The dense green leaves could not hold the crystal dewdrops, which occasionally dripped and splashed tiny water droplets on the bluestone slabs.
The maid Yinzhu held the small statue in her hand, then carefully rolled it up and stuffed it deep into her sleeve pocket.
On the stone road, the figures of the master and servant walked further and further away.
In the hall, cool air was coming out of the ice jar.
Wen Tang flipped through the thick gift list. There were no fewer than hundreds of families who had sent gifts, including prominent families of the Duke's Mansion, relatives and old friends, colleagues and subordinates, local officials, and even wealthy merchants who had requests for favors from the mansion. He continued to look through it for half an hour before completing the inventory for today.
Mrs. Zhou quickly put away her writing brushes and ink, and at the right moment served a cup of freshly brewed chrysanthemum tea to relieve the heat.
Then Mrs. Zhou, holding the tea tray, followed Wen Tang closely as he walked towards the main house. Her lips moved several times, but she swallowed the words back, leaving only a suppressed murmur in her throat.
After entering the main room, Wen Tang sat down in the main seat, picked up the teacup, and glanced at Mrs. Zhou's face, which looked red with hesitation as she seemed to want to say something. He sighed and did not restrain Mrs. Zhou, but let her speak directly.
"If you have something to say, just say it."
Mrs. Zhou spat out all the food in one breath.
"My dear grandmother, please listen to my advice. In the next few days, you must make time to visit my uncle's office. Even if it's just to show up and give him a bowl of iced sour plum soup that you personally made, that would be great."
"But we must not let that person get the upper hand. She and our uncle have had a bond since childhood."
The master now looks steady and decent, but what man would not want to get a little bit of contact with a beautiful old woman when he sees her? His heart is like a cat's claws. No matter what he looks like during the day, at night, when the red curtains are closed, the master is also entangled with the grandmother in the tent.
Mrs. Zhou's worries were not unfounded. How could these two people, who had a secret past when they were young, let go of the past so easily? Their relationship was completely severed. Although one was married and the other was married, it was not uncommon for married men and married women to reunite after a long separation and rekindle their old love.
Mrs. Zhou had good intentions. "Grandma, you can't let her take advantage of this. If you don't show up and calm her down, she might think our family is easy to control."
--
Wen Tang wanted to say that if he really wanted to do that, she could still tie him up, but tying him up wouldn't work, and making a scene was the worst option. But seeing Mrs. Zhou sweating profusely from anxiety, Wen Tang couldn't bear it anymore.
Mother Zhou is old and has had to worry about both her mother and her own mother for decades.
Mrs. Zhou knew that this was tacit consent, and she moved with astonishing speed, turning around and going out to arrange the carriage, fearing that her eldest lady would be a step late.
——
The carriage rumbled into the bustling market,
Wen Tang raised his hand, gently lifted a corner of the car curtain with his fingertips, and looked outside.
The midsummer sun shone brightly, dappling the light through the dense branches of the locust trees lining the thoroughfare. The cries of hawkers, haggling, and the snorting of mules and horses mingled together.
The wheels rolled over the cobblestone road, actually,
Even if Qin Gong really rekindled his childhood sweetheart and even took the initiative to welcome her into his house, according to common sense, it would not be possible to shake the foundation of her legal marriage as his wife.
However, this is in accordance with common sense. If Qin Gong is blinded by old feelings and loses his mind, or if that person has other intentions, she also needs to prepare for the future.
Although she was married off as a substitute, this marriage was not something she deliberately snatched away, and she acted with a clear conscience.
When the carriage reached a place, its speed slowed down significantly and finally stopped.
Then, a clear male voice came from outside the carriage, with a Jiangnan accent. Mrs. Zhou, with her sharp ears, immediately recognized who it was and spat in disgust. She hadn't arrived yet, but her unlucky man had shown up first.
Wen Tang also recognized the voice as that of the wealthy businessman from Jiangnan.
She looked thoughtful, then raised her head to look at Mrs. Zhou. "What's his name?"
"His name is Xiannian?" Wen Tang called her husband this way, just as Wen Zhiyi did in the messy dream she had last time.
Mrs. Zhou felt as uncomfortable as if a fly had been stuffed into her mouth. She said, "Replying to Madam, the merchant's name is Jiang Dao."
Wen Tang frowned, then asked, "Wouldn't it be okay to say Xiannian?"
Mrs. Zhou lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked outside at the wealthy businessman from Jiangnan who was standing in front of a carriage. She replied, "His name is Chunsheng." Such a weird name, it was not pleasant to hear.
Wen Tang paused, it was obvious that dreams were not accurate and should not be taken seriously.
Mrs. Zhou was still looking outside when she noticed it was an official sedan chair. "Madam, there's an official sedan chair parked up ahead," she said, identifying the tassels dangling from the four corners. "Judging from the appearance, it looks like it's a colleague of yours. Should we wait a moment?"
Wen Tang kept a low profile on this trip, riding in a sedan chair without the official insignia. Ahead was an official's sedan chair, and inside sat a man from outside the palace. He should have given way to avoid suspicion.
The official sedan was parked under the shade of a tree, not far from the government office gate. It was broad and imposing, with tassels denoting rank hanging from the corners. Several neatly dressed bearers and attendants stood by its side. Even in the shade, the steaming ground heat had made their foreheads sweat, and their collars were dark, indicating they had been stationed there for quite some time.
Then Mrs. Zhou saw Wen Zhiyi's husband finally leave the sedan chair.
At this time, the vermilion lacquered door of the government office opened heavily.
Several servants in blue clothes and small hats filed out first, surrounded by a man in official robes. The servants carefully led him to the official sedan chair parked beside the door.
"Let's go?"
Mrs. Zhou was staring at that place in a trance until Wen Tang called her twice again. Then she came to her senses and turned around quickly.
Although Wen Tang was sitting in the carriage, she could still hear the noise outside. From outside came the sound of servants calling for the sedan chair, and the creaking sound of the official sedan chair being lifted up. She put her hand on the curtain of the sedan chair, ready to open it and take a look outside.
But Mrs. Zhou said, "Grandma, come on, the sedan chair has already started."
"We can move forward."
Wen Tang withdrew his hand and looked at Mrs. Zhou's slightly flustered face, "Hmm."
Mrs. Zhou shouted outside and gestured to the driver to hurry up.
The driver did not dare to delay and cracked the whip. The wheels rolled again, rolling over the cobblestone road, and the majestic gate of the government office was within reach.
The space inside the car is not large, but it is extremely comfortably decorated, with brocade cushions and a small rosewood table. On the table is a glass basin filled with crushed ice, with a few slices of cut watermelon and a few crystal purple grapes floating in the ice. There is also a pot of warm scented tea next to it.
Wen Tang picked up the small sweet white porcelain covered bowl on the small table, poured a cup of warm fragrant tea, picked up a small and delicate lotus cake, and handed them to Mrs. Zhou, "Mother Zhou, don't worry."
"What is coming cannot be avoided."
"Will you be as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, running around in circles if there's any woman around you in the future, or if the old lady even mentions taking a concubine?"
Mrs. Zhou looked up and Wen Tang handed the soft and fragrant pastry to her mouth.
She opened her mouth hesitantly and took a few bites, but the food was tasteless.
Wen Tang said a few more words of comfort.
Mrs. Zhou nodded hurriedly beside him, but she still kept her head down, looking like she was worried about something.