Chapter Five: Shouldn't I reciprocate?
Ling'er was stunned.
She assumed that once the engagement was finalized, the young lady would marry the eldest son, never considering the importance of social standing in a marriage.
"Does Miss mean that the Prince might still break off the engagement?"
Shen Qingnian asked, "Have you ever heard anyone in the manor mention that the eldest young master is engaged?"
Ling'er shook her head. She had been at the manor for two days and had not heard of the eldest young master ever being engaged to any young lady.
Shen Qingnian sighed. It seemed that no one in the Marquis's mansion knew about their marriage.
Ling'er muttered softly again, "But Miss is so beautiful."
Shen Qingnian chuckled helplessly: "Beauty? The least noteworthy thing about a woman is her appearance."
Her mother was very beautiful, but what happened? She was still disliked by her father and was depressed and unhappy all day long.
Seeing that Ling'er was still confused, Shen Qingnian didn't intend to explain anything. Instead, she leaned closer to Ling'er and whispered, "Even if the engagement isn't called off, someone will still try to stop it, won't they?"
That Xie Yanzhi is a menace! He made her suffer unjustly! She was certain that Ling'er wouldn't want to go through what just happened again.
The image of being hit flashed through Ling'er's mind, and she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her face.
She seemed to understand what the young lady meant.
Today, Miss Gu misunderstood that my mistress was seducing the eldest young master, and that's why my mistress and I got slapped. If she finds out about the engagement...
She covered her mouth tightly, her eyes wide open, staring at Shen Qingnian.
Seeing Ling'er's sudden realization, Shen Qingnian said to her earnestly, "Therefore, the matter of the engagement should not be mentioned again in the future. Just pretend it never happened. Do you understand?"
From this day forward, Shen Qingnian is no longer engaged.
Ling'er nodded emphatically, for her and her mistress's safety, she would rather die than tell.
Besides, she didn't really want a son-in-law like the eldest son.
The next morning, Ling'er woke up and felt that her face and the corners of her mouth no longer hurt.
She got up, fetched a basin of water, looked in the mirror, and found that the redness and swelling had disappeared. She then lifted the curtain and went into the inner room.
Beneath the carved window, the young lady, dressed in a moon-white nightgown, sat languidly before a bronze mirror.
With slender fingers, she held a green sandalwood comb and gently combed her long, ink-black hair.
The soft sunlight shone on the young lady, making her look like a painting.
"Miss is so beautiful," Ling'er couldn't help but exclaim.
"Miss, the ointment that the second young master sent is amazing. The redness and swelling have almost healed overnight."
As Ling'er spoke, she placed the copper basin on the shelf, put the handkerchief into the basin, scooped it out, wrung it out, and handed it to Shen Qingnian.
When Xie Zhao returned to his residence last night, he sent someone to deliver ointment to reduce swelling to them.
Shen Qingnian put down the comb, took the handkerchief and washed her face: "We're going to Aunt's courtyard in a bit, so we'll also thank Cousin on the way."
She then put on a crimson long dress, draped a white cloak over her shoulders, and went to Aunt Su's courtyard.
Upon arriving at Aunt Su's courtyard, Qiu Ye saw Shen Qingnian and Ling'er coming and welcomed them into the house.
She poured tea and handed it to Shen Qingnian: "Miss, please have some tea. My aunt left the mansion with the Second Madam, and we don't know when she will be able to return."
She had originally come to talk to her aunt about the money, but since her aunt wasn't there, she would have to come back tomorrow.
Shen Qingnian stood up and said, "Then I'll come again tomorrow."
Just before leaving, Qiuye took out a plate of pastries, which were shiny and very pretty.
“Miss, this is Fuyuanzhai’s Touhua Ci (a type of rice cake), it’s the most refreshing and extremely hard to find.”
"The Second Madam gave some to the concubine, and the concubine asked you to take some back with you to try."
Ling'er took it: "Thank you, Sister Qiuye."
Since her aunt wasn't home, Shen Qingnian didn't feel comfortable going to her cousin's courtyard, so she and Ling'er headed back.
As I passed by a courtyard, I saw a figure in a dark robe by the fishpond. The back view was clearly Xie Yanzhi.
His tall figure leaned against the railing, seemingly doing nothing, with a person standing beside him, who appeared to be his attendant.
Shen Qingnian thought to herself, "Why have I run into him again? If I go back now, I'll definitely be discovered."
There's no escaping it.
Having practiced martial arts for many years, Xie Yanzhi had already spotted Shen Qingnian not far away.
Shen Qingnian was dressed in crimson clothes, and her maid was carrying Fuyuanzhai's glutinous rice cakes. She gave a faint, cold snort.
As Yuan Qing respectfully handed the letter to Xie Yanzhi, he thought to himself: Who in this mansion doesn't know that their eldest young master's favorite pastry is the Touhua Ci from Fuyuanzhai?
This young lady somehow got the news.
She even specially wore a bright red outfit.
Others may not know, but he had been serving the eldest young master for seven or eight years, and he knew that the eldest young master's favorite color was crimson.
This is truly a case of the abacus beads jumping onto one's face.
Judging from the young master's expression, this young lady is probably in for some bad luck.
When Shen Qingnian saw Xie Yanzhi, she thought it would be impolite to just leave, so she braced herself and led Ling'er forward to curtsy, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Although I really dislike this crown prince, I still have to maintain proper etiquette.
Just then, Yuan Qing saw the fish in the lake scatter rapidly and exclaimed nervously, "Master, there's a water snake!"
A long, slender snake, entirely black, was seen swimming rapidly in the lake.
Xie Yanzhi smirked, drew his sword, flicked the water snake, and hurled it at Shen Qingnian's location.
Ling'er looked up and saw a black snake descending from the sky. Terrified, she covered her head, screamed, and ran away.
Shen Qingnian was so frightened that she fell to the ground.
After the water snake landed, it flicked its long tongue and crawled toward Shen Qingnian.
On the other side, Ling'er looked around anxiously, praying, "Someone come quick, save Miss!"
Tears streamed down my face.
Shen Qingnian watched the approaching water snake, wondering what madness Xie Yanzhi had gone mad at this time.
While staring at the water snake, he asked loudly, "What does the young master mean by this? Why are you making things difficult for me?"
Xie Yanzhi said, "You sent me, the young master, a gift of glutinous rice cakes. Shouldn't I reciprocate?"
"I think this water snake would be perfect for you."
Shen Qingnian looked at the scattered glutinous rice balls on the ground and almost laughed in anger.
When did she say she was going to give him the translucent rice cake?
Xie Yanzhi stopped speaking, only squinting at Shen Qingnian.
Seeing that the water snake was almost up to her feet, Ling'er wanted to go over to help Shen Qingnian, but Shen Qingnian shook her head at her.
Shen Qingnian looked around and slowly moved towards the edge of the pool.
Just as the water snake arched its body, about to pounce, Shen Qingnian dodged, and the snake fell into the pool and swam away quickly.
Ling'er quickly came over to support Shen Qingnian, noticing that her mistress's palms were wet.
Shen Qingnian had just pretended to be calm, but in reality, her back was already soaked with cold sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to her cheeks, revealing a slightly disheveled look.
Shen Qingnian looked up at Xie Yanzhi again: "I wonder how the young master knew that this translucent rice cake was given to you?"
Xie Yanzhi remained silent, but Yuan Qing beside him said, "Everyone in this mansion knows that our master loves to eat 'touhua ci' (a type of glutinous rice cake). In the past, all the young ladies would buy them and give them to him."
Shen Qingnian paused for a moment, then said to Ling'er, "These translucent rice cakes are the young master's favorite pastries. If the second madam wants to reward him again, she can send them directly to the young master."
After speaking, he curtsied again and led Ling'er toward Qian Yue Residence.
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