Kays Translations

Chapter 160: Shock

The scheming girl tossed the plate away, proudly flicked her head, and walked off.

She raised her head so high; doesn’t she fear tripping?

Zhu Ping’an watched the food and broken pieces of the plate scattered on the ground, then glanced at the cunning girl who tilted her head at a 45-degree angle. A mischievous thought of giving her a good scolding stirred in his heart.

“You really don’t know what’s good for you. No wonder our young lady is upset. Our cook was hired from out of town by the master for a high price, and the food is delicious—really, delicious enough to make you swallow your tongue!” The bun-faced maid Hua’er rattled off a string of complaints on her mistress’s behalf.

Tasty?

The dish that was just presented could easily compete in the realm of dark cuisine, Zhu Ping’an sneered.

“Ah, you still don’t believe me? Here, try this.” Seeing that Zhu Ping’an had not repented, Hua’er picked up a small plate from the table and walked over to him. She pierced a piece of food with a small bamboo skewer and without waiting for his protest, stuffed it into his mouth.

Before Zhu Ping’an could even react, a piece of food was shoved into his mouth, and his face nearly turned green. Could it be dark cuisine again?

However, to his surprise, the food that Hua’er placed in his mouth made him pause the moment it touched his tongue. It was an absolute contrast to what he expected—this food tasted so delicious that it was hard to resist.

“How is it? Tasty, right?” Hua’er asked, pouting.

Zhu Ping’an nodded.

“So, you really didn’t know what’s good for you, being ungrateful when kindness was extended,” Hua’er pouted again, clearly displeased.

Zhu Ping’an looked at the food scattered across the ground and seemed to understand why the scheming girl had thrown the plate. The deadliest poison is a woman’s heart—she must have been trying to destroy the evidence.

“Alright, Hua’er. He’s a xiucai now. Aren’t you afraid the yamen will charge you with offending scholarly decorum?” Li Shu said coolly from the soft couch.

At that, Hua’er froze. Her expression practically said, I haven’t read much, Mistress, so don’t trick me.

“I don’t care. I don’t believe that if he’s wrong, people can’t say anything,” Hua’er puffed her cheeks again.

“Miss, miss, the master is home!”

At that moment, a small maid’s excited voice came from outside, and soon, a maid came rushing in, breathless.

“Miss, the master is back! He’s almost home!” the small maid said, panting, as she reported to the cunning girl, Li Shu.

Li Shu had already leapt off the couch with a bright expression, her lips curved upward in a crescent moon smile. As she moved, her skirt swished around, like a joyful butterfly.

“Really?” the cunning girl asked with a smile, her voice as sweet as a yellow oriole, soft and melodious.

“Yes, miss, I was almost at the door when I heard it,” the small maid nodded repeatedly.

“That’s wonderful! Quick, Hua’er, let’s go to the door!” The cunning girl gleefully lifted her skirt and ran outside.

“Miss, wait for me!” Hua’er hurriedly chased after her.

Soon, all the maids and servants followed, and the study became quiet.

Landlord Li had returned home. What a coincidence—Zhu Ping’an had come today for two reasons. Borrowing books was only the secondary one; the main reason was to thank Landlord Li. His success in the examinations owed much to the books Landlord Li had collected. In addition, his family would hold a flowing banquet in three days. Landlord Li probably would not care to attend, but Zhu Ping’an still had to observe the proper courtesy and extend an invitation.

Thus, Zhu Ping’an also stood up and walked outside.

Landlord Li’s return caused quite a commotion. Four or five carriages rolled through the gate over wooden planks laid for them. Two were covered and tightly enclosed, while the other three were packed with all sorts of goods. More than ten servants who had traveled with Landlord Li also accompanied the convoy.

“Father…”

The scheming girl spotted Landlord Li from afar and, with a joyful cry of “Father,” lifted her skirt and ran toward him like a swallow returning to its nest, radiating delight.

It turns out that even the cunning young girl can have such a little daughter moment.

Zhu Pingan watched from a distance, feeling a bit emotional.

Landlord Li was still as plump as ever. From a distance, he wore a watermelon cap on his round head and a large gold ring on his hand, as though afraid anyone might fail to notice how wealthy he was.

“Shu’er, slow down, slow down! Don’t trip!” Landlord Li called to his precious daughter, waving his chubby hands urgently for Li Shu to slow down.

What a scene of a loving father and daughter.

While Zhu Ping’an was feeling sentimental, suddenly a figure caught his attention. Though it was fleeting, Zhu Ping’an’s surprisingly good memory—thanks to his life in the Ming Dynasty—allowed him to recognize the person immediately.

The person had been following the carriage, blending in with the group of servants. At first, there was nothing special about them, but the moment Zhu Ping’an peeked out of the study, the person seemed to notice something, quickly bending down and stepping aside. It was this sudden movement that drew Zhu Ping’an’s attention. Though the figure quickly vanished, Zhu Ping’an had clearly seen enough to recognize them.

Then, Zhu Ping’an felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

He was absolutely sure—it was the person who had asked for his name in Huaining and Anqing and then gave him silver.

Thinking back…

Zhu Ping’an stared blankly at the scheming young girl, Li Shu, who was clinging to Landlord Li. It felt as though thunder were rolling through his mind. The person who had given him silver—could it really have been this girl who always called him a toad and a poor scholar?

This discovery was more shocking than if he had seen his reflection in a mirror at night and found himself stepping out of it to greet him.

As for why Zhu Ping’an immediately assumed it was the scheming young girl who had instructed the person to give him silver instead of Landlord Li, there was a reason.

When he was younger, Zhu Ping’an had been stopped at the door several times when trying to borrow books from Landlord Li’s house. If he had not happened to meet Li Shu and the bun-faced maid Hua’er returning from walking the little red horse, he would never have been allowed into the study to borrow books. Over all the years he had borrowed books from the Li household, he had barely seen Landlord Li. Landlord Li spent most of his time away on business, so how could he have known Zhu Ping’an had been robbed, much less taken the trouble to send him silver?

In fact, the main reason Zhu Ping’an suspected it was Li Shu’s orders was because of one thing the person who gave him the silver had said. The person had mentioned that they had been instructed by the master and were not to speak much with him.

Looking back, that kind of command seemed very much in line with the style of the scheming young girl.

Although that was the case, it was still hard for Zhu Ping’an to believe. Could the cunning girl really have secretly given him silver? And not just once, but twice?

Zhu Ping’an stared unbelievingly at the door.

In his line of sight, Li Shu had started to show her temper again.

“Why are you so late? Did you bring the things I asked for? What about the coral? Didn’t I tell you to bring me two corals from the seaside?”

The plump Landlord Li smiled obsequiously. “I brought them, I brought them, my little ancestor. They’re all in the carriage.”

“That’s more like it. You’re the best, Father.” Li Shu, with her delicate hands, grabbed Landlord Li’s arm and began to shake it.

Landlord Li looked as though he had eaten honey, utterly delighted.

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