It’s Enough to Impress Houye Alone
If even Old Madam couldn’t gain any advantage from the matter of the shade pavilion, let alone anyone else.
Yao Yinyin was still recuperating in her room, only now she went from stabbing Ye Qingzhi’s effigy once a day to stabbing it eight times a day.
Her work efficiency had skyrocketed.
It just goes to show that hatred truly is the best fuel to get someone moving.
The other concubines in the rear residence were also envious in various ways, but either they didn’t have the silver to do such a thing, or they didn’t have the courage to stand out like that, so none of them followed suit.
However, the matter of the shade pavilion was always brought up in casual conversations.
“Concubine Xia, you’re also a merchant’s daughter, so you must have quite a bit of silver on hand. Why haven’t you set up a shade pavilion in your courtyard?”
Concubine Qin asked with a smile when she saw Concubine Xia.
In reality, she was subtly mocking her for also being a merchant’s daughter yet living far less comfortably than Ye Yiniang—neither as favored nor as skilled at enjoying life.
“I’m not afraid of the heat, so I don’t bother with such things. The silver I have, I’d rather save for Qian Jie in the future.”
Concubine Xia gave a shy smile and said softly,
“Concubine Qin doesn’t have a child of her own yet. When you become a mother someday, you’ll understand—you’ll want to save all the good things for your child rather than using them for your own enjoyment.”
The Qian Jie Concubine Xia mentioned was her daughter, just three years old this year, raised by her side. The wife only occasionally inquired about her, and there was no deliberate mistreatment or hardship. All expenses were handled according to the household’s regulations.
Without batting an eye, Concubine Xia had subtly mocked Concubine Qin for not having a child to rely on—truly a master of veiled sarcasm.
Concubine Qin’s expression changed slightly. She forced a smile, offered a perfunctory reply, and left.
Returning to her courtyard, she touched her still-flat belly and secretly made up her mind.
She still had time. If she handled things well, she could have a child too!
Xuzhou.
Xie Jin received another carrier pigeon message from the residence. Three days had passed since the last one.
He still remembered the contents of the previous letter—Ye Yiniang’s actions had left him quite amused.
So, when he opened this letter, he felt a bit more anticipation for some entertainment.
“Even under house arrest, she still won’t settle down.” Xie Jin sneered as he read about the shade pavilion matter. “She’s getting smarter, though.”
He was somewhat looking forward to what tricks Ye Yiniang would come up with by the time he returned.
Thinking of her taste, Xie Jin, who hadn’t relieved himself in many days, felt a stirring of desire.
“Sir, the case has reached a temporary conclusion. The prefect wishes to host a banquet at Cuiqing Tower tonight and hopes you will honor him with your presence.”
At that moment, Wang, the clerk of the Xuzhou yamen, respectfully came to report.
Cuiqing Tower was the finest brothel in Xuzhou City, and its courtesan, Yanzhi, was quite famous.
It was said she was as beautiful as a heavenly fairy, with skin like congealed fat, eyes full of emotion—one glimpse of her would haunt your dreams.
Xie Jin did not refuse. That night, at the banquet in Cuiqing Tower, given his noble status, it was naturally the courtesan Yanzhi who attended to him.
No matter how famous Yanzhi was locally, she was no match for the renowned courtesans of the capital, who were accustomed to high-ranking officials and nobles.
Thus, faced with Xie Jin, who was both of noble status and exceptionally handsome, she herself became intoxicated, longing for a night of passion with him, pressing herself against him relentlessly.
Xie Jin was overwhelmed by the scent on her, his head aching. With a dark expression, he threw her to the floor. “Go wash off that smell before you come back to serve.”
Yanzhi, both startled and frightened, was quickly pulled away by the madam to bathe. After scrubbing herself clean, she dared not apply any perfumes or powders, dressing plainly before returning to attend to Xie Jin.
Xie Jin glanced at her freshly bathed appearance and couldn't help but compare her to Ye Qingzhi. He had to admit that Ye Qingzhi completely outshone her.
It must be said, it was somewhat disappointing.
Xie Jin was not one to settle for less. Once his interest waned, it was gone.
He sent Yan Zhi out again. Otherwise, looking at her eagerness to sleep with him, he would feel as if he were being taken advantage of by her.
Yan Zhi immediately burst into tears like a dog. She had never encountered a customer who despised her so much. Suffering the biggest setback of her career, she found it hard to accept for a moment.
"Wah wah, Mama, am I really that bad? Am I really that ugly? I… I was actually looked down upon by the Marquis. I… I don’t want to live anymore…"
"Oh, my dear girl…" The madam quickly pulled her back, sweating profusely as she tried to console her. Finally, she made a decision:
"If there’s a gap, don’t be afraid. Mama will send you to the Yihongyuan in the capital to learn!"
"…Huh?" Yan Zhi was stunned.
That really wasn’t necessary.
Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.
Capital.
Now that she had her own kitchen and cook, Ye Qingzhi’s appetite doubled, and she ate many more dishes.
Since Ye Qingzhi preferred sweet and sour flavors, dishes like grape chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs, tomato shrimp, and crispy fried pork were among her favorites.
Previously, the chefs at the Marquis’s Estate tended to make dishes that were too salty or spicy, which really didn’t suit her appetite. After a few bites, she would lose interest.
After eating like this for about seven or eight days…
Ye Qingzhi pinched the little bit of flesh on her waist, touched her now fuller face, and fell silent for a moment. She realized she couldn’t indulge in those sweet treats so recklessly anymore.
As a concubine who relied on her looks to serve others, letting herself become a big fatty was simply unprofessional.
The original host was too thin, so gaining a little weight now was just right—no need to diet. But she still had to control her mouth, get moving, and exercise.
So Ye Qingzhi started making changes again. She had the guifei chaise longue removed and replaced it with a bamboo mat. Finding the mat too hard, she added two layers of quilts and began practicing yoga to improve her body’s flexibility.
But many of the yoga poses, in the eyes of these ancient people, seemed improper and indecent.
The maids in the courtyard blushed at the sight, while the older women shook their heads in disapproval.
Ye Yiniang’s tricks were truly something else. To win favor, she had no shame, practicing such things. Even the courtesans in brothels didn’t know as much or work as hard as she did!
"Yiniang, why don’t you practice inside on the bed? This doesn’t look good," Ru Yi suggested, her face flushed.
Ye Qingzhi was speechless. How did these people have more dirty thoughts in their heads than she did?
But she was someone who listened to advice and readily returned to her room to practice.
After all, the work she did didn’t require approval from others.
Once she secretly mastered her killer moves, she would amaze the Marquis alone and win him over in bed.
After more than half a month, Xie Jin finally finished handling the case in Xuzhou, escorted the corrupt officials back to the capital, handed them over to Dali Si, reported to Huang Gong, and returned to the estate.
Upon returning, he first went to Gui Xin Courtyard, giving Zhang Jingyi, the Lady of the Marquis, the respect she deserved.
Zhang Jingyi looked at him with concern, noting his exhausted appearance, and quickly ordered the servants to prepare hot water and meals. She herself served him tea and water, asking with concern how the journey had gone.
"It went smoothly," Xie Jin replied briefly, not elaborating on his duties. Instead, he asked if anything had happened at the Marquis’s Estate.
"Concubine Qin is likely pregnant," Zhang Jingyi said softly. "The matter hasn't been made public yet, awaiting Houye's decision."
"Master knows. I will handle it. Act as if you know nothing," Xie Jin replied without changing his expression, as though being cuckolded meant nothing to him.
Zhang Jingyi understood his temperament well enough—those concubines were merely diversions to him, tools for his purposes, not possessions.
Seeing his indifference, she let the matter drop from her mind.
"And regarding Concubine Sun spreading rumors to slander Ye Yiniang as a fox enchantress reborn—I mentioned it in my letter. How does Master wish to deal with Concubine Sun?" Zhang Jingyi asked further.