When Chen Ting saw several unfamiliar maids standing guard at the door of his room, his steps paused slightly. He remembered that he was already married. Although he had not shared the bed with his wife last night, this courtyard was no longer his alone… his room, his couch, would now be filled with another person’s presence.
“General, Madam is taking her afternoon nap,” Wutong said respectfully with lowered eyes. “Shall we wake her?”
Chen Ting strode into the room. “No need.”
The wedding chamber’s red quilts and red candles had not yet been removed. On the small daybed inlaid with golden-thread epiphyllum patterns lay a petite beauty with snow-white skin and delicate features, curled up. The afternoon was hot and stifling. When Chen Ting entered, Nanny Liang was fanning Shen Wangshu. Even so, the woman on the couch slept in a sheen of fragrant sweat, her hair damp and clinging to her temples, looking both lovely and pitiful.
Seeing Chen Ting, Nanny Liang hurriedly rose to pay her respects. The man waved his hand, signaling her to leave. Nanny Liang withdrew silently.
Only husband and wife remained in the room. The calming incense made the air feel heavy and dull. Chen Ting stood by the couch and quietly watched her for a while. Once Nanny Liang stopped fanning her, the beauty’s fine brows immediately knitted slightly, her sleep turning restless.
Chen Ting muttered “spoiled” in his heart, yet his body moved of its own accord. He picked up the fan Nanny Liang had set aside and took her place, continuing to fan Shen Wangshu.
When he saw her sleeping peacefully again, he suddenly realized what he was doing, and his hand froze.
…Was he here to wait on this troublesome woman of unknown identity? He was here to investigate and hold her to account! How had he ended up doing a servant’s work?
Chen Ting immediately put down the fan and went to sit to the side, drinking tea.
When Shen Wangshu woke up drenched in sweat, Nanny Liang was no longer beside her. She sat up, parched, and muttered softly, “I really can’t survive a single day without air-conditioning…”
“What is air-conditioning?” A man’s voice suddenly sounded. Shen Wangshu jumped in fright. “…Husband?”
She threw on a robe and got off the couch, only to see Chen Ting sitting alone at a table not far away. She did not know how long he had been there, nor when he had arrived—he had made no sound at all.
Martial artists had sharper hearing than ordinary people. Shen Wangshu’s unguarded complaint earlier had been heard by Chen Ting clearly. He did not know what this “air-conditioning” was, only that not having it seemed to trouble her greatly.
“What is air-conditioning?” Chen Ting asked again. “Without it, can you not live properly in the marquis’s residence? Where can this thing be found?”
He looked very serious. Shen Wangshu, however, did not know how to explain. She was afraid she would never return to the modern world; even if Chen Ting were willing to search the entire land for her, he would never find an air conditioner.
“It’s nothing. It’s just too hot. I dreamed just now that I was being roasted over a fire,” Shen Wangshu joked, skipping over the topic. “Where is Nanny Liang?”
Before falling asleep, she had relied on Nanny Liang’s fanning; otherwise, she would not have slept at all.
Shen Wangshu wanted to bathe, but did not see Nanny Liang, so she asked.
Chen Ting, however, thought she was blaming him for sending Nanny Liang away and leaving no one to serve her, causing her to suffer from the heat. He felt a bit guilty, though his expression remained cold and severe, his words forceful. “Without Nanny Liang, can you do nothing at all? You wake up and see me, yet the first thing you do is ask for Nanny Liang.”
“…” What madness is this now?
Shen Wangshu looked at him in surprise, opened her mouth, and said, “Husband, I’m just a bit hot and wanted to find Nanny Liang to call for some water to bathe… Would you like to do it in her place?”
Chen Ting was instantly extinguished. He turned and walked out. “I’ll call someone. Wait here.”
“So strange,” Shen Wangshu muttered softly as she watched the man’s tall figure leave.
There was little entertainment in ancient times, and in summer the days were long and nights short. Shen Wangshu clearly felt a long time had passed, but when she asked, it was only the hour of Shen—there were still two hours until nightfall.
She had Wutong look for some books to read. Medical texts would be best; if not, anything else would do—official histories, policy essays, storybooks, travelogues, whatever was available.
Wutong said with difficulty, “All the books are in the study. If Madam wishes to read, it would be best to ask the General first.”
Meixue also spoke bluntly. “Madam should not overestimate herself. Entering the study without permission—if some map or military manual were lost, ten heads would not be enough to pay for it.”
Though the words were unpleasant, Shen Wangshu knew she was right. Chen Ting was a general guarding the frontier; the study surely contained many confidential documents. If even one went missing and the blame fell on her, it would amount to treason.
Shen Wangshu did not want to test her limits and decided to find an opportunity to ask Chen Ting first.
Speaking of which, that man had just been embarrassed away by her and she did not know where he had gone. But not having to sit staring at each other in the room was wonderful—even sitting idle was pleasant. Besides, she could do other things.
Back in school, Shen Wangshu had been a standard science student. Aside from the soap she wanted to make, she still had many chemical formulas stored in her head. What was there to fear in terms of finding things to do?
Here, ordinary people used soap pods and bath beans, which had mediocre cleaning effects and bland scents. Wealthy families used rose dew or autumn-water dew, which smelled nice but were flashy and impractical. Shen Wangshu had been here for several months and had not had a single truly refreshing face wash. She decided on the spot to make soap today.
“Taohong, go find me some wood ash,” Shen Wangshu instructed. “Then go to the kitchen and ask for a piece of pork fat. It doesn’t need to be big—a small piece will do… On second thought, I’ll go myself.”
Animal fat needed to be rendered, the ratio of wood ash to water had to be precise, and extracting lye required hands-on work. These steps had to be done by her personally; others could not substitute. Shen Wangshu decided to try it herself first. If it succeeded, she would then write down the formula for the servants to follow.
Although everyone was confused, they could not disobey their mistress. A group followed her to the kitchen.
Soap-making was something any transmigrator with some knowledge should be able to do—high success rate, useful for oneself, and the formula could even be sold for money. It was truly a one-time investment with endless returns.
Shen Wangshu had done this experiment once in high school. She clearly remembered what to add and when, so her movements were not awkward.
When the mistress suddenly arrived at the kitchen, the maids and matrons inside were greatly alarmed and rushed forward to greet her. “Greetings, Madam. If there is anything Madam wishes to eat, you only need to send word. There is no need to come personally to this smoky, greasy place—be careful not to be affected.”
Shen Wangshu gently told them not to be nervous. “I’m just making a small thing. You may all withdraw… leave one person who knows how to tend the fire.”
A dark-skinned matron stayed behind. “This servant’s surname is Zhao. Madam, please give your instructions.”
Shen Wangshu was not very skilled with ancient stoves, but having someone manage the fire made things much easier.
Before rolling up her sleeves to work, she had Wutong find some molds, so that once the soap was done, it could be poured in to cool and solidify.