Chapter 5 (1/2)
Chapter 5: Home affairs
Sitting in my ”Fragrant carriage”, I finally return to the mansion. The one standing at the door to welcome me is still that Hong Feng, who carefully a.s.sists me down and immediately handing over a copper stove to warm my hands on. Winter in this period sure is a lot chillier compared to winters in my time. Not to mention there are no small, mobile heaters one can carry outside and conveniently warm your hands around.
As I walk through the main gates and head indoors, Hong Feng draped a black fox fur cloak around my shoulders, all the while reprimanding Xiao Lu for not taking proper care of me and ensuring I was warm during the ride back. A little impatient, I said: ”It's not even snowing, what's the point of putting on a cloak now?”
”Although it has stopped snowing, the weather is still chilly. Daren's body const.i.tution is weak and the national affairs are a heavy burden. It would not be amusing if you fall sick.”
I am too lazy to argue with a long-winded woman, so I obediently stop walking in order for her to properly tie the cloak's belt together. By accident, my gaze met with Xiao Lu's s.h.i.+ning pair of eyes that are full of wors.h.i.+p, and couldn't help the softening of my heart. I know his position is just that of a slave boy tasked with following the carriage everywhere and thus has a low status amongst the mansion's servants. Nevertheless, I feel that he is both clever and innocent, which meets my liking, so I tell Hong Feng: ”From today onwards, let Xiao Lu serve me in my study.”
Once he hears this, Xiao Lu is unable to contain his joy, nearly jumping to his feet in excitement. The surrounding servants cast repressed looks of jealousy and admiration towards him one after another.
Smiling faintly, I tell him: ”You need to do well in the future and cannot be naughty.”
Xiao Lu repeatedly agrees and nods his head, then kneels happily at my feet and kowtows several times to express his grat.i.tude. Waving my hand to allow him to stand back up, I enter the inner courtyard.
As for the still-following Hong Feng, if she is in any way astonished, nothing shows on her face, merely a respectful and calm affirmative before a knitting her brows in a slight frown. Hesitantly, she said: ”Jin'er from this morning, I have already ordered someone to give her forty strikes of the wooden rod and had her chased out of the mansion.”
Startled, I yell, ”What?”
Hong Feng suddenly kneels down in front of me. ”Daren, Hong Feng acted on my own accord. The penalty is too light, but Hong Feng thought about it. That child is usually honest and sincere and did commit no mistakes. If she offended Daren, it can only be her name that offended. If you are unsatisfied, then let her repent. If doing so is bothersome, then chase her out. Either way, she does not deserve death.”
Will I really kill someone just because a letter of their name is identical in p.r.o.nunciation to mine[1]? Due to Jin'er's honest character and risking her (HF) life to save her (Jin'er), Hong Feng ordered someone to hit a delicate woman forty time with the wooden rod, and that is considered a light punishment. Where's the humanity? Where's the logic?
I laughed in fury. ”Do you always act on your own accord?”
Hong Feng lowers her head. ”Asking Daren to please punish me.”
I look at the woman kneeling before me, and suddenly realise that this woman doesn't fear me, doesn't hate me, and doesn't fawn over me, thus is able to act so brazenly. Is this kind of pampering not alarming? In ancient time, she can be considered soft on the inside but hard inside[2]. I can appreciate that.
”Forget it. Next time you want to punish any servants in the household by beating or flogging, ask me first before acting. Give this Jin'er ten liang of silver for her injuries then check her natural character. If you feel this person is still of use, bring her back to the mansion.”
Hong Feng raises her head to look at me in alarm. I make my tone gentler. ”Hong Feng, before, I was too harsh on people. Because of that, now I have to slowly correct myself. This morning, Jin'er was not to blame for anything. The reason I told her to get away from the carriage is because acting as a footstool is not something a woman should do. Even if that person is a man, it is also unsightly. The next time, bring an actual footstool for me to climb onto the carriage.”
Hong Feng's constantly expressionless face finally undulate a little, a myriad of emotions enters her eyes. It seems like disbelief, a good kind of surprise, emotionally moved and finally comfort. Her gaze searches my face eagerly, seeking some sort of guarantee from my expression. However, when she opens her mouth to speak, only two words emerge. ”Yes, Daren.”
For my first ”act of benevolence”, not receiving flowers and applause left me a little disappointed. However, judging from Zhang Qinglian's usual deeds and conduct, I definitely cannot win people over easily, so simply making steady progress will have to do.
”Hong Feng, where is Yao Jinzi currently?”
She is taken back by the sudden change of topic and hesitated for a bit. ”Yao…ah, gongzi[3] is currently chained as per usual in the third dungeons…”
Not waiting for her to finish speaking, my anger explodes. Dungeons? As per usual? Treating my pretty boy this way? This is the way Zhang Qinglian treats his bed partner? What is he, a black widow?!
Hardening my face, I suppress the fury in my voice and say lowly; ”Are you still not going to take me there?!”
Angrily stalking through the Zhang mansion, we eventually reach a place where the scenery is vastly different from the rest of the house: the gloomy and sinister look dungeons.
My eyes narrow as I look at the stout, ugly building, walking towards the third door and snappily tell the old servant serving as the jailer: ”Open the door quickly!”
The door opens, revealing the dim interior. It took a while before my eyes adjust enough to allow me to see the thing within clearly, only to see the four bare walls and practically empty room. At one corner is a pile of straw, probably used for sleeping. Near the door is a tray with yet-to-be-washed plates and bowls. The place can be considered fairly clean, as there are no foul or strange smells within.
Yao Jinzi is wearing a simple white s.h.i.+rt that doesn't even cover down to his feet and I can guarantee he is not wearing anything else beneath. In this wintry season, without his martial arts…isn't that old man outside worried Jinzi might freeze to death? That's not all, for the silver chains on this body are fastened to an iron ring embedded deeply in the wall behind, restricting his range of movements.
He has been watching me the moment I walk in, with a gaze I'm not even willing to describe. It is the kind of meticulous hatred unleashed on a hostile party when planning their deaths, a disdain that is long carved deep into a person's bones, one that is unforgettable and not easy to reckon with.