Volume 1 Chapter 10: Delivering Soup
In the afternoon, Tanyin woke from a half-hour nap on the chaise lounge, just as Mama Wang entered.
With high cheekbones and slanted eyes, her long face was now stern. After offering a perfunctory greeting, she said:
"Concubine, the soup prepared by Madam is ready. You should get up and deliver it to the front courtyard yourself."
Tanyin rose lazily. "I know."
Seeing this, Mama Wang was displeased and couldn't help but speak up: "Not that this old servant is overstepping, but you are a daughter of the Song family, Madam's younger sister. Now that Madam is in trouble, you should actively help share her burdens. Don't forget that Concubine Su and the Fifth Young Master still rely on the mistress to survive in the mansion."
Clatter—
A delicate little wooden comb fell to the floor, landing near Mama Wang's feet and startling her.
"Is Mama Wang threatening me?" Tanyin's expression was indifferent, her gaze lowered as she glanced at Mama Wang, the chill in her tone hard to conceal.
"I know you are Mother's person, but this is still the Marquis's Mansion. If others see you, a servant, lecturing your master like this and word gets out, who knows what they'll think—that the Song family has fallen so low that servants are running the household."
"I—"
These lightly spoken words made Mama Wang tremble all over, cold sweat streaming down her back. She quickly knelt and begged for mercy: "This servant spoke out of turn. I beg Concubine to punish me."
Yin Huan, standing nearby, watched her two-faced act and secretly scoffed.
Guantang Courtyard was neither large nor small, with few servants and attendants. At the moment, everyone was busy with their own tasks, and the entire small courtyard was quiet.
Inside the room, awakening incense burned. Mama Wang knelt on the cold floor, inwardly lamenting her misfortune.
After a long while, Yin Huan picked up the wooden comb from the floor, wiped it clean, and handed it to her mistress. Only then did Tanyin speak again:
"You're right. Concubine and my younger brother still depend on the mistress in the mansion. This time, I won't punish you. Get up, Mama."
Her tone was cool and detached, like a snow-capped mountain that never melts.
Having escaped punishment, Mama Wang's anxious heart settled. She stood up and thanked her: "Thank you for your mercy, Concubine! This servant will take her leave now."
Tanyin hummed in acknowledgment and paid her no further attention.
Once outside the room, Mama Wang let out a sigh of relief, but couldn't help feeling a trace of contempt.
Trying to scare her, huh? In the end, she still didn't dare to punish her.
After Mama Wang's figure disappeared outside, Yin Huan helped Tanyin with her hair while asking in confusion: "Mistress, why didn't you just punish her as a warning?"
Tanyin dipped her fingertip into a mixture of flower nectar and lip balm, lightly dabbed it on her lips, and pressed them together. The rosy pink lips bloomed like a flower, full, moist, and radiant.
Hearing the question, she asked calmly: "Besides you and me, did anyone else see her overstepping her place and ordering me around?"
Yin Huan was taken aback, then heard her continue: "Since there weren't, we might as well wait a little longer."
"Besides, she still has her uses."
Yin Huan knew she wasn't as clever as Yin Lian, but since her mistress had a plan in mind, she wouldn't press for details and hold her back.
After a simple wash-up, a maid arrived outside the door carrying a food box.
"Mistress, the kitchen has delivered the soup."
Yin Huan's gaze fell on Tanyin's hand, unable to hide her concern: "But your hand…"
The spot injured by the Cuju ball in the morning was now covered in bruises and red marks, starkly visible against the fair skin below the base of her thumb.
Tanyin flexed her hand slightly and smiled. "It's fine. I'll just apply some more ointment."
"By the way, bring another tube of ointment for flesh wounds along."
Yin Huan nodded. "This servant will go fetch it right away."
Everything prepared, the mistress and her maid carried the food box to the front courtyard.
Front courtyard, Zhaohui Hall.
Chang Feng, who was on duty, saw the two and stepped forward to stop them: "Subordinate Chang Feng greets Concubine Song. The master is handling official business and has ordered that no one disturb him without permission."
Tanyin was not angered, her voice gentle and smooth as she explained to him: "Madam had the kitchen prepare soup and ordered me to deliver it personally. Could Guard Chang Feng please go in and announce me?"
Chang Feng hesitated for a moment, as if thinking of something, and finally nodded: "Concubine, please wait here a moment. This subordinate will go and report."
"Thank you."
Tanyin stood in the courtyard, discreetly observing her surroundings.
Compared to the exquisite elegance of Qihua Yuan and Guantang Courtyard, Zhaohui Hall's furnishings and layout were quite grand. In the courtyard stood a cedar tree, straight and sturdy, its top unseen even when looking up.
Having roughly noted this in her mind, Tanyin withdrew her gaze and turned to whisper a few words to Yin Huan.
Yin Huan was slightly surprised, nodded, then took out the wound medicine she carried in her sleeve and walked toward another young man who bore some resemblance to Chang Feng.
"Are you Guard Changyun?" she tentatively asked.
Changyun, who had been lost in thought, was startled and nodded: "I am."
Yin Huan handed over the ointment in her hand, "This is the wound medicine my mistress asked me to give you."
Changyun was stunned, his gaze instinctively shifting toward Tanyin's direction.
Tanyin spoke up to explain: "The day before yesterday, while admiring the fish at the estate's waterside pavilion, I accidentally spilled too much fish food, causing the Marquis's beloved fish to die from bloating. Due to my fault, Guard Changyun was implicated and received a caning. I offer my apologies here."
With these words, she gave a slight bow, her posture graceful and slender.
Changyun had not expected this reason and quickly clasped his hands in return: "Uh, C-Concubine Song, you are too polite. Actually—"
Just as he was about to explain her misunderstanding, Chang Feng emerged from the study at that moment, interrupting Changyun.
He said to Tanyin: "Concubine, the master has agreed. You may enter."
Tanyin gave a slight nod and stepped inside. Yin Huan prepared to follow but was stopped.
Chang Feng: "Apologies, the study is an important area. The master only permits the concubine to enter alone."
Yin Huan had no choice but to hand the food box to Tanyin and said: "This servant will wait for you here."
After Tanyin entered, Yin Huan found a shady spot to wait.
Meanwhile, Chang Feng noticed his brother's hesitant expression and the object in his hand, so he went over and asked: "What's wrong?"
Changyun briefly explained what had just happened, then couldn't help but ask: "Was that fish of the master's really fed to death by Concubine Song?"
Chang Feng: "Yes."
Changyun was even more incredulous, "Does the master know about this?"
"Yes."
Having received confirmation, Changyun blinked and shook the ointment in his hand uncertainly: "Then, can I still accept this medicine?"
Chang Feng glanced at it, "Later, find an opportunity to report it to the master."
"Concubine Song meant well, but unfortunately, you got caned because of your loose tongue."
Changyun: ……… Why bring up the sore spot?
Study.
Tanyin carried the food box with one hand and walked to the door, raising her other hand to knock: "Marquis, concubine has brought you some food."
A moment later, a cold voice came from inside the study: "Enter."
Tanyin pushed the door open and entered. What greeted her eyes was a painting of a thousand-mile landscape hanging on the wall, grand and profound in its majesty.
In the center of the study stood a spacious writing desk, upon which brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and official documents were arranged in perfect order. Nearby, a curio shelf displayed antique artifacts and calligraphy scrolls, exuding an air of classical elegance and delicate craftsmanship.
At that moment, behind the writing desk, a man leaned over, holding a brush as he wrote. His fingers were slender and well-defined, his broad shoulders and straight back imposing and dignified. Clad in a dark, ink-black robe, he appeared cold and authoritative, almost blending into the deep, serene scenery outside the window.
A flash of bright color caught the corner of his eye, and Xie Xun’s brush paused slightly. A drop of ink trailed down, landing abruptly on the faintly yellowed rice paper.
“Leave it there,” he said without looking up, his tone indifferent.
Tanyin placed the food box on a nearby table, lifted the lid, and the sweet, rich aroma of the food wafted through the study.
Xie Xun’s thick brows furrowed slightly as he raised his eyes to look at her.
Meeting his gaze, Tanyin lowered her eyes and pursed her lips. “Then… this concubine will take her leave?”
After a moment of silence, Xie Xun spoke. “Do you know how to grind ink?”
“Yes.”
Receiving her nod, Xie Xun glanced at the already dried inkstone and instructed calmly, “Come and grind it.”
A flicker of emotion passed through Tanyin’s eyes. “Yes.”
Gently gathering her sleeves, she revealed a pair of slender, pale hands. Standing beside Xie Xun, she picked up the ink stick resting on the brush holder with one hand, pressed the other against the edge of the inkstone, and began to grind it slowly.
The scent of the ointment applied to her hands was faint, unnoticeable from a distance, but particularly distinct up close.
“What happened to your hands?”