Mrs. Chen wasted no time. Before dawn, she sent Xu Yutang to the Princess Mansion.
It was fortunate that she acted so promptly, for shortly after the hour of si (9 - 11 a.m.), the Xu family members came to the Marquis Mansion looking for Xu Yutang.
The one who came to look for her was her elder brother, Xu Yusong.
Xu Yusong didn't come alone. He brought along a thin - built man.
The man was well - dressed. He pretended to be calm, but his eyes kept darting around.
Perhaps due to preconceived notions, when Mrs. Chen heard Xu Yusong introduce the man as Xu Yutang's fiancé, Chen Liang, her first thought was that this man was not a good match.
Xu Yusong and Mrs. Chen had an ordinary relationship. He stood up and bowed. "Aunt, I've come to take Yutang home."
"I haven't seen Yutang for a long time. Why not let her stay in the Marquis Mansion for a few more days?" Mrs. Chen didn't even make a move to help him up. She sat there calmly.
In the Xu family, men were in a superior position. As the eldest son of the Xu family, Xu Yusong held a very high status. Even when facing his aunt, Mrs. Chen, he showed no respect. Seeing that Mrs. Chen didn't give him face, Xu Yusong's heart sank.
As expected of a woman, cold - hearted and indifferent. Just because she had married into the Marquis Mansion, she really thought of herself as the mistress of the mansion.
What Xu Yusong didn't know was that Mrs. Chen was indeed the most powerful person in the Yong'an Marquis Mansion now. Chen Miaochun and Chen Ruxia lived in the Princess Mansion. Chen Pan'er was obedient. After Mrs. Chen helped her retrieve Concubine Zhao's memorial tablet, she had been very well - behaved and came to pay respects every day.
The former housekeeper, Mrs. Chen, had suddenly become the most important person in the mansion, and her aura had strengthened.
Xu Yusong's smile froze slightly. "Yutang is young and inexperienced. She may have been impolite. How about..."
Mrs. Chen smiled. "It's all right. She's just staying for a few days. Yutang is my niece. Even if she's a bit impolite, the old lady will surely be lenient."
Having hit a soft nail with Mrs. Chen, Xu Yusong had no choice but to leave with Chen Liang.
As soon as they stepped out of the Yong'an Marquis Mansion, Chen Liang reached out his hand to Xu Yusong. "Brother, lend me some money. I want to have some fun."
Already in a foul mood, Xu Yusong's face darkened even more when Chen Liang asked for money.
Chen Liang wasn't afraid of him. Instead, he laughed merrily. "In a few days, we'll be family. Why do you care about this little bit of silver? Wait a bit, and I'll pay you back in a few days!"
Xu Yusong snorted coldly in his heart. Pay back the money? Chen Liang was as poor as a church mouse, not even having a single copper coin.
All this talk of waiting was just an excuse to use Xu Yutang's dowry to pay off his debts after the wedding.
Reluctantly, Xu Yusong took out two taels of silver and gave it to Chen Liang. "Spend it frugally. Don't blow it all at once."
Chen Liang didn't care. Once the money was gone, he could always ask Xu's father for it. If not, there was still the Magistrate Xu. He could go around asking everyone. After he had spent all the money, he could ask Xu Yusong for more.
...
At the Princess Mansion.
Princess Jingning entrusted Xu Yutang to the two most idle people in the mansion for reception.
Shen Haiyan, who was still recuperating from his injuries, and Shen Baozhu, who followed Yan Mingli around for free meals every day.
The Dragon King: [Something's not right. Shouldn't there be three people? Isn't the fool idle?]
Lin Yu: [Yan Mingli should have something important to do. He once said that he would place the rescued girls in his own embroidery workshop. The street where Zuiyin Tower is located also belongs to him.]
The Green Cloud True Man: [He may seem to be strolling around idly, but actually he's inspecting his shops. He will check the account books and goods in the afternoon.]
However, Shen Baozhu only followed Yan Mingli in the morning and at noon. The two of them would first stroll around the street and then return to Zuiyin Tower for lunch.
After lunch, when Chen Miaochun had finished her studies, Shen Baozhu would follow her back to the Princess Mansion. Occasionally, they would go to Su Ming's shop to play.
This created an illusion that made the Dragon King mistakenly think that Yan Mingli was strolling around all day without a thing to do.
Seeing the other two bullet - screen messages, the Dragon King was a bit unconvinced.
They were all watching the little cutie, so why did it seem that he was the stupidest?
Shen Baozhu welcomed Xu Yutang very much, while Shen Haiyan managed to get Xu Yutang to talk after just a few words. He even made Xu Yutang regard him as a kindred spirit.
The three of them were sitting in the garden of the Princess Mansion. Xu Yutang clutched her handkerchief nervously as she told them about her past.
As far as Xu Yutang could remember, she had lived alone on the upper floor. At first, she lived with her aunt, but after her aunt got married, she was left alone.
"Was there no one to keep watch at night?" Shen Baozhu had always been accompanied since childhood. Whenever she had a nightmare at night, she would open her eyes and see someone beside her, which made her feel less scared.
Xu Yutang shook her head slowly. "My mother loved me. She found an opportunity to move the nurses' quarters farther away, making it inconvenient for them to come and go. Only then could Xiaotao and I catch our breath."
Mentioning Xiaotao, Xu Yutang's eyes reddened slightly. Xiaotao was her childhood maid. The two of them were as close as sisters, but because of their closeness, the Xu family forcibly separated them.
Shen Baozhu was a bit confused. "Why did they separate you and Xiaotao? Weren't the nurses nice?"
"The nurses were extremely strict. They even cared about how I slept at night. Whenever I didn't sleep properly, they would wake me up and slap my palm." Xu Yutang curled her palm into a fist, looking extremely scared.
She described it roughly. "They would make you lie on your side in bed, and there were specific requirements for your hands and feet. One reason was to make your sleeping posture look better so as not to be disliked by your future husband. The other reason was to prevent my sleeping posture from disturbing my future husband."
Shen Baozhu, who loved to roll around in bed with the quilt while sleeping, was stunned. There were actually nurses who cared about one's sleeping posture. How terrifying!
The Dragon King: [Having one's sleeping posture controlled. They're not star - crossed lovers; they're little bitter melons.]
Shen Baozhu highly agreed!
Shen Haiyan pulled Shen Baozhu into his arms. He was very understanding. "Those nurses are so bad. You must miss Xiaotao a lot now that you're separated from her, right?"
Xu Yutang, who had been missing Xiaotao, nodded. If Xiaotao had been with her, she wouldn't have secretly run to Zuiyin Tower with Yuan Qingxi.
Shen Haiyan continued. "Don't take it too much to heart. It's not your fault."
These words hit Xu Yutang's heart. She asked hesitantly. "But, but I secretly ran out and had a tryst with a man outside. This is a crime punishable by death."
The Dragon King: [Is the little bitter melon's tryst just the two of them sitting on the first floor of Zuiyin Tower having a meal?]
The Dragon King: [It's a bit funny.]
Shen Haiyan saw the uneasiness in Xu Yutang's heart and comforted her. "It's all right. It's not a big deal."
"But, I... sigh!" Xu Yutang grabbed her handkerchief tightly and couldn't say a word for a long time.
The Dragon King: [The little bitter melon is struggling with the issue of the tryst. Since she knows it's wrong, why did she have a tryst?]
Shen Baozhu asked this question exactly as it was on the bullet - screen.
Unexpectedly, Xu Yutang burst into tears. She covered her face with her handkerchief and sobbed. "Life in the attic was so hard. Young Master Yuan happened to live next door to my house. I watched him play the zither every day, and he watched me over the wall."
"As time passed, we fell in love. Young Master Yuan promised me that he would come to propose marriage after the spring imperial examination."
"I just wanted to get married earlier and leave that attic."
Later, Chen Liang appeared, and Magistrate Xu arranged the marriage between him and Xu Yutang.
That day, Xu Yutang had wanted to make things clear to Yuan Qingxi, but she really didn't want to face her elder brother and grandfather.
Xu Yutang's handkerchief was soaked with her tears. "The nurses said that when I saw my grandfather and elder brother, I had to bow and step back three feet because of the distinction between men and women. If I got too close, I would be beaten on the hand."
"But there were only three carriages. One for my grandfather, one for my elder brother, and one for Chen Liang. I was afraid of being beaten, so I had to sit with Chen Liang. But Chen Liang always asked about my dowry and wanted my jewelry..."
"And when we stopped to eat on the way, I had to hold my bowl and walk far away because of the distinction between men and women... I just couldn't bear it anymore."
The Dragon King: [I understand. It's better to have a tryst. The Xu family is simply crazy.]
The Dragon King: [Little cutie, help the little bitter melon.]
Shen Baozhu turned to look at her third brother, Shen Haiyan, who was holding her. She counted on her fingers. "I don't sleep properly, one slap. I'm too close to third brother, one slap..."
"And the clothes can't be too colorful, or it's considered the behavior of a brothel woman." Xu Yutang whispered a reminder.
Shen Baozhu was wearing a bright red dress today.
The Dragon King: [Oh no. If we count like this, the little cutie's hand will be swollen from the slaps.]