In the morning, the flowers and plants in the courtyard are covered with dew, and human figures are gradually moving.
From the direction of the small kitchen, white steam was curling up. Under the eaves, several servants were sweeping the floor, and little maids were carrying copper basins and food boxes, walking back and forth in the corridor.
"Master, please have some snacks. We have prepared some date paste rolls and freshly steamed crab roe soup dumplings. They are very delicious." Mrs. Zhou stepped forward and said softly, then gave a wink to Baochun who was standing beside her.
After Baochun went forward to help Qin Gong wash his hands, she moved to Wen Tang's side.
In front of the diamond-shaped mirror, Wen Tang turned to Mrs. Zhou, who was tying her hair up behind her. She would have breakfast later and then go to Linjiang Tower with the fourth young lady, Qin Ruoyue. "Is everything ready over there, the fourth young lady?"
"It's done." Mrs. Zhou kept working while she responded, "I got up early and dressed up."
Wen Tang said "hmm", "Give the order and prepare the carriage."
On the other side, Qin Gong had washed his hands and rinsed his mouth with the tea offered by the maid.
He sat down, picked up the jade chopsticks, picked up a soup dumpling with a thin skin wrapped around the filling, and lifted it gently. The soup swayed under the thin skin. He then ate a few of them with the fragrant vinegar in the dish in a few bites, and also ate a jujube paste roll. But in a few moments, he put down the chopsticks, stood up and straightened his sleeves, obviously going out.
Wen Tang was just getting up and was being helped by Mrs. Zhou to put on her outer garment. When she saw him turn around, she said, "Goodbye, sir."
He made a faint "hmm" sound, which Wen Tang didn't hear clearly, and then he lifted the curtain and strode out.
"Madam, do we need to boil the medicine now?" Mrs. Zhou asked softly as she smoothed the folds on her clothes.
Wen Tang shook his head.
Mrs. Zhou looked up in surprise, and Wen Tang explained in a low voice, "We didn't sleep together."
These words made Mrs. Zhou pause as she was buttoning her dress. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "It seems that Master has been in a bad mood these past two days. Maybe he has something on his mind. Are you angry with him about the safety lock?"
Mrs. Zhou advised, "Don't let your imagination wander."
Wen Tang explained gently. Only then did Mrs. Zhou feel relieved and stopped talking. After helping her get dressed, Mrs. Zhou leaned closer and said, "Why don't you stop taking the medicine?"
Wen Tang said nothing, but only ordered, "Go tell the fourth lady that we will set off at the beginning of the morning hour."
Mrs. Zhou looked at her for a few seconds, then turned and left.
--
Qin Ruoyue's yard was bustling with activity at this moment.
Qin Ruoyue admired herself in the mirror. She was naturally beautiful, and with her careful makeup, she looked even more gorgeous and eye-catching.
"Miss, which one do you like, the pink brocade one or the moon-white gauze one?" The maid asked attentively, holding two sets of brand new summer clothes.
Qin Ruoyue had always favored vibrant colors; her fair complexion and pretty face were perfect for such vibrant clothing. Unlike her rather dull elder sister-in-law, who wore either dark blue or indigo all day long, a heavy, gloomy look that made one feel irritated.
Qin Ruoyue applied rouge and powder evenly on her delicate face, then asked the maid to bring the perfumed dew in a glass bottle, and gently put a few drops behind her ears and on her wrists, and the faint fragrance spread.
"Young lady, you really look like a fairy from a painting, delicate and beautiful like jade. Anyone who sees you would be unable to take their eyes off you." The maid who was combing her hair praised her with clever words, and her hands became more and more gentle in their movements.
Qin Ruoyue still had a smile on her face even after she got on the carriage. But when the accompanying maid caught up with her, she glanced at her.
"Where's the silver bead?"
"Miss, Sister Yinzhu had a stomachache this morning. She was in so much pain that she couldn't get up, so she asked me to take her place."
Qin Ruoyue frowned, feeling that this was a bit unlucky. "Alright, follow me."
The little maid hurried forward and opened the curtain of the carriage. Qin Ruoyue got into the carriage with a smile on her face, but the smile disappeared after a while.
Wen Tang's slightly raised fox eyes looked at Qin Ruoyue, causing her face to freeze.
"Fourth Miss, please come in quickly and sit down." Mrs. Zhou urged from the front.
The carriage was extremely spacious, painted in gold and colorful. In the middle stood a small rosewood table, with soft couches covered with cool bamboo mats on both sides. On the table were some summer snacks, including steamed cherry yogurt, osmanthus sugar cake, and a pot of sour drink with water droplets on it.
The maid helped Qin Ruoyue sit down in the corner of the soft couch farthest from Wen Tang. The rich fragrance of her body filled the air. Qin Ruoyue pursed her lips, not even refusing to call her sister-in-law, and sat down by the car window.
Mrs. Zhou shouted "Get started" outside, and the driver whipped the carriage to start.
The downtown is noisy.
In the carriage, Mrs. Zhou said with a smile, "The fourth young lady is truly a dazzling beauty today."
Qin Ruoyue knew from a young age that she was outstanding in appearance, and these two ordinary compliments from Mrs. Zhou were not pleasing to her ears.
"Fourth Miss," Mrs. Zhou changed the subject, "when we get to Linjiang Tower, you must follow the eldest lady straight up to the private room on the second floor. Don't show your face downstairs. Your appearance and manners attract attention, and any offense or gossip would be detrimental to your reputation."
Qin Ruoyue knew that this old woman had bad intentions and came here just to spoil the fun.
"Fourth Miss, did you hear clearly?"
Qin Ruoyue turned her head away without saying a word, but the little maid behind her kept saying "yes". This cowardly response made Qin Ruoyue look at her impatiently, thinking that Yinzhu was still reluctant to win her heart.
The carriage stopped in front of the magnificent vermilion-lacquered gate of Linjiang Tower. Mrs. Zhou got out first, then turned around and steadily supported Wen Tang, who came down shortly after. Qin Ruoyue followed behind. She winked at the maid, who understood and ran to the counter with a piece of silver in her hand. "Is Mr. Zhang Zhuangyuan staying here?"
The shopkeeper raised his eyes and saw a pretty maidservant whom he didn't know. Then he followed her gaze and saw that her demeanor and expression showed that she was a rich and beautiful guest who was in love.
It was no secret that Lord Zhang had been staying at his family's restaurant since returning to Beijing.
"The private room at the back of the second floor." The shopkeeper took the money readily and put it into his sleeve without a word. "Master Zhang likes quietness, so he's booked several adjacent rooms too. The nobles just want some peace and quiet, without being disturbed. As for women, they can't be considered a disturbance."
After getting the news, the little maidservant immediately ran back to Qin Ruoyue and reported in a low voice in what she thought was a secret. Mrs. Zhou glanced at her expressionlessly.
Mrs. Zhou, "Go upstairs."
A clever waiter had already come forward with a big smile on his face, and greeted us with courtesy. "Ladies and gentlemen, please go upstairs. Your private rooms are on the left."
After entering the private room and sitting down, Mrs. Zhou closed the door behind her, her eyes fixed on the little maid. Qin Ruoyue naturally didn't like others scolding her maid, so she spoke first, "I just asked where Zhang Lang is?"
Mrs. Zhou said coldly, "Fourth Miss, please be careful when addressing a foreign man."
Qin Ruoyue was still immersed in her own thoughts. Zhang Lang had previously asked her to meet him at a poetry reading on the first floor. Now he was in a private room on the second floor. When the poetry reading started, she would go down from the second floor and maybe she would meet him by chance.
The private room he was in was at the very back, and hers faced the street. To get to his room, she had to walk through a long corridor. She wondered if she could meet him in a tacit understanding when she went downstairs later.
--
"Miss, are we here yet?"
In the first-floor wing room, Zhang Ji was dressed in indigo, fair and elegant.
"Sir, please wait a moment. I will go outside to take a look." The maid who answered had a pretty face, lowered eyebrows and a pleasant look, and her voice was as thin as a mosquito.
"Don't bother me, young lady," Zhang Ji said in a gentle voice, "It's not easy for you to come out, so please don't delay your return home."
He stood up and personally opened the door curtain for her, leaning forward slightly. "Thank you very much, young lady, for delivering the young lady's sachet and letter for me several times. I am really troubled."
"Not tired, not tired, I just ran three errands." The maid waved her hands repeatedly, and looked up hastily, just meeting his eyebrows with a gentle smile, her forehead even brushing against his clothes, and hurriedly lowered her head, "Mr. Zhang was able to come from such a far place, travel through mountains and rivers to Beijing to take the exam, and also passed the exam. His talent is so outstanding. He came to this poetry meeting today. The young lady always likes talented people. When she sees him... she will definitely admire him." Her voice became lower and lower.
"Miss, you are too kind to praise me. I am unworthy of your kindness." He took out a white silk handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to her. "The sun is getting high. Miss, you have worked hard. Please wipe your sweat."
The maidservant in the Qin residence bit her lip, raised her head timidly, quickly took the fragrant silk handkerchief, and immediately lowered her head again, "I am just a servant, I cannot bear the title of young lady. Master Zhang, I, I, will take my leave now."
Zhang Ji smiled and bowed, "Go slowly, young lady."
After the sound of footsteps faded away, Zhang Ji stood up, raised his hand, and brushed his clothes a few times.
"It's our maid, coming out of the east side room on the first floor." Mother-in-law Zhou gently closed the second-floor window and whispered to Wen Tang, who was sitting sipping tea. The private room chosen by the eldest lady was perfectly situated; the window facing the street allowed her to clearly see the maid coming and going from downstairs.
Wen Tang raised his eyes and looked at Qin Ruoyue, who was sitting opposite him, her face full of joy. He pushed a clear glass cup towards her. In the cup was an iced bayberry and lychee drink, with the bright red fruits soaked in crushed ice. "Fourth Miss, try this drink. It's sour, sweet, refreshing, and quite drinkable."
Although Qin Ruoyue was reluctant, she had to give her eldest sister-in-law face. If she hadn't taken the initiative to talk to her just now, she could have pretended not to see her, but now that she had spoken, she had to respond.
This forced social engagement made Qin Ruoyue feel annoyed.
"Where did you meet the Zhang Lang you mentioned?"
Qin Ruoyue felt that her words were sarcastic and said, "Of course it's a poetry gathering."
"Sister-in-law, don't you think everyone is like..."
He was stunned by the way Mrs. Zhou suddenly took a step forward.
Qin Ruoyue gritted her teeth. Her elder sister-in-law had gotten this marriage by having a secret meeting with her brother, and now, she was being taught a lesson by him.
"It's true that Zhang Lang is in the private room on the second floor, but he never said that he wanted to have a private meeting in the room. We are here to attend the poetry meeting in an upright manner and meet through poetry." Qin Ruoyue said reluctantly.
"Apart from that sachet, are there any other tokens of exchange?" Wen Tang looked at her.
Qin Ruoyue said nothing and shook her head.
Wen Tang no longer looked at her, but only gave a wink to Mrs. Zhou, who understood, "Come here, send the fourth young lady back home."
Qin Ruoyue's face changed, but Mrs. Zhou didn't let her do what she wanted. She asked the strong maid accompanying the Qin family to come over and invite Qin Ruoyue down.
Mrs. Zhou said to Qin Ruoyue, "Fourth Miss, you are still young, and it is inevitable that you will be deceived. Go back and think carefully, and don't make mistakes again."
"Let's go back home first."
After watching Qin Ruoyue being sent on the carriage back home, Mrs. Zhou turned around and went upstairs to report to Wen Tang.
Mrs. Zhou said, "Madam, the maid just now did come out of the east side room on the first floor. The several private rooms on the second floor all look empty."
"There was some movement in the innermost room just now. Someone was walking there."
Wen Tang put down the teacup, stood up, pushed open the door of the private room, and walked on the corridor on the second floor. There were several silk palace lanterns hanging under the corridor, which seemed quiet and peaceful during the day.
She walked in front, with Mrs. Zhou following closely beside her. "Have someone check both rooms..."
"Mother Zhou."
Mrs. Zhou was startled by the voice of someone walking down the stairs. She looked at the two people in front of her and saw that it was Fu Jiu who was calling her. However, she looked at the person next to her who was looking away. She was stunned at first.
Then, the tall figure walking slowly up behind the two of them brought Mrs. Zhou back to her senses.
Mrs. Zhou stepped forward quickly and bowed, "Master."
As Ah Fu led the eldest master of the Qin family and his follower Fu Jiu upstairs, his eyes subconsciously passed by Mrs. Zhou and fell on the figure behind them. The figure was dressed in plain water-blue clothes, with black hair like clouds, and was extremely beautiful.
"This is my great-grandmother," Fu Jiu introduced to Ah Fu, the attendant of Master Zhang Yao.
Ah Fu didn't dare to look up.
"Brother Yao," said a thin girl, holding a docile big yellow dog by the edge of the field. Her straw sandals were stained with mud and she looked up. "How long will it take for you to come back after going to Beijing for the exam? Dahuang and I will be waiting for you at home."
Ah Fu lowered his eyes. Time passed quickly. It had indeed been a long time since his master left that rural area and passed the imperial examination.