Chapter 105: The Duke’s Concubine Serves Tea
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Qiao Jinniang took a bath three times and used incense and flower lotion before the stinky smell of rotten eggs that was lingering on the tip of her nose was finally eliminated.
Qiao Ruoyi came in and asked Qiao Jinniang, “Sister, is the rumor wide-spreading outside true?
“When I first heard it, I couldn’t even figure out the complicated relationship. It turned out that Old Madam Zheng is not our grandmother but our great-aunt, and she was Qiao Ruoshui’s biological grandmother!”
Qiao Jinniang said, “It’s true.”
Ruoyi smacked her tongue in surprise. “Everyone in Chang’an thinks this is too unbelievable. Now everyone is laughing at Mother…”
Qiao Jinniang sighed helplessly. She didn’t know how to tell the Duchess about this, but the Duchess probably had heard about it by now.
She followed Qiao Ruoyi to the main courtyard.
The Duchess had already got up from the bed, and kneeling in front of her was an elegantly-dressed woman, who looked gentle and fragile.
“Madam, please drink the tea.”
‘When Qiao Ruoyi saw the woman kneeling on the ground, she was shocked. “Qian Shi!”
Qiao Jinniang asked, “What’s wrong?”
Qiao Ruoyi whispered in Qiao Jinniang’s ear. “Although this woman doesn’t look very much like Qian Shi, her seemingly vulnerable demeanor exactly resembles hers.”
‘The Duchess did not take the woman’s tea but said, “The Duke Mansion has our own rules. No matter what, the Qiao family will never accept an official prostitute as a concubine. Keep this cup of tea for yourself!”
Qiao Jinniang entered the door and said, “Mother.”
‘The Duchess held Qiao Jinniang’s hand and said, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have let you go to Yamen and get yourself caught in public scrutiny.”
Qiao Jinniang looked at the Duchess worriedly and said, “Mother, if you are sad, just cry out.
May I take you to play outside the city? I haven’t had an outing since I returned to Chang‘an, and it’s autumn now. Let’s go climbing.”
The Duchess said with guilt, “It’s my fault. It’s been almost half a year, but I haven’t taken you out to have fun.
“We have an orchard on Tianyi Slope. The jujubes there are probably ripe now, so I will take your sisters to pick jujubes in the orchard in a few days.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Okay, I can make jujube mud cakes for you.”
After Qiao Jinniang finished speaking, she glanced at the woman kneeling on the ground. In terms of appearance, she was not as beautiful as her mother, and her temperament was not as dignified as her mother’s either.
The Duke must be blind! 1
After coming out of the main courtyard, Yuyan came to report to her, “Miss, His Royal Highness had someone come to tell you that he is waiting for you outside the Duke Mansion.”
Qiao Jinniang nodded and went out. Seeing Lu Chen sitting in the carriage, she got on the carriage. “Why didn’t you bring Xi’er out?”
Lu Chen said, ” Since he already has a teacher, he should study hard, and shouldn’t play around all the time.”
Qiao Jinniang snorted. “He just turned three years old. Why can’t he leave the East Palace for a while to see his mother? I don’t want him to live an exhausting life.”
Lu Chen said, “Don’t worry. He’s playing with his playmate in the East Palace.”
Qiao Jinniang suspected that Lu Chen deliberately did not bring Xi’er out of the East Palace so that she could enter the East Palace earlier.
“Why did you come to me? Do you want to ask about the Zheng family? I had never thought that Old Madam Zheng was not my mother’s biological mother.”
“If I were my mother, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to live.”
“If you were your mother, you wouldn’t have been so foolish as not to find out the truth until now,” Lu Chen said.
“The Zheng family has committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor and provoked a public outrage. Old Madam Zheng and Mrs. Zheng will be exiled at the very least. Your sister can be avenged.”
“alas!” Qiao Jinniang sighed. “My mother is so pitiful. Duke Anyuan brought back a woman who looked very much like his dead concubine yesterday.
“When I went to my mother’s courtyard just now, she was serving tea to my mother!”
Lu Chen didn’t want to get involved in this matter. If he said something wrong, she would have a fight with him again.
“Didn’t you say you hadn’t been to Chunfeng Street? I’ll take you to Chunfeng Street to play today.”
Chunfeng Street was the most prosperous money-squandering den in Chang’an. It was only two quarters of an hour from Tasty Pavilion by carriage, but Qiao Jinniang had never been there.
‘There were many brothels in Chunfeng Street, and there were also places for women to have fun. Jinniang was afraid that it might be dangerous to go alone if not accompanied by a man.
In the evening, Chunfeng Street gradually became lively, and pleasant-sounding music came from the serried gaily-painted pleasure-boats on the river.
On the cruise ships, beautiful dancers danced adeptly on the bow.
Entering a cruise boat, Qiao Jinniang saw Xie Yun, who she had not seen for a long time. Today, Xie Yun was wearing a jade-white loose robe, looking quite elegant and noble.
‘When Qiao Jinniang saw Xie Yun and Lu Chen standing together, she couldn’t help thinking of the words of Fulu that Xie Yun, who was wearing men’s clothes, was handsome and elegant, while Lu Chen was masculine and domineering like a king.
‘The two of them standing together were indeed pleasing to the eye and well matched.
She felt that she shouldn’t disturb the two of them.
“Jinniang, why do you keep looking at me?”
Qiao Jinniang smiled and said, “Young Master Xie, you look so handsome in men’s clothes, even more beautiful than in women’s clothes.”
Xie Yun glanced at Lu Chen’s face and said, “Who’s more handsome, His Royal Highness or me?”
Lu Chen also looked at Qiao Jinniang.
Qiao Jinniang smiled. “Well, I need Young Master Xie to do me a favor, so I can only say that Young Master Xie is more handsome.”
Lu Chen’s face was all dark, and he said crossly, “What do you need him to do for you? Why don’t you turn to me for help?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “The ingredients of Tasty Pavilion are all shipped from all over the country, and the freight is a huge expense.
“Along the way, there are many checkpoints and I need to pay a lot of taxes and charges.
“So I want to cooperate with the Xie family. There are not many ingredients Tasty Pavilion needs, so can you please make room in the Xie family’s ships for me?”
Xie Yun said, “No problem.”
Qiao Jinniang smiled and negotiated with Xie Yun about freight and shipping taxes, etc
It was only after Xie Yun was called away by his subordinates that she noticed Lu Chen’s dark face.
Lu Chen emptied a glass of wine sullenly, stared at Qiao Jinniang and said, “Isn’t it more convenient to ask me for help than to cooperate with Xie Yun?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “I can’t use your power to seek personal gain. If I asked you for help, wouldn’t it give Prince Mediocre him something to use against you?”
Glad to hear that she was worried about him, Lu Chen asked, “Then tell me, who is more handsome, me or Xie Yun?”
Qiao Jinniang said very sweetly at this moment, “Of course my honey is the most handsome man in the world. That’s why I married you.”1
Lu Chen, a little tipsy, whispered to Qiao Jinniang, “Don’t call me Honey again. You set the fire but refuse to put it out.”
1
Having said that, Lu Chen kissed Qiao Jinniang on the cheek. Perhaps considering that the people on the shore could see the scene inside the boat, he only kissed her face gently.
Seeing this scene from the shore, Xie Yun felt slightly sour.
If he had known that Jinniang would marry Lu Chen, he would have not been afraid of disturbing Jinniang’s peaceful life and would have confessed his love for her.
1
Now he could only bury this love deep in his heart.
“Master, Second Young Master came to Chang’an for two purposes. Firstly, to check out if you are still alive, and secondly, to propose to Princess Jinghua so as to seek support from the royal family.”
Xie Yun said in a cool voice, “Marry Princess Jinghua? In his dreams!”