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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as he left, those who had been secretly watching all gathered around, looking at her from all angles and asking in astonishment, "Why does Lord Jun favor men?"
San Chun glanced at her own clothes, realizing that her male attire made her resemble a man more and more. She tugged at her collar and smiled, "Is it wrong for Lord Jun to favor men?"
Naturally, it was not.
Those who often served beside Chengyang Jun knew that their lord had a cleanliness obsession and never liked being touched by others, especially men. Yet just now, Lord Jun had practically pulled her in, and the expression of uncontainable joy on his face was something none of them had ever seen before.
The Housekeeper pushed through the crowd, saying, "Everyone step aside. If you have doubts in your heart, go ask Lord Jun. What’s the point of blocking the way here?"
The Concubines naturally did not dare to ask Zhong Xue and laughed as they dispersed. They seemed unwilling to leave, mumbling about something among themselves.
San Chun overheard their conversation, which was mainly about when she would serve in the bedchamber, with expressions that suggested they were waiting to see a joke. She couldn't help but sigh; this was unfortunate. Would she really have to become his Spring Consort in the future?
The place they were headed was called Lianxiang Courtyard, where Chengyang Jun's concubines lived. Each one was extremely charming, numbering around twenty, and with the servants included, there were about fifty or sixty people living in several courtyards.
Lianxiang Courtyard was always lively; there were often one or two people arguing over trivial matters that disrupted the peace.
San Chun was used to the quiet of the village and truly disliked such a place; she felt uncomfortable after just a day or two. Fortunately, the Housekeeper did not teach her any rules but simply said that Lord Jun instructed her to do as she pleased.
Moreover, the courtyard specially built for her had not yet been tidied up, so she would temporarily stay here for two days until everything was ready for her move.
San Chun touched her nose; now that she was someone else's Spring Consort, could she really believe that Chengyang Jun brought her to Wei Kingdom just for a visit?
She didn't know whether to feel happy or depressed. Having a private courtyard should be considered special treatment for her, right? But why did it feel so awkward?
Two days later, Zhong Xue came to fetch her to meet someone.
She originally thought they were going to meet his uncles, aunts, and other elders, and hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was too early to meet the family since she hadn't even considered marrying him.
They bypassed the bustling front of the mansion and walked toward the back courtyard. When they arrived at the Spirit Hall, she realized she had overthought things. They were there to see the dead, and possibly more than one.
Inside the Spirit Hall, there were only two memorial tablets: one inscribed with "Mother Wu's Position" and the other with "My Wife A-Dan's Tablet."
San Chun clicked her tongue in surprise; indeed, they were meeting the family, but unfortunately, they were all silent.
Given Chengyang Jun's esteemed position, both his mother and wife should have titles or something similar, yet they only had simple designations. Especially that "My Wife," could A-Dan even be considered a name?
At that time, only nobles had surnames; commoners could only come up with random names. Just like Shisan and her own San Chun, both were names without status or lineage. Could it be that his legitimate wife was also of lowly birth?
With doubts in her heart, she watched him kneeling on the ground, sincerely bowing his head. She followed suit but couldn't take her eyes off A-Dan's memorial tablet.
"A-Dan, A-Dan..." she murmured softly a couple of times, feeling that this name was very familiar, as if someone had called it somewhere before.
The broken wooden board marked "A-Dan's Position" at Horse Riding Slope suddenly flashed in her mind, causing her heart to tremble inexplicably. Could this A-Dan be that A-Dan?
Then she thought again; if it was indeed one person, how could one woman become two? How strange was that?
She felt deep sympathy for the deceased woman; even in death, she couldn't find peace and had to serve two families' incense offerings. How would she explain herself before King Yan?
If King Yan were to ask: "Dude, which family are you from?"
What would A-Dan say? The Zhao family or the Wei Kingdom family?
Oh right, she almost forgot that whether it was Zhong Xue or Ji Xun, both had the surname Ji.
Zhong Xue had no idea what thoughts were swirling in her mind during that brief moment. After finishing their worship, she turned around to see her lost in thought. Her expression immediately turned serious. "What are you thinking?"
"San Chun said, 'I was wondering if Lord Jun would easily accept me; I wonder if his wife would be unhappy about it?'
Zhong Xue's cold voice replied, 'This Lord's wife is jealous, so she will definitely be unhappy. However, you are different; she won't be unhappy with you.'
'Why is that?'
He smiled casually, 'No reason.'
San Chun cursed him inwardly. But if the other party was unwilling, could she really force him with a knife?
Upon returning to her residence, there were servants waiting for her. Lord Jun had instructed that the new courtyard was ready and requested her to move there immediately.
San Chun had her maid pack her belongings. She didn't have much; most of it was given by Qing. With a bundle in her arms, she followed them.
Lianxiang Courtyard was the most prosperous area of the estate. As they walked deeper into the back courtyard, the bustling scenery gradually faded away. The sound of swallows chirping and orioles singing added a unique charm to the journey. After a short while, they came across a long and mottled bluestone staircase, shaded by lush greenery. Moss grew in the corners of the steps, resembling a piece of silk satin embroidered with matching border patterns.
This place was quite elegant. She stopped and looked up at the intricately carved pillars and the jade hooks, which exuded an air of tranquility amidst the splendor. Compared to the straightforward opulence, it had a rare flavor that made one easily fall in love at first sight.
Upon entering the room, she couldn't help but be stunned by the beauty before her. The window paper was made of light green gauze with floral patterns, and there were pearl-draped curtains made of verdant cloud gauze. A jade flute hung on the wall, and a wooden dressing table with a bronze mirror adorned with floral carvings stood nearby. A pair of bronze incense burners emitted blue smoke, releasing the fragrance of Night-Blooming Cereus.
The bed was made of fragrant wood carved with flowers, draped with thin gauze curtains. The bedding was bright red embroidered with roses, complemented by verdant pillows depicting mandarin ducks playing in water. The more she looked, the wider her mouth opened; no wonder the old lady had to prepare for some time—given this arrangement, it was no surprise it took so long.
She wandered around the room several times, touching all the exquisite utensils she liked. Zhong Xue seemed to understand her preferences well; there were many delicate bronze items in the room, and even the teapot and teacups on the table were particularly appealing.
Just as she was admiring the teapot, a visitor arrived in the courtyard. It was an exceptionally beautiful woman with a slender figure that was both voluptuous and graceful. Her steps were light, and her clothes jingled as she walked. Her black hair was styled in a Flowing Cloud Bun adorned with several pearl flowers, and a white pearl hung down from her forehead. Her skin glowed like jade with a hint of crimson; her moon-like brows and starry eyes radiated cold beauty, reminiscent of a White Plum Blossom blooming in a cold night.
From the moment she entered, San Chun's mouth dropped open wide—not only because she was indeed beautiful but also because of her smile that seemed almost playful enough to bite. Anyone who saw such a cold beauty smiling like that would be taken aback; she immediately jumped up, instinctively wanting to block the door for fear that some dogs might follow her inside.
However, there were no dogs behind the woman—only two pretty maids. The woman walked gracefully into the room, her smile growing warmer. 'Sister, since you are new here and must not be accustomed yet, I have brought you some food.'"
San Chun moved her gaze from the woman's face to her hands, where she held a plate of Peach of Longevity, with red tips and a white body, the shape somewhat resembling...
"Who are you?" she asked.
The woman replied, "Sister may not know since you are new to the manor; I am Dream Consort, the one in charge of the women in the household."
San Chun naturally knew she was Dream Consort, as the incident with her and Tsukihime teaming up to bully her was still fresh in her memory.
She deliberately asked, "How do you know I am your sister?"
Dream Consort gasped in surprise, "You truly are a brother?"
San Chun nodded, "Yes."
Dream Consort, startled, nearly dropped the Peach of Longevity she was holding. It was only thanks to San Chun that she managed to steady herself.
Her expression changed; she had heard from Lord Jun that a man had entered the manor when San Chun arrived. She thought it was just a joke or that the person merely resembled a man. But upon seeing San Chun dressed as a man, her doubts grew. Now that she recognized her as a man, it was hard for her to accept.
After a moment, she steadied herself and offered the Peach of Longevity, saying, "This... Brother Chun, this is from yesterday's birthday banquet for Dream Consort, given by Lord Jun. I specially brought some for you to try."
San Chun picked one up and examined it, pointing at the red spot on top, "Is this Monkey Butt?"
Dream Consort gritted her teeth, "This is... Peach of Longevity."
San Chun broke one open, revealing red bean paste inside. She exclaimed, "Ah, there's something here!"
Dream Consort was fuming. She had intended to give San Chun a taste of her authority. As a concubine granted by Wei Wang, and the first one received by Chengyang Jun, she had always regarded herself as the legitimate wife. With Chengyang Jun assigning her to manage household affairs, her arrogance grew. Every new concubine had to obey her out of necessity. Yet this one called San Chun truly left her feeling at a loss.
She explained, "This is Peach of Longevity."
"How could there be poop in the Peach of Longevity?"
"Dream Consort": "..."
She really didn't want to continue with San Chun, so she hurriedly put down the Peach of Longevity and left. As soon as she left, San Chun immediately brewed herself a cup of tea made from the two Monkey Butts she had prepared, enjoying her treat.
The more she ate, the better it tasted. She finished four or five in one go and let out a satisfied burp.
As she squinted her eyes to rest for a moment, she heard a sound at the door. When she opened her eyes, she saw Chengyang Jun's wonderfully smiling face.
"Lord Jun, what brings you here?" She yawned and adjusted her kneeling posture slightly.
Back in the village, Qing never cared about her; he would just lie down horizontally during meals and pretend not to see her. Later, when they arrived at Fengling Jun's Residence, Yan Ping often stood behind her with a stick to ensure she maintained a proper kneeling posture. If he noticed her position was wrong, he would immediately tap her leg. At that time, whenever she knelt down, her legs would swell—not from kneeling but from his strikes. She hated Yan Ping; on one hand, because he was so malicious, and on the other hand, because he was too harsh.
Zhong Xue watched her movements with an increasing sense of familiarity. In the past, she disliked kneeling; even during banquets at Chu Wang Palace, she would sneakily cross her legs when no one was looking. He always knew her temperament and would reach out to massage her legs at those moments.
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