Chapter 187: Table Manners
After seeing off the customers, Zhang Zhaodi looked at the order and found that one batch of goods hadn’t been delivered yet. After checking the goods, she personally delivered them to the door.
Speaking of which, this order’s business was negotiated by Zhang Zhaodi herself.
Last time she gathered the whole family to watch a play at the theater, and she happened to get acquainted with the troupe leader there, so they also purchased the cosmetics from Peach Blossom Workshop.
To maintain the relationship with this big client, Zhang Zhaodi proactively offered an 20% discount. The other party was also generous and ordered ten large sets at once.
“Daughter, I just came out of the theater. Guess what I saw?” Zhang Zhaodi excitedly found Su Yaoguang.
Su Yaoguang was making trial sizes of the new product. Hearing Zhang Zhaodi’s excited words, she said without lifting her head: “What did you see?”
“I went to the theater to deliver goods and saw Young Master Cui from Jin Le Fang entertaining those imperial procurement officers to watch the play.”
“What’s strange about that? The Cui family is originally a big household, and the business here is just one of their hundreds of shops. It’s normal for them to be familiar with people from the imperial palace.”
“If it was just entertaining them to watch the play, then there’s nothing.” Zhang Zhaodi said, “But that imperial procurement officer was groping Young Master Cui, clearly with bad intentions.”
Su Yaoguang was stunned and looked up at Zhang Zhaodi: “Groping?”
Zhang Zhaodi nodded excitedly: “Exactly, groping all over, extremely shameless.”
The scene appeared in Su Yaoguang’s mind, and she suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for Young Master Cui.
“Aren’t the imperial procurement officers eunuchs?” Su Yaoguang muttered to herself.
“What does a little girl like you know? So what if he’s a eunuch? He’s missing that thing, but it doesn’t affect his interest at all!” Zhang Zhaodi said, “Oh, why am I telling you this? Quickly forget these dirty things, just pretend I didn’t say anything. I’ll go tell the second and third sons; these palace people play too wildly.”
Su Yaoguang: “…”
It wasn’t early anymore. Su Yaoguang thought about how she had agreed to go to the academy today to find Zhou Wangshu, to deliver the newly bought paper and a few travelogues to him, and by the way bring back his dirty clothes.
She checked the things she had prepared in advance, shouldered the back basket, and walked toward the academy.
Just after passing through the alley, suddenly a person rushed over from the opposite side. That person was staggering and unsteady, and collided with her.
Su Yaoguang was strong and retreated two steps but steadied herself. That person couldn’t, his body fell backward and then he collapsed motionless on the ground.
“Hey… hey… wake up… you…” Su Yaoguang wanted to say don’t scam by feigning injury, but the words didn’t come out. When she saw the youth in front of her, she shut her mouth.
Cui Rong?
She looked around and didn’t see anyone else.
From here to Jin Le Fang was quite far, but returning to Peach Blossom Workshop was closer.
This Cui Rong had a bloody smell on him; he must be injured somewhere. She could only first send him back to Peach Blossom Workshop, let Jiang Jing check his injury, and then notify people from Jin Le Fang to pick him up.
“Jing’er, Jing’er, quickly bring your medicine box over.”
“Who got injured?” Jiang Jing’s voice came from the backyard.
She appeared running with the medicine box in hand.
When she saw Cui Rong whom Su Yaoguang had placed on the sofa, she said: “Weren’t you going to find brother-in-law? How did you pick up a person on the way back?”
“I met him halfway. He looked off, collided with me and then fell, and hasn’t woken up since. Quickly check where he’s injured.”
“You didn’t even know where he’s injured and still dared to bring him home. Jin Le Fang already has a grudge with us, and this Cui Rong always causes us trouble. Why bother with him?”
“If it were you, and a living person collapsed in front of you, and this person is someone you’ve met and know, would you let them die?” Su Yaoguang countered.
“I wouldn’t!” Jiang Jing said, “I’m a doctor; saving the dying and healing the injured is my duty. You’re not a doctor; no one would say anything whether you save him or not.”
“How is he?”
“The bloody smell is coming from his leg.” Jiang Jing said, “His thigh was stabbed with a knife, quite deeply. I need to take off his pants now to apply medicine.”
Su Yaoguang understood Jiang Jing’s meaning.
She needed to step away now.
Su Yaoguang stood at the doorway, listening to the commotion inside.
Zhou Wangshu returned carrying big and small packages. Seeing her standing at the doorway, he asked: “Why aren’t you going in?”
“Why did you come back today?” Su Yaoguang blocked the doorway, “Jing’er is applying medicine to an injured person. I’m guarding here; let’s not go in for now.”
“Okay.” Zhou Wangshu said, “I’ve been at the academy continuously for seven days, my mind full of ‘this and that.’ Don’t you always say to balance work and rest? I’m listening to you.”
“What’s this?”
“Something I bought for you to eat.” Zhou Wangshu said, opening a paper package and handing her the roast chicken leg inside.
It was still hot.
Su Yaoguang was really hungry, and the aroma made her crave it.
She was just about to bite into the chicken leg when she heard a shrill scream from inside.
She pushed open the door and went in, only to see Cui Rong with his arms hugging his chest, looking warily at Jiang Jing, as if Jiang Jing were a lecher.
“Why am I here?” Cui Rong asked.
“I picked you up on the road.” Su Yaoguang said, “If you think I’m meddling, I can throw you back right now.”
Cui Rong’s expression changed, and he lowered his eyes without speaking.
Su Yaoguang thought of the gossip Zhang Zhaodi had mentioned, and seeing Cui Rong like this, her heart sank.
No way?
Today when she saw him, he was said to be flamboyant and showy, passionate and fiery, a young master with a lot of personality. How many hours had passed, and he had become like this? Could he really have experienced the darkness of being harassed by a eunuch?
“I’ll send a shop assistant to Jin Le Fang to find someone, and have the shopkeeper arrange for an assistant to pick you up.”
“Can I stay here tonight to rest? I’m willing to pay silver. Let me stay one night, and I’ll pay fifty taels.”
Su Yaoguang hesitated for a moment but ultimately agreed.
A person who was usually all claws and teeth had suddenly become so meek; she wasn’t quite used to it. Looking at him, he must have been frightened. Fine, she’d do a good deed for the day.
“Your wound needs bandaging. If you won’t let me bandage it, then I’ll find a shop assistant to do it for you. That should be fine, right?” Jiang Jing asked.
Cui Rong lowered his eyes: “No need, I’ll bandage it myself.”
“That works too, as long as you know how.”
Su Yaoguang looked at Cui Rong’s expression and said: “How did you get injured? Jing’er said your injury is deep, caused by a sharp weapon like a dagger. Do you want me to report it to the officials?”
“What’s the use of reporting to the officials?” Cui Rong muttered, then said no more. He took the medicine and cloth towel from Jiang Jing’s hand, preparing to bandage his own wound.
He looked at Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu. The two understood his meaning and immediately left from there.
