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CHAPTER 11
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"Please, Sister-in-law, help me!" Tan Jian's plea startled Xiang Yi as she approached him at the courtyard entrance. She led him into the main hall and had the area cleared of other people.
"What's the matter?" Xiang Yi inquired. Tan Jian appeared distressed and hesitant to speak directly.
"Is it something to do with your relationship with your new bride?" she guessed. Tan Jian's face crumpled in response, confirming her suspicion.
Xiang Yi was surprised. The new bride seemed cheerful and lively, and she appeared to be a good match for Tan Jian. How could they have had a falling out just two days into their marriage?
"What exactly happened?" she pressed.
Tan Jian seemed awkward, twisting and turning without getting to the point. Xiang Yi found his behavior amusing.
"Are you really not going to tell me?" she asked. While he had come to seek her out rather than Tan Ting, it was evident that he didn't want to let Tan Ting know.
But if he kept quiet any longer, Tan Ting would return.
Apparently, Tan Jian had also considered this possibility, and he grew anxious, glancing around to ensure no one was nearby. Lowering his voice to a near-whisper, he finally spoke up.
"...On our wedding day, I think I accidentally hurt her. Before I realized what happened, she... she kicked me off the bed."
Xiang Yi was glad she hadn't been drinking water, as she might have choked on it. She stared at Tan Jian's flushed face and urged him, "And then?"
Tan Jian looked miserable. "I apologized to her, but she wouldn't let me back into the bed."
His voice grew quieter, "I've been sleeping on a small couch for the past two days..."
Xiang Yi rubbed her forehead. No wonder he didn't dare to tell Tan Ting. Knowing Tan's temper, he would undoubtedly berate him. Moreover, Tan Jian probably didn't want to give Tan Ting a negative impression of his new wife.
As Xiang Yi contemplated this, she found herself somewhat appreciating Tan Jian. At least he was trying to protect his wife. However, Tan Jian appeared almost on the verge of tears.
"Sister-in-law, what should I do? She's not talking to me at all now."
Xiang Yi wanted to laugh but restrained herself to avoid embarrassing him. She leaned in and whispered a few words to him.
Tan Jian listened, his eyes blinking rapidly. "Is that... Is that okay?"
"Go and give it a try," Xiang Yi advised.
In a certain courtyard, where Madam Fu family resided, a plump-faced woman with a well-fed appearance was deftly manipulating an abacus. She glanced down at the man standing with his head bowed and body bent at the waist.
"Tsk tsk, now you come to me for advice? Where were you when you should have taken action?" The woman was none other than Madam Fu, and the man standing before her was her cousin, Fu An.
The Fu family was a local minor clan, slightly more well-off than the common families. They had seen significant improvement in their status since aligning themselves with Madam Fu, which was intertwined with the wealthy Tan family. Originally carpenters, their clan's carpentry work had been decent, but over the years, they grew complacent. Their craftsmanship declined, and they were reluctant to put in hard work.
On the day of a wedding feast, they had caused a disturbance and created a major problem.
Fu An dared not raise his head. "Cousin, please don't be angry. I docked half a year's wages from them, and now they've become more obedient. If it weren't for the work from the Tan family, our clan would be struggling. Cousin, could you put in a good word for us at the main family?"
Putting aside other matters, the Tan family was known to be well-off, providing good pay that was consistent. Occasionally they took some wood without notice, and nobody ever realized. Moreover, with the Tan main family planning to provide dowries for their daughters in the coming years, there was bound to be a steady influx of quality materials. They didn't take much, but each item they took and sold could sustain them for a year.
It was truly a great opportunity.
Fu An continued to plead with Madam Fu. "Your younger brother has diverse financial sources. Only when he's well-off can he show his affection to you, Sister. Isn't that better than letting others handle this work?"
He took out a ledger from his sleeve. "Sister, take a look. This is the financial record for the past year. I've kept track of your share, and not a single penny has been omitted."
Fu An understood that for this job to be sustainable, first and foremost, he needed to take care of this cousin who had married into the Tan family. After all, she was in a situation where she could only go in and not come out.
Madam Fu's eyes followed the long row of numbers on the ledger, and a small smile crept up at the corner of her mouth. She responded, "Consider it a debt I owe you... I'll have to put on a brave face tomorrow and plead with the main family on your behalf."
Fu An, upon hearing this, broke into a face full of wrinkles from his laughter.
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Just then, a young maid announced that Lady Qiu had arrived. Madam Fu raised an eyebrow. Her household wasn't particularly busy today, so why had Lady Qiu come over?
After a brief thought, she had Lady Qiu invited in.
Without hesitation, Lady Qiu began, "Madam Fu, I heard something today, and I rushed to inform you as soon as possible. The main family is changing their carpenters, and they've already decided on the replacement."
"What?" The plump flesh on Madam Fu's face trembled.
Fu An was even more startled. "Who are they replacing them with?!"
Lady Qiu clicked her tongue. "A bunch of poor-looking carpenters who roam the streets and do odd jobs."
Saying this, both Fu An and Madam Fu were left a bit puzzled. "How did such people manage to enter the Tan family's gates?"
This question hit the nail on the head, and Lady Qiu narrowed her eyes. "Who else? It's naturally Lady Xiang from the main family who brought them in."
Madam Fu's brow furrowed. "Why would the main wife vouch for those people?"
Lady Qiu arched an eyebrow and glanced at the ledger in Madam Fu's hand. Then, she clicked her tongue twice. "How could Madam Fu forget? It was through giving two pieces of jade pendants to the maidservant of my son's paramour, Chu Xinggu. That's how she managed to get into the benevolent Hall, right? Her family is poor, but wouldn't they want to make some extra money on the side? After all, she's the main wife, and nobody would dare to investigate her."
After her words fell, a few moments of silence hung in the hall.
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Madam Fu squinted her eyes. She herself wanted to benefit more from the Tan family, not to mention the issue of the Xiang family, even if she had to seize the Xiang family's income, she was fine with it. But why couldn't Lady Xiang make money? What was the meaning behind disrupting her financial path?
Madam Fu idly flipped through the ledger in her hands, her face dark and contemplative.
In the eastern part of the courtyard, surrounded by ancient trees, was the ancestral hall of the Tan family. Yang Zhen was adorned with bright red wedding silk, and the red lanterns hanging in the corridor swayed gently.
In the courtyard, Tan Jian nervously adjusted his collar, took a deep breath, and entered the room. As he entered, Yang Zhen's gaze shifted towards him. She was sitting by the table, fiddling with a chessboard brought from her family home, visibly annoyed.
Nanny Lu had recently discovered that Tan Jian had been sleeping on a small cot, and she was horrified. She implored her not to treat the Second Master in such a manner again. However, after that day... when he had inadvertently hurt her... Yang Zhen didn't know what to do. Seeing Tan Jian entering now didn't particularly improve her mood, so she turned her head away.
On the previous occasions, when Tan Jian faced such a situation, he had hesitated for a while before retreating to the small cot. But today, he took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and walked over.
"Lady is playing chess? Would you like me to accompany you for a game?" As he spoke, Tan Jian's eyes fell on Yang Zhen.
Her eyes were quite large, but since that day when she had kicked him off the bed, he felt a hint of hostility in her gaze.
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Tan Jian's heart trembled, but thinking about the words given to him by his sister-in-law today, he took a deep breath and sat down. "I have a slight understanding of the game. Please teach me?"
Yang Zhen lifted her chin, casting a few glances at him. She pushed aside the chess pieces on the board, erasing the game she had been playing.
"Sure." Tan Jian heaved a sigh of relief, and he rearranged the pieces on the board. He placed them with care, and Yang Zhen couldn't help but take a few more glances. Unexpectedly, their eyes met. She quickly turned her head away.
Tan Jian blinked rapidly. Following his sister-in-law's instructions, he dared not act recklessly. So, they each took their side, the red and black pieces, and started playing the game.
The night was windless and calm. Inside and outside the room, there was a tranquil atmosphere. The candle flames flickered, and before they knew it, three games had been played.
Initially, Yang Zhen didn't think that Tan Jian would be skilled at chess. However, after three games, the first two ended in a draw. Now, they were in the midst of a third game, and she found herself in a challenging position.
Resting her chin on her hands, she stared at the board in deep concentration.
Tan Jian, observing her, thought about how he hadn't dared to win against her the previous times, fearing that she might get upset. But she wasn't the kind of girl who would get angry when she lost. Instead, she had complimented him openly, saying, "Good move!"
At that moment, when Tan Jian heard those two words, his heart almost skipped a beat.
Now, as Yang Zhen pondered her next move, a spark suddenly appeared in her eyes. Tan Jian felt that the glimmer in her eyes was even brighter than the candle flame on the table. She suddenly straightened up, extending her arm, and with a snap of her fingers, she captured one of his pieces.
The move she had been contemplating for so long was executed decisively, with full force.
Tan Jian had no idea how much thought she had put into this move, but this single, swift snap of her fingers had shattered the edge of the chessboard. The wooden piece cracked open, and a splinter of wood pricked her finger.
Tan Jian was taken aback and instinctively grabbed her hand. "How did you get pricked? Does it hurt?!"
He spoke rapidly, his face showing genuine concern.
Yang Zhen blinked and looked at him. "... It doesn't hurt."
But he insisted, "A splinter lodged in your hand must hurt, right?"
Tan Jian was about to call someone to bring ointment, but as he raised his head, their eyes met directly. The candle flame crackled.
Yang Zhen swiftly pulled her hand back. Tan Jian was momentarily stunned. His mind went blank for a moment, but then he remembered his sister-in-law's advice.
His elder sister-in-law had told him, "When dealing with the new bride, you must be gentle and even gentler. Otherwise, she will be afraid when she leaves her own home and travels thousands of miles to a strange place. She won't even have someone reliable who understands her likes and dislikes."
Tan Jian mentally recited his sister-in-law's words and took a deep breath. He softened his tone. "Lady, what happened the other day was my fault. Could you not be angry with me anymore? I apologize for my actions."
His apology was modest, and Yang Zhen remained silent for a moment. Her expression was tense, and her face had a slight blush.
Tan Jian quickly understood her intention. She was willing to forgive him. His sister-in-law was right after all!
"Um... Could you wait here, Lady? I'll go fetch some ointment to dress your wound."
Yang Zhen's face turned even redder as she nodded rapidly.
Tan Jian was practically ready to leap for joy. He ordered the servants to bring herbs and cotton gauze over. In an instant, Yang Zhen came to life, and even the flickering light of the bright red lanterns seemed to shine with a joyful glow, casting a vibrant reflection on the ground like an agile red carp in water.
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...
Not far away, in the main courtyard, from the inside to the outside of the room, it was as quiet as if it had been covered in ice and snow.
Xiang Yi continued to sit by the window, sewing with her needle and thread. Tan Ting, who had returned from inspecting the embankment, was flipping through a book about flood control at his desk.
Today, when he went to inspect the embankment, he saw many impoverished people from Weiping Prefecture who had been displaced due to the breach of the Chao Yun River. If it weren't for the embezzlement of funds by Xiang Zhiyuan when he was in charge of flood control, these people wouldn't be in this situation.
The room remained so quiet that it felt as if it had fallen into absolute silence.
But suddenly, Yang Zhen's liveliness transmitted through the window seams. Xiang Yi listened attentively, and her hand moved absentmindedly. Inadvertently, the needle pricked her fingertip, causing a tiny drop of blood to appear.
Whether it was due to the noise outside or something else, Tan Ting raised his head to look towards the window. However, his gaze only flickered briefly before he withdrew it.
In the direction where Yang Zhen was, the atmosphere grew more lively. However, Xiang Yi paid it no mind. She wiped away the blood droplets that continued to ooze from her finger and resumed her embroidery with a smile.
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