Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Overestimating Oneself
During the meal, Qu Fulan was seated with Pei Ji’an and the others to eat.
Although she had often dined with the Heir Pei, that was in the Lixiang Courtyard, where one did not need to pay much attention to formalities.
Now, fortunately, she was disguised as a man, and everyone just assumed she was some young gentleman, treating her with the same polite manners as they would others.
Otherwise, a maid would not be permitted to join the table at another’s home for a meal.
This was the Jin Family from Ganhe Town.
The purpose of Heir Pei and the others’ visit was related to the Jin family’s son, Jin Sheng.
Last night, there was a fire at the Jin family home, and Jin Sheng’s leg was injured by debris.
Originally, Jin Sheng was excellent at polo and was supposed to compete with Heir Pei and Prince An and others, but due to this incident, Jin Sheng naturally couldn’t participate.
The Heir Pei and the others had to come and express their well-wishes.
Mr. Jin raised his cup to the group, "It’s an honor to have several noble guests today; truly, it makes our humble abode shine brighter. I toast to you all."
Pei Ji’an raised his drink, "Mr. Jin, you’re too kind. We came without formal invitation, just intruding here, and we must thank you for your gracious hospitality."
"You came to visit my son; it can’t be considered an intrusion. Please, don’t be so formal."
"Then, after you, Mr. Jin."
"Everyone, please."
Pei Ji’an and Prince An and the others conversed warmly with Mr. Jin, while Qu Fulan kept her head down, eating, yet noticed a gaze fixed upon her.
She looked up to see it was one of the men standing near Mr. Jin. He had been introduced earlier; he was also a member of the Jin family, named Jin Pan, from the second house.
Qu Fulan did not like this person; his appearance was timid, but the way he looked at her was greasy, making her feel repulsed.
Even though she was dressed as a man, in these times there were plenty of people who were not picky about gender.
Besides Jin Pan’s unpleasant gaze, there was another person’s gaze that seemed to bore into her.
Who else but Feng Mei’er?
Li Jirou... no, now called Qu Fulan, wasn’t she a maid? How could the nobles allow her to sit at the table?
Feng Mei’er was filled with doubts but couldn’t ask for confirmation, feeling quite unhappy. How could she dine with a maid?
However, upon reconsideration, this showed that Qu Fulan was valued, which furthered her own plans.
After the meal, Qu Fulan went along to visit Jin Sheng; he lay in bed, his foot wrapped in bandages, looking quite serious.
A nearby attendant explained that last night, the young master was sleeping in the study, after tiring himself reading he fell asleep there, while the servant guarding outside also fell asleep, who knew a sudden fire would break out in the middle of the night.
"Now, half the books in the study are gone, but never mind that, luckily the young master escaped in time, otherwise if that beam hit his head, it wouldn’t just be a simple leg injury now."
Jin Sheng reprimanded the servant, "Why are you saying this? I’m fine now, it’s just a leg injury, I probably need some time to recover, missing the polo match, I apologize to the brothers."
Prince An quickly said, "Why are you thinking about the polo match now? Take care of your leg first, if not this year, there’s always next year, no rush."
Wei Xu and the others followed suit, "Indeed, your health is most important; anyway, there are substitutes, you need not worry."
There were indeed substitutes, but few played as well as Jin Sheng; otherwise, they wouldn’t have sighed upon knowing his situation.
Regret notwithstanding, what could be done with an injured leg?
"How could a decent study catch fire?" Pei Ji’an suddenly asked, raising an unrelated question.
Jin Sheng paused before sighing, "My study is full of books, I’m usually not keen on tidying up, the books were piled up everywhere messily, yesterday I suspect the oil lamp was knocked over, hence the fire."
"It’s not that the young master doesn’t tidy up, it’s that Second Young Master Jin often enters and messes up the books without sorting them, the servants organize them several times a day, they’ve told him countless times but he doesn’t listen, yesterday there were things going on at home, everyone was busy and forgot about the study, the young master was tired from socializing during the day, went to read at night and fell asleep there, accidentally causing the fire."
The Second Young Master Jin referred to was Jin Pan, the one who earlier had been ogling Qu Fulan at the dining table.
Upon returning to the small courtyard, Qu Fulan played chess with Heir Pei, from whom she learned the general situation of the Jin family.
The Jin family had two branches; supposedly, families don’t split while parents are alive, but theirs had already passed, and the brothers had been separated early.
Later, Mr. Jin achieved scholarly acclaim and became an official, distancing himself from his business-minded younger brother.
Yet, due to a sea accident, the younger brother was buried at sea.
With nowhere else to turn, Jin Pan and his mother sought refuge with the elder uncle’s family.
Mr. Jin does not treat them as outsiders, everything a family member has, they have too.
He even looks after Jin Pan more than Jin Sheng, remembering the brother’s untimely passing.
That’s why Jin Pan can freely enter Jin Sheng’s study without blame, it’s all indulged behavior.
But that’s not the main point; the crucial part is that Jin Sheng’s mother has been bedridden for years, leaving the running of the Jin family’s household to the second aunt.
Every family has their challenges; Qu Fulan treated this as a story, listened to it without much interest.
Anyway, they wouldn’t stay long; just visiting the patient, they’d leave the next day, none of these tangled relationships concerned her.
But some others didn’t think that way.
Second Madam Jin had already inquired into the identities of the visitors from Mr. Jin, finding they were prominent figures from the Capital City, especially Heir Pei, reportedly a favorite of the Emperor, quite distinguished.
Second Madam Jin, having a son and a daughter, had to devise plans for her daughter.
How she plotted is unknown for now, but Feng Mei’er learned from Second Madam Jin about the identities of the noble visitors and couldn’t sit still.
Meanwhile, Qu Fulan was resting in her room, tired from traveling half a day.
Yet a servant came to say a familiar face was seeking her.
This ’familiar face’ could only be Feng Mei’er, who must have inquired about the identities of Heir Pei and the others, coming shamelessly to find her, afraid she wouldn’t have another chance if they left tomorrow.
"Say I’m tired and resting; let’s talk later," Qu Fulan didn’t want to see her and had the servant relay the message.
One servant departed, only for another to arrive and pass on a message.
"Young master, Miss Feng says you should take your time resting; she’s just bored and will wait outside."
Was she forcing her? Determined not to stop until her goal was met.
Qu Fulan still ignored it.
If she had the nerve to keep waiting, let her; Qu Fulan wasn’t afraid of embarrassment.
But not only was she being pestered, Pei Ji’an too found himself disturbed.
Second Madam Jin’s daughter directly came over to offer him pastries.
Indeed, a merchant’s daughter from a small place would lack decorum, barging into a man’s room like that as an unmarried girl.
"Out, I don’t need pastries." Pei Ji’an didn’t immediately have her thrown out, as a courtesy to Mr. Jin, but his expression was displeased.
But this Miss Jin lacked discernment, mistaking courtesy for favor, she continued wiggling her waist further inside.
The appearance of this handsome young man completely captivated her, leaving no room in her eyes for anyone else. Upon knowing he was the Heir of the Marquis, it was too much to handle.
If the heir favored her and married her, wouldn’t her future hold endless wealth and glory?
"Heir Pei, I... ah—"