
If it were Bluebeard, what would be the most important thing for the wives in the story, regardless of their personalities, whether they are kind or evil?
It was their fate, their own lives that they knew all along were about to end.
However, this tactic is like using the threat of death when arguing with a terminally ill patient; it's actually quite unethical.
Is it okay for someone to stab you in the back and then chase after them, determined to kill them?
This is...this is not good.
"It's all because this move is too effortless and easy to use. I'm really sorry," Jiang Geyun thought.
Jiang Geyun lifted her clothes and sat down, hesitating whether to add, "It's understandable that someone who is about to die cares about the smell, after all, corpses never smell good."
Just then, the woman across from them, covered in bandages, turned her gaze towards them, no longer reserved, and stared at Jiang Geyun with curiosity.
What a pleasant surprise! Jiang Geyun looked up and smiled at her.
...She lowered her head again.
Footsteps sounded at the door.
Yao Ji arrived together with Cheng Xi, Mu Jin, and the manor lord, and the group seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation.
The Pei siblings and Xie Jiming didn't look too good. Compared to Jiang Geyun, who felt she had completed her revenge and moved on, these people didn't seem to have let go.
Xie Jiming, in particular, could hardly hide his displeasure upon hearing the words "poor and stingy."
The atmosphere in the hall was stiff, and the four who had just arrived noticed it. The other three did not make a move, but Cheng Xi sat down directly next to Jiang Geyun with a relaxed expression.
Just as the manor lord was about to ask, the exquisitely made-up lady immediately stood up, her clothes fluttering like the wings of a pale yellow butterfly. She ran a few steps to the manor lord and said aggrievedly, "Bai Lang..."
After saying that, she turned to look at Jiang Geyun, then turned to look at the manor lord.
Mu Jin, standing to the side, widened her eyes and feigned confusion: "What's going on?"
Mu Jin knew what was going on.
Last night, Mu Jin witnessed the two parting ways with her own eyes. Thinking about the undercurrents at the banquet, her mind was still in a daze.
This morning I met the Fifth Madam and casually mentioned that the Master of the Manor seemed to admire a certain beautiful guest.
She didn't mean to incite or guide; it was just her intuition, just something she said casually. That's how she always does things, and she has no ulterior motives.
She thought, this has nothing to do with her.
Her gaze shifted to Jiang Geyun, and Cheng Xi beside her.
The Fifth Madam, dressed in pale yellow, held onto the Master of the Manor, waiting for him to smile and bend down to listen to her whisper.
Find the person most likely to cause her death and tell them someone said she's going to die? Very creative.
Jiang Geyun rested her chin on her hand and looked at the two of them, feeling rather bored.
Honestly, she's not actually aggressive at all.
Regardless of which version of her, in her mind she had always been a person who was unambitious and had no background or support, someone who was easy to bully, except that she knew a little bit of parrying—she couldn't just let people insult her for nothing!
And generally speaking, she's the one who's barefoot and crazy.
This time, well, maybe it's because people on their deathbeds often speak nonsense!
As Jiang Geyun had predicted, the manor lord did not make things difficult for her. After hearing the whisper, his expression became much more serious, but he was speaking to the Fifth Madam.
"Xiangniang, why are you treating the guests like this..." The middle-aged man pinched the Fifth Madam's cheek affectionately. Jiang Geyun lowered her hand that was supporting her chin and looked straight ahead.
However, she could still hear the manor lord's smug voice. The middle-aged man addressed the crowd, saying, "Xiangniang is used to being spoiled, please forgive her."
Before Jiang Geyun could say anything, Pei Xuexiao suddenly said to the manor lord, "It's alright."
After saying that, he smiled slightly and pointed to a painting in the hall, asking, "Is this Xu Fu's 'Visiting Mount Tai on a Snowy Night'?"
Cheng Xi took a sip of tea, then smiled and looked down.
The manor owner was taken aback, then his face lit up with joy. He replied as if he had met a kindred spirit, "Young master has a good eye! It is said that Xu Xuanqing secluded himself for three days without eating or drinking when he painted this picture, which is why this painting is so cold, aloof, and full of Zen spirit. It was a rare opportunity for me to obtain this painting!"
Pei Xuexiao nodded and asked with a smile, "May I ask where the Master of the Manor obtained this painting?"
The owner replied, "Thanks to a friend who kindly gave it to me."
Pei Xuexiao looked somewhat surprised and said, "Then the manor lord should be careful of this friend."
The manor owner was completely stunned and asked, "Why is that?"
Pei Xuexiao tapped the table lightly with her fingertips and said, "Because this painting is fake."
The manor lord's expression was even more unpleasant than when he heard Xiangniang's complaint: "Why do you say such a thing, sir?"
Pei Xuexiao said, "Xu Xuanqing is my great-uncle. The original painting of 'Visiting Mount Tai on a Snowy Night' has always been kept in the Pei family's Thousand Scrolls Pavilion."
After saying that, he stood up, cupped his hands in a reserved manner, pointed to himself and Pei Xueyi, and said, "I was in a hurry last night and did not have time to explain in detail. Pei Xuexiao and Pei Xueyi of the Pei family in Langzhou, I apologize for disturbing you."
Upon hearing this, only a few people in the entire room showed no surprise.
Xie Jiming already knew which Pei the two men were referring to, and he was already surprised.
Jiang Geyun... has no idea.
Although Yingzhou is located inland, it is more like a small island, hence the name Yingzhou. Due to its remoteness, information was difficult to circulate, and the "prominent families" she remembered were mostly those who were exiled to Yingzhou after losing their struggles.
Since the system didn't mention it, she genuinely didn't know.
Mu Jin's eyes flickered as she looked back and forth between the Pei siblings.
After his initial surprise, the manor lord quickly broke into a smile and said to everyone, "It turns out to be the Pei family of Langzhou. My humble place has failed to provide adequate hospitality."
Pei Xuexiao said, "Why do you say that? We don't value these things."
The manor owner said repeatedly, "That's good, that's good. Everyone, please sit down. We'll start the banquet once everyone is here."
Beside the master of the manor, Xiangniang lowered her head, her expression somber.
However, she didn't say anything and took her seat with the manor lord.
While everyone was walking to their seats, the middle-aged man whispered to Yao Ji, "Take down that painting and burn it!"
His words conveyed a barely suppressed yet inescapable resentment.
When her master, whose expression had changed, appeared unperturbed, Yao Ji remained calm and bowed in response.
The waiters repeated their actions from the previous night, silently setting out the food once again.
Since it was breakfast, the menu was much simpler than last night, consisting mainly of soup, simple main dishes, and desserts.
Yao Ji stepped forward, took down the painting "Visiting Mount Tai on a Snowy Night," bowed to the crowd, and was about to leave.
The manor lord, who was not yet wearing the Buddhist prayer beads around his neck, asked Yao Ji, "Has Zhi Niang not arrived yet?"
Before Yao Ji could reply, Xiang Niang's expression was already not good. She put down the apricot porridge she had just taken a sip of, looked aggrieved, and turned to look at the manor lord.
Yao Ji bowed again and replied, "The Sixth Madam is unwell and unable to go out."
"Even Fourth Sister doesn't seem to be feeling unwell, but Sixth Sister is acting so shamelessly."
Before the manor lord could reply, Xiangniang had already blurted out sarcastic remarks.
So, this "Xiangniang" is the fifth wife?
So, where did the first three ladies go?
Jiang Geyun remained silent.
Now that the focus is no longer on her, she is enjoying the peace and quiet, categorizing and eating her breakfast at her own pace.
Pei Xuexiao's gaze fell upon Cheng Xi, who was looking at Jiang Geyun, and both of them quickly looked away.
The Fifth Madam Xiangniang's move to bring the dispute in the courtyard to the guests clearly embarrassed the master of the manor.
He scolded Xiangniang a couple more times, but his words were very slick, combining criticism with gentle rebuke, so although he was reprimanding Xiangniang, he did not make her more indignant.
After resolving Xiangniang's issue, the manor lord addressed the crowd, saying, "I originally intended to introduce the three ladies to you all, but unfortunately, Zhiniang has fallen ill again. She is indeed a bit weak, please forgive her."
Only three?
It seems the whereabouts of the first three ladies are now self-evident.
Jiang Geyun lowered her head and continued eating her breakfast.
Pei Xueyi swallowed all the food in her mouth and drank some water before tilting her head to look at the manor lord and saying, "Manor lord, you're too kind, but we don't need to know that lady, do we?"
The manor lord waved for Yao Ji to leave, then said to Pei Xueyi, "As you all may not know, Zhi Niang, she..."
Before he could finish speaking, Pei Xuexiao continued his sister's words, "We must hurry on our journey today, and it is truly a pity that we were unable to get to know everyone in the manor..."
He said "what a pity" but didn't seem to feel any regret. He then changed the subject: "However, there are orders from above, and I have no choice but to obey."
The manor lord sighed and said, "Is that so? But I'm afraid your path will be difficult."
Pei Xuexiao seemed to have expected this, and didn't react to the seemingly threatening remark, calmly asking, "What do you mean?"
The manor lord pointed in Yao Ji's direction, where a girl in a peach-pink dress had just opened the banquet hall door.
Outside the door, everything was a vast expanse of white.
While everyone was chatting in the banquet hall, an unusual blizzard suddenly began!
At this moment, the snow was almost ankle-deep, and not only that, but goose feather-like snowflakes continued to fall from the sky.
Jiang Geyun was amazed.
Is this a man-made snowstorm mountain villa?
Although it may not necessarily be created by "humans".
But...it's snowing? She suddenly remembered Cheng Xi's reminder about the cold wind last night.
Did he anticipate today's anomaly? Or was he simply able to roughly foresee tomorrow's weather?
A halo around the moon foretells rain; she occasionally made this judgment, which wasn't exactly outrageous. With that thought in mind, she suppressed the inexplicable suspicion that was growing in her heart.
Neither the Night Watcher nor the Abbot had mentioned anything unusual about Cheng Xi. To become suspicious based on a few potentially unfounded reminders was a bit like being overly suspicious.
Jiang Geyun lowered her eyes to look at the center of the bowl and plate, remaining silent.
Pei Xuexiao turned his head and saw the unusually heavy snow. He remained calm and turned to the manor lord, saying, "I see. It seems I will have to continue to bother Manor Lord Bai."
The manor owner clapped his hands and laughed, "How could I be bothering you? It's my honor. With the blizzard raging, you gentlemen can also take a stroll around my garden during your stay. Don't waste this beautiful scenery!"
It's early summer, and the weather is incredibly strange...
Jiang Geyun observed for a while, and no one present expressed any surprise or doubt. Xie Jiming, who had been tense since last night, even secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The servants in the manor were the same; each of them went about their work expressionlessly, some serving dishes, others cleaning.
An overwhelming sense of unease pervaded the air.
Jiang Geyun sighed softly, knowing that she couldn't leave easily, and looked at Cheng Xi beside her with some worry.
Cheng Langjun didn't seem too worried. Noticing Jiang Geyun's gaze, he smiled gently, leaned closer to her, and whispered, "It's alright, I trust Madam Jiang."
Although she believed that she was of no use in this situation, this trust once again moved Jiang Geyun.
The sixth wife, "Zhi Niang," did not show up until the meal was over.
The manor owner didn't mention it again. He stood up, and the prayer beads made a slight sound as he stood up. The wood clashed, and the sound was soft and gentle, not harsh.
He said, "I apologize, I am busy with other matters, so I will have to leave now. You may all take a stroll in the garden with my two wives."
The waiters moved forward silently like a flowing stream, collecting the leftover food from in front of each person.
Upon hearing the manor lord's words, Jiang Geyun almost immediately looked at the fourth madam, who was wrapped in bandages.
Of the people present, judging from their appearance, the Fourth Madam had the most secrets.
The fourth lady put down her bowl and chopsticks and carefully stepped aside to make way for the servants who were tidying up.
Upon hearing this, she also stole a glance at Jiang Geyun, but lowered her head again the moment their eyes met.
Jiang Geyun shook her head helplessly, knowing that the Fourth Madam would not say anything in front of everyone.
But doesn't this more lenient attitude also imply that they might say something in private?
Perhaps considering the previous awkwardness, the manor owner was saying that the two ladies had different preferences, and since the manor was too large, they could split up and the guests could make their own arrangements.
Jiang Geyun stood up and said, "I find Fourth Madam very pleasing to the eye."
Fifth Madam Xiangniang sneered upon hearing this.
Jiang Geyun did not react.
The manor owner nodded with pleasure and said, "This is your prerogative. Xiangniang and Yu Niang, please make sure to take good care of all our guests."
Pei Xuexiao said calmly, "In that case, I thank you both in advance, Madam and Brother Xie. We will travel together with Miss Jiang."
Hmm... this arrangement.
Jiang Geyun didn't have much of an opinion. It was obvious that the Fourth Madam had a secret. Pei Xuexiao and Xie Jiming were with her, which would be very helpful in uncovering the Fourth Madam's secret.
However, in this case, wouldn't only Pei Xueyi and Mu Jin be traveling with Fifth Madam Xiangniang?
Jiang Geyun hesitated for a moment, then the girl in purple, Mu Jin, spoke first, her tone natural, "So, Young Master Cheng and Miss Pei are with me?"
A note from the author:
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An update suddenly dropped!
The previous chapter was too transitional, and this chapter is more fast-paced. [Applause]
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Suddenly realized I forgot to mention something in my writing, so I'm adding this urgently—
The original story of "Visiting Dai on a Snowy Night" is actually about visiting Dai on a snowy night. To differentiate it from reality, I'll deliberately make some minor changes to the characters based on the original (not just here, hehe, you can look for these Easter eggs [okay]). (If you don't find any changed characters, it's probably because I accidentally created something that coincidentally resembles reality, tears). The reason I changed it to Dai is because mentioning snow reminds me of Zhang Dai! It's also a homophone and a double entendre! It's very interesting! Very interesting, right? [please]
In short, I subtly added some small details that probably no one would care about (qwq) but that I had a lot of fun with, in order to avoid being mistaken for a parent.
Another fun thing about this book was the naming process; the Chinese names are so much fun! My last Western fantasy book didn't have this kind of enjoyment, which is a bit of a shame. I hope I can write more of those! I've already decided that I'll be writing a lot about different hair and eye colors in the Tyrant book! (Oh my god, anime fans!)
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