The room was thick with the scent of roast goose.
Gu Fengjian caught a glimpse of Song Chuzhao’s Adam’s apple bobbing unnaturally, her eyes fixed on the table, but devoid of any life.
He said, “If you’re worried about me, do a few things for me when you go back.”
Song Chuzhao immediately said, “Say it!“ by carpreads.pages.dev
Gu Fengjian said, “Have my mother come to the Song family as soon as possible to exchange birth charts and finalize the marriage contract.”
Song Chuzhao was taken aback. She wanted to say something but didn’t.
Gu Fengjian continued, “Then, have the maid Chundong from the Gu mansion sent to me. She’s very clever and capable. With her at the Song family, she can take good care of me.”
Song Chuzhao asked, “Which one is Chundong?”
Gu Fengjian said, “Just tell Madam Gu to send Chundong to me, she’ll understand.”
“Is that appropriate?” Song Chuzhao hesitated, “Isn’t this inappropriate?”
Gu Fengjian, with an air of righteousness, said, “It’s appropriate. No one will dare say anything.”
His tone was so confident that Song Chuzhao believed him.
They exchanged a few more words, reminding each other of things to be mindful of in their daily lives. They then made an appointment to visit the most famous temples in the capital, hoping to find a way to salvage the situation.
Seeing that Song Chuzhao had already been out for a while and was eager to return, she left first.
After she left, Gu Fengjian sat for a long time before reaching out to tear off a piece of roast goose from the table.
Although the food was cold and somewhat greasy, it tasted truly excellent. It was even a bit surprising when he took the first bite.
Gu Fengjian’s palate was always quite bland, finding little flavor in the things he ate, so he wasn’t picky. This time, he ate until he was half-full, fearing that eating more would upset his stomach due to the excessive greasiness, and reluctantly stopped.
At dinnertime, Gu Fengjian took the initiative to go to the dining hall and sat down in advance to wait. After all, he couldn’t keep waiting for Song Chuzhao to bring him food; he had to take care of himself.
Since he was there, the servants of the Song family naturally couldn’t ignore him. They proactively added a set of chopsticks and bowls for him, and prepared two extra dishes, bringing them to the table.
Soon, Old Madam Song and the rest of the family arrived. Everyone was slightly surprised to see him, but then they sat down quietly to eat.
The meal was eaten in complete silence.
It was unclear if the Song family always ate like this, but tonight, no one spoke at the table, only the sounds of chopsticks clinking and the careful sipping of soup. The maidservants attending to them seemed apprehensive, afraid of making any mistakes.
Third Madam naturally noticed this, wiping her mouth with a silk handkerchief, her eyes darting back and forth between the people at the table.
Song Shiwen, however, remained as usual, quietly lowering her head to eat her own food, presenting a picture of serene loveliness.
The “Song Chuzhao” beside her ate slowly and gracefully, chewing her food meticulously, but her whole being seemed a bit absent-minded.
Third Aunt Song found it amusing. She nudged her husband with her elbow. He responded with a roll of his eyes. She snorted and continued eating.
She felt that the “Song Chuzhao” today was exceptionally composed, even inscrutable. The Old Madam, who was seated at the head of the table, probably wanted to find fault with her, and she glanced at her several times, but ultimately said nothing.
Third Aunt had been waiting for a storm to break, but it didn’t come as she wished.
After finishing dinner, Gu Fengjian stood up, raised his hand to salute Old Madam, and then sauntered back to his room. Nothing happened.
His maid, who had been missing for most of the day, finally appeared, silently following behind him as they returned to their courtyard.
They entered one after the other.
By this time, the sky had turned dark. Miao’er brought in a lamp, placed it beside the table, and then went to make the bed for him.
From this simple room, Gu Fengjian even found a volume of a storybook.
This storybook was clearly a handwritten copy, likely something Song Chuzhao had bought from somewhere else to pass the time.
He never read these frivolous books, but with nothing else to do at the moment, he sat down beside it, leaning against the table, and flipped through it.
The light outside the window gradually dimmed, making the lamplight appear even more prominent.
Miao’er brought him a pot of hot tea and placed it on the table. Seeing that she had finished most of her tasks, she was about to leave.
At this moment, Gu Fengjian, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, “I have been coughing a bit today.”
Miao’er stopped in her tracks, bent over, and asked, “Then, shall this servant go and make some pear soup for you to soothe your throat?”
Gu Fengjian continued, “It seems the room hasn’t been cleaned for a long time, and dust has accumulated.”
Miao’er looked up at him with suspicion.
Gu Fengjian said calmly, “Go fetch some water and clean it.”
Miao’er agreed, “Yes.”
This room had been unoccupied for a long time, and only a cursory cleaning had been done. After Song Chuzhao moved in, she hadn’t asked Miao’er to do much for her. To be precise, this was the first time Miao’er had actually done chores.
Miao’er brought back a basin of water, placed it on the ground, wrung out the cloth, and perfunctorily wiped the table, shelves, and other prominent areas. Then, she swept the floor clean.
After a stick of incense. Miao’er lowered the sleeves she had rolled up and returned to Gu Fengjian, reporting in a low voice, “Miss, I have finished cleaning.”
Under the candlelight, Gu Fengjian’s face was half-lit, half-shadowed, making it impossible to discern his emotions.
His slender fingers reflected on the pages of the book, his gaze moving as he casually flipped a page before saying, “It’s not clean.”
Miao’er asked, “Miss, where is it not clean?”
Gu Fengjian spoke as if it were a casual remark, yet it was impossible to refuse, “If you don’t even know where it’s not clean, then clean it again.”
Miao’er stood there, stunned, as if she couldn’t believe he would say such a thing, and remained rooted in place for a while.
Gu Fengjian waited for a moment, then said in a muffled voice, “Aren’t you going?”
Miao’er stiffened, realizing he was deliberately trying to make things difficult for her. Her fingers turned white from clenching, but she still respectfully replied, “Yes.”
She went outside and fetched another basin of water, scrubbed the cloth, and began a new round of cleaning.
This time, she was a little more thorough, remembering to wipe the corners. She also used more force, pressing the cloth hard against the objects in front of her.
The damp, coarse cloth made a grating noise against the wooden bedposts. Heavy footsteps echoed repeatedly inside and outside. Chairs and tables were dragged and pulled, making a creaking sound that repeated over and over. The wooden basin was slammed heavily onto the ground, splashing water everywhere.
No one spoke in the room. The windows were closed, blocking out the rustling of the autumn wind. Yet, the air was inexplicably filled with sparks of irritation, as if someone was trying to suppress their discontent.
It took more than half an hour to tidy up the small room.
Gu Fengjian’s gaze never wander to the other person, as if they didn’t exist. Her actions were not as interesting as the crude storybook in his hands.
When Miao’er stood before him again, Gu Fengjian raised his hand and stretched his body. He pressed his hand against his neck and spoke for the second time that evening.
“Do you think it’s clean now?”
Miao’er looked at her own toes and said, “I wonder if the young lady thinks it’s clean now?”
Gu Fengjian said unceremoniously, “I don’t think so.”
A hint of stubbornness and defiance appeared on Miao’er’s face, and her tone hardened. “May I ask, young lady, what is not clean?”
Gu Fengjian chuckled softly.
Miao’er raised her gaze, not understanding what was so funny. She heard Gu Fengjian ask, “Am I a servant?”
Miao’er lowered her head again. “Of course not.”
“Then why are you asking me how to clean?”
Gu Fengjian set down the book in his hand, leaned forward, and adjusted the wick of the lamp. The candle flame flickered violently. His voice carried a sarcastic chill. “Do you need me to teach you how to be a servant?”
Miao’er’s face instantly turned pale.
He crossed his legs, shifted to a new position, and sat back lazily. “It’s still early. I’ll wait for you to clean up.”
Miao’er looked at him, her expression unclear. Finally, she bit her lip and said in humiliation, “Yes!”
Even though she hadn’t put much effort into the first two cleanings, she had still exerted a lot of energy. Miao’er had been very favored before, and she wasn’t a low-ranking maid who did these chores. After nearly an hour of hard labor, her arms were already sore and weak.
She carried the basin out again. After leaving the courtyard, she didn’t go to the water tank at the back, but instead turned towards Song Shiwen’s courtyard.
Song Shiwen was already preparing to rest in her room. Warm light spilled out from the window. As Miao’er approached, she happened to encounter the other’s maid.
The maid, like her, was carrying a small basin, about to prepare hot water for Song Shiwen’s washing.
As Miao’er passed her, her knees suddenly buckled, and she fell to the ground. The water in the basin splashed out, pouring onto the mud by the roadside.
The maid quickly reached out to help her up, exclaiming, “Oh! Miao’er, what happened to you?”
Miao’er’s eyes were moist, and she couldn’t help but cry out, “I’m afraid I’ve offended our Third Miss. She made me clean the room over and over again, and I don’t know how to satisfy her.”
The maid listened, her voice low with dissatisfaction. “That Third Miss has so many ways to torment people. Isn’t she deliberately making things difficult for you?”
Miao’er sat half-way on the ground, wiping her eyes and whimpering, “I’m so envious that you can serve Second Miss. Everyone knows that Second Miss is the most kind and benevolent. I’m afraid there will be even more things waiting for me in the future.”
“You were also by the young lady’s side before. The young lady won’t just ignore you…” The maid thought for a moment, then pulled her up. “I’ll go ask the young lady for you. If she’s willing to speak up for you, you should be fine.
Miao’er said happily, “Thank you, sister. Please also thank Second Miss for me!”
Soon, Song Shiwen came to the small courtyard, wearing an outer robe.
The hem of her wide robe billowed in the wind, and her footsteps were light as she walked, making no sound. Her shadowy figure in the darkness seemed incredibly graceful.
Gu Fengjian saw the three of them but didn’t react much. He raised his hand and rubbed the area between his eyebrows, easing the fatigue in his eyes. After waiting for a while, seeing that they were still standing at the door and not moving, he said impatiently, “Close the door.”
Song Shiwen had been waiting for him to initiate conversation, but she hadn’t expected his first words to be this. She felt both awkward and resentful, secretly cursing him as “a crude person,” and walked in.
“Third Sister, did Miao’er do something wrong?”
Song Shiwen stopped in the room, keeping a distance from him. She didn’t want to appear too familiar. But her voice was soft and melodious, as if she were very close to the person across from her.
“I just asked her to clean the room. Why do you need to interfere?” In contrast, Gu Fengjian’s tone and voice became even colder. Although pleasant, it carried the authority and majesty of a superior.
He didn’t specify, but his next question was directed at Miao’er. “Did you go get the water from Second Miss’s courtyard?”
Miao’er tucked her neck, hiding behind Song Shiwen.
Song Shiwen stepped forward gracefully and said, “Third Sister, Miao’er was once my servant, and we have a certain master-servant bond. She is clumsy and slow-tongued, and occasionally makes mistakes, but she has no ill intentions. If she has spoken out of turn again, I hope you can forgive her for my sake.”
“Do you mean that from now on, no servant in the Song Mansion can be assigned to do any work?” Gu Fengjian asked, “She is a servant of the mansion. If she doesn’t do it, are you going to do it?”
The servant girl beside Song Shiwen hurriedly said, “Our Second Miss is of noble status, how can she be compared to a servant?”
Gu Fengjian said, “Your Second Miss is of noble status, so you can speak freely? I have never seen a noble household that is so lenient with their servants.”
The servant girl fell silent for a moment. Seeing that Song Shiwen’s face was tense and she did not stop her, she continued, “Our Miss is compassionate.”
Gu Fengjian chuckled, “The servants of the Song Mansion are truly strange. They are disobedient, don’t do their work, are gossipy, lazy, and like to meddle. How the Song Mansion tolerates their servants is none of my business. But this person, since she is my personal servant, I have the right to discipline her.”
Song Shiwen’s lips turned pale, but she still spoke softly, “I heard that Third Sister has already made her clean the room twice.”
Gu Fengjian nodded, “She cleaned it twice and still didn’t clean it properly. It seems that the servants of the Song Mansion don’t do much work on a daily basis. I don’t keep useless people by my side. If you can’t bear to part with her, you can take her back.”
Song Shiwen forced a smile, “I think it’s already quite clean.”
“I can’t tolerate dirt in my sight.” Gu Fengjian’s eyes swept across the corners of the room, “Whether she cleaned it with care, and what parts are still not cleaned, she knows in her own heart.”
The room fell silent again.
Miao’er saw that Song Shiwen couldn’t argue with Third Miss, and her heart grew anxious. Her palms became damp, and the basin she was holding felt heavier.
Song Shiwen said dryly, “Where did you learn this method, Sister?”
“Nowhere in particular.” Gu Fengjian smiled sincerely, “When I met Fifth Young Master Gu, I saw that his servants were very obedient. I was curious about how strict the Gu Mansion’s rules were, so I chatted with him for a bit.”
Song Shiwen was indeed agitated when she heard this, her face full of disapproval. “How could you meet with Fifth Young Master Gu privately? You should stay far away from him!”
Gu Fengjian said, “I want to see whoever I want to see. I want to talk to whoever I want to talk to. Anyway, he and I will be family in the future. Next time I see him, I want to ask him how he treats the servants in his mansion, whether he should be compassionate or strict.”
“How…” Song Shiwen’s voice trailed off, a breath stuck in her chest.
To be honest, she thought this person was really daring.
Song Chuzhao was a savage lunatic!
Miao’er looked around and realized that she still had to continue cleaning. Her fingers gripped the edge of the water basin tightly, and she knelt down, saying, “It’s my fault for being ignorant. I’ll go fetch water now, and I will definitely clean the Miss’s courtyard thoroughly today!”
Song Shiwen took two deep breaths and decided not to leave. She said she wanted to see how Miao’er cleaned, and she chose a chair to sit on.
Gu Fengjian ignored her and said, “Don’t forget to wipe the place where Second Miss is sitting.”
Song Shiwen’s expression darkened, and she was almost angry enough to leave. She stood up, but in the end, she couldn’t bear it and sat back down.
After another hour or so, Miao’er had wiped every corner of the room. This time, she didn’t dare to slack off, and she did it very carefully. Even many years of grime were scrubbed away by her.
Her hands were white from being soaked in water, and her legs and back were sore from constantly bending and squatting. By the end, her steps were heavy and dragging. She barely managed to finish the task.
It was already late at night.
Song Shiwen had also been sitting on the hard wooden stool for a long time, her body aching. She would occasionally shift her position slightly to relieve the discomfort. When she looked up and saw Gu Fengjian sitting there reading a book with a lazy posture, she felt even more impatient. She had regretted coming early on, but she was too stubborn to leave.
Miao’er stood in front of Gu Fengjian again, her voice almost gritted out, “Miss, do you think it’s clean now?”
Gu Fengjian looked at her with raised eyebrows, making her skin crawl. He said with reluctance, “It’s late today, let it be for now.”
Song Shiwen immediately stood up, her face about to crack, and nodded at him before striding away.
Miao’er wanted to follow her out, but Gu Fengjian stopped her.
“Where are you going? You are my servant, did I tell you to leave?”
Song Shiwen, not far from the door, paused in her steps. She didn’t turn around, but hesitated for a moment before stopping.
Gu Fengjian said, “Wait outside, I’ll call you when I need you. When I’m ready to sleep, prepare hot water and bring it in. Be quiet, don’t make a sound.”
Miao’er almost broke down when she heard his voice.
With that, Song Shiwen wouldn’t wait any longer. She knew she wouldn’t get anything good from Gu Fengjian. She couldn’t stay here and watch his every move, looking for another opportunity to pick a fight. Without hesitation, she turned and left.
Even though it was early autumn, the weather after the rain was still chilly, especially at night.
The damp breeze drifted through the corridor, constantly penetrating the skin, then striking the deeper bones, leaving a chill inside.
Miao’er sniffed, squatting outside, feeling wronged.
She had thought that Song Chuzhao would definitely need to rest, and wouldn’t possibly stay up all night just to make things difficult for a servant. But she waited and waited, her body almost numb from the cold, and there was still no sound from inside.
If it weren’t for the solitary figure still reflected in the windowpane, she would have suspected that Third Song had gone to sleep before her.
Gu Fengjian was clearly someone who liked to stay up late.
He had a habit of not being able to sleep until he finished reading a book, no matter what kind of book it was.
It must have been more than two hours. Every time Miao’er was about to doze off against the door, she would be woken up. Either he would ask her to bring in a pot of tea, or he would ask her to fetch some fruit. After doing the small tasks, he would send her back outside to catch the breeze.
It was probably going to be dawn soon.
Miao’er completely gave up hope. Then Gu Fengjian suddenly called her in.
Miao’er had completely lost her previous sharpness. She stepped inside with unsteady feet, stood by the door, wrapped in the cold, and greeted Gu Fengjian. Her whole being was as low-spirited as frost-bitten weeds, finally becoming docile.
The cold wind of this night had sobered her up.
Even though Song Chuzhao was not favored in the Song Mansion, she was still a mistress. She would be marrying into a Duke’s mansion. As long as she had the mind, there were plenty of ways to control her own destiny.
Whether it was Second Miss Song or Old Madam, no matter how much they disliked Song Chuzhao behind her back, they had to maintain a facade of respectability. They couldn’t do anything to Song Chuzhao, and they wouldn’t help her just because she had done so many things to make things difficult for Third Miss.
If Third Miss was easy to bully, as Old Madam said, unable to make waves and had to compromise on everything, then she could indeed take advantage of the situation.
Clearly, she wasn’t. She was even more patient than anyone else in the Song Mansion, and only took action today. But once she got angry, no one could stop her.
In fact, even Second Miss was afraid of her.
Miao’er looked up, feeling a bit of fear towards the person in front of her.
Gu Fengjian: “Do you know what made me unhappy?”
Miao’er swallowed hard, her mouth opening to say, “This servant was wrong.”
“The kinds of people I hate the most are those who overstep their bounds, those who think they’re clever, and those who bully the weak and fear the strong.” Gu Fengjian curled his lips, “I don’t want to bother with you, I just think it’s not necessary. But if I wanted to bother with you, then what are you?”
Miao’er broke out in a cold sweat, whether from exhaustion or fear, her legs trembled, her figure looking extremely desolate. It was pitiful to look at.
She knelt down and said, “This servant knows she was wrong.”
Gu Fengjian said, “If you want others to respect you, then do things that make them respect you. If you are servile and flattering, and spread rumors and gossip, you will only ever be treated as a servant.”
Miao’er closed her eyes and said, “Miss is right.”
After a moment, Gu Fengjian said with weariness, “Bring a basin of hot water. I need to rest.”
Miao’er’s tears almost choked her, and she hurriedly said, “Yes!”