The commotion from the dispute on Huo Shuyi’s side soon reached Shen Lingzhen’s ears as well.
Domestic disharmony always made people uncomfortable. Shen Lingzhen wanted to send Jianjia to see what exactly had happened, but was dissuaded by Nanny Ji: “Young Mistress is kind-hearted, but Eldest Miss has never been on good terms with you. Why trouble yourself to repay evil with virtue? Just live well with the young master—there’s no need to be overly concerned with others.”
“But the saying goes, ‘A harmonious family prospers in all things.’ Eldest Miss is, after all, my lord’s sister of the same blood and breath. How can she be called ‘others’?”
“Sibling relationships also have degrees of closeness. In this old servant’s view, the young master and Eldest Miss are not necessarily very close.”
“Why does Nanny say this?”
Nanny Ji had Jianjia and Bailu close the windows and doors and withdraw before lowering her eyes: “Then this old servant will presume to speak.”
“Please do, Nanny.”
“These past days, you must have also noticed that it’s the young master who manages the Huo mansion. The old madam has no elder’s dignity or airs before the young master, but rather shows some deference.”
Shen Lingzhen had detected this on the day after her wedding. She nodded: “I thought this was because my mother-in-law is not my lord’s birth mother but his stepmother. Is there some other hidden circumstance?”
“Hidden circumstance is putting it too strongly. Here’s what happened: ten years ago, Eldest Miss and Second Miss’s biological father, General Shu, died in Xiqiang while rescuing the young master from a prisoner-of-war camp. The Shu family declined thereafter. At that time, the old madam was pregnant with Second Miss, and it happened that Hexi was occupied by the Xiqiang people. With no home to return to, she and the still-young Eldest Miss—orphans and widows—wandered destitute for a time before being found by the master.”
“This old servant speculates that perhaps there is no true marital affection between the master and the old madam. The reason he accepted the old madam and her two daughters may have been because he felt indebted to them, or because he had received General Shu’s entrustment.”
No wonder Yu Wanjiang had borne no more children after coming to the Huo mansion. It seemed this so-called marriage was merely a surface formality, in essence just to give the three mothers and daughters a place to settle without inviting gossip.
“So that’s how it is.” Shen Lingzhen furrowed her brow. “Why is Nanny only telling me this now? Since Imperial Uncle decreed this marriage, I’ve repeatedly asked Mother and Imperial Grandmother about the Huo mansion, yet all of you were deeply secretive about it, glossing over the important parts. If not for matters now piling up one after another, forcing your hand, you fundamentally wouldn’t reveal even half of it to me.”
Nanny Ji lowered her eyes: “Please calm your anger, Young Mistress.”
Shen Lingzhen was silent for a long while, then shook her head with a sigh: “Nanny has followed Mother for many years. If you act this way, I imagine you’re also following Mother’s instructions. I don’t blame you. However, right now I must ask you: what other past events are there in the Huo family that are intimately connected to me yet I remain unaware of? Tell me each one truthfully.”
Nanny Ji shook her head: “There are no more, Young Mistress.”
But if they were merely some inconsequential old matters, why expend such effort concealing them from her? Shen Lingzhen looked at Nanny Ji with suspicion, always feeling that in the chaos of war ten years ago, or perhaps twenty-seven years ago, there might still be some hidden circumstances.
“Young Mistress, the Duke used to often say that people should live in the present, not clinging to the past nor worrying needlessly about the future. This old servant feels that rather than pondering these matters, you might as well look at current affairs and consider why Eldest Miss quarreled first with the young master and then with the old madam today.” Nanny Ji’s face showed a smile. “Eldest Miss has always been at odds with you. Having suffered this setback, it must be that the young master has finally stood up for you. Due to his debt to the Shu family, the young master has previously been quite tolerant of Eldest Miss’s impetuousness. Now that he’s willing to speak up for you, what does this indicate? You should be happy about this.”
Shen Lingzhen hemmed and hawed, thinking to herself that naturally it indicated Huo Liuxing was devoted to her. She already knew this, but she wasn’t particularly happy about it.
That willingness of Huo Liuxing’s to sacrifice his life for her—such feelings were truly so weighty for her that she didn’t know how to repay them.
Recalling this morning’s awkwardness, she touched her nose: “Nanny is right. I haven’t even sorted out the current matters properly.” She sighed. “Nanny, do you know how one can develop romantic feelings for a person?”
Nanny Ji froze: “Are you asking how to develop romantic feelings for a person, not how to make a person develop romantic feelings for you?”
“That’s right.” Shen Lingzhen spoke with confident righteousness. “Nanny also finds it very difficult, don’t you?”
While Nanny Ji was still hesitating, Shen Lingzhen nodded to herself again, as if she had made up her mind about something: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I shouldn’t let temporary embarrassment frighten me off. I’ll go find my lord right now. Talking more with him will surely be beneficial for deepening our affection.”
——
When Jianjia and Bailu heard that the young mistress was troubled about how to deepen her affection with the young master, they immediately offered advice, saying that people regard food as their heaven—why not make some food to send to him?
It seemed they had also misunderstood Shen Lingzhen’s meaning, thinking she intended to curry favor with Huo Liuxing.
But Shen Lingzhen felt this idea wasn’t bad at all.
Huo Liuxing said with his mouth that he was fond of her, yet after most of the day had passed, he hadn’t once taken the initiative to be close to her. She didn’t know if he simply didn’t know how to go about it. She would set an example for him and give him some pointers.
However, Shen Lingzhen had never worked in a kitchen before and couldn’t manage any sumptuous feast for the time being. Moreover, seeing that they had entered the fifth month of midsummer and it was getting increasingly hot, heavy filling foods would likely make one’s mouth feel greasy. So she accepted Jianjia and Bailu’s suggestion and decided to make a simple bowl of lychee syrup water.
Lychee syrup water and sour plum soup were called the two great heat-dispelling beverages of midsummer, most excellent for quenching thirst and generating body fluids.
Shen Lingzhen didn’t even have time to eat lunch properly. In the heat of noon, under Jianjia and Bailu’s guidance, she wheeled her chair back and forth busying herself in the kitchen. Once the lychee syrup water was prepared and had cooled, she had them distribute portions to the old madam and the two misses, then personally ladled a full bowl into a food box and carried it to Huo Liuxing’s study.
Huo Liuxing had long since heard about the commotion in the kitchen. Not knowing what scheme Shen Lingzhen had in mind, watching her drag her disabled body from mountain peaks to distant roads to bring a bowl of lychee syrup water before him, he was rather stunned: “I heard from the servants that you busied yourself in the kitchen for half a day, just for this?”
Shen Lingzhen froze, then pursed her lips: “What do you mean ‘just for this’? I put my whole heart into it, yet in my lord’s mouth it sounds as if it’s worth nothing at all. Does my lord not like drinking lychee syrup water?”
Huo Liuxing indeed didn’t like sweets. This sort of tea beverage that sounded sickeningly sweet just from hearing the name—he truly had no intention of trying it.
However, seeing her aggrieved expression, while his heart was shouting that he didn’t want to drink it, his mouth first blurted out: “No.”
Kongqing, standing nearby and completely clear about his preferences, dropped his jaw.
Huo Liuxing explained: “What I mean is, these rough tasks can be left to the servants. Why trouble yourself? If you got bumped or hurt because of this, how could I feel at ease?”
Shen Lingzhen became happy again: “Then my lord, quickly try it. This lychee syrup water becomes all the rage in Bianjing every midsummer. Many young gentlemen from great families in the capital also love drinking it, especially after playing football when they’re drenched in sweat—one bowl down the gullet instantly refreshes mind and spirit.”
“You’ve been to the football field too?”
She shook her head: “No, I’ve heard all this from Brother A’Jie.”
Huo Liuxing’s hand reaching for the bowl paused.
Seeing his reaction, Shen Lingzhen thought he might not know Xue Jie and hastily said: “Oh, my lord may not know—Brother A’Jie is my aunt’s eldest son, which is to say my maternal cousin. Compared to the cousins on Imperial Uncle’s side, I’m fairly close with this maternal cousin.”
“Oh, I know. How could I not know? You’re close with him—I know all about it.” Huo Liuxing smiled gently, yet that hand holding the bowl withdrew.
“Why isn’t my lord drinking?”
He shook his head: “I suddenly feel somewhat full. I’ll drink it in a while.”
Naturally Shen Lingzhen didn’t force him, but watching Huo Liuxing treat her as if she didn’t exist while lowering his head to flip through that scripture he read every day without getting tired of it, she felt rather stifled.
With him being so cold, how could she develop feelings for him?
Shen Lingzhen had originally thought that maintaining a tacit understanding about last night’s matter would be fine—no need to put it on the table and add to the awkwardness. But now she felt this approach wouldn’t work, so she sighed mournfully: “My lord, you’ve never liked any other young lady before, have you?”
“Of course not.” Huo Liuxing raised his head.
Kongqing froze. What did she mean by “other young lady”—was the young mistress suggesting that the lord now had a young lady he liked?
This shouldn’t be possible.
Yet the lord also didn’t deny it, and even said “of course not”?
Shen Lingzhen nodded: “Then no wonder.”
Seeing her posture, Huo Liuxing truly didn’t know what earth-shaking, ghost-startling statement she would produce next. After a moment of silence, he asked: “What?”
“Just now Jianjia and Bailu told me that if you want to win someone’s heart, you must take the initiative to please that person and cater to their preferences. Yet my lord knows nothing at all, and instead treats me more distantly than before.”
“…” Huo Liuxing coughed unnaturally. “Oh, it’s my fault for not doing well.”
Shen Lingzhen said with a face full of worry: “My lord, although it’s my duty to work hard to repay my debt, relying entirely on me alone for ‘certain matters’ is rather forcing the impossible. You should at least also put in some effort.”
Huo Liuxing coughed even more unnaturally: “Oh, you just mentioned catering to preferences—what do you like?”
The way Kongqing looked at Huo Liuxing had completely changed.
“Mm…” Shen Lingzhen was somewhat troubled. “Honestly speaking, I like men with exceptional martial skills, but my lord at present probably cannot…”
“Fine.”
Huo Liuxing’s response came as swift as wind and quick as lightning. After responding, even he hadn’t processed it yet. He slowly turned his head and looked at Kongqing: Did I just say “fine”?
Kongqing nodded vigorously like pounding garlic: You certainly did, my lord!
He shook his head helplessly: “Then let’s go to the training grounds.”
Shen Lingzhen froze.
Huo Liuxing set down the scripture, had Kongqing put the lychee syrup water back in the food box, indicating he’d drink it later, then wheeled his chair out first.
Seeing Shen Lingzhen still standing there dumbly, he turned back and sighed: “Didn’t you want me to put in effort and cater to your preferences? Follow me to the training grounds—I’ll show you what ‘exceptional martial skills’ means.”