Chapter 18 Water Dragon Chant (Part 8) Sweet Fragrance.
Mr. Chen's throat tightened slightly, and his voice became hoarse. "Second Madam really thinks too highly of me. How could I presume to know the old lady's thoughts?"
"Sir, are you unwilling to help me? Everyone in the household knows that all the accounting questions over the years have been written by you. The old lady often praises you for understanding her thoughts best; no one understands the intricacies of the matter better than you."
Zhou sobbed softly, leaning against him, almost resting her head on his arm. “You have seen the state of the household these past three months. I am now struggling to make ends meet, no longer the person who used to manage the accounts. Now I only hope that my child can excel in the examinations and regain some face for me.”
Faced with such beauty and soothing words, Mr. Chen's heart swayed. Two plump, warm mounds nestled between his elbows, their sweet, alluring scent filling his nostrils, utterly intoxicating. He suddenly felt his mouth go dry, and he raised his hand to drink the plum soup in his cup in one gulp, regaining some clarity before staggering back, saying, "Second Madam, please have some self-respect."
Seeing this, Zhou remained calm and composed. Her eyes, gentle as water, swept over his flushed cheeks. Her slender fingers slowly smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes, and her delicate lips parted slightly. "Sir, you really have the heart to do this. Fine, fine, just pretend I never said anything..."
She made a move to pick up the box and leave, but suddenly heard a soft sigh behind her, "Five days from now, at Shenshi (3-5 PM), I will have the booklet ready to wait for Second Madam at Qingfeng Pavilion."
The two had made this private agreement, but by sheer coincidence, Lady Wang, the wife of the Marquis, was returning from visiting the Xie family when she passed by the corridor of the Tuisizhai and suddenly heard what sounded like whispering inside.
She paused and looked out the window, where she saw Mr. Chen and Mrs. Zhou standing beside a rosewood desk, their hair slightly askew, while Mr. Chen rested one hand on the desk. The two seemed quite intimate as they talked.
Wang's heart skipped a beat. Just as she was wondering what was going on, she took a few more steps and saw Ye Qing standing on tiptoe by the pond not far away, reaching for the lotus flowers on the water's surface, while Ye Mu was sitting alone on a Taihu stone bench eating pastries.
Both children were sent away, leaving only the two of them in the room? Madam Wang frowned slightly, but did not retaliate immediately, and gracefully went to the old lady's room.
The old lady was reclining on the warm couch when she heard Lin Mama's reply. When she saw Wang Shi come in, she waved her hand to let Lin Mama leave first.
“Mother,” Wang greeted.
"You're back from the Xie residence? Is Old Madam Xie feeling any better?" The old lady gestured for her to sit down and talk.
Madam Wang took the warm tea handed to her by the maid, took a sip, shook her head gently, and sighed, "I'm afraid it will only last for the next two days. She's so delirious that she can't recognize anyone and is only kept alive by ginseng soup. Several ladies from the Xie family are watching over her. Judging from her condition... alas, they've already made preparations."
Upon hearing this, the old lady remained silent for a long time, fiddled with the prayer beads in her hand, and finally spoke after a while, "It is also her lifespan that has come to an end, and we cannot force it. However, the Xie family was once very illustrious, but I don't know what kind of curse they encountered. For three or four generations, several men in their prime have not been able to cross the threshold of forty and have all passed away, leaving behind a bunch of grandmothers and wives in the mansion. It is truly a tragedy."
"Mother, have you forgotten that there is still one left, namely the youngest son of the old Marquis, Ninth Master Xie, who was born in his later years?"
"Him?" The old lady frowned slightly, as if searching her memory. "Didn't he become disheartened in his early years, abandon his family business, and say he was looking for immortals and the elixir of immortality? We've heard very little from him these past few years, and we don't even know if he's alive or dead. If he were still alive, he would be forty by next spring, wouldn't he?"
“Mother is right. When I went there this time, I saw Ninth Grandmother. She was so haggard that she almost looked different. How radiant she was when she was young! All the grandmothers in the mansion are, it’s fate, that they all gave birth to girls. But she alone gave birth to two boys in a row. She’s worried about them day and night. I’m afraid she won’t be able to get past the age of forty.”
The old lady sighed, "Poor thing, how old are those two children this year? Are they still healthy and strong?"
"I only saw the younger one, the same age as Fourth Sister, with a chubby face. I didn't see the older one. Ninth Grandmother was also vague about it. Seeing the situation, I didn't dare to ask any further questions."
"Enough, enough. It's ultimately someone else's fate, and we can't interfere that far. But the Xie family is, after all, a prestigious family that has been around for generations. We can't lose face. When the time comes, we, the Marquis's family, can't lag behind in terms of proper etiquette and assistance. We must be thorough in everything we do."
"I understand," Wang replied, pausing briefly before carefully beginning, "Just now, on my way back, I passed by Tuisizhai and saw Mr. Chen..."
The old lady looked up at her when she heard her stammering. "What's wrong? Why are you hesitating? Did Fourth Sister and Qing'er make a fool of themselves by not paying attention?"
“No, that’s not it,” Wang said softly. “I just saw my second sister-in-law inside, talking to Mr. Chen. They were standing quite close together, while the two children were sent outside to play by the pond. I was thinking that although Mr. Chen is an elder in the household and has always been of upright character, he is still an outsider. My second sister-in-law is currently free, and if she stays in the classroom so often, I’m afraid it will cause unnecessary gossip.”
The old lady listened, her expression gradually calming down, without speaking immediately.
After a long silence, she said calmly, "Now that the second son's wife is free, it's only natural that she cares about Qing'er's studies. I trust Mr. Chen's character. Besides, his wife, Xia, is no shrew. Even if Mr. Chen had ten times the courage, how could he dare to do anything out of line outside?"
The old lady wasn't exaggerating. This Xia Jie was actually related to Third Madam Liu. She was originally a maid in Liu's household. She came with Liu as part of her dowry and stayed in the mansion for less than two years. The old lady saw that she was quick and efficient and had a straightforward personality. She also noticed that although Mr. Chen was gradually making a name for himself in the accounting department, he was too mild-mannered and reserved. She needed a capable woman like Xia Jie to support the household, so she personally acted as matchmaker and betrothed Xia Jie to him.
However, Sister Xia was known for her jealousy and shrewishness. If she saw Mr. Chen exchanging a few words with any woman at the alley entrance or on the street, or if any tactless woman smiled at him a couple of times, she would immediately turn on him and make a scene known to all the neighbors.
No sooner had we finished talking about Sister Xia than five days later, she actually appeared in the courtyard of the third branch of the Marquis's mansion. She was carrying a bamboo basket and said she had come to deliver a Dragon Boat Festival gift. She walked briskly and went straight to Liu Shi.
"Greetings, Third Grandmother." Xia Jie's voice was clear and bright, and her movements were brisk and efficient. She put the bamboo basket on the table and lifted the cover. "These are some simple snacks I made myself. I'm just sharing them with you and Fourth Miss to try and to celebrate the season."
Liu smiled and asked her to sit down, "Sister Xia, you're too kind. You always remember me every year."
Ye Mu tiptoed and peered into the basket. "Wow, it's mugwort cakes! Wow, and there's also poria cocos cake!"
"Look, isn't this what Fourth Sister likes?" Sister Xia smiled and took out a celadon dish from the basket. "It's fresh out of the pot and still warm. Come and have a taste."
"Okay."
Although Ye Mu had the mindset of an adult, she couldn't shake her childhood habit of being greedy. She reached out to grab it, but Liu Shi gently stopped her and took a wet cloth to wipe her hands. "You're in such a hurry, why don't you wash your hands first?"
Ye Mu stuck out her tongue, wiped her hands, and sat obediently to the side, savoring the fragrant cake while listening to her mother and Sister Xia chatting casually.
The two chatted about the festival, and then Xia Jie subtly changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, I was just thinking of asking Third Madam for some advice these days. I don't know if it's because the household accounts are particularly busy, but these past few days, our master has been absent-minded since returning from the mansion. He tosses and turns at night, unable to sleep soundly, and always lights an oil lamp to write and calculate. When asked why, he only vaguely says that it's important homework and won't reveal any more details."
She leaned forward slightly. "As you know, I'm illiterate and can't read a single word. I can't understand the tiny characters in that book. But strangely, he buried himself in a blue book and wrote for three or five days, and then the book just vanished without a trace. He seemed relieved, as if he had finally put his mind at ease. It makes me very uneasy, and I start to wonder if he wrote something shameful or erotic?"
“Mr. Chen is an upright and prudent man. In all his years of service in the household, he has never overstepped his bounds.” Madam Liu pushed the box next to her toward Sister Xia. Inside were freshly roasted pumpkin seeds. “Perhaps he has been taking on more work lately while tutoring the two young ladies. That booklet is probably the household’s account book from previous years, which he brought for the children to refer to. Once they have used it, he will return it.”
Upon hearing this, Sister Xia's expression relaxed considerably. She casually grabbed two handfuls of melon seeds and placed them in her palm. "So that's how it is. I was just overthinking things and having wild ideas."
Ye Mu was on guard. Yesterday, she had Zijing make fried lotus flowers. Fresh lotus petals were coated with a thin batter and deep-fried, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich floral aroma. Knowing that her third sister liked this, she served it on a white jade plate. She saw Ye Qing flipping through a blue-covered booklet. When she saw Ye Mu, she hurriedly covered it with the embroidery hoop beside her, looking somewhat uneasy.
Ye Mu hadn't paid attention at the time, but now that he heard it, he thought it sounded like Mr. Chen's book.
Just as she was about to ask more questions, she saw Xia whispering in her mother's ear, and she leaned over to listen.
Before Liu could cover her ears, Ye Mu overheard, "Third Madam, but I still feel something's wrong. These past few days he's been saying he's tired, and he doesn't even want to be intimate with me in bed anymore!"
A note from the author:
----------------------
Thanks for reading and adding to your favorites! I usually update around 3 PM. If I don't update, then there's nothing to update. After becoming a VIP member, it will be daily updates, so don't worry! [cheering emoji] I have excellent track record with my updates!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com