When Auntie Li San heard she was to go to Song Chuyi’s room, she was so delighted that wind seemed to spring from the soles of her feet. She wished she could reach Song Chuyi’s room in two steps instead of three. Ever since that time she had delivered a message, Song Chuyi seemed to have taken notice of her, even specifically requesting her to deliver things to the second floor, saying she was clever and diligent, and spoke clearly.
Song Chuyi’s mother came from the Cui family, and her dowry was absolutely first-rate in its abundance. Song Chuyi herself was extremely doted upon at the Earl of Changning’s residence. The rewards she normally received from her elders were probably too numerous to count. Each tip she was given was enough to make her smile for quite a while after returning home.
At this moment, hearing Song Chuyi’s summons, she only assumed there was another good thing in store. She hastily wiped her hands on her apron and walked outside. But just as she turned a corner and was about to go out, she was suddenly grabbed. A woman dressed as a rough, burly matron yanked her back inside and looked at her warily, asking: “Where are you going?!”
Auntie Li San was somewhat afraid. The person before her might also be female, but she wasn’t an ordinary woman. This was one of those water bandits, a famous tigress. It was said that back in the day, she had chopped up her husband with two kitchen cleavers, and with nowhere left to turn, had gone up the mountain to become an outlaw. Life on the boat was boring. Having gained Song Chuyi’s favor and having an easy assignment, Auntie Li San naturally loved to gather information. She had chewed over the backgrounds of these people with her husband until she could recite them backwards and forwards. Now, grabbed by the collar by this woman and seeing other people in the kitchen looking over at them somewhat strangely, she hurriedly struggled a few times to break free of her grip, pulled her out of the cabin to the outside, and asked her in a voice lowered with both fear and alarm: “What are you doing? How many eyes are watching inside? We already said you were sent from the escort agency to do rough work. If you make a scene like this—”
The woman pressed down hard on Auntie Li San, placing her hand on her neck, glaring at her with bristling fury: “Don’t play tricks with me! What does that young lady want with you?”
She spoke with a local accent. Auntie Li San expended great effort to understand what she was saying. Gripping the woman’s hand that was on her throat with both hands, somewhat panicked: “She’s the master and I’m a servant—what do you think she wants me for?! There are only so many people in the kitchen in total. If she wants to eat something, she has to call someone to run errands. The ones serving her upstairs are all assistant young ladies—they don’t easily come to a place full of cooking smoke and oil like the kitchen. If you don’t let me go and she gets suspicious, what then?”
The woman released her half-believingly, made a gesture, and warned her viciously: “Don’t pull any tricks, or I’ll make sure you die with nowhere to be buried! In a few days when the people come, they won’t spare you.”
The people in her mouth naturally referred to the water bandits. Auntie Li San still harbored plans to grab a fortune and run, so of course she couldn’t possibly develop any other thoughts. She hurriedly nodded: “I know, I know. I’m not tired of living. All of you were brought aboard by my husband—we’re already in too deep to extricate ourselves. How would we still do foolish things? Rest assured, rest assured!”
She straightened her clothes and hair and ran up to the second floor in small steps. She knocked on the door lightly. The door was pulled open from inside, and the one who came out was the most easy-to-talk-to Luyi. Her heart relaxed, and bowing her waist ingratiatingly, she asked: “What are Sixth Miss’s instructions?”
Luyi looked her over once, her peripheral vision sweeping left and right. Revealing a smile, she deliberately raised her voice: “Our Miss heard you make excellent soups and specifically called you over.”
Auntie Li San’s face was filled with unconcealed smiles. Bowing her body and nodding continuously, she entered the cabin with wind beneath her feet.
Luyi cheerfully pulled Qing Tao outside, smiling as she wanted Qing Tao to look at the scenery on the shore: “Look, look, Qing Tao! Isn’t that a market? They’re selling wheat and everything else up there—”
As soon as Auntie Li San entered the door, she could no longer smile. She hadn’t taken more than a few steps toward Song Chuyi when a gleaming bright blade was pressed against her throat. That water bandit woman’s hand earlier had still left her with lingering fear. Now seeing this cold, forbidding blade, her legs immediately went weak. Her eyes went straight as she tremulously raised her head to look at that delicate screen painted with Jiangnan misty rain ink wash.
“Auntie Li San works for people on both sides—truly keeping quite busy.” Song Chuyi emerged from behind the screen, her face bearing its usual faint smile. But this time it was no longer the gentle and soothing manner of when she spoke of giving rewards. That smile, no matter how one looked at it, made one’s heart turn cold.
Tears immediately welled up in Auntie Li San’s eyes, large drops sliding down her face. Her face wrinkled like orange peel, crying until her features were all scrunched together and indistinguishable.
But somehow the laughing and chattering sounds outside grew louder and louder, occasionally interspersed with the escort guards’ cheering voices. No matter how much noise she made here, those outside probably couldn’t hear. She widened her eyes, feeling a throbbing at her temples.
Only at this moment did she react and realize she should beg for mercy. Her lips trembled for quite a while before she finally managed to speak a sentence of rebuttal: “Miss… Miss, what are you saying, Miss? What do you mean taking money from both sides—”
Song Chuyi stopped speaking and glanced toward Qing Ying. With a smack, Qing Ying threw a register book at Auntie Li San’s face, looking at her with a cold laugh: “This is the record of your husband’s boardings and disembarkings. Why don’t you tell us—why is it that every time he disembarks, our boat inexplicably gains extra people? Do you know how many extra people are on the boat now? A full four! Tell us, what are these people doing?”
Auntie Li San was like a fish thrown onto the shore, her mouth opening and closing as she gasped for air, unable to say half a sentence.
Qing Ying laughed again. Nanny Xu immediately stepped forward, grabbed her hair, and yanked her backwards: “You people really dare to do anything—you even dare to harm your masters. Do you know what fate awaits you and your husband after you’re handed over to the authorities?!”
Auntie Li San’s eyes flashed with a bright light. Thinking in her heart that she might as well make a scene right now, she opened her mouth to shout loudly, but with lightning speed, Nanny Xu stuffed a ball of torn cloth into her mouth, blocking it completely so she couldn’t speak half a sentence.
“If you shout it out now, what can those four people do? The escort guards down below can all deal with them. Their accomplices behind them will still blame you for ruining their plans. At that time, you’ll truly be wanted by the authorities and resented by these water bandits—with no path to heaven and no door to earth. Think carefully about whether you still want to make a scene.” Song Chuyi looked at her coldly, as if watching a jumping clown: “Auntie San, since you would do something like betraying your master for profit, it means you want to live well, doesn’t it? But if you insist on opposing me—”
She gave Qin Ying a look. The blade in Qin Ying’s hand pressed tightly against Auntie Li San’s throat. The blade’s edge pressed against her skin and flesh. Auntie Li San even perceived the sensation of her skin being cut open. Struggling, she widened her eyes in terror and shook her head.