Chapter 278: Each to Their Own
Fei Shi seemed to know exactly what Yu Jingxiu was thinking and explained with a smile, "I’ve had some free time these days, so I occasionally invited Consort Wu to stroll in the garden. I noticed the daphne flowers blooming in the backyard, yet no one picked them, leaving them to scatter on the ground. It seemed such a waste, so I gathered some that had already bloomed. With summer approaching, I thought of making a few bottles of floral water for everyone to use. It’s fragrant and can also repel mosquitoes."
Yu Jingxiu raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He hadn’t expected her to know how to make floral water.
What surprised him even more was Fei Shi’s demeanor.
Last time, he had stormed off without a second thought. Given the situation, Fan Shi must have been furious—though she likely wouldn’t have punished Fei Shi, a stern lecture would have been unavoidable. Yet, instead of wallowing in self-pity, Fei Shi had the leisure to make floral water. When she encountered him now, she didn’t utter a single complaint, appearing calm and graceful, as if unshaken by praise or blame.
Truly, she lived up to Aunt’s selection.
Though her background was humble, her upbringing was no less refined than that of noble ladies.
Yu Jingxiu had always admired those who were articulate and elegant.
With this thought, he considered engaging her in further conversation.
But before he could act on it, Fei Shi smiled gently and casually remarked, "Are you heading out, Master? The weather today is unpredictable—sunny one moment, cloudy the next. You might want to have the servants bring an umbrella in case of rain."
Yu Jingxiu nodded. "I have urgent matters to attend to..."
Fei Shi immediately exclaimed, "Oh!" and looked slightly flustered. "Then I won’t keep you any longer—"
Yu Jingxiu suddenly felt he was being too abrupt and softened his expression. "A moment’s delay won’t make a difference."
Fei Shi exhaled in relief and smiled. "That’s good, that’s good!" Still, she didn’t linger. She curtsied and said, "I’ll take my leave now." Then, as if realizing her words might seem abrupt, she added with an embarrassed smile, as if to make amends, "I’ve asked Consort Wu to help me with the floral water. Once it’s done, perhaps you could take a look? The mistress mentioned that you’re exceptionally learned—not only well-versed in the classics but also skilled in calligraphy, painting, tea brewing, and winemaking..." Her eyes flickered with a hint of regret, and she blushed. "Ah, how presumptuous of me to boast before an expert like you!"
Amused by her reaction, Yu Jingxiu chuckled. "I don’t actually know how to make floral water, so I might disappoint you."
"Really?" Fei Shi’s face lit up with delight, and she almost bounced with excitement. "So there are things even you don’t know!"
Yu Jingxiu teased, "You seem rather pleased that I don’t know something?"
Fei Shi laughed awkwardly. "I was just afraid of embarrassing myself in front of you."
Yu Jingxiu burst into laughter. "If you want an expert, your mistress is the one to ask. She not only makes floral water but also crafts incense." At this, his expression faltered, and he swallowed the words, "If you want to learn, ask your mistress to teach you."
It had been a long time since Fan Shi had leisurely made incense with her maids, as she had when she first married.
Noticing the shift in his expression, Fei Shi seized the moment to excuse herself.Yu Jingxiu snapped out of his thoughts and left the courtyard in low spirits.
Fei Shi didn’t take the side path to the back room but instead went through the corner gate near the main house. Along the way, she inevitably ran into a few maids from Fan Shi’s quarters.
She greeted them with a smile, picking out a few fragrant daphne flowers with the best colors and shapes to gift them, then casually asked about Yu Jingxiu:
“...I ran into the young master at the gate. When did he return? It gave me quite a fright. Had I known, I would’ve stayed longer in the garden.”
One of the young maids, whose hair had yet to be pinned up, answered quickly, “The young master just returned, stayed for less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and then left again.”
“Is that so?” Fei Shi smiled and didn’t press further, instead complimenting the maids on how lovely the flowers looked on them before heading to the rear courtyard. There, she knocked on Consort Wu’s door.
Lianxin answered.
Fei Shi gestured to the small bamboo basket in her arms and said cheerfully, “Freshly picked. I’ve chosen some for Consort Wu—see if there are any you like too.”
Lianxin thanked her warmly and invited her inside.
Consort Wu, who had been doing needlework, stepped down from the heated bed and offered her a seat.
Fei Shi didn’t stand on ceremony. After sipping the tea Lianxin served, she invited Consort Wu to make floral perfume with her.
Consort Wu laughed. “I don’t know how to do such things. Besides, I still need to make winter clothes for my father and brother. The weather is still cool these days, but once summer comes, my hands will be too sweaty to work.”
“Very well. Then you’ll just have to wait for my perfume.” Fei Shi didn’t insist and instead asked about Consort Wu’s hometown. Gradually, she steered the conversation toward Yu Jingxiu. “I wonder what the young master has been so busy with? Even in the capital, he’s hardly home, always running off every few days. Could he have some social engagements?”
“I haven’t noticed,” Consort Wu admitted honestly. “Perhaps he really does have some engagements.”
Fei Shi hesitated for a long moment before saying, “Could you help me find out what the young master has been up to lately?”
Consort Wu was taken aback. “I never step beyond the inner gate—how could I possibly inquire for you?”
“Ask Madam Wu,” Fei Shi suggested. “The Wu Family must know what the young master is occupied with.”
Consort Wu immediately declined politely. “Madam doesn’t like me returning to the Wu Family. I didn’t even go to pay New Year’s respects—you know that.”
Fei Shi frowned, her expression dimming. Softly, she said, “It’s not that I want to pry into the young master’s affairs, but someone in my family has gotten into trouble. I was hoping to ask the Yu Family to put in a good word—I wanted to request the young master to pass along a name card...”
Consort Wu was surprised. “Isn’t there still the First Madam?”
“If I dared bring this to the First Madam, I wouldn’t be in such a difficult position,” Fei Shi said with a bitter smile. “Our family is in the wrong—how could I trouble the madam with this? Though I understand the situation, they’re still my close relatives. I have to at least try to help.”
Consort Wu apologized. “I truly can’t assist with this matter.”
“Never mind.” Fei Shi waved her hand magnanimously. “Perhaps this is simply their fate. Let it be.” Then she shifted the conversation back to making perfume.
Having resolved not to involve herself, Consort Wu chatted idly with her for a while before Fei Shi took her leave.Lianxin tidied up the teacups while grumbling, "Consort Wu, surely you can't just grow old in the Yu residence like this? Since you could help Consort Fei, why not lend her a hand? Though the mistress dislikes you returning to the Wu Family, she can't outright forbid it. During the Spring Festival, it was your own choice not to go back..."
"What do you know!" Consort Wu, usually tolerant of Lianxin, suddenly cut her off with a cold expression. "Stay out of Consort Fei's affairs from now on. She has her own ways—don’t be fooled into counting money for someone who’s selling you out."
"How can you say such things..." Lianxin muttered under her breath.
Consort Wu retorted, "If she truly had no ulterior motives, she’d stay in her room all day instead of wandering about. Someone who can’t sit still is hardly trustworthy... You must learn to think more carefully in the future."
Lianxin lowered her head in silence, but her curiosity about Consort Fei’s intentions only grew. Noticing that Consort Fei’s quarters were sparsely attended, she began keeping an eye on Cai Rong, who served there. Before long, she stumbled upon something significant.
"Consort Wu, Consort Wu!" Lianxin burst into the room in a fluster, slamming the door shut behind her. She dragged Consort Wu, who was sewing on the kang, toward the narrow passageway where the chamber pot was kept, leaving the latter bewildered.
Laughing, Consort Wu teased, "This room is barely the size of a palm—hiding in the passageway won’t keep anyone from finding you." Then she joked, "Did you cause trouble? Don’t worry, your indenture is with the Wu Family. If things go south, I’ll arrange for you to leave the residence. Just head straight to the Wu mansion for help!"
"Oh, my dear Consort!" Lianxin stamped her foot. "The emperor isn’t anxious, but the eunuch is dying of worry! Do you know what’s happening in the main house?"
Consort Wu’s expression darkened. "What nonsense has Consort Fei been feeding you now?"
"Not Consort Fei," Lianxin hurriedly clarified. "It’s Cai Rong." She leaned in and whispered, "Cai Rong said Master Yu has taken over two thousand taels of silver from the mistress in bits these past days without explaining why. The mistress is frantic. Mo Zhuan urged her to ask him directly, but she refused, saying all his private funds are managed by her. If she keeps questioning him about the money, not only would he be displeased, but if angered, he might hand his savings to his personal attendants instead—then she’d have no way of tracking the expenses at all... The mistress is interrogating Cheng Xin right now!"
What could Yu Jingxiu have spent such a large sum on in such a short time?
A chill ran down Consort Wu’s spine, and she fell silent for a long moment.
Lianxin pressed anxiously, "Consort Wu, what should we do? Should we also try to find out—"
"No!" Consort Wu warned firmly. "We’ll hold our ground and adapt as needed."
Lianxin grew visibly more uneasy. "Consort Wu, Cai Rong said that spending so much money without the master and mistress knowing... Either Master Yu made a grave mistake in official matters, or he’s gambling outside...""Lianxin!" Consort Wu abruptly cut her off, casting a warning glance as she said, "These matters were told to you by Cai Rong from Consort Fei's side, weren't they? The truth of what happened—you didn't see it, and I didn't hear it. Consort Fei is different from us; she has the backing of the madam. If anything stirs within the Yu Family, she has nowhere to hide. But we're different. If trouble arises in the Yu Family, even if the Wu Family wants to drown us in the pond, they'll still fish us out first for the sake of appearances. Do you think it's better to muddle along half-dead in the Yu Family, or would you prefer to return to the Wu Family?" After a pause, she added pointedly, "You may not know this, but ever since the Yu Family's feud with the Zhao Family, things have been unsettled. Even if we survive this hurdle, there'll be another. Unless the Zhao Family falls, who knows what will become of the Yu Family? You're getting older each year. If the madam marries you off to one of the Yu Family's servants, your fate will be tied to theirs... You ought to think carefully about these things!"
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Happy weekend, everyone!
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Don’t forget to vote with your pink tickets while reading!
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(End of Chapter)
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