"There's also a bit of self-interest involved. After all, my family doesn't offer any support. If I help you today, maybe you'll be willing to help me when I encounter difficulties, don't you think?"
"..."
Pei Yanzhi twirled the teacup with one hand without answering, and Jiang Shuwan's gaze involuntarily followed his eyes, also fixed on the teacup.
The boy's fingers, as white as jade, were slender and long, and the way he gently caressed the rim of the cup stirred the heart of the person watching.
It turns out that a person can look so beautiful spinning a teacup with one hand.
"You're quite good at business."
"?"
Pulled back to reality by these words, Jiang Shuwan was momentarily unsure whether he was praising her or being sarcastic.
If you can't tell left from right, take it as a compliment.
Smiling, Jiang Shuwan placed the peeled orange into Pei Yanzhi's hand and went out to see the physician prepare the medicine.
No sooner had she left than Liu Yunyan arrived.
The two did not meet. Liu Yunyan hurriedly went inside, while Jiang Shuwan went to the pharmacy.
Qingxing was decocting medicine when she saw Jiang Shuwan coming over. She immediately said excitedly, "Miss, have you heard? Madam has been punished and sent to the estate, the Lotus Estate where we went to buy rice paddy fish last time. This is truly gratifying. With Madam gone, Miss is now the true mistress of the Marquis's mansion."
Jiang Shuwan tapped her on the head, "Where did you put the old lady?"
"The old lady naturally sides with Miss. Recently, the old lady's health has been poor, and Miss has been handling all the social engagements in the mansion. Outsiders say that Miss will be in charge of the mansion from now on. It's just that the young master has suffered. He was injured like that and he will have to recuperate for a month or two. But the young master has finally gotten over his suffering. Now that Madam has moved away, the young master no longer has to pay his respects to Madam morning and evening."
"He greets his wife every day?" Jiang Shuwan asked in surprise. This was the first time she had ever heard of such a thing.
"Yes, this is a rule that has been in place since childhood. No matter the weather, even if it's snowing or freezing, as long as the young master is at home, he must pay his respects to his wife every morning and evening. His wife will not see him, but will only tell him to kowtow outside. This rule has not changed even when his wife was confined to her quarters."
"We sent him to pay his respects, but he refused to see us, and the rain and snow didn't stop. Isn't this just making things difficult for him?"
"That's right, but neither the old lady nor the Marquis could say anything, since it's only natural for a son to pay his respects to his mother."
"..."
Jiang Shuwan sighed.
Thinking about how miserable the young official's childhood must have been...
Two more days passed in the blink of an eye.
In the past two days, the whole capital has been talking about Pei Yanzhi's injury. However, the story is not that he was injured by Wen Shi, but that he accidentally fell while practicing archery.
Upon hearing this news, some of his close classmates came to visit him.
"You've finally met your match. Back when you were practicing archery and horsemanship, you were even better than those martial arts students in the training hall."
"That's right, that's right. I'll spread the word in a bit and see how those martial arts students mock you."
"Some people slip up, some horses stumble, but I haven't injured my right hand, so it won't delay my participation in next year's imperial examination."
Inside the room, Pei Yanzhi, with his left arm in a sling, sat by the window chatting and laughing with them.
On the other side, Jiang Shuwan was staring at the fire on the stove.
Regardless, Pei Yanzhi saved her injured left hand, and she now owes him a huge favor.
Since I didn't have a chance to repay him right away, I stewed a pot of pork knuckle and sent it over.
It's about using the principle of "like cures like"!
"Is this your sister-in-law?"
"Is that polite, sister-in-law?"
Pei Yanzhi's classmates were all very polite to Jiang Shuwan. Some even mentioned the rainy day on Donglai Street, saying that they had wanted to visit her, but Pei Yanzhi refused.
Jiang Shuwan was also surprised, not expecting that these people were the classmates who had been drinking tea with Pei Yanzhi at the teahouse that day.
Since this was a chance encounter, and it happened to be mealtime, the kitchen quickly prepared a feast to entertain them.
Pei Yanzhi was injured and unable to drink alcohol, so he let them drink as they pleased. He didn't care if they got drunk, as a carriage would take them home.
After making proper arrangements, Jiang Shuwan returned to her own courtyard.
The classmate, dressed in plain clothes, laughed and teased.
"No wonder you were unwilling to introduce your wife last time when we were so close. Your wife is so beautiful and of impeccable character. She didn't look down on us even though we were dressed in such simple clothes. Brother Pei, no wonder you did the thing of keeping a beauty in a golden house. We are so envious."
"Stop talking nonsense. Why are you making fun of me for no reason? When others pass the imperial examination, they go around sending out invitations to become disciples and attending banquets. But you guys just keep coming here to see me every day."
“We have no connections. Who would want to associate with us, a poor family?”
"I can only get a meal here. This pig's trotter is pretty good. I twisted my ankle while working at the dock the other day. Let me have a couple to help me recover."
"You're a scholar, yet you believe in such baseless things as 'like cures like.' Eat this braised duck, and I'll have the royal physician examine you later."
"That would be great."
The man with the crooked leg nodded gleefully. He had just picked up a duck leg to gnaw on when he saw someone shoveling a pot of braised pork knuckles toward him.
"..."
On the other side, Qingxing was also serving Jiang Shuwan her meal. After handing her a bowl of rice with green corn, she sat down and ate while looking puzzled.
“Miss, the young master’s classmates all seem to come from very ordinary backgrounds. Don’t young masters from noble families like the young master usually hang out with other nobles of the same rank? For example, the young master, the group of people he’s always with are from this noble family or that general’s family, all of them are from noble families.”
"How come the heir apparent has become acquainted with a poor scholar?"
Jiang Shuwan was also pondering this issue.
Actually, she had already noticed it from that glimpse at the teahouse last time.
Then there were the students who studied chalk with Pei Yanzhi before. They were either poor classmates that Pei Yanzhi knew at the Imperial Academy or poor students he met outside.
Several groups of people came and went, but not a single one was from a wealthy or influential family.
In the past few days, she has also discovered that the relationship between those wealthy and powerful families and the Marquis's mansion is quite ordinary, and even the old lady's maternal family, the Yun family, does not have close ties.
Aside from the fact that the Marquis's mansion did not take sides and was isolated by others, this must also have been a deliberate act by the Marquis's mansion.
Is it really necessary to remain a loyal subject of the old emperor?
Is that really what everyone in the Marquis's mansion, from top to bottom, thinks?
Jiang Shuwan couldn't figure it out either, so she gave up thinking about it. Anyway, it was impossible to tell her about something that could cost her her life.
"Qingxing, after we finish eating, prepare some gifts and send them to the Earl's residence."
Because of Wen's commotion, Pei Yanzhong's celebration banquet for passing the imperial examination was not held. He simply set up a table at home and hastily concluded the event.
Pei Lingyu from the Earl's Mansion also passed the imperial examination, but ranked low. Compared to Pei Yanzhi's first place, Jiang Yao felt somewhat ashamed. In addition, the Earl's Mansion was facing increasingly embarrassing financial difficulties, so they did not hold a grand celebration, but only set up a few tables of food and invited a few relatives.
Jiang Yao was stingy and didn't invite her, but she couldn't pretend she didn't know about it, so she asked Qingxing to make the trip.
"A woman who is the matriarch of the family must not be arrogant."
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