Long Er laughed heartily and left satisfied.
Hearing him close the door, Ju Mu'er breathed a sigh of relief; now she could finally go back to sleep without worry.
Making my husband happy is really not an easy task.
63 Heart-to-Heart Concern and Layout Arrangements
After eating breakfast, Long Er didn't rush out; he went to find Long San first.
Long San and his wife were having breakfast with their two children. Long Er called Long San out and said to him, "Go and write a letter to Nie Chengyan, inviting him and Xiaoxiao to come to our house as guests."
Long San was stunned: "Who are you going to treat?" Nie Chengyan is the city lord of Baiqiao City, a medical city. He and Long San are like brothers. His wife, Han Xiao, is a nationally renowned divine doctor. She and Feng Wu have also gone through tribulations together, so the two couples have a very good relationship.
Long Er and Nie Chengyan had some disagreements over the medicinal herb business, so he suddenly wanted Nie Chengyan to bring Han Xiao over. Long San immediately thought of someone who was seriously ill.
“No one is sick.” Long Er glanced at Feng Wu, who was peeking in through the door, and said, “I just wanted Xiao Xiao to take Mu’er’s pulse. Her hands and feet are very cold, and I don’t know if her body is suitable for pregnancy.”
"Got it?" Feng Wu, who was eavesdropping, spoke in a loud voice.
When both men looked at her at the same time, she shrank back, pretending she had never been there.
Long San understood what Long Er meant. If it were just about recuperating, he probably wouldn't be thinking about Han Xiao, who was thousands of miles away. It must be something more important but inconvenient to say. He pondered for a moment and said, "I need to think about how to say it. With A Yan's temper, it's not like I can just ask him to come and sit for a while and he'll be willing to come."
"He must still be holding a grudge against his second uncle," Feng Wu couldn't help but add her opinion from behind the door.
Long Er glared at the door with annoyance, then gestured towards it with his lips towards Long San. Long San understood; since he couldn't get Nie Chengyan to do anything, he would send Feng Wu to persuade Han Xiao. Given Nie Chengyan's doting attitude towards Han Xiao, he naturally wouldn't stop Han Xiao from coming if she wanted to.
Long San nodded in agreement. Although the two brothers didn't speak, Feng Wu, quick-witted as ever, suddenly poked her head out and called out, "Second Uncle, I can go directly to Xiao Xiao, why don't you beg me?"
Long Er simply turned and walked away, much to Feng Wu's anger, who stomped her feet in frustration.
Long Er walked quickly, and with Lao San helping him, he wasn't worried about Feng Wu causing trouble. Besides, although Feng Wu was mischievous, she was also sensible, and he knew she would definitely help him invite Han Xiao over.
Having settled this matter, Long Er boarded the carriage and headed to a neighboring town. In the countryside there lived a master craftsman who made ingenious hidden weapons.
Long Er ordered a wooden cane from him for ten taels of gold. It had to look like a typical blind person's cane, but be sturdy and unbreakable, and also conceal a dagger and a small dart within. The man was experienced; he understood after Long Er explained it only once. He immediately drew up a design and confirmed it with Long Er. Long Er was very satisfied, left the gold, and hurried back to the capital.
At noon, Long Er had lunch with the Minister of Rites and the Music Bureau. During the meal, it was confirmed that the Emperor had issued a decree to form a children's zither ensemble to exchange skills with the child zither players of the Western Min Kingdom. The Ministry of Rites and the Music Bureau were currently struggling with this matter.
Long Er was secretly pleased to hear this. He offered a few words of comfort and gave them some advice. Then, he took the opportunity to remind them to put Bao'er last when making arrangements.
The Minister of Rites and the people from the Music Bureau agreed.
Long Er knew this wasn't a sure thing, and he didn't expect to resolve the matter with just one meal. He said, "I know this is a tricky situation. Whether things go smoothly in the end depends on whether the musicians from Ximin Kingdom are sensible. The duel hasn't even started yet, so there's still room for maneuver. If things get tense and both sides are in a bad mood, it will inevitably make things look bad for each other. How about this, I'll host the dinner. The gentlemen can invite the representatives of the musicians from Ximin Kingdom and our country's musicians to come together. We can all get to know each other, improve our relationships, and save face. In the end, it will be easier to part amicably."
The music official turned to look at the Minister of Rites, thinking to himself, "This tense situation is all because of the Long family's child's public provocation. This Second Master Long is quite the smooth talker. He's clearly the one who's eager to resolve this, but he makes it sound like he's given the Ministry of Rites a huge advantage."
Minister Tian understood the complexities of the situation. The Ministry of Rites was caught in a dilemma; if they handled it poorly, they would bear heavy responsibility, not only incurring the Emperor's wrath but also likely holding a grudge against Lord Long, and the other officials would laugh at them. Therefore, whether Lord Long hosted the event or not, the Ministry had to accept the favor. Accepting it and failing to handle it properly was unacceptable, and refusing it and failing to handle it properly was also unacceptable.
Since neither option works, and if I don't accept the offer, I might get complaints like, "You didn't do what I said, and now it's really not working out." So I might as well just accept the favor.
After thinking it over, Minister Tian nodded and thanked him repeatedly.
Long Er was satisfied, so he set the date for the Green Lake boat tour three days later and asked the Ministry of Rites and the Music Bureau to prepare a list of those they wanted to invite so he could make arrangements.
After leaving the restaurant, Long Er went to the government office. Qiu Ruoming was looking through the case files of Ju Mu'er and Ding Yanshan's robbery. There were some things he couldn't figure out. When he saw Long Er arrive, he quickly invited him in.
As expected, Long Er came over and asked about the progress of the search for the robbers. Qiu Ruoming shook his head and said the same thing again—manpower has been dispatched to conduct a thorough search, and the city gates have been sealed off; they must not be allowed to escape again.
"They might not have escaped at all. True masters hide in plain sight; I wonder if you, sir, will be able to find any clues within the city?"
"Guard Li has already had a portrait drawn of the thieves impersonating constables, but after two days of searching, they haven't found anything." Qiu Ruoming also felt deeply ashamed of this matter, and his tone was anything but pleasant. He paused, then continued, "I've reviewed the poisoning issue that Master Long asked about yesterday. There have been thirteen cases of poisoning deaths in the capital over the past three years, but none of them are the same as the poison inflicted on those eight bandits. I reported this toxicity to the Imperial Medical Academy beforehand; perhaps we can make new discoveries once they determine what medicine was used." The person who poisoned them cannot be found for the time being; their only hope lies in the source of the poison.
Long Er hadn't expected him to solve the case today; he'd only come to give him a hard time and put some pressure on him. He nodded in response, then took his leave and returned home.
After another long and tiring day, with little progress to be made, Long Er closed his eyes wearily in the carriage. Suddenly, he felt extremely irritable, complaining that the carriage was moving too slowly. He wished he could open his eyes and see his Mu'er smiling at him.
He complained all the way, but finally made it back to the Dragon Mansion.
Back at the manor, Ju Mu'er was teaching Bao'er to play the zither in their courtyard. Bao'er's mother was holding Xiao Qiao'er beside her, eating melon seeds and praising Bao'er for playing well.
Long Er leaned against a big tree, watching the scene.
The scene was quite pleasing to the eye, with his Mu'er in it. Long Er automatically ignored the person cracking melon seeds over there, which was ruining the aesthetic. But what was so pleasant about that "tinkling" piano music? His sweet little Bao'er could play those few monotonous notes over and over again, and seemed quite happy about it.
Long Er was staring at them in a daze when he heard Feng Wu shout, "Second Uncle is back!"
Bao'er suddenly looked up and called out in a clear voice, "Second Uncle."
Feng Wu hadn't finished praising Bao'er just now, and now she said, "Bao'er, my good girl, your second uncle must have been mesmerized by your playing the zither."
Bao'er beamed with joy at the praise. Long Er, however, was troubled. Was Feng Wu really teaching the child this way?
What if Bao'er grows up and really thinks she's the most beautiful woman in the world, the most talented painter in the world, the smartest girl in the world, the most skilled musician in the world, the most... well-behaved.
Hmm, what should we do then?
Long Er was at a loss for words when faced with the mother and her two daughters, while Ju Mu'er kept smiling.
Before he could speak, she smiled in his direction, as if she knew where he was and what he was thinking. She beckoned to him and said softly, "My husband is back."
Long Er cleared his throat and gave a soft "hmm" in acknowledgment.
Ju Mu'er smiled and waved again. Long Er walked over and sat down beside her. Ju Mu'er asked, "Husband, are you tired?"
"It's alright." With outsiders present, Long Er responded somewhat seriously.
Ju Mu'er remained completely unaffected. She smiled and asked softly, "Is my husband thirsty? Shall I pour him some tea?"
Long Er glanced at Feng Wu and nodded in agreement.
Ju Mu'er, being very virtuous, quickly poured Long Er a cup of tea.
Feng Wu stared blankly to the side, and Long Er suddenly felt a glow on his face, all his fatigue vanishing. He gave Feng Wu a look that said, "You should learn from this and treat Lao San well," before happily taking a sip of tea.
Ju Mu'er smiled and asked again, "Are you bored, my husband?"
Long Er thought to himself that his wife was really considerate today, giving him a lot of face in front of outsiders. He pretended to be nonchalant and said, "We've been talking all day, and I'm a little bored."
Ju Mu'er's smile widened, becoming incredibly radiant: "Then Mu'er will play the zither for my husband to cheer him up!"
Long Er's smile almost froze on his face, but fortunately he remembered that Feng Wu, Bao'er, and little Qiao'er were all watching him, so he forced a smile and replied, "Okay."
Seeing that her second uncle wanted to hear her play the zither, Bao'er quickly volunteered, "Second Uncle, I can play too! I'd like to play for you."
Before Long Er could react, he heard Ju Mu'er laugh and say, "Great! Bao'er will play for Second Uncle. Second Uncle loves listening to the zither the most."
Before Long Er could say a word, Bao'er, the good little girl, had already started playing the jingling instrument.
Long Er stared at Bao'er, who was intently playing the piano with her head down, unable to bring herself to tell her to stop. But what was she playing? A few monotonous and simple notes, repeated over and over again.
Long Er's smile could no longer hold. He could understand why the musician from Ximin Kingdom felt Bao'er was provoking him. The music, coupled with her earnest and focused expression, even made him, a layman, think that the adorable Bao'er was doing it on purpose. Of course, Long Er knew in his heart that she was doing it innocently.
Long Er turned to look at Ju Mu'er, who was smiling happily, tilting her head slightly, looking quite pleased.
That's intentional!
It was really intentional!
That cunning woman, she's definitely getting revenge for him spanking her this morning. Who said Master Long was petty? He'd almost forgotten about it, but this woman still remembered and was finding a roundabout way to get back at him.
Why does he always manage to fall for the virus with such a broad mind?
Anyway, Bao'er's piano music doesn't require any brainpower to listen to, and besides, he doesn't have the capacity to appreciate piano music in his mind, so Long Er can openly and legitimately drift off into his own thoughts.
His mind wandered to staring intently at his Mu'er, staring intently and straining to see her.
Ju Mu'er, who was being stared at, didn't react much, but Feng Wu couldn't take it anymore. It seemed that her second uncle had bullied Mu'er terribly; it was truly outrageous.
Feng Wu got up and called Bao'er to leave. She decided that when she got back, she would have a good talk with Long San and ask him to join forces with her eldest uncle to teach her second uncle a lesson. How could he scare his wife like this? He acts like a king at home, expecting everyone to fawn over him, pour him tea, and play music for him. Doesn't he feel ashamed? He's even proud of it!
As Feng Wu walked to the courtyard gate, she couldn't help but turn around sharply and say, "Mu'er, if anyone bullies you, don't be afraid. Tell me, and I will definitely protect you."
Ju Mu'er smiled and nodded in agreement. Long Er was inexplicably glared at by Feng Wu, which made him furious.
After everyone had left, Long Er snorted three times. Ju Mu'er hurriedly asked, "Husband, is your throat sore? Or did you catch a cold? Should I tell the kitchen to make you some ginger soup?"
"You've got some nerve!" Long Er stood up aggressively, put his hands behind his back, and said, "Come back to my room with me."
64 Fei Simou's Step-by-Step Strategy
Ju Mu'er followed her master back to her room.
Upon entering the room, he heard Long Er sit down and quickly went over to give him a shoulder massage: "Second Master, are you tired? Let me massage your shoulders."
Long Er feigned annoyance and snorted, saying, "You're always so annoying. You're always finding new ways to torment me."
Ju Mu'er smiled and massaged her shoulders earnestly, neither denying nor defending herself.
Long Er was speechless again. She wasn't responding, and he couldn't keep up the act; it was too boring.
As he thought about it, Long Er became resentful again. What was the point of marrying her? It was to let her know that he was better than her, not only better, but also smarter, so that she would be convinced.
But how come she always manages to make him angry?
Long Er grabbed Ju Mu'er, twisted her in front of him, turned her over and placed her on his lap, then slapped her buttocks a few more times.
"Why are you hitting someone again?"
Ju Mu'er jumped up and screamed, then quickly flew far away from him.
"You didn't massage my shoulders properly, so I'll give you a little punishment," Long Er replied slowly.
Seeing her face scrunched up like a bun, her hands rubbing her bottom, looking like a wronged little wife, he couldn't help but grin silently.
Look, the old man has quite a few tricks for disciplining his wife.
Ju Mu'er pouted and said aggrievedly, "Fengfeng said that if anyone bullies me, I can go to her."
Long Er said, "Punish him by confinement."
"Bao'er also said that she would bring me delicious food."
"A fast is imposed as punishment."
Ju Mu'er turned around, went into the inner room, felt her way to the bed, took off her shoes, and went upstairs.
Long Er followed her, asking curiously, "What are you doing?"
"I'm under house arrest and not allowed to eat, so all I can do is sleep. Second Master, don't worry about me, I'll take care of myself."
Long Er poked him with one finger: "You're causing trouble again!"
"Does Second Master intend to punish me by forbidding me from sleeping?"
"..." He poked at it again with his finger.
Ju Mu'er covered her forehead and asked seriously, "Second Master doesn't like this quiet way of handling things? You prefer a more dramatic approach? I can handle that too. Does Second Master want to see someone crying, rolling around, or hanging?"