Chapter 23 Does the Second Young Master Care to Show His Face?

The next day.  

Xu Rong had slept quite well that night. She wasn’t the type to be bothered by unfamiliar beds—whether at the Marquis of Ji’an Manor or the Marquis of Changxing’s Mansion, it was all just a temporary stay to her.  

Pushing back the covers and getting out of bed, she pricked up her ears and listened for a moment. Sensing no movement from the opposite side, she tiptoed over, lifted the curtain, and peeked inside. The Warm Pavilion was empty, the kang neatly made, as if no one had slept there at all.  

This Second Young Master was thorough in his actions, and most of the time, he was quite reliable—aside from last night’s blunder.  

Xu Rong stretched lazily, then called Bai Fu in without hesitation. She tossed her the piece of silk—the so-called “Virginity Cloth”—for her to handle the envoy from Madam Xiao.  

Bai Fu stole a glance at her expression, hesitating before speaking: “Miss—”  

Xu Rong: “Hmm?”  

Bai Fu’s face flushed as she stammered, “Miss, are—are you feeling alright?”  

“Perfectly fine,” Xu Rong replied, then suddenly realized what she meant. Suppressing a laugh, she put on a serious face and added, “Just a slight soreness in my waist.”  

From all the jostling in the sedan chair during yesterday’s city tour.  

Bai Fu let out a relieved sigh and quickly said, “That’s good. Before we left, Madam called me aside and warned me, fearing that the Second Young Master might be too rough and hurt you. If you said you were uncomfortable, I was to find a way to dissuade him from—from coming at you again.”  

By the end, she was stumbling over her words again. She was still an unmarried girl, not entirely clear about such matters and too embarrassed to speak of them directly.  

Xu Rong hadn’t known about Madam Xu’s instructions. Seizing the opportunity, she laid the groundwork for the future: “It’s fine. The Second Young Master has his studies to attend to—he won’t have time to indulge in pleasures of the flesh.”  

She didn’t explain the truth of this marriage to Bai Fu. For one, it would be too troublesome, and secondly, Bai Fu was just an ordinary girl. There was no need to burden her with unnecessary worries, leaving her anxious every day.  

Bai Fu nodded naively. “Mm. The Second Young Master was up before dawn, reading by lamplight in the eastern chamber. I heard the sounds but didn’t dare disturb him. I also told the others to keep their movements quiet.”  

Xu Rong was quite pleased to hear this. “Good.”  

Hong Liu and Qing Zao worked together to bring in the washing supplies. After freshening up, Xu Rong sat down at the dressing table. This Huanghuali vanity, along with the mirror case, was part of her dowry, delivered and set up the day before the wedding. The vanity was a warm, brownish-yellow hue, its wood fine and smooth, while the mirror and cosmetic box were seamlessly integrated. Every carved pattern showcased the artisan’s exceptional skill.  

And wealth.  

“Shall I style your hair in a Lily Bun, Miss?” Bai Fu asked.  

Xu Rong wasn’t picky—mainly because her face was stunning enough to carry any look. She nodded indifferently.  

Once done, the result was indeed lovely. Accessories were simple—just a Gold Filigree Hairpin was enough, its jade beads trembling at her temples, lively and radiant.  

Bai Fu then fetched a set of Vermilion Twining Plum Blossom Patterned Jacket and Skirt, both elegant and seasonally appropriate. Just as she was about to help Xu Rong into it, Qing Zao rushed in to announce that Madam Xiao had sent a matron, waiting outside to see her.  

This was to inspect the Virginity Cloth.  

Though Xu Rong had prepared in advance, holding her nose through the process, it didn’t mean she endorsed such outdated and oppressive customs. She waved Bai Fu off directly: “You go. I’ll dress myself.”  

Bai Fu assumed she was just embarrassed and obediently went out to handle it.  

When she returned a while later, she reported to Xu Rong: “Miss, the matron was quite polite. She took a look and left without saying anything.”

Xu Rong lowered her head to tie her sash and responded with a soft “Mm.” This was within her expectations—even the most demanding families wouldn’t make unreasonable demands at this stage, as it concerned a bride’s chastity. A hot-tempered new bride might even take her own life on the spot to prove her virtue.  

She shook her head and couldn’t help but mutter, “Believing in these things makes it all too easy to suffer the consequences.”  

Because forging proof was absurdly simple, almost cost-free. In her case, she had just managed to procure some chicken blood—Xiao Xin’s might have been slightly more elaborate.  

The thought amused her, and she chuckled to herself as she smoothed her skirt and stepped outside, asking Bai Fu, “Has breakfast been fetched yet?”  

Bai Fu replied, “Xin Cheng went a while ago. She should be back soon.”  

Xu Rong nodded and lifted the curtain to enter the main hall.  

She paused by the doorway, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air. There wasn’t much to see—the courtyard was small and bare, paved with white stones in a cross-shaped path. Only a stunted tree stood by the left wall, its species indiscernible. The servants had wrapped a red silk ribbon around it, giving it a festive appearance at first glance. But upon closer inspection, its branches were gray and lifeless, clearly a withered tree that wouldn’t revive come spring.  

Yet, the courtyard wasn’t entirely without hope.  

Xu Rong tilted her head slightly and caught the faint sound of recitation coming from the eastern chamber.  

Just then, Xin Cheng appeared at the courtyard gate, carrying a food box. Xu Rong smiled and said, “Invite the Second Young Master to join us for breakfast.”  

Xiao Xin emerged shortly after, having changed into his everyday attire—a dark blue robe with a square headscarf, his outfit simple and unadorned, devoid of any aristocratic extravagance. He looked more like a young scholar.  

Xu Rong considered praising him for his diligence in rising early to study, but before she could speak, Xin Cheng approached with a grievance. “Miss!”  

Without waiting to be asked, she lifted the lid of the food box and showed Xu Rong its contents. “When I went to the kitchen to fetch breakfast for you and the young master, this is all they gave me.”  

Xu Rong glanced inside—there was congee and pastries—and saw nothing amiss. “What’s the issue?”  

Xin Cheng pointed at one of the dishes. “Look at these shrimp cakes, Miss. The edges are browned and burnt, and the oil smells off. They’ve clearly taken leftovers from who-knows-where, fried them again, and passed them off to us!”  

“Really?”  

Xu Rong picked up the plate of shrimp cakes and examined them closely. Truthfully, she couldn’t discern any signs of overcooking or rancid oil—her half-year stint as a privileged idler hadn’t yet refined her palate to true aristocratic fastidiousness.  

Xiao Xin glanced over but remained silent, though his expression suggested understanding.  

Noticing this, Xu Rong asked him, “Second Young Master, do you see it too?”  

Xiao Xin finally spoke. “There was a dish of shrimp cakes at last night’s banquet.”  

Xu Rong nodded in realization.  

That settled it—there was no doubt now.  

She looked at the shrimp cakes again. Their appearance was intact, so they likely weren’t leftovers scraped from the banquet tables. More probable was that the kitchen had prepared too much and decided to repurpose the excess for her.  

Such overnight, reheated pastries weren’t spoiled, but they were usually consumed by the servants, never served at the master’s table.  

Xu Rong turned to Xin Cheng. “Alright, set it down for now.”

Xin Cheng refused, growing anxious: “We can make do with such food, but how can the young lady eat it? I asked the kitchen to change it, but they wouldn’t, saying all the masters in the mansion eat like this, and we newcomers are too hard to please. How can that be? Clearly, they’re deliberately bullying us—”

“Don’t speak of bullying,” Xu Rong interrupted her. “I believe they mean no such thing.”

Xin Cheng was stunned: “Young lady?”

Though brides were expected to lower their heads in their in-laws’ homes, her young lady wasn’t the type to do so. Just last night, she hadn’t been like this. Could she have suddenly woken up wanting to show off her obedience as a new bride?

Xin Cheng wasn’t happy. She hadn’t been with Xu Rong long but had quickly grown accustomed to her original demeanor. Only when the mistress stood firm could the servants rely on her. Who wanted to go back to the old ways?

Xu Rong looked at her puffed-up cheeks and laughed: “Why are you still holding that? Isn’t your arm sore?”

Xin Cheng couldn’t outright defy her, so she reluctantly placed the food box on the table and began setting out the dishes.

But Xu Rong stopped her: “No need. I won’t eat, and neither will you.”

Xin Cheng was surprised again: “Huh?”

Xu Rong rose leisurely and said, “I didn’t know the Marquis of Changxing’s Mansion was in such dire straits that the entire household has to eat overnight leftovers. In that case, we shouldn’t burden the marquis and Madam Xiao further. We’ll find our own way.”

She glanced around the main hall: “Go call Qing Zao, Hong Liu, and everyone else in our courtyard. We’ll go out to a restaurant.”

Xin Cheng froze, then shouted excitedly: “Yes!”

She turned and dashed out joyfully.

Soon, commotion erupted in the courtyard as maids rushed out from every corner—some delighted, some bewildered, and others resisting: “What’s this about? I won’t go! How can we leave without informing the madam? Let go, Cai Die! Go tell the madam—”

“Sister Cui Ting, I’m being held too. I can’t break free!”

“Then what about the second young master? Won’t he do something?” Cui Ting craned her neck, spotting Xiao Xin in the courtyard. Her eyes lit up: “Second Young Master—”

Xu Rong also smiled at him: “Second Young Master, care to join us?”

Xiao Xin withdrew his gaze from the courtyard and answered succinctly with one word: “Go.”

If Xu Rong heard correctly, his tone wasn’t just resolute—it was almost eager.

**

With such a large group of masters and servants swaggering out of the mansion, the gatekeepers didn’t know whether to stop them—nor could they. They quickly sent someone to report to Madam Xiao.

Madam Xiao was already up, dressed, and having breakfast when the news reached her. Her ebony chopsticks froze mid-air: “—What?”

The messenger was equally baffled: “They said they were going to eat at a restaurant outside.”

The explanation was clear—so clear it seemed absurd. On the first day after the wedding, instead of paying respects to the parents (in-laws) or serving tea, they were running off to a restaurant?!

Madam Xiao was furious, but her anger had no clear target. Sending people after them seemed excessive and would air the family’s dirty laundry. Yet not pursuing them left her fuming with no outlet—

A young woman standing nearby, helping with the meal, gently soothed her: “Madam, perhaps the second young master and his wife are just playful. When they return, you can instruct them properly.”

That was all that could be done.

Madam Xiao took a deep breath, unable to stomach another bite of the lavish breakfast before her. She set down her wooden chopsticks and ordered, “Go inform Lord Xiao. Also, tell your second uncle and aunt not to rush over.”

The Marquis of Changxing’s Mansion was far more populous than the Marquis of Ji’an Manor. Lord Xiao had two brothers in his generation, with the third branch—being the son of a concubine—having long since moved out. Now, only the household of Second Uncle Xiao from the second branch still resided within the estate.

The young woman—Chang Shuyin, Xiao Lun’s wife—curtsied slightly. “Yes, Mother.”

Madam Xiao then turned her sharp gaze to the messenger maid. “Tell the gatekeepers that the moment Second Young Master and his wife return, they are to be brought straight to me!”

The maid trembled with fear, hastily acknowledging the order before scurrying away.