Chapter 32: Ups and Downs (10)

“Sir, please try the pastries that Li Niang just made.”
Shen Li Niang had entered the study at some point and walked up to Li Kuo’s side, placing a plate of desserts on the desk.
“Oh, it’s Li Niang.”
Li Kuo finally pulled himself out of his thoughts and smiled slightly at the beautiful woman before him.
Over the past month, he had hinted several times about her future here, but Li Niang seemed not to grasp the meaning behind his words and gave no response.
“Seeing that the light in your study was still on, Li Niang thought you might still be awake, so she made these desserts for you as a late-night snack.”
Shen Li Niang bowed gracefully, her expression full of tenderness.
“Oh, thank you, Li Niang.”
Li Kuo nodded slightly in gratitude.
“Are you reading a military book?”
Shen Li Niang glanced at the “Art of War” on the desk and asked softly.
“I was just browsing. Now that you mention it, I’m actually hungry.”
Picking up a piece of pastry, Li Kuo tasted its sweetness, which spread throughout his mouth, leaving him feeling refreshed.
“Li Niang, what did you add to these pastries to make them so delicious?”
Li Kuo was surprised that Shen Li Niang could make such tasty desserts and praised her highly.
“Sir, I mixed locust flowers and osmanthus flowers into the flour, along with sugar, which is why they taste so refreshing.”
Shen Li Niang nodded at Li Kuo, her voice gentle and touching.
“No wonder—my A Tian can’t make such pastries.”
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Li Kuo picked up another piece of pastry.
“If you like them, Li Niang will make them for you every night from now on.”
Shen Li Niang was overjoyed and said in a sweet voice.
“Oh, that’s not necessary. Li Niang, there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a while but haven’t found the chance. Since you’re here today, I…”
Li Kuo swallowed the pastry and smiled at Shen Li Niang.
“Sir!”
Shen Liang quickly covered his mouth with a handkerchief, her eyes filled with concern. “Sir, please think carefully before saying anything.”
Gently pushing her hand away, Li Kuo sighed. “Ever since I bought this house, you’ve been living here. I thought that after some time, when things settled down, you’d be free to find a good husband. But you, Li Niang…”

“Please stop speaking, sir! Li Niang truly has nowhere to go now. Ever since she was bought by Colonel Wu, she has been locked up in a large mansion, with no contact with the outside world. If you insist on sending her away now, aren’t you pushing me into a dead end? Besides, Li Niang is not someone who fails to repay kindness. You have saved her life, so you are her savior. I have nothing to offer in return except… except my body…”
By this point, Shen Li Niang’s voice had taken on a hint of crying, and her tears were truly moving.
“Li Niang, I’m not trying to send you away. It’s just that for a young woman to stay in my household for so long might harm your reputation,” Li Kuo said soothingly with a sigh.
“Oh, so you look down on my background. I see… I see…”
Shen Li Niang clearly misinterpreted Li Kuo’s intentions and, in anger, laughed bitterly: “Sir, though I am a woman of lowly origin, I still understand what chastity means. Though I may not be pure as lotus flowers, I have always preserved my virtue and was known as a chaste woman in the brothel. Later, although Colonel Wu bought me and made me his concubine, he fell ill after that and was unable to engage in… such affairs. So, I am still a virgin…”
By the end, Shen Li Niang’s voice was barely audible. Feeling humiliated, she buried her head in her arms and began to sob softly.
“Ah, Li Niang, it’s not that I despise your background. It’s just…”
Li Kuo sighed and said, “It’s that I already have someone in my heart. I’m afraid I’ll disappoint your kind intentions.”
Hearing this, Shen Li Niang raised her head and asked, “Is it Miss A Tian who’s in your heart, sir?”
Li Kuo was surprised by her quick insight and asked, “How do you know?”
Shen Li Niang wiped away the tears from her eyes and said, “We’re both women; how could we not see it? Young Master Yan Ji said that when you were young, your family was poor, and Miss A Tian would often come to your house to do laundry and cook, and she also helped take care of your aunt. You must have seen all of this. As the saying goes, childhood friends grow up together, and over time, feelings develop. If the man has feelings and the woman is willing, it’s a wonderful match.”
“Since you already know, please don’t insist any longer.”
“What’s there to insist about? Sir, don’t worry. I’m willing to be your concubine!”

Shen Liniang gathered her thoughts and spoke slowly, emphasizing each word. “With the young master’s current status, having several concubines is entirely normal. Besides, even if he doesn’t think of himself, he should consider the old lady. With him leading troops away, how can he go without someone to take care of him? As the legitimate wife, Miss A Tian must stay in the capital according to imperial laws. If there’s no one by his side to look after him, how worried the old lady will be.”

“This…”

“The young master needn’t hesitate. Without his rescue, Liniang would surely have been sold to a brothel by that heartless Wu. I had already prepared to die to show my resolve, but it was the young master who saved me. Grateful for his kindness, I am willing to dedicate myself to him in return for his great kindness.”

Shen Liniang didn’t give Li Kuo a chance to speak. She knelt on the ground and said through gritted teeth, “Liniang… you…”

Unexpecting things to turn out this way, Li Kuo was utterly helpless. “Get up first. Let’s discuss this slowly.”

“No. If the young master refuses Liniang, she will stay kneeling.”

Shen Liniang bit her lip and said resolutely, “Ah, why go to such lengths? Why?”

Li Kuo felt suffocated. He paced back and forth in the room, pondering for a long time before sighing, “Alright, I’ll agree to your request for now. But don’t spread this around. If you change your mind, you can leave at any time. I won’t hold you back!”

Delighted at the young man’s approval, Shen Liniang stood up and bowed gracefully. “Thank you, young master, for your compassion!”

“You…!”

Li Kuo waved his hand helplessly, smiling bitterly.

Not far away, behind a rock, Du Jingtian was furious. If not for Zhang Yanji holding her sleeve, she might have rushed into the room already. “Let go of me! Let go! I want to storm in and kill that unfaithful Li Xiaoqi!”

Du Jingtian waved her fists and cursed loudly. “Oh, my lady, please be quieter! If you keep shouting like this, Brother Kuo and Liniang will hear you!”

Zhang Yanji quickly covered Du Jingtian’s mouth, pleading repeatedly. “Ugh… let go… Ugh, I want them to hear… Ugh!” “Ah!”

Zhang Yanji let out a pained cry and instinctively pulled his hand away from Du Jingtian’s mouth. “Lady, speak properly. Why bite someone?”

“If you don’t let go, how can I speak properly? I think you’re in cahoots with that damned Li! You men are all worthless!” The young lady felt aggrieved, and even Zhang Yanji took a hit.

“Injustice! It’s all injustice! If not for me pulling you here, you’d still be in the dark. Injustice—pure and simple injustice!”
“It must be that Li Niang who seduced Xiao Qi, that wretched woman!”
“Yes, yes, it must be her who seduced Brother Kuo. I knew she wasn’t good…”
“Ow!”
Zhang Yanji felt a sharp pain in his left foot. Looking down, he saw Miss Du’s delicate foot firmly stepping on his foot.
“Hey, why do you bite people as well as stamp on them? What did I say wrong again? My life is so miserable…”
Zhang Yanji’s mouth twisted in pain as he regretted bringing the girl along.
“I want to ask him why he betrayed me!”
The more Du Jingtian thought about it, the angrier she became, and eventually she ran toward the study.
“Oh, my lady! Brother Kuo, I’m sorry to you. You… just fend for yourself…”
Zhang Xiaolangjun moaned while rubbing his foot.
Li Kuo was chatting casually with Shen Li Niang when the door was suddenly pushed open. Du Jingtian, with tears streaming down her face, glared at the young man and spat, “Dead Xiao Qi, you despicable wretch! You deserve to be turned into an omelet! You’re such a playboy!”
Li Kuo was slightly stunned, his lips twitching slightly. “A Tian, weren’t you supposed to be asleep? How…?”
“Yes, I went to bed. You got to chat with this fox spirit. I went to bed, and you had a secret meeting with her. I wondered why you’ve been so distracted these days—turns out you were thinking about this fox spirit!”
Du Jingtian shouted at Li Kuo, tears welling up again.
“Miss A Tian, things aren’t as you think. I and the young master…”
Shen Li Niang, unable to bear to see Li Kuo misunderstood, stepped forward and whispered an explanation.
“Ah!”
Shen Li Niang looked at Du Jingtian in surprise, touched her burning cheek, and began to sob softly.
“A Tian, stop it!”
Li Kuo grabbed Du Jingtian’s hand and snapped, “What are you trying to do?”
“You shout at me? You, dead Xiao Qi, you actually shout at me? Now that you’ve become the military envoy, you no longer need me, so you shout at me? You look down on me, don’t you? You hate me, right? Go chat with your Li Niang, Jiaoniang, or that pretender—never think of seeing me again!”
Du Jingtian shook off Li Kuo’s hand forcefully and ran out, covering her face with her right arm.
“Lady, where are you going?”
Seeing Du Jingtian rushing over, Zhang Yanji hurried to meet her.
“Ah! Why are you hitting me too?”
It was the third time that night he was beaten by Miss Du. Zhang Yanji had no way to express his suffering.

“Stinky man, you bunch of dead buns, deserve to be turned into scrambled eggs, you stinky man. Stinky man…”