009
Manager Wang had a lot of things to do, not only the internal affairs of the General's Mansion, but also some military logistics, so when he noticed the abnormality on Shen Jin's side, it was already the end of the month when he checked the accounts. He found that Shen Jin's expenses had become much less, especially in the kitchen.
Shen Jin has a separate small kitchen for meals. Although they do not welcome Shen Jin, the general's wife, they will not leave any obvious evidence. Even the chef in Shen Jin's small kitchen is specially invited to cook meals from the capital.
Moreover, even in winter, Shen Jin never stopped eating vegetables every day. The expenses were naturally very high, but the General's Mansion was not short of money.
But Manager Wang discovered that Shen Jin's expenses had been reduced by at least half, so he specifically called An Ping over. Only then did he realize that Shen Jin had directly changed his daily meals.
"Madam likes beef noodles very much." Anping said, "and the sesame cakes from Old Man Qiao's shop."
Steward Wang asked, "Madam, do you have a good appetite?"
"Very good." An Ping told Shen Jin what he ate every day, and then he saw that Wang Zongguan looked a little strange, so he asked, "Wang Zongguan, what's wrong?"
Where did this news come from? It said that the young ladies from the noble families in the capital only eat a little bit every day and prefer light food and don't like to eat meat. But why does their general's wife seem to love meat so much?
"It's alright." Steward Wang said, "We'll try our best to satisfy Madam's needs."
"Yes." Anping said, "Madam is going to eat hot pot today. By the way, Madam asked me the other day if she could go out to the street."
Steward Wang frowned. Could it be that Madam wanted to secretly send a letter to the capital? After thinking about it, he said, "Just bring someone to ensure safety."
Anping smiled and said, "Okay, I'll arrange it."
Steward Wang asked, "What kind of person is the Madam?"
"She's easy to serve." Anping thought for a moment and said, "She just doesn't know anything." This was a tactful statement, "and she's curious about everything."
"Please pay more attention to Madam." Steward Wang said in a deep voice, "Madam is young, please remember to accompany her and remind her more often."
"I understand." Anping agreed.
After Manager Wang explained some more things, he asked An Ping to go back. As An Ping walked to the door, he suddenly said, "Actually, Manager Wang, I think Madam is quite simple."
"Have you forgotten that cousin?" Manager Wang said coldly, "Back then, the cousin was also very innocent."
Anping wanted to say that Shen Jin was different from his cousin, but he didn't know how to say it, so he agreed and went out.
Shen Jin was playing with sandbags in the yard with Xile and the others. She seemed not to notice Anping leaving at all. She kept jumping around to avoid the sandbags. Her laughter was not loud but very pleasant. Every time she dodged, she would proudly shout, "Stupid Xile, you can't hit me."
After spending some time together, Xile also understood Shen Jin's character, and laughed when she heard it. If they couldn't bear to see Shen Jin's disappointed look after being hit, how could they not hit anyone? They were just playing with Shen Jin.
Anping went to the kitchen and brought back some freshly brewed red date tea, saying, "Madam, drink some hot tea before you play."
"Okay." Shen Jin agreed. She was tired as well, so she ran over directly. However, An Ping did not let her drink immediately. Instead, he took her into the house. The little maid had already prepared warm water for Shen Jin to wash up. After she finished washing, the red date tea was ready for her to drink. Shen Jin held the red date tea and drank it in small sips.
An Ping and others told Shen Jin that he could go out after Shen Jin finished his meal in the evening. Shen Jin's eyes lit up and she smiled happily. She quickly pulled Xile to find the clothes she had just made some time ago. It was not the embroidered long skirt that people in the capital usually wore, but a style like this. The cuffs were tightened for convenience, and there was a small top on top. The skirt below just reached the ankles, which was more convenient for movement, and the shoes were short boots, not embroidered shoes.
The most beautiful part of the whole outfit is the belt which is as wide as a palm. The belt is brightly colored and has silver decorations hanging on it.
Some things are difficult to stop once they start, just like Shen Jin. Young girls choosing things at stalls can be seen everywhere on the streets of the border town. Here, as long as there is someone accompanying them, both girls and women can stroll around freely.
Although Shen Jin was looking forward to going out, he was still a little uneasy. However, after seeing such a lively scene, those uneasy feelings disappeared, and he was like a rabbit that was let out of a cage, running around happily.
In fact, to be honest, Shen Jin prefers life in the border town. Although she lives a life of luxury in the capital, she lives very carefully. She dares not offend anyone in the palace, not even the princess and concubine Xu. Among her sisters, her life is the most tiring.
Moreover, Shen Jin needs to always figure out the princess's thoughts and be useful to her.
But in the border town, although Shen Jin could see that no one in the mansion really treated her as the wife of the Earl of Yongning, she thought that as long as she did not touch the bottom line, they would not do anything to her. Moreover, she lived very comfortably in the mansion, and she and the Earl of Yongning's brother did not interfere with each other.
Apart from the younger brother of the Earl of Yongning, Shen Jin has the highest status in the entire mansion. She has at least some dignity, so she doesn't need to guess other people's thoughts or try to please anyone.
Is it really useful to flatter? Just like Prince Rui, is Shen Jin really not as good as Shen Zi and the others? Shen Zi and the others have done needlework for Prince Rui once, but... when sacrifice was needed, Prince Rui still pushed Shen Jin out, and Princess Rui did not say a word to help Shen Jin.
Shen Jin had a lot of fun. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were sparkling. When she went back, she discussed with Anping the next time they would go out.
After Shen Jin had been out playing intermittently for nearly a month, Steward Wang repeatedly questioned the guards who had followed him secretly, and was disappointed to find that the wife of the Earl of Yongning was really just out playing. Not to mention secretly sending letters to the capital, he didn't even ask any more questions. The letters she wrote were directly sent to Steward Wang through Anping.
During the Chinese New Year, Shen Jin saw Yongning Earl's younger brother Chu Xiuyuan again. She learned from the maid that he was only eight years old after the Chinese New Year, but he looked very tall. Chu Xiuyuan did not like to smile, and when he saw Shen Jin he just nodded and called her sister-in-law and stopped talking.
Shen Jin and Chu Xiuyuan were not familiar with each other, so they didn't talk even when they were eating together. But after they finished eating, Chu Xiuyuan suddenly said, "Sister-in-law, my brother will be back soon."
"Ah?" Shen Jin didn't react for a moment. He wanted to ask again, but saw Chu Xiuyuan had already left in a hurry.
An Ping understood Chu Xiuyuan's meaning and said with a smile, "Young Master is trying to comfort Madam."
"Oh." Shen Jin lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes flickering, but she didn't say anything about not wanting Earl Yongning to come back. She just said shyly, "I'm a little scared."
"What are you afraid of, Madam?" Xile asked as she supported Shen Jin and walked into the yard.
Because Earl Yongning was not at home, even though it was New Year and red lanterns were hung, there was no festive atmosphere in the mansion. It was quiet and peaceful except for a few brightly colored decorations, and there was no difference from usual.
"Lord Yongning is so powerful. I have heard a lot of rumors about him in the capital." Shen Jin bit her pink lips and said as if she was talking about a hero in her heart, "I am clumsy and I am afraid of making Lord Yongning unhappy."
"Madam, why do you still call the general like that?" An Ping looked at Shen Jin and advised.
Shen Jin lowered her head and kicked her feet in pink embroidered shoes on the ground, "I'm sorry."
Xile smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam. The general is a very good person."
Shen Jin looked at Xile expectantly. Xile couldn't help but tell Shen Jin some things about the Earl of Yongning. Anping hesitated for a moment but did not stop him. Even the Second Young Master had told Madam the news about the General. This meant that the people in the mansion had accepted Madam, which was a good thing. It would let Madam know more about him so that she would not be too unfamiliar with him.
The news that Earl Yongning was coming back made the atmosphere in the mansion much better, and even Manager Wang smiled more often. However, no one expected that the barbarians would arrive even faster than Earl Yongning.
Everyone in the border town is a soldier, and although Earl Yongning left, he left people to guard here. There should have been no problem, but this time the barbarians seemed very confident and came with great force. Many people in the border town have become accustomed to war, so there was no chaos.
There was no problem with the safety of the mansion, but Shen Jin no longer went out. There was food stored in the mansion, and the servants were not in a panic. Chu Xiuyuan was not in the mansion, but had gone out with Butler Wang.
Shen Jin had never experienced a war, let alone been so close to a battle. She didn't know what the battle situation outside was like. She didn't understand these things, but she could see that Anping and Xile's expressions were becoming more and more serious, as if the situation was not optimistic.
"Just wait until the general comes back." Anping gritted his teeth and said, "Those traitors."
Shen Jin didn't know whether he should ask or not, and An Ping didn't talk to Shen Jin either. Looking at An Ping and Xile who were talking in low voices outside, Shen Jin hesitated for a moment and didn't say anything in the end.
In fact, Shen Jin was uneasy and even a little overwhelmed, because no one had ever told her what to do in this situation. It seemed that even King Rui had never really experienced war, let alone being so close to it.
And for the first time, Shen Jin realized the status of Earl Yongning in these people's hearts. They all firmly believed that Earl Yongning would come back, and then they would be safe. In fact, there had been no news of Earl Yongning for more than half a month.
"Madam, the second young master is injured." Xile ran in hurriedly.
Shen Jin looked at Xile, who was embroidering with an embroidery needle in her hand, and asked, "What's going on?"
Xile said, "I don't know, I just heard that he was shot by an arrow."
Shen Jin actually wanted to ask, what's the point of telling her? But she just put the needle away and said, "Go and have a look. Go to my dowry and get some ginseng. Whether it's useful or not, keep it ready first."
"Yes." After hearing this, Xile ran away.
An Ping looked a little hesitant and said, "Madam..." But she only called out once and didn't say anything else. It was Manager Wang who asked them to come over, so she didn't know what to say.
Shen Jin forced a smile. She had always understood that people are close to each other in different ways. She didn't know why they told her the news of Chu Xiuyuan's injury today, but... she felt that they needed her to do something.
Insert Bookmark
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
