Chapter 105

Chapter 107: Family Affairs (Part 2)

Thanks to Lord Xu's help, the matters concerning the estate were handled smoothly.

When he returned in the evening, Eleven Miss detailed her conversation with Steward Bai and thanked him.

Lord Xu nodded calmly before retiring to bed.

Eleven Miss couldn't help but smile slightly.

She wondered if he considered her another burden. But then again, he already had plenty of burdens; one more might not matter.

With this thought, she cheerfully extinguished the lamp and climbed into bed.

Out of the blue, Lord Xu asked, "Why aren't you reading?"

Eleven Miss, slightly surprised, smiled and replied, "I was afraid of disturbing you."

"It's fine," Lord Xu said in a calm tone. "Feel free to read if you wish."

Why had he suddenly mentioned reading?

Was he unable to sleep and seeking conversation?

Eleven Miss had always enjoyed reading before bed, and now that he seemed okay with it, she naturally went along.

As she lit the lamp, she smiled and asked, "How did you know I like to read a few pages before bed?"

Lord Xu didn't know about her bedtime reading habit; he was just in a bad mood today.

Someone had impeached Fan Weigang, the Commander of Xuantong, during the morning court session, accusing his cousin of forcibly taking a commoner's daughter. The Emperor was furious and ordered an edict of condemnation to be sent to Xuantong with urgent speed.

Was it because Fan Weigang's lax governance had embarrassed the Emperor? Or was it a sign of the Emperor's distrust after the war was over?

He had already dispatched someone to investigate, expecting results soon.

Yet, for some reason, he felt profoundly uneasy.

A dike spanning a thousand miles can crumble from a single ant hole.

Fan Weigang had served alongside the Emperor since his youth. Those once-dominant ministers had all succumbed to seemingly trivial issues... Now, holding the rank of a third-tier military officer, how could he overlook this truth?

As Eleven Miss rustled into bed, Lord Xu compelled himself to concentrate on the immediate trivialities. "Which book are you engrossed in?"

"The Da Zhou Nine Regions Gazetteer."

"Haven't you finished it yet?"

Eleven Miss smiled, "This is the only book I brought along."

It was then that Lord Xu realized Eleven Miss had never asked anything of him.

After a brief silence, he remarked, "The east wing houses a collection of books."

He referred to the books in the east wing, omitting any mention of a home library... A sudden desire to explore Half Moon Pond stirred within Eleven Miss.

She chuckled softly, "Might I borrow some?"

Lord Xu grunted in acknowledgment.

"I enjoy reading unofficial histories and illustrated novels the most. They're quite interesting," Eleven Miss said with a smile. "What kind of books do you like to read, Lord Xu?"

"The *Historical Records*."

Reading the *Historical Records*, it's said that men like this usually have great ambitions...

Eleven Miss smiled faintly, flipping through the book, the pages rustling softly.

"How far have you read?" Lord Xu asked somewhat absentmindedly.

"Pingxiang," Eleven Miss replied with a smile. "It mentions that to the east lies Luoxiao Mountain, from which the Luoxiao waters originate, splitting into two branches. The eastern branch is called Yuxi Water, which flows downstream into Xiu River, forming the boundary of Yichun County." As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Lord Xu. "My fifth sister's husband is from Yichun, but it's Yichun in Sichuan."

"There are many places with the same name in the world," Lord Xu said, closing his eyes. "There was a former clerk in the Ministry of Rites named Wan Chun, from Xinyu in Guangxi. There was also a clerk in the Court of Imperial Stud named Wan Chun, also hailing from Xinyu in Guangxi. One year, the Ministry of Personnel had a position for a magistrate in Gaozhou, and the Wan Chun from the Ministry of Rites sought connections to secure the position. After much effort, he was assured of the position. However, after waiting for over half a year without any news, he went to the Ministry of Personnel to inquire, only to find out that Wan Chun had already taken up the post. He caused a commotion there. The officials at the Ministry of Personnel, realizing something was wrong, checked the documents and found that it was the Wan Chun from the Court of Imperial Stud who had taken the position."

Eleven Miss laughed. "You're joking! If he had sought someone's help, he would have submitted a note with his details clearly written, including his origin and age. How could they have mistaken him for someone else?"

Her joyful voice resonated deeply with him.

Lord Xu opened his eyes and saw her delicate face propped up on a crimson brocade pillow.

Her eyes gleamed softly.

His heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his voice grew slightly stiff. "I'm not joking. The Wan Chun from the Court of Imperial Stud overheard the news and had a clerk switch the notes. The officials at the Ministry of Personnel didn't check carefully, and the switch went unnoticed."

Eleven Miss found it amusing, her eyes crinkling into crescents. "What happened after that?"

Lord Xu's gaze flickered.

Her face tilted slightly, revealing her porcelain skin beneath the slanted collar.

He suddenly remembered the marks he had left on her that day, like blooming pink flowers on her body, and the way her delicate brows had furrowed in helplessness... His body suddenly grew warm.

"They could only rectify the situation afterward," Lord Xu said, his gaze intense. "The Minister and Vice-Minister of Personnel were both concerned. After much deliberation, they promised to give the position to the Wan Chun from the Ministry of Rites as soon as a vacancy arose."

His hand gently brushed her face.

Eleven Miss's face flushed as red as the morning clouds.

She wasn't an ignorant young girl; of course, she knew what he meant... But thinking that she had only known this person for a little over ten days, she felt awkward!

"That, that's good!" she stammered, trying to mask her unease.

Seeing her flustered expression, Lord Xu recalled her usual composed and graceful demeanor, and the unease in his heart suddenly dissipated.

His strong arms effortlessly lifted her from the bed and drew her into his embrace.

Though she had mentally prepared herself, the sudden warmth of his embrace still elicited a small gasp from her.

"Later, there was a vacancy for a prefect in Jinhua," his voice deepened, like a scorching hand sliding down her shoulder... "So they sent the Wan Chun from the Ministry of Rites there."

She felt as if she had fallen into a pot of boiling water, every touch burning, so she continued to babble: "...A prefect replacing a magistrate is even better than before..."

"Yes," Lord Xu replied, watching her flustered and unsure demeanor, feeling the delicate yet slightly stiff body beneath his hands. He was somewhat indecisive and absentmindedly responded to her words. "Moreover, he performed diligently as the prefect of Jinhua, receiving an 'excellent' rating in his annual evaluations for three consecutive years."

His broad, warm palm gently caressed her with infinite patience, making her feel as if her entire body was heating up. She could only focus on their conversation.

"That, that's good!"

"Hmm!" Lord Xu felt the person in his arms gradually soften, gently sipping her earlobe, mumbling, "The one who went to Gaoxian was also good. He quelled a rebellion and was promoted to Prefect of Jinzhou, then after three years, he became a Censor..."

The warm breath on her neck made Eleventh Miss involuntarily shiver slightly.

Lord Xu immediately sensed the change, a hint of amusement appearing in his eyes: "After two years, he was promoted for his contributions to grain management, becoming the Governor of Gansu..."

The person in his arms trembled softly, her face burning against his.

He smiled faintly, gently turning over and pinning her beneath him.

**********

Lord Xu held Eleventh Miss, tenderly stroking her damp temples.

Fortunately, she didn't reject him as she had last time.

Thinking of this, Lord Xu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

She was still too young, and in the end, it turned into endurance...

"Shall I call a maid to attend to you?" Lord Xu whispered to her.

"Hmm!" Eleventh Miss remained quiet in his embrace, feeling too exhausted to even move a finger.

Lord Xu got up and called for a maid, then went to the washroom himself.

Dongqing helped Eleventh Miss sit up, her robe slightly open, revealing a shoulder like fresh snow with a purplish-red mark.

Her face flushed, Dongqing quickly lowered her gaze, focusing on her nose and then her heart...

Eleven Miss felt like she had just fallen asleep when she was awakened by Lord Xu beside her.

"Is it the hour of the ox already?" Her voice was drowsy, carrying a lazy charm.

Lord Xu smiled and touched her head, whispering in her ear, "Sleep a bit more. We’ll need to pay respects to Mother later."

Eleven Miss was utterly exhausted, afraid she wouldn't be able to hold up in front of the elder madam. She murmured "Hmm" and slipped back into sleep.

Lord Xu summoned Xiayi to assist him in dressing.

Dongqing grew anxious and tugged at Eleven Miss's sleeve.

Eleven Miss turned over and sank into a deep slumber.

After breakfast, Lord Xu was met by Zhaoying and several lantern-bearing servants to escort him.

He paused briefly before going to check on Eleven Miss.

She lay asleep, cocooned in her quilt, her long lashes resting softly on her snow-white skin, radiating tranquility.

At least she’s all right!

He seldom lost control, but this time, he’d been too impulsive.

Lord Xu exhaled a long, heavy sigh.

In the morning, Lady Qin and Lady Wen came to pay their respects to her, but Qiao Lianfang was not present.

Lady Wen immediately smiled and said, "She caught a chill this morning and isn't feeling well."

Eleven Miss instructed Amber to fetch a doctor for her: "...lest it turns into a serious illness!"

"You're so kind-hearted, sister," Lady Wen flattered Eleven Miss.

Eleven Miss maintained a calm expression, exchanged a few pleasantries with them, and then went to see the elder madam.

The third madam had arrived before Eleven Miss and was drinking tea in the hall. Upon seeing her, she immediately greeted her: "Fourth sister-in-law, you're here!"

Eleven Miss smiled and gave a polite curtsy.

The third madam then handed her a menu: "This is for your household, sister-in-law. Please see if there's anything that needs to be changed."

Could it be that she is as tight on money as I am?

Otherwise, why the rush?

Eleven Miss smiled and took the menu.

The breakfast was quite extravagant, with five types of porridge, eight types of pastries, and about ten types of side dishes. Lunch, however, was simple: five dishes and a soup for her, and three dishes and a soup for the three ladies. Dinner was also extravagant: eight dishes and a soup for her, and four dishes and a soup for the three ladies. The menu for thirty days was all planned out, with no repetition, a balance of meat and vegetables, and including desserts and fruits.

Lord Xu would have breakfast and dinner at home... he must have put a lot of effort into this!

Eleven Miss smiled and handed the menu back to the third madam: "Third sister-in-law, you've really outdone yourself. Even if I were to order the dishes myself, it wouldn't be as thorough."

This brought a bright smile to the third madam's face. She then brought up another matter: "The elder madam is urging all the households to send out their oxen soon!"

It wasn't that she didn't want to send Dongqing out sooner, but she had sent someone to Goldfish Alley and found that the house there was somewhat old. Not only did the walls need repainting, but furniture also needed to be purchased, which caused delays.

"We'll have her out by tomorrow," Eleven Miss smiled. "Third sister-in-law, you know I've recently taken in some young maids and wanted her to help train them for a few days, so I kept her a bit longer."

Of course, she wouldn't mention to the third madam the problems with her dowry house.

Seeing that she agreed, the third madam breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a few more pleasantries with her. Then, the fifth madam swept in, flanked by a large entourage of young maids and older women.

She then stepped forward to show the fifth madam the menu for her household—