Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 186 A visit
The perfumery was not a suitable place for a private rendezvous, and it was unlikely that anyone would be so reckless. Tan Anfu heard Shen Tu Zhuo's tone when he said this, and it sounded more like a joke than a flirtation, as if he were begging for forgiveness for something.

But her intuition told her that there was something strange about the two of them.

So she fetched a wooden mortar and pestle, pretending to be mixing spices there, and continued eavesdropping. After they exchanged a few more words, she roughly understood what had happened.

It seems that Tan Huai Ke had previously intended to leave the pass and go to the western border to discuss some jewelry business with other members of the Guangli Chamber of Commerce, but Shen Tu Zhuo firmly opposed it, arguing that the new trade route had not yet been officially demarcated and that bandits along the way would take advantage of the loopholes in the defenses. This led Prefect Chi to reject the application of several merchants to leave the pass.

Without obtaining the permit, he naturally couldn't leave the pass. Seeing his business being delayed, Tan Huai Ke complained to him, questioning whether he was slacking off. He wondered why, after working for so long, the new trade route was still not built and the bandits were still running rampant.

Shen Tu Zhuo patiently explained that the Zhenxi Army should have been patrolling the new commercial route, but since the King of Qin hadn't come to oversee it personally, they kept making excuses and refused to take real action. Moreover, if they wanted to do jewelry business, they had to hire enough guards to escort the goods; otherwise, they would easily attract bandits and robbers.

Tan Huai Ke was worried that someone else would snatch the business away, and his movements as he mixed perfume were filled with anger. He pounded the mortar loudly, demanding a definite answer on when they could successfully obtain the goods. Shen Tu Zhuo had no choice but to dodge the question, invoking the King of Qin to exonerate himself, and then took out a box of sesame beads from his pocket, saying he wanted to please her.

After that, Tan Huaike was attracted by the box of Se Se beads. He forgot to prepare the spices. He opened the box, picked up the beads inside and examined them carefully. He said happily, "These are of even better quality than the batch that our chamber of commerce got. Where did you get them?"

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Shentu Zhuo seized the opportunity: "He was brought by a merchant from the Western Regions. He owns mineral resources, but fearing plunder, he only brought a small bushel after traveling thousands of miles. I also bought these at a high price. As long as you don't rush things anymore, once the new trade route is open, I will definitely introduce him to you, how about it?"

Tan Huaike immediately calmed down: "Alright, you know how to flatter me. I'll let it slide." She thought for a moment and said, "I can't accept your favor for nothing. Didn't the tassel on your jade pendant break a couple of days ago? I'll use these beads to re-weave one for you when we get back. I guarantee it will be more elegant than the previous one."

"This is a gift from me to you. Will you return it to me?" Shen Tu Zhuo teased. "I'm truly flattered."

"Dream on. You won't need many of those beads. I'll make the rest into beaded bracelets myself..."

At this moment, the shopkeeper of the incense shop came to settle accounts with Tan Huaike. Shen Tuzhuo also had other matters to attend to, so the two parted ways, leaving behind only the half-prepared incense and Tan Anfu, who was hiding in the shadows.

Jade pendant necklace? Beaded bracelet?
Using the same jewels, wouldn't this be a token of love?
Tan Anfu absolutely refused to believe that the uncle and sister-in-law had no affair. However, words were not enough. To make this matter public and have Tan Huaike despised and scorned, she had to find the right opportunity to expose it in public.

Boom. Boom.

With each stroke, mixed with jealousy and hatred, Tan Anfu mashed the spices in her hand into a paste.
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A few days later, Tan Anfu, posing as the elder sister, went to Shentu Mansion to see Tan Huaike.

She knew that there was another small door to Tan Huaike's side courtyard, but she still knocked on the main door first, just to hear the servants' disdainful dismissive words, telling her to go to the side courtyard to find the so-called mistress.

Although this was always a neglect to her family, she just wanted to see Tan Huai Ke treated unwelcomely in this mansion. She remembered that the last time her grandfather brought her to discuss marriage with Shen Tu Zhuo, Tan Huai Ke's side courtyard was locked, clearly indicating that they were living separately and not letting her benefit from the Shen Tu family's influence.

She herself is not doing well right now, so she naturally wants to use this matter to poke at Tan Huaike's sore spot.

But who would have thought that, upon hearing that she was the elder sister of Lady Shentu, the servant who opened the door would eagerly welcome her in and lead her through the alleyway as if she knew the way well.

Tan Anfu was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Is the main house of your residence connected to the side courtyard? Why didn't you tell me to use the side gate?"

The servant, thinking she was being sarcastic, pretended not to understand: "Connect them? The side courtyard and the main house have always been connected. We're all family, so why distinguish between a main gate and a side gate?"

Now that they have received the Queen's orders, they all treat the Lady as their master and dare not be as negligent as before. Moreover, more than half of the wealthy merchants and nobles who have come to visit recently are here to ask the Lady for favors. These servants can also receive some bribes, and have long since become shrewd and slippery. They know in their hearts which people to greet with a smile and which people to put on airs with.

Even if you don't usually have much contact with relatives like Tan Anfu, you still have to maintain appearances, right?
Little did he know, Tan Anfu had no desire to accept this favor; she secretly hoped the servants would disregard Tan Huaike. Such fawning and respect should have been hers! She was the true Madam Shentu!
The small door connecting the main house and the side courtyard, which had once been blocked by withered branches and whose wood had rotted, has now been expanded into a bright and shiny new door with a door knocker. The servant led Tan Anfu to the door, not daring to push it open directly, but carefully knocking and calling out, "Pei'er, the eldest mistress's elder sister has arrived, please open the door."

"Sister? Which sister?" Pei'er's voice came, and the door creaked open.

Upon seeing Tan Anfu, Pei'er sneered, "Oh, Lady Fu, what business do you have with our Lady?"

Tan Anfu could no longer contain herself: "You insolent servant, how dare you speak to me like that?"

Pei'er is no longer the little girl who used to tremble at the sight of her. Having seen so much of the world with the Queen, what is a mere Tan Anfu compared to her?

She rolled her eyes but didn't stop him: "I knew you came here to ask our lady for help, right? It's all about the shop on Huaxi Street, isn't it? You're lucky, our lady isn't busy right now."

Tan Anfu was furious: "You just wait, I..."

Pei'er said to the servant, "From now on, when our Queen's relatives come, we should still inform them first."

The servant looked them over and over, understanding immediately: "Alright, all right."

Tan Huaike finally had some free time and was weaving a net for Shen Tu Zhuo's jade pendant.

To practice, she first strung together a bracelet of shimmering beads, which looked quite bright and lustrous. Skilled with her hands, she learned new patterns from the embroiderers at the Zhiyun Cloth Workshop, stringing the shimmering beads onto them to create a very unique design. However, she was simply too busy; this small knot had taken her several days to complete, and she only just finished it today.

Tan Anfu walked into the room and couldn't help but scoff inwardly.

What kind of female ruler was she? She was quite shabby, not even as luxurious as her boudoir before she got married.

Upon seeing Tan Anfu, Tan Huaike put down his work and invited her to sit down: "I thought it would be Boss Tan coming to see me, but I didn't expect it to be Lady Fu who came. Is it about the shop on Huaqi Street?"

"Calling Grandpa Tan 'Boss Tan,' and not even addressing me as 'Sister,' Madam Shentu has truly forgotten her roots." Tan Anfu sneered. "Grandpa was cheated out of his shop on Huaqi Street, suffering losses twice in a row. He has no one to blame but himself. Even if he comes to you, what? Are you willing to return the shop to him?"

“As long as I pay the market price, I can certainly have a good talk with the Tan family.”

"Market price? Putting aside the Tan family's current situation, given A-Weng's stingy nature, he would never discuss market price with you."

"So Lady Fu knew all along." Tan Huaike rubbed his aching fingers and ladled himself a bowl of sunflower soup cooked by Pei'er. "So you didn't come here today to talk to me about the shops on Huaqi Street?"

“No.” Tan Anfu stroked her belly. “I came to talk to you about Young Master Zhuo’s child.”

Clang.

A full bowl of sunflower soup was spilled on the table.
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Next chapter: Where did the child come from?