Married Thrice to Salted Fish

Chapter 22

When the two rushed to the Qingdai Pavilion, there were already many people inside. However, they were all strangely quiet. Only the sound of a woman’s mournful sobbing could be heard. Lin Qingyu pushed Lu Wancheng into the courtyard. A few people called out, “Young Master”, “Shaojun”. But after that, they once again grew silent out of fear. No matter what they thought in their hearts, the expressions on their faces were the same as those participating in a funeral procession.

A woman with disheveled clothes and messy hair was pushed out of the inner room by two momos. Lin Qingyu recognized her as one of the women who played the pipa that afternoon. She casually held together her flimsy robe. A large dark spot stained her undergarment with its mandarin duck embroidery. It was obviously blood that had yet to dry.

In the inner room, Liang Shi, Lu Niantao, and Doctor Zhang were gathered by the side of the bed. Liang Shi was losing her voice from crying. Seeing her tragic state, with tears and mucus flowing profusely, put Lin Qingyu in a very good mood. The comparatively smarter Lu Niantao managed to remain quite restrained. Eyes rimmed red, she simply wiped away the blood from the corner of her younger brother’s mouth.

“Qiaosong, my son — Qiaosong…!”

Seeing this, Hua Lu couldn’t help grumbling in her heart. In the past, whenever the Young Master was critically ill, the Madam would also keep watch over his bed, crying in a way that made her the very picture of a weeping beauty, in full possession of etiquette. Who would have thought that she could cry and howl like this when it was her own son who was about to die? She could even go head to head with Qiu Momo.

Pan Shi was accompanying Nan’an Hou in the outer room. In the end, it was his own son who’d suffered this incident and on top of that, it was even something so disgraceful. Nan’an Hou’s expression was grave and he appeared even more tired. His usual daring and energetic bearing could no longer be seen.

Seeing the two of them come in, Pan Shi said, “Young Master and Shaojun are here.”

Nan’an Hou slowly raised his head. He saw his eldest son, sitting in a wheelchair, dressed in bedclothes with a cloak over his shoulders. His heart became even more pained. He had but two sons. There was no telling until when the older one would live and now, could it be that the younger son would also be gone?

Seeing that Nan’an Hou said nothing, Pan Shi shook her head, motioning for them to stay in the side room so that they could talk. When there were only three of them, Lu Wancheng asked, already knowing the answer, “What is going on? Third Brother and that woman who was pushed out just now…?”

Pan Shi looked at Lin Qingyu, her expression revealing a bit of awe and reverence.

The number of entertainers in Qingdai Pavilion was going to be cut by half. In order to stay in the mansion, these domestic prostitutes thought of all possible ways to curry favor. There was a singer, who, in the past, would occasionally be allowed by Lu Qiaosong to serve him between the sheets. Recently, Lu Qiaosong had stopped calling for her. She thought that her master had grown tired of her and would want to drive her out of the mansion. In order to regain the master’s favor, she had to take action.

Men like novelty and freshness. She entrusted the money she had saved over the years to a young page to bring to her from outside something to liven things up. This something was a kind of incense; after being lit, the fragrance was sweet but not cloying. It smelled extremely pleasant. She didn’t dare use too much of it. She simply smoked her clothes with the incense before going to wait upon Lu Qiaosong. Sure enough, Lu Qiaosong had been attracted by the scent on her body and carried her atop the table right on the spot.

After that, Lu Qiaosong doted upon her once again. She had hopes of giving birth to Lu Qiaosong’s children, preferably more sons than daughters, allowing her to stay in the mansion as a concubine in the future. But Lu Qiaosong had just been reprimanded by Nan’an Hou and fear still lingered in his heart. He also had misgivings about his health and didn’t dare be as unrestrained as he was in the past. Today, he and his poet friends gathered together. Maybe because they were having too much fun, they didn’t watch how much they were drinking and had one cup too many. By the time he returned to the Qingdai Pavilion, he was about ready to pass out from intoxication.