Widows in the Song Dynasty were easy to marry

Chapter 4

The best woman is a housewife at home, a noblewoman in public, and a vixen in bed. She first heard this saying from Mr. Qian Zhongshu, probably joking with a friend, and since then it has been considered a classic. She never imagined that her mother, born thousands of years before Mr. Qian in the Song Dynasty, would also deeply understand this principle. Seeing Qin Shi smiling at her, she suddenly remembered that the person she was referring to was Xu Jinrong, and her face flushed red. She didn't want to talk about it anymore and was about to change the subject when there was a knock at the door.

Madam Qin responded and saw her head maid, Fu'er, carrying a tin box and smiling as she pushed open the door. She carefully placed the box on the rosewood table and said with a smile, "Madam, take a good look. This is a homecoming gift specially presented by the new son-in-law to his mother-in-law."

Madam Qin got up with a smile, went over and opened the box to examine it carefully. Danmei knew that Xu Jinrong had given her father a strange stone, but she didn't know what he had given Madam Qin, so she also went over to take a look. She saw a large, dark object in the red velvet box, which looked like a clod of earth.

Since Xu Jinrong had given gifts to the Lady of the Imperial Academy, he probably wasn't really a bumpkin. Danmei, however, disliked the man intensely and was prejudiced against his belongings. She snorted and said, "He even gave away a dark, gritty bumpkin. How could he do that?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Qin smiled and shook her head, saying, "Although I had someone teach you calligraphy, painting, and embroidery at home before, I never taught you this, so it's no wonder you don't recognize it. This thing looks black, but it's a rare and precious thing. Smell it and see what it smells like."

Even without Qin's prompting, as soon as the lid of the box was opened, Danmei quickly smelled a refreshing and unique fragrance, realizing it must be a spice. Among the spices she knew, the best were ambergris or agarwood, but those only released their fragrance after being burned. She had never seen anything like this that emitted a natural fragrance before.

Seeing that she didn't recognize its value, Qin smiled and instructed, "Although this is agarwood, it's the finest of agarwood, called Canaan, also known as Qilan. There are two types: 'Sugar Knot' and 'Golden Thread.' Sugar Knot is the most precious. It looks jet black and is as hard as jade. When you cut it open, you can see that it contains oily substances like maltose. Golden Thread is slightly inferior, but it's still rare. This incense must never be burned, as it will have a strong, unpleasant smell. Larger pieces can be placed directly on a plate, and the whole room will be filled with fragrance. Smaller pieces can be made into fan pendants or prayer beads, which are also excellent. I've only ever seen a piece of Sugar Knot Canaan of this size before, when I went to the palace to congratulate the Empress Dowager on her birthday."

Seeing that this unremarkable, dark lump of something had such a remarkable origin, Danmei smiled and replied, "Since it's such a rare thing, and it was a gift for you, Mother, you can take it and use it."

Qin glanced at her, and seeing that she still didn't seem to care much, she couldn't help but say again, "Since he gave me this, he must have something like this at home. I should teach you how to store it as soon as possible, so that you won't be laughed at later if you don't know. Such a rare fragrance must be stored in a tin box. The box should be divided into two compartments. Put honey in the lower compartment and the fragrance in the upper compartment. Drill several holes the size of longans in the middle partition so that the aroma of honey can flow upwards, and the fragrance will last longer. Other kinds of ambergris and agarwood are also stored in this way. Remember that."

Danmei found this novel and interesting when she first heard it. Seeing Qin Shi's earnest instruction, she obediently agreed. Qin Shi was satisfied and closed the box. Fu'er chimed in, "Besides the old lady and the prime minister, even the east courtyard has prepared gifts. The son-in-law is truly thoughtful."

In the east courtyard lived Danmei's elder brother, Wen Ruibo, and his sister-in-law, Liu. Qin Shi became interested and asked what it was, but Fu'er shook her head, saying she didn't know. This made Qin Shi laugh incessantly, scolding her for repeating what she'd heard without even asking.

At noon, Minister Wen and Danmei's elder brother hosted a banquet for Xu Jinrong, accompanied by court officials who were on good terms with Minister Wen. Although Danmei had only been married for two days, she was now considered part of the Xu family, so Madam Qin hosted her at a separate table, with Madam Liu in attendance. During the banquet, Madam Liu mentioned that her new son-in-law had given her husband a palm-sized Shoushan hibiscus jade seal, while she herself had received a complete set of jewelry. She spoke with smiles and seemed quite satisfied. Danmei secretly pondered that Xu Jinrong's return gift today seemed to have touched the hearts of everyone in her household; from now on, no one in the entire household would dislike him. Feeling somewhat depressed, she even found the vegetarian soup she usually loved to eat tasteless.

After a short rest following the banquet, it was time to leave. Danmei was extremely reluctant to part. Qin and Liu escorted her to the screen wall at the main gate. Listening to Qin's rambling words about a loving and harmonious relationship with her son-in-law and wishing her a grandson soon, Danmei couldn't help but tear up again. Qin hurriedly wiped her eyes to comfort her. Danmei sniffed, knelt before her, and kowtowed before being reluctantly helped into the carriage.

Danmei sat in the carriage until they reached the gate of the Xu residence before she calmed herself down. Seeing the carriage had come to a stop, she pushed open the door and stepped out, only to be stunned. The person waiting beside the carriage to help her down was not Miaochun or the others, but Xu Jinrong.

Danmei hesitated for a moment when she saw his large hand outstretched in front of her, but finally placed her hand on it.

Xu Jinrong grabbed her hand and practically lifted her off the carriage. Once she was on her feet, she suddenly heard him whisper in her ear, "Is this place really a den of dragons and tigers? Look at you, you went in crying this morning, and you cried again after being brought out."

Chapter Ten

Danmei was taken aback. When she looked up slightly, she saw his slightly tense, bluish chin in front of her. Above that, his dark eyes were looking down at her, seemingly teasing, yet also probing.

She was no longer a child, but after suffering some setbacks with her new husband, she acted like a teenage girl the moment she saw her mother at her parents' home, constantly getting teary-eyed and tearful. On her way back, Danmei had been regretting her earlier affectation. She was becoming more and more childish; it wasn't like she was truly in dire straits, and this only caused Qin Shi unnecessary worry. So, when he suddenly touched on her secret, she felt a pang of embarrassment and even her face flushed slightly. But she wasn't truly a sixteen-year-old maiden; she quickly composed herself, knowing that further entanglement with him would be futile. She simply pretended not to hear, gently withdrawing her hand from his grasp, lowering her head slightly, lifting her skirt, and heading towards the gate.

Xu Jinrong saw that she had just looked up at him, her cheeks flushed slightly, clearly embarrassed and annoyed. He had only said those words on the way back when a scene he had witnessed that morning suddenly flashed through his mind. For some reason, he felt a pang of unease, which was why he had gone to help her down from the carriage, and the words had slipped out casually. He had expected her to respond, either denying it outright or explaining herself, but instead, she quickly lowered her head and withdrew her hand as if nothing had happened, completely forgetting about him. For a moment, he was bewildered and stood there, stunned.

Several maids and servants who had followed her out earlier and were now dismounting from the carriage were unaware of what was happening. Seeing that their mistress had already gone inside, while their master remained standing there staring at her back, they naturally dared not go in first since he was not moving. They could only stand there dumbfounded, watching. Xu Jinrong sensed something was amiss, rubbed his hands together, lifted his robe, and followed her inside.

Danmei returned to her courtyard, and before she even entered the house, Miaoxia, who had stayed behind and hadn't gone with her, came to greet her, looking somewhat flustered. Danmei knew that Miaoxia couldn't keep a secret, so she stopped to look at her. Miaoxia then blurted out, "Madam, just now Sister Xiqing came to tell me that the Old Madam wants you to go to her place after you return. I asked her what it was about, but she wouldn't tell me."

This was quite an unexpected turn of events. Xu Jinrong's mother had always refused her visits and greetings, so why was she being summoned again so soon after Xu Jinrong returned from her parents' home?

Danmei thought for a moment, but couldn't figure out why the old lady wanted to see her at this time. So she went into the house, removed her gold and jade hairpins, changed into ordinary clothes, and then went to the north room. The door was already open, and a maid was waiting at the door. When she saw her coming, she greeted her and led her inside.

Before Danmei even entered the main room, she heard the old woman's voice coming from inside, sounding like she was scolding someone. She hurriedly went in and found the place in complete disarray. Two uncovered camphor wood chests lay on the floor, filled with odds and ends of clothing, suggesting that someone was about to move. The one being scolded was a little girl of eleven or twelve years old, and in front of her was a pile of broken teapot shards.

Danmei greeted the old lady, but she ignored her and continued to scold the young maid, saying, "You skinny little thing, you're such a wimp. You can't even hold a teapot properly. No matter how many bowls and cups we have, they can't withstand you breaking one today and another tomorrow. I don't dare to keep you here anymore. There are plenty of people in this house who are just as thin and bony as you. You can just pick any spot you want."

Although she was scolding, the little girl didn't seem very scared, only constantly shrinking back and stealing glances at Xiqing beside her. After the old lady finished scolding, Xiqing helped her sit down in a chair, then said with a grin, "Madam, you're all bark and no bite. It's just a big teapot that's been used for seven or eight years, so what if it's broken? May you have peace year after year. Your husband is so filial; he'll give you mountains of gold and silver if you want. If word gets out that his mother is heartbroken just because a little girl broke a teapot, who knows what people will say behind her back."

As Xiqing spoke, he winked at the little girl, who stuck out her tongue, bent down to pick up the broken porcelain shards, and scurried away.

Xiqing had already seen Danmei. Seeing the old lady sitting there silently, she came over and greeted her. She had her back to the old lady, and after greeting her, she winked slightly at Danmei, leaned closer, and whispered "Don't worry," before stepping back to the side. Danmei was startled. The old lady then began to mutter to herself, "My first daughter-in-law was the most filial to me, serving me day and night. It's just a pity she died young, passing away after giving birth to a daughter. I wasn't fortunate enough to enjoy the blessings of having a daughter-in-law. I've waited so many years, and finally, a new daughter-in-law has arrived. I wonder if this one will be as filial as the first one."

Danmei stood there, listening to the old lady's seemingly nonsensical words, and was somewhat confused, so she remained silent, just listening attentively. Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, she saw the old lady look up at her and say, "Daughter-in-law, I feel stuffy living here, and I'm going back to the garden in the north suburbs early tomorrow morning. You come with me, so that I can enjoy the blessing of being cared for by my daughter-in-law."

On her way here, Danmei never imagined that the old lady had summoned her with such a plan. Everyone probably assumed she would be extremely unwilling if she knew, which was why Xiqing had given her that look and reassured her. Little did they know that Danmei herself didn't see it that way and was about to agree when she suddenly felt something was amiss. Just as she hesitated, a voice sounded behind her: "This is inappropriate. I urge Mother to reconsider."

Danmei turned around and saw that it was Xu Jinrong. He was still dressed in the same clothes as before, as if he had rushed over after receiving the news.

The maids and servants in the room, seeing his sudden appearance, hurriedly went to greet him, but he dismissed them all. Xiqing passed by Danmei and smiled slightly at her. Danmei then realized that Xiqing's earlier reassurance seemed to indicate she knew Xu Jinrong would come to stop them. Could it be that she secretly sent someone to inform him?

When the old lady saw her son approaching, her first words were to stop him. Her face immediately darkened, and she huffed, "You brat! Now that you're all grown up, you think you can disregard your old mother? You think she's some rich girl from the Prime Minister's mansion and can't serve a country bumpkin like me? Even if I'm an old monster, I won't swallow your delicate wife whole. It's just asking her to stay with me for two days, and you can't stand it and want to disobey me? Fine, fine, I know now that sons grow up and don't listen to their mothers anymore. I raised you from infancy, and now you only care about your new wife and don't care about your old mother at all! Since you dislike me so much, I'm not staying in your shabby garden anymore. I'm packing my things and going back to my old home in Qingmen, so I won't be an eyesore to you and bother people!" As she spoke, she straightened her neck and called for Xiqing outside to come in and pack her things to leave.

Danmei kept her head down, her face tense, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Xu Jinrong being scolded by his mother and unable to speak. She felt a great sense of satisfaction and wished that she would scold him a few more times.

Seeing his mother stand up as if to leave, Xu Jinrong, though knowing she was just putting on an act, rushed over, grabbed her, and knelt down, saying, "Mother, please calm down. It's not that I'm reluctant to part with my wife, but she's only been in our household for two days. If she were to move to the outer quarters with you right away, people might gossip. It's only natural for you to expect your daughter-in-law to be filial. Why not let her stay here with me? That way, it will be more convenient for us to take care of you morning and night. It's the best of both worlds. If you really feel uncomfortable after a while, then we can let her go with you. That will make sense."

His words made sense, but the old lady had already made up her mind after much deliberation. She was determined to get rid of this "white tiger" daughter-in-law who was said to bring bad luck to her husband before she would feel at ease. She had finally made it back from her parents' home, but she wouldn't listen to anything else. She pushed away her son's hand that was grabbing her sleeve and said angrily, "If you don't let her come to the garden to serve me today, I'll go back to my old home in Qingmen right now and die there. I don't need you, this unfilial son who has forgotten his mother after getting married, to come and see me!"

While Xu Jinrong was still hesitating, Danmei spoke up: "Mother, please don't be angry. It is my good fortune to be served by you, Mother. How could I refuse? I will go back and pack my things now. If it is still early, it would be good to go to the garden with you today."

The mother and son had been so engrossed in their conversation that she hadn't had a chance to speak. Now that she'd finally managed to get a word in, she breathed a sigh of relief.

As soon as she said those words, not only the old lady, but also Xu Jinrong showed surprise on their faces, and both of them turned to look at her.

Danmei breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face, with the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. Suddenly, she met Xu Jinrong's gaze, and was startled. She immediately stopped smiling and turned to look at his mother with a sincere expression.

The old lady's face, which had been half-drooping from her son's retort, finally softened slightly. She glanced at her silent son with a hint of smugness, thinking to herself that those from the Prime Minister's mansion certainly knew how to read the room. Since she was determined to separate the two of them, she naturally couldn't wait to leave. Just as she was about to agree to leave today, Xu Jinrong glanced at Danmei and said, "Since she herself said so, Mother, as you just said, it wouldn't be too late to go to the garden tomorrow. Why rush like this?"

Although the old lady was somewhat reluctant, she could hear the force in her son's words, so she had no choice but to agree. On second thought, she realized that if she stayed just one more night, her new bride would go to live in the garden with her tomorrow, and the "White Tiger" aura would no longer bother her. So she became somewhat happy and sat back down in her chair with a smile on her face.

Xu Jinrong bid farewell to his mother, then glanced at Danmei, who was standing to the side with her head bowed. Unable to see her expression, he frowned slightly and left on his own. After he had disappeared from sight, Danmei looked up at the old lady and said, "If Mother has nothing else to say, I'll go pack my things now."

When the old lady saw that her son had tried to stop her but she had taken the initiative to comply with her wishes, her disgust had lessened somewhat. She nodded and then left the house.

The maids and servants waiting outside had heard everything the old lady had been saying inside. When Danmei came out, she quickly bowed, but her eyes held a strange look, and even Xiqing looked at her with confusion. Danmei was probably thinking that she had kindly sent someone to inform Xu Jinrong, and his tone had been one of disapproval of the old lady's idea. If he didn't give in, it would end up like the previous marriage—unresolved. She just couldn't understand why this new bride had gone against the master's good intentions and agreed herself. A bride who had only been married for two days had left her husband in the main house to serve her mother-in-law. Regardless of the truth, if outsiders praised her filial piety, it would be extremely shameful.

Danmei understood Xiqing's thoughts, but being away from Xu Jinrong and no longer having to spend every day with him might not be a bad thing in her eyes. Besides, most of the flower farmers lived near Donghua Gate in the north of the city, in addition to the flower market. Since she secretly intended to return to her old profession, it wasn't realistic to start a nursery under Xu Jinrong's nose; living in the northern suburbs would be more convenient. As for her parents, since he had the intention of currying favor with them, and this whole thing was started by his own mother, she was just going along with it. With his usual meticulousness, he should be able to find a way to smooth things over and prevent gossip. Having made up her mind, she smiled slightly at Xiqing, then took Miaochun and Miaoxia back to her room and told them to hurry up and pack their things.

Miao Chun seemed somewhat puzzled, or perhaps unwilling. She probably felt that leaving the main house meant being further away from her own desires. Miao Xia, on the other hand, was guileless. Although she also found the young lady from her own household behaving strangely, she didn't think much of it and happily followed the instructions, tidying up with the other maids.

Miao Chun was always efficient, and before dark, she had already directed everyone to finish packing. Although she had simplified things according to Danmei's wishes, there were still five or six boxes of various sizes. She asked Danmei to come and inspect them. Danmei never paid much attention to these things and simply glanced at them before saying it was fine. It was already dinnertime, and Xu Jinrong hadn't sent anyone to say he was eating there, so he assumed he had gone out or to the west courtyard. Just as he was about to go and call Hui Jie from the east wing to eat together, he saw her already standing outside his door, peeking in with a hint of envy in her eyes.

Danmei took her hand and led her to the dining room. Huijie ate a few mouthfuls of rice, then stared blankly at Danmei without moving. The wet nurse was about to say something to her, but Danmei stopped her and smiled at Huijie, "Is something on your mind? Why aren't you eating?"

Hui-jie bit her lip, but remained silent. The wet nurse beside her then interjected, "Madam, you don't know this. The young lady knew that Madam was going to live alone in the North Gate Garden with the Old Madam tomorrow, and she even thought of going with her. I persuaded her not to. Madam is going to take care of the Old Madam; it's not appropriate for her to go with her."

Hearing her wet nurse's words, Huijie lowered her head. Danmei's heart stirred, and she was about to speak when she suddenly heard footsteps outside. The servants standing at the door all called out, "Master," knowing that Xu Jinrong had arrived. She sighed inwardly and had no choice but to stand up to greet him.

Xu Jinrong entered, his eyes sweeping over the dishes on the table. He frowned and said, "Is my family so poor that you have to eat such shabby food?"

The dishes on the table were only slightly less than when Danmei first ate there; there were a few less candied fruits that weren't appetizing and some side dishes to encourage drinking. The maidservant in charge of the dishes overheard this and was startled. She said tremblingly, "Reporting to you, sir, it's...it's Madam who said there were too many dishes to finish. If you're not eating here, please order fewer dishes..."

Before Xu Jinrong could speak, Danmei interrupted the maidservant and looked at him, saying, "Why did you come here so suddenly, sir? Since I didn't send anyone to say I was coming back for dinner, I didn't prepare anything. If you think it's not enough, I'll have them make some more."

Xu Jinrong stared at her for a long time before saying indifferently, "If I hadn't informed you in advance, would you be saying you can't come for dinner?" As he spoke, he sat down on his own, and a maidservant handed him water to wash his hands and set out bowls and chopsticks.

After Huijie timidly called him "Father" when he came over, her head drooped even lower and her face was no longer visible. Even Danmei felt sorry for her and simply asked the wet nurse to take her away. Only then did she sit back in her original seat and eat with him.

Xu Jinrong ate very quickly, finishing two large bowls of rice in no time. He pushed aside his chopsticks and saw that there was still a little less than half a bowl of rice left in front of Danmei. He frowned and said, "Didn't I tell you to eat more rice? Why are you ignoring my words?"

"Fatten up the pig so you can slaughter it?" Danmei thought to herself, but dared not show it on her face. She thought to herself, "At least I survived tonight; tomorrow will be my liberation. I absolutely cannot offend him now, or I'll be in trouble if he changes his mind again." Seeing that he was still looking at her with some dissatisfaction after he finished speaking, she quickly scooped a few spoonfuls of soup into her bowl and ate it, then smiled at him and said, "I'm full."

Chapter Eleven

Xu Jinrong grunted, stood up, and walked out first. Danmei followed. After taking a couple of steps, he suddenly turned back, looked at Danmei, and said, "I have something to attend to. I'll stay in your room tonight. I have something to do." Without waiting for Danmei's reply, he left with his hands behind his back. Just as he reached the door, a maid who seemed to be Zhao Zonglian's maidservant hurried over from the west courtyard. She secretly glanced at Danmei, bowed her head, and whispered, "Sir, Aunt Zhao's headache just returned, and this time it's worse than usual. Her face is deathly pale, and she keeps calling for you, sir..."

Xu Jinrong stopped and looked back at Danmei. Seeing that her head was slightly lowered and she seemed not to have heard him, he hesitated for a moment and then turned and headed towards the west courtyard.

Danmei let out a sigh of relief and returned to her room, where the lamps were already lit. Passing by, she noticed the light was still on in Hui-jie's east wing. Remembering that Hui-jie hadn't eaten much, and fearing she might get hungry as the night went by, she turned to check on her. Inside, she found Hui-jie lying motionless on the couch, her wet nurse beside her holding a bowl of wild duck porridge, pleading with her to eat a few more bites. Seeing Danmei approach, Hui-jie hurriedly got up from the couch to greet her, but was stopped, only to be stopped with a smile: "Hui-jie, why are you so angry that you won't even eat? Mother Zhou is only doing this for your own good."

The wet nurse standing nearby was hearing the new mistress praise her for the first time, and she said with some emotion, "It is only because you know that I am wholeheartedly good to the young lady. When the previous mistress passed away, although it was said that Aunt Zhou was in charge of taking care of her, haven't I been taking care of her all these years? Although there are many people in this house, I'm not bragging, but I am the only one who has truly been good to the young lady from the bottom of my heart."

She should have kept quiet, for speaking of it had brought tears to Hui-jie's eyes. Danmei, unable to bear it, pulled Hui-jie into her arms before smiling at the wet nurse and saying, "Hui-jie will naturally remember and repay Zhou-mother's kindness in the future."

Feeling pleased with herself, the wet nurse scooped up another spoonful of porridge, blew on it a few times, and tried to bring it to Hui-jie's lips, but Hui-jie dodged it. Dan-mei took the spoonful and told her to go and rest, then poured the porridge—which might have been sipped—into a bowl, scooped a spoonful for Hui-jie herself, and told her to eat. This time, Hui-jie obediently opened her mouth. After finishing the bowl of porridge, seeing Dan-mei about to call someone in to help her wash up and rest, Hui-jie suddenly tugged at her sleeve and whispered shyly, "I want to go to that garden too..."

Danmei knew that Huijie probably felt that following her meant she wouldn't be forced to teach all day long, which was why she was so eager to go. She was willing to take her along. However, she had only been there a couple of days, and since Xu Jinrong had asked her to tutor Huijie, it wouldn't matter if she slightly eased her studies. But taking her away from the main house to the garden would seem like excessive interference. Just as she hesitated, Huijie released her sleeve and lowered her head, saying, "My father will definitely not agree. Mother, please pretend I didn't say anything..."

Danmei smiled, patted her hand lightly, and let the servants outside come in. She told her to rest early before returning to her room.

Xu Jinrong had just said he wanted to stay at her place tonight, but then he was called away by General Manager Zhao, so it's unclear whether he'll actually come or not. If he doesn't come, that's for the best; if he does, then it's up to him. Anyway, things will be peaceful for a while after tonight. She remembered he mentioned having something to discuss; she'd like to hear what he had to say. If there's a chance, she'll bring up Sister Hui's matter and see what he thinks. The reason she didn't agree in front of Sister Hui earlier was because she was afraid she'd get hopeful, and if things didn't turn out well, it would be better if she didn't know.

After washing up and changing into her sleeping clothes, Danmei sat under the lamp and stared blankly for a while. She glanced at the book on the table that she had read last night while waiting for the doctor to come, picked it up and flipped through it to pass the time. She glanced at the cover and saw that it was "Liu Binke's Anecdotes".

Almost two years had passed since she arrived, and she had gradually grown accustomed to reading classical Chinese books in vertical format. The one he had seen before, with its thin, carved bamboo scroll page adorned with small begonia patterns, was a small story. It was said that during the Taihe era of the Tang Dynasty, a certain official was serving in Chang'an. At the entrance of his alley lived a vendor selling sesame cakes. Every morning, the official would go out and hear the vendor singing from afar. Though poor, the vendor was optimistic, and his singing was melodious. After a while, the official felt pity for him and decided to give him some money to expand his business and escape poverty. The vendor received the money and left happily. Afterward, however, the sesame cake shop fell silent, and the singing was no longer heard. The official became suspicious and went directly to visit the vendor, asking why he had suddenly stopped singing. The vendor replied: "With more capital, business naturally expands, and my mind becomes more complicated; where would I find the leisure to sing!" Upon hearing this, the official was filled with melancholy for a long time.

The story, though short, contained some philosophical insights. Danmei read for a while, finding it somewhat amusing, and the vexation in her heart gradually dissipated. Feeling that sitting like this was becoming tiring, she simply hooked the curtains to both sides, moved to the couch, lit a lamp in front of it, and lay down on the couch with her head facing outwards. She had turned about half the book when she faintly heard the second watch's gong sounding in the streets outside. Xu Jinrong still hadn't returned, and her eyelids gradually drooped; she had actually fallen asleep.

Xu Jinrong emerged from an inconspicuous shop on Gaohang Street. Since it wasn't far from his home, he didn't ride a horse, only accompanied by two attendants. The shopkeeper saw him out, his attitude extremely respectful.

Seeing that it was getting late, Xu Jinrong suddenly remembered what he had said to his new wife at dinner. He was afraid that she would have to wait too long, and he was about to hurry up, but then he slowed down.

Although he had only spent two nights with his new wife, he figured she wasn't the type to wait for him until he slept. She was far more virtuous and gentle than the other concubines in the household, and at this hour, she must have already fallen asleep. He leisurely entered the house and, knowing that Zhao Zonglian of the west courtyard had already seen the doctor and taken her medicine, went straight to her room. Seeing Miaochun and Miaoxia still keeping watch in the outer room, he casually asked, "Is Madam asleep?"

Miao Chun glanced at the candlelight shining from the room and whispered, "It seems that Madam is still waiting for you, sir. She was reading a book at first."

Xu Jinrong was slightly surprised and pushed open the door. He immediately saw his new wife lying face down on the couch, her face pressed against an open book. She looked as if she were asleep and hadn't noticed him when he got close. So he reached out and turned her over and put her on the pillow.

Danmei wasn't sleeping deeply, and was startled awake by being disturbed. She was surprised to realize she had fallen asleep lying face down like that. Seeing that he had placed her on the pillow and hadn't left, but was leaning over her and looking at her face, she felt uncomfortable. She sat up and casually smoothed her slightly disheveled hair. Suddenly, she saw his hand reach straight towards her face. Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but he had already reached out and touched her cheek, saying, "It's truly strange that a young lady from the Prime Minister's mansion can leave such a beautiful imprint on her face while sleeping."

Danmei turned her face away from his hand, touched it herself, and felt a rough, uneven surface. Looking down at the floral pattern on the book, she realized she must have fallen asleep on it. Feeling a little embarrassed, she lowered her head to rub it a few times. Xu Jinrong, whose hand she had avoided earlier, sat down next to her and reached out to touch her face again, his thumb sweeping back and forth over the mark. He teased in a low voice, "Women in the capital are very fond of wearing floral patterns on their faces. My lady, you've saved yourself the trouble. Going out like this tomorrow will definitely attract attention."

Danmei never expected that such a stiff person would joke and talk to her like that. The spot on her face where his thumb had touched felt like countless ants were crawling on it, and she blushed bright red. She almost jumped off the bed and hurriedly walked out without looking back, saying, "I'll have Miaochun serve you to take a bath..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xu Jinrong grabbed her hand from behind. Danmei turned around and saw his brows furrowed slightly, as if he were somewhat displeased. She said, "Do you really think I would eat people? Why don't you serve me?"

Danmei glanced cautiously at his expression and whispered, "I've never done anything like this before, I'm afraid I won't serve you well. Miaochun..."

"Do you think I've never seen a concubine before? You've only been in the household for two or three days and you're already rushing to give me your dowry maid?" Xu Jinrong looked somewhat annoyed, and his voice rose. "Although you are a daughter of the Prime Minister's family, once you marry me, you belong to me, Xu. Why don't you know how to serve your husband properly, but instead push me out like this?"

Danmei hadn't expected him to suddenly get angry. He looked quite fierce, and she was initially a little scared. However, her wrist was being squeezed so hard by him that she couldn't move it at all, as if it were about to break. She felt a surge of anger and forcefully shook off his hand, saying angrily, "I can't serve someone like you! Anyway, there are plenty of people at home waiting to serve you, why are you making things difficult for me!"

The moment the words left her mouth, she knew she had misspoke. But she didn't regret it; after all, they were her true feelings, and keeping them bottled up would only hurt her liver. Since she wasn't going to live at his mercy anymore, she might as well offend him and make him resentful. With her family's connections, she figured he wouldn't dare do anything. From now on, they could each go their own way and maintain a facade of peace. However, after she spoke, she hadn't expected Xu Jinrong to not just walk away as she had imagined. Instead, he stared at her, his gaze shifting uncertainly, making her feel uneasy.

"Someone like me? What kind of person am I? Tell me."

He suddenly pulled her close to him again and asked slowly. The anger on his face had vanished in an instant, replaced by a smile, though the grip on her waist was quite strong.

Danmei was a little nervous, but she refused to back down, staring at him with a stern face. Suddenly, she felt her body lighten, and he had picked her up by the waist and thrown her heavily onto the bed.

Although the bed was covered with thick bedding, being thrown down like this without any decorum still made her buttocks ache a little. Danmei cried out in pain and was about to get up to glare at him when he turned and left without looking back, saying, "Bring me some clean clothes!"

Danmei had only a little flesh left on her buttocks. She rubbed them a few times until the pain subsided. Remembering what he had just said, she sensed he wanted her to bring him clean clothes. She had initially thought of having Miaochun deliver them, but remembering his displeasure when he mentioned the maidservants, she worried that having Miaochun go abruptly might anger his unpredictable temper. After all, she had already been intimate with him; bringing him some clothes wouldn't hurt. With a sigh, she found a clean set of his undergarments, draped them over her arm, and headed towards the adjacent bathhouse.

Chapter Twelve

Danmei didn't move quickly. When she entered the unlatched bathhouse and walked towards the screen, she heard a splashing sound inside, as if he had already come out of the bathtub. She hurriedly hung his clothes on the screen and turned to leave when she heard a voice from behind the screen say, "Dry me up."

Danmei hesitated, but the voice inside repeated its words, now tinged with impatience. She had no choice but to go behind the screen, grab a clean, large velvet towel from the shelf, and wipe away the water droplets clinging to his back and waist. She was initially worried he would make things difficult for her, but to her surprise, he cooperated perfectly, standing still as she wiped him. Only after she finished wiping his back did he turn to face her.