Ji Xingxuan woke up early in the morning and took a sedan chair to the Xia Family's guesthouse. After the guard announced her arrival, she was invited to the West Garden Reception Hall to wait for tea.
Ji Xingxuan sat on a round chair with her hands on her knees. Her fingers, which were wrapped in white muslin, held a Tong Bao between her fingers. She gently rubbed it against her fingers. It was hard to tell what she was thinking. As soon as she heard the voices outside, she raised her head and saw a beautiful figure walk in from the side of the wide open vine-patterned door. It was a young girl of about sixteen years of age. Her features were delicate and beautiful. Her black hair was curled into a graceful style. She wore a yellow dress with a butterfly gown.
"Sister Xingxuan, it rained for a while this morning. I thought you wouldn't come." The girl spoke in a crisp voice. There was a hint of coquettishness in her voice that made one's heart ache.
Ji Xingxuan put the Tong Bao into her sleeve and stood up. She smiled and said, "How could I not come when I have an appointment? Min Min, are you feeling better?"
The young girl who had just entered the door was none other than the fifth daughter of the Xia Family, Xia Jiangmin.
"The weather has been warm these past two days. I feel much better." Xia Jiangmin smiled as she walked over and intimately held onto Ji Xingxuan's arm. She led her up and down the short couch at the head of the hall. She saw the muslin on her hand and quickly raised it in front of her face.
She asked in surprise, "What happened to your hand?"
"I was playing the zither the day before yesterday. I got distracted and hurt myself."
"Why were you so careless? Did you apply medicine?" Xia Jiangmin asked a few more questions out of concern. Ji Xingxuan cleverly changed the topic. "Have you read the two books I brought you last time?"
Xia Jiangmin nodded happily. "I've read them. That 'Green Suo High Opinion' is very interesting. I was still reading it before you came.
I haven't been feeling well recently. Father wouldn't let me go out. Thank you for bringing me books to relieve my boredom. "
"I'm glad you like them. I still have two more volumes. I'll give them to you after you've finished them."
"That's great."
The two girls chatted for a while. After a pot of tea, Xia Jiangmin couldn't sit still anymore. She suddenly pulled Ji Xingxuan's sleeve and said, "Sister Xingxuan, I've been cooped up at home for a long time. I want to go out for a walk. Can you accompany me?"
Ji Xingxuan hesitated. "Didn't Mr. Xia Jiang forbid you from going out?"
Xia Jiangmin hurriedly said: "Father doesn't allow me to go out alone … I have recovered from my illness. With you accompanying me, he will definitely agree, okay?"
Ji Xingxuan smiled warmly and nodded her head indulgently.
Xia Jiangmin cheered and pulled her to see her father. After asking for instructions … Xia Jiang's father agreed. He entrusted a few words to Ji Xingxuan and asked someone to prepare the sedan chair.
As soon as they left the gate of the guesthouse, Xia Jiangmin's face was obviously much brighter. Ji Xingxuan asked her where to go. Xia Jiangmin scratched her chin and suggested: "There's nothing interesting in the north of the city. Let's go to the south of the city … I know a tavern that sells rice wine. It's very delicious. I'll take you there to have a taste."
"Okay …" Ji Xingxuan didn't feel disappointed. So, the two sat on the sedan chair and went to the south of the city.
Inside the sedan chair, Xia Jiangmin fumbled in her sleeve for a while. She took out a sealed letter, brushed it and put it back.
Speaking of which, Yu Shu had boasted in front of Xue Rui yesterday that she was going to make a fake account book for him to take a look. This morning, when she arrived at the Building of Forgetting Machines, she continued to make fake accounts like she did yesterday.
Xue Rui showed up at Wang Ji Lou during lunch … Yu Shu was called to his study downstairs by Xiao Qing. When she entered the door, she stuffed an account book into his hand. She took the tea from Xiao Qing and leisurely sat on the side waiting for him to read it.
"It's done so quickly?" Xue Rui opened her new account book with a joking mind. After flipping through two pages, he couldn't laugh anymore. Gradually, his face revealed a little surprise … After he finished reading the account book that was less than half written, he couldn't help but admit that she had some skill in accounting. If he hadn't seen the actual account book before, he would have thought that the book in his hand was the cost of building Wang Ji Lou for two months. However, the total amount was wrong by more than half. He really didn't know how she managed to stuff such a large amount of money into it. Yu Shu waited for him to flip to the last page before she confidently said: "In fact, there are only three ways to fabricate an account. Conceal, coax, and cheat. Conceal the income, coax the cost, and cheat the outsiders. The most important thing is to know how to make a fuss about the cost. If this fuss is done well, then outsiders won't be able to tell the truth. I'm doing this account book purely to coax the cost. As for the income, I'm just adding it in to show you what it looks like. If you think it's good, then rest assured and leave this matter to me. When the restaurant opens, I'll make another account for you to look at in the first month. At that time, you can decide if you want to use it or not. "
Xue Rui silently put down the account book and turned to stare at her.
Yu Shu felt uncomfortable being stared at by him. She frowned and said: "Why are you looking at me?"
"I'm looking at what's in your head. Tell me, is there anything you don't know?" Xue Rui joked.
"Haha," Yu Shu laughed and waved her hand, "I don't know much. I'm just proficient in one skill. It's just a change in form but not in substance."
Xue Rui heard her modest words, but looking at her arched eyebrows and curved eyes, it was clear that she was proud of herself. He found it very interesting, so he didn't expose her. Instead, he straightened his expression and asked: "If the actual accounts and details are handled by two accountants, and you're only responsible for the fake accounts, how much time do you have to spend on this every month?"
Yu Shu thought for a moment and said: "If you want me to do it, I'll sort it out every ten days. At most, I'll spend three days a month to finish it."
Xue Rui saw that her tone was relaxed. After thinking for a moment, he said: "Alright, I'll leave this matter to you. You just need to show me the fake accounts. In the future, I'll reward you every month. "
Yu Shu frowned and said: "It's my duty. What reward do I need? It's not like I'm not getting paid. It's eighty taels a month."
Originally, she had good intentions. If she took his benefits, it would seem like she wanted something from him.
Xue Rui shook his head and said: "One matter is another. I didn't invite you here for you to do the accounts."
Yu Shu blurted out: "I'm also not doing the accounts for your reward."
Hearing this, Xue Rui's eyes flickered. He put one arm on the tea table between the two of them and asked her with a smile that wasn't a smile: "Then why are you doing this?"
"Of course it's because …" Halfway through her words, Yu Shu suddenly stopped. For some reason, she felt that the words she was about to say would sound weird. She swallowed back the words "I miss you" and said with a displeased expression: "Why do you have so much nonsense to say? I don't want it, so I don't want it. In any case, I won't be working here for more than a few months. We agreed on the deed. After the Grand Examination's results are released, if I'm chosen by the Imperial Historian's Library, I won't be working here anymore. At that time, you can find whoever you want.
I don't care about you. "As soon as the words left her mouth, Yu Shu knew that she had gone overboard. Seeing that the smile on Xue Rui's face had faded, it was too late for her to take back her words. She awkwardly picked up the teacup and took a sip. Before she could taste the flavor, she heard Xue Rui say:" I know. Go ahead and eat. "
"… You're not eating?" Was he angry?
"I still have something to do later. I won't stay."
"Oh." Sure enough, he was angry.
Knowing that she had been kicked out, Yu Shu resentfully stood up. When she walked to the door, she realized that she was still holding the teacup in her hand. She braced herself and went back to put it down. At the same time, she stole a glance at Xue Rui. When she met Xue Rui's eyes, he looked at her openly, but his face was not as gentle as before: "Is there anything else?"
"No, nothing."
Yu Shu gloomily walked away. She didn't understand why he was angry. She was just too quick with her words, but she didn't say anything wrong, right?
Xue Rui looked at the figure in front of the door and raised his hand to rub his faintly aching forehead. He secretly told himself not to lower himself to her level, or else, he would be angry in the future.
On the sixth day of the Chinese New Year, the two tailors were called over by Xue Rui on the ninth day of the Chinese New Year. After eating lunch, Yu Shu saw the tailors.
First, they measured the figure, shoulder collar, chest, waist, back, and legs. Then, they took out a picture book to choose a style for Yu Shu. Both of the books were for spring. There was also a small box of cloth samples.
Now that Yu Shu was a little rich, she was willing to spend some time on the appearance. So, she carefully looked through the books, but she couldn't close her eyes. When she reached the last page, her eyes suddenly lit up. She pointed to the clothes of the little person in the picture and said to the tailor: "I think this is good."
The tailor came forward and looked at the picture. They looked at each other and honestly said: "Miss, this style of clothing was made in the early years. It was specially made for young ladies who like to wear men's clothing when they go out on horseback. Nowadays, it is no longer popular. If you want to wear it when you go out on horseback, the first few pages have a nice skirt and a butterfly shirt. Can I show you?"
The clothes in the picture were indeed modified from the Hu style. The lapel was facing the front, the shirt was knee-length, the pants were tight, and the boots were hooked. It looked very valiant. If there was a flaw, it was not as delicate as a woman. It looked too capable and experienced.
Yu Shu didn't care what the tailors said. The more she looked at it, the more she liked it. In addition, she originally planned to buy a horse and learn how to ride it. So, she immediately decided to make three sets of clothes in different colors. She asked the tailors to write down the parts that needed to be changed one by one.
Later, she added two sets of formal skirts and embroidered shoes. Then, she asked the tailors to pay. Xue Rui must have taken her face into account, so he didn't pay for her in advance. Yu Shu had already prepared cash. She happily went into the room and took out two silver ingots as a deposit. As for the rest, she will get it when the clothes are ready.
Before she left, she didn't forget to ask the tailors to bring back a few picture books for boys so that she could pick some clothes for Yu Xiaoxiu.
When she returned to the Ji mansion that night, Yu Shu first went to see Aunt Cui. She gave her two silk flowers that she bought on the street. She wanted to make her happy on behalf of Yu Xiaoxiu, but Aunt Cui asked her where she got the money. Yu Shu knew that this woman was sharp. If she dared to let her know that she had money, she wouldn't know what she would do. So, she said that it was given to her by Zhao Hui.
Aunt Cui knew that Yu Xiaoxiu was now living in someone else's house. Two days ago, she heard from Yu Shu that Yu Xiaoxiu had a godmother. So, she didn't give Yu Shu a good face. "You're lucky to know your mother. That person casually gave you a dime or two and you can't tell the difference between north and south. You're their daughter for nothing."
Seeing that she didn't know what was good for her, Yu Shu was too lazy to reason with her. She put down the things and left. Aunt Cui was so angry that she scolded her behind her back, but Yu Shu turned a deaf ear.
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
