Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Unlike the frequent rains of Yuzhou, Lin'an was entering its humid plum rain season. The weather grew increasingly stifling, yet the long-awaited rain stubbornly refused to fall.

Ye Shuang instructed Wen Xiang and the others to prepare and distribute sweet mung bean soup.

As Wen Xiang entered with a tray of soup, lifting the curtain, Ye Shuang was in her study reviewing ledgers. Seeing her, she asked, "Has it all been delivered?"

"As you instructed, Miss, it's been distributed to the two engravers, as well as to Auntie, Nanny Wu, and Ru Jie'er. Ru Jie'er, in particular, really enjoyed it."

Ye Shuang hummed in acknowledgment and added, "Ru Ru is still young; she shouldn't have too much. Be careful not to chill her stomach."

"I know, I only gave her a small bowl."

Satisfied, Ye Shuang set down her brush, took the mung bean and lotus seed soup, and stirred it with a spoon. "Did you add lily bulbs today?"

Wen Xiang beamed, "Since we adjusted our business plan, business has improved quite a bit, so we can afford to add nicer ingredients to the soup now."

Ye Shuang took a sip, glanced at the bowl, and sighed appreciatively. "This mung bean soup is truly excellent."

Wen Xiang explained, "It's all thanks to the new icebox you bought, Miss. I soaked the beans last night and stored them in the icebox—they stayed fresh all night and even froze solid. When boiled, they turned into a smooth, icy slush that’s not only more refreshing but also better at cooling one down."

Ye Shuang nodded. "You really are clever."

She then returned to reviewing the accounts, but as she read on, her brows unconsciously furrowed.

Wen Xiang leaned in closer. "Are you facing another problem, Miss?"

After a moment of thought, Ye Shuang said, "Now that the weather is hot, fewer people are coming to borrow books. Our income these past few days is noticeably lower than before."

Wen Xiang also grew troubled. "Yes, with the heat, people don’t like going out. Businesses along the street have all been affected to some degree."

"It was shortsighted of me. I never considered this problem before—I thought a bookshop wouldn’t be affected by the seasons and that there’d be no off-season."

Ye Shuang turned to look at the sky. It was a leaden gray, heavy and overcast, making the stifling heat feel even more oppressive.

Back in Yuzhou, she had only run the bookshop for a little over a month and hadn’t encountered this issue yet.

"But I’ve noticed the dessert shop on East Street is still doing well!"

Ye Shuang recalled something. "Didn’t you make some loquat sweet soup with the fruit from the courtyard a few days ago?"

There was a loquat tree in the yard that had been there since they rented the place. After the Dragon Boat Festival, it was covered in small fruits. Wen Xiang had picked a basketful—though small, they were quite sweet. Recently, she had made loquat sweet soup, and Ye Shuang and the others found it quite tasty.

Wen Xiang smiled sheepishly. "I was just fooling around."

"I thought it was very good!"

Wen Xiang asked, "Does Miss already have a new plan in mind?"

Ye Shuang nodded. "I’m planning to set aside a room in the shop as a reading room. Borrowing books inside the shop will be free of charge."

"But how will we make money then?"

Ye Shuang lifted her bowl of mung bean soup. "With this."

Wen Xiang blinked. "What?"

Ye Shuang gazed outside. The clouds hung even lower, as if the stifling, oppressive heat was about to be torn open.

"Looks like it’s going to rain soon," Ye Shuang murmured.

"After all these muggy days, it’s about time for a good rain," Wen Xiang remarked casually.

"Is there any of the loquat sweet soup left from last time?"

Wen Xiang thought for a moment and said confidently, "Yes, I made a new batch yesterday, planning to serve it tonight. It’s chilling in the icebox right now."

"Go get some. I’m planning to visit the General’s estate later and would like to bring some for Song Yun to try."

"Alright."

Wen Xiang glanced at the sky. "But it looks like rain is coming."

"It’s fine. I won’t be long. You and Chun Tao mind the shop."

Wen Xiang saw Ye Shuang to the door. After she left, Chun Tao came over and asked, "Is Miss going to see the Marquis?"

Wen Xiang gave her a puzzled look. "Why do you ask?"

"Xiao Yin was here earlier returning the books he borrowed last time. He said the Marquis publicly refused a marriage proposal during morning court today."

Wen Xiang was shocked. "What?"

"Apparently, Privy Councilor Liu spoke to the Emperor, demanding an explanation from the Marquis."

"Did the Emperor reprimand him?"

"The Emperor didn’t blame him."

"That’s good."

"But after court, the Marquis was attacked by Young Master Liu."

Wen Xiang: "What?!"

It had been a while since Ye Shuang last visited Song Yun. This time, she wanted to bring some of Wen Xiang’s loquat sweet soup and also give Song Yun something.

Song Yun, having practiced martial arts for years, had accumulated a few scars. Ye Shuang brought the Jade Dew Ointment that Xiao Lin had given her earlier. Other issues aside, the ointment was really effective. She had used it a couple of times herself, and the scar on her neck had noticeably faded. After less than a week of use, it disappeared completely.

Song Yun accepted the ointment and listened to Ye Shuang’s explanation, then suddenly laughed. "My scars are nothing serious, but I suspect someone might need this Jade Dew Ointment more than I do right now."

Ye Shuang was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Agh—"

Xiao Lin sat rigidly in his study while Xiao Yin and Xiao Han hurriedly attended to his injuries. Xiao Yin held ice wrapped in a cloth against his face, and Xiao Han cleaned the cut on his lip.

A closer look revealed bruises in different spots around Xiao Lin’s eye and the corner of his mouth.

Xiao Han couldn’t help complaining, "Young Master Liu was too brutal—and he went for the face! How could he hit you there? And you didn’t even fight back, my lord!"

"He needed to let off steam. Letting him hit me is fine."

Xiao Lin hissed in pain as he spoke.

Xiao Yin exclaimed in a low voice, "Be gentle! You’ll make the Lord’s scar worse!"

"What?" Xiao Han’s hand trembled in fright, accidentally pressing harder on the wound.

Xiao Lin: "..."

Xiao Han nearly jumped up, "S-sorry, my Lord... I’ll be gentler," he said.

"Forget it, I’ll do it myself!"

Xiao Lin took the ointment, his face stern as he applied it while looking in the mirror.

Xiao Han said with a grimace, "My Lord, why did you reject the marriage arrangement in front of all those ministers at court? It clearly publicly humiliated both His Majesty and Lord Liu!"

Xiao Yin elbowed him subtly, "What are you saying? Do you want to be punished again? Today’s matter was clearly a test of the Lord’s stance. He had no other choice."

Xiao Han clamped his mouth shut, lowering his head, "My Lord, I misspoke again. Punish me!"

But instead of punishing Xiao Han as usual, Xiao Lin explained, "Today was entirely because that old fox Liu Wenxuan pressured His Majesty, forcing him to act. If I hadn’t refused so firmly, they would have used both carrots and sticks to force me into submission."

Xiao Yin added, "His Majesty still favors the Lord. Although he intended to arrange a marriage today, he actually gave the Lord a chance to publicly refuse."

Xiao Han followed up, "But then His Majesty made the Lord Border Inspection Commissioner. The round trip will take at least three months. Isn’t that obviously a demotion!"

Xiao Yin coughed lightly to interrupt, giving Xiao Han a warning look.

Xiao Lin, however, seemed not to hear, lost in thought.

Just then, a commotion arose from the direction of the main gate, as if someone was making a scene.

Xiao Han looked toward the noise, "What’s going on?"

Xiao Yin turned around just as someone reported from outside, "My Lord, there's trouble! Miss Liu is outside the mansion, sobbing and insisting on seeing you. She says she wants to apologize on behalf of her brother."

Xiao Lin remained unmoved, "Tell her apologies aren't necessary."

The servant, however, hesitated to leave.

Xiao Yin’s face darkened, "Didn’t you hear the Lord’s words?"

The servant shifted his gaze nervously, "Miss Liu also said, she also said..."

Xiao Han quickly stepped forward, "When speaking for the Houfu, you must not stammer. Don’t you know the rules?"

The servant gulped and said, "Miss Liu also said that if the Lord refuses to see her, she'll take her own life!"

Xiao Yin and Xiao Han: "..."

Both turned to look at Xiao Lin.

Xiao Lin stood up, his expression cold, "Then let her die."

With that, he walked out without looking back.

Xiao Yin and Xiao Han exchanged a glance and hurried to follow.

But they saw Xiao Lin exit the study and turn right, heading toward the back gate.

Xiao Han caught up, "My Lord, where are you going?"

"To saddle my horse."

Xiao Han brought Xiao Lin’s Hequ horse from the stable, "But what if Miss Liu forces her way in?"

"Say I’m not here."

Xiao Lin leaped onto the horse’s back, "Nobody follow me. If anyone lets slip, it's court-martial."

The horse galloped away, hooves kicking up dust.

Xiao Han spat out the dust kicked up by the hooves, squinting, "The Lord didn’t even say where he’s going. How could we possibly give him away?"

He turned to Xiao Yin, "Do you know where the Lord is going?"

Xiao Yin gave him a sideways look, "How would I know?"

But as he left, a suspicious smile played on his lips.

Xiao Han hurried after him, "Wait a minute. What’s that expression? Do you know something? Why did the Lord tell you and not me?"

Xiao Yin said wearily, "The Lord didn’t tell me."

"Then how do you know!"

Xiao Yin sighed, shaking his head slightly, "If you used your head, you’d know where the Lord went!"

Ye Shuang made small talk with Song Yun for a while. As the sky grew dark, Ye Shuang stood up to take her leave.

"I have matters to attend to at the shop, so I should be going!"

Song Yun glanced at the sky, "Go ahead! It looks like rain, so I won’t keep you. Next time I’m free, I’ll visit you at your shop."

"Alright."

Song Yun stood up and saw her to the door, but Ye Shuang told her not to bother.

"How are you getting back? Should I have the general’s carriage take you?"

"No need. Wen Xiang didn’t accompany me today—I came on horseback."

Song Yun exclaimed with delight, "Could it be?"

"Exactly, that thousand-li horse. I’ve named her Ruge ('Like a Song')."

Song Yun grasped Ye Shuang’s hand, filled with emotion, "How wonderful."

She had thought that horse was long gone.

The two shared a smile; words weren't needed between them.

On the way back, a strong wind blew, and deep purple clouds hung low in the sky, as if about to crash down at any moment. There were fewer pedestrians on the road, and most street stalls had already packed up. Ye Shuang spurred her horse into a gallop and returned to the shop, sweating profusely. Once back, she immediately drew bathwater.

After dinner, thunder rumbled in the distance, and soon a heavy downpour began.

In such weather, no one would come to borrow books. Ye Shuang closed the shop early and played with Ru Ru in the room. Ru Ru was timid and felt better with Ye Shuang’s company. After playing with the date-spinning toy for a while, Ru Ru grew sleepy. Ye Shuang settled her into bed and was about to sleep herself when she heard Wen Xiang and Chun Tao discussing something in the outer room.

Not wanting to disturb Ru Ru, Ye Shuang got up and went to check on them.

Passing through the embroidered silk screen, she saw the two whispering quietly. When they noticed Ye Shuang coming out, they both looked flustered.

"What's going on? Don’t you know Ru Ru is asleep?"

"We apologize, young miss," the two quickly apologized.

Ye Shuang scrutinized their faces and realized something was amiss. "What happened? Chun Tao, you tell me!"

Chun Tao hesitated but stepped forward and finally said, "Young miss, the Marquis has arrived... He’s outside the door right now!"

Ye Shuang: "What?"