Chapter 514 (1/2)
Chapter 514: The Family Cui's Interesting Reaction
The word ”idea” was widely used, sometimes on the little thoughts between men and women . When Ning Que left the City of Wei for Chang'an, he traveled with Li Yu, who pretended to be a maidservant . They went through difficult times together at the entrance of the Northern Mountain Road . They also told stories by the bonfire . If one delved deeply into their hearts, one could not say whether they had any budding interest in each other . But even if there was any, the interest had dispelled in the patch of sunlight when Li Yu left his shoulder slowly and stood up .
There were no romantic feelings between the two, but they had friends.h.i.+p and they maintained it even over the years in Chang'an . Since Ning Que knew that Li Yu had vested interest in Qinghe County, he did not make things difficult for them . He wrote a letter to the Family Cui by the Fuchun River and brought Sangsang to an inn . They sat down and admired the scenery while drinking wine as if they did not know what was going on in Yangguan City .
The simple letter was to sound out their intent, with Ning Que's somewhat impure ideas mixed in . He wondered why the millenniold family from Qinghe county was making things difficult for the House of Red Sleeves . Were they trying to b.u.t.ter up to Li Yu and the Academy or to prove their loyalty by disrespecting the Empress? Many thoughts ran through his mind . . .
Just like what the manager had said, it was alright if it was the former . But if the Qinghe clans were planning something complex that Ning Que could not understand, he might start thinking towards the bad side . He represented the Academy by entering the human realm and his ideas were very important to the Tang Empire .
Autumn had begun in the Song Mansion's courtyard by the slender lake . The gardens were verdant and it was the most beautiful season . However, the atmosphere in the courtyard was depressive . The ladies of the House of Red Sleeves leaned against the railings or sat quietly behind the table . Their beautiful faces were marred by worry and they were in no mood to admire the beautiful scenery at all .
The ladies of the House of Red Sleeves were not all prost.i.tutes . However, no matter whether they sang, danced or did other things, they all socialized aplenty; all were good judges of character and had good instincts . They knew that they had been well treated by the officials and n.o.bles in Chang'an because of Mistress Jian's close relations.h.i.+p with those in the palace . Even court officials had to lower themselves in Qinghe County, so would they . Now that they had met these Dominant Families who were not afraid of Her Majesty, they ran into serious trouble .
They were all aware of what the problem was, but could not find a solution to it . Even though the House of Red Sleeves were visiting the Lanke Temple on the imperial court's orders, they were not a diplomatic delegation . They would not expect the Dominant Families to help them . As for the Defender General of the West, Xian Zhilang, he was currently in the Cui's gardens . Could they even depend on him?
The girls grew more frightened as they thought of the Cui's steward's ice cold face when he left . Two or three of them looked at the girl sitting at the head of the table hatefully . They thought that the girl had offended the families of Qinghe County because she had treated the Cui's steward badly . Even though she was doted upon by Mistress Jian, they were not in Chang'an now . What right did she have to be so arrogant?
The girl was Mistress Jian's personal handmaiden, Xiaocao . She led the girls on their visit to the Lanke Temple and it was evident that Mistress Jian had begun training her successor .
As compared to three years ago, Xiaocao had grown up, but still looked as beautiful as before . However, beneath the looming dark clouds of the situation, the girl's clear eyes were devoid of any traces of uneasiness . She seemed especially cold as she looked at the girls with slightly furrowed brows . She said, ”Nothing has happened yet . What's wrong with you all?”
In the brothel, Mistress Jian's status was akin to that of the Emperor's and Xiaocao was her successor . Even though the girls could not help scolding her in their hearts and showing their dissatisfaction, they did not dare to speak of it directly . A gentle lady looked at the expressions on her companion's face and smiled . She walked toward Xiaocao and said gently in a coaxing manner, ”The Cuis might have deliberately made things difficult for us, but your att.i.tude was a little harsh this morning . ”
Xiaocao sneered and said, ”The House of Red Sleeves performs only for the Emperor and Empress . How could the old man Cui compare to His and Her Majesty? We have already shown our respects for the old man by coming . How dare they try to make things difficult for us? The steward even tried to threaten us . Did they really think we come from an ordinary brothel?”
The girls looked at each other when they heard that . They felt that Xiaocao did somewhat have the imposing manner that Mistress Jian had . However, in the face of the Dominant Families of Qinghe County, the House of Red Sleeves was no different from an ordinary brothel . Xiaocao's att.i.tude would only cause her more shame when the Cui's exerted more pressure on them .
Xiaocao knew what they were thinking and could not be bothered to explain . She took out a bag of sunflower seeds from her sleeves and began nibbling on them . She knew that even if the Defender General of the West didn't say anything in their defense, someone else would . Of course, the girl did not feel as calm as she looked because she was not sure whether the person was in Yangguan .
The warm breeze came blowing from the slender lake and into the courtyard . All were silent and only the sound of eating seeds could be heard . Someone suddenly reported that the Cuis had sent someone forth again . When they heard that, the girls who had only just managed to sit down calmly stood up in shock again . They wondered why the Cuis had come so quickly and felt that they had really irritated them . What should they do?
Xiaocao was surprised and she slowly put the sunflower seeds in her hand back into the bag .
The fourth steward of the Cui clan had come to the lake once again . If they counted, this would be the third time he paid a visit here in an entire day . There were not many things that would make the fourth steward of the Cui Clan visit three times . Those who could ”enjoy” such treatment were either elites, or trouble recipients .
However, the House of Red Sleeves was destined not to encounter any trouble today .
Because the fourth steward of the Family Cui was carried into the Song Garden on a stretcher .
The girls from the House of Red Sleeves looked at the middle-aged man on the stretcher . He looked like he was on the brink of death . His clothes were spotted with blood . The girls covered their mouths in shock and they could not reconcile this man with the calm, gentle, yet forceful steward who had visited last night and this morning .
Xiaocao was also shocked . She stood up and looked at the white-haired old man beside the stretcher .
The old man bowed to Xiaocao . He said, ”I am the chief steward of the Family Cui . I heard that my subordinate had been impolite to you ladies and have brought him here to apologize . This servant pointed at you ladies, so my master broke all five of his fingers and gave him 12 strokes of the cane . I wonder if you are satisfied?”