Chapter Eight

“Zhang Meng, I’m really going back to my hometown tomorrow. Are you sure you can’t take time off?” Jin Yue asked while packing her luggage.

“The superior doesn’t agree, I have no choice,” Zhang Meng said as she wrapped up the snacks she brought back from Yingyue Teahouse today and put them into Jin Yue’s bundle.

“Why don’t you ask again? Maybe if the superior is in a good mood, she’ll agree,” Jin Yue said. She looked down at the bottom of the bed and reached her hand underneath to feel around. “Huh? Zhang Meng, where’s that vase of yours?”

“The vase? I used it to arrange flowers as a gift for someone. Why?”

Jin Yue was startled and exclaimed, “How could you give it away? Did you take out the two little snakes I caught this morning?”

Zhang Meng’s heart sank: “W-what little snakes?”

“I caught two little snakes and was keeping them in there, with a net covering the top. Didn’t you know?!” Zhang Meng’s face turned pale: “Young Master Ji…” She hurriedly asked, “Are the snakes venomous? I saw the net and just put it aside without thinking much of it. Why didn’t you tell me you put snakes in there!” Just as Jin Yue was about to reply, there was a sudden knock on the door.

“Zhang Meng, come out quickly! Young Master Ji fainted from fright because of the snakes! Miss Zhong is furious and looking for you everywhere!”

In the back courtyard.

The sun was setting, and the sky was already dark. The trees swayed in the wind.

“A Huo, tell me, how should we punish her this time? I, Zhong Ling, have lived for so long, but I’ve never seen someone as careless as her,” Zhong Ling angrily pointed at Zhang Meng.

Zhang Meng lowered her head and said guiltily, “This subordinate has wronged Young Master Ji. Please punish me, superior.”

Zhong Huo sat by the stone table with a serious expression. She looked at Zhang Meng and said, “You were indeed careless this time. Fortunately, the snake’s fangs had been removed, otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable. But I know you didn’t do it intentionally…”

“A Huo, whether she meant it or not, someone like her must be punished,” Zhong Ling interrupted.

Ji Ming, rubbing his temples, slowly walked out from the inner room. With black hair and white clothes, he looked handsome and refined, though his pale complexion gave him a somewhat sickly appearance.

Seeing Ji Ming come out, Zhong Ling stopped scolding Zhang Meng and quickly stood up: “If Young Master Ji is not feeling well, please go back and rest first.” Ji Ming shook his head: “Ji Ming is fine. Please don’t blame Constable Zhang, Miss Zhong Ling.” Zhang Meng looked gratefully at Ji Ming: “Young Master Ji, I truly apologize for this incident. I am willing to accept punishment.”

In the end, Zhong Huo fined Zhang Meng half a year’s salary. Zhong Ling was very dissatisfied, but as Ji Ming spoke up for Zhang Meng, she had to let it go.

Zhang Meng crouched down and picked up the broken pieces of the vase from the ground, placing them on a tray.

Zhong Huo stood behind her: “What’s been going on with you these past two days? You weren’t this careless before.” Zhang Meng lifted the tray and stood up.

“Superior, I’m not sure what’s going on either. Maybe I’m just Young Master Ji’s nemesis.” She turned around, looked at Zhong Huo, and said with some difficulty: “Superior, could you grant me a few days off in the coming days?”

Zhong Huo’s face darkened: “What do you need time off for?”

“Jin Yue is about to get married, and I want to attend her wedding ceremony.” In the matriarchal country, wedding ceremonies for young men and women were not grand affairs. Most of those who could attend were close friends of the bride or groom, and they had to be unmarried and without a lover. It was also somewhat of a matchmaking event. After witnessing the happy union of a new couple, young men and women might find their own life partners.

Zhang Meng didn’t expect to find her other half through Jin Yue’s wedding ceremony, but she wanted to join in the festivities.

Moreover, after causing trouble for Ji Ming twice in a row, she felt too embarrassed to face him for the next few days.

Zhong Huo frowned as she looked at her: “Are you that eager to take a husband?”

Zhang Meng shook her head: “It’s not that, I just want to join in the fun.”

Zhong Huo clenched her fist: “What if some man takes a liking to you?”

“How could that happen?” Zhang Meng waved her hand and smiled, “Who would like someone like me? I think unless I pay a matchmaker to arrange a marriage, I won’t be able to take a husband. But I don’t want that. I want to find someone myself, someone I truly like.” Zhong Huo’s dark eyes stared steadily at her, seeming to have something surging within them. She said flatly, “If no one would like you, why waste time attending a wedding ceremony?”

“Superior, I…”

“Constable Zhang, the yamen is short-handed recently.”

“…”

Early the next morning, Jin Yue was ready to leave with her bundle on her back. All the sisters from the yamen came out to see her off, including Zhong Huo.

“Jin Yue, are you really not coming back to the yamen?” Zhong Huo asked.

Author’s Note: If you like novels, welcome to visit: Meiwu Novel Network femkings.com

Jin Yue nodded: “I’m not coming back. My mother wants me to do business, and I have to inherit the family’s assets.” Zhang Meng’s face was full of reluctance: “When you have time, I’ll come visit you to catch up.” Jin Yue pushed her shoulder: “Alright, we’ll see when you can actually get time off.” Zhang Meng looked back at Zhong Huo, whose expression remained unchanged.

After Jin Yue left, Zhong Huo assigned all of Jin Yue’s work to Zhang Meng.

“Young Master, this is a gift from Miss Qian for you.”

Zi Yi held out an exquisite box with both hands, offering it to Xu Lu Cha.

Xu Lu Cha frowned slightly and didn’t take it: “She still hasn’t given up, not realizing her own worth. Zi Yi, return it.” Zi Yi responded, “Yes.” He turned to leave.

Xu Lu Cha called him back: “Wait, accept it.”

“Young Master?” Zi Yi was confused.

Xu Lu Cha said softly: “Although I don’t care for that useless person, that old hag at home values her greatly. If she sends me gifts, won’t it upset that old hag?” He curved his lips.

“…Yes, Young Master.”

Xu Lu Cha played with the lock of hair hanging on his chest and casually asked: “Zi Yi, have you found out about Zhang Meng’s background?”

Zi Yi replied: “I’ve discovered that Zhang Meng has no parents and grew up on a mountain with her adoptive father. A year ago, for unknown reasons, her adoptive father left home, so she had to come down the mountain to work as a porter at the docks. Later, when Lord Zhong saw her martial arts skills, she took her in as a constable.”

“It doesn’t seem particularly special,” Xu Lu Cha frowned slightly, “I think she’s quite cunning. But regardless, I won’t let her interfere with me and Zhong Huo.”

“…What does Young Master intend to do?”

Xu Lu Cha said: “Zi Yi, I’ve noticed that Zhang Meng seems to have a fondness for you. Go and probe her background.” After a pause, he added: “In the future, when she goes out on inspection with Zhong Huo, take her away, as far as possible, don’t let Zhong Huo see her.” Without Zhang Meng by Zhong Huo’s side, she wouldn’t be able to influence Zhong Huo.

Once Zi Yi uncovered Zhang Meng’s background, he would have ways to deal with her.

Zhang Meng followed behind Zhong Huo, feeling very frustrated.

After seeing Jin Yue off in the morning, Zhong Ling and Zhong Huo started arguing again.

Mainly because Jin Yue had resigned to go home and take a husband, while Zhong Huo had a fiancé but still refused to marry. Zhong Ling couldn’t stand it and spoke coldly, with barbed words.

Unable to argue with her, Zhong Huo dragged Zhang Meng out for inspection again.

Zhong Huo had a black face all the way and didn’t give Zhang Meng a good look, just because Zhang Meng had said: “Superior, why don’t you listen to Miss Zhong Ling and get married first? Young Master Ji is quite nice.” After that, Zhong Huo walked in front, not looking back at Zhang Meng once.

Under this stiff and cold atmosphere, Zhang Meng felt very uncomfortable. Luckily, on the way, she saw Xu Lu Cha and his group again.

Usually, they would take the initiative to greet her, but this time when she saw them, she quickly waved at them.

But Zhong Huo, who rarely refused requests from the common people, rejected Xu Lu Cha’s invitation this time.

Zhong Huo put away the resentment and anger she had been directing at Zhang Meng, and said very warmly to Xu Lu Cha: “Young Master Xu, I’m a bit busy today. Next time, perhaps.” After saying this, regardless of Xu Lu Cha’s disappointed expression, she lifted her legs and left.

Just as Zhang Meng was about to follow her, Zi Yi, who had been standing behind Xu Lu Cha, spoke up.

“Constable Zhang, please wait a moment.”

Zi Yi walked up to her and somewhat awkwardly handed a sachet to Zhang Meng.

“Constable Zhang, I embroidered this myself for you. I hope you can accept it.” In the matriarchal country, when a man gives a sachet to a woman, it represents that the man has feelings for the woman.

So, when Zhang Meng received the sachet, she was very shocked and flattered.

She held the sachet and followed behind Zhong Huo, her mind in a mess.

She thought of Yang Qing for a moment, then of Zi Yi, and then of the desk mate she had a crush on in modern times.

It wasn’t until they returned to the yamen and Zhong Huo slammed the study door shut with a “bang” that Zhang Meng came back to her senses.

She looked at the tightly closed study door and patted her face, feeling a bit dumbfounded.

It’s just receiving a sachet, why be so nervous?

In the afternoon, when the sun was fierce, Zhang Meng and several female constables left carrying money bags and account books.

Zhang Meng had taken over Jin Yue’s work and had to collect taxes from various households.

Therefore, she stepped into the homes of many wealthy families, such as the Qin mansion, the Qian mansion, and so on.

Seeing those rich residences, with pavilions and terraces, artificial mountains and flowing water, even the floors covered with wool carpets, and curtains strung with pearls and jade, Zhang Meng deeply felt that the yamen had become as poor as a slum.

When they reached the Xu mansion, although the interior wasn’t as extravagant as the Qin or Qian mansions, it was still quite impressive, because even a casual cup of tea there probably cost more than her monthly salary.

The head of the Xu family, Xu Hong, very warmly invited them to sit.

Xu Hong had the housekeeper bring a bank note and hand it to Zhang Meng. Zhang Meng recorded the amount in the account book, and a constable named Zheng Shu took the bank note from Zhang Meng’s hand and put it in the money bag.

“Well then, Madam Xu, we’ll take our leave now,” Zhang Meng said with a smile.

Zhang Meng and Zheng Shu stood up to leave.

As they passed through the courtyard, Zhang Meng heard a faint, muffled groan.

She turned her head and saw, not far away, Xu Lu Cha in green robes slapping the face of a man dressed as a servant.

The man’s face was red and swollen, kneeling on the ground, not daring to move or cry.

Zi Yi, standing next to Xu Lu Cha, seemed to sense her gaze. He turned his head, and seeing it was Zhang Meng, widened his eyes in surprise.

Zhang Meng nodded at him somewhat uncomfortably, then averted her gaze and walked out of the Xu mansion with Zheng Shu.

Xu Lu Cha flexed his fingers, examining his hand as white as jade, and said softly to the kneeling servant: “Do you still dare to steal my things?”

The servant held back his tears and quickly shook his head: “I don’t dare, Third Young Master, I don’t dare.”

Xu Lu Cha gave him a cold look: “Go back and tell that old hag that not everyone can touch Miss Qian’s things.”

The servant nodded repeatedly, got up, and stumbled away.

Xu Lu Cha turned back and saw Zi Yi staring straight at the main gate. He casually asked, “What’s wrong, Zi Yi?”

Zi Yi quickly withdrew his gaze: “Constable Zhang just saw you hitting someone, Young Master.”

Xu Lu Cha: “…”

Zhang Meng and Zheng Shu returned to the yamen but couldn’t eat yet. She could only hold her stomach and return to her room to rest.

Since she stopped working in the kitchen, Old Lady Zhang and the others in the kitchen were often too busy, and it was always very late before they could serve meals, and the food wasn’t very good.

The constable sisters all complained terribly, pleading with Zhong Huo to let Zhang Meng return to the kitchen.

Fortunately, Zhong Huo kept her word. When she said she wouldn’t let Zhang Meng near the kitchen, she really wouldn’t let her near the kitchen.

So every time Zhang Meng returned from her shift, she could finally rest. As for the food being unpalatable, she didn’t mind. After all, she had eaten Yang Qing’s cooking for several years, and that was truly dark cuisine.

“Zhang Meng, you’re back?” said the uncle who was cleaning in the courtyard.

“Yes, uncle,” Zhang Meng smiled.

The uncle mysteriously approached Zhang Meng: “Today at noon after you and the superior returned, the superior locked herself in the study, and hasn’t come out yet.”

Zhang Meng was stunned: “Really?”

“Yes, I even secretly went to the door to listen. I heard the superior grinding her teeth and cursing ‘stupid person’ in a low voice. Do you know what happened to the superior?”

Zhang Meng quickly shook her head: “I don’t know.”

She had been by the superior’s side all morning and indeed hadn’t noticed the superior having any unpleasant encounters with anyone.

☆、