Zhang Hanfang had lived with brocade garments and jade meals all her life. Hence, she had some insights. However, she wouldn’t set her eyes on those jewelries sold in the ordinary shops. The jewelries she used were mostly made from gold and jade by a famous craftsman they invited to their home. She only cared about the material used and the style. She also knew which one was expensive and which one wasn’t worth much money. However, she wasn’t clear about the market price.
Brocade garments and jade meals: life of luxury.
Therefore, after she heard old maid Ding say that, she became agitated and said, “This is only worth a thousand silver liang? How could that be possible? Calculate again!”
Old maid Ding pouted slightly and said, “This old one had already calculated three times. This is indeed worth a thousand silver liang. If miss doesn’t believe this, then, let your nanny have a look or invite a jeweler over.”
Hasn’t she lost enough face at Gu household? Zhang Hanfang ignored her and only turned her eyes full of doubts at nanny Guan.
Nanny Guan’s expression was extremely bad. She muttered unwillingly, “Although, the estimated price is a bit lower, but it isn’t too far…”
Zhang Hanfang was stiff for a while. She took a deep breath and said, “Didn’t madam give three hundred silver liang when we came out? Take it out…”
While nanny Guan wiped her sweat, she said, “Miss, you’ve spent a lot on rewarding people. Now, there’s only two hundred silver liang left.”
“Take it out,” Zhang Hanfang interrupted her.
Nanny Guan had to take out the two hundred silver liang banknotes. Meijing went forward and took them from her.
Even so, there was still a shortage of three hundred silver liang that hasn’t been filled yet. Zhang Hanfang was truly embarrassed. A breath of grievance couldn’t go down her throat and she was almost dying from anger. But now, as the matters stood, she couldn’t back out anymore. She could only groaningly and full of hate take off all the accessories on her head, body, hands and ears. Then, she threw them inside of nanny Guan’s hands.
“One hundred and twenty silver liang,” old maid Ding reported the price with diligence.
The fire had happened at night. Zhang Hanfang had put on night clothes and took of her jewelries before sleeping. Even if she had woken up afterwards, she didn’t dress up. The jewelries she wore were simple and limited.
Shu Huan saw that she (ZHF) couldn’t gather anymore, she shook her head slightly and had to say, “Forget the rest of the money.”
It wasn’t that she was soft-hearted. It was that this face had been slapped too fiercely. Although, Zhang Hanfang was in the wrong and she had the responsibility to pay up the compensation, but so many people cooperated together to urge her into paying a compensation and watched her take off all her jewelries. It truly had the taste like they were bullying her. Plus the fact that she was old madam’s granddaughter after all; if they let her leave even more cleanly than when she’d been robbed, then, it wouldn’t be only slapping her (ZHF) face, but it would also be slapping Zhang household’s face. The matter could then easily get out of hand.
Gu Xiran naturally understood Shu Huan’s intention and looked at her with praise. He felt that she had become more thoughtful than when she first came here. Hence, he also slowly opened her mouth, “This is enough. The sky is almost bright. It’s better for little cousin sister to go rest a bit. I will let people prepare the carriage. When you’ve rested enough, you can leave any time.”
Zhang Hanfang had been resisting to not allow herself to cry, but listening to him at this moment, her nose itched and her tears couldn’t be stopped from falling. However, her personality was still spoiled and naturally she was stubborn. She had set her heart on paying the remaining money. Hence, she ignored them, turned her head and said to her nanny and maids, “Take off your jewelries! Those who has money on them, give all to me! When we are back at home, I will pay you back!”
Their own miss had taken off all her jewelries. Even if the maids were very unwilling, they didn’t dare to speak. They silently took out all the jewelries and money on their bodies with lowered head.
Zhang Hanfang was accustomed to scatter money. If she was happy, she could even reward a whole silver ingot to people. Therefore, when the maids and the nanny gathered together, they were able to gather things worth of two hundred silver liang.
This was enough, but Zhang Hanfang naturally couldn’t let Shu Huan return the twenty silver liang to her. She didn’t care whether the things would break or not. She threw the things on the ground and ran away in tears.
“Miss,” Nanny Guan chased after her.
The rest of the maids exchanged glances and looked at each other in dismay. Only old maid Ding muttered something, bent over and picked up those things from the ground.
One may escape an untoward act of Heavens, but never the evil of one’s own.
Shu Huan pitied Zhang Hanfang a bit at this moment, but she reaped what she had sown. She deserved it! Therefore, she (SH) only sighed and collected those jewelries and money and said to the maids, “Why are you all standing in daze here? Chase after your miss and let her take a bath and change clothes first. I will let people clean up a room for you to rest in.”
The maids went to chase after Zhang Hanfang. Gu Xiran thought for a moment and then said, “Meijing, follow them and go have a look.”
Meijing promised. After she handed the lantern to Shang Xin, she chased after them.
The surroundings turned quiet. The screams of servants fighting the fire from far away could be heard from time to time. Seeing that the fire gradually got smaller, Shu Huan suddenly felt very tired and couldn’t hold it anymore. She also didn’t want to see to what state Heavily Scented Building was burned into. She just raised her head and said to Gu Xiran, “So tired. Let’s go back.”
Gu Xiran nodded and smiled at old maid Ding, “You should also go rest. Come for a reward tomorrow at Lotus Pavilion.”
Old maid Ding was shamelessly keeping them company just for this sentence. Her old face bloomed into a flower. She promised and went away.
When they returned to Lotus Pavilion, Shu Huan put the jewelry box on the dressing table. Then she fell on the bed and didn’t move anymore because of tiredness. Gu Xiran also lay down. The two looked at each other’s black eye circles and felt that it was very funny.
Shu Huan said first, “What to do with those jewelries?”
Gu Xiran laughed, “Keep them first. If old madam asks about it, then hand it over. If she doesn’t ask about it, then it’s a small advantage to us.”
Shu Huan nodded, closed her eyes and didn’t spoke again.
It was unlikely that old madam would ask about it. Unless, Zhang Hanfang went to complain tearfully. However, with her temperament, she would be to shameful to talk about such an embarrassing thing. Even if her family asks about it, she would presumably just make up a lie.
At this point, Shu Huan suddenly felt that this arrogant girl wasn’t so hateful anymore. After all, she obviously could’ve not paid the compensation, but she obediently paid it after being urged by people. Such people are very foolish and naïve and were truly hard to find in this world. However, she (SH) didn’t feel guilt or not at peace after having taken her (ZHF) money. Firstly, the fire wasn’t caused by them and at first, they also didn’t have the thought to ask for money. Secondly, old madam wouldn’t ask Zhang Hanfang for a compensation, but she was so arrogant, willful, bossy and created trouble for people all day long; if they didn’t teach her a lesson, she (SH) would truly sorry for her (SH) conscience.
While she indulged in her thoughts, she fell asleep. Half conscious, she felt a hand disrobing her. She was so tired that she truly didn’t want to move. She turned over and muttered vaguely, “Don’t…”
How would Gu Xiran be so horny? Originally, he only thought that she would be uncomfortable sleeping with clothes on and just wanted to undress her for her to sleep more comfortably. Only after she said that did he got some dirty thoughts. However, he hasn’t had the time to take this opportunity to eat some tofu yet when Meijing knocked on the door and said, “Second young master and mistress, are you asleep?”
Eat tofu: take advantage sexually. This idiom came to be because of the story about how women would flirt with male customers to sell more tofu and some would even grope the women. The wives of those customers got jealous and will complain to their husbands afterwards, “You went to eat tofu again.”
It seemed that today was truly not a lucky day!
Gu Xiran sighed very helplessly and put the quilt on Shu Huan. He got up and went to open the door, “What’s the matter?”
Meijing said apologetically, “I remember that second young master had medicinal wine for a spraining ankle here. I wanted to take it to miss Zhang.”
There was indeed some here. Ji Danqing gave it after Shu Huan sprained her ankle last time. Gu Xiran went to search for it and handed it to her. Then, he asked, “Why? Did she sprain her foot?”
“Yes…yes…,” Meijing was a bit embarrassed and was afraid that he would ask more. She just said, “Second young master, you should go have a rest. I will leave first.”
Gu Xiran didn’t have the intention to ask more. He only made a “mm” sound and then closed the door.
Only now did Meijing let out a sigh of relief and felt lucky.
Zhang Hanfang had been surrounded by flames and smoke all night long. After her anger had lessened, she discovered that she was stinking. She went straight to the hot spring to take a bath. Who would’ve thought that she was too much in a hurry and didn’t pay attention? When she went into the pool, she stepped on the crack of the stones in the pool. Of course, the result was that she would sprain her ankle. The reason why the stones used to pave the pool was so loose had something to do with Meijing.
Usually, when Shu Huan wanted to paint stones, it was Meijing who went to pick stones inside the pool. After picking for a long time, the stones paved tightly in the pool got some inter-space between them…
Fortunately, after Zhang Hanfang received a big blow, she didn’t have the strength and mind to investigate the cause of this sprain. Gu Xiran and Shu Huan naturally would also not ask about it. Even if they asked, they wouldn’t punish her and sent her over for Zhang Hanfang to vent her anger on. It just happened to let her escape from a calamity.
