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Xu Jinrong looked at Danmei and smiled.

Although Danmei heard that he was teasing her at first, and that his later suggestion was rather complicated, since he wouldn't let her go out and she really wanted to buy it, she figured she had no choice but to nod.

The next day, just after noon, people dressed as farmers carrying loads on shoulder poles and baskets were constantly going in and out of the side gate of the Huaichu Prefecture government office, creating quite a lively scene.

Danmei had a peony catalog she'd bought from a bookstore years ago, which detailed the peony varieties of the time and included descriptions of similar peony colors. Among the peonies, the white-flowered "Xiaozhuangxin" (晓妆新), which she owned, was considered the finest, followed by "Yulouzi" (玉楼子), "Yufuyu" (玉覆盂), "Yinsilou" (银丝楼), and "Baiyupan" (白玉盘). She wrote down these names, saying she could send any variety she could find. Because peonies were cheaper, she listed red varieties like "Zifengyu" (紫凤羽) and "Zhushapan" (朱砂判), black varieties like "Heiziling" (黑紫灵) and "Heixiuqiu" (黑绣球), and purple varieties like "Zipaojindai" (紫袍金带) and "Dieyun" (叠云). She wondered what Xu Jinrong had instructed Jiang Rui to do; it seemed he was going to bring over all the peonies and peonies from the city's flower farmers. Looking at her courtyard piled high with pots and jars, Danmei was both amused and exasperated. Originally, I intended to return some, but Xiqing explained that the flower farmers knew the new prefect's wife loved peonies and peonies and wanted to buy them. They had specially rushed in from outside the city early in the morning, carrying their loads, afraid of being turned away if they were late. They were still waiting outside to collect the money. Knowing that the flower farmers' livelihoods were not easy, I couldn't bear to let them make a wasted trip. Besides, Xu Jinrong wasn't short of money, so I had no choice but to accept them all. I just asked the flower farmers to report the colors and varieties of their flowers, and Jiang Rui sent a literate servant to write them down. The slips of paper were buried in the soil of the pots, and later, small nameplates were made and hung on the branches for easy identification.

For several days afterward, Danmei devoted herself to grafting peonies. Originally, she only intended to graft white peonies onto rootstocks of other colors, but now that she had so many to choose from, she carefully selected one or two varieties of peonies from each color, ensuring they were robust and had abundant fibrous roots. She did the same with the rootstock peonies, digging them up and letting them dry in the shade for two or three days until they softened from dehydration, before beginning the grafting process. She cut a wedge-shaped cut about half a finger's length on both sides of the axillary bud at the base of the scion. Then, she selected a smooth, flat longitudinal side of the rootstock and cut it open to the center. She then inserted the scion into the cut from top to bottom, aligning the cambium layers of the rootstock and scion, and tied it tightly with hemp rope. Finally, she applied mud to the graft union, and it was ready for planting or temporary planting.

This task, seemingly simple, actually demands a high level of skill and experience. The cut surfaces of the scion and rootstock must be smooth and clean, and the grafting process requires meticulous attention. Improper handling can not only fail to graft but also damage the original plant. Furthermore, both peonies and herbaceous peonies have fleshy, woody roots. Although they softened somewhat after being dried for two days, cutting them was still no easy task. Fortunately, she was very skilled, and with Xiqing's help, she worked for several days and finally managed to properly care for the dozens of peony plants that had been grafted. She specially prepared an empty room, lit a stove, and moved all the large pots containing the peonies inside. She did her best, but whether they would produce multi-colored flowers as desired depended not only on her usual care techniques but also on luck. She estimated that if one or two out of ten plants succeeded, that would be considered quite good.

In the following days, flower growers continued to deliver peonies and peonies, and Danmei had to accept them all, categorizing and placing them, pruning and adding soil, planning to transplant them into the nursery after the spring warmed up. She was so busy that she was almost dizzy, even copying down flower names or cultivation tips under the lamp at night, similar to the daily work notes she used to keep. After a break of nearly two years, now that she was going to plant again, she naturally resumed this task. In her busyness, she didn't pay much attention to Xu Jinrong. These past few evenings, when she saw him return, she could faintly smell a fragrance on him, like perfume.

At this time, it was common practice for officials to have female entertainers and singers to accompany them while drinking during social gatherings. Those like Wang Anshi of the Shenzong era decades later, who disliked this practice and remained single for life, were considered odd by their colleagues. Danmei didn't expect Xu Jinrong to have Wang Anshi's integrity. That was one reason. Furthermore, although her relationship with him had become much closer recently, her three concubines in the capital were still there. Sooner or later, they would have to meet again, and she had no choice but to accept it. She couldn't simply forcibly sell off several living people; the rift in her heart remained unhealed. That was another reason. Therefore, although Danmei felt somewhat displeased by the fragrance on him, she refrained from asking, pretending not to smell it, and focused all her attention on her flowers.

That afternoon, Danmei was inspecting the newly delivered potting soil when she said to Xiqing, "Peony prefers cool weather and dislikes heat, thrives in dry conditions but fears dampness, and likes the sun but tolerates partial shade. Therefore, choosing the right location for the flower is very important. It should be planted in a high, dry, spacious, well-ventilated place with lateral shade. The soil must be deep, loose, and well-drained. It is most undesirable to plant in raw soil, clay, saline-alkali soil, or waterlogged areas..."

Xiqing listened attentively, nodding repeatedly. Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps sounded behind them. The two turned around and saw the wet nurse running over breathlessly, her eyes wide open, saying, "Madam, go and see! A seductive young lady has arrived in the manor. She's said to have been sent from the magistrate's office, but she hasn't been invited in yet. She's just standing outside the back hall!"

Danmei was taken aback, then immediately understood. Xu Jinrong had returned these past few days tainted with the scent of women, so he must have exchanged glances with that young lady outside. Knowing this, she probably guessed her superior's intentions and sent her over as a way to curry favor. Suddenly, she thought of Zhao Zonglian, still in the capital, wondering how she had managed to seduce this one. A cold laugh escaped her lips, and she resumed working on the dirt.

Seeing that Danmei had lowered her head again, the wet nurse thought she hadn't heard clearly and shouted again, "Madam, aren't you going to go and see? If Madam says one word, I'll take a big stick and knock this person out!"

Danmei didn't even look up and said, "What are you looking at? You don't need to look, she must be a beauty of unparalleled grace. Just get her a room and settle her in properly."

The wet nurse was taken aback. Seeing Xiqing winking at her from the side, she had no choice but to turn back and relay the message, her heart filled with astonishment. She thought to herself, ever since this lady entered the Xu family, the master hadn't spent a single night in a side room while in the mansion. It seemed that although this lady appeared gentle and submissive, her methods of managing her husband, unseen by others, were undoubtedly extraordinary. Now that she had finally managed to leave behind her concubines at home, another one had appeared in the blink of an eye. Could she really just tolerate it all?

As the wet nurse walked, she carefully pondered Danmei's words. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she cursed herself for being so stupid. She was a trusted confidante of the madam, and she had almost made a mistake. She hurriedly walked a few steps to the front of the flower hall. She saw three or four maids who were in charge of the courtyard craning their necks to look inside. She coughed, and the maids turned around and quickly made way for her. Only then did the wet nurse step inside.

The young woman in the brothel, named Qiaoqiao, was only fourteen or fifteen years old, but she was the most sought-after courtesan in the brothel. She was beautiful, with fair skin, white teeth, and bright eyes, and was always a regular at official banquets in the prefecture. A few days ago, she met the new prefect, Lord Xu, at a banquet. Although he looked somewhat stern and didn't smile much, he was exceptionally handsome and had a commanding presence, outshining all the men in the room. Moreover, in all of Huai Prefecture, no one could surpass him. Naturally, she felt a special affection for him, and in front of him, she sang, danced, played the zither, and put even more effort into every smile and gesture than usual.

Brothels have always been among the places where gossip spreads most widely. Although Qiaoqiao had only seen the new prefect once, she was already captivated. A few days ago, during a private chat with her sisters, she heard from somewhere that he only had a plain-looking wife in his harem, with no concubines. She couldn't help but harbor some fantasies, hoping for another chance to see him and then continue to flaunt her charms. After waiting in vain for many days, and seeing him absent from the banquet, she was just beginning to feel disappointed. Today, she suddenly learned that she had been bought and was to be sent to the prefect's residence. Naturally, she was overjoyed, thinking it was a stroke of luck. She assumed that her previous display of charm had caught the prefect's eye, leading to this situation. She secretly felt smug, thinking that no matter how proper a man appeared in public, how many could truly resist a woman's beauty in private? Therefore, although she was brought into the flower hall and there were young maids watching at the door, she was not in a hurry. She just sat on a drum stool and leisurely stroked her newly painted, bright red nail polish.

Qiaoqiao was sitting leisurely when she suddenly heard a coughing sound outside. She craned her neck to look. What she saw startled her. A tall, strong woman with a large, hideous black scar on her forehead entered the hall with a fierce expression. She looked like a butcher.

Chapter 50

The large black scar on the wet nurse's forehead had its own story. Danmei herself used the green jade ointment to treat the scar on her shoulder, and gave the wet nurse a box as well, since that scar was on her forehead, unlike her shoulder scar, which concerned her appearance. Unexpectedly, the wet nurse stubbornly refused to use it. Danmei was initially puzzled, but later, while chatting and laughing with Xiqing, she understood the reason. It turned out that the wet nurse felt the black scar on her face was a way for her to show off. Whenever a new maid or servant came in, once they became somewhat familiar, they would naturally ask about the origin of her forehead scar. At that time, she would proudly recount her heroic deeds of protecting her master, embellishing them, and seeing the other person's amazed expression, she would be extremely satisfied. Therefore, she only regretted that such a valuable item was fading away, depriving her of a bragging point; how could she bear to erase it?

The wet nurse entered the flower hall, then stood in front of Qiaoqiao with her hands on her hips, and said dryly, "Come with me!"

Seeing her fierce demeanor, Qiaoqiao felt a little intimidated and whispered, "I don't know how to address this mother?"

The wet nurse remained silent, but a little maid behind her quickly interjected, "You don't even know that! She's the wet nurse and head maid of the young lady in the manor, someone even my master and mistress value highly!"

The wet nurse was pleased, and her expression became even more haughty.

Although Qiaoqiao was somewhat resentful, she had not yet been taken in and was not even a concubine, so she dared not be presumptuous. She hurriedly got up and greeted the woman, thinking that if she gained favor in the future by virtue of her talent, beauty, and the skills she had been taught to serve men since childhood, she would then give this wicked woman a good trip.

The wet nurse didn't even glance at her, turned around and left. Qiaoqiao had no choice but to follow her, feeling wronged. After following her for a while through many twists and turns, they arrived at a door. Seeing that it looked somewhat old, she was still looking at it when the wet nurse suddenly pushed the door open and said with a smirk, "Go in!"

Qiaoqiao peeked inside and saw a woodshed, dusty and grimy, with a row of sauerkraut jars in the corner, emitting a pungent, sour smell. She refused to go in and was still resisting when her wet nurse pushed her inside, and the door behind her slammed shut.

Seeing that the young girl had been locked up, the wet nurse picked up a stick from the pile of firewood drying in the corner, stuck it into the two door knockers, and left triumphantly, ignoring the knocking inside.

With the government office newly opened and official social engagements, Xu Jinrong was understandably busy these past few days, and he returned home very late again this evening. A few days ago, the scent of perfume on him was tolerable, but Danmei pretended not to notice. Today, with people practically delivering themselves to her door, she had gradually forgotten about it during the day, busy tending to the plants. Hearing his footsteps coming upstairs, she suddenly felt a tightness in her chest. She sat motionless at the table, slowly copying down the flower names categorized by color, intending to send them out tomorrow to have small labels made. Since there were several hundred plants, and Xiqing Miaoxia was illiterate and unable to help, she was too lazy to sit in the study and write formally. Instead, she moved her brush and ink to the bedroom and copied them herself for two nights straight; a few more pages and it would be finished.

Xu Jinrong pushed open the door and went inside to her side. He stood there for a moment and watched her without moving. He didn't say anything and walked away. Hearing the noise, it seemed that she had lain down on the couch. Soon after, he said, "Come here."

Danmei didn't respond and just continued copying. A moment later, footsteps sounded behind her, and a dark figure pressed down. The pen in her hand was snatched away and thrown onto the table with a thud, splashing ink onto the top sheet of paper that had already been written on.

Danmei frowned and said unhappily, "What are you doing! You've ruined what I wrote." As she spoke, she looked up and saw Xu Jinrong leaning against the table, looking down at her with a hint of a smile on his face.

"If it's broken, it's broken. I'll write it for you so that your handwriting doesn't get out and be seen by others."

Xu Jinrong glanced at the stained paper and laughed.

Danmei, however, was too lazy to even put on a brave face. She simply stretched and leaned back in her chair, looking at him indifferently, and said, "Today, a certain magistrate sent over a beauty, as you probably know. I had someone prepare a room for her. Now that you have found someone interesting, you can go over there yourself. Why are you keeping me here?"

Xu Jinrong raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was carefully examining Danmei. Slowly, his eyes filled with a smile, as if he was trying his best to hold it back.

Danmei didn't understand his meaning. She thought that having more concubines wouldn't make him this happy, so she frowned and looked at him. Seeing that he slowly stopped smiling and coughed, he then said seriously, "My wife, you are truly virtuous, and I am very grateful. But you've settled her in the woodshed. Are you perhaps punishing me by making me sleep in the woodshed too?"

"The woodshed?"

Danmei was speechless for a moment, then realized what she meant. She remembered that she had asked the wet nurse to prepare a room to properly settle the woman. Could it be that the wet nurse, being habitually suspicious, had misunderstood her and taken it upon herself to move the woman to the woodshed?

Seeing her strange expression, Xu Jinrong couldn't help but burst into laughter. He squeezed next to Danmei, took her chair, and then pulled her onto his lap. He laughed as he said, "Don't tell me this wasn't your intention."

Danmei was speechless for a moment, and couldn't very well say that the wet nurse had taken it upon herself to lock his new lover in the woodshed to suffer, so she could only remain silent and watch him smile.

Xu Jinrong's laughter subsided a bit before he said, "You've finally shown some reaction. I thought you only had eyes for those few broken branches, and you wouldn't even make a sound if I poked you with a needle."

The tone of his voice even sounded somewhat sarcastic.

Seeing Danmei staring at him in astonishment, Xu Jinrong reached out and grabbed her hand, which had a speck of ink on it. He played with it and sighed, "Think about it yourself. Ever since you started messing with those wooden roots, have you even thought about me? I'm not here during the day, and when I come back at night, I can't even have a few words with you. You're just sitting at the table fiddling with these things. When I tell you to go to sleep, you make excuses. I thought you wouldn't care even if I didn't come back for several nights."

So it turns out she was unhappy because she felt neglected, and that's why she went along with my goodwill by sending a beauty to her, just to annoy her? Now that she sees that beauty being driven to the woodshed, she thinks it was my jealousy that caused it, and that's why she's a little happy?

Danmei was momentarily speechless, staring at him for a moment before suddenly remembering that he had returned home smelling of perfume for several nights in a row. Her pent-up resentment resurfaced, and now that the topic had been brought up, she couldn't help but sneer, "You're still complaining to me? Do you think I don't know anything? Every night you go out with one woman on each arm and come back smelling of perfume. The beauty in the woodshed today must have been thrown into your arms by someone a few days ago, caught their eye, and was then eagerly sent home, right? Third Master, you're having a great time out there, why do you need me to talk to you when you come back!"

Xu Jinrong burst into laughter again, reached out and vigorously ruffled her hair, then glanced at the box in front of her dressing table and said, "Take a look for yourself."

Danmei was puzzled, but she got up and went over to open the box. She found nothing unusual, but when she pulled out the lower compartment, she saw that a bottle of rose water had appeared inside.

"Open it and smell it."

Xu Jinrong smiled.

Danmei did as instructed, twisted open the lid, brought it to her nose and smelled it. She smelled a familiar scent, clearly the same one that had emanated from him a few nights ago.

"you……"

Danmei held the rose water and looked at Xu Jinrong.

"come over."

Xu Jinrong then beckoned to her subordinates.

Danmei finally obediently went over and was pulled onto Xu Jinrong's lap by his arms.

"It was for you, I put it in the box a long time ago. But you, you only have peonies and peonies in your heart. You didn't even see me walking right in front of you, let alone this thing. That's why..."

He stopped halfway through his sentence, then looked at Danmei with a smile, his eyes sparkling, and a slight blush on his face.

Danmei finally understood. It turned out that this person was unhappy about being ignored. He first deliberately sprayed perfume on himself to make her jealous. When he didn't get the expected reaction, he simply acquiesced to his subordinate sending a beautiful woman over, which led to today's situation.

At first, Danmei found it somewhat unbelievable. She had always thought of him as a steady and reserved person, but she never expected him to do something so childish that was out of character for his age. Then, she thought about it again and the image of him secretly sprinkling rose water on her flashed through her mind. She found it funny and, after holding back for a while, she finally couldn't help but laugh.

Xu Jinrong was a little awkward at first, but when he saw her leaning on his shoulder, laughing heartily, the unhappiness he had felt for the past few days vanished. He even had a faint thought that he hoped the two of them could always be like this in the future, so he chuckled along with her.

"Don't tell me that when you go out for social events you just sit upright and there's never a beautiful woman by your side?"

Danmei finally managed to stop laughing and looked up at him.

Seeing the sparkle in her eyes and her slightly upturned, red lips, Xu Jinrong felt a surge of attraction and longed to pull her into his arms. He restrained himself and said with a serious expression, "I can't guarantee that. It's inevitable that there will be one or two young ladies accompanying you and urging you to drink."

Danmei's smile vanished instantly. She glared at him and snorted.

Xu Jinrong tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her closer, before laughing and saying, "I was just teasing you, and you actually took it seriously. I only had a few social engagements after the New Year. I'm always sullen, so the beauties just watched from afar, too afraid to approach. Besides, where would I have so much time for these kinds of social engagements? You see, even though I come home a little late every day, do I smell of alcohol? I've been planning the attack on Wulang Water Village. I just sent the official documents to the capital by express today, and we're just waiting for the court to issue the order before we start. Firstly, to avenge you, and secondly, to rid the people of a scourge."

Danmei was surprised and was about to ask again when he grabbed her head and kissed her heavily. She twisted slightly but let him do as he pleased. It took her a while to break free, her face flushed and her breath erratic.

"My beauty, have you decided what to do?"

Danmei leaned against him, her voice soft and cool as she asked.

"We'll have someone send it back tomorrow."

Xu Jinrong said casually.

"What if some ungrateful person sends over more women every now and then?"

Xu Jinrong chuckled: "Aren't you getting more and more cunning? If any more are sent over, just lock them up in the woodshed."

Danmei punched his chest lightly, glanced at him, and said, "Once is fine, but if it happens three or four times, aren't you afraid people will say behind your back that you're afraid of your wife?"

Xu Jinrong grasped her fist, rubbed his chin against her forehead twice, and hummed, "The Lantern Festival is in a few days, and the day before yesterday was your birthday, wasn't it? I'll celebrate your birthday then, and while we're at it, I'll think of a way to make them give up on this idea in the future, so as to avoid any trouble."

He even knew her birthday, which surprised Danmei somewhat. After the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, she would now be seventeen.

Danmei was still sighing when she saw Xu Jinrong reach for a piece of paper she had just copied on the table. She glanced at it, shook her head, and clicked her tongue, saying, "Look at your handwriting..."

Seeing that he was disgusted again, Danmei snatched the paper away and wouldn't let her look at it, but he dodged it, laid out the paper again, dipped the brush in ink, put it in her hand, and then wrapped his right palm around her hand before whispering in her ear, "I'll be your teacher for once and teach you to write."

Danmei sat on his lap, her hand enveloped by his right hand. He guided her wrist as she slowly copied the flower pattern, the characters flowing from his brush with a unique and striking style. Before she had even finished half a page, the man behind her began to get restless. While his right hand continued to guide her writing, his left hand started to roam over her body. When his left hand tickled her waist, she flinched, chuckled, and both of their right hands moved slightly, smearing ink onto the half-written character. They quickly looked up at him.

Xu Jinrong put down his pen, stood up, kicked the chair behind him aside, picked up Danmei, and said with a grin, "It's quite boring to write here. Let's go to the couch, and I'll teach you slowly."

Chapter 51

"How can I teach someone now that they're already on the bed..."

Danmei reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, saying casually. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized she had asked the wrong question and quickly shut her mouth.

When Xu Jinrong heard her ask such a question, he was delighted. He took a few steps to the bedside, put her down, and then whispered a few words in her ear with a smile.

Danmei wasn't unaware of the things he was trying to teach her. But hearing his lewd words and seeing his listless expression, coupled with the inherent gap between theory and practice, she felt a surge of embarrassment. Her face flushed red, and she playfully punched his chest before closing her eyes and pretending not to hear. Ultimately, she couldn't resist his half-coaxing, half-forceful, half-guiding approach. Furthermore, with her recent inner turmoil resolved, she realized she had indeed been too focused on cultivating the flowers and neglected him. Her heart softened, and in the end, she couldn't help but shyly and shamefully let him do as he pleased.

Leaving aside the blissful moments between the couple in the main house, let's turn to Qiaoqiao in the woodshed. She had been overjoyed, expecting to serve the nobleman she had chosen, but before she even saw him, she was locked in the pungent woodshed. She pounded on the door for half a day without an answer, growing increasingly impatient. Finally, as evening approached, the door opened, revealing a burly maid with thick eyebrows and stern eyes carrying firewood. The maid explained that the kitchen was short-handed and the head cook wanted her to help with the fire. Although Qiaoqiao was unwilling, she was terrified of the fierce-looking, scarred wet nurse, and reluctantly went.

Yesterday, Qiaoqiao was the most beautiful courtesan in the brothel, but today she has been reduced to a kitchen maid. Poor Qiaoqiao, who never lifts a finger in her daily life, has no idea how to start a fire. Sitting in front of the stove, she hurriedly extinguished the fire in no time and was scolded by the cook for being useless. The hem of her newly made clothes was also burned by a spark. Feeling wronged and heartbroken, she couldn't help but wipe away her tears.

The cook chuckled inwardly, then, following the instructions given to her by the wet nurse, she changed her expression and sighed, "You look rather pitiful, so I'll kindly tell you a few more things so you're aware of the situation. My master has three concubines in the capital, each one more beautiful than a fairy, far superior to you. But as you've seen, he only brought my wife with him. Do you know what the others are doing now? They're all staying in the capital, helping my old lady dig, carry manure, plant crops, and grow melons. I see your hands are so thin and delicate, you can't even hold a pair of fire tongs properly. What will happen if you're sent there? I'm really worried about you."

Qiaoqiao, who had been sobbing at first, turned pale after hearing these words, biting her fingers and staring blankly. She had originally hoped to cling to this Prefect Xu so she could live a life of luxury, but his concubines were different from others; they served his mother and were engaged in this kind of business. She was filled with regret and fear. She thought that even returning to her old brothel or being taken in by the magistrate who had bought her was better than being sent to accompany an old woman to do menial tasks. Immediately, she decided to leave. She ate a few bites haphazardly in the kitchen with a maid, knowing she had nowhere else to sleep. She grabbed an old quilt handed to her by the fire-starting maid, and sadly returned to the woodshed. She laid out a straw mat and waited anxiously until dawn.

The next morning, Danmei personally accompanied Xu Jinrong downstairs. When she was about to see him to the courtyard gate, he turned around, grabbed her hand, breathed warm air on it, and looked at her with a smile, saying, "It's awfully cold outside. You should go back now. No need to see me off."

Danmei smiled slightly, about to nod, but he leaned closer and whispered, "I've never seen you see me off before. You've suddenly become so attentive. Who knows what the servants will think if they see this..."

Danmei hurriedly turned around and saw that Xiqing, Miaoxia and the others were staring at her with surprised expressions. Feeling a little embarrassed, she quickly tried to pull her hand back from his grasp, but he laughed and squeezed her hand hard, whispering, "Be a good girl and wait for me to come back tonight," before turning away.

Danmei watched his retreating figure disappear through the courtyard gate. Remembering their intimate moments the previous night, the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl slightly upwards. However, fearing the maids might notice something amiss, she suppressed her expression and prepared to go back upstairs to find Sister Hui, as she had promised to take her to the flower room. Just as she turned around, she was suddenly startled. Behind her stood a wet nurse, smiling smugly. She immediately remembered Qiaoqiao.

The wet nurse, however, came to claim credit. She recounted how she and the cook had conspired to scare the young woman the day before, her face beaming with excitement and her spittle flying everywhere. This amused the cheerful and lively Miao Xia, who was standing nearby, so much so that she was doubled over with laughter and couldn't say a word while pointing at the wet nurse.

Although the wet nurse had exaggerated Danmei's words yesterday, it inadvertently helped the couple resolve their recent misunderstandings, making her a lucky charm. Danmei naturally didn't say anything to her, and smiled along. Remembering what Xu Jinrong had said last night, she told Xiqing to find Jiang Rui and hire a sedan chair to take Qiaoqiao back to the prefect's residence. She also heard the wet nurse mention that Qiaoqiao's new clothes had been splashed with sparks, so she offered to compensate her with a bolt of satin as a way to calm her nerves.

The author has something to say: Qiaoqiao got up early, having lost all hope of seeing Prefect Xu, and was no longer as radiant as yesterday. Disheveled and flushed, she anxiously awaited her fate. A moment later, the dark-scarred wet nurse from yesterday arrived again. This time, not only was she told to be sent back, but the lady also kindly gave her a bolt of fine brocade to calm her nerves. The brocade was secondary; she was overjoyed that she wouldn't be sent to shovel manure. She hurriedly thanked the lady, took the cloth, and rushed off with Xiqing, her steps quick, afraid of hearing that the plan had changed again.

After submitting the official document to the court, Xu Jinrong had been waiting for a reply, which gave him a lot of free time. Moreover, the daily affairs of the government office were handled by his subordinates, so he only needed to inquire about major matters. Therefore, he spent more time at home during the day these days, accompanying his wife and sister Hui to visit some local scenic spots. He even took a special trip back by boat to the Lingjin City ferry where they had stopped overnight, all to find the source of the bell ringing that night. It turned out to be an old temple halfway up the mountain across the ferry. Because of its remote location, it wasn't very popular, except for a centuries-old ginkgo tree at the entrance. The monk in the temple said that if you tied a prayer pouch to its branches, you would receive the Bodhisattva's lifelong protection, and there was a saying that the higher the pouch was tied, the greater the fortune. Looking up, he saw many red silk sachets of varying ages tied to the branches.

Danmei naturally didn't believe in such things, and seeing that Xu Jinrong wasn't one to believe either, she still cheerfully took a blessing bag from the monk's hand, aimed, and threw it forcefully. It actually got entangled, hanging highest in the air, its tassel swaying gently in the wind. The monk congratulated her repeatedly, and Hui-jie clapped and laughed incessantly, even looking at her father with eyes full of admiration.

When Danmei saw Xu Jinrong looking at her, she naturally smiled back and praised him. She immediately saw that he was very pleased with himself. Before leaving, he donated a large sum of money for incense. The monk was so happy that he kept putting his palms together in thanks and saw him off for a long distance.

Happy days always fly by, and in the blink of an eye it's the eve of the Lantern Festival, which is also Danmei's birthday.