After all that commotion earlier, Shen Xiuwang had completely lost his enthusiasm.
Upon returning to the Hall of Harmony, he was surrounded by ministers who kept toasting him. Though he had a decent tolerance for alcohol, the constant clinking of cups gradually intensified his drunkenness.
By the time the banquet ended and he boarded the carriage to leave the palace, the entire household had already retired for the night.
Chang Feng and Yuan Jing supported their half-drunk master back to Pine Crane Garden, and from a distance, they spotted a lamp lit beneath the western pavilion’s corridor.
Shen Xiuwang’s vision was hazy with intoxication.
Under the lamp, he saw a young woman sitting on a small stool, her head bowed as she embroidered.
The woman wore a green skirt and a white blouse, her hair tied up in a simple yet neat bun. Aside from a silver hairpin and a small pearl flower, nothing else adorned her.
On the ground sat a red clay stove, atop which a purple clay pot simmered. Bubbling steam gently lifted the lid, releasing white mist along the edges of the pot.
The lamp beneath the corridor swayed in the breeze, casting dancing shadows and creating an atmosphere of serene tranquility.
“Nian Tang, your hands are truly skillful. This winter jasmine embroidery looks so lifelike,” Xiang Zhu said as she approached from outside the corridor, leaning in to admire the young woman’s work.
Su Tan lifted her slightly sore neck and generously handed the embroidery piece to Xiang Zhu for a closer look, smiling as she replied, “My skills are hardly worthy of such praise.”
Truth be told, her embroidery had been taught to her by Cai Wei.
During the long, tedious days at the establishment, doing needlework had helped calm her restless heart.
Su Tan stood up, took a clean cloth, and placed it over the pot lid. After lifting the lid, she gently fanned away the rising white steam, then picked up a ladle and stirred the contents of the pot.
Xiang Zhu carefully traced the embroidery pattern with her fingers, finding it increasingly exquisite.
Unable to hold back her curiosity, she asked, “What are you planning to make with this?”
Su Tan set the soup pot aside, picked up an iron fire tong, and began removing the glowing charcoal pieces from the stove one by one.
As she worked, she replied, “I plan to make a soft cloth cover for the Fifth Young Miss.”
“She came twice daily to change my bandages these past few days, and I’ve been wanting to repay her kindness. But as a maid, I don’t have anything of great value.”
“I noticed that the leather strap of her medicine box digs into her shoulder when she carries it, so I thought a soft cloth pad would make it more comfortable.”
Xiang Zhu nodded thoughtfully. “You’re so considerate. I thought you were embroidering something for the Young Master.”
Su Tan removed the last piece of charcoal, crushed the remaining hot ashes in the stove, and finally set down the fire tong. She then picked up the soup pot again and placed it back on the stove to keep warm.
As she busied herself, she lowered her head and chuckled in response, “The Young Master would surely look down on my crude handiwork. No need to provoke his displeasure.”
She dared not embroider anything for Shen Xiuwang. For one, it was inevitable that he would criticize and disdain it.
For another, if Old Madam and Madam found out, they would likely accuse her of having ulterior motives and trying to climb the social ladder.
She still wanted to live a few more years.
Su Tan steadied the soup pot and finally straightened her back.
Suddenly, a large shadow fell over her, blocking the light. Instinctively, she looked up.
Leaning against a vermilion corridor pillar stood a tall, slender man. His dark eyes were clouded with the haze of alcohol, the corners and rims tinged with a faint red.
He stood with his arms crossed, his expression haughty.
Such a celestial appearance, yet accompanied by the demeanor of a spoiled noble—who else could it be but the Second Young Master, Shen Xiuwang?
Xiang Zhu was already wide-eyed with shock and hurriedly curtsied in greeting.
Su Tan was momentarily stunned, reacting a beat later before following suit with a curtsy.
“Young Master, you’ve returned.”
Shen Xiuwang looked down his nose, his gaze drifting indifferently over the embroidery piece before he scoffed.
It truly was hideous.
With long strides, he headed toward the main room without so much as a glance back.
Su Tan and Xiang Zhu stood where they were, exchanging bewildered looks.
Was he angry?
Had she said something inappropriate earlier?
“Hurry inside to attend to him, Nian Tang. I’ll go have the maids fetch water.”
Xiang Zhu quickly called someone to go outside the room, and Su Tan didn’t bother overthinking it. She picked up the soup jar and followed closely behind.
Better to finish the task of delivering the sobering soup first—she still had a second trip to make!
Inside the main room.
After washing up and changing clothes, Shen Xiuwang had changed into his sleeping attire and was lazily reclining on the couch.
Su Tan poured a bowl of sobering soup and steadily carried it to the front of the couch, bending slightly to offer it to him: “Young Master, please have some Four-Dissipation Soup.”
The second young master of the Shen family, his drunkenness gradually intensifying, couldn’t help but feel drowsy. Without even lifting his eyelids, he said, “Not drinking. Take it away.”
Three hours of brewing, and he just says he won’t drink it.
Fine, fine.
Su Tan suppressed the urge to pry open his mouth and pour the sobering soup down his throat.
With forced patience, she said, “Then please rest well, Young Master. This servant will take her leave.”
Holding the porcelain bowl, she turned and walked away from the couch. After only two steps, she suddenly heard the person on the couch call out to stop her.
“Wait.”
Did he want to drink it now?
Su Tan turned back.
But she heard him mutter in a muffled voice, “Take the pastries away.”
The young woman then looked toward the desk, where a package of pastries was clearly placed.
Take them away? Take them where?
Su Tan pondered for a moment.
The person on the couch spoke again, “If you don’t eat them, throw them away.”
Oh, so he didn’t want them and was telling her to throw them away while she was at it.
Su Tan responded, “Yes.”
…
After attending to this demanding figure, Su Tan gathered the changed clothes, quietly closed the door, and left.
The moon was nearing the middle of the sky. With one hand carrying a bamboo basket and the other holding a lantern, she hurried toward the vegetable garden in the west.
Outwardly, she was following the madam’s orders to pick spring vegetables for the young master, but in reality, she had her own plans.
In any prominent household, the important areas around the estate were bound to be tightly guarded, while the more remote places inevitably had one or two overlooked gaps.
The vegetable garden was located in the northwest corner, with few people coming and going and not of great importance. Familiarizing herself with this path couldn’t hurt.
Su Tan thought this way as her gaze swept around.
Although the further northwest she went, the more remote it became, there were still quite a few stone lanterns and pavilions. The elderly women and servants guarding the two inner gates were relatively strict, but the further out she went, the more the night watchmen slacked off and idled.
Some even secretly drank or gambled.
Su Tan walked while memorizing the route. By the time she reached the vegetable garden, her feet were already burning.
The midnight water clock hadn’t yet struck, so she simply walked into the vegetable garden, feeling her way along the base of the wall.
Sure enough, amidst the overgrown weeds, there was a row of drainage holes for filth—round and not even as large as the bottom of the small bamboo basket in her hand.
The lantern light she held swayed as someone approached from the east.
She straightened up and walked into the vegetable garden, pretending to search for spring vegetables while secretly observing the newcomer from the corner of her eye.
The figure was petite, likely a woman, and the lantern she carried was much brighter than Su Tan’s, probably made of silk fabric.
Only the masters of the estate could use silk lanterns, and Su Tan faintly recognized who it was.
She happily stepped forward to greet her, “Fifth Miss, the night is deep and the dew is heavy. Why have you come here?”
The two lanterns converged, illuminating the young woman’s oval face and almond-shaped eyes.
Shen Peien called out to her joyfully, “Nian Tang.”
“I couldn’t sleep no matter what, so I came to take a look at the Herb Garden.”
“And you are…?”
Su Tan lowered her eyes and smiled, “Picking some spring vegetables.”
Seeing her hesitant expression, Shen Peien guessed the reason.
Although the madam didn’t show her displeasure openly, she had many subtle ways of making things difficult.
The young girl couldn’t help but ask, “Does Second Brother know?”
Su Tan shook her head, “Such a small matter isn’t worth troubling the young master with. If I can’t endure even this kind of hardship, I won’t be able to establish myself in the estate in the future.”
Shen Peien hummed in understanding, grasping her meaning.
Even though Second Brother would protect those in his household, he couldn’t always be at the estate. Nian Tang thought about establishing herself independently, not merely currying favor with superiors—a rather clear-headed approach.
“That’s true. Then I’ll go check on the herbs first.”
Su Tan nodded and chimed in, “Fifth Miss, let this servant hold the lantern for you. The morning dew hasn’t settled yet, and the spring vegetables still need a while before they can be picked.”
“Alright.”
The Herb Garden was right next to the vegetable plot—two acres of land emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.
It inexplicably brought a sense of calm.
Shen Peien crouched down to inspect the plants one by one, while Su Tan held the lantern for her, the two keeping each other company.
Su Tan’s gaze fell on a seedling, and she asked curiously, “Fifth Miss, is this licorice?”
“Indeed. You recognize medicinal herbs?”
Su Tan shook her head, “Only one or two kinds.”
She truly didn’t know many. The reason she recognized licorice was because Qiao Yu had taught her.
Qiao Yu was the son of Uncle Qiao next door, a year older than Su Tan, and had been interested in Chinese herbal medicine since childhood.
Later, he indeed got into medical school.
If time passed the same in both worlds, eight years later, he should have become an excellent doctor by now.
That day at the amusement park, Qiao Yu said he would tell her a secret after they rode the roller coaster.
What the secret was, she didn’t know.
Su Tan lowered her eyes sadly, because she couldn’t go back.
Shen Peien’s voice broke through her reminiscence.
“Nian Tang, if you’re interested in medicinal herbs, I can teach you.”
Su Tan snapped back to reality, hesitating, “Wouldn’t that trouble Fifth Miss…”
In truth, she very much wanted to learn. Although the singing, dancing, zither, and chess she learned in the brothel were elegant, knowing medicine was more practical.
At least it could save lives in critical moments.
Shen Peien pulled out a weed, glancing back at her, “What trouble? Tomorrow I’ll bring you a few medical books and illustrated guides to look at first.”
“If you’re interested, we can delve deeper.”
Fifth Miss paused, slightly awkward, “Can you read?”
It wasn’t that she looked down on her background, but she was worried she might not understand.
Su Tan understood Shen Peien’s meaning and replied tactfully, “I barely recognize a few characters. To appear cultured, the brothel taught us some.”
This was the truth.
Cultivating an outstanding courtesan indeed covered all aspects.
Bringing up Nian Tang’s past wasn’t Shen Peien’s intention, so she gave her a friendly smile, “If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me anytime.”
“Or ask Second Brother. He’s knowledgeable and can expound on everything from tea ceremony to medicinal principles.”
Su Tan nodded earnestly, “Alright.”
Shen Peien, “Then let’s start learning now.”
“Look, this one is skullcap.”
“That’s angelica.”
Su Tan followed the direction Shen Peien pointed, carefully observing and memorizing each plant, then stopped before a few newly sprouted grasses in the corner.
“Fifth Miss, what kind of herb is this?”
Shen Peien pursed her lips, frowning slightly, “I’m not sure either. Second Brother gave me a few seeds the other day and told me to plant them first and see.”
The young girl blinked at her mysteriously, “Don’t tell anyone. Second Brother always operates in secrecy.”
Su Tan nodded solemnly, “Nian Tang understands.”