The sun was already scorching as noon approached. Zhao Yuechan sat inside the palanquin with her eyes slightly closed, her earrings swaying gently. Suddenly, the palanquin came to a halt, and Ying Shuang approached the curtain, whispering softly, "Madam, Madam?"
Zhao Yuechan asked, "What is it?"
Ying Shuang replied in a hushed tone, "Young Master is standing in the alley up ahead. Would you like to see, Madam...?"
At these words, Zhao Yuechan immediately lifted the curtain and peeked out. Not far away stood a young man—tall and slender, with a refined face, delicate features, and an air of scholarly grace. He wore a golden tea-colored silk robe, cinched at the waist with a silver-threaded belt adorned with pearls, from which hung a multicolored mandarin duck tassel. In his hand, he twirled a folding fan, the very picture of a frivolous, wealthy young dandy. This was Qian Wenze, the son of Zhao Yuechan’s maternal aunt. His family had once been well-off, but their fortunes had gradually declined, leaving them with little more than an empty shell. Spoiled since childhood, Qian Wenze had grown up indulging in cockfighting, gambling, and other dissolute pursuits. Yet, he was well-connected in the streets, earning him the nickname "Qian the Fair-Faced Rogue."
Seeing Zhao Yuechan looking at him, Qian Wenze bowed deeply, his posture almost boneless.
Zhao Yuechan let out a soft "pfft," her lips curling into a smirk as she dropped the curtain. "Tell him to come here," she ordered.
Ying Shuang felt uneasy but dared not disobey. Frowning slightly, she approached Qian Wenze and said, "Our Madam asks for you."
Qian Wenze smiled charmingly. "Many thanks, Sister Ying Shuang," he said, his handsome eyes lingering on her face with what seemed like deep affection.
Though Ying Shuang found him distasteful, she couldn’t help but soften under the gaze of such a dashing young man. "It’s broad daylight, Young Master," she murmured. "You ought to show some restraint."
Qian Wenze pretended not to hear and approached the palanquin, bowing deeply again. "Greetings to Eldest Madam Lou!" he announced.
From inside the palanquin, Zhao Yuechan replied, "We’re family—no need for such formalities."
Ying Shuang, ever perceptive, stepped aside with the bearers, leaving Qian Wenze to lean in closer. Lowering his voice, he murmured with honeyed affection, "Yuechan, my dear, how I’ve missed you these past days." He reached to lift the curtain.
Zhao Yuechan held it firmly in place, her voice stern despite the smile on her lips. "Missed me? Don’t talk nonsense! Everyone knows you’ve been inseparable from that girl from Yuexiu Tower lately. And I heard you just bought a new maid, tender as a spring onion—must be quite the delight. How could you possibly spare a thought for me?"
Qian Wenze immediately raised his hands in protest. "What nonsense is this? If I’ve ever been unfaithful to you, Yuechan, may lightning strike me dead! My dear, I’ve missed you terribly—just let me see your face." He tried again to lift the curtain.
Suddenly, a delicate hand adorned with crimson nail polish shot out and smacked him on the forehead. "Who believes your lies?" Zhao Yuechan scolded, though her voice now carried a playful lilt.
Qian Wenze’s knees nearly buckled, and he pressed even closer to the palanquin. "How can you doubt me? The matter you entrusted to me is done perfectly. That set of hairpins—I sold them for five hundred taels, all deposited in the bank. If you don’t believe me, send someone to check."
Zhao Yuechan’s heart leaped with joy, and she yanked the curtain open. "Only five hundred taels?" she asked eagerly.Qian Wenze's heart itched even more as he gazed upon that beautiful face capable of shifting between delight and displeasure. With a chuckle, he said, "Actually, it's five hundred and fifty taels. Consider the extra fifty as buying me a drink." He thought to himself: "That hairpin was sold for a thousand taels—I deserve to keep five hundred, and the rest can buy this beauty's happiness. A night at Moon Sleeve Pavilion would cost forty or fifty taels anyway."
Zhao Yuechan snorted, "Don't try to fool me. You know exactly how much you made. As long as you gave me five hundred taels and didn't cheat me too badly, that's enough."
Qian Wenze protested loudly, swearing up and down with endless "dear sister" this and "dear sister" that: "I wouldn't dare lie to someone as sharp and clever as you, not even if I had a hundred guts! Just last night, I told my mother that after seeing all the great beauties under heaven, none can compare to you. Those with flower-like faces often have mud for brains, and the clever ones rarely have good looks. Heaven is fair—it never gives perfection. But you, sister, are Heaven's favorite, blessed with both beauty and wit, handling everything so perfectly. You've haunted my dreams all these years, an endless longing..."
As he spoke, he leaned closer to Zhao Yuechan. Fortunately, the sedan chair blocked the view, so the bearers didn't see.
Zhao Yuechan's face lit up with a smile. She had always loved sweet talk, and having endured cold shoulders from the Lin household, she was full of pent-up frustration. Qian Wenze knew exactly how to flatter and comfort her, and his words soothed her heart like a warm iron. She tilted slightly toward the window, casting him a coy glance with her enchanting eyes. "Shameless wretch! Talking like that to your mother—aren't you afraid she’ll break your legs and tear your mouth?"
Qian Wenze melted entirely, his face wreathed in smiles as he lowered his voice. "My mother wouldn’t beat me for that—she even praised me for speaking the truth. Dear sister, we’ve long been as good as husband and wife. If not for your father’s interference and you climbing to a higher branch, we’d be..."
Zhao Yuechan's expression darkened. "Say another word of that, and I’ll be angry!"
Qian Wenze hastily waved his hands. "No more, no more! I’d sooner die than upset you..."
Zhao Yuechan said, "You should go now. I must return."
Qian Wenze pleaded, "How cruel, sister! Won’t you stay a little longer?"
Zhao Yuechan peeked out, ensuring no one was around, then whispered, "Broad daylight like this—any more talk will invite gossip! Go now. In a few days, that Lin fellow will be traveling again. Come to the small passageway west of the Lin residence at night..."
Overjoyed, Qian Wenze exclaimed, "I’ll be there, rain or shine!" Seizing her hand by the curtain, he gave it a firm rub before snatching the handkerchief from her grip and tucking it into his sleeve.
Zhao Yuechan shot him a mock glare, but far from anger, she found it flirtatiously amusing. She let the curtain fall, and Qian Wenze ordered the bearers to carry the sedan away.After the sedan chair had gone far, Qian Wenze took the handkerchief from his sleeve and brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply. A wave of perfumed incense rushed into his nostrils, sending a shiver through his body. Though he considered himself a seasoned rake, having dallied with countless women, he felt none could compare to Zhao Yuechan's bewitching beauty. Tucking the handkerchief back into his sleeve, a cold smirk curled at the corner of his mouth as he muttered, "Lin Jinlou is a fool. Not only did he pick up my cast-offs, but he doesn’t even know how to enjoy such a beautiful wife. How could a woman like her endure loneliness in the spring chambers? It’s my gain, and he deserves to be cuckolded." The thought of cuckolding the mighty Master Lin, a figure of such dominance, filled him with vicious delight. Humming a tune, he sauntered away leisurely.
－－－－－－－－－－
This is an extra chapter for Ban Tai’s log, thanks to reaching 500 PK votes. There should be another chapter tonight, though it’ll be quite late!
Thank you to Ming Yi and Peach Demon 315 for the sachets, and to Kumiko7163 for the rating votes. Please continue supporting us—it’s the best motivation to write faster! ^_^
OpenNovel