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CHAPTER 6 - PAST MATTERS
Cherry knew that today was the first time her mistress and the general would meet the people in the Duke's mansion. Therefore, it required more attention, akin to serving tea on the second day after a wedding.
Considering Shang Ji's recent attire, Cherry brought a set of willow-dyed horse-faced long skirt with a brocade-patterned lapel jacket. It made her look gentle and elegant.
Du Jingyi looked at it and nodded in approval. Once worn, it indeed looked beautiful, especially complementing her fair complexion.
"Young Madam, shall I arrange a morning cloud bun for you and choose a few jade hairpins?"
This suggestion came from Li Zhu, known as Li Pearl. She was skilled in various hairstyles, and with Du Jingyi's beauty, the careful dressing accentuated her features.
Once everything was ready, Du Jingyi gave her instructions.
"Go and summon the general."
"Yes."
Just before leaving, Du Jingyi thought for a moment and turned back to the jewelry box. She opened it and selected four or five gold bracelets with decent craftsmanship. Despite being intricately carved with silk patterns, they were quite weighty when held in hand.
Li Zhu, puzzled by this, immediately asked, "Young Madam, why so many gold bracelets?"
"Have you forgotten those ladies from the third and fifth households who love to flaunt their wealth?"
Li Zhu suddenly understood. Their lives had become comfortable, and they had forgotten that the Duke's mansion was a genuine large family. Inside, there were patriots devoted to the country, but there were also parasites living off its wealth.
Decades ago, the previous emperor's tyranny led to widespread discontent among the people, resulting in numerous uprisings. The current emperor was only the second ruler of the Daxing Dynasty, and they had taken over the vast land from the hands of the previous dynasty a few decades ago. Therefore, among the nobles and lords in the capital, many were originally peasants. The deceased Duke of Shang was one such individual.
He and the founding emperor had grown up in the same village. When the founding emperor raised the banner of rebellion, he, too, participated in the uprising.
Originally, he thought of securing some provisions to fill his own stomach, but unexpectedly, he hit the jackpot!
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Not only did he become a meritorious official who helped the new emperor overturn the old regime, but he also received the title of Duke and a mansion.
His elder brother became a prominent figure, and naturally, his younger siblings benefited as well.
The family already had three sons and two daughters.
Apart from the second daughter who got married and stayed in Changzhou, the other siblings, along with their families, joined the Duke of Shang.
The fourth sister, in particular, was better off. Many years ago, with the decision made by her elder brother, she married a young man from the Xu family in the same village.
Now, she arrived in Sui'an City with her husband and children, seeking protection but ultimately desiring self-sufficiency.
With the assistance of the Duke of Shang, the couple acquired about a hundred acres of land in the outskirts of the city. Thanks to their hard work and the generally sensible and honest nature of their children, they lived prosperous lives over the years.
On the contrary, the two troublesome younger brothers became burdens that the Duke of Shang couldn't shake off. Naturally, they had to settle down in the mansion.
They had been living there for several decades, even after the Duke of Shang passed away, leaving them some family property.
Despite receiving their share, the members of the third and fifth households acted as if they knew nothing, clinging to the main family and refusing to leave the Duke's mansion.
As a result, the members of the two households lived in the two courtyards in the northern part of the estate.
Now, they even had great-grandchildren.
They were still squeezing in and refusing to move out to live independently.
After all, the elder brothers from the third and fifth households were still alive.
Any little benefit they could get was better than nothing.
If the third and fifth elders of the Shang family were no longer around, their descendants wanting to stay in the Duke's mansion would be inappropriate.
As Du Jingyi rose from her seat, she recalled a family banquet last year when members of the third and fifth households "borrowed" a considerable amount of valuable jewelry from her and showed no intention of returning it.
If Du Jingyi didn't learn from this, it would be a matter of her lacking intelligence.
There's a saying: "Jade is priceless, gold has its price." These golden bracelets are the most suitable items to placate them.
"In that case, fetch a few brocade boxes to pack them."
"Yes."
The brocade boxes were quite large and had some weight to them.
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They felt substantial in her hands.
Using these to deceive the members of the third and fifth households seemed fitting.
After everything was prepared, Du Jingyi, accompanied by Cherry and Lí Zhū, waited in front of the Xī Táng courtyard's gate.
After a short while, Luo Yuan, who was following behind, also emerged from the study.
In front of the Xī Táng courtyard, there were two Lo Han pines that Du Jingyi had bought at a high price, also known as Money Pines. These were her "treasures" for attracting wealth and were naturally well taken care of.
Shang Ji, not very familiar with this object, found the tree somewhat interesting. It didn't take long for Du Jingyi to appear.
The appearance she meticulously presented today caught Shang Ji's eye. Of course, compared to when they first met yesterday and earlier this morning, it was more stunning.
However, accustomed to years of military life, he was used to concealing his thoughts and didn't show much.
"I've seen the General."
"Hmm, let's go."
"Yes."
The couple walked side by side, heading towards the Cloud Brocade Courtyard along the stone path.
What Du Jingyi once thought was the most familiar scenery now seemed somewhat different today. Although the Duke's mansion was large, it lacked elegance, without the pavilions and towers of the Jiangnan waterside, or the ornate eaves and railings of carved beams and painted buildings.
The rough and unrefined atmosphere of a military family was evident, not comparable to the carefully crafted Xī Táng courtyard.
This was the first time Shang Ji and Du Jingyi had walked together in the Duke's mansion, attracting the curious glances of maids and servants who couldn't resist stopping to watch.
Sensing the probing eyes behind them, Shang Ji furrowed his brows slightly.
On the contrary, Du Jingyi stood with a straight back—far from being underestimated!
If one were to talk about the Duke's mansion, it was indeed peculiar. Despite being a large estate with hundreds of servants, the manners seemed a bit lax. Household servants wandering around the master's residence didn't speak well of discipline.
It was said that when the Duke's original wife, Lady Gu, Shang Ji's biological mother, was still alive, the rules were strict. However, after the concubine, Lady Wei, who was raised to the position of the main wife, took over, things became more relaxed.
Observing the management style of the steward and the housekeeper in Xī Táng courtyard was enough to notice the difference within the entire Duke's mansion.
Du Jingyi had a deep understanding of this. Passing through a garden, the two arrived at the central part of the Duke's mansion's backyard.
The three characters "Cloud Brocade Courtyard" were written with vigorous strokes. Shang Ji raised his head to look at the plaque, his eyes showing a complex emotion with a hint of disgust.
It seemed like he was unwilling to step inside.
Du Jingyi didn't quite understand his intentions, so she remained in place without speaking. After a moment, his face returned to its previous indifference, and he spoke crisply, "Let's go in."
"Okay."
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