The Young Lady of the General’s House

After a few more words Chen Cefei excused herself so only Rui Wang and Rui Wangfei left in the room. Rui Wang sent everyone out then told Rui Wangfei what the Emperor said today.

“What do you think Imperial Brother meant?”

“Doesn’t matter what Imperial Brother meant, just do as you are told.” Rui Wangfei softly said, “On my return letter to Jin Girl, I will ask about border town and Count Yongning. Wangye doesn’t need to step in this matter.”

“Wangfei said is true.” Rui Wang spoke, “But this Jin Girl is too much, how can she asks people for things.”

Rui Wangfei hadn’t read Shen Jin’s letters to Shen Qi and the other girls, so she didn’t understand at once.

Rui Wang told her the outline of the letters. Who knew Rui Wangfei’s eyes suddenly turned red and she silently cried.

Rui Wang was surprised, “Wangfei, what’s wrong?”

“Wangye is too prejudiced. They are all sisters, asking for things means the sisters are close to each other. Who else to ask if not her own sisters, or should she ask outsiders? I don’t know about Second Girl, but Qi’er will certainly be happy that she asked.”

Rui Wangfei wiped the tears on the corner of her eyes, “Moreover Wangye only focused on Jin Girl asking for stuff, but look at what she asked. If not because border town is cold and hard, how is it that all are all long-lasting foodstuff?”

Rui Wang heard her words, he felt some guilt, “It’s my fault.”

“Wangye, when the border town was under siege, Jin Girl’s letters were full of blood and tears, but this current letter ….. Do you see her complain or cry at all?” Rui Wangfei spoke,

“Not to say others, just our Second Girl had came back crying because her Fujun took a little concubine, making trouble for Wangye to interfere.”

“When Jin Girl was here, she loved light-tasting dishes and was very picky, she’d rather starve than eating inferior meals, but now she asks for these kind of things….. “

As if she couldn’t continued speaking, Rui Wangfei leant on the table and cried in low voice.

Rui Wang’s heart was a bit sour remembering the critical situation at the border town. With the town under siege for so long, Shen Jin must had suffered a lot but she didn’t say a word of it, she had even put a lot of efforts to prepare gifts for them.

For a moment his heart was full of gentle feelings, he then thought about Shen Zi who was too troublesome as under Xu Cefei’s begging he had to knock a bit of sense into Second Son-in-Law’s brain but then his heart hardened again.

“Don’t cry, just prepare more things for Jin Girl. The Palace just rewarded a lot of brocade, send more. Jin Girl is alone in the border town, afraid she has noone with her.”

Rui Wangfei knew she shouldn’t push it too far so she stopped crying. She had people bring water to reapply her makeup, but after just putting on face cream she said again,

“Just now I was too…… I was thinking of Jin Girl there. She doesn’t have enough to eat, doesn’t have enough to wear. My heart felt twisted, I wish I could suffer instead of her.”

“I know you.” Rui Wang comforted her.

Rui Wangfei said, “I think it is really difficult there. Why don’t we prepare more medicine for Jin Girl, and also some more money. She has noone close to her, so let’s give her more.”

“Alright.” At this point Rui Wang could say yes to anything.

Rui Wangfei also slowly said, “Wangye, didn’t you say before that you would love a precious dagger? Never imagined Jin Girl remembers this. I also read the dagger she was sending was a Barbarian chief’s ritual dagger. Jin Girl didn’t send the best dagger to His Majesty, she give it to Wangye insteas….. Hope His Majesty doesn’t blame us.”

Rui Wang laughed instead, “Don’t worry, Imperial Brother isn’t that small-minded.”

Rui Wangfei’s eyes flashed but she didn’t say anything, she just laughed warmly.

After Rui Wang left, Cui Xi entered to change the red date tea to the warm one, Rui Wangfei had a few sips and put down her cup. She led Cui Xi into inner rooms, “Bring my sandalwood box here.”

Cui Xi responded, she went to get the box. Rui Wangfei opened it, the box was full of banknotes. With her eyes slightly lowered, she said, “When the time comes, hide this box inside the rice and deliver to Jin Girl.”

“Wangfei….. ” Cui Xi shocked, she looked at Rui Wangfei. This was Rui Wangfei’s whole savings, there was 500,000 liangs.

Rui Wangfei didn’t speak, noone not even Rui Wang, was more familiar with the mansion’s financials than herself. It was only Rui Wang the idiot who thought Emperor Cheng was generous and magnanimous.

Moreover, the money was not for Shen Jin at all. Thinking about her own eldest son, Rui Wangfei closed her eyes and said, “Just do as I say.”

“Yes.” Cui Xi didn’t speak anymore.

When helping Rui Wangfei with the gift list, Cui Xi said, “Xu Cefei may make trouble again.”

Rui Wangfei lightly laughed, “This Jin Girl.” Shen Jin sent gifts to Rui Wang, Rui Wangfei and Chen Cefei only, in Rui Wangfei’s gifts there were also a lot of things for her three children. Love and hate was blatantly on display here, she didn’t give an inch to Xu Cefei.

Rui Wangfei didn’t think Shen Jin was stingy at all, moreover she was even more relieved otherwise she wouldn’t use Shen Jin’s name to deliver the money. “But this is troubling the girls too, send the letters to Qi’er and the girls with copies of this gift list, she will understand.”

The Shen Jin who in Rui Wangfei’s mind was suffering, and who loved light-tasting food, at this moment was diligently eating hotpot.

Slices of fresh lamb directly dipped into the pot to cook was extraordinarily tasty even without any condiment. On her side was the special chilli prepared in the mansion.

Chu Xiuyuan who had been outside for some time was now a bit darker, he lowered the meat on his chopstick into the soup, took it out after cooked to eat, he was wolfing food out of hunger.

Chu Xiuming was still elegant in posture, but his chopsticks moved like daggers, fast and accurate. He picked meatballs out very quickly as soon as cooked.

Shen Jin’s eating face was very red, her nose was drenched with sweat. Not just the lamb meat, the tofu here were tender and smooth, with a slight dip in chilli, they were delicious like hell.

The next to get in the pot was the chewy and tasty noodles. After the meal, Shen Jin sat on the chair holding a cup of hawthorn tea with both hands. “The food here is the best.”

“Aren’t there many good food in the Capital?” Chu Xiuyuan had eaten until his belly was as round as a ball.

Shen Jin sighed, “That’s right, but I didn’t get to eat. The meals were made according to a list, in the end I ate the same things over and over again. I had to spend money if I wanted to eat something new. Not like here, anything I want, I can just say.”

She felt this was how being a master should had been, and it couldn’t had been better!

“Poor you.” Chu Xiuyuan sighed, “Sister-in-Law just ask the kitchen. If they don’t have it, just tell Brother, he will get it for you.”

Shen Jin immediately looked at Chu Xiuming with eyes full of expectation, “I heard Eldest Sister said they had roasted venison in the Palace, venison slices on charcoal fire, with osmanthus wine to drink…. “

“Wait for winter.” Chu Xiuming spoke.

Shen Jin was satisfied, she laughed, “Fujun you are really good.”

“You stay in the mansion and behave yourself.” Chu Xiuming said.

Shen Jin nodded, “Okay.”

Tomorrow the brothers were going away for a period of time. Chu Xiuyuan saw Brother and Sister-in-Law had things to talk about, he stood up, “I’ll go back first.”

Chu Xiuming nodded, Chu Xiuyuan left after saying bye to Shen Jin. Chu Xiuming stood up, “Go out for a walk.”

“Alright.” Shen Jin stood up, looking at Chu Xiuming’s hand then put her own on his. Chu Xiuming took her outside, Zhao Momo and An Ping didn’t go with them.

“I’ll leave Tiny Bit with you.” Chu Xiuming spoke.

Shen Jin obediently said, “En. I can play with Tiny Bit and the rabbits everyday. Fujun don’t worry, I won’t wander off.”

Chu Xiuming nodded, “The craftsmen will be here, you don’t need to come near. I also told them not to go around your courtyard.”

“En.” Shen Jin responded. She didn’t ask when her courtyard’s turn would be, they must be taking the chance to do Chu Xiuming’s courtyard first while the brothers were away.

Chu Xiuming left the next day before the sun rose. By the time Shen Jin woke up they had gone far, after breakfast she went to see Tiny Bit and the rabbits.

Shen Jin asked, “Momo, do you think Fujun and the others are in danger?”

“They won’t.” Zhao Momo laughed comforting her, “Madam don’t worry.”

Shen Jin nodded, her eyes rolled, “Then did Fujun leave any instruction?”

“Madam, what do you mean?” Zhao Momo looked puzzled.

Shen Jin laughed, “Like, I shouldn’t go out of the mansion?”

Zhao Momo laughed, “Nothing. The General said everyone in the Mansion was to listen to you.”

Shen Jin was satisfied, she didn’t ask more. The first day after Chu Xiuming left, she dutifully stayed in the Mansion playing with Tiny Bit and the rabbits. After her nap she asked Zhao Momo for Chu Xiuming’s and Chu Xiuyuan’s sizes, then selected some materials to make clothes for them.

The second day was the same as the first.

The third day, Shen Jin got up early, after changing clothes she took An Ping outside. Many people outside recognised her, they greeted her and An Ping, some gave them homecooked food.

With Chu Xiuming and Chu Xiuyuan not around, Shen Jin’s position was the highest, she had already forgotten her promise to Chu Xiuming, she took An Ping out everyday.

These days Zhao Momo was busy at something, after giving An Ping some advice, she didn’t mind them anymore.

Actually Shen Jin felt recently Mansion people had become strange, everyday they were busy with something, but noone told her. She didn’t ask either, and she wasn’t worried because their expression was happy and cheerful.

What made her happiest was, she had grown a lot. She knew because a few days ago Zhao Momo took her measurements. Momo also had Shen Jin try the old clothing from when she had just arrived from the Capital, the skirts were now too short.

Not only the height, the tops that used to be fit were now too tight, good that all her undergarments were made here. The Capital clothings were put away not long after she arrived, while border town styles were more loose so she was not aware until now.

This time not many people knew that Chu Xiuming and Chu Xiuyuan were away. When she had played to her heart’s content and remembered Chu Xiuming again, they had been gone for almost a month already.

Where they had gone to, what they were doing, most people were unaware. In the Mansion probably only the Steward and Zhao Momo knew.