Chapter 265 Silent Mourning

Words : 1408 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

Busy street, roadside stall.Su Jin and Xingxing sat there drinking green bean soup. Refreshing beyond compare. With a bowl of green bean soup in her stomach, she felt her whole body relax as her pores opened up. After leaving the palace, Su Jin initially planned to return directly to the Duke Mansion, but passing by the busy street and seeing the hustle and bustle, she got tempted and decided to take a stroll. After wandering through two streets, she felt a bit weary, so she took a break and enjoyed a bowl of green bean soup, feeling absolutely delighted. The purchases they had just made were placed on the bench beside them. This was just a small part of it. After finishing the green bean soup, Xingxing, looking utterly content, put the bowl down. "Check, please," she called out. The street vendor came over with a big smile, saying, "Having you two visit my humble little stall is already a blessing for me, how dare I take money from you." Whenever the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion visited someone’s shop, that person’s business would flourish, bringing in wealth like rolling tides. His small stall barely allowed him to scrape by. If he could catch a favorable breeze, not to mention two bowls of green bean soup, he would serve up two buckets. "Is it really that good?" Xingxing observed him. "Would you like another bowl?" the street vendor politely inquired. "Sure," Xingxing readily agreed. The street vendor, "...." He quickly served two more bowls. Xingxing was a maid. If she was given more, Su Jin certainly wouldn’t be without. But Su Jin couldn’t eat anymore. Xingxing had an astonishing appetite, finishing both bowls and still feeling slightly unsatisfied. However, the young lady would soon return to the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, so she needed to save some room in her stomach. After Xingxing drank three bowls of green bean soup, the street vendor insisted on not accepting money, and she indeed didn’t pay. Su Jin felt embarrassed; she didn’t have the habit of taking advantage of the hard-earned money of common people. So she gave the street vendor a box of pastries she had bought. The street vendor had a daughter, and Su Jin placed the hairpin Xingxing had bought onto her hair. The little girl was so happy she couldn’t close her mouth. The street vendor expressed his gratitude repeatedly. After quenching their thirst, the coachman went to prepare the carriage. Xingxing looked around and noticed some rabbits for sale, "Lady, there are rabbits." Su Jin walked over. Xingxing squatted down to play with the rabbits. "If you like it, buy one," the old man suggested. Xingxing looked at Su Jin, "Miss, can we keep rabbits?" "We should be able to," Su Jin replied. Xingxing quickly pulled out some silver and handed it to the old man, "I want both of these." The old man handed the cage to Xingxing. Xingxing carried the rabbit cage onto the carriage. Seeing how happy she was, Su Jin asked, "Do you know how to take care of rabbits?" "Rabbits eat grass, right? We have plenty of grass in our backyard; we can let them roam free," Xingxing said. Su Jin, "...." She was speechless. This maid really knew how to keep rabbits with minimal effort. Indeed. Not only minimal effort, but this maid had already imagined these two male rabbits producing a bunch of little rabbits for her. After imagining a lot, she changed the topic. "We can raise them, and if they die, we can stew them," Xingxing said. Su Jin, "...." Wonderful. So strong. Strong enough that she didn’t even know what to say. This maid had considered everything. After a bumpy carriage ride, Xingxing looked distressed, her face flushed red. "What’s wrong?" Su Jin asked. "I drank too much green bean soup." "In dire need of a bathroom," Xingxing whispered. "...." She held back and lifted the carriage curtain to ask the coachman, "How long until we reach the Marquis Mansion?" "Soon," the coachman replied. Xingxing held it in. After half a cup of tea’s time, she asked again, "Are we there yet?" "Not yet," the coachman replied. Xingxing held it in again. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she said, "Are we there yet!" The coachman tightened the reins. Xingxing looked up and saw the plaque of the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion gleaming brightly in the sunlight. Holding the rabbit cage, she jumped off the carriage and rushed directly into the mansion. After entering the mansion, she saw a servant and immediately handed the rabbit cage to him, rushing straight to the toilet. The servant brought a stool, and Su Jin stepped on it to alight from the carriage. Once inside the mansion, Su Jin asked, "Where’s my big brother?" "The Eldest Young Master is in his residence," the servant replied. Su Jin walked over. By the time she reached the courtyard entrance, Xingxing had caught up, looking relieved. Entering the courtyard, they hadn’t gone far when they heard words of praise. "Brother Zhou’s paintings are a stroke of genius," said the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo. "Over-praised," Zhou Yan replied. "Brother Zhou is passionate about painting." "It’s still morning, and he’s already done four paintings; aren’t you tired?" Prince NanAn said. "...." "Didn’t Brother Zhou say yesterday that he was going to the street today?" Chu Shun said while nibbling on a fruit. "...." Zhou Yan looked helpless. "I wanted to go out, but with no money on me and too far from home, I had to sell paintings," Zhou Yan said. For him, a dignified eldest young master of the Nanliang Right Minister’s Mansion, whose paintings were highly sought after, to have come to the Daqi Dynasty and be reduced to selling paintings on the street... He was already at a loss for words. Su Chong looked at the paintings and said, "Not bad, could sell for at least two taels." Zhou Yan, "...." "We’re good brothers; I’ll offer three taels," Prince NanAn said. "...." Their voices were clear in the quiet of the backyard. Su Jin heard it clearly. She looked at Xingxing, "Did you rob him?" "I didn’t rob him," Xingxing shook her head. "...." "He didn’t have money. His attendant had a silver note for three thousand taels, which I robbed," Xingxing said frankly. "...." Su Jin twitched the corners of her mouth. Is there any difference between robbing his attendant and robbing him? Zhou Yan set down his brush and ink. Prince NanAn instructed the servant, "Send these paintings to Baosheng House for mounting." "Sister-in-law," the Heir of Marquis Beining saw Su Jin and called out. Su Chong walked out of the pavilion and said, "Sister, how come you’re back?" "The Emperor rewarded me with a set of writing tools, and I came to give them to you," Su Jin said. Su Chong replied, "You truly are my good sister, always thinking of your big brother when you get good things; I must give you something in return." Su Chong pondered. The trouble of lacking money. Showing off the loot to his mother yesterday resulted in the money being confiscated. Xingxing saw through it at a glance. The Eldest Young Master was broke. He couldn’t afford anything expensive, and anything not expensive was not worth giving. Xingxing boldly suggested to the Emperor, "The Eldest Young Master can rob the Emperor, the things in the Emperor’s hands are the best, except for the medicine." Chu Shun, "...." Prince NanAn, "...." The Heir of Marquis Beining, "...." The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo, "...." Not only did she rob herself, but she also recommended it to others. A moment of silence for the Emperor. Su Chong thought this idea was good. Unfortunately, he couldn’t enter the palace nor had a reason to. "I’ll owe it for now," Su Chong said. "It’s almost time for a meal, let’s go to the inner courtyard," Su Chong suggested. He turned to call Chu Shun and the others to join him. The group headed to the inner courtyard. Before they reached the second gate, they saw maids and servants carrying potted plants out. Su Jin saw this and asked, "Where are these being moved to?" "Mother wants to sell these rare flowers," Su Chong said, looking worried. "Sell them?" Su Jin was puzzled. "We must; a few pots have already been so over-cared for by Mother that they’re dying. Selling them might save their lives." "...."

Chapter 265 Silent Mourning

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