The Marquis Manor

Li Shiyan had drunk himself into a stupor yesterday. Combined with his arm wound tearing open, this sleep lasted straight until noon the next day.

When he woke, the pain in his arm made him cry out involuntarily.

Hearing the sound, Xiao Luzi immediately rushed in.

“Young Master.”

He rushed straight to the bedside.

Li Shiyan sat up pressing his forehead, looking at the bandages wrapped around his arm with blood seeping through the outside.

“I…” He only remembered taking Luo Yang to Fengya Pavilion to drink, and then…

Complete blackout!

When had he returned? And how had his arm wound torn open?

Xiao Luzi leaned by the bed asking: “Young Master, are you feeling better? Is there anywhere you’re uncomfortable?”

“Headache!”

“This servant will go fetch a physician right away.”

Just as Xiao Luzi was about to leave, Li Shiyan grabbed him: “What physician? I just drank too much!”

“Then this servant will go bring you another bowl of hangover soup.”

“No need!”

“Or… should we still call the physician? When the physician came last night, he said that when you woke up, this servant should fetch him to come look again.”

“I said no need!” As he spoke, Li Shiyan got out of bed, grabbed his clothes and put them on, asking as he did: “Where’s my father?”

“The Marquis came back once yesterday then went to the palace again.”

“What’s keeping him busy?”

“This servant doesn’t know.”

“My injury… he knows about it too?” Li Shiyan asked while putting on his clothes.

Xiao Luzi’s expression froze, and he said softly: “He knows. Yesterday he flew into a thunderous rage and nearly killed this servant!”

His voice was like a mosquito’s.

Li Shiyan not only didn’t sympathize with him but glared at him fiercely, saying: “You deserved it. Knowing I was drunk, you should have been more careful. Didn’t you think to first take me to a medical clinic to bandage the wound properly before returning?”

Uh!

This…

Xiao Luzi felt very wronged: “Young Master, this servant was so anxious at the time, how could I think of so much? I just hurried to bring you back.”

“Useless thing!”

“…”

“What did you say at the time?”

Xiao Luzi lowered his head several inches, his voice still very small as he truthfully reported: “The Marquis asked, and this servant didn’t dare not answer, so in a moment I told him about Young Master secretly leaving the manor to go to General Su’s residence.”

“You!” Li Shiyan was so angry he wanted to kick him.

“This servant knows he was wrong, but in yesterday’s situation, this servant didn’t dare lie! Young Master, punish this servant.”

“Waste!”

“But the Master didn’t say much either. After all, Young Master, you didn’t go somewhere else but to General Su’s residence, so the Master wasn’t angry.”

“What about the wound?”

“He asked, but this servant didn’t know, so the Master said he’d ask when you woke up. But the Master has been busy in the palace all this time and probably doesn’t have time to ask now.”

“Hmph!” Li Shiyan suppressed the anger in his heart, glaring at him with eyes full of crimson fury, then plopped down at the table, gulping down several mouthfuls of water. Suddenly thinking of something, he frowned and asked: “By the way, where’s Luo Yang?”

Didn’t they go to Fengya Pavilion to drink together yesterday?

He remembered that fellow also drank quite a lot!

Xiao Luzi walked over with a bow, saying: “Yesterday we originally planned to take Young Master Luo away from Fengya Pavilion together, but when we came out, we ran into Miss Qiu. She said she knew Young Master Luo and wanted to personally take Young Master Luo away. This servant was concerned about Young Master’s injury at the time, so I entrusted Young Master Luo to Miss Qiu.”

Li Shiyan didn’t know about the grievances between Luo Yang and Qiu Shu.

He was just puzzled: “When did they meet?”

“This servant doesn’t know.”

“Useless thing. Don’t you know to ask clearly? That Miss Qiu is famously difficult to deal with.”

“…” Xiao Luzi stopped talking.

If it weren’t for the fact that he had followed Li Shiyan since childhood, Li Shiyan would really love to pin him to the ground and beat him severely.

Finally, worried about Luo Yang, Li Shiyan had Xiao Luzi make a trip to confirm that Luo Yang had already returned.

…

Meanwhile, seeing that today’s weather was even better than yesterday, and her health having mostly recovered, Zhu Yao had Cai’er prepare a sedan chair for her.

She said she wanted to go out for a walk.

Cai’er asked: “Miss, where are we going?”

“To the silk shop. I want to buy some fabric to make a few outfits.”

Rarely did her young lady have such interest. Cai’er quickly went to prepare the sedan chair. As for Minister Zhu, he had been busy at the Ministry of Rites with the courtesan selection and hadn’t returned, so even if she really wanted to say a few good words for Qiu Shu, she had no opportunity.

As for Madam Zhu, seeing her daughter in good spirits, she went with her to the silk shop.

“Madam Zhu, Miss Zhu, please look—these are all top-quality fabrics.” Seeing Madam Zhu, the shopkeeper quickly brought out the finest silks in the shop, his face full of flattering smiles, hoping Madam Zhu would buy more.

Zhu Yao carefully selected from the fabrics presented to her: “They’re all quite good.”

Seeing her daughter liked them all, Madam Zhu said: “Since you like them all, let’s buy them all. Winter is approaching—we should pick out more.”

“Mother, I rarely go out. I don’t need so many.”

“When has a young lady ever had too many? You’re my only precious daughter. If I don’t dote on you, who will I dote on?”

Zhu Yao smiled sweetly.

Seeing her daughter in good spirits made Madam Zhu happy too. She quickly had the shopkeeper wrap up all those fabrics and send them to the Zhu Manor.

“Right away, I’ll have someone send them immediately.”

The shopkeeper smiled from ear to ear. Usually when those wealthy families came once, even if they bought casually, it was worth a month’s business for him. Therefore, the shop owners doing business in Yanjing City all courted those nobles and wealthy people.

As the saying goes: no business for three years, but one transaction feeds you for three years.

That was roughly the idea!

After Madam Zhu also selected a few bolts of fabric for herself and Minister Zhu, she left with her daughter.

“Recently a pastry shop opened in the East Corner. Let’s go try it. If we like it, the manor’s pastries can be made there from now on.” Madam Zhu said.

Zhu Yao naturally agreed.

Mother and daughter made their way to the East Corner. Just as they arrived at the shop entrance, before entering, a figure suddenly rushed from somewhere and crashed directly into Zhu Yao’s left side.

“Uh!”

Her body was already frail. She nearly couldn’t stand steady and was almost knocked down!

Fortunately, Cai’er caught her in time.

“Yao’er?” Madam Zhu worried. Seeing her daughter was fine, she immediately scolded the person who had crashed into them: “How can you be so reckless, child? Running so urgently in the street—what if you had hurt someone?”

The “culprit” was just a young girl.

Liu Yunzhu looked apologetic, lowering her head and saying: “I didn’t mean to.”

Her voice contained sobs.

But Madam Zhu’s anger didn’t dissipate: “Truly lacking in discipline. Knowing there are so many people on the street, yet running around everywhere.”

Zhu Yao quickly said: “Mother, I’m fine. Let it go.”

“Mother is teaching her a lesson! Otherwise this child will cause trouble again.”

“You yourself said she’s a child. Since she’s a child, it’s inevitable she’ll be a bit mischievous. Just let it go. I’m sure she knows she was wrong and won’t do this again.”

“You’re just too kind-hearted.” So you’re always the one who suffers—Madam Zhu naturally didn’t say this last sentence. Thinking about it, she let it go: “Fine, fine. We won’t hold it against her.”

Zhu Yao smiled, then looked at Liu Yunzhu, who appeared timid and very frightened, and asked: “Little girl, there are many people coming and going on the street. Don’t do this again next time—you could hurt others and yourself too.”

Liu Yunzhu was actually a sensible child. She nodded in response: “I just… wanted to find my sister.”

“Where is your sister?”

“I don’t know either. I just came out… came out for a walk, searched the streets for a long time, and then couldn’t find my way back anymore.”

A lost child?

Zhu Yao asked: “Do you still remember where you’re staying?”

“I don’t remember.”

If she remembered, she would have already found her way back.

It was truly because Yanjing City was too large—dozens of main streets, hundreds of small streets, and the buildings all looked almost identical. Even an adult could get dizzy, let alone a young girl like Liu Yunzhu. Add to that she had never been here before, and she was even more disoriented! It was all her own fault for being too curious earlier, attracted by the masks and kites outside the inn. Once she came out, she got turned around. She had searched the streets for a long time, running around frantically, but just couldn’t find the way back to the inn.

In her anxiety, she had crashed into Zhu Yao.

Madam Zhu tugged at Zhu Yao, saying: “Yao’er, don’t meddle in such matters.”

It truly was someone else’s business!

But encountering such a situation, Zhu Yao couldn’t not help.

She said: “Mother, she’s a young girl searching for someone on the street. What if something happens? We can’t just ignore this.”