Union

Chapter 61 Walking the Dog

These clothes and shoes were probably prepared by the Duchess, Madam Feng, for her son.

Because Yunying later discovered another special box, which was more fancy and looked like something a young woman or lady would use.

Looking inside, one could see that it contained clothes, shoes, socks, and other items prepared for the Second Master. Yunying understood immediately that these were definitely things prepared by the Second Madam for the Second Master.

Fearing she might be wrong, Yunying took out the item list again.

Sure enough, the box in her hand was specially marked with the four large characters "Presented by the Second Madam" written on the back.

Yunying looked at the list for a long, long time before finally putting it away and going back to her work.

By evening, things were still not all put away, so Yunying stopped what she was doing.

She was probably still recovering from her busy day and was exhausted. Yunying decided to stop here for today and finish the rest tomorrow.

Just as Yunying was leaving the courtyard and walking back, she suddenly heard her maid's urgent voice calling out behind her, "Miss Yunying, Miss Yunying, please wait!"

Yunying stopped and looked at the person behind her. She couldn't remember the maid's name, but she vaguely remembered that the maid had just ordered her around.

The young maid rushed over, panting heavily, "Miss, we delivered the things you asked us to take to Second Master's courtyard, but there was one box that Second Master wouldn't accept and told us to throw it out."

The maid was both anxious and frightened. "It's the box that you specifically told us to hold onto and not to knock over, the box that the Second Madam prepared! Miss, please go and take a look. That thing was prepared by the Second Madam for the Second Master. How could we dare to lose it?"

The Second Master must have had some kind of argument with the Second Madam, because he wouldn't even accept her things.

But they dared not take their masters' words seriously. Who knew when the Second Master and Second Madam would make up again and ask them for the things the Second Madam had prepared? Where would they find them then?

But if they didn't follow the Second Master's instructions, where else could they store the box?

The maids were extremely anxious. They couldn't think of a proper solution for their brother, so they rushed to Yunying for help.

Yunying was stunned when she heard this. She was completely confused and didn't know what was wrong with the Second Master.

Yunying frowned again, carefully recalling how Aunt Ding had handled the things that the Second Madam had sent over before.

But no matter how much I thought about it, my mind went completely blank.

Has the second wife never sent anything over?
How can this be.

The second madam has already sent people to the second master, so she wouldn't be so stingy as to not send him clothes, shoes, socks, food, or other necessities, would she?

Yunying thought about it carefully, but she still couldn't figure out what the Second Madam had given to the Second Master, or when she had given them. She was in a real bind.

Actually, it wasn't that the Second Madam didn't send anything; it's just that Aunt Ding had disposed of all those things before.

Regardless of whether Aunt Ding manages the household or not, she arranged all these items.

At first, Aunt Ding would personally deliver the gifts sent by the Second Madam to the Second Master to show respect. Unfortunately, the Second Master had a cold demeanor and only told Aunt Ding to take the gifts back, and that she didn't need to bring any more gifts to him.

Aunt Ding knew there was a conflict between the Second Master and the Second Madam, but since the Second Master was still angry, she didn't press the matter further.

Furthermore, since the county government now has four backup concubines, including Yunying, Aunt Ding dared not let them know about this matter.

She feared that Yunying and the others might have other ideas, and that once she gained favor, she would whisper sweet nothings in the Second Master's ear, sowing discord between the Second Master and his wife, causing the already estranged couple to become strangers.

Therefore, the fact that the Second Master does not accept things from the Second Madam has always existed; it's just that Aunt Ding did a good job of keeping it a secret, and Yunying and the others were unaware of it.

Aunt Ding left in a hurry, partly because the poison had damaged her body and mind, and she hadn't thought about it. Just as she had forgotten that she had planned to ask Second Master's opinion about letting Yunying move into his courtyard to serve him.

Leaving aside Aunt Ding's situation, Yunying was at a loss as to what to do with this hot potato since there was no precedent to follow.

She frowned, racking her brains, and finally came up with only one solution: to ask the Second Master again and see if he would change his mind.

After Yunying had finished organizing the Second Master's clothes, she had them all delivered to his courtyard. It was a large batch of clothes, and Suiyu was tidying them up when Yunying arrived.

Seeing Yunying approach, Suiyu assumed she had come to help, so she quickly waved to Yunying and said, "I'm exhausted. Miss Yunying, you can handle everything here."

As soon as she finished speaking, Sui Yu got up and tried to run away. Suddenly, the Second Master's voice came from inside the study, "She came looking for me, not for you. You go about your business; you don't need to handle other matters."

Sui Yu: "..." That's outrageous.

Honestly, what difference would it make if we hired a few maids to serve us?

He is a man of both literary and martial talents, so is it a waste of his talent to let him handle these clothes and shoes?

Unfortunately, despite her many grievances, Suiyu dared not voice them. She could only glance at Yunying with resentment before sadly continuing with her own business.

Then Yunying went to the study door and knocked. The Second Master answered from inside, "Come in."

Under the dim candlelight, the Second Master neither approved official documents nor practiced calligraphy this time. He was sitting behind his desk, carefully perusing the handwritten note from Lord Wang. However, the note was no longer the tattered copy Yunying had sent out before. It had been carefully tidied, given a brand new cover, and the Second Master had even given it the title "Book of Rivers and Canals," signing it: Wang Yuncheng.

Seeing how much the Second Master treasured the manuscript, Yunying was filled with mixed emotions. The Second Master did have a knack for recognizing and utilizing talent, but unfortunately, Boss Wang was unlucky and didn't get to be the Second Master's master.

"Why are you here at this time? Have you packed all those New Year's gifts?"

As the second master spoke, he sat up straight, carefully closed the "Book of Rivers and Canals" and placed it on the table, while looking up at Yunying.

Yunying bowed and was about to reply when the Second Master pointed to a stool not far away and told her to sit down.

Yunying waved her hand, "I won't sit down. It's just a few words, I'll leave after I'm done."

The second master looked at her with his clear eyes, "What is it?"

Yunying didn't try to hide anything and told her about the maid asking her for lodging. As she spoke, she also paid attention to the Second Master's expression, and then she saw that the Second Master's previously relaxed expression suddenly became tense, and his clear phoenix eyes showed more impatience and gloom.

Second Master said, "If it's lost, then it's lost. There's no need to bring it to me."

"But that's the second wife..."

Yunying hesitated, and the Second Master frowned as he looked at her, also falling silent.

The study was silent, with only the faint crackling of the burning candle.

An overly quiet atmosphere can cause one's heart to race and fill one with fear; it seems that even emotions that are about to sprout must be forced to retreat.

Yunying finally spoke her mind, "That was a token of the Second Madam's goodwill, it's such a pity to throw it away like this. Does the Second Master know how Aunt Ding usually handles the things the Second Madam sends him?"

The second master stared straight at her, his tone colder than before. He said coldly, "I just told Aunt Ding to just throw it away and be done with it. As for whether she actually threw it away or not, I didn't ask."

Yunying said "Oh," and then said, "Then I'll put those things in the storeroom for now, and I'll take them out when you want to use them. Second Master, is that alright?"

The second master sneered, "You can arrange it."

"If there are no further instructions from Second Master, I will head back now."

Yunying turned around and walked out. The Second Master could no longer hold back and got up to come out from behind the table.

He must have been quite angry, because he made a big movement when he got up, even knocking the armchair over with a loud "rip" sound.

Second Master grabbed the collar of his shirt and called to Yunying, "Stop right there."

Yunying stood there, still shaken, watching the armchair tilt and fall. Then she saw the Second Master grabbing her by the collar and walking towards her. Her eyelids twitched violently, and she couldn't help but take two steps back. "Second Master, what are you doing?"

"What would I do? Do you think I'd eat you?" The Second Master felt a pang of pain and anguish at Yun Ying's evasive behavior. He wanted to pull her over, but he also threatened her.

But if he were to let her leave like this, that heartless woman might be able to sleep peacefully at night, while he would be sulking for days.

Since she's a timid person, he might as well take the initiative.

The second master's throat bobbed. He paced around the study twice, and only after his emotions had calmed down and were no longer as sharp as before did he speak cryptically: "Lin Shuqing and I are not a proper husband and wife."

Yunying stared at him with her bright, almond-shaped eyes wide open, without blinking.

She didn't understand what the Second Master meant by those words.

What does it mean to be "not a proper couple"? How should this statement be understood?

When the Second Master married the Second Madam, it was a grand wedding with eight sedan chairs and proper betrothal. If they weren't a proper couple, what kind of relationship could they have?
Yunying was completely baffled and could only ask the Second Master in confusion, "So?"

"You," the Second Master sneered again, this time laughing out of anger.

He looked at Yunying probingly, but couldn't detect the slightest emotional fluctuation on her face. The Second Master was both frustrated and helpless. He rubbed his face and shooed Yunying out, "Go away. You'd better not show your face in front of me for the next few days."

Yunying was kicked out in a daze, and the key point is that she didn't even know how she had offended the Second Master.

But just as she reached the door, the Second Master changed his mind again, "Yun Ying, come back."

Yunying was furious. She immediately put on a stern face and said, "Second Master, are you deliberately playing me for a fool? You keep telling me to leave and then telling me to come back. So you have nothing better to do than walk the dog here?"

Upon hearing the words "walking the dog," Sui Yu, who was carrying things towards the main house not far away, burst out laughing.

But as soon as he laughed, he keenly sensed the Second Master's unfriendly gaze.

Sui Yu immediately composed herself, burying her contorted face in the Second Master's clothes, and then, suppressing her laughter, ran into the main room.

(End of this chapter)