Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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The rain pattered against the windowsill, dripping onto the floor. A cold wind blew in through the window, carrying a biting chill.
The floor was cold, and seeing that his head was slightly lowered, his hair obscuring the side of his face, and given the dim lighting in the room, she couldn’t immediately discern his expression. So, she cautiously spoke, “Master, the floor is cold. Shall I help you to the bed?”
He nodded slightly. You Xu placed his left hand on her shoulder, supported his waist with both hands, and with all her strength, shakily lifted him to his feet.
Wen Shu looked thin, but she hadn’t expected him to be so heavy. Fortunately, the bed wasn’t far. After a few stumbling moments, You Xu finally got him to the bed, a thin layer of sweat on her back.
He looked at her, his dark eyes deep and filled with complex emotions.
You Xu tucked him in, lowered the gauze curtain, and took two steps back before saying, “I have offended you greatly today. I hope you will not hold it against me, Master. I will be more careful in the future.”
Wen Shu was still under the influence of the medicine and could not speak, so You Xu said by herself, “I will take it as Master’s tacit agreement.”
Ye Lingling was still lying on the ground. You Xu unblocked her acupoints. When she woke up and saw You Xu, her face turned red and white, looking both ashamed and angry.
You Xu said, “I ruined Miss Ye’s good time, but I have no intention of apologizing. After all, I will not give her up.”
“Whether Miss Ye wants to compete fairly or take shortcuts,” You Xu said, “I will accompany you.”
Ye Lingling opened her mouth, her eyes reddening, and asked, “Where is Master?”
“He’s resting in bed.”
Ye Lingling’s gaze swept around, finally settling on the bed.
She knelt and kowtowed, “Master, I’m sorry, please forgive me! I’ll never dare to do it again. I was just momentarily blinded by greed, forced into this situation by Wei Changxing.” Her voice choked with sobs, tears streaming down her face, a pitiful sight.
The room was quiet except for the sounds of Ye Lingling’s voice and weeping. You Xu watched without saying anything.
Ye Lingling broke down in tears, “Master, I truly know I was wrong. Please don’t send me away…” She hadn’t considered the possibility of failure; she only thought that once she and Wen Shu became intimate, their relationship would surely deepen, and he couldn’t bear to blame her.
“I sincerely repent. I only want to serve Master, even as a slave. Master, I truly love you, please don’t send me away…” She knew she had failed this time, and there would be no more chances. She might never see Wen Shu again. This thought filled her with coldness and fear.
Hearing this, You Xu was somewhat incredulous: “Miss Ye, you’ve harmed someone, so an apology is certainly warranted. But why should the victim be expected to forgive you, to make concessions for you, and to accept your thoughts and actions?”
“Your feelings for him are your own business. Just because you feel for him, does that mean he should treat you kindly?”
“Ultimately, it was your selfishness that harmed him. It’s understandable that he blames you; and if he doesn’t blame you, it’s because he’s kind.”
There were many situations like this: the victim clearly has the most right to defend themselves, but the perpetrator, under some pressure, cries pitifully and speaks pitifully, thus becoming the weaker party, receiving sympathy and understanding, and then standing on high ground to demand things from the victim.
Why?
If today’s events had succeeded, would Ye Lingling have kept the secret? If she had intended to, she wouldn’t have plotted this. Of course, she wouldn’t have “accidentally” revealed it, using it to openly or covertly blackmail Wen Shu into marrying her.
What else could others say besides mocking Ye Lingling for her indecent behavior? They might say that Wen Shu, despite his title of master, was actually a lecherous and depraved person. And for such a thing to happen in the revered Shanyuan Temple would surely tarnish the reputation of this place of Buddhist light.
Ye Lingling wasn’t just putting on a show; for every word she spoke, You Xu retorted.
In the end, her face turned pale and then flushed, looking quite unpleasant. She gritted her teeth, got up, and left.
The door slammed shut, leaving only You Xu and Wen Shu in the quiet room, filled with the faint scents of bamboo and sandalwood.
You Xu lowered her voice: “Master, please rest well. I’ll head back now.”
She left the room and closed the door.
The sky remained overcast, with fine, needle-like raindrops falling, blown slant by the wind.
You Xu walked out of Guili Garden, picked up the umbrella she had thrown on the ground. The umbrella was covered in mud, so she simply didn’t use it. She was already soaked through, damp and cold.
Actually, she wasn’t much different from Ye Lingling. She had also considered it just now… but Wen Shu didn’t seem unwilling. Before, when facing Ye Lingling, his gaze was cold, even giving the impression that he was detached, observing everything with indifference.
Then, with You Xu, she could sense his emotional stirrings, even if only slightly; physical reactions don’t lie, and he was somewhat sensitive to her touch.
If things really went well, she wouldn’t use it to blackmail him like Ye Lingling did; instead, she would regret it. This sacred Buddhist temple— she had harmed him.
And his severed arm… what exactly happened?
“Benefactor You, please wait,” Ran Zhi said at the temple entrance.
You Xu snapped out of her reverie and forced a smile: “Ran Zhi, has Miss Ye left Shanyuan Temple?” It wasn’t that she was considering the worst possible scenario, but she wanted to ensure Wen Shu was safe. Wen Shu couldn’t move yet; if Ye Lingling was hiding somewhere and took the opportunity to go again, it wouldn’t be good.
Ran Zhi said, “Benefactor Ye has already left.” She seemed a little unwell, but as a monk, one shouldn’t dwell on the gossip of others, lest it affect one’s spiritual cultivation.
You Xu nodded, still worried, and said, “Master Wen Shu is unwell today. Could you ask a monk to help him stand guard at the entrance of Guili Garden?”
“Alright.” Ran Zhi didn’t ask further and readily agreed.
“Thank you.” You Xu then turned and descended the mountain.
….
“Madam, why are you so soaked?” He Xiang took her umbrella and instructed a servant to prepare hot water.
“It’s alright,” You Xu said, “I got soaked from the heavy rain.”
The two, mistress and servant, walked through the corridor back to You Xu’s bedroom. You Xu took the handkerchief He Xiang offered and wiped her face: “How did the task I assigned you go?”
He Xiang pointed to the wooden table: “As Madam instructed, I bought all the fabrics, from the best to the worst, from all the cloth shops.”
The large wooden table was filled with all sorts of colorful fabrics; it seemed He Xiang had made several trips.
You Xu said, “You’ve worked hard.”
He Xiang felt embarrassed instead, “What are you saying, Madam? This is what I should do.”
You Xu went to take a bath and change her clothes, then sat down at the table, carefully examining the fabrics.
She had thought that this body would live in this world for several more decades, and living off her savings wouldn’t be enough. Her money could only last for twelve or thirteen years at most, and she couldn’t just spend without earning.
You Xu had wandered around Jian’an City a few times and found that there were many taverns and teahouses, making the competition fierce, while there were fewer fabric shops, but the demand was high. She planned to open a shop to buy and sell fabrics. The first step was to understand her competitors, find suppliers, and then take over a shop.
He Xiang said, “Madam, it’s time for dinner.”
You Xu had been looking at the fabrics since she returned in the evening, and the food had been kept warm. Seeing that her mistress was focused, He Xiang stood aside, not daring to disturb her. Seeing that it was almost bedtime, she had no choice but to remind her.
You Xu nodded but still didn’t get up.
Another quarter of an hour passed. You Xu looked up and rubbed his sore neck. “Which company makes these five kinds of fabric?”
After examining the fabrics, You Xu noticed a clear division: the simple, low-quality fabrics were extremely cheap, while the more elaborate, high-quality fabrics were very expensive. It was obvious that the former were for the poor, and the latter for wealthy young men and women.
Fabrics with slightly better designs and quality were extremely rare, and very few were directly intended for ordinary people, though many were neither rich nor poor.
From the fifty-odd fabrics, You Xu selected only five.
Previously, You Xu had instructed He Xiang to mark the shops where the fabrics came from after she bought them. He Xiang couldn’t read, but fortunately, she had a good memory. She used some messy shapes to mark the origin of the fabrics. After looking at them carefully, she said, “Madam, these three are from the Xu family shop at the North Gate, and these two are from the Xi shop on South Street.”
“Good,” You Xu decided, and would go to these two shops the next day. “Pick a few of these fabrics to take home and make clothes.”
He Xiang was delighted and smiled happily, “Thank you, Madam.”
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