Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Perhaps She Doesn't Want My Interference

Yu Shuanger walked with a furious stride, her indignation growing with each step. Her mind was consumed by a single thought: to find that man and demand why he had deceived her!

The capital's districts were strictly segregated; businesses were not permitted in residential areas. She had walked from the east end to the west, her legs nearly giving out.

Qian Kun, accompanied by a quick-witted guard, followed Yu Shuanger. They watched her leave the Li residence and head straight into the marketplace without a backward glance.

Crucially, they weren't the only ones tailing Yu Shuanger; another group was also following her.

The two of them, fearing both losing her and being discovered, walked on pins and needles the entire way.

Fortunately, those following Yu Shuanger were not highly skilled martial artists and failed to notice them.

After winding through several alleys, Yu Shuanger entered a tavern.

Qian Kun instructed the guard, "Go in after her, but don't be seen. She's already seen my face."

The guard nodded and entered the tavern, situated in the heart of the marketplace.

Yu Shuanger walked directly through the tavern's front hall to the backyard, leaving the guard following her hesitant. He pondered his next move, as he couldn't simply follow her into a private area.

A waiter approached him, "What can I get for you, sir?"

The guard had no choice but to sit down. "Just a bowl of plain noodles, please." He took out six copper coins and placed them in the waiter's hand.

"Coming right up!" the waiter exclaimed, grabbing the towel from his shoulder to casually wipe the wooden table before turning to the kitchen to place the order.

Yu Shuanger had not yet returned from the backyard.

She was there, furiously demanding, "Didn't you say that old madam was naive, compassionate, and kind? How could she take all the forged handwriting and throw me out? She's utterly heartless and cold-blooded!"

The man sitting opposite her lazily scratched behind his ear. "Didn't you see Third Master at the Li residence?"

Yu Shuanger retorted, "Isn't the eldest master of the Li family missing after falling into the water? And both the second and third masters have gone to Youzhou? Everyone in the capital knows this—how can you not?"

The man tilted his head. "So, you didn't see him, then?"

"No! I only saw the old madam and two ladies—one was the third madam, and I don't know who the other was," Yu Shuanger said. "Why are you asking? What am I supposed to do now? The old madam won't let me into the residence. Once Third Master returns, it'll be even harder for me to get in."

"Third Master only said he'd redeem me, not that he'd bring me into the residence. It's true he wrote poems, but they weren't for me—they were written when he was having fun with his friends. If Third Master finds out, he might not even redeem me!"

The more Yu Shuanger spoke, the more distraught her expression became. "No, you have to help me. I went out on a limb to go to the Li family. By now, probably everyone in the capital knows about me. If I don't get into the Li family, how will others see me?"

"And that old hag is still watching me. If I can't come up with the silver soon, she's going to send me to Earl Yufeng!"

The man gave a light snort. Watching Yu Shuanger’s angry back, he thought to himself: You're a courtesan—why care how others see you?

"Earl Yufeng at least holds a title. What's wrong with entering his residence?" the man said with a smile.

"He's an old man in his fifties. What good is a title? Even if I bear him a son, the title won't pass to my child. If you like him, go yourself," Yu Shuanger retorted, rolling her eyes.

The man sheepishly rubbed his nose. Knowing she was venting her frustrations from the Li family, he didn't argue back and said cheerfully, "Don't worry. Since you've done something for us, we'll naturally help you. Just go back to Wangchun Lodge and wait patiently for someone to redeem you."

A gentle breeze blew in through the window, causing an orchid on the table to sway. After a long silence, Yu Shuanger said, "If you don't come, I'll tell everyone that you made me frame the Li family!"

The man said soothingly, "Alright, alright. At most three days, I promise you'll leave Wangchun Lodge in style and shed your status as a courtesan."

Only then did Yu Shuanger leave with a cold expression.

The tavern's backyard was a small quadrangle courtyard with rooms on three sides—a kitchen, living quarters, and a storage room.

Though most of Yu Shuanger’s anger had subsided, and despite the man’s assurance, she was still worried. She understood that the man was merely a pawn, and his promises depended on approval from higher-ups.

As she turned a corner, she momentarily spaced out and bumped into someone. The anger she had just suppressed flared up again. "Are you blind?"

The man she bumped into repeatedly bowed in apology. "Sorry, sorry! I was in too much of a hurry and didn't see you."

A waiter chasing after him called out, "Sir, the restroom is over there!"

Yu Shuanger stepped aside abruptly, keeping her distance from the man, and pinched her nose as if he carried some foul odor.

The man, bent over and holding his stomach, hurried in the direction the waiter pointed.

Yu Shuanger didn't think much of it and left on her own. The waiter's gaze lingered on her until she disappeared from sight.

He had heard she was a courtesan from Wangchun Lodge, skilled in playing the pipa. He wondered what she had discussed with that official.

After leaving the tavern, Yu Shuanger returned to Wangchun Lodge by nightfall. If she didn't return tonight, that old hag would surely report her to the authorities!

Wangchun Lodge was filled with singing, dancing, and women in vibrant attire flitting among the men. Yu Shuanger went up to a private room on the second floor. Before long, Madam Lin entered with her enforcer. "I heard you were thrown out by the Li family?"

Yu Shuanger forced a smile. "Where did you hear that, Mama?"

Madam Lin looked at her with a half-smile. "That's what everyone is saying."

"You don't believe that, do you, Mama?" Yu Shuanger laughed lightly, exuding charm as she affectionately took Madam Lin’s arm. "Mama should prepare Shuang'er's contract early and wait for the hundred taels of redemption silver."

"How long will it take?"

Yu Shuanger said confidently, "At most three days."

A flicker of sympathy passed through Madam Lin’s eyes, but upon seeing Yu Shuanger’s delicate features, it turned to greed. She shook her head and said, "Fine, I'll wait for the redemption silver then."

After leaving the room, Madam Lin whispered to the enforcer beside her, "Keep an eye on her. Don't let her go out again."

Outside Wangchun Lodge, Qian Kun and the guard watched as Yu Shuanger and the group following her entered the lodge and didn't come out again. They waited until the curfew began before yawning wearily and returning to the residence.

Chun Yue had returned before them and reported what she had learned to Dong Yuting: "I hired two informants to go to Wangchun Lodge and find out about Yu Shuanger. Her father was originally a county magistrate but later made a mistake. The men in her family were beheaded, and the women were exiled. Somehow, she became a courtesan at Wangchun Lodge. Because she's pretty and skilled at playing the pipa, she's somewhat famous in the capital. When Third Master and his friends gather, they sometimes pay for Wangchun Lodge's courtesans to play music and sing."

Dong Yuting clicked her tongue, tapping the table with her finger. "Go and report this to the old madam."

Chun Yue hesitated. "Should we mention Third Master's involvement?"

"Tell the old madam the truth."

Since following Yu Shuanger was the old madam’s order, Qian Kun reported to her first before coming to Yingfeng Yard.

Dong Yuting invited him to sit, and Dong Zhi poured him a cup of tea.

"Madam, after Yu Shuanger left the Li residence, she first went to Baixiang Tavern before returning to Wangchun Lodge. It's my incompetence—I don't know who she met at Baixiang Tavern, but that tavern is definitely suspicious. After entering, she went straight to the backyard. While following her, we also noticed two other people tailing her. Those two followed her into Wangchun Lodge and never came out," Qian Kun explained in detail.

Dong Yuting nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I understand. You've worked hard. I remember you like tea—later, I'll have Qiu He bring you a few packs of premium Lao Jun Mei tea."

Qian Kun hurriedly smiled and said, "It was no trouble at all. Thank you, Madam."

Qiu He saw Qian Kun out and returned to Dong Yuting’s side, massaging her head. "So much happened today—you must be tired, Madam." In the past, the original host would get headaches after reviewing account books and needed someone to massage her to feel better.

Dong Yuting smiled and said, "You've been running around all day too. Come, sit here and rest for a while."

Qiu He flushed crimson. "This—this isn't proper."

"Sit down, there's no one else here," Dong Yuting said casually.

Qiu He thought to herself: This was also a sign of her mistress’s trust in her. So she sat down on the chair, though only barely, like a dragonfly skimming water. If someone suddenly pulled the chair away, Qiu He might not even fall.

Dong Yuting asked casually, "How is Third Master's wife doing?"

Qiu He replied respectfully, "Third Master's wife has taken her medicine and is already asleep. Before I left, she seemed much better than during the day."

Dong Yuting thought of the distraught young woman and sighed. "Go to Cuwei Yuan tomorrow and tell the servants to take good care of Third Master's wife. If she needs anything, just provide it. If any medicinal herbs are required, take them from the storeroom. There’s no need to ask me again."

After Chun Yue returned from reporting at Orchid Bamboo Courtyard, Dong Yuting asked if the Old Madam had said anything. Chun Yue recalled, "The Old Madam didn't say anything, just said 'noted'."

Dong Yuting nodded slightly and also asked Chun Yue to sit down, thinking it must be tiring to stand and talk for so long.

Chun Yue, being lively and straightforward, sat down without overthinking it. Seeing that Dong Yuting didn't bring up the matter again, she couldn't help but ask, "Madam, what should we do now?"

Dong Yuting was picking through threads in a frame, selecting colors she liked. Recently, she wanted to cultivate a hobby—embroidery. In her past life, she would never have had time for such leisurely pursuits, but in this life, she was so bored she needed something to pass the time.

"What do you mean, what should we do?" Dong Yuting said without looking up.

"It's about Yu Shuanger coming to our door. By now, probably everyone in the capital is talking about it. With the master’s fate still unknown, this scandal broke out. Who knows how many people are laughing at the Li family?" Chun Yue sighed worriedly.

Dong Yuting chuckled. "Why worry about that? It's not like your monthly wages will be reduced. The Old Madam will handle this matter. Let's just wait and see."

Qiu He said concernedly, "Madam, it's getting late. If you want to sort threads, you can do it tomorrow."

Dong Yuting thought for a moment. This newly regained eyesight shouldn't be ruined again. So she set aside the threads she had picked out, put the rest back into the frame, and handed it to Qiu He to put away.

Chun Yue whispered, "But isn't Madam going to do anything? Will the Old Madam resent you for it?"

"The Old Madam may not want me to interfere," Dong Yuting said with a faint smile. "Besides, Third Master himself hasn't returned yet. Should someone else clean up the mess he caused?"

Qiu He and Chun Yue exchanged glances and said nothing more about the matter.

In Orchid Bamboo Courtyard, the Old Madam spread out the papers Yu Shuanger had brought, one by one. In her anger earlier, she had crumpled them, and the handwriting on them was somewhat distorted.

Beside the papers with love poems brought by Yu Shuanger, there was also a stack of smooth, unwrinkled papers, containing poems by a poet from the former dynasty praising scenic views.

She handed these papers, along with the jade pendant, to Nanny Wang. "Find a trustworthy and discerning expert to verify whether these two items are genuine."