Marrying a treacherous official

The snow on the eaves had just cleared, and rays of sunlight shone through the straight window, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Yunji was taking a nap on the chaise lounge.

Granny Kong wiped the wetness from the ends of her hair with a cloth, then placed the black hair on a steamer to dry it over a low flame.

"This old servant has served in the inner quarters for most of his life and has never seen such a plump and fair figure as Madam. It is the master's good fortune to be able to marry Madam."

Her eyes were full of joy for the lady, and she kept praising her, saying, "The lady's hair is as black and lustrous as lacquer, and it feels as soft as a cloud when I hold it in my hand. Later, this old servant will style it into a 'fallen horse' bun for the lady, which will add even more charm."

Yunji covered her face with a folding fan, too embarrassed to listen to her continue.

"When the old lady first returned to the manor, she wasn't this talkative. How come she's making fun of me after only a few months?"

"How dare this old servant make fun of the lady?"

Granny Kong held an ivory comb in her hand and combed her long hair all the way down.

"Firstly, the lady treats the servants with the utmost kindness and affection, and this old servant is happy to be close to her. Secondly, since arriving at Qinghui Courtyard, this old servant has been delighted every day and has naturally talked more. Besides, everything this old servant says is the truth, so what is there that cannot be heard by outsiders?"

Yunji was thin-skinned and couldn't stand such flattery, so she simply pretended to fall asleep.

Granny Kong assumed that the lady was too embarrassed to hear those embarrassing words after being intimate with the master.

But all she wanted to do was add fuel to the fire, to ignite this raging flame, so that the two could consummate their marriage as soon as possible.

"Since Madam has been visiting her parents' home these past few days, dinners have been served in the outer courtyard. Ayu has taken leave from work, and there are only two cooks busy at the kitchen. I'm afraid they won't be able to handle it all at once. So, this old servant was thinking, why don't we also serve Madam's dinners in the outer courtyard?"

She tentatively asked, but the lady did not respond for a long time. When she walked to the chaise longue, she saw that the lady was fast asleep with the folding fan covering her.

"Since the lady remains silent, this old servant will take it as her agreement to the matter."

Granny Kong took a brocade quilt from the side and covered the lady with it. Looking at the lady's graceful and slightly hunched figure as she reclined, she couldn't help but smile and sigh, "Master's good fortune is yet to come."

Yunji slept until it was completely dark.

It wasn't until mealtime, when Chunxuan whispered a few words in her ear, that she listlessly got up.

"Granny Kong has set out a meal in the outer courtyard. After I have helped you with your hair and clothes, you will have to dine in the outer courtyard."

Why is the meal being held in the outer courtyard?

"Didn't Granny Kong tell Madam about this?"

"When was this mentioned? Why didn't I know about it?"

Yunji's joy after a deep sleep vanished completely. She frowned tightly, not wanting to see Cui Zemin again.

Chunxuan noticed that the lady's expression had changed, so she answered very carefully.

"Perhaps when Madam was taking a midday rest in the accounting room, Granny Kong mentioned it, and Madam, feeling drowsy, agreed but Granny doesn't remember anymore."

"Is it still possible to hold a meal in the inner courtyard right now?"

Yunji has only this one request.

Chunxuan said weakly, "I'm afraid it's too late. The nanny is preparing the meal in the outer courtyard. If the madam changes her mind at the last minute, it will be seen as the madam embarrassing him."

Yunji didn't insist any further, but her furrowed brows remained furrowed.

Granny Kong greeted Cui Zemin, who had just finished his shift at the Privy Council, at the entrance of the mansion.

"Grandpa's back. Have you had dinner yet?"

"What's wrong?"

Cui Zemin, as always, coldly rebuked her.

Granny Kong had gone to great lengths to prepare a large table of delicious food, so she had to bring it up. "If the master hasn't had dinner yet, there's a meal set out in the front yard. The madam is waiting for the master to return for dinner."

Cui Zemin seemed to recall that, apart from sitting together at banquets, she and he had never dined together.

What should we have for dinner?

"The old man eats meat with every meal. The cook made braised pork, steamed lamb with milk, and Taihe duck, all of which are Beijing dishes that the old man is used to eating. The lady has a light taste and prefers sweet soup. I also made crab stuffed orange, sashimi of perch, and three-delicacy soup for the lady to eat with her rice."

Granny Kong responded to him warmly.

Cui Zemin took two steps outside and suddenly said, "Sweet and salty, how can anyone eat such a dish?"

Granny Kong followed closely behind, and upon hearing these words, she couldn't help but feel gratified.

Outsiders, unaware of the situation, only thought that the master was complaining about the mistress's tastes; those in the courtyard who knew the truth simply said that the master had overheard the mistress's preferences.

Yunji and the others were in the side hall when they saw Cui Zemin enter in a crimson and purple court robe. She stood up to greet him, then sat back down on the round stool with a somber expression.

Cui Zemin went to the inner room, changed into casual clothes with Chi Ying's help, and then gave the following instructions in the side hall:

"Set out the meal."

Granny Kong served the dishes one by one, placing the rich and flavorful stew in front of Cui Zeming, and the light and juicy steamed dishes in front of Yunji.

Two different dishes, one light and one heavy, divide the rosewood rectangular table in two.

Yunji had her maid serve her a bowl of Three Delicacies Soup, and she sipped it slowly with a porcelain spoon.

She no longer tried to please him, and instead spoke her mind directly to his face:

"In a couple of days I will be hosting a banquet at the mansion to entertain the wives of officials I am familiar with, and to take the opportunity to win their favor. Husband, please don't go into the inner courtyard unless necessary."

"At the beginning of the New Year, what kind of guests has Madam invited to our door?"

"Fundraising for disaster relief."

Yunji gently put down the porcelain spoon, intending to give him a good lecture.

"Master Xuanzhen is distributing porridge and providing famine relief at Yanzhen Nunnery. In just a few days, the nunnery will run out of food and charcoal. Thousands of refugees will have no food and will have to freeze and starve to death. The wives of officials will not be able to bear such a tragedy and will surely help them."

A smile lit up her eyes as she asked him for money:

"Hearing this, how much silver do you plan to donate for disaster relief, my husband?"

"Whatever the lady says, that's the amount."

"When Hua Chao spent one thousand taels of silver from the treasury to provide disaster relief and to host a banquet for the officials' wives, he recorded the money in my name."

Yunji set her sights on Cui Zeming, offering him the money while she reaps all the fame and fortune.

Hua Chao quickly agreed to the matter, but worriedly went to check the master's expression. Unlike the last time when she was being schemed against in the accounting room, the master did not complain about his wife at all, and just let her do whatever she wanted.

She was surprised to find that the old man seemed to treat his wife differently.

Yunji took a few bites of the dishes in front of her and put down her chopsticks early.

Cui Zemin glanced at her indifferently and continued to eat his meat heartily.

With her sharp eyes, Granny Kong noticed that Cui Zeming's scabbed lips were bleeding. After hesitating for a while, she still handed him a handkerchief.

"Grandpa, there's blood seeping from the cut at the corner of your mouth. Should we wipe it?"

Yun Ji was startled and looked at the scabbed corner of his mouth, where blood was indeed seeping out.

Cui Zemin glanced at Yun Ji coolly, only to see her avert her gaze, distancing herself from the situation and adopting an indifferent and aloof demeanor.

He pressed the tip of his tongue against the opening and said mischievously:

"Looking so gentle and obedient, and eating slowly and carefully, how come he has such sharp teeth and a biting mouth that could kill someone?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Yunji was immediately enraged, and a fierce fire blazed in his eyes.

I was talking about rabbits.

Cui Zemin chuckled and said, "Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, won't it?"

Yunji turned her face away in embarrassment, no longer wanting to deal with such a person.