Chapter 84 Chapter 84 The thought of taking a concubine? I am not from heaven...
How could she be so easily dealt with?
The girls in the Yong'an Marquis' Mansion are not there to be summoned and dismissed at will.
The carriage swayed slowly to the Bo's Mansion. Yin Wu took Nan Xu's hand and gave her some instructions before getting on the return carriage under Nan Xu's gaze.
Under the curtain of rain, the sky seemed to be covered with a layer of black gauze, which made people feel a little breathless. Nan Xu stopped at the door for a moment, until the carriage carrying Yin Wu gradually disappeared from her sight, then she slowly turned and walked into the mansion. As she was about to step over the threshold, she heard the coachman's shouting from not far away. Nan Xu turned her head and glanced, and met those cold and indifferent eyes.
Duan Wenpei actually came back right after him.
A servant holding an umbrella hurriedly passed by Nan Xu, and her vision was briefly blocked by the umbrella. When the servant came closer and her vision became clear, Nan Xu's figure had disappeared.
"Steward Liu had already instructed the kitchen to prepare the master's favorite food, and is waiting for the master to come back." The servant took the cloak that Duan Wenpei had taken off, held the umbrella over his head, and welcomed Duan Wenpei into the mansion.
Duan Wenpei looked towards the backyard calmly for a few times, said "hmm" lightly, snatched the umbrella from the servant and went to the study in the front yard.
After leaving the palace, Liu Hui was sent back to the Bo Mansion by Duan Wenpei, and was later called away by Yu Rong for unknown reasons.
The servant didn't come forward to serve. Seeing that Duan Wenpei didn't go to Jingyuan, he felt a little surprised. He followed a few steps and reminded him, "Master, the food is already placed in the flower hall of Jingyuan. Would you like to move?"
After turning through the Aquarius Gate, the eaves of Guangwen Pavilion could already be seen. Duan Wenpei continued walking, ordering, "Have someone bring the food over. I'll eat in the front yard and not in Jingyuan."
The servant thought he had heard wrongly.
But he was not Liu Hui, so he didn't dare to confirm with Duan Wenpei and had to obey orders.
In Tianxiang Tower, there was no time to enjoy the sumptuous dishes on the table, and I was really hungry at this time.
Duan Wenpei had just changed into casual clothes and was about to wash his hands and pour himself a cup of tea when the servant came in with an old woman carrying a lunch box.
The rain flowed down her trouser legs and gathered into shallow puddles at her feet. The old woman didn't dare go any further and just put the food box on the table.
Against the light, Duan Wenpei's gaze became increasingly cold.
Sensing Duan Wenpei's displeasure, the servant hurriedly explained, "My Lord, before I even entered Jingyuan, I met this woman halfway. She said the Madam had asked her to bring food to you."
Duan Wenpei glanced at the unfamiliar old woman again, and then lowered his gaze. The puddle under her feet was already reflecting some light.
Although Jingyuan is a bit far from Guangwen Pavilion, it is connected by corridors and there are few open and unobstructed places. Nanxu would not blame the servants for not even giving them an umbrella. They were probably in a hurry to get so wet.
Why are you in such a hurry...
Duan Wenpei pursed his dry lower lip and asked her in a low voice, "How did Madam look after she returned? Was she unhappy or angry?"
The old woman was a maid who swept the outer courtyard of Jingyuan. She had only seen Nan Xu from afar and had never served her closely. However, her master had assigned her a task at random.
As for the master's expression... he was neither angry nor happy, he just pointed at the food box and said, "Take it away quickly." How could she know whether he was happy or unhappy?
The old woman was speechless and hesitated for a long time, unable to give a clear answer.
Duan Wenpei didn't want to listen anymore, so he waved his hand and signaled everyone to leave.
The servant understood and quickly led the old woman away.
Guangwen Pavilion was empty. Duan Wenpei leaned back in the chair in front of the desk, his heart also empty.
The food box was placed there, and the aroma of the food seemed to slowly overflow through the gap, but Duan Wenpei kept thinking about that arrogant, stubborn and slender figure.
My thoughts drifted away, passing through the wind in front of the hall, turning around the winding corridor, and landing on the wind chimes under the eaves of Jingyuan...
Ah Xu...at this moment...those words...
Duan Wenpei raised his hand to touch his reddened temples, where the scent of warm tea still lingered. Slowly, slowly, he covered his eyes, covering up the pain and regret that threatened to burst forth...
*
"Has the stuff been delivered?"
Nan Xu had just visited Yu Ming, had dinner, took off her pearl hairpin, and leaned on the couch, holding the golden ball, listening intermittently to the sound of rain outside.
Nanny Jiang patted Yuxiang's arm as she sat on the footstool, motioning her to move to the side. When the space was free, she sat down with a bamboo basket in her arms and did needlework next to Yuxiang and Chunya.
The charcoal fire in the room burned brightly, illuminating the faces of several people. Nanny Jiang squinted her eyes as she threaded a needle while replying, "The things have been delivered. They said they saw the uncle, and the uncle even asked about the lady."
"What do you want to ask me?" Nan Xu asked her lacking interest.
Nanny Jiang secretly glanced at Nan Xu, and her voice rose unconsciously, "I asked how Madam was feeling? Had she eaten yet? Was she caught in the rain? I also asked if there was enough charcoal in the room. If not, I asked if someone could bring some more..."
Nanny Jiang spoke cheerfully. When she looked up, the two sleepy maids beside her were staring at her in surprise.
Nanny Jiang felt a little uncomfortable being stared at and stopped talking in anger.
"Keep making up stories! I want to hear what other lies Madam can come up with."
Nanny Jiang's face turned red and she slowly stopped sewing.
She leaned sideways on the edge of the couch and whispered, "Madam, I'm not making this up. I just don't understand. Everything was fine before, and I can see that Master Bo isn't as philandering as the rumors say. How could a good couple end up like this?"
"My wife, you are still young and don't know the seriousness of this. The master is at the age of vigor and vitality. If we keep living apart like this, what if some blind person has other ideas and rushes to the master and climbs onto his bed? What will we do then?"
Nan Xu glanced at her lazily and asked, "Mammy, how can you see the word 'good'?"
Nanny Jiang counted all the things that had happened before on her fingers, even praising the day when Nan Xu was drunk and Duan Wenpei carried her back to the house.
"Don't these mean that Master is caring about Madam?"
Nan Xu stroked Jinqiu's cat fur, supported her forehead, looked up at the bed curtains scattered with flowers above her head, and felt surprisingly calm.
"Yes, of course not. But Mammy seems to have forgotten that he and I are husband and wife. As a husband, these are what he should do. If he can't even do these things, Mammy, do you think I will still speak to him kindly as before?"
Although there were only a handful of noble ladies who divorced in Kyoto, there were some. Moreover, this was a marriage arranged by the emperor, so he had to give the palace some face.
Nanny Jiang felt that Nan Xu didn't quite understand what she meant, and was about to explain when Nan Xu interrupted her.
"As for Mammy's worries, I don't have those concerns. Among the noble families, how many men are devoted to one wife? Even a man of leisure like my father has several concubines. If there really is a maid like that, I can take care of her temporarily, but not forever. Ultimately, it all depends on the uncle's wishes. Mammy doesn't complain to the uncle, but only to me. No matter how much she says, it's in vain."
Seeing that Nan Xu was unmoved, Nanny Jiang felt a lump in her throat and was choking.
It took him a long while to come back to his senses and regain his thoughts. "Madam, this is not exactly what I meant. What I meant was—"
"You mean, offspring? You're afraid that before I give birth to a legitimate heir for the Bo Mansion, Duan Wenpei will decide to take a concubine and have her give birth to his child before I do."
Nan Xu stared at Nanny Jiang, her eyes full of disappointment.
Nanny Jiang felt a chill on the back of her neck when she looked at her, and she unconsciously tightened the needlework in the bamboo basket, "Madam..."
"Didn't mother tell Mammy before I got married? I'm a person with a narrow mind and can only accommodate those who treat me sincerely. If this person treats me well and respects me, I will naturally not let this happen. But if this person is hypocritical in front of me, even if they obey me in everything, they will do something to let me down if there is even a slight rift."
"Mammy, I'm a human, not a god in heaven. I can only control myself, how can I control someone who doesn't care about me in the first place?"
Isn’t Li Zhan an example?
No matter how much he had to do so, no matter what his reasons were, he had abandoned her. No matter how much he said, it could not compare to the pain of the facts.
As for Duan Wenpei's words today...
She is not stupid. She wanted to eat her up before, but in just a few days, how could she change so suddenly?
The sister-in-law was right. Even if it was just a casual affair, it was too much. Besides, she knew Duan Wenpei's temper a little bit. There was no reason to go to so much trouble for a woman.
He said he had no sincerity towards himself...
Nan Xu gently touched her face with the back of her hand and shook her head in amusement. That might not be the case.
However, since he was willing to say such heartless words, she would not shamelessly chase him away. She would wait and see. She was no longer the second daughter of the Marquisate who only knew how to talk about love. She was still waiting for his people to find the real culprit who hurt Yu Ming, and the Yong'an Marquisate...
The golden ball seemed to sense its owner's complicated mood and rubbed Nan Xu's palm obediently. Nan Xu raised her eyebrows, picked up the golden ball and kissed it fiercely.
"The Golden Ball is still the best. No matter what happens, it will never betray me. Even if the sky falls, the Golden Ball will always stand by me."
Jinqiu seemed to understand human language. He meowed twice and hugged Nanxu's arm tightly.
Looking at the intimate relationship between the man and the cat, Nanny Jiang swallowed slowly.
Nan Xu's look just now was really terrifying.
Although there was no scolding, it was more frightening than scolding.
She suddenly remembered how Nan Xu had casually dealt with the housekeeper and Mrs. Xiao before. It was the same way, she had dealt with them in the midst of a pleasant conversation...
"Mammy, Mammy, what are you thinking about? Madam wants to rest. Let's go out."
Chunya stretched out her hand and waved it in front of Nanny Jiang, successfully bringing Nanny Jiang's wandering thoughts back to reality.
Nanny Jiang looked closely and saw that Nan Xu had already curled up in the bed, with layers of quilts surrounding her and her long hair like a waterfall covering the pillow. She lay on her side facing inward, leaving only her chubby back to Nanny Jiang.
Jinqiu was carried back to the cat stand by Yuxiang. It seemed to be very sleepy. It bared its teeth lazily at Nanny Jiang and buried its head in its arms.
Nanny Jiang knew she was in the wrong, so she quickly blew out the candle and followed Chunya and Yuxiang out of the inner room.
The days are short in winter and the sky has already fallen into darkness. Nanny Jiang wrapped her jacket tightly around her and hurried from the corridor to her resting room with her arms tucked in.
Yuxiang poked Chunya, raised his head towards Nanny Jiang's back and asked, "Nanny Jiang, why are you so distracted?"
Chunya went to collect the oil-paper umbrellas that were open in the corridor. The raindrops slid across her wrists, startling her with a chill. "That wasn't a distraction, it was a sudden realization that the mistress she served was no longer the unmarried girl she once was. Her thoughts and actions no longer required her to comment. Nanny was thinking about how to behave in this mansion, in Jingyuan, so as to both fulfill her duties and win the master's favor."
Chunya shook off the water droplets on her umbrella, called a maid over, and told her to take the umbrella to a ventilated and rain-free place to dry. Then she turned around and told the night maid to be more alert at night. She then took a lamp and checked around. Then she went back to her residence, yawning and covering her lips.
The night rain continued, beating on everything in the world. Yuxiang stood there, lost in thought.
*
Within two days, the imperial edict from the palace was sent to the Princess's Mansion and the Li Mansion.
It was stated that the floods in Shu were serious and the prefect and the King of Wings could not handle it alone. For the sake of the common people, the court specially sent the son-in-law and officials to Shu to provide disaster relief.
As soon as the imperial edict was issued, there was an uproar. It turned out that King Yi did not order the rich and powerful to abandon the common people as rumored.
Instead, they opened the granaries and released grain without authorization.
Opinions are like the tide, and they tend to be one-sided at the slightest disturbance.
But the rumors had been passed around and had completely changed. Some people felt sorry for King Yi, while others said it was a conspiracy by King Yi and a disrespect for the emperor's power...
All these things continued to spread and ferment in the incessant rain in Kyoto.
Finally, on the first sunny day of winter in Kyoto, the Weiyangbo Mansion welcomed the emperor's close eunuchs.
Grand Manager Guo Huai.
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