Transmigrator meets Reincarnator

551-600

Chapter 551: Mutton Soup (2)

Chu Lian changed into a set of casual home wear: a cherry blossom jacket and a pleated skirt embroidered with golden flower patterns.

When Chu Lian came out of the bathroom holding her slightly damp long hair, she looked up only to see He Changdi sitting on the chaise beside the window. There was a cup of tea on the table beside him and he was holding the storybook that she usually read in his hand. His brows were furrowed slightly. It seemed like he had clearly seen something he didn’t like.

He must have heard Chu Lian’s footsteps, as he set down the storybook and lifted his piercing gaze. Beckoning her, he said in a husky voice, “Come over here.”

Chu Lian blinked once and went over without any hesitation.

He Changdi sat up and moved back into the chaise, leaving the outer part for Chu Lian to sit on. He took the towel from Chu Lian’s hand and started to gently help her dry the ends of her hair, the only portion that had gotten wet while she was bathing.

Chu Lian sat on the chaise with her legs crossed. When she glanced over the table, she noticed that there was only plain hot water inside the teacup. Curious, she asked, “Why don’t you drink sencha anymore?”

If he didn’t feel like drinking sencha, he could just drink some honey water. When did He Sanlang start drinking only plain water?

Xiyan had already served Chu Lian a cup of warm honey water in the time it took for her to speak. After gauging the moods of Third Young Master and Madam, Xiyan tactfully waved over the other two maidservants on duty and they retreated in unison.

The movement of He Changdi’s hands hadn’t stopped once during all this. When he heard her question, he looked up and met with his wife’s eyes.

“Tastes terrible. Sickening.”

Chu Lian was dumbfounded by his answer. He Sanlang was really a miser with words. If not for the fact that she had spent enough time with him to understand his personality, then she really wouldn’t have understood what he meant. 

The first half of his answer was to say that sencha tasted disgusting, while the latter half was to express that honey water was too sweet…

He Changdi had been accustomed to drinking sencha at first. After all, it was the general preference within the capital. Even the royal family drank sencha. 

It was some time after he had gotten married to Chu Lian that he had inadvertently heard the reason why she didn’t drink sencha from a maidservant. From that point onwards, He Changdi suddenly felt that the sencha that had once been palatable to him had suddenly become hard to swallow.

Perhaps this was part of the inevitable sharing of preferences between couples.

However, He Sanlang couldn’t get used to drinking the honey water that Chu Lian usually drank, either. Thus, plain water was his only remaining option...

With that reminder, Chu Lian thought back to the modern tea leaves.

Back when she had still been in the modern world, she had enjoyed traveling in her free time. The largest tea-picking plantation she had visited was Longjing Village in Hangzhou. She had even watched an old tea-making master pan-frying tea in person. Later, she had purposely researched the whole process of making Longjing tea online. Even though it had happened a long time ago, Chu Lian still remembered it very clearly.

Her eyes lit up after she realised what date it was. It was almost the end of February, so it would be the best time to pick spring tea in a little over ten days.

“Wait a few more days, I’ll pan-fry some tea for you to drink.”

He Changdi didn’t actually take Chu Lian’s words to heart. Even the most valuable Zhengshan tea doesn’t pique his interest. What kind of tea could his wife produce that would beat that?

Thus, He Sanlang just gave her a half-hearted grunt of acknowledgement.

When Chu Lian turned around and noticed his cold, rigid expression, she asked in a displeased tone, “He Sanlang, don’t you believe me?”

“Of course I believe you.”

“Your reply was too half-hearted!” Chu Lian rolled her eyes and shifted to an upright sitting position. “I’ll have to make you eat your words when the time comes!”

He Sanlang smiled slightly. His wife really possessed an abnormally stubborn attitude towards anything to do with food.

After he was done drying her hair, He Changdi casually tossed the towel to the side and pulled Chu Lian into his embrace with one long arm. He buried his head into the crook of her neck and took a deep breath. Then, he asked, “What exactly happened today?”

Chu Lian knew that he was going to ask sooner or later, so she told him everything without holding back any details.

He Changdi’s thick brows drew together into a frown and his expression became increasingly grim as he listened. It seemed like Xiao Bojian wasn’t going to give up that easily. However, he wasn’t going to give that bastard any opportunities either!

Setting the matter of Xiao Bojian’s participation aside, he had the same question as Chu Lian. Why would Chu Qizheng plot against his own daughter?

He Changdi was afraid that Chu Lian would be hurt by her father’s actions, so he didn’t bring up his suspicions with her.

“Lian’er, you probably don’t know this yet, but your Fifth Sister’s marriage prospects aren’t going very well.”

Miss Su was older than Chu Lian and she had already turned seventeen with New Year’s passing. However, there still wasn’t any news regarding her marriage.

Since Chu Lian had married well, it should have been easier to find a groom for Miss Su. However, it was precisely due to the comparison with Chu Lian’s marriage that the eldest madam of the main branch became pickier. There had originally been several suitable families asking after Miss Su, but Eldest Madam had rejected them all in secret.

Thus, her engagement had been delayed till the New Year had passed and was still undecided even now. Miss Su turned a year older, so her choices had also narrowed… At this rate, it wasn’t looking good for her marriage.

Chu Lian recalled her encounter with Miss Su at the Ying Estate earlier today. Her figure looked thin and weak, and her complexion was ashen. Compared to the last time they had met, Fifth Sister had become a whole size thinner.

Was Eldest Aunt-in-Law the one behind Miss Su’s strange actions…?

She was deep in her thoughts when the feeling of something moist and soft on her neck jolted her back to reality. Chu Lian immediately came back to her senses and leaned away in an attempt to avoid He Changdi’s affectionate actions.

Chapter 552: Mutton Soup (

Chu Lian heard He Sanlang tell her in a hoarse voice, “Don’t go to the Ying Estate anymore.”

Chu Lian nodded. She shared the same sentiment.

Her mother had passed away a long time ago and her own father didn’t even like her, let alone Old Duke and Duchess Ying. She wasn’t the original ‘Chu Lian’ either, so House Ying was like a stranger to her. It would be better to have as little contact with them as possible in the future.

A rumble of hunger came straight from her tummy. Chu Lian turned around and looked at the chiseled profile of He Sanlang’s face. “Have you eaten your lunch yet?”

The corner of He Changdi’s lips lifted into a smile. “Why? Is Lian’er going to cook a meal for me?”

“That’s right. Is there anything that you want to eat?”

He Changdi was indeed hungry by now. He hadn’t noticed it earlier because he had been too worried about Chu Lian. The moment she mentioned lunch, the uncomfortable sensation of an empty stomach immediately returned.

He planted a gentle kiss on Chu Lian’s delicate cheek and said, “I’ll eat whatever you make.”

Chu Lian glared at him before pushing him away and hopping off the chaise. Once she pulled her embroidered shoes on, she immediately left the bedroom.

He Changdi was still a little worried after he thought about it. He called in Wenqing, who was on duty in the outer room, and questioned her thoroughly about the details of today’s incident again. Finally, he instructed Wenqing to keep a careful watch of Chu Lian in the kitchen and prevent her from secretly eating cold-natured foods.

Once Chu Lian entered the kitchen and spotted the ingredients placed on top of the chopping board, she instantly knew what she was going to cook.

Wenqing stared at Chu Lian intently, afraid that Third Young Madam would ‘accidentally’ pick up ingredients that were ‘cold’ in nature.

The handmaid was relieved when she noticed that Chu Lian was only picking up meat items: mutton, lamb leg bones, lamb chops, and various lamb organs. She relaxed enough to ask, “Third Young Madam, what are you going to make with these ingredients?”

Chu Lian smiled. “Mutton soup.”

Wenqing was slightly stunned by the answer. Mutton soup?

Did a simple mutton soup require that many parts of a lamb?

Chu Lian turned and began to give Wenlan instructions. “Prepare a basket of steamed buns and flower rolls. We’ll eat them with the mutton soup later.”

Whenever Chu Lian prepared meals herself in the kitchen, Senior Servant Gui would prevent any other maidservants from entering. Only Chu Lian’s handmaids were allowed to help out.

Although there were shops selling mutton soup now which were especially popular during the winter, the soup they sold didn’t taste good at all. The odour of the mutton was just too strong to make for a pleasant taste. Chu Lian had tried it once, but she hadn’t even been able to finish a single spoonful.

Mutton was considered a fairly high-grade meat in the Great Wu Dynasty. Most commoners could only afford to eat pork, chicken, or duck. Mutton cost three to four times more than pork, so ordinary families rarely bought mutton. They would only buy some during the New Year and other important holidays as an occasional treat.

The commoners’ method for preparing mutton and mutton soup was rather crude. The market price for mutton soup was also very high; a bowl of mutton soup was equivalent to several bowls of Yangchun noodles.

However, mutton soup could warm up the body. During the coldest days of the winter, a bowl of steaming hot mutton soup and a large piece of dry wheat pancake was a heavenly combination that even immortals wouldn’t refuse.

Thus, even though mutton soup was expensive, there was still a big market for it.

It had also been a long time since Wenqing last drank mutton soup. When she heard that Third Young Madam was going to make mutton soup, she could feel the anticipation rear its head  within her heart.

Third Young Madam hadn’t made any new dishes since they had returned to the capital!

It actually wasn’t very complicated to make a delicious bowl of mutton soup. The recipe went something like this:

First, crack open some fresh lamb leg bones.

Next, stew the bones in a pot with mutton and lamb organs. Keep at a constant boil, letting the meat slowly cook. This method will allow the strong odour of the meat to be significantly reduced over time while simultaneously enhancing the aroma of the soup.

When the stew reaches a certain temperature, throw in the various seasonings. Optionally, add in some carrots to help get rid of the strong mutton smell.

Finally, remove the mutton and lamb organs, now fully cooked, and cut them into thin slices. Dip the slices back into the soup before serving to warm them up, and then eat together with the rich mutton soup.

This way, the mutton soup will be delicious and fragrant without the odour of the meat.

chapter 553: mutton soup (4)

after preparing the mutton soup, chu lian told wenqing to watch over the fire. she then took a box filled with steamed buns over to he sanlang.

the mutton soup needed to cook for some time. it would probably be ready in a little over two hours. the freshly steamed buns could be used to fill their tummies in the meanwhile.

chu lian had told wenlan to prepare shandong steamed buns. the buns were even bigger than a man’s fist. the stuffing wasn’t the usual minced meat; instead, the meat had been chopped into small cubes, which had been mixed with plenty of spring onions before getting wrapped up in a bun. these shandong steamed buns were large in size and had a fresh taste thanks to the spring onions, so they wouldn’t lose out to the southern soup dumplings.

the exquisite food container could only hold four of these steamed buns at a time.

laiyue had been watching the kitchen intently for a long time. after seeing that chu lian had left, he shamelessly asked senior servant gui for a steamed meat bun…

he changdi was really hungry now, so he ate three steamed buns in one sitting. even though chu lian usually didn’t like greasy foods, she was still able to eat an entire shandong steamed bun.

after finishing the steamed buns, the aroma of the mutton soup drifted in from the kitchen.

the wind was blowing from the east today and songtao court’s kitchen was located on the east side. the breeze carried the delicious fragrance in, filling up the entire courtyard.

even he sanlang couldn’t help swallowing his saliva.

chu lian thought that little action was amusing. “i made some mutton soup. it’ll be ready in about an hour.”

he changdi raised his brows. they were both seated on the chaise. chu lian was sitting knees bent near the window on the inner portion, while he sanlang reclined against the outer part of the chaise. he readjusted the blanket on chu lian’s legs and said, “a soup cooked with mutton?”

“that’s right. i noticed that it was served quite often in the camp back at the northern border!”

the situation in liangzhou was different from the central region of the great wu dynasty. the barbarians’ main source of meat came from goats and sheep, so it was natural that they ate mutton often.

he sanlang’s mouth twitched. he immediately lost his appetite when he thought about the mutton soup that the army cooks made…

the soldiers at the northern border had joked about the top three dark cuisines of the northern border troops. the first place winner just happened to be mutton soup. chinese olive porridge took the second place, while the dry wheat pancakes that were harder than rocks placed third...

back in the kitchen, wenqing noticed that the mutton soup was ready, so she poured it into a specially prepared claypot. after placing the claypot in the food container, she brought it over to the bedroom.

countess jing’an was on a strict diet since she was still taking medication. thus, chu lian didn’t send her any mutton soup. as for the matriarch, since they had already had their confrontation out in the open, it wasn’t necessary for her to go out of her way to express goodwill to the matriarch’s cold shoulder.

thus, the mutton soup became an exclusive treat for the third branch. of course, chu lian hadn’t forgotten the old gourmet, great doctor miao. she had already sent wenlan over to deliver some shandong steamed buns and mutton soup to him.

pan nianzhen was casually walking around the gardens of the jing’an estate when a maidservant suddenly came to report that third young master and madam had returned.

pan nianzhen was surprised by the news. she knew that he changdi and chu lian had gone to the ying estate today. she had heard that it was for the coming-of-age ceremony for the eighth miss of house ying, who was chu lian’s younger sister. with such a close relationship between them, chu lian shouldn’t have returned so early. why had she come back when it was only past noon?

pan nianzhen bit her lip in thought and quickly went off to report the news to her mother.

he ying had much more insight into this than her daughter. her eyes darted back and forth as she gripped the handkerchief in her hand and gritted her teeth.

he ying had been managing guilin restaurant ever since matriarch he had taken it back.

she had reopened the long-closed guilin restaurant on the very day they had taken it back. it has been reopened for two days now, but the results were shocking. guilin restaurant used to be so busy that reservations had to be made several months in advance. however, there were barely any customers now.

Chapter 554: Mutton Soup (5)

Many customers had returned in high spirits, only to leave in disappointment.

By this morning, Guilin Restaurant was completely deserted.

He Ying didn’t understand how things had turned out this way. The restaurant had clearly been a money tree; how had it suddenly withered away in an instant?

In order to get to the bottom of things, she personally visited Guilin Restaurant herself early this morning.

It was when she tasted the dishes that she finally realised what had happened.

The famed dishes of Guilin Restaurant had suddenly become completely unpalatable! Even the cooks in the Jing’an Estate could do better than this!

He Ying was immediately enraged. She called the manager over for questioning.

This manager was someone that Matriarch He had newly assigned to manage the restaurant. He was an old servant who had already managed the matriarch’s businesses for many years. With his long, white beard, he looked like a wise old sage.

Under He Ying’s questioning, the manager revealed the whole story.

All the staff in Guilin Restaurant, from the cooks to the waiters to the accountants, had been completely replaced. However, this hadn’t been their intention at all. They simply hadn’t been able to find any of the original staff.

Since they wanted to reopen Guilin Restaurant at the earliest possible time, they had no choice but to fill the staff with new hires.

Unfortunately, even though they had enough hands now, they couldn’t replicate the original taste of the restaurant’s dishes.

The dishes that Guilin Restaurant had produced had been made from Third Young Madam’s secret recipes, so of course they wouldn’t be able to find anyone who could reproduce those dishes so easily.

It had been Manager Qin who had chosen the cooks himself and Xiyan who had personally taught them the recipes and cooking techniques required for the dishes.

The commoners of the Great Wu Dynasty valued recipes greatly. Many techniques and secrets were passed down to male descendants alone, and it wasn’t guaranteed that masters would teach their disciples their secrets. The common view that most masters held was that passing down their secret skills would lead to their death. Guilin Restaurant’s cooks had been taught those secrets by Xiyan, so they treated her as their master. Thus, they upheld their honour and integrity as her disciples and kept the recipes secret.

Eldest Madam He Ying gritted her teeth and slammed the table, shaking the teacups on the wooden surface.

No wonder Chu Lian had given the restaurant back to her mother so easily! So this was where her trap lied!

However, when she had returned the deed, Chu Lian had already made it clear that anything concerning the restaurant would have nothing to do with her from then onwards.

Thus, He Ying couldn’t confront Chu Lian face-to-face and demand the return of all of Guilin Restaurant’s original staff.

He Ying was still fuming when a senior servant rushed into the restaurant.

With her belly full of fire, He Ying was about to unleash her rage upon the unfortunate servant, when the servant hastily spoke up first. “Eldest Madam! Bad news!”

“What’s wrong now?! Speak!”

The senior servant stepped forward and took out a few letters from her sleeve, offering them up to Eldest Madam with both hands.

He Ying took the letters and scanned through the senders’ names. Her hands trembled and she almost dropped the letters to the floor.

Duke Zheng, Lord Yang, Marquis Fu’an, Duke Ding...

These were all well-known nobles or high officials in the capital.

Although House Jing’an had risen in status, they couldn’t handle this many great personages coming to ‘greet’ them at the same time...

She didn’t understand why all these people had suddenly written letters to House Jing’an and why they had been specially passed on to her.

She took in a deep breath to calm her curious, anxious heart before opening the first letter, which had been personally written by Lord Yang, one of the officials of the cabinet.

When she finished reading his letter, she was rooted to the spot in shock.

Of all the possible reasons that these great personages would have written to House Jing’an, this was something she hadn’t expected in the least!

Lord Yang had actually written a public letter just to reprimand her for ruining Guilin Restaurant and destroying one of the food paradises of the capital.

Chapter 555: Mutton Soup (6)

Pressure gathered in He Ying’s chest and she almost spat up a mouthful of blood.

She slapped the letter onto the table and resisted the urge to throw the thin, harsh reprimand into the fires of a nearby brazier.

Pan Nianzhen was seated right next to her mother, so she had been reading along with He Ying as well. Rage boiled in her chest as well.

It wasn’t as if they didn’t want the restaurant to do well! Chu Lian had made things difficult for them on purpose. If not, why would she have taken away all the original staff of Guilin, leaving her mother to suffer all this unwarranted criticism alone?

Even the cowardly Pan Nianzhen was filled with jealousy and hatred towards Chu Lian at this moment.

What a peculiar line of thought from this mother-daughter pair. While they were busy finding others to target with their resentment, they hadn’t thought of the whole reason behind this fiasco. They had snatched Guilin Restaurant from the hands of its original owner. It wasn’t something that belonged to them in the first place. Was their victim supposed to have willingly offered it up with both hands, with all the bells and whistles attached?

There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

He Ying opened up a few more letters in succession. As she continued reading them, her expression darkened further. Even Old Duke Zheng, who had left politics behind, had written in to her. His words were especially sharp and harsh. In his eyes, He Ying seemed to have become a great criminal who had snatched away his one source of food.

Eldest Madam He Ying scolded him right back in her heart and left the rest of the letters unopened.

She wrung her handkerchief as if she were holding Chu Lian’s neck in her hands.

Pan Nianzhen had never seen her mother this angry in a long time. Ever since they had come to the capital and started living in the Jing’an Estate, her mother had always been in high spirits. With her grandmother’s affection and blessings, she and her mother had never lacked nor wanted for anything here.

The luxurious life they had in the Jing’an Estate couldn’t be compared to the rural Siyang. No wonder her mother had always been talking about how great the capital was.

She held onto her mother’s arm and swung it like a child. “Mother, don’t get angry. This isn’t your fault at all. Why don’t we go over to Songtao Court and see what’s going on?”

There was definitely something wrong with how quickly He Sanlang and Chu Lian had returned from the Ying Estate. The servants of Songtao Court had their lips sealed shut. In order to find out what had happened, they would have to pay a visit to Chu Lian themselves.

She hadn’t seen Third Cousin for quite a few days anyway, Pan Nianzhen thought to herself bashfully.

She didn’t know if He Changdi was doing it on purpose or whether he had sensed something, but recently, whenever he went to visit Matriarch He or Countess Jing’an, he would make an extra effort to miss meeting her entirely.

He Ying thought her daughter’s words made sense, so she immediately nodded.

“Let’s go! I’ll definitely find this Madam Chu’s weak spot somehow!”

Once they caught hold of Chu Lian’s weakness, they would be able to make her return the old staff of the restaurant.

Mother and daughter were both in great spirits over their ambitious plans. They made preparations and headed over to Songtao Court with their maidservants.

They arrived outside Songtao Court in less than fifteen minutes.

Before they even stepped through the courtyard entrance, He Ying’s nose twitched.

“What’s that aroma? It smells delicious…”

Pan Nianzhen had also detected the same. She subconsciously gulped as the smell hooked her taste buds. She looked into the courtyard and said, “Mother, it looks like it’s coming from inside.”

A shadow settled over He Ying’s face. However, at the same time, she couldn’t control the saliva pooling in her mouth.

After living in the Jing’an Estate for so many days, it was a given that she knew that Chu Lian had plenty of secret recipes. Some of the dishes she made were even better than those made by the imperial cooks.

The cook in Qingxi Hall had only learned a few dishes from Xiyan, but now her cooking had risen to a whole new level and had become even better than the food served at most nobles’ banquets. It went without saying how delicious the food at Chu Lian’s own courtyard must be.

Chapter 556: Mutton Soup (7)

Indignation rose in Eldest Madam’s heart. It was bad enough that Chu Lian hadn’t made a peep after Guilin Restaurant’s reopening had failed so spectacularly. However, she still had the mood to cook up more delicious food at home!

Wasn’t that being too much?!

In the time it took for these thoughts to pass through her mind, He Ying had already entered Songtao Court with her daughter.

A maidservant immediately ran in to report their arrival.

By the time they reached the parlour, Chu Lian and He Changdi were already drinking mutton soup and eating flower rolls.

The savoury vegetable flower rolls and the pot of thick, warming mutton soup, as well as the various plates of appetisers, presented a huge feast for the eyes. He Ying and her daughter had started salivating without realising it.

Chu Lian and He Sanlang had already been informed that He Ying and her daughter had come, so they weren’t surprised in the least.

When Chu Lian set down the white porcelain bowl in her hands, Xiyan immediately stepped forward with a wet towel for her to wipe her hands. Following that, Chu Lian slowly stood up and bobbed towards Eldest Madam in greeting.

“What might be the reason for this visit, Aunt?” Chu Lian’s smile was as charming and brilliant as ever. Her tone was also friendly and her voice pleasant to the ear. The way she kept a faint smile on her lips as she spoke was as refreshing as the newly arrived spring breeze.

However, when faced with this sight, only anger and irritation abounded in He Ying’s heart.

She harrumphed coldly and said, “What? I can’t just pay a visit to you without a proper reason now?”

He Sanlang looked up from his soup and cast a deliberately cold glance at her.

That one look was enough to send chills down Eldest Madam’s spine. However, she quickly recovered her calm and propped herself up with the facade of a senior family member. She sat right down on a sandalwood chair without waiting for an invite.

Pan Nianzhen sat obediently behind her mother like a harmless little pet.

“What do you mean, Aunt? Of course you’re welcome to visit us anytime you like.” Chu Lian’s mood didn’t seem to be affected by He Ying’s words at all. Conversely, she seemed rather agreeable and amenable. She took her seat again right after.

While He Sanlang was seemingly drinking his soup without a care off to the side, he had been watching Chu Lian the whole time. Seeing that her appetite wasn’t very good and as a result, she hadn’t eaten much, he filled up her bowl of soup again and set it before her.

“Drink more,” He Changdi said. His magnetic voice was especially seductive when he lowered his volume to a husky whisper.

It was Pan Nianzhen’s first time hearing such a gentle tone from her cousin. Her face instantly turned red.

She replayed the scene again in her mind, but placed herself in Chu Lian’s position instead. While listening to He Changdi’s voice, she drifted off into daydreams...

Chu Lian wanted to reject the bowl of soup. She had already eaten a whole Shandong steamed bun earlier, and she had topped that off with half a bowl of soup and a single flower roll. This was already more than enough for her tiny stomach, so she tried to push the bowl away. Unfortunately, He Changdi was much more stubborn than she was, especially with the effect of his threatening glare sent her way.

Chu Lian still felt rather hot, so she hadn’t wanted to drink too much mutton soup. It wasn’t good to disobey He Sanlang at this time though.

If his strange temper really flared up, he wouldn’t care if it were right in front of outsiders.

Chu Lian pouted and started sipping slowly at the fresh mutton soup, still acting like an unwilling child. She even fished out the mutton and lamb organs she didn’t like and threw them into He Sanlang’s bowl.

Although He Changdi’s expression hadn’t changed and he looked as unfriendly as ever, he didn’t seem to mind eating all of the rejected food that his wife had thrown into his bowl.

This unintentional display of unconditional love and pampering from He Sanlang made Pan Nianzhen mad with jealousy!

She wanted to push Chu Lian away and sit in her place to accept all of He Changdi’s care and concern.

Meanwhile, Eldest Madam stared at the loving couple seated across from her, stunned by their lack of reaction and about to explode from sheer frustration.

She hadn’t thought that Chu Lian would just continue on eating after saying a couple half-hearted replies.

Hey! They weren’t invisible!

He Ying’s face was flushed red from her mounting anger.

Most importantly, that soup they were drinking was just too fragrant. She didn’t know what it was, but it had successfully hooked her appetite.

As stubborn and proud as Eldest Madam and Miss Pan were, they couldn’t control the unconscious reaction of saliva pooling in their mouths.

Especially when they watched He Changdi eating so heartily. They were starting to get hungrier and hungrier...

Thanks to the failing mess of Guilin Restaurant, Eldest Madam had barely been able to summon up any appetite at all over the past two days. She and her daughter had only eaten a few bites for their lunch today, too, so it was about time to eat again.

It was the ultimate torture to be faced with delicious food on an empty stomach.

He Ying and Pan Nianzhen were facing that exact torment now.

Perhaps even her stomach was especially agreeing to the sentiment, as a loud grumble sounded from Eldest Madam’s belly.

Wenlan, who was on standby in the parlour, almost burst out into laughter, but she managed to get it under control after her sister glared at her.

He Ying’s eyes gleamed with clear dissatisfaction. She had already made it so obvious, yet these people were acting as if they hadn’t noticed anything at all. They just refused to bring up the tantalising, steaming hot dishes on the table.

He Changdi had a huge appetite. Furthermore, since these dishes had all been cooked by Chu Lian herself, he couldn’t help eating a few more bowls than usual.

When Eldest Madam saw that He Sanlang had just taken another serving of soup from the claypot in front of him, she finally spoke up, unable to resist the great temptation presented by the food.

“Ah, what a coincidence, I didn’t think that you would be having your lunch at this time. What is this soup? It smells delicious. I’ve never tried something like this before.”

He Ying stared right at the claypot in a very obvious hint.

Chapter 557: Mutton Soup (8)

Inside the fish-patterned claypot, chopped spring onions floated on the surface of a thick, milky-white soup as a constant cloud of steam billowed up from within. It looked extremely tasty, giving He Ying the urge to taste it for herself.

He Ying thought that she had made herself more than clear. Anyone with the slightest bit of brain matter would definitely invite her to have a taste immediately.

Unfortunately, she was up against the ‘strange’ couple of He Sanlang and Chu Lian!

Chu Lian took a pause in drinking her soup to shoot a look at Xiyan behind her.

Xiyan blinked in surprise before she caught her master’s intentions.

She was all smiles as she explained to He Ying, “If I might reply to Eldest Madam, this is mutton soup. Our Third Young Madam made this herself with a special recipe. It’s completely different from the mutton soup available in the markets. Not only is it fresh to the taste and thick in texture, it doesn’t have the usual odour of meat that you might find in normal mutton soup. It’s a perfect complement to any dish. Even Third Young Master has never tried such a marvellous delicacy before…”

Xiyan did her utmost to describe how delicious the mutton soup was, but what was missing from her words was any hint of an invitation to have a taste.

Eldest Madam and Miss Pan were already starving. Xiyan’s descriptions only added to the blazing hunger in their bellies, yet they weren’t able to have any taste at all of the feast before them. Eldest Madam almost flipped the table in her frustration.

However, they didn’t have any other choice. If Chu Lian refused to take the initiative to give them some, they weren’t so shameless as to take it without asking.

Eldest Madam chuckled with an ugly grimace.

Meanwhile, Chu Lian was enjoying their interactions with a touch of schadenfreude. They had clearly come without any good intentions, so they could dream on if they wanted to eat any of the mutton soup she had made!

Although Eldest Madam had failed at getting any of the delicacies before her and was on the verge of spitting up blood from the frustration, she wasn’t going to give up without getting what she had come for.

He Ying bore with the hunger gnawing at her belly and said, “I heard that you attended your sister’s coming-of-age ceremony today, but why are you back so early? Don’t most ceremonies end in the late afternoon? Unless—” He Ying dragged out the word, adding on another layer of meaning in her tone, “Unless you’ve somehow gotten into a spot of unpleasantness with your sisters back at home?”

Even though Chu Lian had indeed run into some trouble at the Ying Estate, especially with the second branch, she couldn’t badmouth House Ying in front of others since it was her maiden house. It would only reflect badly on her instead.

Eldest Madam had chosen her words well. She had planted a nice trap for Chu Lian.

This time, no matter what Chu Lian answered, she would be at a disadvantage.

It seemed like even Eldest Madam had her moments of wit.

Before Chu Lian could reply, He Changdi had already spoken up. “Aunt, since Grandmother has entrusted Guilin Restaurant to you to manage, you should know what your priorities are. I’m the one who told Lian’er to return home earlier today. Are you going to question me instead?”

He Ying was stunned speechless by He Sanlang’s words. She hadn’t thought that the taciturn He Changdi would pick this moment to speak up and defend Chu Lian. He hadn’t been like this back when Miaozhen had almost miscarried.

Despite the anger in her heart, He Ying didn’t have any measures to deal with He Changdi, whose status was greater than everyone in the entire Jing’an Estate.

With her little bit of intelligence, she was still able to surmise that the one person she couldn’t afford to offend in the estate was He Sanlang. If she ever did so, she and her daughter wouldn’t be able to continue living the sweet lives they had now.

What a pity that she hadn’t realised that offending his wife was a far greater offence in He Changdi’s eyes, compared to offending him

“Sanlang, what are you saying! I’m only asking because I care about you two!”

He Changdi shot a cold glare at her and remained silent.

Thus, He Ying had no choice but to abandon this line of conversation. The gears in her head turned. Since she had already lowered herself to come to Songtao Court, she couldn’t possibly leave without getting something in return!

“Sanlang, since you mentioned Guilin Restaurant, I’ll be honest with you. There have been some problems with Guilin Restaurant. I was wondering if you would be able to help your dear aunt a little. I’m doing this for the good of our estate after all. Think about it, if our public coffers grow richer, then your third branch will have more to spend as well, won’t it?”

Since He Changdi had already taken over the conversation, Chu Lian let him continue talking to Eldest Madam without any interruption.

Now that He Ying had mentioned Guilin Restaurant, her curiosity was piqued. She wanted to know how He Changdi was going to reply to her.

It would be impossible for her to continue helping Guilin Restaurant to earn money. Even if He Sanlang agreed to it on her behalf, she would reject him on the spot.

As her thoughts were wandering, He Changdi finally replied, “Has your age caught up to you, Aunt? Or is your memory going bad? Have you forgotten what Lian’er said when she returned Guilin Restaurant?”

He Ying froze up completely. He Changdi hadn’t left a single shred of dignity for her in his reply! She was still his senior family member after all! As well as his only aunt!

However, He Changdi couldn’t be bothered with their feelings. His expression darkened and became even frostier than before. “It’s getting late. Since you’re helping Grandmother with managing the household, you must have plenty on your plate. It’s about time for dinner, too. Why don’t you head back to Qingxi Hall first, Aunt? You should spend more time with Grandmother.”

He Ying didn’t think that He Changdi would chase her out so frankly. Her eyes were still wide in shock when Chu Lian’s handmaids, Wenqing and Wenlan, moved over to her side and ‘invited’ her to leave with smiles on their faces.

Thus, He Ying and her daughter unwillingly left Songtao Court.

It wasn’t until they were far away from the accursed place that He Ying let out the indignant stream of rants she had been keeping in the entire time.

Chapter 558: Consort Liang

Once He Ying and her daughter left, Chu Lian turned to look at He Sanlang with a wide smile on her face. She blinked at him with her bright almond-shaped eyes, giving the icy-faced He Sanlang an itch in his heart.

He loudly gulped before setting down his spoon and asking seriously, “What’s wrong?”

Chu Lian’s bell-like laughter rang out. “I didn’t expect that! You were really impressive.”

He Sanlang felt that his wife was talking nonsense; when had he ever been anything but impressive?

Despite such thoughts, he was still in high spirits from Chu Lian’s praise.

In his usual tsundere way, he snorted and said, “So you’ve finally realised how amazing your husband is?”

Chu Lian chuckled. She held back her retorts and made a rare show of agreement. “Yes, I’ve only just realised that. You’re sooo amazing, I’ll listen to everything you say from now on!”

It was at this moment that the beaming Senior Servant Zhong entered the room with a bowl of tonic in her hands. “Third Young Madam, it’s time to drink the soup.”

After drinking the same soup for so many days, Chu Lian had the urge to puke just from the smell alone. She stood up with the intention to leave, but He Sanlang grabbed hold of her petite wrist.

“Drink the tonic. Have you forgotten what you just said?”

Chu Lian wanted to knock herself out on a block of tofu. She had just shot herself in the foot! What kind of brain fart did she have just now? Why did she make such a promise to her lunatic husband?!

She had basically dug a hole and jumped straight into it!

There was no way around this. She didn’t have the moral high ground here, so she had no choice but to down the tonic in a single breath.

…...

Darkness had fallen over the capital, but the imperial palace remained a resplendent sight under the pale light of the moon, dripping with riches and grandeur.

The tallest hall in the palace stood as proof of the highest authority.

The moment Prince Jin left Qinzheng Hall, a eunuch ran over with a smile.

Prince Jin’s azure eyes fell upon the eunuch, but it was hard to tell if there was any emotion in those depths.

However, the eunuch’s joy was unaffected by this. When he ran up to Prince Jin, he first made a deep bow before warmly announcing, “Fourth Prince, Consort Liang has invited you over for dinner!”

The eunuch in a dark-red robe was a trusted servant of Consort Liang. His name was Liu Buyong and he was nearly forty. Back when Prince Jin was being fostered in Chengxiang Hall, this eunuch was already working there, so one could say he had watched Prince Jin grow up.

Prince Jin didn’t answer immediately. He stood on the snow-white steps of Qinzheng Hall, looking down upon Liu Buyong and the wrinkles that were starting to show on his face.

Liu Buyong suddenly felt a chill run down his back. There was a tinge of shock and confusion on his face. He didn’t understand why the gentle Fourth Prince had suddenly become so hard to read.

Just as Liu Buyong was about to be overwhelmed by Prince Jin’s gaze, he heard the prince’s voice.

“Lead me there.”

As soon as those words were spoken, Liu Buyong felt the noose on his heart loosen and his anxiety washed away. He wanted to check Prince Jin’s mood, but he didn’t dare to look at the prince due to his lingering fears. Thus, he lowered his head, bent his back, and led Fourth Prince away.

When they arrived at the entrance of Chengxiang Hall, Prince Jin could see in the distance a tall, skinny figure standing in the corridor.

The man had his back to the main entrance of Chengxiang Hall, and the dim light of dusk fanned out from behind him, forming a warm halo of light. Unfortunately, it was too dark for Prince Jin to make out his expression.

This silhouette belonged to someone who was most familiar to Prince Jin. It was the second prince who had grown up alongside him— no, wait, he had already become heir apparent ever since the eldest prince had passed. This man was now the current Crown Prince.

In the past, Prince Jin would have gone up immediately and called out affectionately to his Second Brother, but this time, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Who could have thought that Consort Liang, a woman he respected like his own mother, would turn out to be the culprit behind his mother’s death!

Consort Liang was even his mother’s cousin!

Chapter 560: Shifting Responsibility (1)

Prince Jin stiffened, but he quickly regained his usual calm and patted Consort Liang’s back to console her. “Mother, it was I who wanted to go, so this isn’t your fault. Besides, I’ve returned safely, haven’t I?”

Ever since Consort Liang had adopted him, Prince Jin had addressed her as Mother, just like Second Prince did.

Hearing Prince Jin’s words of consolation, Consort Liang made great efforts to hold back her tears. “You’re right, Ah Yi, I was overthinking things. Come, both of you, take a seat! I’ll have the food served up now. I cooked dinner myself today, so the two of you had better eat more!”

The servants quickly laid out the dishes, and the ‘happy family’ sat around the table. It was part of palace etiquette to stay silent while eating, so it was a quiet meal.

Consort Liang didn’t eat much herself, but she repeatedly filled the bowls of the princes with food.

After dinner, Consort Liang had her attendant bring out a brand new robe.

She pulled Prince Jin over and said with a wide smile, “Here, try this on, see if it fits you. I made this for you last year, but since you didn’t return for the new year, it’s been in storage until now.”

Prince Jin accepted Consort Liang’s kindness as per usual.

Off to the side, Crown Prince added enviously, “Fourth Brother, I bet you didn’t know that Mother only made a robe for you. I didn’t get one!”

Consort Liang immediately smacked the crown prince’s shoulder. “What are you saying! You’ve already formed a family, so if you want a robe, get your wife to make one for you. Ah Yi is still all alone. As his mother, I obviously have to shower him with more love.”

When it was close to midnight, Prince Jin finally returned to his estate.

His aide who followed closely behind him held the new robe up with both hands and asked, “Your Highness, shall I pass this robe to momo for keeping?”

Prince Jin’s voice suddenly turned cold and sinister. “Burn it!”

His aide was stunned by the unexpected reaction, but he immediately complied. The aide quickly had someone bring forth a brazier and he tossed the robe that they brought back from Consort Liang’s place straight into the fire.

Prince Jin stood beside his own bed. As there was nothing lit in the room, only the silver-white moonlight that shone through the windows gave light to Prince Jin’s figure.

In his mind, the reminder that Consort Liang had given him before he left resounded over and over.

“Ah Yi, your Second Brother isn’t as capable as you are, so please help him as much as possible in the future.”

Hmph! Help him?

…...

Chu Lian was in the middle of drinking honey water in her courtyard when Xiyan rushed in with a smile on her face.

Chu Lian glanced at her and asked, “What’s going on? Is it good news?”

Xiyan nodded like a chick picking rice grains off the ground. “Third Young Madam, I heard that Guilin Restaurant is closing down soon.”

Chu Lian nearly spit out all the honey water in her mouth.

What? That was way faster than she expected!

“What happened?”

Even without her at the helm of Guilin Restaurant, it shouldn’t have shut down so quickly. Before she had taken it over, Guilin Restaurant had been constantly in the red, but it had never been at the risk of closing down.

Xiyan came closer to her and whispered, “I heard that there were nobles in the capital who wrote letters of complaint.”

Pfft…

It suddenly dawned upon Chu Lian. No wonder Lady Yang had sent her a letter two days ago. She had questions about Guilin Restaurant, so Chu Lian had tactfully replied that Guilin Restaurant was now back in the hands of the matriarch, and that she was no longer managing it.

That made sense though. Back when Guilin Restaurant had first reopened, the main market of consumers she targeted had been the capital’s upper class. Now that the management of Guilin Restaurant had been swapped out, the ones who bore the brunt of it were the nobles. Matriarch He may have some authority in the capital, but it was nothing when going against the higher ranking nobility. Guilin Restaurant’s permanent closure was something that would have happened sooner or later.

Chapter 561: Shifting Responsibility (2)

Xiyan took out a letter from her sleeves and presented it to Chu Lian. “Third Young Madam, this letter came from the northern border. It’s from Manager Qin.”

Chu Lian opened the letter and skimmed through it quickly.

When she finished reading, she smiled and said, “Manager Qin has finished setting up the simple market, so he and the others are already on the way back to the capital.”

Since everything was going swimmingly, Xiyan was happy as well.

The mood in Songtao Court was harmonious with the sounds of laughter and happy chatter, but it was the complete opposite in the gloomy Qingxi Hall.

The matriarch slammed the letters in her hand on the side table, her complaints bursting out in a furious exclamation. “This is absurd! How can these people be so brazen!”

He Ying stood by her side, dabbing at her tears. “Mother, please don’t be angry. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t find a good chef, causing Guilin Restaurant to get criticised.”

Senior Servant Liu stood behind the matriarch and patted the matriarch’s back. There was a disapproving expression on her face as she looked at He Ying.

“Enough, stop weeping. This isn’t completely your fault; Sanlang’s wife transferred all of the original personnel away, so there’s nothing you could have done about it!”

He Ying wiped away her tears and nodded dejectedly. “Mother, what are we going to do then? Our family still needs funds! We couldn’t possibly go borrowing from others, right?!”

There was only a small amount of funds left in the public accounts in the first place. After they were returned to Matriarch He’s hands, Muxiang and He Ying had both taken their cut, leaving a paltry sum of income. The funds couldn’t cover their estate’s expenses now.

The matriarch’s brows were furrowed tightly together. She hadn’t thought that she would have to worry about their bread and butter even after reaching such a grand old age. She should’ve been happily retired by now.

Seeing the terrible expression on the matriarch’s face, Pan Nianzhen spoke up in a soft tone, “Grandmother, I’ve heard that Aunt’s health has gotten much better. She can get off the bed and walk around now, as well as take care of the management of her courtyard!”

Thanks to Pan Nianzhen’s reminder, a lightbulb went off in He Ying’s head.

She looked approvingly at her daughter. “Mother, Nianzhen is right. You’re already in your golden years. This is when you should be able to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. It shouldn’t be up to you to manage these tiresome matters in the estate. Sister-in-Law’s health wasn’t up to the task in the past, but now that she’s healthy again, shouldn’t she be the one to manage these household matters?”

The matriarch’s body wasn’t as hearty and hale as it had been in the past. She was starting to struggle with the estate’s management. Her daughter’s suggestion sounded perfectly reasonable to her. Since she didn’t want to handle these trivialities any longer, she might as well hand it off to her daughter-in-law.

Her daughter-in-law had been resting for so many years. It was indeed time for her to take the mantle back up again.

Gears were turning in Eldest Madam’s head as she thought of how best to gouge another cut from the funds after handing the public accounts over to Countess Jing’an.

Once the account books reached her sister-in-law’s hands, it would then be her business to take care of making ends meet. It wouldn’t have anything to do with her.

While He Ying was deep in thought, the matriarch brought up an abrupt question. “Miss Ying, how are Nianzhen’s marriage prospects going?”

Since the new year had passed, Matriarch He had been busy looking at potential grooms for Pan Nianzhen. Her friends had passed on some candidates, but her daughter and granddaughter had rejected all of them.

Actually, she wasn’t very satisfied with the choices presented either. Most of them were from minor officials’ families, or some poor households. If the potential candidate had some money, then it was only because they were a lowly merchant.

Unfortunately, the matriarch hadn’t taken Pan Nianzhen’s status into consideration while thinking this.

Other than being linked to House Jing’an through her mother, she didn’t have any other redeeming qualities to her. Her mother was also a widow who had abandoned her husband’s house. In her younger days, her mother had also made a bad name for herself.

It hadn’t been easy to collect this list of men without any bad reputation.

Actually, He Ying didn’t like the potential candidates because she had her mind set on He Erlang.

She secretly glanced at her mother to gauge her mood before pretending to be furious. “All of them are looking down on us! Look at who they’ve recommended. Miss Zhen has been suffering with me ever since her childhood. How could I let her marry just anyone? Wouldn’t she have to continue suffering under her mother-in-law after marrying then?”

Chapter 562: He Ying's Confidence (1)

Pan Nianzhen wordlessly bowed her head as if she had suffered a major grievance.

Matriarch He felt a little guilty in her heart. She sighed and said, “It was all my fault for agreeing with your father’s decision to marry you off to Siyang that year.”

He Ying hastily shook her head. “Mother, what are you saying? It’s already been so many years. I’ve already moved on from what had happened. At that time, I was the one in the wrong, causing Mother to lose face.”

After spending time together these past few days, He Ying had already noticed that her mother wasn’t as sharp as before. She has become more muddle-headed and soft-hearted as she got older. Every time she acknowledged her mistakes and acted pitiful, her mother would be especially affectionate to her.

She had tried this trick many times and it had worked every time so far.

As expected, Matriarch He’s face was filled with remorse. Her heart ached as she patted her daughter’s hand. “Don’t worry, Miss Ying. Mother will find a good husband for Nianzhen.”

Pan Nianzhen was her daughter’s only child, so she couldn’t bear letting her suffer.

A corner of He Ying’s lips curled in celebration of her success, hidden by the shadows falling over her face.

Her eyes darted about. She felt that this was a good chance to mention her suggestion to her mother.

She organised her thoughts and moved closer to Matriarch He. Then, she hugged Matriarch He’s arm and swung it lightly. “Mother, Miss Pan is my only daughter. I can’t bear to let her marry somewhere far away. I’m also worried that her husband’s family will mistreat her. After all, I experienced that misery myself in the past. If possible, I would rather keep Miss Pan right here with me forever.”

The matriarch’s gaze was unfocused. A bitter, remorseful expression emerged on her face. It was hard to tell if she was thinking of the year that her daughter had been sent off far away.

He Ying continued, “Mother, Erlang is already twenty-five this year. The sons of other families around his age already have several children by now. Since he’s still single, there are unpleasant rumours spreading outside. Miss Pan is Erlang’s younger cousin and she’s also at a suitable age. Since Erlang doesn’t want to marry a woman that he doesn’t know, why don’t we pair them up? Elder Sister-in-Law has a good personality, so I’ll be at ease with her taking care of Miss Zhen.”

Matriarch He was baffled by her daughter’s words.

Although she wanted to help her granddaughter find a good husband, she had never considered letting her granddaughter marry into her own household.

Erlang was an old bachelor and she had been continuously searching for a suitable bride for him. However, Erlang was stubborn and he had never agreed to any of her suggestions before.

Although He Erlang seemed careless, he actually had his way of doing things. Even his mother couldn’t convince him otherwise, let alone his grandmother!

If it wasn’t so, she wouldn’t be waiting for a grandson still.

Matriarch He didn’t blindly agree with her daughter’s suggestion this time. Her expression became stern for a moment, but she instantly felt that she was being too harsh on her. Thus, she relaxed her expression and tried to persuade otherwise. “Miss Ying, it’s not that I don’t want to help Miss Zhen, but it’s really not appropriate to have Erlang marry her.”

He Ying didn’t think that her normally agreeable mother would reject her immediately. Her eyes reddened in grievance. She pulled her arm back and complained, “Mother, you don’t say it out loud, but you actually hold contempt for us, right? Scorning us for potentially staining my nephew’s reputation.”

The matriarch was heartbroken when she saw her daughter weeping. “There’s no such thing. Miss Ying, why would I scorn you? I gave birth to you! You’re my very own daughter!”

“Then why won’t you Mother agree to Miss Pan and Erlang’s marriage? Erlang isn’t getting any younger. Don’t you know the rumours that other people are spreading about Erlang? Miss Pan is as beautiful as a flower and of a suitable age. Apart from her family background, which part of her isn’t worthy to match Erlang?!”

Chapter 563: He Ying's Confidence (2)

The matriarch hesitated after listening to her daughter’s words, but she recalled her son’s letter and what her grandson had purposely told her. Thus, she bore with the pain and shook her head. “Miss Ying, it’s not that Mother doesn’t want to agree, but I’m not the one who can make a decision regarding this matter. Your elder brother sent a letter back saying that Erlang will be the one to decide his own marriage. Furthermore, your sister-in-law’s health is better now. Erlang is her son, so we have to seek her opinion for this, too.”

Furthermore, He Erlang had already informed Matriarch He at the beginning of the year that he had a girl whom he liked and that he would be getting married this year.

Back then, she had been the one who had requested the Empress Dowager to bestow a marriage for He Sanlang. Count Jing’an had sent a letter from Mingzhou to express his rage over that. Thus, the old matriarch didn’t dare to arbitrarily make decisions over Erlang’s marriage now.  

Count Jing’an was also her son. Though she wanted to pamper her daughter, her son and grandsons were the ones who would inherit the family assets. They were equally important to her.

Since both sides were dear to her, it wasn’t easy for Matriarch He to speak for one over the other.

With that, He Ying understood that it would be difficult to persuade her mother right now.

She decided to give up for now and changed the topic.

Matriarch He was inwardly relieved when she noticed that her daughter dropped the matter. The smile returned to her face and she happily chatted about other things.

Neither of them took notice of Pan Nianzhen, who was beside them. Her head was bowed, her bangs covering her face.

Under the cover of her fringe, she breathed a long sigh of relief and slightly loosened the tight grip she had on the handkerchief in her hand.

She didn’t like strong and burly men like Second Cousin. She preferred beautiful men like Third Cousin and Scholar Xiao.

Her heart had actually relaxed since the talk about her marriage with Second Cousin hadn’t succeeded.

As long as Chu Lian remained childless, she trusted that she would definitely become Third Cousin’s woman.

Pan Nianzhen subconsciously clenched her fists as she was filled with confidence.

When He Ying left Qingxi Hall’s parlour with her daughter, her eyes narrowed slightly.

She had already decided to have her daughter marry He Erlang. If the proper way didn’t work, then she would have to try alternative methods. 

He Ying quickly pulled her daughter back to their room in Qingxi Hall.

She ordered all the maidservants to leave and had someone trustworthy guard the door. When it was just the two of them in the room, He Ying tugged on her daughter’s arm and sternly asked, “Miss Zhen, tell Mother the truth, are you willing to stay in House Jing’an?”

Although Eldest Madam was idiotic and her personality was greedy and selfish, she truly doted on her only daughter, Pan Nianzhen, with all her heart.

She didn’t have a son, so she needed her daughter to take care of her in her old age!

Pan Nianzhen raised her head to look at her mother, hesitating to speak.

He Ying was getting impatient. “I’m asking you a question! Why are you still hesitating in front of your mother? If you don’t agree, I won’t force you.”

Pan Nianzhen thought about the handsome He Changdi with his refined bearing and his cold temperament. His deep eyes were always impenetrable, carrying an attractive sense of mysteriousness. With that thought, her cheeks instantly flushed. She summoned up her courage and nodded.

“Mother, I understand my own status, so I don’t dare to have any improper desires regarding House Jing’an.” Although Pan Nianzhen usually kept very quiet, she was actually a very manipulative person.

A classic example of ‘a dog that bites won’t bark.’

She had triggered her mother’s competitive nature with just a few words.

He Ying had always believed that House Jing’an owed her a lot. Thus, as long as her daughter was willing to marry into House Jing’an, there was nothing impossible about it to her.

She patted the back of Pan Nianzhen’s hand and said, “Miss Zhen, if you want to marry into House Jing’an, then I have my ways to make it happen. You’re my daughter, so keep in mind, you’re just as good as any of those royal princesses and honoured ladies.”

Chapter 564: How Do I Walk Like This (1)

He Ying and her daughter were whispering in their room with their heads lowered. It was hard to tell what kind of wishful plans they were making.

A while later, Pan Nianzhen widened her eyes in shock. “Mother, this… this doesn’t seem appropriate!”

She couldn’t believe that He Ying would tell her to use that kind of method.

He Ying sneered. “How is it improper?! As long as we can achieve our goal, there’s no such thing as an inappropriate method!”

Once things were done and settled, and with her to put her foot down, she refused to believe that her daughter wouldn’t be able to marry Erlang!

Pan Nianzhen nervously gulped and took a deep breath. Her hesitant gaze slowly shifted into resolute determination.

“Alright, I’ll listen to Mother. I know you’re the one who treats me the best in this world.” Pan Nianzhen had warm words to speak, but those weren’t the true thoughts within her heart.

Her mother had devised a plan for her and she was also going to make the arrangements for it. However, she had her own twist in mind.

This was something that she hid even from He Ying.

However, neither of them noticed that the maidservant whom they had trusted to guard the door, Pinglu, had already inwardly taken note of their plan. She even reported it directly to the matriarch’s handmaid, Muxiang, later on.

For some reason, Chu Lian’s whole body felt terribly uncomfortable after drinking the nourishing soup today. It was nearing the end of February and it was still rather chilly outside, yet she couldn’t stand wearing even the lightest cotton clothes in her room.

Her body was so hot that her face was also flushed red.

As she leaned askew on the chaise while looking over the account book sent by Manager Qin, Chu Lian appeared to be in low spirits.

The bedroom was heated, so the handmaids didn’t stop Chu Lian from only wearing a single thin garment inside.

Chu Lian set down the account book impatiently. She looked towards Xiyan and Jingyan, who were moving around quietly as they tidied the room, and asked, “Aren’t you hot? Why are you still wearing vests?”

When they heard her question, Xiyan and Jingyan stopped what they were doing and shook their heads in reply.

“Third Young Madam, why would it be hot? It’s still early spring. The branches of the willow trees have just begun to bloom; the capital is still quite chilly,” Xiyan answered with a smile.

Chu Lian stared at their faces. That seemed to be the case. They had been constantly walking around to organise things inside this warm room, yet there wasn’t any sweat on their foreheads at all. It was clear that the weather wasn’t hot to them.

Chu Lian used the account book to fan her face. Her cheeks were rosy, making her appear like a delicate, languid begonia flower.

“Why do I feel so hot?” Chu Lian exclaimed with irritation.

She really missed the days of eating ice cream during winter. With that thought, Chu Lian smacked her lips while lying on the chaise.

The handmaids knew exactly why Third Young Madam was feeling hot, but they weren’t thick-skinned enough to tell Chu Lian directly.

After hearing her complaint, they bowed their heads with flushed faces and remained silent, pretending not to hear her.

Chu Lian promptly sat up on the chaise, smacking her lips a couple more times. “Xiyan, can you go get me some pears to eat?”

Xiyan didn’t dare to agree to her request. She had a troubled expression on her face as she replied, “Third Young Madam, please have mercy on this servant. Senior Servant Zhong has repeatedly warned us that you’re not allowed to eat cold-natured foods. If Third Young Master finds out, then this servant will be in serious trouble.”

Chu Lian raised her eyebrows. “Whose maidservant are you exactly? You’re not even listening to me anymore!”

“Please have mercy on this servant. Both you and Third Young Master are my masters, so this servant can only follow the rules without bias.”

Chu Lian sighed. He Changdi was truly frightening. The maidservants in her courtyard had all submitted to him. 

Chapter 565: How Do I Walk Like This (2)

“Since I can’t eat pears, can I at least take a bath?” Chu Lian compromised.

“Third Young Madam, please wait a moment. This servant will prepare a bath for you immediately.” Xiyan told Jingyan to finish organising the rest before heading out to instruct a maidservant to prepare hot water for bathing.

He Changdi returned to Songtao Court much earlier today, as compared to his track record over the past few days.

As soon as he returned, a maidservant had told him that Chu Lian was bathing. The stiff expression on his face promptly relaxed and a faint trace of humour emerged in his eyes.

He walked into the bedroom and changed his clothes. After that, he sat on the chaise and drank a cup of warm water. Although he still maintained an icy expression on his face, he was already feeling quite restless within his heart.

Only the heavens knew how difficult it had been for him to endure these past few days.

He had finally made it past the number of days Great Doctor Miao had instructed him to wait. He Changdi was so restless that he didn’t even have the mood to continue working today, so he had returned to the estate much earlier than usual.

Chu Lian had already been bathing for quite a while by the time He Changdi returned.

The hot steam coming from the bathtub had made her even more uncomfortable at first, but as the water gradually cooled down, it had become soothing.

With her whole body submerged in water, it felt like the heat being emitted from the core of her body was finally being driven out. She sighed comfortably as she leaned against the bathtub, unwilling to get up.

Before Xiyan even noticed that there was something amiss, He Sanlang had already furrowed his brows while resting inside the bedroom. He asked coldly, “How long has your young madam been bathing?”

Hearing his question, Xiyan calculated the time mentally, and her eyes instantly widened. “Replying… Replying to Third Young Master, almost an hour…”

He Changdi’s sharp gaze swept towards Xiyan. His voice became even colder. “Go receive your punishment from Senior Servant Zhong.”

After giving his order, he strode directly into the bathroom.

He shoved aside the thick curtains of the bathroom and was immediately greeted with the sight of the woman he was so worried about. She was currently leaning against the bathtub with her eyes closed. There wasn’t much steam coming from the water within the tub anymore.

Anger filled He Changdi, pushing him to walk right over and pull the resting Chu Lian out of the bathtub.

Chu Lian had been leaning comfortably against the bathtub, deep in her thoughts, when he had abruptly fished her out of the water. She was completely dumbfounded by this sudden action.  

When she turned around and saw that it was only He Sanlang, the thumping of her heart calmed down a little. However, she immediately realised that she wasn’t wearing anything right now. Her cheeks were instantly covered in a bright blush.

She tried to use her hands to cover up her bare body, but her hands were too small for that. The spark of an idea suddenly flashed through her mind and she quickly covered up He Changdi’s eyes with her hands instead.

“Put them down!” He Sanlang gave off a stern order in his slightly hoarse, magnetic voice.

Chu Lian’s still wet body was being carried by He Changdi. Her husband’s sleeves had been soaked through when he lifted her out of the bathtub, so they were quickly turning cold. However, the hands on her body felt scorching hot, making her tremble uncontrollably.

Chu Lian subconsciously shook her head, but she quickly realised that He Sanlang couldn’t see her gesture.

She had no choice but to speak up and say, “I can’t! I’m not wearing any clothes!”

Her voice was soft, sweet, and inexplicably alluring.

He Changdi suddenly let out a sudden burst of laughter. The curve of his pressed lips tilted upwards into a seductive smirk. “Which part of your body have I not seen before? Don’t you think that it’s too late to cover my eyes now?”

Chu Lian was instantly rendered speechless by his words, but her arms remained stubbornly still.

He Sanlang felt helpless. They had already consummated their marriage, but she was still so shy around him.

He sighed inwardly, but he tried his best to coax her patiently. “How do you expect me to walk around like this?”

Chapter 566: Too Much 'Nourishment' (1)

The corners of Chu Lian’s lips twitched. She had just found out they truly wouldn’t be able to move in this position.

With her covering He Changdi’s eyes and He Changdi carrying her…

“Then… then set me down and I’ll walk by myself,” Chu Lian suggested after a long moment.

He Sanlang’s mouth curled into a smirk. “Are you sure?”

He made to set her down.

Chu Lian abruptly recalled the difference in height between them. If he really put her down like this, she would barely be able to cover his eyes, never mind that she would be straining to do so… In the end, she would be completely exposed to his gaze, putting her right back where she started in the first place.

Seeing He Sanlang about to let her down, Chu Lian raised her voice in alarm. “Wait, wait!” she cried.

He Sanlang’s face was lit up with a mischievous smile. He shifted her higher and even managed to grope a feel while he was it. A blush immediately bloomed to life on Chu Lian’s cheeks.

“You…!”

“Aren’t you going to put down your hands? Do you really want to catch a cold?”

Chu Lian bit her lip and slowly pulled her arms back down.

She crossed her arms over her chest to hide the cherry buds on top of the ‘hills of snow’. However, it only pushed her hills together to form an even deeper tempting valley.

He Sanlang’s gaze travelled down her neck to behold the view of that valley. His pupils dilated with interest, but he managed to hide it quickly.

He Changdi would never put Chu Lian’s health at stake for a mere joke. Worried that she would really catch a cold, he swiftly carried her over to the changing screen and grabbed a large cloak. Then, he wrapped it securely around her before running out of the bathroom with her still in his arms.

He took one of the blankets from the bed and added another layer of warmth around her before calling for Wenqing to help Chu Lian dry off. Meanwhile, he turned back and re-entered the bathroom instead.

When Wenqing came in to help Chu Lian dress up, she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. Chu Lian was so embarrassed that she couldn’t look up.

The sounds of splashing water came from the bathroom. It was only then that Chu Lian realised that the bath water hadn’t been changed, and that it had already cooled down by the time she was done.

She hurriedly finished dressing and put on her shoes to rush over to the bathroom, only to see that her husband was already in the tub.

A twitch developed at the corner of her mouth. She reminded, “Hubby, that water’s already been used. I’ll call someone to get you a fresh change of water.”

Before Chu Lian could set off, He Changdi stopped her. “No need, I’m already done.”

Then, he stood up from the bathtub without warning.

Chu Lian got a good eyeful of his perfect figure: tightly packed abs, defined lines down his hips, and… a certain part of him that looked to be brimming with vigour...

Chu Lian: …...

The blush that had just faded from her cheeks came back to life, spreading all the way down to her neck this time.

She was stunned speechless by the sight. It took a good moment before she managed to shift her gaze away in a panic.

By then, He Changdi had already walked up to her and was nonchalantly putting on his clothes...

Chu Lian stomped her foot in annoyance before fleeing pathetically from the bathroom.

That He Sanlang! He looked like an cold, upright gentleman on the outside, but he was actually a great big pervert!

Wasn’t he way too accepting of her? He had actually used her dirty bathwater...

When He Sanlang stepped out of the bathroom, Senior Servant Zhong had come over to ask if they would like their meal served now.

The couple had their dinner on the small table in the bedroom. It was an exceptionally fast meal and they quickly cleared the dishes.

While drinking her nourishing tonic, Chu Lian stared at He Changdi with a strange expression.

He Sanlang lifted a brow. “What’s wrong?”

Chu Lian tilted her head to one side and said, “I thought you were acting especially weird today. Why are you so rushed for time today? You even ate dinner quickly. Do you have to go to your study and settle some business?”

Chapter 567: Too Much 'Nourishment' (2)

A corner of He Sanlang’s mouth twitched. He shot a look at his oblivious little woman and didn’t deign to reply to her question immediately. Instead, he waved a hand at the servants to dismiss them.

Seeing the mood between the couple, Senior Servant Zhong understood what was going on. She bobbed towards He Changdi and Chu Lian before leading the two maidservants in the room away. She even considerately dismissed the maidservant who was supposed to be on the night shift.

For some reason, now that only she and He Changdi were left in the room, Chu Lian felt that the atmosphere was a little strange. There was a certain tension in the air. Her throat was starting to become a little dry, so she lifted her teacup to her lips and took a sip of warm water.

“It’s still early, so why did you chase them all out? Do you have a lot of documents to go through? That’s what you work on every night, right? Will you be tonight?”

Another twitch developed in He Sanlang’s forehead. His wife was too good at ruining the mood.

If not for fear of losing control, would he have gone to his study every night to clear his mind?

Thinking of those painful days, He Changdi felt a pang of sympathy for himself.

He dropped all pretenses of courtesy with Chu Lian and quickly walked up to her. He bent down and immediately had her entire body wrapped up in his arms. Without further ado, he made large strides towards their bed.

Realisation finally dawned upon Chu Lian. Her face flushed tomato red, and for a moment, she thought about struggling. However, her body felt like it was on fire. There was a burning desire for He Changdi’s affections in her heart...

He Changdi drew close to her reddened ear and bit her plump earlobe. His low voice had a hint of devilish temptation to it as he whispered, “I’m not going. I’ll be keeping you company all night.”

Chu Lian’s body had become extremely sensitive after drinking the nourishing tonic for so many days. She couldn’t bear with his wanton teasing.

As if a switch had suddenly been flipped, her body was starting to change.

By the time He Changdi set her down gently on their bed, her mind had already turned foggy and her consciousness was fluctuating between the boundary of reason and desire.

At some point, tears had begun to gather at the corners of her eyes, making her wide almond-shaped eyes even more alluring.

She tried her best to hold on to her last shred of sanity to stem the tide of desire flooding through her, but unfortunately, her efforts were futile.

Even though her rationality had already been taken over, Chu Lian still cringed from her actions deep inside. She couldn’t understand why she had changed so much. This unwanted change gave her a terrible sense of defeat.

She whined and made her last struggle.

He Changdi hovered above her, looking down at her discomfited expression from above. He finally sighed and reached out to gently stroke her flushed cheek. His other hand went behind her back to soothe her tensed nerves. “Lian,’er, don’t be scared. It’s perfectly normal for you to feel this way.”

He Sanlang’s gentle voice managed to summon some of Chu Lian’s wits back. She blinked at him in a dazed manner with tears in her eyes, as if urging him to continue his explanation.

He lowered his head and placed a soft peck on her lips before whispering, “Silly girl, didn’t you realise that the tonic was making your body ‘hotter’? Did you think that ‘fire’ could be doused with just a few slices of pears or by soaking in cold water?”

His wife was just too cute.

Chu Lian’s reaction to He Changdi’s explanation was a stunned stare.

She continued blinking her widened eyes without speaking.

He Sanlang buried his head in the space between her neck and shoulder, trying unsuccessfully to hide his muffled laughter.

He stopped his pretense of courtesy and plucked off her thin nightclothes with an agile twist of his hand.

After waiting for so long, He Sanlang had already reached his limits. His feast was already bared before his eyes. There was no turning back now!

Chapter 568: Count Jing'an is Returning (1)

Perhaps due to her ‘overnourishment’, Chu Lian was especially energetic this night.

The couple kept at it all through the night. Even the experienced Senior Servant Zhong, who was on duty in the side room, couldn’t help blushing over the noises she heard.

The next day, Chu Lian slept in until the sun was high in the sky.

She turned to one side without thinking and was suddenly re-acquainted with all the sore parts of her body, especially her waist...

When her eyes flickered open and her mind started to wake, the scenes from last night played in her head one by one.

Chu Lian’s face turned bright red. She pulled the warm blankets to herself and beat the bed with her fists. Regret washed over her in waves.

How could He Changdi do that! He had actually hid the truth from her! No wonder she had felt that something was strange with her body these past few days. She even thought that He Sanlang had become a herbivore, but he was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing!

Thinking of the nourishing tonic she had readily drunk over the past few days, Chu Lian felt that she was a lamb being fattened for slaughter.

The crazy passion they had shared last night made Chu Lian wish she could spontaneously erase all her memories. Where did He Changdi learn all those shameful poses…

She pulled the covers over her face and hid like an ostrich with its head in the sand.

However, the sounds of footsteps outside the bedchamber made her get up again.

She took in a deep breath and rubbed at her warm cheeks. When she felt calm again, she asked, “What time is it?”

Wenlan was standing by the bed. When she heard the question, she immediately replied, “Third Young Madam, it’s almost the eleventh hour of the morning.”

Chu Lian stiffened up. She threw back the blankets and leapt up in a single instant.

At the sudden noise, Wenlan quickly added, “Third Young Madam, please don’t worry. Third Young Master has already informed the matriarch and the countess before he left this morning. You don’t have to greet them today.”

Chu Lian blinked and let out her anxiety in a single breath. Although her relations with the matriarch had already soured, she still had to do what was required as a junior member of the family. If she was lacking in etiquette, it would reflect badly on her instead. Luckily, He Changdi had already taken care of that for her.

“Third Young Master went to the Ministry of War and said he would return in the afternoon. Would you like to get up now, Third Young Madam?”

Chu Lian lifted the bed curtains and told Wenlan to bring her clothes.

When she finished washing up and sat at the table for breakfast, she seemed to have the strange feeling that the servants were looking at her with knowing expressions, coupled with teasing glints.

She couldn’t sit still. It felt like she had done something wrong.

After she was done with breakfast, Countess Jing’an even specially came over to Songtao Court to visit her with a bowl of soup...

The obvious intentions of her mother-in-law gave Chu Lian the urge to pummel He Changdi to get rid of all the embarrassment welling up within her.

However, she was still happy to see that Countess Jing’an had become well enough to visit her.

“Mother, do you feel any discomfort in your body now?”

Since her health had improved, her mood had never been better.

The current Countess Jing’an had filled out a little. Her cheeks were now rosy with the pink of health.

The countess shook her head with a smile. “Not at all. I’m perfectly healthy. I can eat well and sleep well. I never dared to dream of recovering my body to this state before.”

Countess Jing’an had spent many years bedridden. Even though the root of her illness had been cured, she was still a little more fragile than most. She would have to be careful not to expend too much energy in the future. However, compared to her condition a few months ago, this was a vast improvement.

She was already very content with what she had now. Before this, she had been expecting to spend the rest of her life confined to a bed.

Chapter 569: Count Jing'an is Returning (2)

Sanlang’s wife had been the one to bring Great Doctor Miao to the Jing’an Estate. It had also been Sanlang and his wife who had travelled thousands of miles, risking their lives in the north, to retrieve the key to her recovery, the Snow Mountain Mists flower. Chu Lian was definitely high in the list of people that Countess Jing’an was thankful for.

“My husband and I are thrilled that Mother has gotten better. I’m sure Father will be equally happy once he finds out.”

When Chu Lian mentioned her father-in-law, Madam Liu suddenly remembered some news.

Her lips curved upwards and a warm smile blossomed on her face. He Changdi’s lips were the most similar to his mother’s; thin in shape, but not in feeling.

“Lian’er, I’m afraid you haven’t heard this yet. Your father will be returning from Mingzhou soon. If I count the days… he must be on his way already!”

Chu Lian’s eyes sparkled. Her father-in-law was on the way back to the capital?

This was happening half a year earlier than in the original novel!

She had already married into House Jing’an for more than six months, but she hadn’t met her father-in-law yet!

Madam Liu seemed to have sensed her daughter-in-law’s surprise and uncertainty. With a reassuring smile, she said, “There’s no need to be scared. Dalang is the one who resembles your father the most amongst my three sons. While your father might look a little fierce, he’s a softie inside. He loves doting on the younger generation the most.”

Madam Liu’s description gave Chu Lian a good guess at her father-in-law’s appearance. She lost a little of her trepidation and started looking forward to meeting her father-in-law instead.

Countess Jing’an didn’t stay for long. She soon headed back to her own courtyard with her handmaids in tow.

Chu Lian took a nap in the afternoon. When she woke up, it was to the sight of He Changdi reading a book while leaning against the headboard.

She rubbed her eyes and glared at He Sanlang. He seemed to have noticed her movements from the corner of his eyes. He reached out with one hand and pet her on the head. “Have you slept enough?”

Chu Lian wanted to scold him for getting too greedy last night, going until she had almost fainted. However, just as she was about to speak, her bashfulness overcame her and she stopped.

In the end, she expressed her feelings by giving him a good pinch on the arm.

He Sanlang’s brow wasn’t even ruffled by the attack. When she was done taking out her frustration on him, he turned to look at her. He unexpectedly took her hand in his and reached into his clothes, setting her hand down on the prominent muscles on his abdomen.

“Pinch here. Your hand will hurt from pinching my arm.”

Chu Lian was utterly defeated by his shamelessness. She gave him one last ferocious pinch. Unfortunately, his abdomen wasn’t soft either and it was taxing on her fingers.

On the other hand, He Changdi stiffened from her actions. A dangerous glint had seeped into his eyes when their gazes met again.

Chu Lian quickly let go out of fright. She didn’t dare to provoke him again.

He was definitely a shameless man through and through! The only one who would suffer was her!

He Sanlang knew that she had been completely tired out from last night, so he hadn’t thought of playing with her again. He secretly doused the rising flames of desire within him before reaching out to draw Chu Lian into his arms.

He stroked her hair tenderly and slowly, giving the impression of soothing an affectionate cat.

A comfortable haze fell over Chu Lian from his warm actions. She leaned against his shoulder amiably and even twirled a lock of his long hair between her fingers.

“Oh, right, Mother mentioned some news when she came by to visit this afternoon. Father will be returning from Mingzhou.”

He Changdi’s eyes hadn’t shifted from his book, but he let out a light grunt of acknowledgement. After some time, he said, “It’s due to a secret decree that the Emperor sent out some time back. I just found out two days ago.”

“What could the Emperor’s intentions be?”

Chu Lian’s mind raced. Her father-in-law, Count Jing’an, had been stationed at the border in Mingzhou for over a decade. While the current political state in court meant that military officials couldn’t be compared to the literary officials, it was different for the generals who defended the borders.

House Jing’an was only a countship, but no one in the capital dared to look down upon them because of her father-in-law, Count Jing’an, guarding the border of Mingzhou.

There were at least sixty thousand soldiers under Count Jing’an’s command, twice the number of Liangzhou’s troops!

Chapter 570: Don't Seduce Me (1)

Although the southern border at Mingzhou was stable, it didn’t mean that skirmishes didn’t happen.

The environment of those living beyond the southern border was horrid, so the people there had been coveting the fertile lands of the Great Wu Dynasty for ages.

There was only one reason why the emperor would call the defender of the border back at this time. He wanted to prop He Changdi up.

He was going to do this by slowly taking away the powers of Count Jing’an, transferring the influence that the He Family had in the imperial court to He Changdi.

Otherwise, if the He Family collected too much power, it wouldn’t be a good thing for the imperial court.

Count Jing’an was already fifty. That was rather old for an officer. Furthermore, he had spent years away from his family, so it was time for him to return to the capital and spend the remainder of his life in peace.

He Sanlang stared at her clear almond-shaped eyes and smiled. “Have you figured out the reason yet?”

Chu Lian blinked at him. “The emperor intends to entrust you with greater responsibility?”

He Changdi raised his hand to pinch her soft and rosy cheeks. “You’re pretty smart.”

Chu Lian puffed up her cheeks and escaped from his evil clutches.

“When my holiday ends, all the matters regarding the Department of Appointments will become my responsibility. When that time comes, I won’t have as much time to spend with you.”

“I don’t need your company,” Chu Lian softly retorted.

He Changdi tossed the book in his hand aside. He suddenly lowered his body and held her down with one leg. His warm breath washed over her ear as he said, “Are you sure you don’t need my company?”

His aggressive move caused Chu Lian’s face to flush red. Afraid that he would do something naughty, she used both arms to push back against his solid chest. “You’re too heavy! Don’t squash me; it’s uncomfortable.”

He Sanlang noticed that his body was reacting to her actions, but knowing that she was likely too tired from what had happened last night, he endured it. He lightly pecked the side of her lips and said, “Don’t seduce me.”

Chu Lian was feeling very wronged. She hadn’t even done anything at all! How was that considered an attempt at seducing him?

She glared at him with her wide, watery eyes, but He Changdi covered them with his wide palm. He pressed his lips together, gritted his teeth, and said, “I just told you not to seduce me! Stop, or I’ll do you right here and now.”

Chu Lian: …...

He Changdi reverted back to his original relaxed position against the headboard He took out an envelope from his sleeves and handed it to his wife.

Chu Lian sat up, crossed her legs, and leaned against him. With a confused look, she stared at the envelope. “A letter? Who is it from?”

She was only wearing a thin brown robe. Although the room was heated and it wasn’t cold, He Sanlang was still worried that she would feel chilly, so he pulled up the blanket to cover her legs and said, “It isn’t a letter. Open it up and see.”

Chu Lian was suspicious, but she still took the envelope and opened it. There were two booklets inside. When she took them out, she could feel that they were made of high-quality paper. Once she flipped them open, she realised that they were deeds.

The deeds were for a storefront situated in an excellent location on Zhuque Avenue. The two deeds were for the shophouse in the front and the courtyard right behind it.

Chu Lian’s eyes went wide with astonishment and she exclaimed, “Where did you get such a good storefront?”

All the good locations on Zhuque Street were already owned by someone high-ranking in the capital. It was no simple task to obtain such a good storefront, as it was something that money couldn’t buy.

Even if these were obtainable through wealth alone, the value of these two deeds added together would be at least five thousand taels…

That was going by a conservative estimate.

Even House Jing’an in its prime hadn’t owned any storefronts on Zhuque Street. At the most, they had held only one or two shops on a side street nearby.

Chapter 571: Don't Seduce Me (2)

“Do you like it?” He Changdi didn’t answer Chu Lian’s question. He just wanted to know whether she liked it or not.

Chu Lian gaped a little. She didn’t know what to say; her husband was just too mysterious.

She answered honestly, “Who wouldn’t like a great store like this?”

Although she implied that she liked it, her face didn’t show much excitement at all.

“I’ve already sent someone to the authorities to transfer this deed into your name. It’s good as long as you like it. Don’t you like cooking? You can do whatever you like with this shopfront.” He Changdi’s icy gaze softened when he looked at her.

Chu Lian gripped the deeds tightly. She raised her head to look into her husband’s fathomless eyes.

“Hubby, tell me now. Where did you get the money for these?”

She had asked this question back when he had bought jewellery for her, but He Changdi hadn’t given her an answer. After obtaining this storefront for her, he must have already spent at least ten thousand taels altogether.

All he had done recently was join the northern army. He had never done any business on the side, so how did he obtain so much money? Could it be through bribery?

However, in her subconscious mind, Chu Lian didn’t want him to have obtained his money through those means.

Seeing her tightly knit brows, He Changdi knew that his wife’s thoughts had veered away from legal means.

A dry laugh came out of him, and he couldn’t help but pinch her cheeks. “Lian’er, what is going through your head? It’s not what you think it is.”

Chu Lian rolled her eyes at him. “Your way of earning money is just too profitable! Even my businesses don’t bring in nearly as much as you!”

He Changdi knew that it wasn’t good for him to keep Chu Lian in the dark. If he didn’t explain himself to her, she would likely let her imagination run wild. Therefore, rather than letting her listen to wild rumours or gossip, he might as well tell it to her straight.

He beckoned Chu Lian over with his long fingers. Chu Lian hesitated for a moment, but still chose to lean into his embrace, putting her ear close to his lips.

He Sanlang’s deep voice whispered something into her ears. A few moments later, Chu Lian sat up straight with her eyes wide open, staring at him in disbelief.

She was completely flabbergasted. “Is… is this true?”

He Sanlang smiled. “Has your husband ever lied to you?”

“You guys are really too brazen!”

He Changdi shook his head. “Any noble would have done the exact same thing in this case. I’ve already held myself back.”

Chu Lian stopped asking about the origin of his money. She only warned He Changdi to handle the hot potato in his hands carefully.

He Sanlang didn’t want her to worry, so he quickly changed topics. “Now that you have this storefront, what do you plan to do?”

Chu Lian knew his motivations very well in her heart. He Sanlang had probably heard of the matriarch taking back Guilin Restaurant, so he had spent his money to make it up to her.

Although his expressions were as cold and stiff as the King of Hell and he disliked speaking, his actions spoke volumes.

“I’ll open a restaurant.”

When she had lost Guilin Restaurant, she had already been planning on opening another, but it wasn’t easy to find a good location. Furthermore, she didn’t have that much money on hand, as she had invested heavily in the market at the northern border. Thus, her plans had been delayed.

With He Sanlang’s present, she could put her plans into action earlier than she had expected.

He Changdi raised one sharp brow. As he had expected, Chu Lian would open a restaurant again.

The couple hadn’t snuggled and chatted intimately like this for a long time, so He Sanlang, the man of few words, was in the mood to speak more.

When he recalled how Chu Lian had set up Guilin Restaurant by herself, He Changdi felt admiration towards his little woman.

Just what was her brain made of? How could it produce so many wondrous thoughts? She even had ideas that he would never be able to think of.

When he had been chatting with his sworn brother Prince Jin one day, even Prince Jin had spoken highly of Chu Lian’s innovative ideas.

Chapter 572: New Restaurant (1)

“Is it going to be just like Guilin Restaurant?” He Changdi became curious as to what his wife had in mind.

Back when Chu Lian had single-handedly brought Guilin Restaurant to fame, he hadn’t helped at all, but now, he wanted to be a pillar of support for her.

Chu Lian shook her head.

“It’d be boring to do the same thing again. This time, I’ll open a restaurant specialising in roast duck! I’m going to be selling the roast duck I made at Prince Wei’s estate. You’ve already tried it, so what do you think?”

He Sanlang burst into a bout of open laughter. “In that case, I’m going to be receiving complaints from Fourth Prince.”

Confused, Chu Lian tilted her head, but she immediately caught on. “Prince Jin is the owner of Yuehong Restaurant?”

Wasn’t Yuehong Restaurant famed for having the best roast duck in the capital?

Royal Princess Duanjia had brought her there for a meal last year, but the taste of their duck was nothing to write home about.

“Isn’t that even better? Prince Jin is rich anyways, and that Yuehong Restaurant only has a single signature dish. Besides, the restaurant I’m going to open won’t just be selling roast duck.”

Feeling helpless, He Changdi said, “This time, I’ll find you some helpers, so don’t push yourself to take care of everything.”

There were two downsides if Chu Lian personally managed the restaurant. Firstly, it’d be tough on her. Secondly, it wouldn’t reflect well on her since she had given the broken Guilin Restaurant away.

If it was left to someone else to manage, even if people suspected them, they wouldn’t go running their mouths off if they didn’t have any solid evidence. This would also serve to protect the tentative peace between Chu Lian and Matriarch He on the surface.

Chu Lian knew that He Changdi was doing this for her own good, so she didn’t object. When the time came for it to open, she could just make a few covert trips there to keep an eye on things.

Chu Lian nodded.

He Sanlang reached out to pull Chu Lian into his embrace. “We’ll move out once Father returns.”

Caught off guard by this sudden statement, Chu Lian’s eyes went wide. She put her hand on his chest and asked, “Really?”

Her mind immediately rejected this possibility. Although Count Jing’an had three sons, the eldest had just divorced and had no heirs. The second one was a stubborn man who still hadn’t married. She and He Changdi may have gotten married last year, but they had only consummated their marriage recently. Other than that, there was only the elderly Matriarch He and her mother-in-law, who had only just recovered. It wouldn’t be reasonable for the third branch to move out at this point of time.

He Changdi kept his eyes on his wife’s face. When he noticed that the joy from receiving the deeds paled in comparison to the news of them moving out, he became even more resolute with regards to this decision.

Since his aunt and cousin had moved in, his grandmother had become increasingly paranoid. There was a saying amongst the common folk that some things were better with distance.

It actually wasn’t normal for a family of dual nobilities to live under one roof. Now that he had become a marquis, he could leave this house to his father once his father returned. He had his own ways to convince his father to let the two of them move out. Second Brother couldn’t remain single forever either, so Father would make the decision for him. With Mother’s health improving day by day, there wasn’t much left for him to worry about in House Jing’an.

After moving out with his wife, Chu Lian would then be the one to handle their estate, so he would no longer have to be stuck between his wife and his grandmother.

He Changdi stroked her hair. “I’m your husband. Have I ever lied to you?”

Chu Lian’s mood immediately brightened up. She didn’t want to interfere with how He Changdi was going to persuade his parents, so she would just wait to move out with him.

The couple chatted for a while longer before going to have a meal together.

Chapter 573: New Restaurant (2)

On the next day, the help that He Changdi had arranged for Chu Lian arrived.

Zhou Wen was one of He Changdi’s subordinates from the northern army. He was eighteen years old this year and was now working under He Changdi. He had come from a family of merchants and was quick on his feet, so he had been sent to aid Chu Lian with her restaurant.

Zhou Wen respectfully greeted Chu Lian. Due to his years at the northern border, his face was tanned, and he was as skinny as a monkey. When he smiled, his wide grin and white teeth made him look rather dim.

He didn’t greet her as Third Young Madam or Marchioness Anyuan. Instead, he addressed her as ‘sister-in-law’.

A twitch developed in Chu Lian’s forehead. This fellow looked too silly and sweet; did He Changdi make a mistake and send the most honest person he had?

Chu Lian nodded and had him sit down to talk.

“Since you’ve come to me, do you know what you’re here to do?”

Zhou Wen laughed in a foolish manner and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “Brother He told me to help you earn money, Sister-in-Law.”

Chu Lian couldn’t help but chuckle. This fellow was way too honest.

Could such a silly person actually manage the restaurant?

“I heard from our brothers that Sister-in-Law’s cooking is delicious. Could I have a taste of it today?” After saying that, he lowered his head bashfully.

This fellow had the guts to ask for a free meal? Chu Lian had finally found a praiseworthy quality in him.

“After I’m done with instructing you, you can stay for lunch. I’ll have Laiyue escort you to the guests’ courtyard and you can have your lunch there.”

Chu Lian wasn’t someone who would be so stingy as to not provide a meal.

When she finally got down to business with this sweet and silly-looking Zhou Wen over the restaurant, she was astonished to find that this man was nothing like he seemed.

He was actually a smart man, someone who hid his abilities to gain the upper hand. Thanks to the influence of his family, he had been gaining experience with managing a shop ever since childhood, and he was even able to contribute his own ideas.

If one wasn’t careful and judged a book by its cover, they would be fooled by him.

If she had to compare, Zhou Wen was certainly just as good as Manager Qin.

After lunch, Laiyue sent the satisfied Zhou Wen out.

Chu Lian wrote a letter to Royal Princess Duanjia to let her know that she was going to open another restaurant. When Royal Princess Duanjia heard that Chu Lian was going to have roast duck as the signature dish, she was so interested that she personally paid a visit to discuss and contribute ideas.

Time flew by, and He Changdi’s long leave ended. Every day, he had to go to the Ministry of War to work, and he had to attend court every single morning.

It was February, so the days were still shorter than the nights. He Sanlang left home before the sun rose each day.

For the past two days, Chu Lian insisted on waking up with him to have breakfast together. She would then send him off to the courtyard’s entrance. However, because of that, she hadn’t been sleeping well. After going to Qingxi Hall for morning greetings, she was always extremely sleepy when she returned. In just a few days, her sleep patterns had become a mess and her mind grew muddled.

He Changdi had been observing all this. Thus, one fine morning, when Chu Lian felt some movement next to her, she prepared to get up just as she had previously. However, in the next second, she was unexpectedly pressed down by He Sanlang…

After a bout of morning exercise, Chu Lian didn’t even have the strength to move her fingers, so she wasn’t able to get up to have breakfast with her husband.

Thanks to that, she no longer got up early, so her sleep patterns actually improved.

He Sanlang did this for a few consecutive days. When they were done with their ‘exercise’, Chu Lian would be so sore all over that she couldn’t even open her eyes. On the other hand, He Changdi’s mood was better than ever.

Chu Lian couldn’t take it any longer, so she obediently slept in the morning and never mentioned getting up early again. It was only then that He Sanlang let her off the hook.

Time quickly passed. On one particular day, Chu Lian was accompanying Countess Jing’an to Qingxi Hall to greet the matriarch, when Matriarch He mentioned something out of the blue.

This statement instantly left both Chu Lian and her mother-in-law flabbergasted.

Still in shock, Countess Jing’an asked, “Mother, you want me to manage the estate?”

Matriarch He sat on the raised platform in the center of the room, with Muxiang and Pan Nianzhen massaging her legs and shoulders. She seemed relaxed as she slowly opened her eyes to look at Madam Liu. “Now that you’ve mostly recovered, as the eldest daughter-in-law of the family, it makes perfect sense for you to take over the management of the household.”

Chapter 574: Countess Jing'an Takes Over (1)

What else could Countess Jing’an say? Matriarch He was using her responsibility as a daughter-in-law to pressure her. If she didn’t take over the management of the household, then she would be deemed unfilial.

While standing beside them, Chu Lian frowned slightly. She didn’t understand Matriarch He’s intentions.

Although she wanted to speak up for her mother-in-law, the matriarch and Madam Liu were both her elders. She was in no position to speak right now.

Countess Jing’an was soft-hearted. She didn’t dare to disobey the matriarch upfront. Thus, she reluctantly agreed.

She couldn’t decline because she didn’t have any legitimate reason to refuse.

She hadn’t managed the household in the past because she had been seriously ill and she didn’t have the energy to do it. She had even needed the matriarch’s help to take care of her. However, her health had significantly improved. Since the matriarch had personally requested to hand over the rights of managing the household to her, she didn’t have any good reason to decline.

Countess Jing’an grasped the handkerchief in her hand, stood up, and bobbed towards the matriarch. “Mother, please rest assured. I’ll do my best to manage the household.”

“Hurry and stand up. You’ve just recovered, so there’s no need to keep bowing like that. Well then, I’ll rest easy now that you’ll be taking care of the household affairs. If you have any questions, feel free to ask Muxiang and Miss Ying.” A smile finally appeared on the matriarch’s face.

“I understand.”

Thus, Countess Jing’an returned to her courtyard with several maidservants in tow, each carrying a stack of account books.

Chu Lian followed behind her mother-in-law. She noticed that the countess was frowning deeply, appearing laden with worry. Chu Lian tried to console her. “Mother, you don’t have to worry too much. We don’t have that many people in our estate. There’s only a head steward and an assisting steward in the outer court. There are also plenty of senior servants acting as stewards in the inner court. As long as you keep these people in check and you look over the account books thoroughly, there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

Countess Jing’an was a little embarrassed. She smiled apologetically at Chu Lian and said, “I’m really useless. At this age, I still need reassurance from a young girl like you. Don’t worry, I’m not that easily fooled. When I married into House Jing’an, I did manage the household for several years.”

“It’s good that Mother thinks of it this way. If you need any help, you can send someone to Songtao Court to find me. I don’t have much to do anyway. Although I’ve never managed a household before, I can help you out.”

Countess Jing’an felt more relaxed after Chu Lian’s offer of help.

She nodded and told her to return to her courtyard to rest.

She patted Chu Lian’s hand and said, “Alright, it’s just some minor household affairs. I have senior servants who can assist me as well, so I’ll be fine. You should concentrate on nourishing your body. I’m still waiting for my grandsons!”

Chu Lian’s face immediately reddened due to her mother-in-law’s words.

She had never thought about having children at such a young age. Back then, she had even thought about finding a nice and quiet place to live out a rural lifestyle in seclusion. However, with the passage of time and the progression of her relationship with He Changdi, she was actually starting to hope that a child would form in her belly as soon as possible. 

She and He Changdi could watch their adorable little child grow up, bit by bit. They could raise him or her together.

After sending Chu Lian off with her servants, Madam Liu returned to her own courtyard and headed directly for her study.

She had much to do today, and she wasn’t going to have any free time to take care of her granddaughters. Countess Jing’an sat in front of her desk and flipped open the account books. It didn’t take long before she discovered many suspicious gaps in them.

She was dumbfounded after making a rough calculation of the estate’s assets. Why were there so few stores and properties left in the public accounts?

Judging by these calculations, the monthly income probably wouldn’t even hit five hundred taels…

Moreover, that was under the assumption that the stores were turning a profit…

Chapter 575: Countess Jing'an Takes Over (2)

As for their farm holdings, they only collected rent from the tenants at the end of the year. The fruits and vegetables produced were usually only sent to the estate for their own consumption; they wouldn’t be able to make much money even if they sold it.

The servants within the estate and their other properties, the shopkeepers and workers of the stores, as well as the monthly allowances of the masters of the estate... These were what their estate’s income had to support.

Their monthly expenses were approximately six to seven hundred taels. It was just a rough estimate that didn’t include the cost of maintaining friendships with other noble estates.

The monthly income of their estate was only five hundred taels. Their expenses were so much more than the profit collected from their assets…

She recalled the smirk on her sister-in-law’s face when the matriarch had handed over the management rights of the household to her.

Countess Jing’an was now boiling with rage. Yet, at the same time, she felt frustrated and helpless.

She remembered clearly that House Jing’an hadn’t been in this shape twenty years ago. When she had been in charge of the shared accounts, the cash flow had been around five to six thousand taels.

They earned a lot of monthly profit from the stores, properties, and rural estates.

After so many years, how had House Jing’an ended up like this? They hadn’t accumulated any savings and their finances had instead withered away into poverty.

By the time the accounts had been handed to her, the estate was already struggling to make ends meet.

Countess Jing’an’s most trusted servant, Senior Servant Wang, was beside her. She asked worriedly, “Madam, what’s wrong? Great Doctor Miao instructed this old servant that you can’t stress yourself out since you’ve just gotten better.”

Countess Jing’an sighed and handed the paper with her rough calculations to Senior Servant Wang. “Suxin, take a look yourself.”

Suxin was Senior Servant Wang’s name when she had still been a maidservant. It was only Countess Jing’an who still called her that.

Senior Servant Wang took the paper and swiftly glanced over it. She was astounded and exclaimed, “Madam, how can this be!”

The senior servant had still been inwardly rejoicing for her madam since her health had gotten better. She thought that it was time for her madam to take control of the household affairs again. Countess Jing’an was the wife of the head of House Jing’an, so it was better that House Jing’an’s finances were in her control rather than in Eldest Madam’s hands. However, who knew that she had just been thrown a bomb instead? The countess had ended up in the losing end of this deal.

Countess Jing’an was extremely worried. The management of the household was in her hands now. Thus, she would have to use her personal funds to support the entire estate starting tomorrow. Most of her dowry had been used up on her medication already. At the moment, she didn’t have the money to make up for the loss of the public accounts.

As Countess Jing’an most trusted servant, Senior Servant Wang was the one who understood her the most.

Looking at the expression on her face, she knew that Madam was trying to think of a way to make up the deficiency! But how were they going to get that money?

They would need at least three to four thousand taels just to make the accounts even.

Senior Servant Wang hesitated for a moment. Then, she steeled herself and said, “Madam, you can’t just try to work this out by yourself. You must bring up this matter with the matriarch and Eldest Madam.”

Although Countess Jing’an was somewhat timid and soft-hearted, that didn’t mean that she was muddle-headed. After hearing Senior Servant Wang’s reminder, she decided to look for Eldest Madam.

She promptly went over to Eldest Madam’s living quarters within Qingxi Hall with her servants.

However, they were chased out by Eldest Madam in less than an hour.

While Countess Jing’an and her servants were walking back to their courtyard, Senior Servant Wang was huffing with rage. “How could Eldest Madam act that way? This old servant refuses to believe that she had nothing to do with the deficits in the public accounts!”

He Ying hadn’t been willing to contribute even one or two silver taels. Moreover, she had pushed all the blame onto Madam Zou, who had already divorced with He Dalang.

While Madam Zou was likely the main reason for the deficits, it was impossible to think that He Ying wasn’t part of the problem either!

Countess Jing’an shook her head. “Alright, don’t say anymore. People are going to gossip if this spreads.”

Chapter 576: My Dear Daughter (1)

Senior Servant Wang was extremely anxious. “But, Madam…”

“I’m fine. I’ll think of a solution for this problem.”

Senior Servant Wang had no choice but to keep quiet then.

Over the next few days, Chu Lian felt that there was something strange going on with Countess Jing’an’s courtyard whenever she went over for the morning greetings.

However, she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was amiss.

Chu Lian was currently sketching jewellery designs for Treasure Pavilion in her little study with a piece of charcoal.

When she abruptly came to a halt in the middle of her sketch, Xiyan quickly noticed her movements. The handmaid set down her needle and thread and asked, “Third Young Madam, what’s wrong?”

Chu Lian put down the thin charcoal block in her hand and sighed. “I’ve finally realised why I felt that there was something strange about Mother’s courtyard as of late.”

Xiyan stared at her with wide eyes, waiting for her to continue.

“Did you notice that many of the decorations inside Mother’s room have been changed?”

Xiyan furrowed her brows upon this realisation after Chu Lian’s reminder.

There used to be a pair of flower-patterned cloisonné vases on the table next to the main seats of the parlour. Several gorgeous peacock feathers had been on display inside the vases.

They had even talked about that pair of cloisonné vases before during one of their chats. Those were some very rare vases. Senior Servant Gui had even mentioned that they might have been handed down from a previous dynasty and were probably worth several thousands of taels. Wenqing and Wenlan had been stunned after hearing that. They had never seen such a valuable vase before.

Countess Jing’an had had a very rich dowry. She had come from a large clan in Jiangnan, which had existed for several hundred years. They had also been quite famous during the previous dynasty. However, their family had been on a slow decline since the era of Emperor Chengping. Even so, they hadn’t been stingy with Countess Jing’an when she had gotten married.

At that time, Countess Jing’an’s dowry was considered one of the most valuable amongst the noble madams within the capital.

It was a pity that she had been in poor health ever since the birth of her third son. After over a decade of seeking treatments and taking expensive medications, her dowry was nearly spent.

However, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. Countess Jing’an still had several treasures stowed away at her place.

The pair of red jade bangles that she had previously given to Chu Lian and Madam Zou was one of them. That pair of cloisonné vases was also another one of her hidden treasures.

“The vases have been changed!” Xiyan responded with shock.

Chu Lian nodded. Actually, it wasn’t just those vases that had been changed. Several other decorations in the room had also been replaced. While the replacements weren’t considered too bad, their quality was inferior compared to the previous decorations.

If she hadn’t been drawing designs today and thinking about the patterns on the artworks she had seen during modern times, she wouldn’t have thought about those vases.

“But, weren’t those vases Madam’s most treasured items?” Xiyan asked in confusion.

Senior Servant Wang had once said that that pair of cloisonné vases had been placed in the parlour for nearly thirty years!

They had allegedly been placed in there on the second day of Count Jing’an and Countess Jing’an’s marriage. Countess Jing’an treated them like precious treasures and often dusted them off herself.

Since she cherished and loved them so much, why would she replace them now?

Chu Lian couldn’t think of a reason at the moment. To Xiyan, she ordered, “Find out what’s happened in Mother’s courtyard recently.”

Xiyan acknowledged the order and left immediately.

Chu Lian actually had a good guess in her heart, but she couldn’t be certain. She shook her head and decided to wait for Xiyan’s information. If her speculation turned out to be true, then, as juniors, she and He Changdi couldn’t stand by and ignore this matter.

Recently, her mother-in-law had been appearing much more haggard than before. Even Great Doctor Miao had specially visited her, asking her to urge Countess Jing’an to pay more attention to her health. She shouldn’t let his medical skills and the valuable medicines go to waste by relapsing back into illness.

Chapter 577: My Dear Daughter (2)

Xiyan didn’t return until the evening. She secretly reported the information that she learnt to Chu Lian.

Chu Lian listened to her report and confirmed her suspicions. One of the cloisonné vases had been pawned away. Although Countess Jing’an had done it stealthily, it was impossible to do it without any traces.

Chu Lian guessed that the money received from pawning the vase had probably been deposited into House Jing’an’s public accounts.

As Chu Lian waited for He Changdi to return for dinner, she thought about how she should tell him about this issue. Unfortunately, Laiyue came to report that He Sanlang was going to have dinner with his colleagues from the Ministry of War tonight. Eldest Brother He Changqi and Second Brother He Changjue would also be present at the dinner, so it seemed like he would be coming back slightly later tonight. 

Chu Lian sent Laiyue back with an acknowledgement. She promptly asked Senior Servant Gui to set up the meal so she could finish eating earlier and go to bed afterwards.

At the same time that Chu Lian received the report, Matriarch He was also notified. The matriarch ordered the manservants of the outer court to take good care of her grandsons, who were returning late at night.

After dinner, He Ying pulled her daughter into her bedroom and whispered into her ears.

Pan Nianzhen’s face instantly flushed. She nervously tightened her grasp on the handkerchief in her hand and asked timidly, “Mother… Is… Is this really alright?”

He Ying slapped her daughter’s back. “What’s wrong with it? If we don’t use this method, you’ll never be able to stay in the Jing’an Estate. Do you really want to marry those poor, powerless, pathetic men? Do you want to serve under their strict mothers?”

Pan Nianzhen hastily shook her head. “No… I don’t.”

“Then do as I’ve taught you. If it doesn’t work out, I have my own way of making sure that no one finds out. If it’s successful, even your grandmother won’t be able to stop you from marrying into House Jing’an.”

Pan Nianzhen summoned all her courage, bit her lips, and finally gave her mother a nod. “Alright, Mother, I’ll listen to everything you say.”

“That’s right. That’s my good daughter. All those years of guidance weren’t in vain.”

The same night, around 11pm, the three brothers of the He family returned to the estate together.

It was already too late at night, so He Erlang didn’t return to the Left Military Guards. He joined his two brothers in their carriage and returned to the estate.

Once the three brothers entered the estate, the assistant steward and a group of manservants promptly greeted them.

The three brothers weren’t the only ones who had drunk a lot tonight. Their personal manservants had also been forced to drink in a separate room.

Their personal manservants, Laiyue and Kangshou, had already been taken to a nearby room in the outer court to rest.

The assistant steward didn’t dare to be remiss in his care because of Matriarch He’s earlier instructions.

Amongst the three brothers, only He Changdi remained slightly more sober. If it weren’t for him, they probably wouldn’t have been able to return and would have stayed outside overnight.

The restaurant they had dinner at was right across the street from Wangxian Chamber, the most famous brothel within the capital.

He Changdi’s personality was such that he didn’t like drinking alcohol. He only had a moderate alcohol tolerance, so even if he controlled how much he drank, he still had a headache right now.

The eldest brother, He Changqi, was the most drunk. Erlang was still able to speak, but he was clearly in the middle of a drunk high based on how he talked!

He Changdi massaged his temples with one hand. His brows furrowed as he gave his orders to the steward in a low voice. “Just take Eldest Brother and Second Brother over to the main study in the outer court to rest. It’s late, so make sure you don’t disturb Grandmother and Mother.”

A burly manservant carried He Changqi on his back, straight to a room inside the study to rest.

However, He Changjue started acting up in his drunken state. He refused to go into the room to rest. Moreover, he even held on to He Changdi, refusing to let him leave.

“Hey… Third Brother... don’t leave! Let’s drink some more. It’s been so long since we’ve had a good drink together!”

Chapter 578: Mishap (1)

He Changdi let out a cold snort and mercilessly rejected his older brother. “Second Brother, if you want to keep drinking, you can do it by yourself. I’m tired, so I’m heading back to my place to rest.”

However, He Changjue was a stubborn one. He continued hanging onto He Changdi’s arm.

“Is it just because Third Sister-in-Law might be waiting up for you? Don’t worry! It’s already this late, I’m sure she’s already gone to bed!”

He Changdi chuckled coldly. “Someone who’s still single won’t understand.”

He Sanlang’s words stirred up the hornet’s nest. He Changjue still had enough consciousness left to recognise the insult. Furthermore, his path to love had never been smooth. His brother’s mocking tipped him over the edge and he leaped up to attack He Changdi.

Of course, He Changdi was no pushover. They started brawling noisily right there in the study.

Perhaps due to their drunkenness, the brothers fought fiercely.

The maidservant waiting outside was pale with fright. She hurriedly ran off to find the steward. The steward was already old, so there was no way he could pull apart his two masters. In the end, he ordered some servants to bring the family soldiers here to stop their fight.

“You little brat! Don’t you dare show off with your wife in front of me in the future, or I’ll knock all your teeth out!” He Erlang was still scolding his little brother when they were pulled apart, the very picture of a drunk maniac.

He Changdi had suffered a punch of the corner of his lips, which was starting to bruise. However, at least he had left Erlang in much worse shape. He shifted his jaw and muttered ‘idiot’ under his breath. Just as he was about to return to the inner court to look for his wife, the steward stopped him.

“Ah, Second Young Master, Third Young Master, please, drink a bowl of sobering soup before you head back to rest.”

There was a maidservant standing behind the assistant steward with a food container in hand.

When the steward finished speaking, the maidservant hurried forward and set down the box on the table. She brought out two warm bowls of sobering soup and offered one each to He Changjue and He Changdi.

After that brief bout, both brothers were a little thirsty. He Changjue took the bowl and downed it in one gulp. He even had another two cups of tea in addition.

He Changdi took up the porcelain bowl. When he put it to his mouth, he frowned. The smell of this sobering soup was strange.

He didn’t like drinking these types of medicinal soups, so he only had less than half the bowl.

He Changdi had already sent someone to Songtao Court to ask about his wife on his return to the estate. The person he sent returned to say that Third Young Madam had already gone to bed.

He Sanlang escorted his brother to the study’s side room and waited until the servants had helped him out of his clothes and laid him in bed.

The assistant steward drew closer with a smile. “Third Young Master, would you like to rest here in the outer court, or return to the inner court tonight?”

Since Chu Lian was already asleep, He Changdi told the steward to arrange a side room for him in the outer court as well.

The assistant steward personally led He Sanlang to the side room on the left of the main study.

After he entered the room, He Changdi came out again in a few minutes. He told the manservant guarding the door outside, “Prepare the room next to Second Brother. I’ll sleep over there.”

The manservant quickly ran off to follow his orders.

While He Erlang was a good drinker, he became unreliable once he was high. He Sanlang was worried that something would happen to him in the night, so he decided to watch over his brother instead.

By the time he finally laid down to rest, it was already an hour later.

Ever since he had gotten married, He Changdi hadn’t spent many nights in the outer court’s main study. He had also slept in this particular side room a few times before. However, for some reason, it felt uncomfortable this time.

The blankets didn’t feel as soft, the bedding wasn’t comfortable enough, and his sides were empty, making him feel like the entire room was too empty and quiet.

Chapter 579: Mishap (2)

He Changdi forced himself to sleep. When he turned to his side, he reached out for the warm body that was usually beside him. The emptiness that met his arm startled He Changdi awake.

He stared at the bed curtains for a few seconds before realising that this wasn’t his bedroom in Songtao Court and that Chu Lian wasn’t by his side right now.

An irritable heat was building up within him. He tossed and turned, but he couldn’t sleep. His mind was full of Chu Lian.

Finally, he ended up flipping the blankets aside and getting off the bed.

The night was quiet. Even the manservant who was supposed to be on duty through the night was sound asleep in the side room.

He Changdi walked over to the window and opened it. He somersaulted out easily and rushed straight for Songtao Court.

The moment he entered Songtao Court through the window, he was stopped by a soft voice, “Who’s there?!”

Wenqing dashed over, only to see He Changdi sitting on the window sill, in the middle of breaking into his own room. The corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably and she set down her raised sword. She greeted him with a bob. “Third Young Master.”

He Changdi dismissed her with a wave of his hand and finished entering the bedroom, closing the window on the way.

Chu Lian was in the middle of some sweet dreams when something caught her and tightened around her.

She turned around and faced He Changdi, trying to push the thing holding onto her away.

“Lian’er, it’s me.”

He Changdi’s eyes were like black holes in the darkness, as bottomless and impenetrable as a deep lake.

Unfortunately, Chu Lian was still sleeping, so she couldn’t see that his eyes were hazy with desire.

He Changdi traced the profile of Chu Lian’s face with his fingers, but it only made the heat within him worse.

He buried his head into the crook of her shoulder and called, “Lian’er.”

Chu Lian usually slept like a log, and this night was no exception. When she was trapped in his tight embrace, all she did was struggle perfunctorily twice. The moment she found that her struggles were useless, she gave up and let He Changdi do as he wanted. Perhaps due to the familiar scent around her, she grew relaxed and even reached out to hug He Changdi’s narrow waist.

The fire burning in He Sanlang’s heart was becoming unbearable. He kissed the sensitive back of Chu Lian’s ear, huffing out his breath over her soft, little earlobe. His pants grew heavier.

He Sanlang’s hands freely roamed over Chu Lian’s body until she finally awoke.

When she first opened her eyes, a sleepy haze still covered them. It was when her top was suddenly taken away that she immediately came to her senses.

He Sanlang could tell that she had woken up, so he covered her lips with his own and started plundering with his tongue.

Chu Lian made some muffled sounds, intending to protest, but she soon realised that He Changdi was especially forceful tonight. He wouldn’t let her retreat at all.

She was soon teased to the point of wanting.

When He Sanlang finally entered her, forcefully and mercilessly, Chu Lian felt like her waist was about to break. However, no matter how much she pleaded, it was no use.

An hour later, the bedroom finally quietened down again.

Wenqing had remained on duty in the side room at first, but later on, she had quietly slipped away...

Chu Lian was extremely put out. Her throat was hoarse from her cries and she didn’t even know what day it was.

It wasn’t until He Changdi carried her into the bathtub that she regained her senses.

He Sanlang used a soft cloth to clean his wife’s body. Chu Lian was sprawled against his chest without even the strength to move a single finger. She suddenly bit harshly on He Changdi’s shoulder, leaving two neat rows of teeth marks on the muscles there.

In a hoarse voice, she complained, “He Changdi! You’re actually a huge pervert, aren’t you!”

He Sanlang didn’t mind whatever his wife called him. He chuckled lowly and whispered teasingly into her ear, “Haven’t I serviced you enough? I thought all your energy should have been used up by now?”

Chapter 580: Mishap (3)

Chu Lian immediately shut up and buried her head into his chest.

He Changdi stroked her back soothingly. His palm slid down to her waist and massaged it gently.

They soaked in the tub together for a calm moment until Chu Lian felt the aches in her body easing.

She looked up at He Changdi with her cheek still on his chest and said, “Where did you go to drink tonight? Why did you come back so late? Are Eldest Brother and Second Brother resting in the outer court?”

He Changdi leaned against the tub with one arm around Chu Lian. His other arm was still massaging her slender, willowy waist. He shut his eyes and replied in his husky, magnetic voice, “Mu’ai Restaurant. Eldest Brother and Second Brother drank even more than I did. They were already resting when I left the outer court.”

Chu Lian’s eyes widened in surprise.

Mu’ai Restaurant?

Since He Sanlang had given her that storefront on Zhuque Avenue, she had specially gone to Zhou Wen for more details on the area. If she remembered correctly, Mu’ai Restaurant was right opposite the most famous brothel in the capital…

Chu Lian stared at He Changdi’s handsome face while biting her lip.

He Sanlang’s eyes slid open a tiny bit. He peeked at Chu Lian before shutting them again in a suspiciously calm manner.

“If I did anything outside, would you have begged for mercy like that just now?” He Changdi drew closer and whispered the rest right into Chu Lian’s sensitive ear. “Your voice even turned hoarse from all your screaming…”

Chu Lian’s face exploded into a furious blush.

She stared with wide almond-shaped eyes. She hadn’t thought that He Sanlang would be able to act so… so lewd!

Hadn’t he always been the restrained gentlemanly type?

“Why are your eyes opened so wide? Did I say something wrong?”

He Sanlang was getting into it!

Chu Lian didn’t want to acknowledge his sudden lunatic fit. Her husband had never been normal anyway.

After a short moment, Chu Lian felt that there was something wrong.

She looked up and asked, “Wait, didn’t you return around 11pm? Why did you come over to Songtao Court so late?”

“I sent someone to check when I came back, and the servants said that you were already sleeping, so I was planning to rest in the main study with my brothers.”

Thoughts flew around in Chu Lian’s head. So her husband hadn’t been able to fall asleep in the outer court and had come back secretly in the middle of the night?

However, he had been brimming with desire when he had returned. The way he had acted, all forceful and ferocious, was very different from how he normally acted as well…

Over the past few days, whenever they had battled it out in the bedroom, he would keep her feelings in mind even if he wanted more.

Chu Lian hadn’t replied for some time, so He Sanlang opened his eyes. He let out a simple, “Hmm?” to prompt her.

His wife seemed to be thinking of how to phrase her words. She eventually asked, “Did you feel any discomfort when you came back?”

He Sanlang frowned as he thought.

Chu Lian continued speaking before he could reply. “I slept late last night because there was something I wanted to discuss with you. I was looking at the account books in my study and I only slept when it was past 11.”

It all became clear to He Changdi after Chu Lian’s explanation. Someone must have tried to trick him last night.

His wife hadn’t gone to sleep yet, but the senior servant he had sent to check on her had told him that she was already asleep. This must have been arranged in advance by someone. As for why they would do so, it was obvious that they wanted him to sleep in the outer court.

Ever since he had returned from the northern border, he had added some of his soldiers to Jing’an Estate’s guards. Coupled with the existing family soldiers, the estate had become like a steel bucket. Even flies wouldn’t be able to enter. Since strangers wouldn’t be able to enter the estate, then it could only have been someone from the inside.

Chapter 581: Mishap (4)

He Changdi’s eyes narrowed. When he recalled that his two older brothers were still sleeping in the outer court, he lifted Chu Lian up from the bathtub and covered her snugly with his large sleep shirt. He carried her over to the bed and set her down.

He Sanlang petted her smooth hair and said, “Lian’er, you should sleep first. I’m going to take a look at the outer court.”

He quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes. As he was about to leave, he found that Chu Lian had also changed into a normal dress. She tugged at his sleeve and said, “I’m going with you.”

He Changdi hesitated for a moment before taking her hand. As they passed the changing screen, he swiped up a brocade cloak with a fox fur hood and put it on Chu Lian.

The couple took some servants with them as they rushed over to the main study.

Right as they left the inner court, the family soldiers who were on night duty came over to meet them.

It was Huang Zhijian who was on duty tonight. He and the four young guards behind him bowed in greeting towards He Changdi and Chu Lian. “Third Young Master, is anything the matter?”

He Sanlang cast an indifferent glance over Huang Zhijian. “We’re going to the main study in the outer court.”

Huang Zhijian didn’t question him and quietly followed behind the two masters with the other guards.

From the outside, the main study was shrouded in darkness. Only a single row of dim lanterns lit up the corridors.

Huang Zhijian could sense that something was wrong. At this time of night, there should have been at least a few manservants on guard outside the main study, yet there were none...

Even if there wasn’t anyone using the main study, there would be two or three manservants on duty inside. They would rest in the side rooms of the study at night and keep watch over the valuable books and items within.

There were two of their masters sleeping in the study right now, but there wasn’t a single servant outside!

He Changdi paused for a moment in the corridor outside the main study. He was about to push open the doors to enter, but he realised that the doors had been locked from the inside. He immediately kicked the doors open and took Chu Lian with him as they strode into the section on the left.

There were two smaller rooms here, with entrances facing each other. He Changdi had been sleeping in the west one at first, while He Erlang was sleeping in the one to the east. When they entered the east room and realised that there was no one inside, they checked the west room and found that Erlang was sleeping soundly within. His clothes were still the same as before, so He Changdi relaxed.

Following that, He Changdi and Chu Lian headed over to the section on the right of the study.

When he tried to open the door, he found that the room had been locked from the inside!

He Changdi’s first reaction was to kick in the doors again. A twitch developed in Chu Lian’s eyes as she watched her husband’s violent actions.

However, it was when they walked up to the bedchamber and shoved the curtains open that they sucked in gasps of surprise!

The bed was a chaotic mess. Various items of clothing were strewn all over and there was the distinctive smell of sex in the air.

Although the room wasn’t lit, one of the guards behind them lifted his lantern, casting light upon the situation inside.

The two naked bodies lying on the bed… were He Dalang and Pan Nianzhen!

Everything had happened so abruptly that Pan Nianzhen only started to awaken after He Changdi kicked down the doors. Her head was aching so much it felt like it was being pierced by a thousand silver needles.

When she opened her eyes to see He Changdi fully dressed beside the bed, with icy cold eyes directed towards her, her body immediately froze up. The expression on her face slowly collapsed into despair.

Chu Lian hated the way Pan Nianzhen was looking at He Changdi, so she stepped forward to block her husband from her gaze.

The moment Pan Nianzhen caught sight of Chu Lian, she finally lost control of her emotions and let out a high-pitched wail.

Following Pan Nianzhen’s scream, lanterns flared to life all over the previously dark Jing’an Estate. It was going to be a sleepless night for House Jing’an.

Chapter 582: The Matriarch's Idea (1)

Chu Lian had never seen such a thick-skinned and shameless person in her life.

The lantern lights were burning bright in Qingxi Hall, making it as bright as day.

Everyone in the family was gathered in the parlour of Qingxi Hall.

The expressions on their faces were all grave and serious.

Chu Lian sat next to He Changdi, her gaze focused on their eldest brother, He Changqi, who was seated on the main raised platform.

He Changqi still looked out of it. It was clear he hadn’t recovered from the shock earlier. Although his figure was as large and burly as before, he seemed more like a lone, lost bear right now. The layer of stubble on his chin added to his fragile appearance.

The grating sound of Eldest Madam He Ying’s sobs was ringing in everyone’s ears.

Ever since she had discovered what had happened to He Dalang and Miss Pan, He Ying had been wailing her complaints in the parlour.

She was acting like a crazy woman, unbefitting of a noble, causing everyone in the estate to look down on her even more.

Matriarch He had been awakened in the middle of the night, so her expression wasn’t looking too good. When she heard that something had happened to her granddaughter, she almost keeled right over.

Following that, her ears had been filled with the incessant cries of He Ying, turning her Qingxi Hall into a noisy vegetable market.

Even the servants couldn’t bear to look.

Countess Jing’an was helped into the parlour by Senior Servant Wang. Her face was as pale as a sheet, alarming Chu Lian, who hurriedly went up to support her other side.

When Matriarch He saw that Countess Jing’an had arrived, she finally had someone to vent all the fire in her belly on. She slapped the table and roared furiously, “Look at the son you’ve birthed! That monster ruined his very own cousin!”

Countess Jing’an almost collapsed to the floor thanks to the matriarch’s words.

Luckily, there were two people supporting her on either side, or she might have fainted out of anger.

The normally mild-mannered countess pointed at He Dalang with a trembling finger. Her voice was hoarse with pain as she ordered, “You unfilial son! Kneel down right now!”

He Dalang’s eyes were still empty. Upon hearing his mother’s order, he didn’t give out any sound of protest. He simply knelt down in the center of the parlour. His originally straight back was bent over, causing a pang of heartache in those who cared for him.

Chu Lian shot a look at Senior Servant Wang, and they worked in unison to help Countess Jing’an over to a nearby chair.

He Ying kneeled down on the ground and grabbed onto the matriarch’s legs. She wailed, “Mother! You have to do something for Miss Zhen! My poor, innocent daughter! I was still looking for a good marriage for her!”

Pan Nianzhen had been taken back to Qingxi Hall by now. She was resting in one of the side rooms near the parlour, with Senior Servant Liu and a few maidservants taking care of her.

She hadn’t stopped crying ever since she had returned to Qingxi Hall, no matter how Senior Servant Liu and the maidservants tried to comfort her. Her eyes were already swollen to the size of walnuts. It was clear that she was feeling regret over her actions.

Doubts arose in Senior Servant Liu’s heart upon seeing Pan Nianzhen’s performance.

She kept a watchful eye on the maidservants by Pan Nianzhen’s side.

Over in the parlour, He Ying’s plea for help had only darkened the storm on Matriarch He’s face. Although she still felt guilt over her treatment of her daughter, the current situation was like a slap in her face. Thus, she finally spoke harshly towards her daughter.

“Even so, why didn’t you take proper care of Miss Zhen! Why would she be in the outer court at such a late hour!”

The matriarch still had her moments of clear wit. She could see that something was wrong with the situation.

Even though this dynasty was more open-minded, there was an unspoken curfew at night for the ladies. Once the skies turned dark and they finished their dinners, noble ladies would stay in their own rooms. They wouldn’t leave their own courtyards, let alone the estate.

Last night, the three He brothers had returned at a very late hour. Why had Pan Nianzhen appeared in the main study of the outer court at that time?

The answer to this question would determine whether He Dalang was a victim or a culprit.

Chapter 583: The Matriarch's Idea (2)

He Ying had an instant of panic when she heard that question, but she quickly calmed down.

As for why her daughter had appeared in the outer court, it was her doing of course! However, she had arranged for He Erlang to be the one. She had no idea why it had suddenly turned into He Dalang!

However, since her mother was casting her suspicions on her now, she couldn’t admit to that.

In order to finish up her plans, she had no choice but to use He Dalang now.

He Changqi was the eldest grandson of House Jing’an. He was going to inherit the countship in the future. If she was really able to marry Miss Zhen to him, it wouldn’t be that bad of a choice compared to her original plans.

He Ying’s target shifted in the span of a few seconds of thinking.

Anyway, things had already happened. She just had to push Miss Zhen onto He Dalang no matter what.

He Ying refused to speak. She only continued crying in sobs, annoying the matriarch even further.

The problem at hand was tricky. The victim here was her granddaughter, who had only been living in the estate for a few months. However, in that short amount of time, that lovely flower had been plucked. Pan Nianzhen didn’t have much status to begin with. Now that her body had been ruined, who could she marry?

Even if they managed to get her married, she would only be a disgrace to House Jing’an.

Matriarch He bowed her head. She caught sight of her eldest grandson from the corner of her eyes.

He didn’t have any heirs and he had just divorced. Even though he was nearing thirty, his previous wife had only left him two daughters.

Miss Zhen was Dalang’s cousin and he had interacted with her a few times before. Dalang was meant to inherit the title of Count Jing’an, so he couldn’t stay single forever. He had to have an heir someday.

Compared to bringing in an arrogant young noble miss from the outside, why not simply give Miss Zhen to him in marriage? Miss Zhen was still young, so surely she would be able to give him a heir?

Eldest Madam’s non-stop crying had made everyone fidgety.

Chu Lian looked at He Changdi.

He Sanlang took in the ring of spectators in the parlour with his cold eyes and understood that he was the only one who could do something now.

His eldest brother was still lost and blank. He hadn’t recovered from his shock yet at all. His second brother was still sound asleep. His mother was too soft and she wasn’t good at sticking her head out in these kinds of matters.

Chu Lian did have that capability, but she was the youngest here and it wouldn’t be easy for her to stand out. He Changdi couldn’t bear to have his wife stand out again to face the crowd anyway.

“Aunt, stop crying. I’ll send someone to investigate the details of this matter. If it’s Eldest Brother’s fault, he’ll definitely take responsibility as a man. However, if I find out that this was all part of some unsavoury plot, then don’t blame me for not giving face to my relatives!”

He Changdi’s voice was as icy as the tundra. He Ying couldn’t help but twitch.

She shot a quick, fearful glance at He Changdi, guilt rising in her heart.

Matriarch He’s face had lost all colour. In this short amount of time, it seemed like her hair had turned even whiter, and the wrinkles on her face had deepened.

Since her youngest grandson had volunteered to take on the matter, she nodded in agreement. As much as she wanted to oversee the resolution of this, she didn’t have the energy any longer.

Matriarch He weakly waved her hand to dismiss them all. She spoke with some difficulty, her age clearly catching up with her. “Then I’ll leave this matter to Sanlang. The sun hasn’t risen yet. Return to your beds and get some rest. There’s no need to come here for morning greetings tomorrow.”

After she was done speaking, Matriarch He hobbled towards her bedroom with the help of Muxiang and another handmaid.

He Ying tried to follow behind her, but she was stopped by the maidservant guarding the door.

The maidservant’s face was apologetic as she said, “Eldest Madam, the matriarch isn’t feeling well. Please allow her to have some rest.”

He Ying wanted to barge in regardless, but Senior Servant Liu arrived just in time to persuade her otherwise.

Chapter 584: Another Plot (1)

Within a side room in Qingxi Hall, Muxaing was seated next to a desk. A single candle was lit, its flickering flame causing the shadows on Muxiang’s face to ebb and flow.

Someone knocked on the door at this time, to which Muxiang answered, “Enter.”

A maidservant pushed the door open and came into the room. She turned to lock the door before quickly moving to Muxiang.

Muxiang was seated with her back to the light, dressed in a pretty azure dress embroidered with butterflies, very different from what most maidservants wore. She glanced over at the maidservant, who startled and hurriedly lowered her head, standing to attention.

“How is it?”

“Replying to Miss Muxiang, this servant has already gone out to investigate. Everything happened as we predicted, except for one thing… When Second Young Master drank that sobering soup, there were no changes in him.”

Muxiang let out a peal of laughter. “How lucky for him.”

After a slight pause, she asked, “How did Pan Nianzhen enter Eldest Young Master’s room?”

The maidservant replied in detail, “After she drank that ‘medicine’, she headed straight for Third Young Master’s room. However, Third Young Master had already left, so she entered Second Young Master’s room instead. When Third Young Master went to the inner court, Second Young Master took Third Young Master’s room, leaving her with no choice but to go to Eldest Young Master’s room instead.”

He Dalang had drunk too much that night. His days hadn’t been going smoothly either. In his drunkenness, he had mistaken Pan Nianzhen for Madam Zou...

In order to bolster her courage, Pan Nianzhen had also taken an aphrodisiac. By the time she reached He Changqi’s bedside, her mind had already turned fuzzy, so she didn’t even notice that the man she was with wasn’t He Changdi.

Through this series of mishaps, the two of them had slept together. Of course, Muxiang had her own part to play in causing this mess.

Pan Nianzhen had not wanted to take the drug at first. However, her maidservant Pinglu had persuaded her otherwise and she had taken the aphrodisiac. Otherwise, if Pan Nianzhen had been clear-minded, none of this would have happened.

A mocking curve appeared on Muxiang’s lips.

Even a country bumpkin like Pan Nianzhen wanted to have He Changdi?

She had been practically asking for it.

This was just a small lesson for her. If there were ever a next time, it would definitely be her last!

When the maidservant realised that the air around Muxiang had changed, she trembled in fear and bowed her head even lower. She didn’t dare to speak.

“Continue working hard for me. Remember, your mother and younger brother are in my hands. If you’re not obedient, I’ll immediately have my men send their heads straight to your doorstep.” Muxiang didn’t have any particular expression on her face as she threatened the maidservant. The maidservant fell down to her knees in fright and kowtowed repeatedly.

“Miss Muxiang, please spare this servant’s mother and brother. This servant will definitely work hard for you.”

Muxiang snorted. “Rest assured. As long as you’re good for me, your mother and brother will have happy and carefree lives.”

Once the shivering maidservant had left, Muxiang stayed seated at the desk for a long moment. The emotions in her impenetrable eyes changed as quickly as the candle’s flame flickered.

It wasn’t until the first tendrils of dawn crept over the horizon that she picked up the brush on the table and quickly wrote something on a piece of paper.

She wrote out a full three pages before she stopped. Then, she blew on the papers to dry the ink, carefully folded them, and finally put them into an envelope, which she tucked into her clothes.

Muxiang stood up and walked over to the window, the determination to win flashing in her eyes.

Since the heavens had given her a second chance, she wasn’t going to squander it. This time, she wouldn’t make the wrong choice.

He Changdi was going to be her husband in this lifetime, just as he had in the previous one.

As for that imposter in her body, she was definitely going to unmask her one day and have He Changdi see her for who she really was!

Did that imposter really think that she had turned into House Ying’s Sixth Miss Chu Lian just because she was wearing her face?

Dream on!

She was the only one who could be Chu Lian! The pearl hidden in the dust was her alone!

Chapter 585: Another Plot (2)

He Changdi sent Chu Lian back to Songtao Court before heading to the outer court. He gathered everyone in the main study in the outer court to question them personally.

Actually, He Ying had left many traces behind, so it didn’t take He Changdi much work to find out the truth.

However, once he examined all the details again, he found that something was amiss.

If they went by normal logic, He Ying would have surely targeted Second Brother. Why was it Eldest Brother who had gotten attacked in the end?

It felt as if there was someone pulling the strings in the background, but he didn’t have a shred of evidence nor any leads.

There shouldn’t be anyone else except for He Ying and her daughter who would do such a thing in the entire Jing’an Estate.

Finally, He Changdi discovered that there was something wrong with the sobering soup from that night.

No wonder he had felt strange halfway into the night. He had only taken less than half of the soup, barely a few mouthfuls, yet his body had reacted.

However, He Erlang had woken up the next day like nothing had happened to him at all. He had even been brimming with vigour.

After a few questions to draw the truth out of his brother, He Sanlang didn’t know how to react.

It turned out that He Changjue had puked out everything he had drunk shortly after returning to the room… That was how he had been able to fall into a dead slumber. When he woke up in the middle of the night, he had gone to look for He Sanlang and ended up sleeping in his room instead.

He Erlang’s luck was crazily good.

Chu Lian had the same thoughts when He Sanlang explained the events to her.

When He Changjue woke up in the morning and found out what had happened over the night, he was extremely dissatisfied with He Ying and her daughter. He blamed the matriarch as well, for not reining in his aunt and cousin. He never liked staying in the estate in the first place. Coupled with the mess the estate was in right now, he returned to the barracks that very afternoon.

He Changdi changed into his official robes and attended court as usual in the morning. However, he didn’t go to the Ministry of War later on. He headed straight back to the estate.

He managed to catch Chu Lian just in time to have lunch with her. When they were done with lunch, the couple settled down for an afternoon nap.

After the uproar in the night, they hadn’t slept at all when they returned to Songtao Court. They had stayed awake until now. After filling their bellies, it was finally time to take a good rest.

It was now the end of February, and the weather was slowly warming up. These few days, the estate had doused the fires for the internal heating.

The couple leaned against the headboard of their bed together. Since they had just had their midday meal, they had to rest for a bit before sleeping. Chu Lian turned to He Changdi to ask, “Have you reported what you found to Grandmother?”

He Changdi had his eyes shut as he leaned against the headboard. He let out a grunt of affirmation.

Chu Lian drew closer. “What did Grandmother say?”

He Changdi opened his eyes and looked at his wife. His tone held a little bit of helplessness as he replied, “Grandmother wants Eldest Brother to marry Pan Nianzhen and take her as his second wife.”

What? Chu Lian’s eyes widened.

“How could Grandmother think of that?” Hadn’t the matriarch grown too muddleheaded?

Although Eldest Brother and Madam Zou had already divorced, he was still the eldest son of House Jing’an. He was meant to inherit the title one day. Even if he had to remarry, it shouldn’t be this hurried.

Even if he didn’t marry another noble lady, Eldest Brother could at least choose a generous, kind-hearted lady of good standing.

If not for Eldest Brother, they had to consider Miss An and Miss Lin as well. How could someone like Pan Nianzhen make a good stepmother for the two girls? If He Dalang really married her, the first ones to suffer would be the children.

He Changdi’s brows were also locked together in a frown. Grandmother was too stubborn and biased at times.

He Ying and Pan Nianzhen had made full use of Grandmother’s weakness.

“What does Eldest Brother think?”

He Dalang had always been caring towards Chu Lian as an older brother. Furthermore, he had a big heart and was very considerate. He was a good brother. He Dalang had suffered so much until he had finally gotten away from Madam Zou. She didn’t want He Dalang to get out of the frying pan only to fall back into the fire.

Chapter 586: Becoming the Countess is Good Too (1)

He Changdi sighed and shook his head.

Eldest Brother had a very honest personality, and he was very filial. It didn’t matter whether this situation had been planned by Aunt and her daughter or not. What’s done was done, there was no way around it.

If Grandmother insisted on him marrying Pan Nianzhen, he probably wouldn’t reject.

Even if it was clear that no happiness would come out of their marriage, he wouldn’t reject it.

It seemed like He Changqi had already given up and was only trying to please others. This course of action was extremely damaging to him.

“Can’t you persuade Eldest Brother?” Chu Lian suggested.

He Changdi shook his head again.

As the three brothers had grown up together, He Changdi knew his eldest brother very well despite their age gap of ten years.

As the eldest son of the family, He Changqi had been indoctrinated at a young age to become a pillar for the family and to take care of his brothers. He had an upright and responsible personality. He had to assume filial duties on behalf of his brothers as the eldest. In the Great Wu Dynasty, filial piety was a core value of the country, so in normal situations, most children would never go against the wishes and decisions of their parents.

Therefore, it was easy to imagine the pressure that Dalang was under when faced with Matriarch He, who was his grandmother

Although He Sanlang had some measure of power in the household, he was still one of the youngest in the family and he didn’t hold any authority towards his brother. Even if he were to persuade him sincerely, He Dalang simply wouldn’t listen.

The only person who could overturn the decisions of the matriarch and He Changqi would be his father, Count Jing’an.

Hearing He Sanlang’s explanation, Chu Lian hastily interjected, “Didn’t you say that Father is returning soon? Let’s write a letter to notify him about this matter!”

Chu Lian’s suggestion made sense to him. He Changdi quickly got up, walked to the writing desk, and begun writing a letter.

Once the letter hd been sent out by Wenlan, the couple finally relaxed their tense shoulders.

As long as Count Jing’an managed to return in time, the marriage between He Dalang and Pan Nianzhen wouldn’t happen.

Chu Lian and He Changdi then chatted for a little more before having their afternoon nap together.

Within a room in Qingxi Hall, Pan Nianzhen was lying on the bed. She had already cried to the point of passing out several times.

When she had been ‘caught with her pants down’ by He Changdi and Chu Lian this morning, it had felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her mind had collapsed instantly.

Until now, she still refused to believe that the person she had mustered up her courage to give up her body to was actually the tall, bear-like He Changqi!

The prince charming she had been dreaming about turned into a black bear. Pan Nianzhen wanted to slam her head into the wall and kill herself, but she managed to stop herself from doing that with what was left of her rationality.

Although she hated the situation right now, she didn’t have the courage to hang herself.

Moments later, He Ying entered.

Seeing her pale and haggard-looking daughter, she helplessly sighed. She walked up to her daughter and sat by the bedside.

“Miss Zhen, Mother arranged everything perfectly for you. How… how did you make a mistake?”

He Ying may have been a selfish shrew, but she treated her only daughter well. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have groomed Pan Nianzhen into what she was.

Pan Nianzhen didn’t dare to tell her mother the truth now. How could she reveal that she hadn’t intended to follow the plan at all?

Her target from the very beginning wasn’t He Erlang, it was He Sanlang.

The servant who had told He Changdi that Chu Lian was sleeping had been bought by her.

“Mother, my mind was in a daze then. I don’t know how I made the mistake.”

At the mention of the incident, the floodgates were opened once again. Tears fell freely from Pan Nianzhen’s eyes which were already swollen from all her crying. She threw herself into He Ying’s embrace and wailed, “Mother, what should I do? I can’t live on anymore…”

He Ying wanted to admonish her daughter for having foiled the plan. She had arranged everything to perfection, yet her daughter had somehow made a mistake. However, looking at her daughter’s state, she lost the will to reprimand her.

She sighed and said, “What else can we do? You have no choice but to marry Dalang now!” There was decisiveness in her tone.

Pan Nianzhen sobbed, she obviously didn’t want this.

Chapter 587: Becoming the Countess is Good Too (2)

He Ying knew her daughter well and she could read her daughter’s thoughts like a book. Amongst the three young masters of the He Family, He Sanlang was undoubtedly the best in terms of appearance, while He Erlang was second. Coming in last was the eldest, He Dalang, who resembled Count Jing’an the most and wasn’t very appealing.

However, He Sanlang had just married last year, while He Dalang hadn’t even been in their considerations originally. Well, but who could have seen his divorce coming? He didn’t even have a son yet, so thinking about it now, he was actually a great choice as well.

When a lady chooses her husband, she can’t make a decision based on the prettiness of his looks alone, she had to consider his status as well.

Pan Nianzhen looked back up with teary eyes, resisting her mother’s decision timidly, “B-but, I don’t like Eldest Cousin…”

He Ying truly hated how her daughter couldn’t see the big picture. Right now, it didn’t matter whether she liked him or not. She had already given her virginity to him, so she no longer had a choice.

But she couldn’t bring herself to break this to her daughter, so she tried to console her from a different angle.

“Your eldest cousin’s looks may be average, but he’s the heir of the estate. When your uncle retires, his countship will be passed down to him. By marrying your eldest cousin, you’ll become Countess Jing’an in the future. Your eldest cousin doesn’t have a son yet, so if you bear a son for him, you’ll produce the next heir to House Jing’an’s future heir. That will only make your grandmother love you even more.”

He Ying’s kind persuasion made a visible change to Pan Nianzhen’s expression, but no one knew how she actually felt inside.

An hour later, He Ying got up.

“Alright, I’ve said my piece. You should think for yourself whether my words make any sense to you.”

Pan Nianzhen nodded dazedly, and He Ying bent over to stroke her daughter’s hair. With a sigh, she left Pan Nianzhen’s room.

After He Ying left, Pan Nianzhen remained seated on the bed for a long time.

Suddenly, she raised her head to look at the servant by her side, “Pinglu, do you think I should just resign myself to my fate?”

Pinglu lowered her head as she didn’t dare look into Pan Nianzhen’s eyes. Her eyes darted around the room for a few moments before she softly replied, “This… this servant doesn’t dare to make such a statement……”

However, it didn’t seem like Pan Nianzhen was looking for an answer from her at all. She gazed at the floor. At a volume that only she could hear, she muttered, “I just can’t accept this…”

…...

The moment Xiao Bojian left Sixth Prince’s estate, he received a letter from One.

Xiao Bojian first boarded the carriage with the letter in hand, while One followed him into the carriage shortly after.

Once One had taken a seat, his master asked, “Who is it from?”

One shook his head, “This subordinate doesn’t know, this subordinate received it from a child on the streets. The child said that it’s for you.”

“And the child?”

“I’ve already interrogated him. The child knows nothing. He was given a little money to pass on the letter.”

A sinister cast fell over Xiao Bojian’s face for a moment. He opened the letter, and quickly skimmed through its contents.

When he was done digesting the contents of the letter, his eyes widened in disbelief, while the hand with which he was holding the letter trembled.

Xiao Bojian’s incredibly beautiful face suddenly turned flushed. It wasn’t due to anger at all, but excitement.

He gripped the letter tightly while trying his utmost to contain the rising excitement that was about to explode.

However, he was still young. He didn’t have the mature calm and shrewdness of his previous lifetime.

When One saw that his master’s face had tensed up and become a little contorted, seemingly trying to suppress his emotions and failing to, he became concerned and asked, “Master, is something wrong?”

One’s question helped to pull Xiao Bojian back to reality. Xiao Bojian quickly readjusted the expression on his face and threw the letter into the brazier in the carriage.

The fire flashed once, and the letter was reduced to ashes.

Chapter 588: Fainting (1)

“It’s nothing. I have some tasks for you. Send some men to do them quickly, and find some leads as soon as you can.” Xiao Bojian’s voice contained a thread of excitement and impatience.

Since his master hadn’t replied him, One didn’t press for an answer.

After receiving Xiao Bojian’s orders, he leaped out of the carriage to look for his subordinates.

Sitting alone in the carriage, Xiao Bojian leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he let out a burst of laughter.

With this gift from the heavens, he finally stood a real chance to fulfill the revenge he had suffered so much for!

He had suffered in silence for so many years, all because he wanted his foes to have a taste of the pain and humiliation his family had received all those years ago.

When his thoughts veered off in that direction, killing intent flashed in his eyes.

How had the sender of that letter gotten a hold of all those secrets?

This wasn’t the first time. Back in Sucheng, he had received an anonymous letter just like this that had told him all sorts of useful secrets, but he hadn’t been able to find the sender then, either.

It was as if there was someone in the background who had knowledge of everything that was going to happen. That person was stealthily making plans to maximise their benefits from each event.

That line of thought made Xiao Bojian shake his head.

He had never believed in the supernatural, so how could he possibly consider such a conjecture?

No matter who the person leaking secrets to him was, no matter how good they were at hiding their identity, he was going to find that person and make sure to shut his mouth forever.

There was one fact he had learned very well. No living man could keep a secret better than a dead man could!

Muxiang was in a heated room in Qingxi Hall directing some servants when she suddenly felt a chill go down her back. At its touch, she couldn’t help but do a full-body shiver.

Immediately after, she hunkered down into her shoulders, finding the chill a little strange. However, she didn’t think any more of it.

Muxiang had been given the chance to reincarnate with all the memories from her previous lifetime. Those memories had become her greatest advantage. Since she already knew everything that was going to happen, who could escape from her claws?

This time, she would lead even the smart and cunning Xiao Bojian by the nose!

It wasn’t even evening when He Changdi returned early today.

Chu Lian felt bored after staying in the study for most of the day, so she begged He Sanlang to teach her some martial arts.

He Changdi was no match for his wife’s soft pleading, so he had no choice but to bring her over to the training room.

Chu Lian didn’t have any foundation in martial arts, but she had received lessons from Wenqing and Wenlan before, so her moves seemed to have some proper form.

He Sanlang was astonished by what he saw. “When did you learn martial arts secretly?”

Chu Lian picked up a dry cloth hanging on a nearby screen and wiped away her sweat. “What do you mean secretly? Why would I even need to learn martial arts in secret? I’ve been doing it openly, alright?”

He Changdi taught Chu Lian a simple set of defensive moves by moving her body with his hands. He had assumed that Chu Lian was just in a whimsical phase that would die out quickly, but they unexpectedly managed to train for over an hour.

It was now spring. Despite wearing a loose, short-sleeved garment for exercising, this bout of training made Chu Lian’s face completely flushed. Even her back was soaked.

He Sanlang took out Chu Lian’s handkerchief to wipe away her sweat, then used his large palms to check her warm, flushed face.

A slight furrow formed on his brows. “It’s fine to train a little for fun, but why are you trying so hard as if your life depends on it?”

Chu Lian pulled him to a bench where they sat together and drank the warm water Wenqing had brought. She puffed up her cheeks and said, “A skill only belongs to you when you learn it properly. Besides, I was just doing my best. I’m not working that hard. You’re overestimating me.”

He Sanlang showed a slight smile as he reached over to push Chu Lian’s wet fringe to the side. “You have Wenqing and Wenlan, and if something happens, I’ll be by your side. It’s very tiring to learn martial arts.”

The noble ladies of the Great Wu Dynasty pursued petite physiques, with emphasis on appearing delicate. Some ladies would even cut down on meals to maintain their figures, so practising martial arts was unheard of amongst them.

These days, it was rare even for the daughters of the military families to learn martial arts.

Despite all that, Chu Lian was going against the flow. It was a mystery how that little head of hers worked.

The look in He Changdi’s eyes darkened. He suddenly recalled that in his previous life, ‘Chu Lian’ hadn’t shown any semblance of appreciation or adoration whenever she saw him heading to the training room. There had even been disdain in her eyes. To her, military officials were always lower than court officials, and she held martial arts in contempt.

Chu Lian shook her head. “Training in the martial arts is good for health and strength. At my age, I don’t hope to become skilled at it, but I still want to learn some moves just in case. Besides, it’s not like you can carry me around everywhere, right?”

Amused by her words, He Sanlang openly laughed out loud like never before. Unable to resist temptation, he then stroked his wife’s soft, smooth cheek.

“From here on out, I shall tie you to my waist, and take you wherever I go.”

Chu Lian blinked at him, “Do you mean that for real? You’re not joking?”

“I wouldn’t dare lie to you!”

Chu Lian noticed that this fellow was becoming more and more of a smooth talker.

He Sanlang hadn’t sweated much, but Chu Lian was very tired, so he waited patiently for his wife to recover as she rested in the training room.

He suddenly thought of something.

“There’s something I need to tell you. House Ying intends to have your fifth sister marry Xiao Bojian.”

“What?” Surprised, Chu Lian raised her head and looked towards He Changdi.

“I’ve heard that it’s already been decided in secret, but it hasn’t been made public. If nothing unexpected happens, there will probably be news of it in a few days.”

Xiao Bojian and Miss Su?

Chu Lian’s thoughts raced. She she recalled the kind warning Miss Su gave her a few days back at House Ying.

Chapter 589: Fainting (2)

“Do you think this is a scheme by Xiao Bojian, or something else?”

He Changdi narrowed his eyes a little. “Probably both. With Chu Yuan’s reputation in the dregs, the only lady of marriageable age in House Ying is your fifth sister.”

There was a hidden meaning behind He Sanlang’s words, but Chu Lian was able to understand what he meant.

Neither Miss Yuan nor Miss Su had pure motives. Back then, Chu Lian had even been worried for Miss Su, afraid that her Fifth Sister would miss the best time of her youth due to various delays. She had thought of helping Miss Su with finding a husband after she moved out of House Jing’an. However, if Miss Su had set her eyes on Xiao Bojian, then there was no need for her to do anything.

Honestly, it wasn’t as if Miss Su had betrayed her for her own interests, or had some devilish plot brewing.

Miss Su had to think for herself. Although Chu Lian had become a chess piece in her game, when one thought of things from a different angle, Miss Su hadn’t done any harm to Chu Lian at all. All Miss Su had done was to seize what she wanted with her own hands.

Only Miss Su herself knew whether it was good for her or not.

He Changdi patted Chu Lian’s shoulder.

Chu Lian knew that He Changdi meant to console her.

He probably knew that the only person she had a good impression of in the entire House Ying was their Fifth Miss, Chu Su. That was why he informed her about this in advance.

By the time the couple left the training room, it was already dinnertime. After dinner, Chu Lian informed He Changdi about the matter of Countess Jing’an managing the household and the estate lacking funds.

She then waved at Xiyan to have her and two servants bring in a box with the cloisonné vase.

“This is what Mother pawned away. I got one of the servants to buy it back in secret. You should return it to Mother later.”

He Changdi abruptly took a step forward and hugged Chu Lian tightly. This sudden action made all of the servants in the room lower their heads in fright.

He buried his face into Chu Lian’s fair neck and placed a kiss there. Next, he went up to her ear and whispered, “Lian’er, I’m so lucky to have you.”

Chu Lian was first shocked by his actions, then astonished. When she heard his smooth, deep voice right by her ear, her heart melted as well.

With a blush on her face, she grumbled, “You’ve only just realised how lucky you are?”

It was at this time that the tactful Senior Servant Gui chased all of the servants in the room out.

With only the two of them left in the room, He Changdi stooped over, his long arms hooked under her knees, and scooped her up. He then walked towards the bedroom with long strides.

Chu Lian cried out in alarm and put her arms around his neck in a panic. She glared at him with her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes and exclaimed, “What are you doing!”

He Sanlang lowered his head and blew at the top of her reddened ear. With a deep, enthralling voice, he replied, “Doing you…”

Chu Lian: …

Since when had He Changdi become an expert at teasing?!

Chu Lian was extremely vexed, but she couldn’t help the fact that she was weaker than him. She couldn’t fight him at all. Any attempts to protest were immediately smothered by his mouth, so all that was left was her feeble moans.

For some time, the bedroom was filled with the sounds of love.

By the time He Changdi was properly satiated, it was already late in the evening. It didn’t seem possible for him to return Countess Jing’an’s vase that night.

The next day, He Changdi personally brought the cloisonné vase to his mother’s courtyard before leaving to attend court.

Chu Lian headed to Qingxi Hall for greetings alongside her mother-in-law, Countess Jing’an. Although Countess Jing’an didn’t put a voice to her thoughts, the appreciative, loving look in her eyes gave her away.

Countess Jing’an held Chu Lian’s hand as they walked past the garden. It was now the beginning of March, so it was no longer chilly in the capital. Buds of green had begun to reveal themselves in the garden.

The winter jasmine, which acted as a herald of spring, was now at the peak of its blooming.

The pair of mother- and daughter-in-law were walking past shrubs of winter jasmine at this time.

“Lian’er, Sanlang has already spoken to me, so I won’t say anything else. You’re a good child, so spend your days happily with Sanlang. If he bullies you, let me know and I’ll punish him for you.”

Chu Lian hugged Countess Jing’an’s arm. “Mother, would you really be willing to? You spent ten months being pregnant to give birth to him!”

Countess Jing’an rolled her eyes at her. “His skin is so thick and sturdy, why wouldn’t I help you punish him? I gave birth to three sons, yet they all give me endless worries.”

Perhaps her words had reminded herself of the state of He Dalang and He Erlang’s marriages, so all traces of the happy expression on her face vanished.

Chu Lian noticed her mother-in-law’s mood souring, so she quickly tried to console her. “Mother, don’t think about it too much, just hang in there a little longer. Father will return soon; he definitely won’t allow the marriage between Eldest Brother and Miss Zhen.”

Countess Jing’an nodded, “That’s our only solution for now.”

Unfortunately, when they arrived at Qingxi Hall, He Ying mentioned the matter to Matriarch He and Countess Jing’an once again.

The matriarch had been persuaded by her daughter to see it her way. With the additional guilt she felt towards her daughter and granddaughter, she was really considering betrothing Pan Nianzhen to He Dalang as his second wife now.

The exchanges between the matriarch and He Ying immediately brought Countess Jing’an’s anger to its peak, and she fainted.

Chu Lian was seated by Countess Jing’an’s side at the time. She was shocked by this development and quickly called in servants to carry Countess Jing’an to the side room. She ordered another servant to look for Great Doctor Miao.

He Ying hadn’t expected her sister-in-law to be so fragile as to faint from anger in just two sentences.

At the same time, this made her apprehensive.

She tugged on Matriarch He’s sleeve and looked anxiously at the matriarch. Matriarch He hadn’t expected this to happen either, but there was no point in crying over spilt milk. She sent an indifferent glare at her daughter in response.

Chapter 590: He Ying's Accusations (1)

Matriarch He was helped over to the adjoining room by Senior Servant Liu to check on the situation.

He Ying was left alone in the parlour.

Once the matriarch left, she rolled her eyes and sneered to herself. “Hmph, how useless. She’s just a weak and sickly person. It would have been better if she had died earlier rather than wasting so much money on her medicine.”

Senior Servant Wang happened to enter the parlour just in time to overhear her words. The senior servant stared at Eldest Madam in disbelief. Her face was flushed with anger, but she couldn’t confront He Ying due to her status as a servant. 

He Ying almost leaped in fright. She thought there wasn’t anyone else inside the parlour, so she had spoken recklessly. She hadn’t counted on Senior Servant Wang abruptly entering the room.

Senior Servant Wang was one of Countess Jing’an’s stewards. She was a handmaid who had served Countess Jing’an’s since her maiden days and was later promoted to a senior servant. Thus, she was considered one of Countess Jing’an’s most trusted servants.

He Ying felt somewhat awkward that Senior Servant Wang had overheard her making those remarks.

However, that feeling only lasted for a short moment. The expression on He Ying’s face swiftly changed into one of arrogance and disdain. “Filthy servant, what are you looking at! You’d better watch out, or else I’m going to have someone dig out your eyeballs!”

Although Senior Servant Wang was livid, she couldn’t respond in any way. She hastily lowered her head and bobbed towards He Ying, biting her lips all the while. Then, she quickly left and went to the side room to check on her master.

A proud smile appeared on He Ying’s face as she watched Senior Servant Wang scuttle out of the room. The old servant had been so scared that she had gone at the fastest pace she could manage.

She took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, then got up and returned to her own room.

Great Doctor Miao hastily arrived with his medicine box.

His first action was to kick out all of the unnecessary people in the room.

Matriarch He and Chu Lian waited in the outer room.

Great Doctor Miao finally came out of the room thirty minutes later.

He pushed the curtains aside forcefully with a terrible expression on his face. He was so angry that his white beard was almost standing up.

Chu Lian immediately went over to receive him. “Great Doctor Miao, how’s Mother?”

Great Doctor Miao harrumphed furiously. He pointed at Chu Lian and started berating her. “This old man has already warned you many times that the madam needs to take care and recuperate. She has to remain calm and she can’t bear too much stress. Well, see what you’ve done now! Congratulations!”

Chu Lian’s heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened as she stared at Great Doctor Miao, unable to speak. Her mother-in-law’s illness couldn’t possibly return just like that, right…?

Wouldn’t her and He Changdi’s previous efforts all be wasted?

He Sanlang would definitely be heartbroken.

How did it turn out like this!

Great Doctor Miao noticed the despair and sadness on Chu Lian’s face. He pointed his finger at her and shook it. “What’s there to be sad about?! I haven’t even said anything about the madam’s condition!”

Chu Lian promptly came back to her senses. “Mother, she…”

“Young lady, let me tell you this. If it weren’t for my miraculous acupuncture skills, then Madam wouldn’t have been saved this time. All of you should conduct yourselves properly. If this happens again, then even the great deities won’t be able to save her!”

Great Doctor Miao’s words made Chu Lian’s tears turn into a smile. So it turned out that Countess Jing’an was fine!

“Many thanks, Great Doctor Miao. I’ll make everything you want to eat for you from now on!” Chu Lian smiled until her eyes turned crescent-shaped.

Great Doctor Miao gave Chu Lian a glare. He had already vented most of his anger. Thus, he smacked his lips and made a request. “Let’s start with the mutton soup from last time. I want the steamed buns, too.”

Chu Lian agreed with a smile.

Great Doctor Miao watched as Senior Servant Wang and several maidservants carried Countess Jing’an back to her own courtyard. He then left after giving her a prescription and a course of medicine.

When the matriarch found out that her daughter-in-law was alright, she was secretly relieved. She had been really scared just now. Once she relaxed, her body started showing her that she wasn’t in the best of health herself.

Senior Servant Liu looked at the matriarch in concern. “Since Madam is fine, why don’t we go back and rest, Matriarch?”

Matriarch He gave Senior Servant Liu a nod.

Senior Servant Liu and Muxiang helped Matriarch He back to her bedroom to rest.

The matriarch had just shut her eyes when He Ying tried to barge in and made a commotion at the door.

This time, even Senior Servant Liu was unable to stop her.

In the end, the matriarch didn’t have any other choice but to let her enter.

The matriarch had originally wanted to take a rest, but she could only lean against the headboard now.

She looked haggard and pale. Her voice was also faint and weak as she said, “Miss Ying, what exactly do you want?!”

He Ying completely disregarded her mother’s physical condition. She moved closer to Matriarch He’s side, grabbed her hand, and tearfully protested. “Mother, you can’t refuse Miss Zhen’s marriage just because Sister-in-Law fainted. Miss Zhen gave her virginity to Dalang; who else can she marry in the future?!”

Matriarch He was really disappointed in her daughter, but children were all debts she owed in her past life. Moreover, she still felt a little guilty toward this daughter of hers, so she still had a pang of sympathy when she heard her complaint.

“Miss Ying, it’s not that Mother doesn’t want to help you, but look at what happened to your sister-in-law. I can’t mention this matter right now.” The matriarch began to cough as she spoke.

He Ying patted the matriarch’s back to help soothe her. “Mother, are you alright? Please be alright. If something happens to you, then who will protect me and my daughter? Sob sob...”

Even now, He Ying was only thinking for herself and her daughter. She didn’t really care about the matriarch at all.

Matriarch He could sense the true meaning behind her daughter’s words. A chill swept through her heart at her daughter’s callousness, but she couldn’t bear to send her daughter away. After all, her daughter had developed this kind of personality because she hadn’t been there to personally teach and nurture her when she was younger. She had turned out this way because of her.   

Chapter 591: He Ying's Accusations (2)

“Ay… Miss Ying, don’t cry. My head hurts now.”

He Ying hastily stopped her waterworks. She grabbed the matriarch’s hand and began making malicious accusations.

“Mother, don’t believe in Sister-in-Law. She must have been pretending today. If she wasn’t, then why would the doctor say she was fine? That Great Doctor Miao is clearly on the side of Sanlang’s wife. She treats him well and serves him good food and drinks in the estate every day. So, he’s already biased towards their side. Perhaps it was all just an act prepared by Sister-in-Law and Sanlang’s wife just for us to watch. Oh, our poor Miss Zhen, her purity has been stolen away.”     

She began to sniffle and sob again as she spoke.

The matriarch was getting swayed by her daughter. Her wrinkle-filled face was grim. It was clear that her mood had taken a turn for the worse because of He Ying’s words.

He Ying noticed that her mother was beginning to waver, so she continued, “Mother, you know that Brother doesn’t like me. Brother is coming back soon. When Brother returns, he’ll definitely oppose this marriage. If that happens, then Miss Zhen’s whole life will be ruined! This must all be part of Sister-in-Law’s plan.”

Although she felt that her daughter’s words were rather twisted, there were also some truths in them.

The matriarch had actually started to think more deeply on the matter.

“Mother, I’m your only daughter and Miss Zhen is your only granddaughter from my side. When I was young, I didn’t get to grow up beside you. Every day, what I hoped for the most was to see you and Father. At that time, when I stayed with Grandmother, I would always get laughed at for not having parents. After Father passed away, Mother is the only one I have now.” 

He Ying’s words triggered the deep sense of guilt within the matriarch’s heart.

The matriarch was wavering even more now.

“Mother, weren’t you the one who requested the Empress Dowager to arrange a marriage for Sanlang at that time? Sanlang and his brothers are all junior members of the family. If you arrange a marriage for them, would they be able to refuse? Dalang is almost thirty, but he still doesn’t have a legitimate son. Do you want him to become the laughingstock of the capital?”

When a man got older but remained without a heir, he would certainly be criticised by outsiders.

For people around the same age as He Dalang, if they had gotten married at a young age, their children would already be over ten years old. If their first child was a girl, then she might even have come of age.

“Mother…”

“Alright, alright, I understand. Stop nagging me. I’ll send in a request to meet the Empress Dowager and enter the palace tomorrow.”

He Ying was pleasantly surprised when she heard the promise. Her eyes lit up and she said, “Mother, you’re so kind to me and Miss Zhen. I haven’t felt such warmth for many years.” 

This remark was undoubtedly meant as a dig at the matriarch’s weakness again.

The matriarch was exhausted, so she waved her hand to signal He Ying to leave.

He Ying had already accomplished her goal, so she didn’t need to stay any longer. The corner of her lips curved up. “Mother, you should have a good rest. I’ll go prepare some nourishing soup for you.”

After He Ying left, the matriarch sighed and summoned Senior Servant Liu. She ordered her to take her personal jade token and send it to the palace. 

Senior Servant Liu was in disbelief. The matriarch was actually going to enter the palace to ask for the Empress Dowager’s help because of what Eldest Madam had said.

She hesitated to speak as she clenched the jade token in her hand. However, she swallowed her words when she saw the matriarch’s pale complexion.

She bobbed towards the matriarch and left.

Muxiang was standing beside them, so she had naturally heard the matriarch and He Ying’s entire conversation.

She smirked, not intending to interfere with this matter. It would be better if the main branch and second branch were ruined. Once she became He Changdi’s wife again, it would be an easy matter to take control of House Jing’an in that state.

After she left Qingxi Hall, Senior Servant Liu grew even more worried the more she thought about it. Eldest Madam talked and behaved recklessly. If He Changqi really married Pan Nianzhen, wouldn’t the entire House Jing’an be ruined by them?

She summoned a trustworthy maidservant and whispered into her ears. Then, she ordered her to quickly send her message to Songtao Court.

When the maidservant arrived at Songtao Court, Chu Lian had just finished teaching Xiyan to cook mutton soup. Senior Servant Gui brought the messenger inside. Chu Lian carefully examined the maidservant from head to toe a couple of times, feeling that she looked slightly familiar. 

“Who ordered you to come here? For what reason?”

The maidservant promptly kneeled down and recounted everything Senior Servant Liu had told her to say.

Chu Lian’s eyes widened as she listened to her. She hadn’t thought that Eldest Madam would actually dare to involve the Empress Dowager in her plans.

How ridiculous!

Moreover, the matriarch had actually gone with her nonsense.

Chu Lian dismissed the maidservant. She thought about it and felt that she couldn’t just ignore this matter. Thus, she gathered her servants and went to Prince Wei’s Estate.

When they reached the main entrance of Prince Wei’s Estate, Chu Lian had someone send in a message for her.

A few moments later, Senior Servant Lan personally came to greet her.

Senior Servant Lan happily led Chu Lian into the estate.

“For Honoured Lady to come at this time, is there an urgent matter?”

Chu Lian told her truthfully, “Momo, to tell you honestly, I really did come to seek Princess Wei’s help.”

Senior Servant Lan smiled. “Honoured Lady is really lucky. Princess Wei just returned from Mount Lanxiang yesterday. She just happened to be free today and didn’t go out.”

There was a temple at Mount Lanxiang, said to be the place where Empress Xiaoxian became a nun. The members of the imperial family would visit the temple once or twice every year to pray. It had already become a tradition.

“Is Royal Princess Duanjia here as well?”

“Royal Princess is still at Mount Lanxiang! The young prince is accompanying her, so you won’t have to worry about her, Honoured Lady.”

Mount Lanxiang was famed for its beautiful scenery and it was close to the capital. It was currently early spring, when Mother Nature awakened from her long slumber. Thus, it was the best time for an outing.

Royal Princess Duanjia had invited her to go together a few days ago. However, Chu Lian had rejected her offer because there were too many things happening in the estate.

Chapter 592: Nanjing Cuisine (1)

As Chu Lian was speaking with Senior Servant Lan, they arrived at the circular arched door that lead to the inner court.

Senior Servant Lan called for a sedan. She helped Chu Lian in before two strong senior servants carried it into the inner court.

Princess Wei had already been notified and was waiting for her arrival.

Chu Lian wasn’t taken to Princess Wei’s courtyard. Instead, she was brought over to a pondside pavilion.

Princess Wei was currently drawing inside.

The warm sunshine shone on the surface of the pond water. A gentle breeze blew, causing the surface to glimmer as if a thousand silver snakes were dancing along the water ripples. 

Half of the octagonal pavilion was covered by curtains, leaving only a single entrance. This was to keep the sunlight out while also maintaining air circulation. The scenery of the lotus pond was still visible from within as well. While the lotus pond was mostly covered in withered old plants, there were a few fresh green buds emerging beyond the surface of the water. The small lotus leaves stood suspended above, perfectly straight.     

The sight of the calm, vibrant spring scenery lifted Chu Lian’s mood slightly.

She couldn’t help but walk faster towards the octagonal pavilion. Princess Wei seemed to have seen her coming, as she had already set down her paintbrush. She was in the middle of sipping some tea while seated at a stone table.

When Chu Lian was brought into the pavilion by Senior Servant Lan, Princess Wei smiled and said, “Jinyi, come and sit beside me.”

The corner of Chu Lian’s lips curved up, exposing the two faint dimples on her cheeks.

She always felt very relaxed whenever she was beside Princess Wei.

She bobbed in greeting towards Princess Wei before taking a seat beside her.

Princess Wei held Chu Lian’s hand in hers as they chatted. Chu Lian immediately noticed the incomplete painting on the easel beside them.

“Your drawing is amazing, Princess!”

When Princess Wei was younger, she had been famed for her talents within the capital. She was proficient in the four womanly arts: the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although she didn’t paint as much now, her skills hadn’t deteriorated at all.

“It’s not that good. I didn’t have anything to do today, so I was just painting to pass the time,” Princess Wei said with a smile.

“It’s much better than my paintings,” Chu Lian genuinely complimented.

She only knew how to sketch with chalks and pencils, due to her profession as a designer back in modern times. However, she didn’t know anything about traditional Chinese paintings.

“Good child, you have such a sweet mouth. Duanjia has showed me your jewellery designs before. They were so real, it looked as if the jewellery had been sewn onto the paper.”

Chu Lian blushed. She had specially added color to her sketches so that the craftsmen could imagine the details more clearly…

“Why did you suddenly think of me today? It’s rare for you to take the initiative to come visit me,” Princess Wei said, giving her a glare.

The smile on Chu Lian’s face faded. “Princess Wei, I came to seek your help this time.”

“Oh?” Princess Wei lifted a brow and looked at Chu Lian, who was sitting beside her. The young lady was staring at her with big, clear eyes. She looked exactly like an innocent, naive little fawn. Princess Wei couldn’t resist pinching Chu Lian’s smooth and rosy cheeks.

“I knew it. You wouldn’t come visit me unless you needed my help.”

Chu Lian was embarrassed by her remark, but she told Princess Wei the whole story anyway.

On the other side of the lotus pond, two middle-aged men were strolling leisurely near some decorative mountains.

One of them was wearing a purple robe embroidered with the legendary animal, qilin. He possessed an elegant aura and tall stature. At this time, with a faint smile on his face, he was pointing out the scenery within the estate’s inner court to another middle-aged man dressed in a dark blue robe.

The man in the dark blue robe had a deep, piercingly cold gaze. His hands were clasped behind his back as he walked along the cobblestone path. From time to time, one could hear his jubilant laughter. “Ninth Brother, I haven’t visited your estate in a long time.”

Prince Wei, the man in purple, cheerfully laughed along. “Elder Brother is busy with the country’s affairs every day, unlike me. I’m just leisurely passing my days. I’ve renovated this garden twice already.”

The emperor and Prince Wei were full-blooded brothers. The emperor had doted on Prince Wei since their youth. Later on, when all the princes had been fighting for the throne, Prince Wei had supported his elder brother. Thus, the relationship between the two brothers became even closer.

Prince Wei was undoubtedly the one the emperor trusted the most within the entire imperial court.

The emperor was dressed in ordinary clothing. If one didn’t notice his imposing aura, he would seem just like an idle rich man at first glance.

The emperor rarely had the time to come out of the palace, so he didn’t want to think about annoying political affairs on his time off. He gazed upon the huge lotus pond, and then even farther into the distance.  

He chuckled and said, “Younger Sister-in-Law seems to be in a good mood, drawing in the pavilion at this time. Is the young lady beside her Duanjia? That silly girl hasn’t visited the palace in a long time. Her imperial grandmother has mentioned several times that she misses her.”

Prince Wei looked towards the octagonal pavilion from afar and just happened to see the joyful smile on his wife’s face. Chu Lian’s back was facing them right now. From this angle, if Prince Wei hadn’t known that Duanjia wasn’t in the estate, then he might also have mistaken her for his daughter.

“Elder Brother, you’re mistaken this time. That’s not Duanjia. That silly girl, Duanjia, is likely still playing at Lanxiang Mountain and delaying her return.”

The emperor was somewhat shocked. “Oh? Then, who is she? When did you add another young lady to your estate? Is she a potential bride for Ah-Tai?”

Prince Wei didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry. “Elder Brother, please don’t make random assumptions. That child is already married. She’s Marquis Anyuan’s wife, the Chu Family’s Sixth Miss.”

The memory of a pair of familiar eyes instantly flashed through the emperor’s mind. His brows creased slightly. “Jinyi?”

The smile on Prince Wei’s face faded. He nodded and said, “Yes, it’s Jinyi. Elder Brother, you know about the pain in my wife’s heart. Moreover, Jinyi saved Duanjia before, so she’s especially fond of that child.”

“There’s no harm in it, as long as it can comfort Sister-in-Law’s heart. Jinyi is not a child who lacks a sense of propriety.”

After hearing his imperial elder brother’s words, Prince Wei’s expression became better. He was actually somewhat worried that his imperial elder brother would blame them for this incident.

Prince Wei chuckled. “It’s quite a coincidence. That child is really Duanjia’s lucky star. She and Duanjia even resemble each other somewhat. Their heights are about the same too, so it’s no wonder that my wife has those thoughts.”

While Prince Wei was speaking, he didn’t notice that the emperor had already fallen into a trance. His gaze went beyond the surface of the lotus pond and fell upon that slender back. He seemed to be seeing someone else through that figure.

Chapter 593: Nanjing Cuisine (2)

“Elder Brother, since Jinyi came over, let’s have her prepare some dishes for you to try. That child is a talented cook. I don’t know where she learned it, but I think she’s a better cook than the imperial cooks of the palace.”

The emperor collected his gaze and smiled. “Then I’ll stay to taste Jinyi’s cooking today.”

He had only seen Chu Lian once, before the new year. After that, he had been preoccupied with all the government affairs, so he had nearly forgotten about it.

However, when he thought about it now, he realised that he still remembered it very clearly.

Chu Lian had originally come to seek Princess Wei’s help, but she was somehow turned into a cook…

Chu Lian still didn’t know that she was cooking for the emperor. She just thought that she was cooking to show filial piety to Prince and Princess Wei.

She inquired about the foods that Prince and Princess Wei couldn’t eat, then brought Senior Servant Lan, Wenqing, and Wenlan over to the estate’s kitchen.

The kitchen in Prince Wei’s Estate had all the necessary ingredients.

Chu Lian always carried some spices and seasonings with her, so she wasn’t afraid that they would lack anything.

It was early spring now, so hot and spicy dishes were out of the question. It was also the time when wild herbs were the freshest and richest. 

There was a small garden close to the kitchen. Chu Lian walked around and saw an array of delicious fresh vegetables. 

She instructed a maidservant to gather the vegetables that she needed and bring them to the kitchen.

Chu Lian personally picked out some fresh mugwort and wild chrysanthemums. She ordered Wenqing to prepare some freshwater shrimp and fish, and then she told Wenlan to make minced meat.

She wanted to make light and healthy dishes. There were also many spring ingredients available, so making Nanjing cuisine was definitely the best choice.

Nanjing cuisine had a mild taste that was fresh and crisp. The dishes looked delicate and exquisite with an elegant touch. Therefore, it was the most well-suited cuisine for the early spring season.

Chu Lian decided on several dishes that wouldn’t take very long to cook.

The five dishes were completed in an hour.

Each dish was placed in a porcelain plate of a different style, then decorated with fresh flowers. The bright colours drew in both the eye and the belly.

Princess Wei had informed her beforehand that Prince Wei would be dining separately from them, so Chu Lian prepared two servings for each dish.

Then, Chu Lian instructed some servants to bring along the dishes that she was going to eat with Princess Wei, while Wenqing brought the other set over to the outer court. 

Within the parlour of the outer court, Prince Wei and the emperor were already seated and drinking tea.

An imperial guard outside reported that the dishes had arrived.

With a wave of his hand, the emperor signaled and said, “Set the table.”

Senior Servant Lan entered the parlour first, followed by Wenqing and the maidservants carrying lacquer boxes filled with dishes.

Wenqing knew that Prince Wei was in the outer court. She had seen Prince Wei before when she had followed Chu Lian to Prince Wei’s Estate. At first, she had thought that Prince Wei would be the only one present. Perhaps the eldest royal prince might also be in attendance, but it was unlikely there would be anyone else. However, she was greeted with the sight of an unfamiliar middle-aged man.

When she lifted her head and took a peek at him, she was shocked by his imposing aura. She immediately bowed her head in a proper manner.

Someone who could sit at the same table with Prince Wei as an equal and had a rather close relationship with the prince definitely wasn’t an ordinary man..

After understanding this point, Wenqing became even more disciplined.

Senior Servant Lan instructed the maidservants to bring out the dishes from within the lacquer boxes and place them on the table one at a time. After that, she said with a smile, “Masters, please enjoy your meal. These were all personally made by Honoured Lady Jinyi!”

Five porcelain plates of different shapes and colours were placed on the table. Princess Wei had specially ordered her handmaid to find these porcelain plates. They were all very valuable, but the food inside looked even better. Its allure couldn’t be underestimated.

It could even be said that these porcelain plates had become accompaniments for the food.

The Chengping Emperor’s eyes lit up. He pointed at the dishes that looked even more exquisite than artworks and questioned, “Quick, tell me, what are all these?!”

Although Prince Wei thought it was a pity that the roast duck he had eaten last time wasn’t on the table, he was also very eager to taste the fragrant delicacies that were currently in front of him.

Wenqing came forward and introduced each of the dishes, just as Chu Lian had taught her.

“Replying to Masters, these stir-fried vegetables are called Nanjing Grass, which is made from the most tender parts of the tips of Chinese mugwort. It was stir-fried with light seasonings and has a naturally fresh taste. The dish beside it is Phoenix-Tail Prawns. The freshest river prawns were selected for this dish. After peeling off the head, the prawn is covered in egg whites and other seasonings, then fried in fragrant duck oil…”

Wenqing gave a simple introduction for all five dishes. As each dish was introduced, the emperor and Prince Wei would taste the dish.

Upon tasting the first dish, the emperor’s eyes were immediately set alight.

The fresh mugwort was originally tender and fragrant, and its flavour was complemented by the simplest of seasonings, oil and salt. When cooked at the right temperature, it would highlight the natural taste of the mugwort. There were also bright red Chinese roses adorning the dish, and the visual impact caused by the contrasting red and green appealed to the senses, stimulating the appetite.

The freshwater prawns had pure white meat with bright red shells. They were arranged on the plate in the shape of a phoenix tail. Green beans were placed beside them, creating a gorgeous mixture of vibrant colors. The prawns were fresh and tender and the batter was crispy and delicious in the mouth, without being greasy. The duck oil they were cooked in had imparted a special aroma to the prawns.

These two dishes had already conquered the emperor, so it went without saying for the other dishes: steamed fish belly, crispy eel, and wild chrysanthemum soup.

Chapter 594: Scolding the Matriarch (1)

This was when the Chengping Emperor finally understood why so many people had been so frustrated and dissatisfied when Guilin Restaurant had first shut its doors, and why they had written so many angry letters to complain to House Jing’an when the restaurant had reopened without any of its original flavour.

After eating such marvellous cuisine, he realised that what he had been eating for the past few decades couldn’t even be called ‘delicacies’.

The emperor was starting to become jealous of his younger brother.

Wenqing had already been escorted out by Senior Servant Lan after she finished introducing the five dishes.

Despite his usual control over his food portions, the emperor’s mind wasn’t able to restrain the raging appetite of his stomach and he ate three whole bowls of rice that day.

This was more than he had eaten in a single meal in years.

The large portions of the five dishes disappeared into the imperial brothers’ bellies in less than twenty minutes.

Eunuch Wei, who was dressed up as a normal manservant, watched with wide eyes in shock.

Although he wanted to remind the Emperor that eating so much wasn’t good for his health, he himself was drooling from all the food…

“I didn’t expect Jinyi’s cooking to be so good.” The emperor rubbed his bloated tummy, satisfied beyond belief. He had never felt so fulfilled in years.

It wasn’t Prince Wei’s first time tasting Chu Lian’s cooking. He had had the same thoughts while enjoying the roast duck she had made last time.

That reminded Prince Wei of something. He wriggled his brows as he said, “Brother, you haven’t tried the roast duck that Jinyi makes yet. Now that’s the best duck I’ve ever eaten. There isn’t enough time today, or I would have asked her to make another roast duck for us.”

“Oh? Roast duck? How does it compare to the one that Father used to eat?”

The two brothers had inherited their love of roast duck from the previous emperor. While he had still been alive, he would eat roast duck every few days. Later on, when his health had declined and the imperial physicians advised the emperor to avoid oily foods, he had still eaten roast duck on the sly...

Prince Wei sent his brother a mysterious smile. “Brother, allow me to keep you in suspense for this. You’ll know whether it’s good or not once Jinyi opens her restaurant. You can go there yourself in incognito to taste it then!”

“Oh? She’s going to open another restaurant? What happened with the other one, Guilin Restaurant?”

Since the emperor was asking, Prince Wei explained the incident to him simply.

The emperor frowned. “House Jing’an’s Matriarch wasn’t right in this case.”

Prince Wei smiled. Although they could comment on these kinds of incidents, they wouldn’t really take any action due to their high status. If they were to interfere even in these small matters, then their citizens would likely think that the imperial family had too much time on their hands.

The empty dishes on the table were cleared and fresh sencha was placed in front of the two imperial brothers.

It was rare for them to have these carefree afternoon moments.

The emperor suddenly asked, “Why did Jinyi visit you today, Ninth Brother?”

One of Prince Wei’s attendants had already informed him of the reason Chu Lian had come to the estate.

Thus, Prince Wei replied honestly to his brother’s direct question.

The Chengping Emperor frowned again. “What? There’s such a thing? What nonsense. The Jing’an Estate is in a terrible mess now, I should have summoned Count Jing’an back earlier.”

Prince Wei shook his head. “These are all matters for the inner courts. Brother, you don’t have to worry too much about this. My wife will help Jinyi settle this when the time comes.”

The emperor chatted a while longer with his brother before Eunuch Wei politely reminded him that it was about time to return to the palace.

When Prince Wei sent the emperor off at the side entrance, they happened to catch sight of Chu Lian and her maidservants leaving.

The emperor froze for a moment, but he quickly recovered and turned to Prince Wei. “I’ll entrust the planning for the Thousand Blessings Festival to you then, Ninth Brother. Don’t make it too ostentatious.”

“Rest assured, Brother. I’ll keep that in mind. I won’t spend too much or waste resources.”

Having gotten Prince Wei’s promise, the emperor finally left the estate with his entourage in tow.

The Thousand Blessings Festival was on the 23rd of March. It was also the emperor’s fiftieth birthday this year, one of the major milestones in life. Furthermore, this year happened to be Chengping 20, the twentieth year since the Chengping Emperor had taken the throne and began his wise rule.

In the past years, the emperor had ordered the celebrations for the Thousand Blessings Festival to be kept simple. The ministers of the court approved of the emperor’s frugal ways. He always kept the celebrations low-key unless it was a major milestone.

While it was good enough to hold a simple event for other years, since it was his fiftieth birthday this year, they couldn’t just pass it over without a proper celebration. Even the empress dowager, who normally didn’t interfere in politics or the inner courts of the palace, had ordered that this year’s celebrations had to be much bigger than in the past.

Prince Wei didn’t touch politics and was trusted by the emperor, so he was the best person to plan the banquet this year. Thus, the emperor had given him one last reminder before leaving.

After they left Prince Wei’s Estate, the emperor boarded an unassuming green carriage under the protection of his bodyguards.

Right as he entered the carriage, the emperor sent a meaningful look at the Yulin Army Commander, He Lin, who was dressed as a normal martial artist. He Lin looked around him before quickly following the emperor into the carriage.

He Lin made a cupped fist salute as he kneeled on one knee before the emperor and said, “Your Majesty, how may I be of service?”

The emperor was leaning against the wall, his gaze directed far away.

His tone was calm, without any particular emotions in it. However, He Lin had served the emperor for many years and he could sense that the emperor was giving off a dangerous air right now.

“Send some spies to investigate House Ying’s Second Master. We want to know everything about him!”

“Yes, this subordinate will do as Your Majesty has ordered!”

He Lin didn’t dare to tarry a second longer. He turned and jumped off the carriage, leaping onto his steed. Urging his horse on, he quickly disappeared around the end of the small alley.

Chu Lian heaved a sigh of relief after leaving Prince Wei’s Estate and boarding her carriage. Before she had left, Princess Wei had promised to help her block the jade token that Matriarch He had sent to the palace.

As long as the matriarch was held back from meeting the empress dowager before her father-in-law, Count Jing’an, returned, all would be fine.

Chapter 595: Scolding the Matriarch (2)

It was evening by the time Chu Lian returned to the Jing’an Estate, only to find a summons from the matriarch waiting.

Chu Lian didn’t even have time to return to Songtao Court to change out of her clothes.

Within the parlour of Qingxi Hall, the matriarch was resting her head in her hands while seated at the head of the room. Eldest Madam He Ying was glaring fiercely at her. Chu Lian had just finished bobbing in greeting to the matriarch when He Ying shot out a question. “Sanlang’s wife! Where have you been?!”

Chu Lian knew that she couldn’t hide that she had gone to Prince Wei’s Estate. There were so many servants in the estate; one of them had surely seen where she had gone.

The matriarch didn’t invite her to take a seat, so she remained standing upright in the middle of the parlour.

Although her voice was soft, her tone was calm. “Replying to Aunt, I went to visit Princess Wei today.”

“Why would you go to visit Prince Wei’s Estate without any reason? Prince Wei’s Estate hasn’t sent you any invites as of late! Sanlang’s wife, are you trying to break up Miss Zhen and Dalang’s marriage?!” He Ying’s face was twisted into a wretched expression and her face was flushed an ugly red. It was clear that she had lost all sense of rhyme or reason.

Chu Lian frowned with her lips pressed together. She didn’t want to answer He Ying.

Had the matriarch summoned her so urgently just for this matter? How absurd!

He Ying stood on the raised platform, her eyes fixed on Chu Lian’s pretty, young face. She was already hopping mad, but Chu Lian was as steady as a pine. She was acting like she was watching some monkeys playing around, and the look in her eyes was bordering on contempt.

The matriarch wasn’t too happy either. However, while she could hold back her rage with her years of experience, He Ying wasn’t able to keep her cool.

Seeing that Chu Lian didn’t want to reply her, He Ying stepped forward and raised her hand, intending to bring it down on Chu Lian’s fair, tender cheek.

Wenqing was shaken upon seeing what was about to happen, but unfortunately, she was standing at least two metres behind Chu Lian at the moment. She wouldn’t be able to block the slap for Chu Lian in time.

He Ying was enraged, so her slap carried all the force she could summon.

She had thought that the tiny and frail Chu Lian would be pushed down to the floor with a bloody lip. Unfortunately, she didn’t expect Chu Lian to grab her wrist instead, blocking her blow.

Despite how slender her wrist was, she actually had quite a bit of strength in her.

“I would advise you to save your energy, Aunt!” The look in Chu Lian’s wide eyes had turned sharp. The fierce aura around her actually shocked He Ying into paralysis.

“Y… Y-You….”

He Ying stuttered, but she wasn’t able to continue speaking.

She couldn’t believe that the normally gentle, easygoing Sanlang’s wife could actually be this strong.

Chu Lian threw He Ying’s wrist to one side, causing He Ying to stumble a few steps backwards.

She bobbed towards the matriarch and said, “Grandmother, it’s getting late. Granddaughter-in-Law won’t impose on you any further. Please have a good rest.”

After saying so, she turned to leave.

However, Matriarch He slammed her cane several times in succession, making dull thuds on the floor. Now angry, she roared, “Stop right there!”

The foot that Chu Lian had just lifted came back down again. She turned back around and looked up at the matriarch, whose face was turning as red as a pig’s liver.

Chu Lian cast a sideways glance at He Ying, who was showing off a gleeful glint in her eye.

Chu Lian’s voice was as calm as ever as she asked, “Grandmother, is there something you need?”

“So you still remember that I’m your grandmother? I thought that I was just a dying old woman in your eyes!”

It was the first time that Matriarch He had spoken such harsh words to Chu Lian.

The corners of Chu Lian’s lips curved up and she laughed mockingly to herself. “Granddaughter-in-Law doesn’t dare to bear Grandmother’s words!”

“Hmph! What wouldn’t you dare to do? If you really lacked the guts, would you have gone to Prince Wei’s Estate today? It must feel pretty good to have Princess Wei as your backer, huh?!”

The remaining servants in the parlour all huddled down and tried their best to become invisible. This was the first time that the matriarch and Third Young Madam had clashed with each other upfront.

One of them was the eldest member of House Jing’an, the other was the young madam with both authority and power. It was hard to say who had the upper hand between these two powerhouses.

Muxiang stood in one corner, her head lowered to hide the smile on her lips.

She was clearly satisfied with Chu Lian’s current situation.

If something happened to Matriarch He right now, regardless of whether Chu Lian was in the right, her reputation would be ruined.

Once Chu Lian was deemed unvirtuous by others, coupled with how she was still childless, Muxiang had ways to make her leave He Changdi, even if Princess Wei tried to protect her!

Chu Lian took in a deep breath of the cold spring air to calm her emotions. Following that, her limpid eyes landed on Matriarch He, resolution gathering in the clear depths of her gaze.

She parted her pink lips and said, “Grandmother, when are you going to wake up?!”

None of the people present in the parlour had expected Chu Lian to say that, let alone Matriarch He. She forgot to breathe for a moment, struggling with the weight of her fury as she glared at Chu Lian.

Before anyone could react, Chu Lian continued, “Grandmother, your bias has gotten out of hand! Aunt may be your daughter and Pan Nianzhen may be your granddaughter, but isn’t Father your son, too? Isn’t Mother your daughter-in-law, and Eldest Brother your grandson? Can’t you think more for their sake as well?

“House Jing’an has only had single heirs for generations. For the sake of giving birth to your three grandsons, Mother spent all the energy in her body and fell ill. While bedridden for decades, she used her own dowry on her medicine to the point of running it dry, but she never touched a single copper coin from the estate’s public funds!

“Hasn’t she successfully opened up the branches of House Jing’an’s family tree? A feat that hasn’t been done in generations! And yet, how have you treated her? She only just recovered from her longtime illness, but you immediately handed over the messy public accounts for her to handle, forcing her to compensate for the accounts with her own money! If Father were to find out that Mother was languishing under your unfair treatment while he was out defending the borders of this country, don’t you think that he would be bitterly disappointed with you?!”

Chapter 596: Protective (1)

“Eldest Brother might have some responsibility to shoulder in this, but why was Cousin Pan in the study of the outer court at such a late hour? If it had been Second Brother or my husband who was affected, would Grandmother also have married Miss Pan to them? With Aunt and Cousin Pan’s personalities, are you absolutely sure that you want Miss Pan to become Eldest Brother’s second wife? Are you trying to bring down House Jing’an? This was what Grandfather risked his life to build up!”

Chu Lian’s words were like ferocious waves sweeping over Matriarch He. The old woman couldn’t react in time; her eyes were wide and blank with shock.

If these words had come from Countess Jing’an or He Changdi, the matriarch wouldn’t have been this shocked. However, it was Chu Lian, one of the most junior members of the family, who had said that to her. The impact was magnified by a few times.

Matriarch He was instantly awakened from her muddle-headed mind.

The parlour was so quiet that they could hear a pin drop.

Chu Lian didn’t leave right after saying her piece. She stood ramrod-straight in the middle of the parlour. She had been keeping those words in for a very long time. Today, she had just vented them all out in one go, washing away the burdens weighing on her heart and lightening her mood once again.

When He Ying saw that her mother’s head was bowed, as if she were really considering Chu Lian’s words seriously, she started to panic.

She had no time to care for her pride or anything else. He Ying stepped forward with the intention to rebuke her. “Madam Chu, stop trying to confuse us with your words! What right do you have to stand there and reprimand my mother? It was bad enough that you’ve broken your vow of loyalty to your husband, but now you’re actually trying to disrespect your elders?! Your behaviour is getting out of hand!”

He Ying was furious. She spoke whatever came to her mind without any filters. Once she finished speaking, she did feel a slight twinge of regret at some of the inappropriate accusations she had flung. However, the milk was already spilled. She couldn’t take it back.

“I, disloyal to my husband? I’m afraid that you must be referring to yourself instead, Aunt!” Chu Lian steeled her expression, managing to imitate half of He Sanlang’s cold aura.

While anyone might have been able to cast suspicions on Chu Lian, He Ying was actually the only one who didn’t have any rights to do so. Her misdeeds during her youth were much more serious than Chu Lian’s possible liaisons were.

Who could have thought that the kind, easygoing Third Young Madam would have a moment like this? She refused to give even an inch to Eldest Madam’s bullying. He Ying had been under the matriarch’s protection ever since she had come to the Jing’an Estate, so no one dared to retort to her. He Ying had never faced such a strong opponent before; she was about to go mad with fury.

Thus, she got even more aggressive with her words.

“Madam Chu, don’t think that I’m ignorant! You were kidnapped before in the north! A young girl, taken away by a group of barbarians? Who knows how many barbarians have already defiled you? Who knows how many green hats Sanlang is wearing now?! And yet you still have the face to argue with me? Hmph! Haven’t you been wondering why Mother doesn’t like you anymore? Well, isn’t it because you’ve disgraced our family?!”

He Ying’s mouth really knew no barriers. She had just revealed some ugly truths and even dragged the matriarch down with her.

Although Matriarch He had been suspecting Chu Lian’s innocence, she had only been thinking of it to herself. How could she really bring it up to ask Chu Lian directly?

Matriarch He was about to scold He Ying, when a tall figure quickly strode into the parlour.

He Changdi shielded Chu Lian behind him. His icy eyes burned holes into He Ying, letting everyone know that he was about to flip out.

Although He Sanlang usually kept a cool and aloof expression on his handsome face, he was extremely filial to his family. He always treated his family members with warmth and kindness, whether it was Matriarch He, Countess Jing’an, or even this aunt he didn’t really like.

It would have been good enough if everyone in the estate minded their own business and tried to keep the peace on the surface. However, He Ying just had to step on He Sanlang’s bottom line.

He Changdi was extremely overprotective of his wife. Seeing how Chu Lian had been scolded as ‘disloyal’ in front of so many people, he could no longer hold back his temper. Even if his opponent was his aunt, He Ying!

“Aunt, I’ll advise you not to bring shame upon yourself!”

After saying so, he sheltered Chu Lian with one arm and quickly left Qingxi Hall.

He Ying was completely shaken by He Sanlang’s warning. By the time she recovered her senses, her face was warped into an ugly expression. She turned, subconsciously wanting to complain to the matriarch.

She had never been shamed so badly before, especially in front of He Sanlang and Chu Lian, two younger members of the family.

All the servants in the room kept as quiet as possible, trying not to draw any fire upon themselves.

He Ying wailed a pitiful, “Mother!” but this time, the matriarch didn’t immediately answer as she normally would’ve.

Put out by the non-response, He Ying changed her tone and made herself sob pathetically. “Mother, didn’t you hear how Sanlang was slandering me just now? Sob sob… How can I continue staying here in the estate like this…”

“That’s enough!” The matriarch slammed the side table, causing the teacups on it to clatter as they shook.

Now He Ying was finally scared into stopping her fake cries.

The self-pity she had managed to squeeze out completely faded away, leaving only shock in her eyes as she stared at her mother.

“You’re dismissed. I’m tired,” the matriarch said, holding a hand to her forehead as she shut her eyes and rubbed her temples.

He Ying opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but under Senior Servant Liu’s furious gaze, she abruptly turned around and stormed off.

Now that her back was to the matriarch, He Ying’s face twisted with disdain.

He Ying had never forgotten the grudging hate she had when her parents had sent her off to Siyang. She didn’t care at all whether her mother’s health would be affected by these tumultuous events. After so many harsh years in Siyang, she had become even more selfish and self-centred. As long as she could squeeze out as much as she could from the matriarch, she wouldn’t care what happened to her afterwards.

Chapter 597: Protective (2)

He Changdi’s face was completely black as he pulled Chu Lian with him away from Qingxi Hall.

Chu Lian struggled for a bit, but she couldn’t get her wrist back from his grasp. “Hubby, it won’t be good for us to just leave like that.”

Matriarch He’s expression had been terrible. If she carried any grudges from today’s quarrel, then their third branch would surely be deemed unfilial. Furthermore, there was also what He Ying had said just now about her loyalty...

He Changdi suddenly came to a complete stop. Chu Lian bumped into his broad back as a result.

He Sanlang was as hard as a rock, so Chu Lian’s poor nose and chest had suffered the consequences of their collision.

If they weren’t outside right now, she would have clutched her chest in pain...

When He Changdi heard a gasp of pain from her, his expression warped even more. He pressed his lips together and sighed inwardly, but his tone was soft and caring as he asked, “Were you hurt?”

Chu Lian bore with the pain and shook her head stiffly.

Of course, He Changdi could see through her pretense thanks to her pale complexion. His silly wife always tried to soldier on without relying on him.

He didn’t say anything else. He let go of her wrist, bent down, and scooped her up into a bridal carry in one smooth movement. Following that, he strode quickly back to Songtao Court.

Chu Lian hadn’t expected any of that. When she turned back to peek at her maidservants, she realised that all of them had their heads hunkered down, pretending that they couldn’t see the loving couple in front of them. A furious blush bloomed on her cheeks.

She tried moving, but her little limbs were nothing to He Changdi’s strong hold on her. He Sanlang simply glanced down and watched her pitiful efforts.

The hand he had on her back suddenly slipped downwards to give her pert butt a little pinch.

She was wearing a layered dress, so her dress just managed to block He Changdi’s arms. No one was able to see his actions, but Chu Lian stiffened up anyway, staring at He Sanlang in disbelief. Her eyes were accusatory and full of complaints.

He Changdi’s only reaction was to glance at her yet again. This time, Chu Lian didn’t dare to continue struggling. She shrunk down and buried her head into He Changdi’s chest, giving up on fighting her fate.

Wenqing had a good guess as to what her mistress would want right now, so she dismissed the other maidservants on duty the moment they reached Songtao Court.

On the way back to their bedroom, they didn’t bump into that many servants. This let Chu Lian keep a little of her dignity before the servants.

She heaved a sigh of relief.

He Sanlang only let her down when they reached their bed.

Chu Lian was carried over to the side of the bed and set down gently like a child.

The maidservants on duty in the bedroom had already retreated, giving the couple some private space.

He Changdi’s expression was still stormy. His hands reached for the ties keeping Chu Lian’s clothes together.

Chu Lian suffered a fright and quickly clasped the ribbon on her clothes tightly. She glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes, extremely cautious as she said, “What are you doing?”

He Sanlang blinked innocently and threw two cold words her way. “Checking wounds.”

Chu Lian was flabbergasted. She turned her body to one side, trying to dodge his hands. Her face was as flushed as it could get as she said, “I’m not hurt; you don’t have to check anything!”

There must be something wrong with his head. She had only bumped into his back. While her chest had hurt a little at the time, it probably wasn’t actually wounded.

When He Sanlang saw that her neck was very red, he relaxed his expression and stopped pressing the issue.

However, he held onto her shoulder while his other hand wandered up from her slender waist. In no short time, his fingers were curled around the curve of her chest, stroking and squeezing her flesh gently.

The weather was becoming warmer now that spring had come, so Chu Lian had left her cotton-lined winter jackets behind for thinner spring blouses. She could feel the heat of his warm palm through the few layers of fabric covering her chest. The feeling of the cloth rubbing against her skin was rather strange...

Chu Lian hadn’t thought that He Changdi could keep a straight face while being so lewd in his actions...

Her cheeks puffed up with anger and she gripped his palm with two hands, trying to push it off.

“Take it off!”

He Changdi simply explained, “If you won’t let me check, then I’ll just have to examine it this way.”

It was too embarrassing. As he spoke, he continued moving his hand to illustrate his point…

Chu Lian knew he was being completely shameless, but she couldn’t find the words to refute him. She couldn’t get away either. Her pitiful strength pitted against him was akin to a tiny white bunny struggling against a trap.

“You… what do you want!”

They had just been in a fierce fight in Qingxi Hall, how did the air turn so lovey-dovey after they returned to Songtao Court?

Even Chu Lian didn’t know how things had changed so quickly…

He Changdi blinked. His tone didn’t change. If not for the actions of his hand, Chu Lian would have thought he had somehow become a saintly monk.

“Checking wounds.”

If Chu Lian had the freedom to flip a table right now, all the tables in the bedroom would have been upended.

They had gone one round around the bush and come right back to this topic! Damn it! He Sanlang was a lunatic through and through!

Chu Lian gave up.

She patted his palm forcefully. “Stop that.”

Finally, she gave him permission to ‘check for wounds’ in a tiny voice.

Chapter 598: Count Jing'an (1)

She really hoped He Changdi hadn’t heard that… Unfortunately, He Sanlang’s senses were too darned sharp.

Chu Lian turned her body slightly and peeked up at him, blushing. She only managed to catch the defined line of his jaw before she quickly hunkered back down and shut her eyes.

She gripped the purse hanging at her waist tightly with her hands. Her body started to tremble.

He Sanlang pulled Chu Lian into his embrace easily. Her back was pressed right against his muscled chest and she could feel it moving as he breathed.

He Changdi’s gaze wandered downwards. From this angle, he could see the trembling of Chu Lian’s lashes. A smile curved on his lips. His slender fingers made quick work of the button near her collar and travelled further down. Wherever his hand trailed, buttons popped open in his wake. One, two, ...

When all the buttons of Chu Lian’s jacket were undone, the white undershirt she wore underneath was revealed.

Chu Lian was paralysed by her shyness. Her eyes were shut tight as He Sanlang’s fingers continued working. Her white undershirt was now open, leaving her daisy-coloured breast band exposed. Two soft lumps were barely visible under the thin, plum tree embroidered fabric.

He Changdi’s even breathing sped up as his pupils dilated.

He couldn’t resist covering one of the lumps with his palm and squeezing a little.

Chu Lian had her eyes shut, so she couldn’t see anything, but her other senses had become clearer as a result. She could feel the layers of her clothing being peeled away. She could feel the hot puffs of breath washing over her. Her bashfulness overcame her.

He Sanlang took an arduous gulp. His fingers pulled away the last barrier between them.

The snowy peaks topped with enticing red plums came into his view. His wife’s pale skin looked even more beautiful when contrasted against her clothes.

However, the peak on the left was slightly reddened. Of course, it was the one he had accidentally bumped into…

Chu Lian’s skin was tender and fragile. It was easy to leave marks on it. She was clumsy and didn’t take much care, so there was always a small jar of bruise balm in the room. The bruise balm had been made personally by Great Doctor Miao, so its effects went without saying.

He Changdi suppressed the growing desire in him. He shut his eyes and took some bruise balm onto his palm before carefully applying it to the swollen part of Chu Lian’s chest.

Chu Lian could feel his movements, and her eyes fluttered open in surprise.

Here she had been thinking bad things about him, when he was only being a gentleman.

She pressed her lips together. However, when she looked down and watched what He Changdi was doing to her exposed chest, with her shirt open, the blush that had just faded returned in full force.

Although He Changdi kept a serious expression on his face, his hands weren’t as well-behaved. He didn’t go overboard though. After applying the balm, he immediately started buttoning Chu Lian’s clothes back up.

Once her clothes had been straightened out, the flush on Chu Lian’s cheeks finally retreated. She buried her face into He Sanlang’s chest without a word.

“Don’t you have any questions for me?” He Changdi smiled and stroked her back.

Chu Lian pushed him away and looked up to admire the nice line of He Changdi’s jaw. “Why did you come to Qingxi Hall so abruptly?”

He Changdi had appeared right in the nick of time, just when she had been put on the spot by Eldest Madam. It was too much of a coincidence. Furthermore, He Changdi usually wouldn’t return from the Ministry of War that early.

“You were being bullied so badly. How could I not return?”

Chu Lian frowned. She didn’t believe his joking tone.

As expected, He Sanlang tenderly stroked her smooth cheek. Then, he sighed and said, “I knew that Aunt wouldn’t let you off after finding out that you went to Prince Wei’s Estate, so I had someone watch her movements. The moment anything happened, they came to inform me.” That was how he had been able to arrive at the right moment.

Chu Lian was touched. He had been even more considerate than she had expected.

She had been pushed to the brink today, otherwise she wouldn’t have insulted He Ying right to her face in front of the matriarch. Now it all depended on the matriarch. If the matriarch’s eyes opened and saw the situation for what it was, then she might be safe. If the matriarch remained muddleheaded, however, then all the blame would fall upon her. Even if He Changdi stood by her then, it wouldn’t be of any help. The Great Wu Dynasty was built on the foundations of filial piety, so the law wouldn’t be on her side.

Chu Lian told him what happened when she had gone to Prince Wei’s Estate today.

“Princess Wei agreed to help us stop Grandmother’s token from reaching the palace. Princess Wei won’t let anything through, so we can rest easy on that front.”

He Changdi saw that there was a mix of naivete and cunning in his bewitching wife’s eyes, so he couldn’t resist bending down to steal a kiss from her lips. He let out a low chuckle and said, “I feel that Princess Wei treats you rather well.”

Chu Lian didn’t find it strange. “Princess Wei treats me well because I saved Royal Princess Duanjia that one time and we became friends later.”

He Sanlang smoothed over his wife’s soft locks, smiling all the while. What he left unsaid was that Princess Wei hadn’t had any connection to ‘Chu Lian’ in their past life. Royal Princess Duanjia didn’t even know her then. When they had met with Prince Wei and his wife one time, the couple had clearly shown disdain and contempt towards ‘Chu Lian’ due to the rumours around her.

However, things were completely different in this life.

The one who was the most different was the wife in his arms.

Chapter 599: Count Jing'an (2)

The more they interacted, the more He Changdi would find the differences she had from their past life. Other than the face that he would never forget, there was nothing similar about the person in his arms to the ‘Chu Lian’ in his memories.

She didn’t have any of the poisonous treachery that ran in the past ‘Chu Lian’. She wasn’t cowardly, and she was brimming with confidence and talent...

A shadow passed over He Changdi’s eyes. The current Chu Lian seemed to have been made for him… He closed his eyes and opened them again, his magnetic voice ringing in Chu Lian’s ears as he called, “Lian’er?”

Chu Lian looked up in response and blinked. “Mm?”

She didn’t understand why He Changdi had suddenly called out to her.

When he met with those clear eyes, the heart that had leaped into his throat finally sunk back down into his chest. Sometimes, he was still overcome with fear- as if the current Chu Lian would suddenly turn back into the wicked woman of the past.

Chu Lian didn’t know of the inner struggle that He Changdi was facing. She tilted her head to the side and asked, “What’s wrong? What’s with that grimace on your face?”

He Sanlang suddenly hugged her tight, pressing her close to his skin. He buried his head into her neck and took deep breaths of Chu Lian’s special scent. He said, “Lian’er, promise me this. Don’t ever leave me… okay?”

Chu Lian found it strange that He Changdi was suddenly spouting such tender words. She just took it as part of his unpredictable moods and returned the hug by wrapping her arms around his waist. As if she was placating a small child, she said, “Alright, I promise.”

As if Chu Lian would really remain by his side and never leave with that promise alone, He Changdi’s heart relaxed. He continued cuddling and kissing his wife.

In a short moment, the kisses led to something else...

……

After a day, Matriarch He’s jade token was sent back from the palace.

There wasn’t any movement in Qingxi Hall this time.

He Sanlang and Chu Lian thought that things had been settled for now. Who could have expected that He Dalang would suddenly kneel down before Matriarch He and declare his intent to take Pan Nianzhen as his wife the very next day!

Chu Lian and He Changdi were shocked beyond words by this news.

Their first reaction was to order the servants not to let the news spread to Countess Jing’an. If she were to find out about this, she would definitely fall even more ill. By then, her illness would turn incurable.

He Sanlang and his wife hurried over to Qingxi Hall.

When they reached the parlour, they could see He Dalang kneeling in front of the matriarch, while He Ying and her daughter were seated to one side without any readable expressions.

Pan Nianzhen’s complexion was ashen and her head was bowed. This was the first time Chu Lian had seen her since that incident.

She had become thinner. Even the knuckles of her hands, which were gripping a handkerchief tightly in her lap, had become more defined.

Chu Lian frowned slightly. Pan Nianzhen looked like a poor little bunny who had been bullied, like a white lotus flower that had been beaten down by a storm.

However, Chu Lian didn’t believe in judging her by her cover.

Ever since she had met this cousin, she knew that she wasn’t as cowardly and frail as her appearance might suggest.

Furthermore, He Dalang had been sorry and guilty for the incident, but he had never thought of marrying Pan Nianzhen. How had his decision changed in just the span of a few days?

Matriarch He had already given up on having He Dalang marry Pan Nianzhen after Chu Lian’s provoking words.

He was the eldest son of the house after all, and he was meant to hold up the house on his shoulders. The old count had risked his life on the battlefield to earn this noble title and build up House Jing’an. She couldn’t let it all go to ruin in her hands.

Even if her daughter continued complaining, she would have had Pan Nianzhen become one of Dalang’s concubines at most.

He Changdi and Chu Lian could hear the matriarch gravely demanding, “Dalang, what did you just say? Say it again!”

Eldest Brother He Changqi had lost weight. His clothes hung loosely on his frame now and his chin was covered in stubble. His bloodshot eyes added to his frail appearance.

If not for the same, familiar features on his face, Chu Lian wouldn’t have dared to recognise him as her brother-in-law.

He Changqi’s voice was hoarse, but his words travelled clearly into everyone’s ears. “Grandmother, I will marry Pan Nianzhen. I’ll bear the consequences of my actions.”

“You!!” Matriarch He pointed at her eldest grandson, anger building in her without any outlet.

He Changdi followed by saying, “Grandmother, I’ll send a petition to the Emperor to take away my position as Heir and give it to Second Brother instead. Once I marry Pan Nianzhen, I’ll take her back to our ancestral home.”

Chu Lian was astounded. She immediately understood that Eldest Brother wasn’t trying to make a compromise. He had completely given up on overturning the situation. He was trying to make it a loss on both sides to resolve the matter.

This could protect House Jing’an’s reputation, as well as preserve the relationship between Matriarch He and He Ying.

He Changqi’s words alarmed He Ying and her daughter. There were the ones who were the most shocked and scared by He Dalang’s declaration.

If He Changqi really did so, their plans would come to nothing!

Pan Nianzhen would have to give up on He Changdi and follow He Changqi into becoming a joke!

Pan Nianzhen raised her head, her face full of astonishment as she looked at He Changqi. The veins on her hands stood out as her grip on her handkerchief tightened.

She couldn’t believe that all of her efforts would come to waste.

If she really had to marry He Changqi and leave the capital, then what difference was there between that and staying in Siyang!

As everyone in the parlour was frozen with shock, a loud roar rang out from the entrance with the presence of one who often commanded their troops. “You little brat! Do you dare to repeat what you just said to me?!”

Chapter 600: Brother (1)

When the man’s rough bellow faded from the parlour, everyone turned their attention the entrance.

Chu Lian turned in a slow, stunned manner, only to be met with the sight of a bearded middle-aged man. He was dressed in a commander’s silver armour with a sword at his waist. His figure was tall and buff, like a miniature mountain.

He Ying was equally stunned. It took a long moment before she finally called out in a tiny voice, “Brother…”

The stern expression on the matriarch faded away, replaced with unconcealed joy. She reached out to the side and Senior Servant Liu quickly supported her and helped her up.

Before she had even walked up to the middle-aged man, the old matriarch’s eyes had already turned red. She sounded on the verge of tears as she said, “My son, you’ve finally returned.”

Chu Lian finally realised that this middle-aged man who had suddenly appeared was her very own father-in-law.

She had to say that Eldest Brother resembled Count Jing’an the most...

Whether it was his figure or features, it was He Changqi who looked the most like Count Jing’an.

A rare spark of respectful admiration shone in He Changdi’s eyes when his gaze fell upon the count. The worry that Chu Lian had held for He Dalang disappeared after she saw Count Jing’an.

The novel had mentioned Count Jing’an before, and in that brief mention, Chu Lian knew that the count was a smart, level-headed person.

He had passed this trait down to He Changdi.

While Eldest Brother He Changqi was sensible when it came to external problems, he became irrationally stubborn in matters concerning the family or relationships.

Now that Count Jing’an was back, with someone pressuring He Dalang, perhaps only then would the Jing’an Estate finally recover its peace.

Chu Lian was still lost in her thoughts when her wrist was caught by He Sanlang, pulling her back to reality. She stared at her husband a little dazedly.

He Changdi put on a helpless look before bending down to whisper into her ear, “What’s wrong? Are you scared? There’s no need to be afraid. Father is very friendly and easy to get along with.”

When she heard his reassurance, she understood that He Changdi intended to bring her forward to greet the count for the first time.

The entire parlour of people stood up, some with uncertainty, some with wild joy and some with disappointment.

Count Jing’an was welcomed to the raised platform at the head of the room. One of the servants was about to help He Changqi up from his kneeling, but the count immediately put a stop to it with a shout. “Does he have the right to stand after doing such a terrible thing? Don’t move! Let him kneel!”

Once the count had spoken, no one dared to speak up for He Changqi any longer. Everyone looked at him with pity in their eyes.

After Count Jing’an set down the order, his gaze swept over the people gathered in the parlour before landing on He Changdi and his wife.

His fearsome, tan mien immediately melted into a kind, caring look. He beckoned towards He Changdi and Chu Lian and said, “This must be Sanlang’s wife! Come over here, you two.”

Chu Lian darted a quick glance at He Sanlang. Although she didn’t show it on the surface, she was actually rather nervous inside. It was her first time meeting her father-in-law, after all.

He Changdi returned a reassuring look and led her up to Count Jing’an.

After a short pause, Chu Lian greeted the count together with He Changdi. “Father.”

Count Jing’an, He Yanwen, took in the sight of his handsome son standing next to his beautiful, pleasant-looking wife. The couple seemed very loving in their interactions. His third son looked ready to defend his wife should anyone try to bully her, indicating that their relationship was going well.

The remaining bit of blame he had towards his mother for pleading the Empress Dowager for an arranged marriage dissipated.