Chapter 69: Stopping Medication
When Zhiqiu heard Second Madam asking about the silver, he simply replied about the silver situation in the pharmacy. When Mengxi heard that there were only more than thirty taels of silver, he said disappointedly:
"Um, why is it only this little?"
"Whatever you want to do, I will go to my brother's place and get some back tomorrow."
"Let's do this for now. You tell Zhichun and the others that we can just make do with the things in the courtyard for now. If the manager doesn't send us the monthly allowance, don't go to the accounting office to ask for it if there's something missing. Wait until the pharmacy opens and we'll go out to buy some. We have to be frugal during this period. You can use the little money to pay for the maids and servants . If it's not enough, you can use the brocade and other things in my dowry that can be given away. I'll need yours in the future. The only thing we have to do now is to open the pharmacy first. We can talk about the rest later."
"Second Madam..., I know what to do. I will tell Zhichun and the others right now and will not cause trouble for you anymore," Zhiqiu said with a sob.
Zhiqiu was very dissatisfied with the First Madam, but when she thought about how Second Madam was tormented by the First Madam in front of Xiao An today, she knew that she had to endure it under the current circumstances. Who told her Second Madam to have such a wicked mother-in-law? If they couldn't help but make a fuss, it would be Second Madam who would be embarrassed and suffer. Second Master would not support them. Although she was spoiled by the Old Madam, the Old Madam had long since stopped caring about these trivial matters, and she couldn't always bother the Old Madam with these trivial matters. So even though she was sad, she also accepted Second Madam's approach. She would endure it for a while until everything was calm. Second Madam was such a good person, and there would be a day when she would come to the fore.
Na Zhixia and Zhidong were filled with resentment when they heard Zhiqiu's detailed account of what happened in the hall, but they also knew that it was their recklessness that caused the Second Madam to suffer today. The Second Madam, on the other hand, tried her best regretted being so ignorant. From then on, they acted more carefully in everything they did in the Xiao Mansion, and protected the East Wing and the Second Madam even more wholeheartedly. The four maids and the Second Madam really became a team.
Ever since the half-month period was over, the Second Master was as excited as a fish in water, a bird out of a cage, or a captive person finally gaining freedom. He himself didn't know why he had such a thought. In short, he felt that he was forced for those fifteen days. He was a tall and strong man, the future head of the Xiao family, but he was forced by a little woman to stay in the upper room and live a life like a captive. It was simply the greatest shame in his life. What was even more unbearable for him was that every time he faced her, he had a feeling that he couldn't control, which made him moody. He didn't want this feeling, he wanted to escape from it, so as soon as the fifteenth day was over, he fled from the main room like a wild horse.
These days, the Second Master has been either in Aunt Zhang's Bamboo Garden or Aunt Li's Chrysanthemum Garden. He has already lived in the Chrysanthemum Garden for six consecutive days. He has not seen Hongyu since he left the Upper Room. He just hugged a maid out of spite, but was forced to take her as his concubine. Hongyu is like a thorn in his heart. When he sees her, he will remember the day when he had to bow his head, the humiliation he suffered that day, and her calm face. Hongyu moved into the Jade Garden a long time ago, but he will never set foot in the Jade Garden in his life. Let her fend for herself in that yard.
These days, Aunt Li has been so beautiful that she is not even punctual when paying her respects to the Second Mistress. Or she would send someone to say that she could not come to serve the Second Master. Occasionally, when the Second Master was not with her, she would come to pay her respects dressed up beautifully and look very proud when facing the Second Mistress. Zhiqiu and Zhichun wished they could tear her face into pieces, but seeing that the Second Mistress watched all this in silence and the Second Mistress let Aunt Li toss her around, she, as a servant, could only watch and had to grit her teeth and endure it.
At this time, the Second Master was in the Chrysanthemum Garden, leaning on the soft couch beside Aunt Li's bed, with his eyes slightly closed. Aunt Li was sitting on the embroidered cushion on the ground, gently rubbing his legs. Looking at the Tremella and Ginkgo Porridge just brought in by the maid Bai Ju, a trace of sinisterness flashed in her eyes. What was Second Madam doing? In the past few days, no matter which garden Second Master was in, she would deliver a bowl in the morning and a bowl in the evening, rain or shine, and every day was different, and there was a set of rhetoric, this porridge replenishes this and that, that porridge is made of this and that... Whenever Aunt Li saw Second Master drinking with relish, she gnashed her teeth in hatred. Second Madam was hooking Second Master in disguise, making him remember her craftsmanship, and her porridge would also remember her. Although Second Master was in the Chrysanthemum Garden every day, he had been staying in the upper room for a long time. When Second Master got used to her porridge and fell in love with her, would her own porridge still be good?
Thinking of this, she looked up at the Second Master who had his eyes closed, secretly brewing her emotions, and in the blink of an eye she put on a sad face, looked at the bowl of porridge with resentment, and put a little more strength in her hands.
Xiao Jun felt that Aunt Li's force in rubbing his legs suddenly became heavier, and he opened his eyes unconsciously. Seeing Aunt Li in front of him with a tearful look, he followed her gaze and looked at the bowl of porridge. After taking a look, he didn't see anything. He stretched out his hand and rubbed Aunt Li's lips back and forth with his fingertips:
"Xiu'er, what's wrong? Who made you unhappy?"
"Second Master, nothing."
Aunt Li was startled by the Second Master's question. She quickly turned away and lowered her head to hide the sadness on her face.
"Tell me, what's the matter?"
The more Aunt Li acted like this, the more the Second Master felt something was wrong, and he reached out and lifted Aunt Li's chin.
"Second Master, it's really nothing. I just feel ashamed that I don't have the dexterity and cooking skills like Second Madam, who can make porridge every day to take care of your health and make you think about me every day."
When Xiao Jun heard this, Mengxi's unchanging calm expression appeared in front of his eyes again, as if everything could be taken lightly. Anger rose in his heart, and his face suddenly darkened. The fingers that were pinching Aunt Li's chin unconsciously exerted force.
He didn't know why, but ever since she got married, whenever he faced her calmness, he would fly into a rage like a mad beast, and at every turn, he would prostrate himself before her. It was a feeling he couldn't control, and it frightened him. He was known as the Cold-Faced King of Hell, and he never showed his emotions on his face. This was the result of his father training him to be the head of the family since he was a child. But whenever he faced that face, that self-cultivation would disappear without a trace, and he would become irritable and violent. He had always been in control of everything, and he didn't want that feeling, he wanted to destroy it completely.
At this moment, the bowl of Tremella Ginkgo Congee in front of him seemed to be Mengxi's calm face. He was nostalgic for her delicious taste, but he also wanted to smash it. Yes! He wanted to destroy those things that could control his emotions, including her. He was the future head of the family and could not have any weaknesses. There must be nothing around him that he could not control. His world was his. He was the master.
Aunt Li saw the Second Master's expression and knew her words had worked. She fell to her knees with a thud:
"Second Master, please stop doing this. It's my fault. I won't do it again. I will ask Second Madam for advice tomorrow and cook for you myself. I will serve you well."
As she spoke, a few tears flowed down her face, and it was really like a pear blossom wet with rain in spring.
"Bai Ju, take that bowl of porridge out and pour it out. Remember, next time Second Mistress brings you porridge, you don't have to go back and forth. Just pour it out. I don't drink her porridge."
Yes, she was just a cook who could cook. He was just too obsessed with the taste of the porridge and couldn't stop wanting her. From then on, he stopped drinking the porridge she cooked and stopped going to the upper room to see her. Let's see if she can still control him everywhere?
Bai Ju pushed the door open, answered, and brought the porridge out.
When Aunt Li saw Bai Ju bringing out the porridge, a hint of pride flashed through her mind, but her face was still full of mourning. She quickly pushed away the hand that the Second Master had extended and said:
"Second Master, please stop being like this. Second Madam took great pains to prepare this porridge for you to nourish your body. If Second Madam knew that you didn't drink this porridge at my place, she would think that I was jealous and didn't let you drink it. I'm afraid I would die without a burial place."
"How dare she! She has put so much effort into this. What is she thinking? Doesn't the Xiao Mansion need a cook who can make porridge?"
Looking at Aunt Li in front of him, Xiao Jun has never lacked women. Look, as long as he beckons, there will be many women who are happy to climb onto his bed and enjoy themselves under him. Isn't Aunt Li in front of him such a woman? She is so obedient to him, respects him, fears him, loves him, and always treats him like a god. Thinking of this, he hugged Aunt Li in his arms, turned around and pressed her on the soft couch. He wanted to vent all his anger towards her on this gentle woman in front of him. She was just a woman who was unfaithful to her husband and had a heart as vicious as a snake. He didn't want her!
"Second Master, Second Master, please be gentler..."
