That night, Xu Wen was preparing to eat when someone outside announced that Sheng Huairen had arrived. Xu Wen put down her chopsticks and sat upright, not getting up to greet Sheng Huairen.
The door curtain was lifted from the outside, and a dashing, handsome man walked in. His waist was as straight as a pine tree, bound by a jade belt. Even now, Xu Wen's heart was still in turmoil when she saw him, but since two months ago, Xu Wen had let go of her admiration for him.
Sheng Huairen sat down with a smile on his face, looking like a newlywed, and sat very close to Xu Wen. He even raised his hand and served a bowl of fish soup to Xu Wen. Xu Wen calmly took it, thanked her, and picked up her chopsticks without saying much.
Sheng Huairen picked up the chopsticks and picked up some more ribs for Xu Wen, and said with a smile: "Madam, please use more."
Xu Wen lowered her head to eat and nodded to show that she understood. Sheng Huairen seemed to be choked, coughed and said, "Madam, I will stay with you tonight."
Without even raising her head, Xu Wen said calmly, "Second Master, I'm not feeling well today, so I won't keep you here."
Sheng Huairen didn't seem to care, and smiled brightly, making the little maidservant blush. Sheng Huairen looked at Xu Wen and said, "Then I will come to accompany you another day." After a pause, when Xu Wen didn't say anything, he cleared his throat and said, "Madam, why was Concubine Chun sent to the farm?"
Xu Wen wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and rinsed her mouth with the mint water Qiu Ming handed her. After a series of smooth movements, she finally had time to reply: "Second Master, men are in charge of the outside affairs and women are in charge of the inside affairs. I have my own opinions on matters concerning the inner house."
The smile on Sheng Huairen's face faded. After dismissing the servants, he said, "Madam, please stop being jealous. Those are just concubines. If you don't like them, just keep them indoors and send them to the manor. How can Sanlang learn how to write and paint there?"
Xu Wen didn't argue with her as she had in the past. She smiled faintly and said, "Sending the child to the manor is to spare Concubine Chun the pain of separation from her mother and child, and secondly, for the sake of the mansion's reputation. Concubine Chun is a concubine, and we allowed her to raise the child on her own. Not only is she ungrateful, she also spreads unfavorable rumors outside the mansion, causing outsiders to discuss the mansion's affairs. Second Master has just been promoted. If Second Master is not afraid of these rumors, why should I be afraid?"
Sheng Huairen didn't expect there was a reason for this, but after returning home, Hong Yi Niang complained to him, so he came to ask. Sheng Huairen bowed to Xu Wen and said, "I have wronged you, Madam."
Xu Wen looked at Sheng Huairen and asked, "You came here today because Concubine Hong complained to you, right?"
Sheng Huairen smiled awkwardly and said, "Eat your food."
Xu Wen understood immediately from Sheng Huairen's expression that Concubine Hong loved to use this divisive tactic. She had known about it before but kept quiet, but this time she should learn her lesson. Xu Wen instructed Qiu Ming, "Concubine Hong has committed the sin of verbal abuse, slandering the mistress at will. She will receive twenty slaps and be confined to her room for ten days."
Sheng Huairen raised his hand to stop her, his face filled with reluctance, but was caught by Xu Wen's half-smile and half-smile, and lowered his head again. The dinner ended unpleasantly, and Sheng Huairen took a few mouthfuls of rice before hurriedly leaving.
When Qiu Ming returned, Xu Wen was sitting at the dressing table, Qiu Ling helping her remove her pearls. Qiu Ming stepped forward to help, whispering, "Madam, the maids slapped Concubine Hong twenty times with a wooden plank. Two teeth were knocked out, and she's spitting blood. Just after the family discipline, the Second Master came in and dismissed everyone."
Xu Wen closed her eyes and hummed softly, completely unconcerned. Before, she wouldn't even look at someone else, but now, even if he was being affectionate in front of her, she didn't care at all. She had a strong personality; if she liked someone, she liked them, and if she didn't like someone, she really didn't like them.
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