The carriage traveled for another half an hour before stopping at the entrance of the Duke’s residence.
“Third Master, we’ve arrived.”
“Mm.”
Pei Zhao stepped down from the carriage, holding the bamboo basket Xi Ning had given him.
Chang Lin was still thinking about the Green Dumplings inside and eagerly stepped forward.
“Third Master, let me carry that for you.”
“No need.” Pei Zhao sidestepped his hand and walked into the residence with the basket.
He knew exactly what Chang Lin was thinking. If it were anything else, he might have let it go, but he hadn’t even tasted these Green Dumplings himself yet.
Upon returning, Pei Zhao first went to pay his respects to Princess Anyang. Instead of having someone take the bamboo basket back to his quarters, he carried it directly to the main courtyard.
Princess Anyang was already over fifty. Pei Zhao had two older brothers and one older sister. His eldest brother, Pei Xun, was a full twelve years older than him. As the youngest in the family, he was also the most doted upon by Princess Anyang.
“Third Son, you’re back. Come here and let Mother see if you’ve lost weight.”
Princess Anyang sat on the couch, a loving smile appearing on her face as she saw him enter.
“Mother.”
Pei Zhao stepped forward and sat down beside her, placing the bamboo basket casually at his side.
Princess Anyang glanced at it, a flicker of something unreadable passing through her eyes, but it vanished almost instantly.
She took Pei Zhao’s hand, her voice full of concern. “You’ve lost weight and gotten darker. This trip must have been quite taxing. I’ll have Nanny Liu bring you some nourishing soup later. You need to replenish yourself.”
“Alright.”
Princess Anyang was accustomed to her youngest son’s reticence. She held his hand and chatted about his journey until her throat grew dry, reluctantly letting him leave.
Only after he had passed through the second courtyard gate did the smile fade from Princess Anyang’s face.
She took a sip of tea and slammed the cup heavily onto the table.
“That wretched boy! Returning to the capital and not coming home first, but instead going to Wutong Street to see that concubine! I thought he was just indulging a passing fancy, but it seems he still has her on his mind!”
Naturally, Pei Zhao’s movements were monitored when he left the Duke’s residence—not to spy on him, but out of concern for his safety. When Princess Anyang learned that Pei Zhao had gone to see Xi Ning, she flew into a rage.
Of her three sons, she was most proud of this youngest one. Not only had he achieved the rank of Tanhua at a young age and taken up a post in the Eastern Palace, but he also possessed looks worthy of Pan An himself. He could have married any noblewoman in the capital, yet he chose to debase himself by bringing back a concubine from Jiangnan.
Nanny Liu stood behind her, massaging her chest. “Princess, shall this old servant arrange to have that concubine sent away?”
She was merely a plaything—would Third Master really blame the Princess for it?
However, Princess Anyang, having calmed down slightly, shook her head. “No need! She isn’t worth causing a rift between mother and son. I know Third Son’s temperament. He is naturally aloof and rarely takes an interest in anyone. This woman is just a concubine; sooner or later, he’ll grow tired of her. When that day comes, Third Son will send her away himself. I’ll simply wait.”
“Yes, you are wise as always. This old servant spoke out of turn.”
Nanny Liu lowered her eyes, her tone full of flattery. Princess Anyang glanced up at her and chuckled, scolding her playfully, “You old thing, always putting on an act. Fine, go and deliver the chicken soup to Third Son. He’s so picky—he probably didn’t eat much on Wutong Street. Tell the kitchen to make it light, to nourish his stomach.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The bamboo basket wasn’t large, and even filled to the brim, Xi Ning had only managed to pack ten Green Dumplings.
However, she had made a variety of fillings: Fresh Meat Filling, Bean Paste Filling, and Flossed Meat Filling. Not knowing Pei Zhao’s preference, she had packed a few of each.Pei Zhao took one with flossed meat filling. It was his first time eating flossed meat—salty, savory, soft, and melting in the mouth. The Artemisia juice in the skin perfectly balanced the richness of the flossed meat, giving him a delightful surprise.
The Green Dumplings were only about the size of a baby’s fist, and Pei Zhao finished one in two bites.
He ate three in a row, sampling each flavor: juicy minced meat, savory flossed meat, and soft, glutinous red bean paste. Each one was so delicious it made his eyebrows rise.
“Hmm…”
Leaving aside everything else about this mistress, her culinary skills alone made him want to keep her.
Pei Zhao ate two more before stopping. Looking at the five remaining Green Dumplings in the bamboo basket, he frowned slightly, feeling a hint of resentment.
He had generously given five hundred taels of silver, yet that woman only packed ten Green Dumplings for him. How stingy!
The stingy Xi Ning was currently being interrogated by Nanny Su. Ren Dong, having been awakened by Nanny Su’s words, was also looking at her with concern.
“Miss, did Third Master object to you doing business? Since he gave five hundred taels, why don’t we stop the business? It may be profitable, but you’re working too hard every day.”
Nanny Su still believed that doing business was not a long-term plan. Her young lady was destined to enter the Duke’s mansion in the future. Even as a concubine, the nobles wouldn’t want their household’s concubines tainted with the smell of money.
“Yes, Miss. You should focus on winning over Third Master so you can be taken into the mansion later.”
As Nanny Su and the others took turns persuading her, Xi Ning sat on her soft couch, holding a Green Dumpling in one hand and sipping tea with the other. Their words went in one ear and out the other, completely ignored.
Hmm, the flossed meat was a bit tough. Next time, it should be pounded longer. The red bean paste, however, was smooth, sweet, and soft, perfect with jasmine tea to cut through the richness. But there was no flower tea sold here yet. Maybe she could grow some flowers to sell, especially since she had plenty of flower seeds in her wristband.
Seeing Xi Ning lost in her thoughts, Nanny Su nearly choked on her breath.
“Miss, why don’t you think about the future? Third Master hasn’t married yet, so you’re the only woman in his household. If you don’t win him over now, once he takes a proper wife, there’ll be no place for you in the Duke’s mansion.”
Before, when the young lady was constantly melancholy and longing to see Third Master, she worried. Now that the young lady no longer cared about Third Master, Nanny Su worried even more.
If a woman wasn’t loved by a man, how bitter her later years would be! Even if for nothing else, having a child to rely on would be good. But her young lady seemed to have no such intentions.
How could she have changed so much after falling ill?
Nanny Su was so worried her hair was turning white.
Xi Ning finished her last bite, wiped her hands clean with a handkerchief, and seeing Nanny Su’s eyebrows furrowed like caterpillars, she stepped forward to massage her shoulders, comforting her.
“Don’t worry, Nanny. I can support myself. Besides, men are nowhere as reliable as silver. Rather than depending on his favor, it’s better for us to stand on our own. Once we have money, what kind of life can’t we live? Why suffer by lowering ourselves in the mansion?”
“Miss, what kind of talk is this? How could entering the mansion be suffering? You’d be going in as a mistress. Third Master would give you status, which is far better than living outside without proper recognition!”
What status? A concubine? A mistress?
Xi Ning looked down on it entirely!
What she wanted was a vast world where her abilities could be fully utilized. The seeds in her wristband could change this dynasty. Why should she enter a mansion to be a man’s concubine and compete with a group of women for favor?
Unable to get through to Nanny Su, Xi Ning’s expression turned cold.”Don’t speak of this again. Third Master has agreed to return my indenture papers to me. Sooner or later I’ll be a free person, and I’ll continue with the business. If you’re unwilling, you may leave on your own—I’ll speak to Third Master about it.”
“Miss!”