Xiao Wenliu spat and said: “What nonsense, Brother Ye isn’t even married yet.” As she spoke, she took out the Xiao family token.
The gatekeeper’s expression changed, and he immediately turned and shouted at the top of his voice, loud enough to burst eardrums: “Ninth Miss of the Xiao family has come to inspect! Everyone prepare!”
This startled Xiao Wenliu, who said: “Keep your voice down, what if you frighten the children!”
The gatekeeper smiled sheepishly, rubbing his hands: “This lowly one has no experience and has never received such distinguished guests…”
His manner was humble, yet he still blocked the doorway. Though Xiao Wenliu was naive, she wasn’t stupid. She tilted her head to look at him, then suddenly pushed him aside and walked into the courtyard.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, a crowd of wet nurses in coarse cloth emerged from inside, all bowing in unison to the Xiao family young master and miss. There were so many of them that they blocked the path. Xiao Wenliu had to deal with them for quite a while before finally entering the interior. It was a quadrangle courtyard with over ten rooms, all converted into large common rooms filled with countless small beds. The main hall housed infants under one year old and their wet nurses, the eastern wing housed children under six, and the western wing housed children over six, divided into separate rooms for boys and girls.
The children came out in batches to kowtow to the Xiao family miss and young masters. The first group was the oldest children, who looked neat and clean. Though they couldn’t be called plump and healthy, they were presentable enough.
However, children of this age should normally be lively and spirited, yet every one of these children kept their eyes downcast and submissive.
This was understandable—life in an orphanage could hardly compare to having a family; it was merely enough to keep them from starving.
But what was strange was that although these children were made to keep their heads down by the wet nurses, each one had outstanding features, whether boy or girl.
This was rather odd. Were abandoned babies selected based on appearance? Where had all the ugly ones gone?
Tie Ci had keen hearing and could hear rustling sounds from the eastern wing, along with low urgent voices, as if they were changing clothes.
After a while, the children under six came out to kowtow, also neatly dressed, with creases still visible in their clothes upon closer inspection.
The steward personally attended to them, showing everyone the rice, flour, grains, and oil, as well as clothing donated from various sources.
There was quite a lot, but the problem was: with so many children who consumed so much daily, where did all this inventory come from?
It looked more like it had been placed there specifically for inspection.
But Xiao Wenliu and the others didn’t have her sharp eyes and were very satisfied, nodding frequently.
At the nursery, when the wet nurses said they would bring the babies out, Xiao Wenliu couldn’t wait and rushed in to look. She lingered at each small bed, drooling with envy, her burning gaze suggesting she wanted to take a bite.
After watching for a while, Tie Ci noticed they were all raised plump and healthy, and the wet nurses were also very plump, each one looking like they were molded from lard.
The room where the babies lived was perfumed with incense, and the bedding in the small beds was soft and clean. Tie Ci quietly reached down and felt the damp, unchanged mattress underneath, then raised her hand to smell it—a strong urine odor.
A wet nurse passed by Tie Ci, and as her sleeves moved, they gave off a medicinal fragrance.
One wet nurse who had just finished nursing a child and put the baby down had not only the medicinal scent but also a hint of alcohol.
Xiao Wenliu looked and looked, unable to resist any longer. She carefully reached out to pick up a baby, but didn’t know how to hold it properly. She lifted the baby by its sides, then suddenly realized how soft the baby was, like it had no bones, which startled her. Her hands loosened, but Tie Ci was right beside her and caught the baby with one hand, smoothly cradling it horizontally in her arm and gently patting it. The baby, who had opened its mouth to cry from fright, immediately quieted down.
Her movement was smooth as flowing water. Xiao Wenliu watched in amazement, and after a long moment said with great admiration: “Brother Ye, you even know how to care for children?”
Tie Ci said: “Don’t you women all know this?”
Feiyu, who was called out, looked over with a half-smile. Both remembered the similar conversation they’d had during their escape after saving the Liu family baby from the fire. They thought of those brief but peaceful days in Lingquan Village, holding babies in the sunshine, listening to neighbors talk about mulberry and hemp.
Given their identities, both rarely had such ordinary and leisurely lives. Precisely because it was rare, it remained vividly clear in their memories like an engraving.
The nursery was quite busy. The babies didn’t care whether important people were inspecting—when they cried, fussed, got hungry, or soiled themselves, there were only two or three wet nurses rushing around sweating profusely. The baby in Tie Ci’s arms made a sound, and Tie Ci said: “Soiled.” A wet nurse came over with clean diapers, apologizing: “This is dirty work, let this servant handle it.”
Tie Ci smiled and said it was fine, lifting the child’s legs. Since her hand was injured, Feiyu came over and skillfully helped clean and change the diaper. During their time in Lingquan Village, Dong Dezi’s wife had her own child to care for, so the eating, drinking, and elimination needs of the baby were all handled by the two of them. After so many days, Feiyu had become quite experienced.
This time Xiao Wenliu’s eyes grew even wider. Seeing baby excrement, she instinctively wanted to avoid it, never expecting that people as elegant and beautiful as Ye Ci and Feiyu could do such things. She felt both ashamed and admiring, moved to tears by her own emotions. She threw away the handkerchief she’d been using to cover her nose and wanted to help.
But those two didn’t welcome this oblivious third wheel. With a movement of their shoulders, they squeezed out the hot-headed Miss Xiao.
Before long, the two had helped feed several children rice soup, cleaned up their waste, changed their wrappings, and each carried a clean baby outside to sit shoulder to shoulder in the evening sun.
Both wore lazy expressions as the evening breeze stirred their loose robes. In their arms, the two babies on left and right were also comfortable and drowsy. The setting sun’s afterglow touched their cheeks and shoulders, coating them in gentle golden light.
Xiao Jing, Xiao Wen, Second Senior Brother, and the others weren’t interested in children, finding them dirty, so they sat in the courtyard drinking tea. Watching this scene from afar, they all stopped their cups and conversation, inexplicably struck by some peaceful and tranquil power.
Xiao Jing’s expression was somewhat dim, and that strange look appeared in Xiao Wen’s eyes again. Only Second Senior Brother, with his wooden nature, glanced once, called it ridiculous, and went back to cursing the gambling houses and taverns.
Bathed in sunlight, bouncing the children in their arms, Feiyu said: “Doesn’t this look like a family portrait? Look how stunned they all are.”
After thinking, she added: “No, no, my family portrait wouldn’t have just these few children—at least seventeen or eighteen babies.”
Tie Ci laughed in shock: “Seventeen or eighteen? Who would bear them? You?”
Feiyu straightened her chest, her eyes flowing with charm: “What, don’t you believe I’m fertile ground?”
An old woman passing by had poor eyesight and wasn’t paying attention to their identities. Hearing this, she muttered: “Skinny as a stick and you dare call yourself fertile ground. Your waist is so thin,” she reached out to pinch Feiyu’s waist, “your hips so narrow,” she patted Feiyu’s bottom, then her gaze fell on her chest before nodding: “Only your breasts count as good flesh.” After speaking, she carried her washing basin inside.
Feiyu: “…”
Tie Ci sighed: “Expert evaluation—you’d do well to bear two!”
Feiyu stood and leaned against her chair back, breathing like orchids at her ear: “So, would you mind if I bore few?”
Tie Ci’s ear was tickled by the breath. She laughed and dodged, saying: “Any man wouldn’t mind you.”
She had always treated such flirtatious words as jokes, truly because she didn’t understand her own heart and didn’t want to hurt others. But now she had hardened her resolve, thinking since she couldn’t bear to part with anyone, as long as the other was willing, she’d accept them all. Once she possessed the world, why couldn’t she follow her heart?
With this mindset released, she could handle the flirtation.
But hearing this, Feiyu thought the flirtation had succeeded and Ye Shiba had finally relented.
For a moment she couldn’t help feeling confused. When she couldn’t move him with flirtation, she’d changed identities to flirt, which obviously worked. But Feiyu wasn’t Rong Wei—had Ye Shiba transferred his affections?
So he really wasn’t interested in men?
Then what was she really after with all this pretense?
Tie Ci wasn’t conflicted anymore, so now it was Feiyu’s turn to be conflicted, becoming jealous of herself. She snorted, dumped the child onto Tie Ci, and turned to leave.
Tie Ci was baffled, thinking: I responded to your flirtation and you got angry—what kind of temperament is this?
After thinking, she decided to clarify her female identity quickly. She went to put her hand on Feiyu’s shoulder, saying: “Listen to me…”
Suddenly the outer gate banged loudly. Since everyone was attending in the back, no one immediately answered the door. The person outside grew impatient and shouted roughly: “Inside there! Steward Zhang! What are you all doing! My master sent me to pick up the one he chose earlier…”
Tie Ci saw a clean, fair seven or eight-year-old boy among the crowd, and her face went pale.
A flurry of footsteps sounded as Steward Zhang rushed out with several servants, pushing the person away while shouting loudly: “What ruffian dares make noise at our door! Get lost!”
After a while he returned, telling Xiao Wenliu and Xiao Jing: “That was a drunk troublemaker from outside. I hope the distinguished guests weren’t startled.”
The young masters and misses didn’t take this interruption seriously. Seeing it was getting late, Xiao Jing suggested going to the Xiao family restaurant for dinner. But Xiao Wenliu felt that Tie Ci was injured and should rest properly. Reluctantly, she touched each baby again before leaving.
Before getting in the carriage, Chi Xue and Dan Shuang appeared from somewhere and gave Tie Ci a meaningful look.
Feiyu walked slowly at the back, casually leaving another mark.
Returning to the Yipei Mingyue Building, Xiao Wenliu insisted on staying in the courtyard but was dragged away by the combined efforts of Xiao Jing and Xiao Wen. As she left, she clung to the carriage shaft saying she’d come see Brother Ye first thing in the morning.
Tie Ci waved goodbye to her. Back in the courtyard, Dan Shuang and Chi Xue followed her into her room. Seeing Feiyu wasn’t there, they said: “That last person who came for someone was clearly familiar with Steward Zhang. Though the steward seemed to scold and drive him away loudly, he kept apologizing and even slipped him money.”
Tie Ci nodded and said: “I noticed everything about this orphanage was wrong. The Xiao family builds its reputation on charity—I intend to tear open a gap in that charity. Since Xiao Wenliu and the others just visited the orphanage today, it should restrain itself temporarily. In the next couple days, you should go to the county seat, find a way to infiltrate the institution, and investigate thoroughly.”
Dan Shuang said: “Let Chi Xue go. I’ll protect you.”
Chi Xue said: “Today I contacted Commander Xiahou. He’s already brought people to infiltrate Dongming County. Either Dan Shuang or I can go, and we’ll have Commander Xiahou assign people to secretly support Your Highness.”
Tie Ci nodded in agreement.
While master and servants discussed matters here, Feiyu strolled to the back garden and leaned against the wall. After a moment, a sneaky head poked down from the wall.
Feiyu said coolly: “Go to the Xiao family orphanage in the county seat. Infiltrate it—work as servants or laborers, whatever method you can think of. Report to me immediately if you discover anything.”
The figure in the branches said worriedly: “Master, the Xiao family is powerful, and we’ve never interfered with each other. Why provoke them…”
Another hand reached out to angrily slap his head, saying: “Fool! The Xiao family has connections with Second Prince’s Jin family. Taking a bite out of the Xiao family reduces the Jin family’s power. Maybe we can even frame them and break up their alliance, or negotiate with the Xiao family—there’s much we can do, you wooden-headed fool!”
Feiyu chuckled, flicking her nails: “There’s progress. Get lost.”
The two heads withdrew.
After each finished their arrangements, Tie Ci walked out while Feiyu walked back. The two met halfway, each giving the other a serene smile.
Across the water in the main residence.
The Second Branch Madam rose in fury, smashing porcelain worth ten thousand gold.
“What! Using so many people, laying such a thorough trap, and they still escaped? That little hussy Xiao Jiu, seeing a decent-looking man, loses her mind and turns her elbow outward! She even dares interrogate my people!”
In the main hall of the main residence, Fourth Master Xiao listened to his subordinates’ reports, looked at those who had been tied up and brought back, and said coolly: “Fools.”
It wasn’t clear whom he was cursing.
A subordinate said carefully: “Ninth Miss had the people tied up and brought back. Second Madam sent word offering to help handle it. What do you think…”
“Giving them a chance, yet they don’t even know to clean up properly.” Fourth Master looked up thoughtfully and said: “Did you really see that person turn molten iron into an iron plate?”
“Yes, with my own eyes.”
“Then there’s no mistake.” Fourth Master said: “It must be someone from the Three Madmen and Five Emperors, from a worldly famous sect. If so, don’t let Second Branch cause more trouble. Deal with those people brought back. Also, prepare a banquet at Qianqiu Pavilion and send someone to invite them.”
“Yes.”
“How are Eleventh and Miss Wen getting along with them?”
“Eleventh Young Master seems interested, but that Miss Feiyu appears to have good relations with that Young Master Ye. Our plans probably won’t work. As for Miss Wen, she’s still her usual self, very reserved. But with someone like Miss Feiyu beside that Young Master Ye, plus his two maidservants who are also quite beautiful, how could he notice Miss Wen?”
“We never intended her to be the primary wife—just a concubine. Men never mind having more concubines.” Fourth Master said: “Go tell Miss Wen this is a good opportunity. Put some effort in and stop dwelling on her status as a young miss. If she continues wasting time like this, does she want to end up matched with those ruffians from Tianping House?”
“Yes, this subordinate will go speak to her immediately.”
…