spoiled brat

Chapter 22 21. Spring Harmony (1)

"Zhao Zhao'er!"

There was a knock on the door, and Xiao Duo excitedly called out, "Brother Qian wants us to come over!"

"Wait while I change my clothes!"

A smile bloomed on Zhao Zhao's face. She placed the medicine bowl on the bedside table, hurriedly changed into clean clothes, and said to Yao Niang:
"I'm going out for a bit, Mother."

Yao Niang called out to her, her brows slightly furrowed: "You've only been staying in the building for a few days, why are you running around again?"

Zhao Zhao patted her pocket, and the coins inside jingled: "I have to find a way to make money work for me."

Before Yao Niang could say anything more, she pushed the door open and closed it in one swift motion, then smiled at Xiao Duo standing on the steps:

"Is it done?"

“It’s not that easy to succeed,” Xiao Duo said. “Lord Huang is a first-rate honest official who never handles these kinds of businesses. Brother Qian tentatively mentioned your method, but was scolded and dared not say another word.”

As expected, Zhao Zhao wasn't discouraged: "So, does your eldest brother mean I should go and say it myself?"

Xiao Duo nodded and said seriously, "Lord Huang is proud and upright, and not easy to get along with. When you go, be sure not to upset him. Save him some face and make plans for the future."

The two walked and talked, from the backyard to the front building. A two-horse carriage was parked in front of the building, and the attendant driving it waved to them.
"here!"

Zhao Zhao and Xiao Duo had never seen anything like this before.

The horse was a robust and fat Northwest breed, the carriage body was carved from rosewood, and even the curtains were made of Nanjing brocade. Any one of the utensils and decorations on the carriage would be enough to feed them for a year.

Seeing their embarrassment, the attendant smiled, took out the folding stools used by distinguished guests to get into their carriages, and joked:
"Please, both of you."

Since they were being so accommodating, the two of them couldn't be shy anymore and carefully stepped onto the platform.

The curtain was lifted, revealing Huang Qian sitting upright in the carriage.

He put down the covered teacup in his hand and said to the two of them, "Sit down."

The cushion was clearly made of the finest material, smoother than any of the clothes Zhao Zhao had ever worn. She sat on it cautiously, afraid of making a mistake.

“My residence is outside the city, quite far away, and there are officials along the way who will harass you, so I came to pick you up,” Huang Qian said.

Zhao Zhao thanked him. It was her first time riding in such a luxurious carriage. Perhaps it was her inner turmoil, but she found the carriage very cool and had a faint fragrance.

Xiao Duo, being more shrewd than her, chuckled and asked, "How's your luck with the game lately, Brother Qian?"

Huang Qian shook his head: "I'm not gambling anymore."

It was only then that Zhao Zhao noticed that Huang Qian's clothes were particularly strange. He wore a white shirt underneath and plain black on the outside, which didn't look like auspicious clothes at all.

Huang Qian met her gaze and said calmly, "Thank you."

After Xie Shu died, he wanted to wear mourning clothes for her, but the family rules were strict and he could not overstep them. In desperation, he could only wear a black robe over his mourning clothes and do his part in private.

A tinkling sound came from outside the carriage. Zhao Zhao lifted the curtain, and a piece of paper money flew right in front of her.

Whose funeral is this?
She looked in the direction from which the paper money had flown and saw Manager Zhang and his wife walking in front scattering paper money. In the middle, one person was banging a gong and another was playing a suona. Behind them, two porters were carrying a thin coffin. The number of people accompanying the funeral was no more than six, which was really meager.

Pedestrians made way for the funeral procession, crowding together on the side of the street and whispering among themselves. A fat, big-eared man said with some regret:
"Where will you find such cheap prostitutes again?"

As soon as he mentioned prostitutes, the people around him became interested, and someone asked, "How cheap?"

The man held up two fingers and shook them:
"Two strings of cash, pretty face, body and temperament as gentle as water, and she can even call out 'Dada'..."

Upon hearing this, the men chuckled knowingly, but when their gaze returned to the thin coffin, their eyes held no trace of pity or reverence for the deceased. "A whore, you know, is for people to sleep with while alive, and for people to laugh at when dead."

Zhao Zhao lowered the carriage curtain and looked at Xiao Duo: "Didn't any of the girls in our building go to see us off?"

When Ah Zhuo returned all the gold jewelry she had, the girls were all very grateful when they received their share, saying they would always remember Ah Zhuo's kindness.

But now, their gratitude has vanished faster than the wind.

In front of Huang Qian, Xiao Duo dared not show any sympathy for A Zhuo, and gave a dry laugh:
"Zhao Zhao'er, you must be confused. What's so special about giving away a wicked servant who deceives his master?"

Zhao Zhao realized she had said the wrong thing and mumbled a couple of "yes."

She didn't sympathize with Azhuo, but when she recalled the scene of Azhuo saying she didn't expect anything in return, she felt a chill in her heart.

Ah Zhuo had long suspected that good deeds would not be rewarded, just as Xie Shu did not have a good ending.

"Don't talk about unlucky things."

Huang Qian sighed, bent down and opened the ice chest in front of him, pointed to the fruit covered with a thin layer of frost on the white jade plate, and said in a tone that coaxed his younger siblings:

"Come on, let's have something fresh."

Zhao Zhao was stunned. She had only heard of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang using this method to transport lychees for Yang Guifei from storytellers before, but she never thought that she would encounter it herself.

She reached out and picked up a grape; it was indeed very cold, as cold as snow in winter.

Xiao Duo, biting into an apple, chuckled and flattered:
"Brother, I've learned so much from being with you."

Huang Qian smiled and said, "I have a dry constitution and am afraid of stuffy heat, so I always bring some cool fruit with me when the weather gets a little warmer."

Zhao Zhao couldn't help but think to herself that Huang Qian didn't show any arrogance when talking about food, clothing, and daily necessities, which meant he was already used to a life of luxury.

Lord Huang has a reputation for integrity; how could he possibly support his family's expenses on his salary alone?

Ordinary people need to show their credentials to leave the city, and they are often harassed by the ruffians guarding the city gates. But Huang Qian's carriage sped out of the city and came to a steady stop in front of Huang's residence.

At first, Zhao Zhao couldn't understand why Lord Huang would build his mansion on a hillside outside the city, but when she got off the carriage and saw the main gate of the Huang mansion, she understood everything.

If such a grand mansion were built in a conspicuous place, how could Lord Huang's good reputation be preserved?

Among the lush, century-old trees, the imposing main gate was faintly visible, with a black nanmu plaque hanging above the gate, inscribed with the three characters "Ren Pingsheng" in a flamboyant style.

Huang Qian said to Zhao Zhao, "I can't say much about this to my father. Whether it works or not depends entirely on your own words."

Zhao Zhao nodded and thanked him.

The two were led into the mansion by their servants, passing through the main courtyard, the covered walkway, and around the screen wall, until they finally arrived at a secluded courtyard.

The shadows of the trees swayed gently, and the sunlight, like scattered gold, sprinkled the ground, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere.

The attendant who had led the way dared not go any further; this was the rule.
"The master is inside."

Xiao Duo gets a little nervous in formal settings. He patted Zhao Zhao on the shoulder:

"Zhao Zhao'er, I'm bad with words, I won't go in..."

Zhao Zhao wasn't sure herself; she wasn't confident she could persuade Lord Huang to vouch for her and let her go out and make a living by lending money at exorbitant interest rates.

But once inside this magnificent mansion, the little flame in Zhao Zhao's heart burned brighter and brighter.

(End of this chapter)