The carriage traveled along the bluestone path, the “clip-clop, clip-clop” sounds echoing hollow and desolate.
“Shuying, you won’t blame me for being meddlesome, will you?”
Seeing that Qin Shuying had remained silent for so long, Liang Zhe didn’t know what the young woman was thinking. He wondered if she was blaming him for not consulting with her before using drugs to induce Lu Changxuan’s improper behavior before Emperor Delong.
At that time, he had seen Qin Shuying set up a trap but hesitate to strike, and he had grown somewhat anxious on her behalf.
Moreover, he felt that pushing Lu Changxuan at that moment was helping Qin Shuying.
Besides, he truly couldn’t stand Lu Changxuan’s treatment of his legitimate wife—he deserved to properly experience the consequences.
“How could I, Ziyu?”
Qin Shuying’s heart indeed held various thoughts, especially seeing Lu Changxuan looking like withered wood. Though the resentment in her chest had been released, what did it matter? Feng’er would never come back!
She had just been missing Feng’er.
More than a year had passed—time flew so quickly. Feng’er had been gone for over a year…
His tender face seemed still before her eyes; his soft, sweet voice seemed still in her ears.
Of course, she could never forget Feng’er.
Her child.
Thinking of Feng’er, she couldn’t control her sorrowful feelings, couldn’t act as if nothing had happened while conversing with Liang Zhe.
Liang Zhe felt somewhat nervous and breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good then.”
Qin Shuying snapped back to attention, suppressing the grief and sharp pain in her heart, forcing herself to give a faint smile. “Ziyu, it’s only been three days, yet it feels like I’ve lived through ages.”
Thinking she was feeling sentimental, Liang Zhe quickly said, “Shuying, don’t worry. What I said to the Old Ancestor wasn’t just to appease her—it was sincere. As long as you want to return, I’ll accompany you back.”
Qin Shuying looked at Liang Zhe and nodded gently. “Ziyu, I believe you.”
Seeing Qin Shuying’s low spirits, Liang Zhe said no more but took her hand in his and sat quietly.
Returning to the Marquis of Pingxi’s mansion, as soon as they entered the main gate, a green-clothed sedan chair was waiting. Qin Shuying got into the chair, and together with Liang Zhe, they returned to Songtao Residence.
After changing clothes, the couple sat in the small flower hall, preparing to dine.
Before Liang Zhe’s marriage, he had cleared out all the personnel in Songtao Residence completely.
After the wedding, Qin Shuying brought in over twenty people.
Because the Marquis of Pingxi’s mansion was so large, with great distances between the various courtyards, over the years, only breakfast was taken together in Ning Garden, while lunch and dinner were eaten in their respective courtyards.
Therefore, Songtao Residence also had its own small kitchen, and aside from breakfast, the other two meals were prepared in the small kitchen.
The small kitchens in the Marquis of Pingxi’s mansion were different from those in other households.
In other families, small kitchens only prepared meals for the masters, but in the Marquis of Pingxi’s mansion, for any married master, even the meals for the maids and servants in their courtyard were prepared in the small kitchen.
There was no other reason—the Marquis of Pingxi’s mansion was too large, and the main kitchen couldn’t manage to serve so many people.
Old Madam Liang had her own separate small kitchen, and when paying respects, breakfast was prepared by the small kitchen.
Luo Meixiang and the Meng family also had their own small kitchens. The three Liang Qiong siblings generally ate in Luo Meixiang’s courtyard, while San Niang and her siblings dined in the Meng family’s courtyard.
Now, there was an additional small kitchen at Songtao Residence.
Previously, Liang Zhe had never used this one.
Now, of course, it had to be used—over twenty people needed to eat.
Qin Shuying had prepared early, and the small kitchen began operating the day after the wedding.
As the two ate, there weren’t too many rules. When Liang Zhe was at the border city, he didn’t follow the custom of not speaking during meals.
He said, “The staff is still somewhat insufficient. Shuying, should we buy some more people?”
Qin Shuying smiled. “Madam will certainly send people over.”
Liang Zhe picked up some food with his chopsticks and placed it in Qin Shuying’s bowl. “Will Shuying accept them?”
Qin Shuying blinked. “Madam’s kind intentions should certainly be graciously accepted.”
Liang Zhe followed her gaze and saw Hong Juan talking to someone in the corridor.
Liang Zhe understood somewhat, his eyes growing slightly cold, then he smiled again. “Shuying, if you have any good ideas in the future, remember to tell me.”
Qin Shuying nodded, appearing somewhat playful.
Liang Zhe’s smile deepened.
After finishing the meal, Liang Zhe went to the washroom.
As soon as Qin Shuying stood up, Nanny Ye rushed in impatiently, unable to be stopped even by Hong Juan: “First Madam, this servant has something to report. Hong Juan insisted on blocking me from entering. First Madam, this servant presumes to say that First Madam should establish proper rules in Songtao Residence. This servant came on orders from the Great Madam, yet Hong Juan blocked me—this is highly improper.”
Before Qin Shuying could speak, Liang Zhe emerged from the inner room, looked at Lu Ye standing to the side with an displeased expression, and said coldly, “Lu Ye, this servant is being disrespectful—slap her!”
Lu Ye’s eyes lit up, crisply responded “Yes!” and without hesitation stepped forward, raising her right hand to give Nanny Ye two slaps.
Nanny Ye was immediately stunned.
She had dominated others her entire life—when had she ever been slapped?
Wherever she went, wasn’t she always treated with respect?
She was about to shriek, but seeing Liang Zhe’s icy expression and arrow-like gaze, she was immediately silenced.
Then she heard Liang Zhe say coldly, “Ziteng, Lu Ye carried out orders swiftly—reward Lu Ye with fifty taels of silver!”
Lu Ye rubbed her somewhat sore right palm, and hearing there was a reward, immediately said, “Master has given orders, this servant must obey. Thank you for the reward, Master!”
Ziteng suppressed her laughter—this master and servant pair still thought they were in the military.
Nanny Ye was completely stunned. It wasn’t until the burning pain from her face kicked in that she remembered what had just happened, but Liang Zhe’s icy cold gaze made her not dare to act out.
Nanny Ye gritted her teeth, her mouth trembling. “Ma-Master… I don’t know what this servant did wrong to deserve Master’s punishment?”
Liang Zhe lifted his robe and sat down, legs spread wide, imposing and intimidating. “When you saw the First Madam, did you bow?”
Under his stare and questioning, Nanny Ye’s newly inflated courage immediately deflated. She indeed hadn’t bowed—this was indeed her oversight.
But Liang Zhe himself was usually so rude, even treating Old Madam with such disrespect, yet now he was using etiquette to demand others comply—wasn’t this too ridiculous?
However, she could only think such thoughts and didn’t dare voice them.
Facing Liang Zhe, this unprincipled person who would hit others without reason, it was better not to suffer immediate losses.
Nanny Ye swallowed her anger. “Master, it’s all this servant’s fault. First Madam, this servant apologizes to you.”
Liang Zhe and Qin Shuying exchanged glances—able to yield and adapt, Nanny Ye was also no simple person.
Qin Shuying said indifferently, “Since you know you were wrong, that’s good. Master and I were dining, so naturally any matters should wait until we finished before being discussed. Hong Juan did the right thing. Madam values propriety most, and you, Nanny, are a capable veteran by Madam’s side. You should always remember proper etiquette and not bring shame to Madam. Don’t you agree, Nanny Ye?”