898: Chapter 876: Inside and Out 898: Chapter 876: Inside and Out The maid originally belonged to the house, and she laughed, “The Young Master seldom entertains guests, but when he does, it is usually in the back yard; besides County Magistrate Tang, it would only be Young Master Shan and company.”
“Then are the rest of the guests usually entertained at the county governntal office?”
“If not at the county governntal office, most often, they would arrange feasts at restaurants or taverns outside.
The Young Master rarely brings people to his ho.”
Ms.
Cui nodded slightly.
In the capital, there had already been rumors that even though Yang Heshu was modest and polite, he was extrely strict with his friends.
Only a very few could be invited to his ho, leading so to whisper that his humility was just pretense and that he was actually very conceited inside.
After getting married, although Yang Heshu was good to her, she could still sense a certain distance, which was why she was so surprised by his easygoing affection towards Zhou Man the day before.
“It seems the Young Master really gets along well with these three young guests.”
The maid happily replied, “Young Master Shan, Second Young Master, and Miss Man are all very nice, especially Miss Man.
She occasionally brings us so candies and flowers, and the Young Master once said, ‘Miss Man’s mouth is as if coated with honey, there’s probably no one in the world she can’t befriend.'”
Ms.
Cui slowly walked in that direction, smiling, “That’s a high praise.”
The maid nodded, still smiling.
While they were speaking, Ms.
Cui approached the rockery and heard the voice of two people conversing on the hill.
“…Sitting here really does clear one’s spirit.
I really envy Lord Yang.
Once I have money in the future, I’ll buy a piece of land in the county town, build such a large courtyard, and install such a large rockery.”
Bai Shan asked, “Why install a rockery?”
“Just climbing high to read in the morning and watching the sunset in the evening would make happy.”
Bai Shan: “Then you might as well co to my place.
Why bother spending money to buy land and build a courtyard?
My ho also has rockeries, and not just one.”
“The rockeries at your place aren’t nice to look at or sit on.”
“We can replace it,” Bai Shan casually said, “What kind do you want?”
“Hmm…” Manbao thought for a mont and then gestured, “The best kind would be bigger and taller than this one, with a flat part on top where a round stone table and two stone stools could be placed.
The other part could be slightly raised to plant flowers and grass.
In the sumr, you could plant climbing flowers, set up a tall fra, and while sitting underneath, it would offer shade from the scorching sun and allow for reading or playing chess, how pleasant; and when winter cos, you could clean up so of the vines so you could bask in the sun and read, how nice that would be!”
Bai Shan: “What if there are insects?
Where there are plants, there will be insects.” He had clearly been troubled by this issue before.
“I can prepare so herbal pouches for you,” Manbao said, “or make so incense.
Actually, I’m currently learning how to distinguish scents with Doctor Ji.
I’ve just realized that there are so many strange kinds of scents in the world.
I will make you a mosquito-repellent incense for when we go up the rockery to read books or play chess.”
“Let’s talk about it when you’ve actually made it.”
“I learn things very quickly.
When will you build your rockery?”
Bai Shan said, “I’ll have my grandmother arrange it as soon as I get ho.”
“A promise, then.”
Bai Shan nodded, “A promise.”
Manbao then flipped through the book in her hands, “I have finished ‘The Spring and Autumn’, but I haven’t yet found all the materials that reality required to find.
Recently, several of my assignnts from my tutor ca from ‘The Spring and Autumn’, and I suspect he plans to focus on ‘The Spring and Autumn’ in the mid-year exams.”
Bai Shan asked, “Have you morized it?”
Manbao sighed, “I had morized it at the ti, but I didn’t know it by heart, and now I’ve almost completely forgotten it.”
So she had taken it up to read it through again, planning to morize what needed to be morized, and this ti she intended not to forget it again.
Bai Shan had it all morized already, and he also opened his own book, “Let’s read then.”
The two found their own spots and began reading back to back.
Ms.Cui froze for a mont at the foot of the mountain, deciding not to disturb them and quietly turned to leave.
Only after walking so distance did she say, “Let’s check on the kitchen.
If breakfast is ready, go call the guests to eat, we mustn’t let them go hungry.”
The servant agreed.
When Ms.Cui returned to the main courtyard, Yang Heshu had just finished practicing a set of sword techniques.
Wiping his sweat, he smiled and asked, “Didn’t you go to see the guests?
How co you are back so soon?”
“I saw Young Master Bai and Young Lady Zhou.
They were reading by the rockery, and I didn’t want to disturb them, so I ca back.”
Yang Heshu nodded and smiled, “Young Master Bai Er must still be in bed.
Let’s eat our own als first.
If they want to eat, just have the kitchen deliver theirs separately.
They will probably go out to the street in a while, so don’t worry about them.”
Ms.Cui hesitated before asking, “Won’t the lord host the guests?”
“They don’t need special hosting.
I’ll go to the County Governntal Office to handle so affairs and will return soon.
If they don’t want to go out, they can just read in my study.
Also, have the kitchen prepare more food in the afternoon.
Zhihe might co after lunchti.”
Ms.Cui agreed and asked, “Where will cousin-in-law stay when he cos?
Should we prepare another guest yard for him?”
Yang Heshu paused before realizing she ant Zhihe.
After smiling, he said, “We don’t have another guest yard.
I’ll have Wantian tidy up the side room next to my study.
He can stay there.”
Ms.Cui smiled and agreed.
Yang Heshu smiled and said, “You didn’t ntion and I almost forgot, you and your sister-in-law are cousins.
When I have so free ti, I should allow you both to catch up.”
Ms.Cui smiled, “It has indeed been a long ti since I’ve seen my cousin from the Wang Family.”
After Yang Heshu had eaten breakfast and gone out, Ms.Cui sighed and sat in front of the vanity.
Her maid, Hongxue, softly consoled her, “Miss, don’t worry.
I think the young master treats you well.
Initially, the madam even wanted to keep you in the capital, but wasn’t it the lord who insisted on taking you with him when he assud office?”
“But as you also see, I’ve been here for a while now and still can’t even enter his study.
I used to think he didn’t like others entering his study, after all, except for Wantian, no one could enter.
But now…”
Ms.Cui clutched a handkerchief, “I understand why Zhihe can, given their years of friendship, but Bai Shan and them…”
Hongxue comforted her, “Miss, they have also known each other for several years.
You and the lord are newly married.
In terms of closeness, who in this world can compare with you?
There’s still plenty of ti.”
Ms.Cui could only nod.
Hongxue smiled, “Miss, you’ve always been intelligent.
Why do you beco so confused about matters concerning the young master?
I think the young master is just shy.
Once he gets familiar with you, it’ll be fine.”
Ms.Cui’s face blushed slightly as she whispered, “Am I not familiar with him yet?”
“Previously, whatever we heard about the young master was hearsay.
Those in the capital who t the young master were either n or elders, many matters you couldn’t ask about.
How much truth can there be in hearsay?” Hongxue smiled, “And just by chance, there’s a young lady here.
She’s also friends with the lord.
You enjoyed talking with her last night.
Why not learn more about him through her?”
Ms.Cui hesitated, “Is it really okay?
She’s after all just a young lady.
Is it proper…”
Is it proper to try to understand one’s husband through another young lady?
Hongxue laughed, “Miss, you’re too involved to see clearly.
I think Miss Man is a lively young lady, still naïve.
You surely get along well with her.
Didn’t you have a great conversation last night?”
User Comments
0 comments from readers