Chapter 89 – The Charm of a Mature Man?
“The matters of the inner courtyard are not something a mere maidservant like you can interfere with.”
Tong Sanniang’s face was taut as she coldly scrutinized the little maid, seeing right through the latter’s delusions.
The maid’s complexion turned pale, yet she dared not retort against Tong Sanniang. Before Liu Zhi returned, she managed all the major matters of the main courtyard, earning her the status even surpassing that of a steward, with the Old Steward appreciating her efficiency and competence.
The maid timidly stammered, “I’m only worried; I heard the master’s new post is in a poor and rough area…”
“Caring for the master is the lady’s responsibility. What does it have to do with you?” Tong Sanniang nearly mocked her outright, her eyes glinting with impatience and disdain. She had thought the girl was lively and lovely, but it turned out her mind was just as empty, full of lofty aspirations!
Just as the maid was about to defend herself, Tong Sanniang straightforwardly said, “I see through your thoughts. Everyone has their own ambitions, and with those legs of yours, if you want to climb into the master’s bed, who can stop you? However, I advise you to extinguish those thoughts early if you don’t want to meet a grim end!”
With that, Tong Sanniang let out a cold snort and walked away lightly, her pace quick yet undistracted.
Another foolish bug, not even using her head to consider why all the maidservants in the residence, regardless of age, apart from those in the Second Young Master’s courtyard, all wore plain faces and dared not put on a single pin? Why were their garments of good material but in subdued colors?
Did they really think that the lord of Liu Residence was like other wealthy men, easily swayed by a woman’s charms?
Reflecting on this, Tong Sanniang couldn’t help but recall a scene from many years ago. Even after so long, those memories had not faded a bit. Thinking of how the Second Young Master ordered a household servant to be beaten to death not long ago—a different scene, different main characters, but equally bloody.
When the late lady passed, the master observed mourning rites, and after the period of mourning was over, the Old Lady stealthily sent over a few young women resembling the late lady, hoping to alleviate the master’s sorrow and persuade him to remarry and expand the family.
And what was the result? Heh!
The one most similar to the late lady, shamelessly stripped down, wrapped herself in a thin quilt as if to seduce him, even reaching out to the Second Young Master, which nearly caused the already frail young man to fall seriously ill and almost lose his life. What became of that maidservant in the end?
Wasn’t she ordered to have her entire face flayed off and beaten to death?
Others said that Liu Zhi from the second branch was graceful and gentle, seemingly never angry or upset.
But who knew how ruthless this man could be?
He despised that woman for using her resemblance to the late lady to entice him and loathed her for using such despicable means to harm the Second Young Master. After the incident, he ordered her face to be flayed, exposing her nakedness, and had her beaten to death right in the main courtyard.
At that time, Tong Sanniang was still young but witnessed the scene with all the other maidservants, becoming a nightmare that continued to haunt her.
It was also thanks to the Old Lady’s timely intervention and her high status that Liu Zhi’s reputation was spared from being sullied by that ruthless and heartless act.
After that, who dared to pursue Liu Zhi in the entire Liu Residence?
One by one, they wished to go out without a trace of makeup and opted for the most subdued, mature-colored garments, ensuring their gaze toward the master never rose above the neck. All the previously exaggerated gestures and half-spoken sentiments had to be reined in.
After all, no one would complain about living too long.
With a cold expression, Tong Sanniang’s eyes seemed to exude a hint of ice.
In her haste, she didn’t realize that their conversation had fallen into the ears of a third party—none other than Jiang Pengji! Sitting atop a rockery, dressed in comfortable attire, she swung her legs, a smile barely visible in her eyes as she watched the scene.
She had just wanted a quiet place to meditate, attempting to pick up her past training.
Perhaps due to her rich experiences from her previous life, this was her first time meditating in this life, and she quickly fell into a rhythm. A wisp of ethereal spiritual force surrounded her, significantly enhancing her senses, entering a profound state of spiritual clarity.
Though the previous integration of martial prowess had its pitfalls, the benefits were not limited to just a boost in martial power.
Not only did her martial strength recover slightly, but her spirit also regained considerable vitality, barely reaching the baseline for spiritual training.
Spiritual training, formally known as “meditative sitting,” was developed as a training method after the Federation entered the interstellar era. Achieving a certain level of mental strength could induce genetic changes in the body, thus further refining it.
She hadn’t anticipated overhearing Tong Sanniang and the little maid’s conversation, the content making her want to laugh and cry at once.
Liu Zhi, given his age in her era, was indeed young, but in this time, he could practically be a grandfather.
Yes, if Liu Lanting’s legitimate older brother hadn’t died young, he would be at the age to find a wife and start a family.
In other words, Liu Zhi was already half a foot in the grandfather generation!
Jiang Pengji “saw” Tong Sanniang briskly leave and the little maid’s face twisted with indignation, her lips curling into a faint smile. “Power, no matter the era, is always the most seductive trait on a man.”
Jumping down from the rockery, Jiang Pengji headed straight back to her small courtyard, only to be greeted by Ta Xue’s slightly displeased little face.
“Why is the Young Master dressed like this when going out?” Ta Xue, holding a loose green silk cloak embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns and pine leaves, rushed forward to drape it over her. “This is not suitable attire for the Young Master.”
Jiang Pengji shrugged, “Clothes are meant to be worn; there’s no such thing as what one should or shouldn’t wear!”
Ta Xue stubbornly replied, “This doesn’t match the Young Master’s identity.”
Jiang Pengji ceased her rebuttal, obediently donning the attire Ta Xue handed over… Even though the outfit wrapped her tightly and the outer cloak was spacious, flapping in the wind, it still couldn’t hide the draft beneath.
Once again, she found herself longing for the previous life’s elegant clothes.
Speaking of which, couldn’t Ta Xue have prepared a garment without slits for her?
Her mother, the time traveler, had been in this world for so many years—couldn’t she lead fashion trends and suggest alternatives instead?
Jiang Pengji maintained a stoic expression, wearing the outfit that Ta Xue deemed fitting for her identity, the large sleeves flapping and catching the wind.
After confirming that everything was fine, she activated the livestream, and within seconds, a flood of comments obscured her view.
【Spin and leap with my eyes closed】: Wow, finally squeezed in! Scoring a spot in this livestream is too difficult!
【Bamboo, bamboo】: Same here, I squatted for more than two hours just to get a glimpse of the legendary streamer.
【Never setting sun】: Tch, two hours is nothing! I opened several accounts and squatted for over ten hours!
