Wife Doting Addiction：My Abducted Tsundere Husband

Chapter 58: Bone-deep Pride

 

Qiao An led Su Jiu and Chang Huan out of the flower garden and to the east until they arrived at the eastmost room of the courtyard. After entering the room, they immediately closed the door behind them.

There were a few wooden shelves in the room, displaying all kinds of jade or porcelain items. In the middle were eight mahogany chests.

“The four on the bottom are the ones we filled with rocks, and the four on the top are the chests of dowry from the Su family!” Qiao An opened one of the chests as he spoke and removed the red silk covering the contents, revealing what was inside.

There was a pair of white porcelain flower vases adorned with pink butterflies, a pair of emerald-green jade kettles with cracking patterns, a pair of vanity boxes decorated with colorful phoenixes outlined in gold…

This chest was almost entirely filled with ceramics.

Su Jiu opened another chest that was filled with individual red boxes with floral engravings. Inside a few of the boxes, she found a pair of emerald-green jade bangles, a pair of phoenix hairpins encrusted with pearls, a pair of white-jade butterfly hairpins…

This chest was mostly filled with jewelry.

Su Jiu looked inside the other chests as well and found that only one chest contained a wooden box with one thousand taels of silver inside. The other items in the chests were either silks or ceramics.

Su Jiu closed the chest with a wrinkled brow. It looked like their decision to remain in Ji Manor was correct.

Although the dowry was worth a great deal of money, most of it was in items and physical goods. They would have to take these items to a pawn shop in order to exchange them for silver.

But if they were to run away, Ji Manor would immediately investigate. It would be impossible for them to take the items to pawn shops within Shengjing City. And if they were to transport the items outside of Shengjing City, the breakable ceramics and heavy silks would be difficult to carry.

The only thing they would be able to take away were the thousand silver taels.

If all they received was a thousand taels of silver after all their hard work, none of them would be happy.

And so, their only choice was to continue staying inside Ji Manor.

“Business at our restaurant has been very good recently. Chief, the beef stew you recommended has been very popular, and profits have increased. I think we should invest the thousand silver taels into our restaurant business. Find another busy street and open another shop. What do you think?” Qian An asked Su Jiu.

Su Jiu nodded her head. “This is a pretty good idea. If I can leave Ji Manor within the next few days, let’s all go take a look at the restaurant.”

“Alright.” Qiao An nodded with a grin.

After noontime, Ji Yuxian and Jin Feng returned to Ji Manor. As soon as he entered Cloud Pavilion, Jin Mi rushed to Ji Yuxian’s side with a smile.

“Eldest Young Master, before noontime, Robes Square sent over a painting. They said it is a wedding gift to you from Miss Lan.”

On this day, Ji Yuxian wore a black robe with silver edges and a snow-white cloak. The black and white contrasted especially elegantly.

Ji Yuxian stopped in his tracks. He raised an eyebrow. “Where is it?”

“I put it in your study!”

Ji Yuxian nodded and quickly walked towards his study.

He pushed open the door and felt a gust of warm air on his face. Jin Mi unfastened Ji Yuxian’s cloak.

Indeed, on the desk was a painting already mounted onto a scroll. Ji Yuxian slowly unrolled the scroll, revealing the bamboo painting inside.

Jin Mi, who was behind Ji Yuxian, stood on her tip-toes to take a look. She chuckled lightly. “An excellent painting of bamboo. The stalks and leaves are presented in layers but don’t appear cluttered. The brush strokes are confident, and the bone-deep pride of bamboo is clear.”

Ji Yuxian glanced at Jin Mi with a smile. “You understand the painting very well!”

“I’ve been with Eldest Young Master for quite some time, and so I know some things.” Jin Mi chuckled.

Ji Yuxian smiled, and slowly rolled up the painting. He handed it to Jin Mi. “Store it away.”

He understood what Lan Zhihui meant to convey.

She had her pride and her principles. He never forced her into anything.

“You’re not gonna hang up the painting?” Jin Mi asked.

“No, that’s not necessary. Store it away!”

“Yes, alright.” Ji Mi carefully sealed up the painting and put it in a box on top of the bookshelf.

Ji Yuxian sat down behind his desk and casually picked up the half a book from before. He began flipping through the records of transactions.

Jin Mi, treading lightly, brew a cup of hot tea and put it beside Ji Yuxian’s hand. She took the box of Jasper Incense and added some to the incense burner.

“What did Young Mistress do today?” Ji Yuxian suddenly asked.

Jin Mi started. She looked crestfallen, but her voice remained cheerful. “After breakfast, she went to Jinlan Pavilion to pay her respects to Second Mistress. After that, she staying inside all day. At around noontime, Fourth Young Mistress went to Perched Phoenix Pavilion to pay her respects, but I hear she only stayed there for a moment before returning. Young Mistress told her that it isn’t necessary to pay respects to her in the future.”

“Young Master!” A servant suddenly knocked on the door and entered. “A servant from Lotus Pavilion was sent here to inform you that Second Young Mistress personally made seafood congee, and wishes to dine with you tonight.”

The moment he was done speaking, another servant entered the room and said, “Young Master, Third Young Mistress sent someone to request your presence tonight!”

Jin Mi looked at the two servants coldly. This was only the first day. The three young mistresses in the back courtyard were already growing impatient.

The ancestral rules of the Ji Family stated that a man could take in concubines before marriage. But for the sake of fairness, the man could only consummate his marriage with his concubines after he had consummated his marriage with his wife.

After that, luck would dictate which woman would give birth to the eldest son.

And so the very day after Ji Yuxian’s grand wedding, two of the young mistresses were already eager to invite Ji Yuxian to their quarters.

Ji Yuxian glanced at the two servants and said, “Send word to Perched Phoenix Pavilion. Tonight, I will dine with the Young Mistress.”

Jin Mi rolled her eyes, and said with a hint of unwillingness, “Yes, sir.”

Hearing that Ji Yuxian would come that night, the entire courtyard began busy preparations.

Ji Yuxian’s favorite dishes were prepared, bowls and plates specially for him were prepared, fragrant incense was lit in every room. Everything was flawless.

Su Jiu was the only relaxed individual. She took an afternoon nap that lasted until dusk. After she woke up, she sat on her bed, huddled near the heater, and chit-chatted with Chang Huan as they snacked on sunflower seeds.

If being Young Mistress Ji would always be this relaxing, then she would fall in love with this job.

Her mouth was dry from the sunflower seeds, so she sipped on some hot tea. Outside, the sky was already dark.

Nanny ran into the room. “Miss, Eldest Young Master is approaching the dining room! Hurry over to the dining room!”

Su Jiu stretched lazily. “Let’s go. Time for dinner!”

She led Nanny and Chang Huan out the door and towards the dining room. The moment she walked in, she saw Ji Yuxian sitting behind the dining table. Behind him stood the proud little servant girl that they had encountered in the restaurant, and at his side was four or five other servant girls, all prepared to serve dinner.

Su Jiu glanced at the servants, and her lips curved into a smile. “Is this preparing to eat a meal, or preparing to go into battle?”

He needed so many people just to help him eat a meal?

A high-maintenance man, indeed!

Ji Yuxian sat on the large chair with closed eyes, feigning sleep, or perhaps just waiting for her. He slowly opened his eyes when he heard her speak. At that moment, the brightness of his eyes made the candlelight pale in comparison.

“Sit, my wife.”

“I don’t like it when so many people watch me eat.” Su Jiu shrugged.

Ji Yuxian glanced at his side. “Go.”

“Yes.”

The servant girls exited the room, leaving only Jin Mi.

Su Jiu sat down and gestured towards Chang Huan and Nanny. “Let’s eat! Why are you still standing?”

Jin Mi giggled, and said with a condescending tone, “The Su family allows masters and servants to dine at one table?”

Su Ji lifted her head and looked at Ji Mi. She smiled, but her eyes were cold. “If you don’t want to watch, then go!”

“You!” Jin Mi glared at Su Jiu.

“Jin Mi!” Ji Yuxian spoke calmly. “When did Ji Manor make the rule that servants can speak back to their masters?”

Jin Mi immediately paled. She fell onto her knees, facing Ji Yuxian. “I behaved improperly!”

“Go!” Ji Yuxian ordered, but his voice remained warm and calm.

“Yes!” Jin Mi rose from her knees and headed towards the door with her head bowed. When she passed by Su Jiu, she glanced at Su Jiu with a malicious gimmer in her eye.

Nanny, fearing that Su Jiu would insist that she and Chang Huan dine with them, quickly took Chang Huan and left the room.