Chapter 641
Chapter 641: 634_1 Chapter 641: 634_1 Master Xue left behind a set of glassware, and Lin Yue immediately dispatched someone to deliver it to Liao Ruyan at the Soap Making Room, which counted as a pleasant surprise for Liao. Since she received a set of semifinished glassware previously, which was much easier to use than the trinkets she had cobbled together before, Liao Ruyan had often asked about them. Lin Yue had promised a better set was on its way, and Liao had been eagerly anticipating it. Unfortunately, the Glass Workshop had not yet produced the glassware, leaving Lin Yue at a loss. The sudden delivery was sure to delight Liao Ruyan.
Just after Lin Yue gave instructions to the young maid, carefully advising her to be gentle and not to jostle the items inside the box to avoid damaging them, Xixi burst in like a whirlwind, almost colliding with the maid and startling both the maid and Lin Yue.
“Xixi, what carelessness is this,” scolded Lin Yue, patting her chest, “rushing in like that, almost breaking my stuff. These are precious items, and even if we sold you, you couldn’t afford to pay for it!” Although Master Xue had mentioned that the formula was worked out and more glassware could be produced, it was still something that took considerable effort to create. If it had broken, Lin Yue would have been upset, especially since Liao Ruyan was eagerly waiting for them and hoped for an early delivery.
“Madam, Madam, good news has come!” Xixi ran in with a beaming smile, face filled with joy, unconcerned with Lin Yue’s scolding. Rather, she didn’t seem to have taken Lin Yue’s words to heart at all, excitedly speaking, while holding a bundle in her hand, its contents unknown.
Lin Yue shook her head, feeling that scolding Xixi at this point was useless, so she quickly asked what was so exciting to make Xixi so overjoyed, as she couldn’t think of anything.
“Oh? Today seems to be full of good news; let’s hear what else there is,” Lin Yue mused. She thought the glassware from Master Xue was surprise enough, and there wasn’t much else at home that could bring her joy, but Xixi was always prone to making a fuss over little things.
“Madam, guess what?” Now Xixi played coy, refusing to reveal the news and even asked Lin Yue to guess, waving the bundle in front of Lin Yue.
“You audacious girl, are you looking for a scolding,” Lin Yue said sternly, pretending to sell me a riddle, stringing me along… Wait, could this be from Zhao Erhu?” Lin Yue was about to give Xixi a slap in annoyance, but upon seeing the bundle in Xixi’s hands, her mind spun, a spark of realization flashed through, and a surprised smile appeared on her face.
“Madam, you’re so clever! Your guess is right; it’s a letter the master sent back for you. I’ve seen how much you’ve missed the master these days. The moment I heard that the master sent a letter, I was overjoyed and hurried to bring it to you. Yet here you are scolding me and even hitting me so hard. It really hurt!” Xixi pretended to complain, or at least she was smiling and teasing as she said it, showing just how daring she had become.
“Stop your nonsense, girl, scolding you serves you right,” Lin Yue retorted. “Who asked you to be so hasty? Even if the master has sent a letter, you should have brought it in properly, instead of talking so much. Later, I’ll have Mrs. Xu give you another lesson.”
“Madam, please don’t, I’m really scared of Nanny Xu,” Xixi pleaded repeatedly.
Lin Yue, however, did not pay further attention to Xixi. Instead, she took the bundle from her hands, opened it, and found inside a small box full of letters. Each one was written by Zhao Erhu while on the road after he left home. It was not convenient to send them back one by one, so they were stored together to be sent to the Emperor in batches, and then brought back, a truly roundabout affair. This arrangement was made possible because Zhao Erhu specially asked the Emperor for a favor. The Emperor, considering Zhao Erhu’s difficulty being away from home and that the couple could scarcely spend time together throughout the year, and since Zhao Erhu was serving him, graciously permitted it.
After receiving the letters, Lin Yue’s thoughts were entirely consumed by the contents of each one. Some were trivial matters, others recounted Zhao Erhu’s observations and amusing experiences on the road, and yet others conveyed his changing moods, longing for Lin Yue, and concerns for the family. As Lin Yue read, her heart soured and her eyes reddened. At that moment, Xixi tactfully withdrew, not disturbing Lin Yue.
As time passed, the day that Master Xue would return to his hometown to fetch his family was settled. Once he finished crafting the glass products from the blueprints given by Lin Yue, Master Xue planned to set out.
“Madam, it’s really Master Xue himself going back to bring his family. Actually, if Master Xue gave his address, Madam could send someone trustworthy to fetch them. It would be the same as long as the people are brought here. Master Xue holds the secrets to glassmaking, and his unmatched skill is absolutely crucial! Although Madam holds Master Xue’s servitude contract, there is nothing else that can truly control Master Xue. If Master Xue had a change of heart, he could escape on the way and arrange a new identity document. It’s not an impossible feat.”
Nanny Xu continued, observing Lin Yue’s inscrutable expression, but she went on regardless. No matter what, she had Madam’s best interest at heart. Even if Lin Yue did not change her decision, Nanny Xu still needed to make Madam aware of the risks involved so she could be prepared.
“Madam, it’s not that I suspect others with ill-intent without cause. Given the gravity of the situation, we must be cautious! Even if we take a step back and say Master Xue is loyal to Madam and wouldn’t do anything to betray Madam, truly intending to bring his family over, we still must guard against those who may have designs on Master Xue. Right now, Master Xue is like a cash cow, a golden tree. Anyone aware of Master Xue’s ability will find it hard not to covet it, even the one in the Golden Palace cannot avoid being tempted.”
“While Master Xue’s identity is a secret, it can’t be hidden forever. Even with utmost secrecy, who can guarantee there are no slip-ups? There are so many clever people in the world, some could guess the truth just by speculation. Moreover, my lord and Madam have risen so rapidly in the past two years, surely there are many watching our family from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. Even if Madam trusts Master Xue, you must also beware of those outsiders.”
Lin Yue, reflective, nodded her head. “Nanny Xu makes a valid point. Although I haven’t placed blind trust in Master Xue and have taken precautions and backup measures, I haven’t thought it through as thoroughly and meticulously as you have. It seems I need to plan more carefully regarding Master Xue’s return to his hometown, to avoid any trouble from those with malicious intent.”