Chapter 9: Buying Incense

Seeing Mother Yu’s reaction, Qiu Heng knew immediately that Fangzhou had not performed below expectations.

The red bean cakes were, of course, not made specifically for Mother Yu; Fangzhou had simply spent two days familiarizing herself with the kitchen here in the Third Branch and made them this morning.

"Mother Yu."

"Please speak, Sixth Young Lady." Mother Yu, still savoring the taste of the red bean cake, found her tone softening involuntarily.

Red bean cakes were not considered particularly exquisite refreshments, but it was precisely because they were so common that such a good flavor was all the more stunning.

Qiu Heng asked with a smile, "Is the snack Fangzhou made palatable?"

It was made by the maid the Sixth Young Lady brought with her?

Mother Yu looked at Fangzhou in surprise.

With a round face and almond eyes, she was a pleasant-looking little girl, but in the Earl’s mansion, she was unremarkable.

It was said that the Sixth Young Lady had grown up in the countryside, yet not only did she have a maid, but that maid’s skill in making snacks was even better than Chef Chen’s in the Old Madam’s courtyard.

This didn't make sense!

If it didn't make sense, it meant the Sixth Young Lady was not simple.

Mother Yu set aside her disdain, both out of sincerity and as a gesture of goodwill: "This servant has never eaten such delicious red bean cake."

"In the future, Mother Yu will be able to eat all kinds of delicious snacks here at Lengxiang Abode." Qiu Heng curled her lips. "I will also learn to make what I should. That way, we can both be at ease. What does Mother Yu think?"

Mother Yu fell silent.

The Sixth Young Lady meant that she could just slack off while at Lengxiang Abode.

Should she agree, or—of course she would agree; she wasn't a stickler for rules like Mother Yu Zhu.

"This servant thinks that is quite good, as long as the Sixth Young Lady learns what she is supposed to learn."

Having reached an understanding, Qiu Heng called Mother Wang to arrange a room for Mother Yu to rest, leaving only Fangzhou by her side.

"Young Lady, I’ve inquired around. The Third Young Master is a fearless little tyrant whom no one dares to provoke. Among the young ladies, the one the Old Madam dotes on most is the Fourth Young Lady..."

Qiu Heng smiled. "You were able to find out news so quickly?"

Fangzhou lifted her chin proudly. "The people in the kitchen love to gossip. I treated them to the red bean cakes I made, and I heard quite a few things."

"Fangzhou is truly capable."

Fangzhou grinned from ear to ear and, after a moment's thought, suggested, "There are still some red bean cakes left. Should we send some to the Third Master and the Second Young Master?"

Third Master Qiu was Qiu Heng’s biological father, and the Second Young Master, Qiu Feng, was her own younger brother. In Fangzhou’s view, it was still necessary to maintain good relations.

Qiu Heng thought of the bag of silver she had received yesterday and nodded. "Pack them into a food box; I will deliver them myself."

She had not come to the Qiu family to be an enemy of the people in the mansion; maintaining good relations would always make things easier in the future.

Third Master Qiu had gone out early in the morning, so after leaving a plate of snacks, Qiu Heng went to Qiu Feng’s residence.

School was out for the day, and Qiu Feng was in his room reading. When he heard the servant report that the Sixth Young Lady had arrived, he hesitated for a moment before going to see her.

"Is there something, Sixth Sister?"

"Fangzhou made some red bean cakes. They taste quite good, so I brought some for you to try."

The boy’s expression was tense. "I don’t like red bean cakes. You don’t need to send them in the future, Sixth Sister."

"Oh, alright then." Qiu Heng nodded to show she understood, turned around, and left.

Qiu Feng stared at the plate of red bean cakes, feeling somewhat annoyed.

He said he didn't like them, and she just turned and left?

He had heard that his father hadn't touched a drop of alcohol all day yesterday—something that hadn't happened as long as he could remember.

His father’s alcoholism was because of the Sixth Sister, and his sobriety was also because of the Sixth Sister. So what did that make him?

Thinking this, the boy angrily grabbed a piece of red bean cake and ate it.

"Second Brother—" Qiu Song ran in. Seeing Qiu Feng’s cheeks bulging, he asked curiously, "What are you eating?"

"I was a bit hungry, so I’m having some dry snacks to tide me over." Qiu Feng immediately moved the plate of red bean cakes further away and changed the subject. "Is there something, Third Brother?"

"Have you gotten familiar with that sister of yours yet, Second Brother?"

Qiu Feng grew wary. "Not familiar."

"Then you should get to know her better over the next few days. Next time we have a break, let’s invite her to the garden."

Qiu Feng frowned. "What does Third Brother want to do?"

"Arm-wrestle her. If she wins, the matter from the day before yesterday is settled. If she loses, she has to apologize to me."

"Just like that?"

"What else could it be? You wouldn't be taking her side, would you?" A fierce glint appeared in Qiu Song’s eyes.

Qiu Feng shivered subconsciously, the sweet taste of the red bean cake dissipating. "I understand."

After delivering the red bean cakes, Qiu Heng took Fangzhou to the side gate, only to be stopped by the gatekeeper.

"If the Sixth Young Lady wishes to go out, she needs someone from the Old Madam’s courtyard to pass the word." The gatekeeper’s voice was filled with undisguised contempt.

Qiu Heng said nothing more and turned to walk back slowly.

She hadn't expected this.

She had been a country girl, running wild every day. After arriving in the Great Xia—which had already lost most of its territory—she had lived in the palace until the country fell. Everyone she saw was struggling just to survive; these kinds of formalities were not only distant but laughable.

It was only at this moment, standing in the lush, flower-filled garden of the Earl’s mansion, that Qiu Heng realized she had truly returned.

Being trapped in a large mansion wouldn't do.

Qiu Heng silently toured all the places in the Earl’s mansion she could visit. When she returned to Lengxiang Abode, Mother Wang handed her a box.

"The Third Master sent this. Seeing that you weren't here, he asked me to give it to you."

Qiu Heng opened the box. Inside were hairpins, bracelets, earrings, and beaded flowers, all in delicate, exquisite styles suitable for a young girl to wear.

Fangzhou couldn't help but say, "Yesterday it was a bag of silver, and today it’s a box of jewelry. The Third Master is really rich."

Hearing Fangzhou’s words, Mother Wang sighed silently.

The Third Master wasn't rich; he was just spending all his drinking money on the young lady.

Meanwhile, after Third Master Qiu returned to his courtyard from delivering the jewelry to his daughter, he tasted the red bean cakes Qiu Heng had sent earlier and immediately burst into tears.

Heng’er had sent him snacks; did that mean Heng’er didn't blame him?

Wiping away his tears, Third Master Qiu looked around his room, pondering: He had no money left to buy things for Heng’er tomorrow. Should he go to the accounting office to draw his monthly allowance in advance, or pawn a vase or something?

Near dusk, Mother Yu, having "worked hard" for most of the day, left Lengxiang Abode, and Qiu Heng followed shortly after.

She changed into light, convenient clothing and chose to walk through secluded paths. When she reached the base of the wall, she leaped up, climbed to the top, observed her surroundings, and landed lightly on the outside.

Once she donned her veil hat, the young girl was like a fish entering the sea, blending into the bustling crowd.

In the capital, where there was no curfew, every lit lamp radiated the glow of indulgence.

Restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops, and silver shops were all open, and donkey-renters waited to serve those whose feet were tired.

Compared to the Yongqing Earl’s mansion, where she had only lived for two days, Qiu Heng was actually more familiar with the streets and alleys of the capital.

In the three years after the Great Xia had completely perished, she had traveled here from Nandu Linzhou with her teacher and lived here for quite some time.

Back then, this place had been just as prosperous, but that prosperity had belonged to the Qi people, and it had nothing to do with the Xia people.

The girl in the veil hat walked into an incense shop.

The shop was large, with a constant stream of customers. There were many female patrons like her, and the shopkeeper was also a woman.

"Shopkeeper, I would like to buy some spices."

A quarter of an hour later, the girl walked out of the shop carrying the wrapped spices.

The rich fragrance gradually faded behind her, replaced by the scent of wine and tea filling the air.

Seeing someone approaching from the opposite direction, Qiu Heng’s pace slowed involuntarily.