Chapter 71 - Glutton
C71: Glutton
Even though Xie Xun had ran into trouble at the general’s mansion, Zhong Rou had saved his life. Thus, she should at least go there and thank her.
The next day, since Xie Xun was able to get out of bed, Madam Leng took her and the servant maids to the general’s estate.
Gao Xun wanted return to the barracks with Zhong Shang tomorrow, so he went there with them.
Xie Zhen and Yan Yu originally wanted to return to the sixth prince’s Mansion, but Xie Zhen changed her mind, as she wanted to find out who wanted to harm Xie Xun, so she followed them.
When they arrived at the general’s estate, General Zhong and General’s wife were personally greeting them in the central room. Madam Jiang felt guilty and comforted Xie Xun several times, but she still felt very apologetic.
Madam Jiang had Zhong Rou lead her and Xie Zhen to the backyard, and she and Madam Leng would arrive shortly, leaving the central room for the men to talk in.
It was late autumn, and the backyard was a bit cold. The pavilion was covered by curtains, and there were two more stoves in place. Only then did it barely warm up.
The servant maids brought in a few pastries. In few days when Xie Xun was ill, Madam Leng had forbidden her from eating too much, so she was extremely hungry after seeing the desserts. She picked up a yam cake filled with bean paste and took a bite, her mouth full of sweetness. She couldn’t help but take another bite.
Xie Zhen wanted to laugh as she saw she lowered her head and tried her best to eat. “If mother finds out, she won’t forgive you.”
She was so focused on finishing the bean paste that she realized the seriousness of the situation. She put a piece of dessert in front of Xie Zhen and pleaded, “Don’t tell mother.”
She even knew how to bribe.
Xie Zhen did not take it, but bite a bit with dessert in her hand. “I’m not the only one here,” she said, curling his lips to look across at Zhong Rou.
Zhong Rou, who had been watching, was suddenly called out and turned her head away with a cough.
Xie Xun understood the meaning in her words. She pushed a plate of desserts in front of her, her long eyelashes flashing. “sister Zhong Rou eats too.”
To a girl who put food first, this was probably her most gracious invitation.
Xie Xun had some recollection of that day. Although she was unconscious, she still remembered that someone had rescued her from the water. Later, Xie Zhen told her that it was Zhong Rou who had saved her, and she had always been grateful to Zhong Rou.
However, Zhong Rou was different from other girls. She had a heroic air about her that made people not dare to approach her. Xie Xun had mustered up a lot of courage to say those words.
Fortunately, Zhong Rou was not as difficult to get along with as she appeared to be on the surface. She took a piece of dessert and thoughtfully said, “You can eat.”
Xie Xun smiled and nodded. “Mhmm, hmm, hmm.”
Therefore, she didn’t have any more misgivings. She and began to chew her snacks as she was sitting there quietly, occasionally placing a piece on Xie Zhen and Zhong Rou’s plate for them to eat as well.
Xie Zhen was worried that it would be bad for her stomach if she ate too much at once, she couldn’t help reminding her, “Eat less, your stomach will swell in a moment, and mother will find out.”
Hearing this, she hurriedly stopped, lowering her head to look at her flat stomach, seeing that it did not bulge up, she felt assured.
While she was eating the snacks, Xie Zhen asked Zhong Rou, “I don’t know how sister Zhong’s investigation went. Did anyone see it then?”
Zhong Rou shook her head and said slowly, “After you left the day before yesterday, the servant maids came to tell me that the place where Sixth Miss fell into the water happened to be behind a willow tree. Not many people cared, so no one saw her.”
It was autumn, and the lotus flowers in the lake had long since been defeated, leaving only the lake behind.
Normally, a girl would not want to go to the lake. They would either recite poems in the pavilion or admire the chrysanthemums in the courtyard. At that time, there were only a few people standing by the lake.
When Xie Zhen asked her who they were, she told him about them, including the Third Miss from Provincial governor Lin.
Xie Zhen fell into silence. “Do you have a clue?” she asked.
It was just a guess. After all, there was no conclusive evidence.
Xie Zhen told her what Xie Xun had told her after she woke up. After understanding the situation, it wasn’t hard to guess that Lin Huaping might be the suspect. “But no one saw …”
“We can’t just say it’s her. Unless we find that servant maid, we’ll only be at a disadvantage.”
Hearing this, Zhong Rou looked at Xie Xun. “Do you remember what that servant maid looked like?”
Xie Xun put down the rose cake and nodded gently. “I remember.”
“If you see her again, will you recognize her?”
She lifted her face to reflect on the person’s appearance and nodded affirmatively. “Yes.”
Zhong Rou thought for a moment and said, “On the day after tomorrow, Fifth Brother and I will be going to the Lin Family. If your body recovers, come with me to take a look.”
The Lin Family did not have a close relationship with the General’s mansion, but because Lin Rui had asked General Zhong to do something, they had sent some people to deliver a lot of things.
When General Zhong was not at the residence, Madam Jiang did not understand the situation and accepted them for him.
Zhong Kai knew it later, and he flew into a rage. He had to get someone to send them back. Naturally, this assignment would fall on Zhong Rou and Zhong Shang.
It wasn’t impossible for them to take Xie Xun with them, but …
Xie Zhen frowned, not reassured, ” Ah Xun is a girl, anyone would recognize her with just one glance. I’m afraid this won’t work … …”
Zhong Rou also thought of this and showed some hesitation. “Sixth Miss, you can dress up as a servant maids and come with me. However, I don’t have many servant maids by my side …”
She usually brought a valet with her when she went out.
Before they could come to a conclusion, someone came from afar with a food box.
Judging from the long legs and broad strides, one could tell that it was no doubt Zhong Shang.
Before the Xie family had arrived, Zhong Shang had been sent by Zhong Rou to buy desserts on the street. She had even ordered the jujube paste sponge cake and rose lotus seed cake from Babao building.
Babao building was several streets away from the General’s mansion, and it would take hours to travel there. However, Zhong Rou did not like to order people around, so she insisted on calling him over.
When Zhong Shang had bought the snacks, he could have sent them to the servant maids, but he didn’t. He took them himself.
He immediately saw Zhong Rou and the two girls sitting in the pavilion.
He strode forward, his gaze involuntarily slanting to the side.
Xie Xun was sitting at Zhong Rou’s side, her head slightly drooped. It was unknown whether she was thinking about something or sleeping.
He deliberately placed the food box in front of her and grinned, “sis, do you like jujube paste sponge cake?”
She looked up when she heard the sound.
Like a frightened little mouse.
Her round eyes were open, her cheeks thinner, her skin whiter than snow, so white and tender that it reminded one of the sweet dumplings.
He wondered if he take a bite on her, would she be sweet and sticky.
Xie Xun remembered him. He was the one who took her to see Gao Xun last time, and almost stole the snacks she bought from Babao building.
She just didn’t expect him to be from the general’s family.
Zhong Rou didn’t answer. She asked him to put down the snacks before leaving. “Father is in the central room. You can go take a look.”
He nodded, but did not move his feet. Instead, he removed the lid of the sandalwood food box and took out plates of desserts, including candied lotus root, lotus root, jujube paste sponge cake and rose lotus seed cake.
Everything was done with exquisite workmanship, and a sweet smell assaulted his nose, tempting his appetite.
Every time he took out a plate of dessert, he deliberately stopped it in front of Xie Xun for a moment.
He lower his eyes and saw her staring at his hand. She looked extremely adorable, as if she wanted to eat but didn’t dare to.
He had only wanted to tease her, but who would have thought that he would be so addicted that he could not retract his hand.
Zhong Rou looked at him deeply and did not say anything.
Zhong Shang had never seen such a glutton girl like her. Most women were reserved, especially at the dinner table.
Even when she was eating, she still ate slowly to restrain herself. He had never seen anyone so obsessed with eating.
He looked at Xie Xun but said to Zhong Rou, “When I buy some snacks, the shopkeeper told me that if they get cold it won’t taste good, so sis eat it while it’s hot.”
After saying that, he put down the last plate of the three layers of Jade Sesame Cake, turned around and walked back.
After walking a short distance, he heard a small voice ask, “Elder sister, can I eat?”
Xie Zhen held her head with her hands, seeming helplessly.“If I say no, will you listen to me?”
She smiled, a little girlish sweetness, and her voice floated into his ears, reminding him of the day she cried on nanny’s back.
So cute.
Not long after they arrived at the general’s mansion, General Zhong and Madam Jiang prepared to keep them for dinner. Madam Leng and Xie Liqing were about to agree, a servant from the sixth prince’s Mansion asked for a meeting.
Xie Zhen did not know what was going on in the house, she went with Yan Yu to the door to check it out.
The person outside the door was steward Zhao. When he saw them come out, he quickly came over to welcome them.
Steward Zhao’s forehead was covered in sweat. Yan Yu and Xie Zhen were not in the mansion. Originally, he had gone to the Duke Dingguo’s Mansion to look for them, but after being informed that they had come to the General’s Estate, he had hurried over here.
Now that he finally saw them, it was as if he had found his backbone. “Your Highness, princess, quickly follow this old servant back home to take a look!”
The carriages outside were already prepared, so they had no choice but to head back.
Butler Zhao was a very steady person. Normally, he would not make such a fuss. It must be something urgent that made him so flustered.
Xie Zhen’s heart skipped a beat. “What’s the matter?”
The steward then recounted what had happened, “This morning…”
So it turned out that this morning, the maid of the Pavilion Changqing came to find him and said that Madam Li’s condition wasn’t too good and she asked steward Zhao to get a doctor to diagnose for her.
Because Xie Zhen and Yan Yu returned home today, steward Zhao was too busy managing the Zhanyue Court to care about this matter. When he recalled, it was already noon.
He had the servant maids ask about Madam Li’s condition, but didn’t expect Madam Li to be so close to death.
He immediately let someone get a doctor, who only shook his head and said that there was nothing he could do.
The steward didn’t dare to delay and hurriedly came to find the sixth prince.
After listening, Yan Yu unexpectedly walked out without the slightest emotion. “How is she now?”
The steward shook his head and said, “probably nearly die.”
Yan Yu got into the carriage first and handed his hand to Xie Zhen. When he pulled her up, he noticed that her small hands were cold.
He thought she was afraid of the dead, and he paused. He didn’t know how to comfort her, but only to say, “It’s all right.”
In fact, it was never what Xie Zhen was afraid of.
After the sixth prince’s carriage left, Gao Xun came out from behind the gate. He stood by the door for a moment before finally bringing out a horse from the stables and running after it.