Chapter 159
Chapter 159: You Asked the Wrong Person
Xia Meng Yan looked at the table and frowned slightly, then she asked in a steady voice: “Concubine Su, what is the meaning of this?”
Concubine Su had brows like distant hills and skin like fine jade. A gown of moon-sheen brocade showed her slim waist. She smiled, gentle yet a little charming, and even Xia Meng Yan, who was also a woman, had to admit she was striking. Concubine Su raised her hand, and Chang Xi opened each brocade box one by one, and she said simply: “I came first to visit and second to apologize.”
Inside were a fifty-year-old ginseng, a blood-red gemstone, a pair of crystal-clear jade bangles, and a pure gold longevity lock.
Xia Meng Yan’s fingers curled slightly as she thought: [A concubine in the Lin Manor has things this fine?]
As if reading her thoughts, Concubine Su explained in a soft voice: “All these were gifts from the Eldest Master. Only the longevity lock was made at my order. Since you came to the Lin Manor, we have met only twice, and both times went badly. I am here to offer a serious apology. It was my misunderstanding in the past. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
Xia Meng Yan only smiled and thought: [Me, living peacefully with a Lin Manor concubine? People would talk.] She kept her tone light and practical as she said: “You are too polite. If it was a misunderstanding, I won’t keep it in mind.”
She was close to giving birth and did not want new enemies. Whatever Concubine Su’s purpose was, Xia Meng Yan only wanted her to know they didn’t have to be foes.
Joy flickered over Concubine Su’s face as she sat across from her and said sweetly: “Cousin Miss has a kind heart. No wonder the two elders of the Lin Family favor you. To be honest, without your blessing, Divine Physician Luo would not have treated Yu’er, and he would not be alive today. I thank you.”
Xia Meng Yan answered evenly: “You are polite. Divine Physician Luo treated Yu’er of his own will. It had nothing to do with me.” In her heart she guessed: [So she also came for the Divine Physician.]
Concubine Su seemed not to notice and kept her friendly smile as she said: “You are joking. The Lin Family has already used up its favors with Divine Physician Luo. These years he still helped Yu’er because of you, since you two are master and disciple.”
Xia Meng Yan’s heart skipped: [How does she know?] She and Luo Jin had settled their master-disciple bond only after she came to the Lin Family. Not even her maternal grandfather and maternal grandmother knew. So how did Concubine Su find out?
She kept her face calm and asked mildly: “Master and disciple? Where did you hear that, Concubine Su?”
Concubine Su pretended to be puzzled and said: “I heard the Eldest Master say your medical arts were taught by Divine Physician Luo. Are you not master and disciple?”
Xia Meng Yan smiled and neither confirmed nor denied, and she said in a gentle voice: “I have received your thanks.”
Whoever sent Concubine Su was getting impatient; that much was sure.
Hearing the hint to leave, Concubine Su grew unhappy. She thought resentfully: [No matter what, I am the Eldest Master’s concubine. How can an outsider like her act so calm and sure in front of me.]
She recovered her warmth and said: “I also came about another matter. In the last two days, the Eldest Master has been frowning. I learned the Meng Family failed to hire the Divine Physician and is venting anger on Lin Family business. The Eldest Master’s leg just healed, and he should not be running around. I went to the Restful Virtue Pavilion, but Divine Physician Luo would not see me. With no choice, I came to ask Cousin Miss for help.”
Xia Meng Yan’s tone stayed flat: “You asked the wrong person. I’m not close to Divine Physician Luo. As for the Meng Family troubling the Lin Family, it is normal business friction. You are overthinking it.”
A loud rumble came from outside, and rain began to pour in an instant. Xia Meng Yan stood by the window and said calmly: “Concubine Su, it is raining. I won’t keep you.”
Concubine Su rose with a gentle look and said: “Cousin Miss has her own judgment. I won’t press you. The Lin Family has stood high for a long time. There are not just fifty, but a hundred people who want to drag them down. I suppose Cousin Miss does not wish the Lin Family to suffer heavy losses because of this.”
Xia Meng Yan stretched her hand to the window. Cool drops gathered in her palm, joined into a thin stream, then slid away between her fingers, and she said softly: “Concubine Su, you really asked the wrong person.”
Concubine Su smiled, turned, and left with her people.
Duan Yi Chen watched her go. He took a handkerchief and carefully dried Xia Meng Yan’s hand, and he muttered: “Even the proper masters of the Lin Family kept quiet, so who does she think she is.”
Letting him wipe her hand, Xia Meng Yan looked at the lotus in the pond and asked, voice low: “Tell me, how long is the reach of the person behind all this, that they can push both Concubine Su and the Second Madam to act.”
Duan Yi Chen shrugged: “They are people who don’t count much, one a concubine and one from another family. I think you’re too tense.”
Xia Meng Yan thought it over and felt he might have a point. As long as the main branch’s sons still lived, even if everyone else died out, the Lin Family would not fall.
She glanced at him and teased, half annoyed: “You see it clearly, so why are you still here?”
She pulled back her hand and added bluntly: “The people you sent out can’t hold much longer. When do you plan to return to the Capital?”
Duan Yi Chen froze and blurted: “At least not until you have your baby.”
Xia Meng Yan rolled her eyes and thought: [What does my giving birth have to do with him? He is not the child’s father.] A sudden thought flashed in her mind and then was gone, and she snapped: “Get out.”
Duan Yi Chen trailed after her with a wounded face and protested: “Why did your temper flare up so fast? What did I do?”
Nanny Song and Chun Yue pressed their lips together to hide their laughter.
Concubine Su did not go straight back to her yard. The second branch had been punished, and both Madam Jia and she had just been released from confinement. Concubine Su had wanted to see the Eldest Master, but when she heard Madam Meng had visited and the Meng Family was targeting Lin Family business, she chose not to go to the Eldest Master first and instead went to plead with Xia Meng Yan.
Near the moon gate, Chang Xi asked softly: “Should we go check on the Eldest Master?”
Concubine Su adjusted the pearl flowers in her hair and said evenly: “Right now the Eldest Master wants to see no one. If I go, I’ll only annoy him. Still, I need to show that I care.”
She walked through the moon gate toward the Eldest Master’s study, stopped just outside, and stared at the study door. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she left reluctantly. She was sure watchers stood near the study. As long as someone reported that she had come, the Eldest Master would know she truly cared. Everything else could wait.
As expected, the long-serving man at the door had already seen her. He had wanted to stop her, but she kept her distance and did not approach. When the Eldest Master called him in, the servant reported that Concubine Su had come and stood outside for a while.
The Eldest Master seemed to have expected it. He closed the account book in his hands and ordered calmly: “Tell the shopkeepers to guard the shops these days. Don’t let the Meng Family take advantage. As for the Meng Family cutting prices, let them do as they please.”
The servant noted everything down.
The Eldest Master added in a firm voice: “Do not tell Yan’er that the Meng Family is targeting the Lin Family. She is close to giving birth. She doesn’t need these worries.”
The servant hesitated, thinking whether to mention that Concubine Su had also gone to Cousin Miss’s courtyard. The Eldest Master noticed and said: “What is it? Speak.”
The servant dared not hide anything and said: “People below say Concubine Su brought gifts at noon and went to see Cousin Miss. As for what they said, this servant does not yet know.”
The Eldest Master’s face darkened. He said coldly: “I have been too kind, and she has forgotten her place. I warned her again and again not to bother Yan’er while she is carrying. She knowingly broke the rule. Halve the allowance for her courtyard. If she asks why, let her figure it out herself.”
The servant pitied Concubine Su and thought: [Of all people to offend, she picked Cousin Miss. In the Lin Manor, it is better to offend the Eldest Master than to offend Cousin Miss.]
Xia Meng Yan did not know the Eldest Master had already scolded Concubine Su on her behalf. After dinner, she went to bed early.
At dawn, Chun Yue rushed in, breathless and anxious, and spoke in a hurry: “Big Miss, something happened.”