rebirth of an abandoned woman
“Bring me back to your house, will you? Even if I will be without status, I’m satisfied just being by your side! I don’t want other people to look down on me. I don’t want that to happen any more…” The whimpering from the woman in red was faintly heard. Subsequently, the man’s soft sigh could also be heard.
Qin Shi spat in contempt and said softly, “A person like you wants to get married into his family? It won’t be strange if you caused chaos and complete mess! This gentleman looks upright, but who knew that he would be tempted by a brazen sl*t! I wonder how angry and sad his parents must be!”
Liu Ya suddenly said with a smile, “Their accents sound like they’re from Qingzhou too!”
All of a sudden, Sang Wan stopped and looked back. She seemed startled for a moment. Although she had only cast a glance at them, that man resembled Shi Fengju. Even his stature was similar when she had looked over at them.
Could this man be Shi Fengming, who had headed south? That woman had called him ‘Second Young Master’, and he had called her Qing’er? Sang Wan’s heart shook.
“Young Mistress, if you’re tired, let’s go back!” Qin Shi said when she saw Sang Wan stop in her tracks.
At that moment, Sang Wan didn’t have the mood to continue strolling. After she heard what Qin Shi said, she nodded her head and answered, “Head servant Qin, those two were too rude. Send two servants to follow them and see where they stay!”
Since she had met them, Sang Wan had to investigate clearly.
“Yes, Young Mistress!” Qin Shi agreed. Those two were simply repulsive. It was no wonder that her Young Mistress, who was gentle and amiable, had gotten angry.
When Sang Wan returned to the house, she called the head servant over and asked about Shi Fengju’s whereabouts as well as when he would return home.
In the past few days, Shi Fengju had been busy getting in touch and associating with people from the Chamber of Commerce. Since Sang Wan had never asked that before, the head servant was slightly astonished but also relieved. He understood that it was normal for his Young Mistress to feel worried. His young master was wealthy and handsome. During this time every year, the courtesans would gather in Hangzhou. Despite being only a short eight-day period, it was enough to make anyone feel worried. Therefore, it was natural for the Young Mistress to be worried.
The head servant replied honestly with a smile, “I’m not sure.”
It was better not to take part in anything regarding his masters!
Unexpectedly, Sang Wan did not intend to let him off and said, “Send someone to find out. Tell him that I have something urgent for him. If he is free, tell him to come back early today!”
Without a choice, the head servant agreed before carrying out what he was told.
Sang Wan had initially thought that Shi Fengju would return just before dinner. However, he came back not long after word was sent. He walked in with a smile and asked, “Sang Wan, you were looking for me?”
Upon seeing him come back so quickly, Sang Wan felt very apologetic. She quickly got up and welcomed him before replying with a smile, “It’s only a small matter that can be told later on. Did I delay you from any proper business?”
Shi Fengju shook his head with a smile and sat down. “Since you were looking for me, I got to skive for half a day!”
When Sang Wan saw that he was waiting for her to speak, she hesitated as she was afraid that her guess might be wrong.
“Um… Did your second younger brother head south? Do you think it’s possible that he’s in Hangzhou?”
Shi Fengju’s eyes lit up. “That’s possible! Second Brother loves liveliness, so he might have come here. However, he knows that I’ll definitely be here!” In other words, if he did not want to be found, he would probably avoid this place.
“Does the woman with him have a ‘Qing’ in her name?” Sang Wan asked again.
When Sang Wan asked that, Shi Fengju could not help but knit his brows slightly. “She’s called Su Qing’er. She isn’t a proper lady. Why did you bring her up, Sang Wan?”
At that moment, Sang Wan was certain. She then told him everything that had happened at the West Lake that day.
Shi Fengju’s expression turned cold. “That woman is so frivolous! How dare she pester you in broad daylight?”
Sang Wan felt warm that he was concerned about her and said softly, “Who could have expected this? At that time, Head Servant Qin dealt with her and I did not talk to her.”
Shi Fengju’s expression then eased. “Head Servant Qin is steadfast and capable. She did not neglect her job.”
“I’ve already asked someone to follow them secretly. However, I wouldn’t dare to be sure if he’s really the Second Young Master. ”
Shi Fengju muttered and responded with a smile, “We’ll talk about this when the servants return! We’ll know for sure when I go and pay a visit! If I can really bring Second Brother back with me this time, it would be a big matter.”
Sang Wan suddenly recalled what she had heard after she left. She thought for a while and said with a smile, “Su Qing’er seemed to want him to bring her back too! When the time comes and Second Young Master insists on taking her along, would you agree to it?”
“How can I?” Shi Fengju opposed without thinking and said, “If that woman can enter the Shi household, Second Brother wouldn’t have escaped angrily at that time. Besides, having a tainted reputation as someone from the brothel, the rule that my great-grandfather has set up would be broken! After such a long time, Second Brother still only has that woman in his heart?”
Sang Wan recalled what she had seen and felt that he didn’t just have her in his heart, he was simply obedient to her! He would even ask for tea for her.
“You’ll know at that time!” Sang Wan said with a smile, “I wonder when they will be back to report about this. Do you still need to leave the house?”
Shi Fengju shook his head and answered with a smile, “How could I still have the mood to do anything outside? I’ll just wait with you!”
However, the people who were tailing did not return even when evening came. Sang Wan sighed lightly and ordered the servants to set up the table for dinner. Some time after the two of them had their dinner, those two women hurried back to report about the matter.
“What took you two so long? You didn’t lose them, did you? ‘When Sang Wan heard that they had come back, she quickly went forward to ask them.
The two of them looked very tired. After Sang Wan asked them, one of them quickly answered, “Young Mistress, don’t worry. Which part of Hangzhou are we not familiar with? How could we have lost them? That gentleman and lady strolled for a very long time. Afterward, they sat down at a teahouse and then strolled for half a day downtown. Then, they had their dinner at Furong Restaurant before they took the horse carriage home! We did not dare to walk away, so we kept following them!”
“The two of you have done a great job! Each of you shall be rewarded with 5 silvers later on!” Sang Wan nodded her head with a smile before she quickly asked where they were staying.
When the two women saw that their Young Master’s expression was dark and he was sitting at the side without uttering a word, they knew that their Young Mistress had definitely brought up the day’s matter to him. Their Young Master must be angry and wanted to quickly seek justice for her. They quickly told them the address, which was at a small courtyard at No. 160 at South Cui Liu Lane, Guang Lin Street.
“Sang Wan, I’ll go over there. You rest first!” Shi Fengju got up right away after hearing that.
“Be careful on your way!” Sang Wan got up and sent him off. When she saw that his expression didn’t look good, she couldn’t help but persuade him gently, “If it’s what we expect, talk to him nicely. Don’t end up quarreling!”
Shi Fengju smiled and caressed her face. “Don’t worry! I’ll grab this chance and not let him escape!”
Sang Wan smiled and watched him leave.
The two servants looked each other in the eyes and felt secretly envious—Young Master treated the Young mistress really well! He even went to seek justice for her at this hour!
Shi Fengju took Zhan Huan, four young servants, and two capable female servants along with him, and easily found the place.
Before Zhan Huan got down the horse, Shi Fengju had jumped off from the horse carriage and knocked on the door. His crude voice represented the anger and impatience within him.
“Who’s being so unruly? What are you knocking so loudly for?” An impatient voice was heard from the courtyard, and the door suddenly opened. A servant in green clothes, who had opened the door, stared at the uninvited guest and was about to scold him. Under the moonlight, he was stunned to see Shi Fengju standing before him with a cold expression and an upright posture. He stammered, “Young… Young… Master…”
“Hmph!” Shi Fengju casted a cold glance at him and pushed him aside. “Move aside!”
“Young Master!” Shi Lu became very anxious, wanting to step forward to stop him, yet he was hesitant. Before he could react, Shi Fengju had brought his people in. Zhan Huan pulled him away and whispered, “Brother, aren’t you a foolish one? You still want to inform them that First Young Master is here? You won’t be at the losing end if he manages to persuade the Second Young Master to go home, but if you carry on being an accomplice, Second Old Master and Second Old Mistress would surely beat you to death!”
Shi Lu turned pale instantly.
There were two entrances inside out of this courtyard, and the place was not big either. Shi Fengju ordered two servants to guard at the gates while he slowly went to the house with two female servants.
There was light in the house up ahead, and the two figures, reflected in the paper doors, shifted gently. A man and a woman could be seen clearly. There was another shadow faintly visible on the side, which should belong to a servant.
Shi Fengju gestured for the two female servants to stand under the porch, while he walked forward and stood outside the window. He could hear the voices inside clearly from where he stood.
“Second Young Master, have you carefully thought about what I said today?” Su Qing’er asked with a delicate voice and her silhouette shook slightly. It must be because she was shaking Shi Fengming’s arm while asking that.
Shi Fengming answered vaguely with a smile, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow, okay? Qing’er, aren’t you tired after strolling around for a day? Ask Xiao Lian to draw some water to take a bath. Let’s rest early…”
“No!” Su Qing’er snorted coquettishly and said, “Do you still need to think about this? You obviously look down on me and won’t take me back to your house! I don’t need any status, really. I just want to be with you. That’s all I want. Your parents should not be angry anymore after so long. Let’s go back and beg them. You’re their son. How could they refuse you so easily? Second Young Master, you’re as noble as gold and jade, but you’ve been wandering around with me. How can I live with that? Your parents must be worried sick at home and miss you every night. My sins are only going to get heavier! Let’s go back, okay! We can’t live like this forever!”
“Qing’er, you’re too good and honest!” Shi Fengming said with a soft sigh, “You’ve thought it through for me. However, you know my father’s temper. He has never liked me very much. If we go back, he won’t let us off easily. With so many people in the household, it will be impossible for us to escape by then! If he does anything to you, I…”