Ink Burns

Chapter 262 Receiving Guests (Part 2)

Liu Bozhu had been living in a dreamlike state these past few days. The Liu family was a century-old clan in Songjiang Prefecture, a wealthy place. As local bigwigs, the Liu family naturally had an exquisite and expensive lifestyle. Although she was surnamed Liu, she was from a collateral branch and grew up in the old house. The old house was remote and lacked the extravagance of the city. Her parents were not important figures either. Just after Liu Huan brought her back to the city, the Liu family's property was confiscated. Her journey had been full of hardships. To put it nicely, she grew up in simplicity; to put it bluntly, she had never seen the world.

Entering Xue Nan's mansion was the first time I truly saw the world.

The Qingfengzhai, which was set aside for her and her mother Qiu, was bright and beautiful, and they were willing to display expensive utensils and ornaments. The maid assigned to her was named Qiu Tao, who was gentle and timid as a mouse.

Qiu Shi had been the head mistress of the household. Although she knew that Qiu Tao was originally given to He Shi by Zhu Shi, she was still on guard for several days. Later, she realized that the girl was really timid and simple-minded, so she put her mind at ease and used her skillfully.

In just a few days, she really did acquire the domineering air of a powerful minister's mother-in-law.

"Hmph, that He family member may be eccentric, but she wouldn't dare to truly neglect us." Liu Bozhu tilted her head, inserted a gold-threaded hairpin with precious flowers into her hair, admired herself in the mirror, suppressed the smile on her lips, and winked at Qiu Shi: "Mother, look, isn't it pretty?"

Qiu leaned over and glanced at Liu Bozhu's dressing case, which contained several brand-new gold hairpins and some earrings inlaid with tiny pearls.

They were all sent by people sent by the He family.

"At seventeen or eighteen, even a flower in your hair would be nice, let alone a hairpin made of pure gold." Qiu smiled as she helped her daughter tidy her hair.

Liu Bozhu's face fell as if she had just remembered something: "These pieces of jewelry are wearable, but they're 'borrowed'! They'll have to be returned eventually!"

When Madam He sent it over, she even had to sign the rental register!
"This is how it is in aristocratic families. Apart from their own dowries, the women of the family have to borrow everything that belongs to the clan."

"The clan? What clan?" Liu Bozhu sneered, "How dare a lowly He Shi act as the head of the Xue family and the master of this mansion? And what right does she have to dispose of the Xue family's things!"

Qiu quickly covered her daughter's mouth and looked around: "Don't cause trouble now! If He Shi uses this as an excuse to send us out, the higher-ups won't protect us, and we won't be able to stay in this mansion anymore!"

Liu Bozhu has delicate features, and even when she looks fierce, she only reveals a hint of rage and resentment.

Qiu emphasized, "Did you remember that?"

Liu Bozhu originally wanted to pull the gold hairpin off her hair, but she couldn't bear to do it. She just pursed her lips and clenched her hands tightly. After a long while, she finally spoke: "I know."

Qiu let out a long sigh of relief, then comforted her daughter, casually revealing the plans she had come up with over the past few days: "Don't panic. Our trip to the capital is an opportunity. The higher-ups want us to monitor He Shi to see if she's acting strangely, so we'll lie low. Once we report to the higher-ups that He Shi is alright, they'll either make arrangements themselves or have He Shi settle us down. They'll have to give us a place to stay! Then I'll have He Shi help you find a wealthy husband, find us a suitable place to live, and then ask the higher-ups to help your father get an official position."

"Now we can truly say we've put down roots in the capital!"

The Qiu family is now trying to avoid offending either side, making use of Shan Yue on one hand, and relying on Qing Feng for support on the other.

Qiu Shi naturally noticed her daughter's resentment and envy. She gripped her daughter's hand tightly, lowered her voice, and spoke of the secret she had just learned: "Guess what happened to that girl who married the Censor-in-Chief using my niece's name? She just hanged herself! I heard that the couple's 'Qingfeng' was exposed, and that Yao guy was poisoned. Now he's neither human nor ghost, and his wife and several children are all hanging themselves! — This path is not easy. Right now, they seem to be living a life of luxury and prosperity, but who knows when it will all be over! We need to plan slowly and not rush things!"

Liu Bozhu lowered her head and remained silent.

After saying a few more words to her, Qiu went into the inner room to count the silver.

Looking at the "borrowed" jewels and jade ornaments in her dressing case, Liu Bozhu felt a surge of anger. She pulled out a hairpin and slammed it on the table with a "bang." Little did she know that the tip of the hairpin would cut her palm, leaving a bloody mark that stung painfully.

The maid Qiu Tao hurriedly brought warm water and wound medicine, carefully applying it to Liu Bozhu's wound. Her gaze shifted, and she saw the gold-threaded hairpin that had been slapped on the table. She muttered, "...This hairpin has a very sharp tip; it scratched Madam when she first got it."

Liu Bozhu was furious: "Fine! It was He Shi who knew it was bad, that's why she gave it to her!"
Liu Bozhu suppressed her anger and asked in a muffled voice, "These are all clothes that your wife wore but didn't like?"

Only after Liu Bozhu asked did Qiu Tao dare to look up properly, but she quickly shrank back, her expression respectful and timid: "It's all...it's all...it was given to me by the master after our lady was diagnosed with pregnancy. Most of them are styles that the master's birth mother, Madam Su, liked. They're a bit old-fashioned, and the lady didn't like them, so...it was given to her!"
Only things that Mrs. He doesn't like are given to her!

Liu Bozhu was furious!

In her rage, she suddenly seized upon a crucial point: "What? These were all given to you by Lord Xue after your wife became pregnant?"

Qiu Tao nodded timidly.

"What about forward? Has forward been given before?" Liu Bozhu leaned forward and pressed.

Qiu Tao shrank back and shook her head vigorously: "No, I don't think so."

It shouldn’t be!

Didn't they say that Lady He immediately won over the dignified and imposing Lord Xue upon her arrival?!
Liu Bozhu frowned slightly, and asked again with a puzzled look, "When your wife first arrived, how did Lord Xue treat her?"

Qiu Tao hunched her shoulders, not daring to answer the question.

Liu Bozhu clicked her tongue: "You've already been kicked out of the main courtyard by her! Tell me, is it hard to bring this up?"

After a long pause, Qiu Tao stammered, "My lord, my lord is rather cold to everyone. The whole capital knows that although Madam is beautiful, it was Madam Zhu who arranged the marriage. How could my lord accept it so readily? It was only after Madam Zhu died that my lord discovered that our Madam had been worshipping the memorial tablet of his birth mother, Madam Su, and that things improved. It wasn't until our Madam became pregnant that my lord became truly devoted to her. If you ask, you'll know that the trusted nanny Su who serves my lord only came to the main courtyard after our Madam became pregnant."

Liu Bozhu's expression instantly became quite interesting.

It's not that I like it, it's not that I like it. It's just Lord Xue's filial piety towards his elders, his longing for his relatives, and his sense of responsibility!
He will treat anyone who bears his children and is filial to his elders well!

Then, then, isn't this matter quite simple?
Liu Bozhu stared intently at the overflowing vanity case.

Looking for a rich husband
Searching is no match for grabbing something fast!

The most urgent task is to prevent Lady He from giving birth to this wicked child!

As for her mother's talk of "slowly planning," slowly? Slowly where?! She's sixteen! She's not young anymore! Since "Qingfeng," who was formally married to an official, is already living a life of constant danger, why should she place her hopes on those so-called "noblemen"?!

It's better to plan it yourself!
She has to plan for herself!
Liu Bozhu lowered her head, her thin, soft eyelids flipping upwards, and raised an eyebrow at Qiu Tao: "You can go out now." After Qiu Tao left, she summoned the only maid who had stayed by her side, the one who had grown up with her, and whispered a few words of instruction, telling her to hurry up and do it.

The maid hurried along, and before she had even rounded the corner, two figures stepped out from behind a tall pillar.

Huang Zhi and Qiu Tao, one tall and one short, stood discreetly.

The high-ranking steward, Zhi, reached out and pinched Qiu Tao's chubby cheek: "Fortunately, in our courtyard, you are the only one who looks honest and kind."

Otherwise, we really can't find anyone to do this!
She herself had a shrewd look, and anyone who saw her would have to keep a close eye on their pockets; Qiu Yu had disappeared after her heroic rescue of the lady last time; Wang Erniang had a fierce look on her face, and it was a miracle she wasn't a good person—you'd be lucky if she didn't throw her foot-washing water in the faces of the mother and daughter; as for Zhou, the little cat, she was a scholar, always delicate and melancholic, only showing her spirits when watching the gale and the falling wind.
Without this seemingly harmless peach, this whole thing wouldn't have happened.

Qiu Tao pouted and rubbed her reddened cheeks, shouting, "Promotion! I need to get Madam to promote me!"

Huang Zhi twisted her hand and shoved Qiu Tao's head down with a "whoosh," her expression extremely cold: "Little Tao, remember this, in Xue Nan Mansion, there can only be one steward—that is your Grandpa Zhi."