Chapter 21
All tea utensils were unceremoniously cleared away, forcing Pan shi to order rice instead.
Cao Xun, with a possessive air, escorted the frail Yunzhu to the dining room, ensuring she was comfortably seated. He then invited Pan shi and Cao Shao to join them, positioning himself beside Yunzhu.
A peculiar sight indeed: four masters of the Duke Dingguoâs mansion, each seated apart.
Pan shi, directly across from Cao Xun, faced Yunzhu, leaving Cao Shao no choice but to sit beside her.
Yunzhu, feigning weakness, propped her chin and casually instructed Lian Qiao, "Pour two cups of tea."
Lian Qiao promptly obeyed.
Yunzhu, with affected delicacy, presented a cup to Pan shi, âEtiquette demands it, though I am truly too weak. Forgive me, Madam.â
Pan shi, with a steely gaze at Cao Xun, drank the âdaughter-in-law teaâ and ordered her nanny to present the red gold and silk hairpin, a gift for Yunzhu.
Yunzhu, with a grateful smile, turned to Cao Shao, âI shall serve you tea as well.â
Cao Shao, aware of her calculated move, a subtle retribution for his betrayal, accepted the tea with a forced smile. He couldnât blame her; it was his own folly.
The morning tea ceremony concluded.
Yunzhu, savoring her porridge, stole glances at Cao Xun.
Cao Xun, in turn, asked, âIs the porridge to your liking?â
Yunzhu, blunt and honest, replied, âThe porridge is overly sweet, not to my taste.â
The nanny, overhearing, apologized, âYoung Madam, I apologize. This was prepared by Madam herself, tailored to your and Master Dukeâs health.â
The maids around Yunzhu addressed Cao Xun as âMaster Duke,â reserving âthe Dukeâ for Li Yong. The nanny, adapting quickly, followed suit. After all, the Cao family referred to Cao Shao as âSecond Masterâ to avoid confusion.
The intent was clear: to restore her health.
Cao Shaoâs face flushed with a mix of emotions.
Yunzhu, calmly admonished the nanny, âYouâre too talkative.â
The nanny fell silent.
Yunzhu was here to spite Pan Shi, plain and simple. The resentment etched across her face sent a thrill through Cao Shao. Could it be that she still cared, that she didn't want him digging any deeper into her complicated relationship with her brother?
It was a thought that secretly pleased him. It wasn't the fear of her marrying someone else that bothered him, but rather the thought of her completely forgetting him.
Watching Tanhualang, he noticed a flicker of life in his lifeless eyes as he paused mid-spoonful of porridge, only to quickly take two more.
------
[ ] æ¢è±é (tà n huÄ láng) is a title given to the third-ranked candidate in the imperial examinations during China's imperial era.
------
Cao Shao, having sated his appetite, marched off to the Hanlin Academy. His brother's nuptials and the subsequent banquet had concluded, and requesting an additional day of leisure was no longer tenable.
Pan shi, seething with discontent, stormed out early.
Cao Xun, escorting Yunzhu, was met by the servile staff of Duke Dingguo's household.
Yunzhu, with the precision of a hawk, assessed each steward and maid, dispensing rewards and reprimands as she saw fit. This seemingly trivial task consumed a half hour of their precious time.
Once the servants had dispersed, Pan shi dispatched a messenger bearing the keys and account books of zhong kui from Duke Dingguo's residence.
Yunzhu, idly toying with the two pairs of keys, turned to Cao Xun with a curious glint in her eye. "Is she so cowed by your authority that she willingly relinquished control of the household?"
She surmised that Pan shi sought to maintain a stranglehold on the principal storage room. After all, in her early forties, Pan shi was at the zenith of her power. She would undoubtedly brave external censure to cling to a decade's worth of household dominion.
------
[ ] ä¸é¦ (zhÅng kuì) most common meaning, referring to the storage room. In a broader sense, ä¸é¦ can also symbolize the central authority. This usage aligns with the literal meaning of ä¸ (zhÅng) meaning "middle" or "central" and é¦ (kuì) meaning "provisions" or "supplies."
------
Cao Xun smirked, "My concern, or lack thereof, is irrelevant. The woman trusts you, a fact that speaks volumes."
Yunzhu was speechless. How could he so effortlessly twist the truth?
"I told her I was wronged, so why did you lie about my hunger? Did I mistreat her? And then, as soon as I arrived, she falsely accused me of sleeping in!" she demanded, dismissing the maids.
Cao Xun, who had been examining the previous day's guest list, paused. "Your alibi would be too obvious. Hunger is a more believable excuse."
"Of course, it was intentional," Yunzhu retorted. "The more contrived the excuse, the angrier she'll be."
Cao Xun shook his head, returning to the list. "Regardless, your goal has been achieved. No need for further explanation."
"Very well," Yunzhu conceded. "Unless absolutely necessary, you still wish to maintain the appearance of harmony with the old woman, correct?"
Cao Xun nodded, handing her the list. "Study this, so you'll know what gifts to bring to future social gatherings."
"I'm quite capable of managing a household," Yunzhu replied dismissively.
She summoned four senior maids and delegated the task. While they prepared, Yunzhu reviewed the list.
"Shall I accompany you to the storeroom?" Cao Xun offered.
Yunzhu agreed, rising from the window seat and focusing on the red embroidered shoes by the table.
Customarily, the maids would remain in the room to attend to the mistress, then assist her when the master wished to leave.
Yunzhu, wearing white silk socks, couldn't reach the floor to put on her shoes. Cao Xun smiled, picked up the shoes, and approached her.
She lifted her left foot.
He slipped the shoe on, his hand dwarfing her small foot.
Yunzhu noticed the callus on his right index finger, a mark of a warrior's hand.
The thought of that hand on her body sent a blush to her cheeks. As soon as she was shod, she quickly rose.
The sun blazed overhead as they sauntered down the cool corridor towards the cavernous warehouse.
Their first stop: the public treasury of the Duke Dingguo mansion. A standalone courtyard, it was a fortress of four gates. The front and back were manned by guards, while the middle and sides housed a motley collection of goods.
Despite the ample space, the treasury felt hollow, a testament to a family whose title was barely three generations old. Their wealth, though respectable, paled in comparison to the fortunes of individual magnates. Thankfully, the Cao family's holdings were bolstered by imperial gifts.
The empty warehouse was cooler than the shaded outdoors. Yunzhu, with a playful glint in her eye, gestured towards a northern window. As the breeze swept in, it tousled her hair.
Cao Xun followed, his gaze drawn to a serene courtyard with twin pines and a bamboo border. He toyed with a ruby pendant dangling from her ear, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "What's so amusing?"
Yunzhu, her eyes fixed on the courtyard, replied cryptically, "You're too perceptive."
Her thoughts were often a mystery, even to her closest kin. Yet, Cao Xun seemed to possess a unique insight into her mind.
"Our family's treasury is rather modest," he observed.
Yunzhu scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm not the one who'll be building an empire."
With a gentle touch to her neck, he countered, "I may not match your wealth, but our children and their descendants will."
A shiver ran down her spine. She turned away, a nonchalant, "Let's visit my private collection," masking her unease.
Cao Xun, a fleeting glance at the barren shelves, followed suit.
The sun was high in the sky before they realized it.
*
Pan Shi had established a routine of solitary dining in her private courtyard, a practice she intended to uphold. As per Cao Xun's decree, family gatherings were limited to every ten days and holidays.
The midday heat was stifling, inducing a sense of lethargy. Yunzhu refreshed herself with a mouth rinse and retreated to her inner chamber, draping a lightweight coat over her shoulders before sinking into the cool embrace of the Babu bed's silk mattress.
An ice mirror, a source of refreshing air, stood beside the screen.
Shortly after Yunzhu had settled, Cao Xun entered. She observed as he closed the door behind him, shed his outer garments, and hummed softly before turning inward, clad only in trousers.
Unexpectedly, Cao Xun hesitated by the Babu bed, followed by the sound of rushing water.
Yunzhu glanced over and was met with the sight of Cao Xun's bare, slender back, exposed from the waist down.
Startled, she hastily pulled the quilt over herself and chided him softly, "Do you have no regard for modesty?"
Cao Xun turned and replied calmly, "This is my home. If I wish to cleanse myself, how can it be considered immodest? Your coat reveals the color and shape of your undergarment. Is that not indecent?"
Yunzhu was speechless.
Frustrated, she wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, leaving only her head exposed.
"Such is the nature of a couple's intimacy. You'll simply have to adapt," Cao Xun declared.
Yunzhu struggled to accept this. "If you intend to behave in such a manner in the future, please have the courtesy to inform me beforehand, sparing me unnecessary discomfort."
Cao Xun remained indifferent.
After drying himself, he donned mid-length pants and settled into the bed.
Yunzhu remained on edge for some time, but he made no further advances. She turned to see Cao Xun lying with his eyes closed, seemingly drifting off to sleep.
Ensuring her attire was proper, Yunzhu pushed aside the sweat-dampened quilt and placed it between them.
Suddenly, Cao Xun turned and fixed his gaze upon her shoulder and chest.
Yunzhu shot him a furious look, and as she was about to recline on the pillow, Cao Xun unexpectedly crossed the quilt boundary and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Pushing him away, Yunzhu demanded, "What are you doing in broad daylight?"
Despite her resistance, Cao Xun remained unyielding, replying with a smirk, "Who says couples can only be intimate at night?"
Yunzhu was left speechless.
The Duke was a volcano, simmering beneath a calm exterior. After his fiery kiss, Yunzhu caught her breath, "I didn't think you were one of those guys who'd wait 'til thirty to get laid."
Cao Xun smirked, "A general's got to focus on war, not women. But hey, I'm a newlywed now, aren't I?"
Yunzhu had gotten a taste of 'newlywed' last night.
The ice in the mirror had melted, leaving her flushed and flustered. "You still haven't put any ointment on that cut," she reminded him, her voice a mix of concern.
He cupped her face, silencing her with another heated kiss.
His eyes sparkled, a mischievous glint in them.
"You're already my wife," he said, his voice low and commanding. "No need to play games."
Yunzhu fell silent, her mind reeling from the intensity of their encounter.
âââTN:
Okay, fine. I'll admit it. My first translation of this novel was a fucking trainwreck. It was so bad, I wanted to claw my eyes out. But I'm a stubborn, and I'm gonna see this thing through to the end. So buckle up, buttercup, because this is gonna be one hell re-translating of a ride.