Chapter 12: Don’t Let Your Heart Soften

Chapter 12

Don’t Let Your Heart Soften

Once Nie Shuang received permission from the Elder Furen, she immediately began the ‘interviews.’ She had Xiao San prepare writing materials on the table, while Xiao Tong stood by the door, ushering in interviewees one by one. The two maids found this process quite strange. Shouldn’t hiring servants be about checking their physical fitness? Why did Nie Shuang need to have one-on-one conversations with each of them?

During the interviews, Nie Shuang wrote down each person’s name and her personal thoughts about them. She asked about their backgrounds, their families, likes and dislikes, special talents, and even current rumors from the capital. Sometimes she even posed hypothetical scenarios for them to solve—questions that seemed completely unrelated to the actual work.

Some of the women Nie Shuang selected were quite beautiful, which made Xiao San hesitate and ask,

"Is it a good idea to choose this person? What if the General...?"

"Hmph! If he’s interested, then good."

Nie Shuang responded with such intensity that it made Xiao San jump. She hadn’t expected her mistress to have such a strong reaction.

"But why does Young Furen need to ask them so many questions?"

Xiao Tong asked curiously.

"I just want to see how they respond and whether they have quick wits. The ones I selected are a mix of both simple and clever types."

Nie Shuang had Xiao Tong delivered the selected names to the broker and returned to her quarters, focusing on the stack of books she had to read.

When Song Qilin returned home, he was immediately summoned by his mother for a reprimand. At first, he had no idea what was going on, as he hadn’t been involved in managing the household at all. But once he heard the full story, he fell silent.

No wonder...the place where she stayed didn’t even have a gatekeeper. Every time he visited, there were only Xiao San and Xiao Tong around.

"Aren’t you afraid that others will criticize you for favoring concubines and mistreating your wife?"

Xu Shi continued scolding her son. She could overlook it if he was merely indifferent to the girl, but what he did was genuinely cruel.

"Mother, I wasn’t aware of this. I only instructed the butler to make sure the Qing Zhu and Yun Mei Quarters were well taken care of."

Xu Shi sighed upon hearing this. She suspected the butler had used her son’s orders as an excuse to harass her daughter-in-law. Thankfully, the girl hadn’t exposed the butler’s actions. Otherwise, if Xu Shi didn’t discipline Butler Wang, she would have damaged her own authority.

"Qilin...you’re not young anymore. Even though Nie Shuang’s family background might be somewhat low, she’s still a sweet and pretty girl. Why not have a child with her so I can finally hold a grandchild?"

At the mention of having a child, Song Qilin’s expression turned cold.

A child with her!? That would mean a grandchild for that despicable old man!

For him, it was all about pride!

Every time he thought of Nie Ran, anger boiled within him. He was still bitter about the way he had been forced. Sacrificing his own freedom to ensure the survival of two hundred thousand starving soldiers could be considered a worthy trade! But the fact that Nie Ran had used the army’s survival as leverage for his daughter’s marriage was utterly detestable! Though the soldiers were grateful for his sacrifice, outsiders surely mocked him. If not for the victory he had secured upon his return, where he had the chance to submit the petition about the Minister of Logistics who had delayed supplies out of personal spite until the situation almost turned dire, his frustration would be even greater.

He didn’t respond to his mother, but his thoughts drifted to the two nights he had spent with her, during which no precautions had been taken. What if she became pregnant with his child? Song Qilin felt an odd sensation in his chest, unwilling to think further about it.

His mother’s words about having a child made him uneasy.

He had married her to fulfill the agreement, intending to seek revenge on that cunning old man. Initially, he hadn’t planned on becoming intimate with her. If it hadn’t been for Nie Ran’s demand for proof of her virginity, would he have even looked her way?

If he continued visiting her, Nie Ran would ultimately win, and he couldn’t allow that!

That night, Song Qilin didn’t go to Lian Fang Quarters, and the nights following were the same.

He secluded himself in his Xu Yang Quarters. During the day, he went to the palace to discuss border defense strategies, and at night, he stayed in his study, lighting the lamps and pouring over books. He didn’t even visit his two concubines’ quarters. Everyone assumed he was preoccupied with preparations for his return to the frontier, but only he knew the truth.

At night, he couldn’t sleep. His mind was filled with thoughts of the beautiful woman he had held in his arms—the sound of her moans, the scent of her soft skin, and the smoothness of her body as his hands had touched her—all of it lingered vividly in his memory.

It was nothing more than a young man’s nighttime dreams, he told himself.

Nie Shuang, meanwhile, had no idea about his thoughts. She was simply glad he hadn’t shown up. Who would want to endure more pain? What truly relieved her was when her menstruation came a few days later. Nie Shuang had no desire to become pregnant, especially with the child of a man who despised and looked down on her. Hmph! Once she escaped, she’d find a good man to be the father of her children herself!

The people in the household noted that it had been over a month since the Young Furen had been married, and the General had barely visited her. Aside from their wedding night, he hadn’t set foot in Lian Fang Quarters. Many secretly looked down on her.

This was what happened when you aimed too high. No matter how she married into the household, if the General didn’t care for her, who would she rely on?

Still, no one dared to mistreat the people from Lian Fang Quarters again. Nie Shuang continued to focus on her work, reading books to understand the living conditions of the people here, while also training the new maids. She assigned tasks based on each person’s skills and temperament.

Those who were physically strong but lacked intellect were assigned heavy labor. The nimble and well-mannered were given household tasks. Those with good social skills were tasked with interacting with guests and other household members. The ones meticulous and precise were trained to handle accounting. Still, her most trusted aides remained Xiao San and Xiao Tong.

Xiao San was puzzled by the Young Furen’s decision to assign A’Yi, a quiet and shy girl with a simple appearance, to gather information within the household. Shouldn’t such a role require someone more talkative and inquisitive? When Xiao San asked, Nie Shuang explained:

“If A’Yi were in a room, would people notice her?”

Xiao San shook her head.

“If it were you, would you feel suspicious of her?”

Xiao San shook her head again.

“If you had something troubling you, would you confide in someone like her?”

Thinking of A’Yi’s innocent and harmless face, Xiao San nodded.

“Do you still think she’s unsuitable?”

Hearing this, Xiao San chuckled.

The mistress and her maids lived peacefully like this until one day when a messenger from the Elder Furen arrived with news:She would have to enter the palace to attend the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration.