sjar Chapter 401 Be Careful What You Speak. This is the General's Mansion; walls have ears.
Chapter 401 Be Careful What You Speak. This is the General's Mansion; walls have ears.
The next morning, as dawn broke, two slender figures appeared in the courtyard.
The two women sent by Consort Shu, one named Yingyue and the other Qinghe, had already dressed and were waiting respectfully in the courtyard to pay their respects to Chu Ruohan.
The morning breeze carried a slight chill, ruffling their rather thin clothes.
Gu Junze pushed open the door, dressed in a black casual suit, his posture upright.
Upon seeing this, Yingyue's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible joy. She quickly stepped forward, curtsied, and said in a soft, charming voice, "This servant, Yingyue, greets the General."
Gu Junze acted as if he hadn't seen her at all, not even sparing her a glance, and walked straight past her, exuding a cold aura that kept strangers at bay.
Yingyue's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal, as if she hadn't been affected at all. Only her lowered eyelids concealed the emotions in her eyes.
Qinghe stood quietly to the side, her head bowed, without uttering a word.
Chu Ruohan did not rush to get up.
She leisurely ate her breakfast, and after Yuling helped her wash and dress, she changed into a loose and comfortable plain brocade dress before saying, "Let them in."
Yu Ling responded and went out to deliver the message.
Before long, Yingyue and Qinghe walked in one after the other.
As soon as Yingyue entered, she greeted everyone with a smile and her tone was extremely attentive: "This servant greets Madam. Madam looks radiant today. The little prince in your womb must be taking good care of you and hasn't been bothering you."
As she spoke, she scrutinized Chu Ruohan closely, her gaze filled with a hint of inquiry.
Qinghe simply followed quietly behind, bowed respectfully, and stood to the side with her hands at her sides, silent, like a jade sculpture without any emotion.
One is active, the other is still; one is eloquent and charming, the other is calm and reserved.
Chu Ruohan picked up her teacup, gently stirred the floating leaves, and thought to herself: Consort Shu really knows how to pick people.
She put down her teacup and said calmly, "Now that I am unwell and lack energy, you don't need to come to pay your respects every day anymore. Just keep to your own business."
Yingyue's smile faltered slightly, seemingly surprised by Chu Ruohan's directness, but she immediately replied, "Yes, madam. If you have any orders, please feel free to send me."
Qinghe also curtsied.
"Okay," Chu Ruohan nodded, "You can go down now."
"Yes, this servant will take her leave." Yingyue and Qinghe bowed and slowly withdrew.
As Yingyue stepped out of the courtyard of the main house, the smile on her face faded somewhat.
She originally thought that with her looks and skills, even if she couldn't immediately gain the general's favor, she could at least win some favor with the lady.
To everyone's surprise, Chu Ruohan was so indifferent, not even bothering to say anything extra to them.
She couldn't help but feel annoyed and complained to Qinghe beside her in a low voice, "Hmph, so what if Madam is beautiful? What man in this world doesn't stray? The general seems devoted now, but it's just that the time hasn't come yet."
Qinghe remained silent, but quickened her pace slightly, as if she didn't want to say anything more to her.
Their conversation was overheard by the maid hidden in the shadows, and it quickly reached Chu Ruohan's ears.
After hearing Yu Ling's report, Chu Ruohan's lips curled into a faint smile, but there was no hint of a smile in her eyes.
She gently stroked her swollen belly, her voice calm and even: "Send people to 'take good care' of them, keep a close eye on them, and don't let them cause any trouble in the mansion."
Yu Ling understood immediately: "Yes, Madam, this servant understands."
This general's mansion is not a place where just anyone can run wild.
Yu Ling, having received Chu Ruohan's instructions, was always extremely efficient in her work.
In less than half an hour, Yingyue and Qinghe were led to a slightly secluded courtyard in the mansion.
The courtyard was clean and tidy, but it seemed rather deserted compared to the residences of the other important maids in the mansion.
"Ladies, this will be your temporary lodging."
With a polite smile on her face, Yu Ling pointed to the two side rooms in the courtyard.
"All the allowances have been prepared for you two according to the standards for a concubine in the manor. If there is anything lacking, just let me know."
Yingyue glanced around, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes, but she quickly concealed it, her face still beaming with a smile: "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Yuling. This courtyard looks quite peaceful and nice."
"However, we wonder what taboos or preferences the General and his wife usually have? We would like to keep an eye out so as not to offend their master unknowingly, and so as to serve them wholeheartedly."
As she spoke, her eyes kept glancing at Yu Ling's face, trying to glean something from her.
Qinghe stood quietly to the side the whole time. When she heard this, she only raised her eyes slightly to look at Yuling before lowering them again.
He said softly, "Thank you for the arrangements, Miss Yuling."
Yu Ling took in their expressions, sneered inwardly, but became even more polite on the surface: "The general and his wife's preferences are known to those of us who serve them closely, so there's no need for you two young ladies to worry about them."
"Madam said that since the two young ladies are new here, the most important thing right now is to familiarize themselves with the rules of the manor and not make any mistakes that could cause trouble for themselves. As for serving, Madam is in poor health and prefers quiet, so she doesn't need too many people to bother her."
"Just settle down here in peace. If you are not summoned, just rest well in the courtyard."
These words, though polite, clearly drew a line. By not allowing them to serve him closely, they were cutting off any thought they might have of getting close to their master.
Yingyue's smile froze slightly. She thought to herself that Yuling was indeed Chu Ruohan's confidante. Her words were watertight and carried a hint of warning.
She wanted to say something more, but Yuling curtsied and said, "This servant must go back to serve Madam, so I won't stay any longer. Please make yourselves at home, ladies." With that, she turned and left decisively.
Once Yuling was out of sight, Yingyue's smile completely vanished. She gave an unpleasant "humph" and kicked away a small pebble at her feet.
"What kind of concubine's allowance is this! This dilapidated courtyard, and we were sent here by Consort Shu! This Chu Ruohan is clearly trying to intimidate us!"
Qinghe walked to the corridor, looked at the half-withered pomegranate tree in the courtyard, and said in a calm voice, "Since we're here, let's make the best of it. Madam's arrangements have their reasons."
"Reason? I think she's just jealous!" Yingyue walked to Qinghe's side and lowered her voice, "What man doesn't love novelty? She's pregnant now, which is exactly what we..."
Qinghe glanced sideways and interrupted her, "Be careful what you say. This is the General's Mansion; there are ears everywhere."
Her gaze was cold and carried a hint of warning.