Outside the screen, the tall and straight figure stood silently at the door.
It's Qin Gong.
Wen Tang's heart skipped a beat. It was too late to go out from behind the screen and change into complicated formal attire. She quickly put on the gorgeous pink gauze dress again, and quickly and steadily gathered the collar with her fingertips. She even took the blurred reflection of the bronze mirror and meticulously tucked the loose hair on her temples into her temples. After making sure that the figure in the mirror was dignified and quiet, she took a deep breath and went out to greet him.
"Master, you're back." The voice was filled with the intimacy and respect that belonged to a wife.
Qin Gong simply nodded. His immense stature gave him a silent, oppressive presence, forcing Wen Tang to tilt his head upwards to meet his gaze. His profile was cold and hard, his nose straight, his jaw tense, and he carried a certain air of inhumanity and distance.
No matter how handsome he is, his temperament will ruin him.
Wen Tang's eyes quickly swept across his indifferent face, and he felt a little relieved. Then he turned around and told the maid who was guarding the night outside to come in and change the tea.
After the maid quietly left, Wen Tang lightly twirled the edge of his gauze sleeve with his fingertips, pondering how to properly retreat and change out of this inappropriate outfit. "Master, please sit down for a moment. I'll go to the inner room to change..."
"No need to serve me," Qin Gong took a step forward, "You can go and settle yourself." He walked past her without looking away.
After four years of marriage, she knew that if he said no, then no, ...
When Qin Gong finished bathing and emerged from the compartment, damp and cold, Wen Tang had already changed into the simplest moon-white undergarment and was sitting upright on the edge of the bed. The eye-catching pink gauze dress was neatly folded and placed far away, high on the top of the pear wood clothes hanger.
Qin Gong's eyes casually swept across the thin powder, then fell back on her.
"I told you to go and rest." He was shirtless, with water dripping down his waist and sinking into his loose silk trousers. His voice was emotionless. "Why are you still sitting here?"
Wen Tang watched him walk closer, worried that the water droplets on his body would wet the bed and cause trouble.
She raised her head, the natural upward curve of her eyes looked charming in the candlelight, "Wait for Master to come and rest together."
Suo Huan's wife.
Qin Gong frowned and said, "It's so late at night, we should go to bed and stop making trouble." I fulfilled my obligations last night, and I can't do it tonight.
Wen Tang: "…"
Wen Tang retracted his smile in time.
Then Qin Gong said nothing more, lay down facing outward, and pulled his quilt over.
If a couple does not stay overnight together, they will each have their own mattress.
Qin Gong rested, and Wen Tang silently crawled past him. There was some weight in his movements, and he stepped on him squarely, and heard a muffled groan.
"Master, I was careless."
As expected, Qin Gong did not respond.
Wen Tang crawled into his bed with satisfaction. Just as he lay down on the inside, Qin Gong beside him turned over without warning, from facing outside to facing inside, and met Wen Tang's gaze which had not yet been averted.
It can't be that he found out that she did it on purpose?
Under his silent gaze, Wen Tang lay down on his back calmly, closed his eyes and fell asleep.
There was a distance between the two of them, neither too far nor too close, and the distinction was clear, almost like their relationship as husband and wife.
--
In the second half of the night, Wen Tang was awakened by bloating and pain.
She reached over and pushed.
Maybe it was because she was caught off guard by the series of accidents today, and she stayed up very late, so the strength was soft, and in the eyes of the people on her, it was a kind of reluctant caress.
She really couldn't bear it anymore and squeezed out an impatient grumble from the depths of her throat. Her voice was unclear, but it revealed her obvious disgust.
Grandma Qin, who was dignified and quiet during the day, was gentle and kind in her dealings with others. Not only did she not curse, she never even spoke a loud word.
The heavy pressure on my body seemed to be stimulated by the grumbling, and it didn't stop at all.
It was not until the next day when the sky was bright that Wen Tang finally woke up, feeling sore all over.
She was so exhausted last night that she didn't even notice when Qin Gong got up and left. She supported herself with her arms and tried to sit up, but felt a dull pain in her waist. She couldn't help but say a few words to him in her heart.
I still need to pay my respects to the old lady and mother-in-law today.
At this time, Mrs. Zhou came in quietly with a copper basin of hot water. Seeing her with her hands on her waist, she felt distressed and angry. She was extremely dissatisfied with the master. He always hit her without restraint. She still felt distressed because she had taken care of the older girl.
"Oh, my great-grandmother," Mrs. Zhou hurriedly put down the basin and stepped forward to support her. "Before the master left, he specifically instructed that since you weren't feeling well today, you shouldn't go to pay your respects to the old lady and the Duke's wife. You can rest well."
Wen Tang gritted his teeth but did not stop moving.
The old lady was Qin Gong's grandmother, the most respected ancestor in the mansion, and she valued rules and etiquette above all else. Despite her advanced age, she still had to oversee all matters within the palace. Although his mother-in-law, the Duke's wife, was the principal wife, she had some early disagreements with the old lady, and was not as favored by the old lady as the concubine, Song, Qin Ruoyue's biological mother. In this vast Duke's mansion, even the slightest lapse in etiquette could be exploited.
Qin Gong is the eldest son of the Duke, and he holds a high position of power. He is the apple of the Duke's and the old lady's eye. The old lady may love him, but she will not forgive her.
Over the years, even the mother-in-law had to go pay her respects to the old lady, so as a junior, Wen Tang couldn't not go. Moreover, countless eyes were fixed on her in the mansion, waiting to find fault with her. If she didn't pay her respects today, someone with ulterior motives would see her as being spoiled and disrespectful to her elders.
A considerate remark like "I'm sorry, please excuse me" could be quickly misinterpreted as "taking advantage of your husband's favor to disrespect your ancestors." Furthermore, Qin Gong wasn't necessarily being considerate of her; most likely he was just annoyed that she was getting up late and was embarrassing him, Master Qin.
--
The old lady's Rong'an Hall was filled with smiles. Wen Tang's sisters-in-law and Qin Ruoyue surrounded the old lady like stars surrounding the moon. Amidst the laughter and joy, Qin Ruoyue, who was surrounded by someone, suddenly blushed and twisted her body unwillingly: "The old ancestor only knows how to make fun of people. My grandson is in no hurry to get married."
The old lady squinted her eyes because of her dazzle, smiled and tapped her forehead lightly: "Silly girl, you are just talking like a child. Your three older brothers are married, and the eldest and second oldest have children. You are still young? It's time to find a good family."
"But doesn't Third Brother have any children yet?" As soon as the words fell, the lively atmosphere suddenly stopped.
Qin Ruoyue still held the old lady's hand affectionately and shook it, saying, "Third sister-in-law hasn't given birth yet, so there's no need for a grandson to be in a hurry."
Mrs. Lin, who was standing behind the old lady and fanning her, had her eyelids twitched. She thought to herself, this little ancestor only says things that are unpleasant to the ear.
Did Third Madam not want to have children? The new concubine in Third Master's house, who looked like a frail, weak willow in the wind, and would fall down at the slightest breeze, was favored. Third Madam had a hot temper, and the couple were at odds, making the old lady sigh inwardly countless times.
"Girl, what are you talking about? Marriage is a matter of parents' orders and matchmakers' words. I have asked your stepmother to arrange your marriage. She will definitely choose a husband that suits you." The old lady interrupted Qin Ruoyue.
Qin Ruoyue curled her lips silently, like a proud peacock. She naturally wanted the best husband she could choose. Her eyes glanced around casually, and sure enough, without the one who was always putting on airs and trying to curry favor, even the breeze in the room felt smoother.
Qin Ruoyue snuggled up to her grandmother affectionately, praising her pros and cons until the old lady smiled brightly: "Grandma, yesterday I went to apologize to my eldest sister-in-law. I know that I was offended by my careless words. Fortunately, when I went to see my eldest sister-in-law yesterday, she looked very good. She was wearing a light gauze shirt and didn't look like a woman who had just come out of confinement. She was full of energy. I finally let go of my worry. I was just worried that my eldest sister-in-law would be angry with my bad mouth."
"Grandmother, my eldest sister-in-law has just come out of confinement after all. She came to pay her respects early and then went to take care of other matters in the mansion. Please don't let her go to Rong'an Hall so early every day. It is better to take good care of her for a while."
The old lady's smile faded slightly: "Don't worry, your elder brother is sympathetic and has already sent someone to report it."
Qin Ruoyue exclaimed, "Ah!"
Just at this moment, there was a message outside that the grandmother had arrived.
Wen Tang walked in gracefully, first bowing to the old lady, then looking at Qin Ruoyue with a smile: "Just as I walked to the corridor, I heard the fourth lady talking about me. Her words were full of concern, which really warmed my heart. You came late yesterday, saying you were apologizing, but you didn't say a word to me, and you left in a hurry before even having a cup of tea. I thought I had said something wrong, but the fourth lady didn't want to stay even for a moment. I am very relieved to hear that you are so concerned about me today."
As soon as she finished speaking, Mrs. Lin froze her fan and quickly looked at her nose. The second and third wives sitting below her exchanged a knowing look, both knowing how Qin Ruoyue had apologized so sincerely yesterday.
Qin Ruoyue's sweet smile froze, she pretended not to hear and didn't respond.
Wen Tang didn't care, as if it was just a casual remark, and turned to the old lady to apologize: "Grandma, please forgive me, it is true that my granddaughter-in-law is late today. Xia Jie'er and Huai Ge'er are very clingy and won't leave my granddaughter for a moment. The wet nurse tried to coax them for a long time but it was no use. They cried until their little faces were red and they kept sobbing. My granddaughter-in-law was really worried that they would get a heat stroke from crying, so that's why I was late."
Xia Jie'er and Huai Ge'er are the legitimate children of the eldest son. They are highly valued in the mansion and are as precious as pearls and granddaughters. Their importance is self-evident.
The Second Mistress, who was sitting at the bottom, looked up at the right moment and continued with a smile, "Grandfather, the old saying is true: a child who cries is smart. Look at your two little darlings, how lively and healthy they are. This is a great blessing for our mansion and a sign of prosperity. It's normal for children to be a little noisy in this hot summer."
These words struck a chord with the old lady, and the last trace of her annoyance vanished. She asked someone to find a seat for Wen Tang: "You, the children are more important. If you have time this afternoon, bring them over to me."
"Yes, Grandpa." Wen Tang responded with a smile, and sat down gracefully. He turned his gaze to Qin Ruoyue again, "Mother has entrusted the Fourth Young Lady's marriage to me. If the Fourth Young Lady has any expectations, please tell me. I will do my best."
Qin Ruoyue immediately looked at the old lady.
The old lady sat upright and said: "She must have noble character, clean family background, good looks and talent, everything must be top-notch. The daughter of my mansion deserves the best."
With the support of the ancestors, Qin Ruoyue felt relieved and her chin lifted a little higher. The husband she wanted must be a dragon and phoenix among men, not only from a prominent family, but also with whom she had a perfect relationship, a perfect match, the envy of others.
I'm not like some people who only know how to use some tricks to win over men but can't get any sincerity from them.
After the greetings, everyone filed out. Mrs. Zhou supported Wen Tang and stepped slowly onto the corridor. The Third Madam, who had a sullen face in the house the whole time, now walked with a quick step. Her angry figure turned around and disappeared in the shadow of the corridor pillars in a blink of an eye.
"Sister-in-law."
She was very familiar with this voice. It was Second Grandma Su Yi. Su Yi was her mother-in-law's niece and married to Second Grandpa Qin Changkun, the younger brother of First Grandpa Qin Gong. Because of this close relationship, the two sisters-in-law had gotten along quite well in the past two years.
Su Yi was born a peony of wealth and splendor, with a graceful figure. She wore a bright red floral-sprinkled shirt, exuding a nurturing, luxuriant elegance. In her hands, she held a scroll, its cover emblazoned with three neat characters: "Awakening Zen," which, as the name suggests, encompasses Buddhist principles.
Wen Tang understood: "Are you quarreling with the Second Master again?"
Su Yi snorted softly, her breath as sweet as orchid: "Who wants to argue with him?" Then she leaned closer, her voice low and soft: "My dear sister-in-law, I'll keep this book with you for a few days, so that the boring person won't see it and make a fuss again."
Every time Su Yi quarreled with the Second Master, she would look for educational books to broaden her mind, and then the Second Master would confiscate her books.
In the eyes of Wen Tang, who had not read many books, this younger brother and sister-in-law from a prominent family was always reading and well-educated.
Wen Tang took the book and sighed, "You two have been arguing far too often lately." She had helped her collect many books, and Qin Gong still had three or four left in his study. She reminded him, "Remember to come pick them up soon."
Su Yi nodded obediently.
Wen Tang was about to leave, but Su Yi quietly pulled her sleeve again: "Sister-in-law, you don't have to be shy. You can also look at it. I'm not in a hurry to take it back."
?
"This time, it's Ye Yu Qi Nan."
Wen Tang, who had never read a storybook, and who was even unaware of the true nature of some of the rare copies:
Su Yi saw that his sister-in-law didn't look as shocked or embarrassed as he had expected. He felt that he had found a confidant and began to teach her everything he knew. "Sister-in-law, to have this kind of fun, you have to look past those fancy names and see through the inner romance..."
Wen Tang suddenly remembered something: "Where are those books from last time?"
Without Su Yi's reply, Wen Tang instantly understood. She had a hidden agenda before, wanting to appear studious and ambitious, and the books she had placed in Qin Gong's study were not serious scholarship at all. She had even said to Qin Gong solemnly, "Master, you are well-educated. Although I am dull, I also want to learn some principles from you and be influenced by you..."
Qin Gong looked at her with a deep and indistinguishable gaze, and only said lightly, "Since that's the case, then study hard." Wen Tang felt that his gaze was looking down on her, so she would go to the study every night to read for half an hour, putting the "unique copy" given by Su Yi by her side, and she buried her head in studying the most basic Thousand Character Classic. She couldn't understand those rare books, and since they were Su Yi's books, she naturally never flipped through them.
As time went by, Qin Gong seemed to recognize her desire to learn and set aside a quiet area in his study for her to store books that "showed her knowledge."
It turns out that those rare books with grand names are actually erotic books disguised as serious books.
Wen Tang took a deep breath.
Su Yi had just left,
Wen Tang immediately turned around and hurriedly called out to Mrs. Zhou who was standing in the distance, "Go to the master's study now and find all those books on the small table in the east for me."