Chapter 19: Beloved in the Heart

"Understood. I assume you have all the necessary arrangements ready," Lady Rong spoke softly after a prolonged silence.

Lady Rong initially thought that Li Niang would start arranging for her to receive clients half a month ago. Unexpectedly, Li Niang only brought up the matter now, after she had completed her postpartum confinement. Lady Rong felt a sense of gratitude and admiration for Li Niang's consideration.

"Of course," Li Niang replied.

"But... for Yingran and Huanhuan..." Lady Rong looked at the cradle where Yinghuan was and then glanced outside. She only spoke half of what she wanted to say.

"I know what you're worried about," Li Niang said, also looking outside. She added, "Huanhuan will be taken care of by Qiu Shui, and as for Yingran, I will arrange for her to serve alongside you. The room I've arranged for you is far from here. You can rest assured."

"You have thought of everything," Lady Rong said with a bitter smile.

"In a place like this, you can't afford to be without discernment and calculation," Li Niang said, adjusting the hairpin in her ear as she spoke.

Seeing Li Niang like this, Lady Rong didn't want to continue the topic. Instead, she asked, "Tonight, at what time?"

"When the time comes, I will come to escort you. For now, just act as you normally do, so as not to let your daughter sense anything unusual."

With that, Li Niang stood up and walked out. Just before opening the door, she slightly turned her head to say to Yingran, "You, come with me."

Yingran was already accustomed to Li Niang's orders and followed her without hesitation. However, this time, Li Niang did not take her to her own room but instead led her downstairs and towards the front courtyard.

Passing through the bridges between buildings, Li Niang took Yingran directly to the center of the main building's stage.

Li Niang circled the stage once, finally stopping in front of Yingran. "Those who can dance on this stage are the best courtesans in the Liqing Pavilion. After a dance, they receive countless gold and silver."

Yingran just looked at Li Niang, not responding.

"Would you like to learn to dance? Standing on this stage in the future, your mother and your sister may have better days ahead," Li Niang asked.

Yingran shook her head. This kind of frivolous behavior was entirely different from what she had learned since childhood about female virtue and modesty. Even in her current situation, Yingran still had an inherent aversion to such exposed and superficial activities.

Li Niang chuckled, turned her head, and continued, "Do you know what kind of place this is? Naturally, we don't keep idlers here. If you can't bring benefits to this place, then you can only..."

Yingran immediately interrupted, "I can do hard labor! I'm willing to do any dirty and tiring work!"

Li Niang got exactly what she wanted. Now that Yingran brought it up herself, it meant she would diligently fulfill her duties. Otherwise, Li Niang wouldn't know how to cover up Lady Rong's reception of clients.

"Fine, considering your cleverness, you'll serve by my side from now on," Li Niang said as if reluctantly. Then, as if she remembered something, she asked, "By the way, can you read?"

"I can," Yingran replied.

"How much can you read?"

Yingran hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer. She seemed to have been able to read the medical books in the study since she could remember. Later, her family hired a female tutor for her, and reading books posed no pressure. It was like she had taught herself.

Thinking of this, Yingran answered, "I can probably recognize most characters."

Li Niang was amused by Yingran's words. How could someone of her age know so much? She teased, "You're not being modest. Since that's the case, tonight, you'll come to my room and read to me."

"Read?!" Yingran exclaimed in surprise. She wondered why it was such an easy task, and she was astonished that Li Niang had such a boring hobby. Didn't reading by herself go faster than reading to someone else?

"What? Don't want to?" Li Niang didn't expose Yingran's thoughts, which were already written on her face.

"No, I'm willing, of course. When tonight? Should I stay with you all the time?" Yingran asked.

"No need. Just in the evening is fine. I have other people to accompany me during the day, and I'll have someone come to call you in the evening."

Yingran nodded and didn't say anything more. Later, she observed the stage's arrangement, thinking that she would no longer have to stand here in the future.

Just as Yingran was observing, the quiet building echoed with various door-opening sounds and footsteps. It seemed that the guests who had stayed overnight were getting ready to leave.

Seeing this, Li Niang immediately pushed Yingran into the nearby heavy curtains. She then greeted the departing guests gracefully, even allowing some of them to take advantage of her. Li Niang remained unfazed, continuing to charm them as if nothing had happened.

Once everyone had left, Li Niang turned to the curtains and said, "Alright, come out. In the future, you're not allowed to come to the main building without my permission."

"Understood," Yingran replied.

"Go back," Li Niang said and, after uttering those words, she rubbed her temples and walked away, paying no more attention to Yingran.

Seeing that Li Niang was no longer concerned about her, Yingran followed the same path back to her mother's room.

Lady Rong, anxious about her daughter's prolonged absence, saw Yingran return and asked why Li Niang had summoned her. Yingran, unaware of her mother's urgency, explained the recent events in detail.

Hearing this, Lady Rong felt even more grateful to Li Niang. She instructed Yingran to focus on her studies and not slack off.

The two then began playing with Yinghuan as if nothing had happened.

...

Before dinner, the sound of string and wind instruments emanated from the main building earlier than usual.

"Jin Ye has arrived! Should he look for Sister Li Niang, or consider me, his humble servant~"

Jin Ye looked at the woman, dressed in gauze, clinging closely to him. She had a delicate appearance, with a bit of baby fat on her cheeks, exuding a somewhat innocent charm.

Upon closer inspection, Jin Ye found her familiar. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly remembered. She was the servant girl who stood in front of Lady Rong when they captured the Rong family.

Jin Ye, in high spirits, held Chun Tao's chin with one hand and, with the other, supported her waist, drawing her close to him. He spoke slowly, "Such a charming servant girl. I can't wait to meet the mistress..."

He didn't finish his sentence and instead closed his eyes, approaching Chun Tao's hair as if intoxicated by its scent.

"Looks like Jin Ye has found a new love~"

Seeing Li Niang approaching, Chun Tao, feigning composure, teased Jin Ye.

Upon seeing Li Niang, Jin Ye pushed Chun Tao away, lifting Li Niang into his arms. He playfully pinched Li Niang's snowy chest and said with a smile, "How can that be? Li Niang is Jin Ye's new and old love."

Li Niang, hearing these words, just laughed happily. Then, she pulled Jin Ye upstairs.

Once inside the room, Jin Ye spoke directly, "There should be no more excuses today, right?"

"Oh~ so eager. Didn't you say I'm your new and old love?" Li Niang teased.

Jin Ye wasn't angry, treating Li Niang's words as a joke. He laughed and said, "Of course, this is just routine for me. You know the rules."

"Alright, I'll go get someone for you. However, it will take some time for the preparations. I hope Jin Ye can be patient," Li Niang said in a seemingly annoyed tone, secretly hoping that Jin Ye would consider Lady Rong more and give her a bit of a respite. She sighed, thinking, 'This is all I can do.'

When Li Niang opened Lady Rong's room door, Lady Rong and Yingran were having dinner, and little Yinghuan was peacefully asleep in the cradle.

Seeing Li Niang entering, Lady Rong, with chopsticks paused in her hands, began to feel nervous. She forced a smile, inviting Li Niang to sit down.

"Yingran, finish your meal. Afterward, go to my room and wait. The books you need for tonight are already placed on the table. You can read through them. I'll be back after finishing my business," Li Niang instructed Yingran without looking at Lady Rong.

"Understood, I'll go now."

Yingran didn't wait to finish her meal; she put down her chopsticks, gave a bow to the two people in the room, and left.

Compared to others who were brought here together, Yingran felt that her mother and she were already living relatively well. Li Niang's care for her made Yingran believe that Li Niang sympathized with her and her mother's plight. Now that Li Niang had instructed her to do something, Yingran was determined to do her best to repay the kindness. This was Yingran's conclusion after returning today.

Watching Yingran's figure disappear completely at the door, Lady Rong finally spoke, "Thank you so much!"

Li Niang shook her head lightly, replying, "In the end, it depends on you."

"I'll go with you now," Lady Rong said, standing up. However, upon reaching the door, she suddenly stopped.

Li Niang did not rush her; she knew stepping through that door required immense courage for Mrs. Rong. 

Mrs. Rong reached out to touch the door frame, realizing that ever since she stepped through this doorway, her former self had already gone with her husband. Now, going out again, it was for the sake of her two daughters. If sacrificing her own body could preserve the bloodline of the Rong family, so be it.

With determined steps, she crossed the threshold, standing outside, waiting for Li Niang to lead the way.

Li Niang understood that Mrs. Rong had come to terms with her decision. Without delay, she guided Mrs. Rong to a hot spring bath on the right side of the courtyard.

As soon as Mrs. Rong entered, two maids approached, undressing her completely. They led her to sit in the hot spring pool, carefully wiping every inch of her skin. After wiping, they used various flower petals from a basket to cover Mrs. Rong's body, then stepped aside.

After about a quarter of an hour, Mrs. Rong felt her body becoming somewhat soft. She thought about getting up but was gently pressed back down by a woman around forty.

This woman was the one teaching the girls in the building about the rules of intimacy—how to make guests linger, intoxicated, willingly falling under their charm.

Seeing this, Li Niang, waiting outside the curtain, hesitated. Eventually, she gave instructions, "Lin Mama, no need for further instructions, just do the makeup directly."

"But..."

Before Lin Mama could argue, Li Niang interrupted, "Just follow my orders."

Lin Mama had no choice but to pick up the tools beside her and start preparing Mrs. Rong's face.

Mrs. Rong had done a similar makeup once before, on the day of her marriage. It was said that it would make her look fairer and symbolized a woman starting anew after marriage.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Rong's eyes couldn't help but moisten. She tried hard to lift her head, attempting to hold back her tears.

Lin Mama, accustomed to such scenes, had seen many first-time guests cry. Crying became a habit, something they would eventually accept.

After another quarter of an hour, Mrs. Rong, under the service of the attendants, had finished bathing. Two maids held clothing for her to put on. Despite being a mother of two, her figure remained as graceful as a young girl. Now, in thin gauze, she exuded a captivating feminine charm, leaving even Li Niang on the side in awe.

After some effort, they arranged Mrs. Rong's hair into an elegant updo, covering it with a beaded veil. With a delicate and charming appearance, even Li Niang couldn't help but admire. Truly, she looked like a fairy.

"All right, follow me," Li Niang, suppressing her astonishment, said, leading Mrs. Rong.

Mrs. Rong remained silent, following Li Niang's footsteps. They walked through several corridors and arrived at the door of Jin Ye's room.

Li Niang stood at the door, remained silent for a moment, then turned to Mrs. Rong and whispered, "Don't act recklessly. Think more about your daughters."

Without giving Mrs. Rong time to ponder, Li Niang pushed the door open and led her inside, leaving herself outside with a smile towards Jin Ye. She then promptly closed the door.

Jin Ye, looking at the woman before him like a fairy, felt a surge of heat running through his body. He walked directly to Mrs. Rong, raising his hand to lift her veil.

Mrs. Rong instinctively turned her head to dodge, but Jin Ye, catching the movement, directly pinched her chin, causing a pang of pain.

"You hurt me!" Mrs. Rong said with effort.

Seeming to just realize it, Jin Ye immediately let go of her, picking her up and walking towards the wooden bed.

Mrs. Rong, suppressing her instincts, was thinking about the words Li Niang had spoken at the door, the image of Yinhuanhuan in the cradle, Yinqing in the medicinal herb garden, and the husband who draped a cloak over her...

From the entrance to the bed, just a short distance, but Mrs. Rong had considered a lot. On the other hand, Jin Ye only felt the person in his arms, her body stiff and even trembling slightly. When he lowered his head to look, he found the person in his arms was already tear-stained.

Jin Ye sneered, thinking, 'These noble ladies are indeed delicate. This is even before anything has started. I wonder if she'll have the strength to cry later.'

As soon as Jin Ye carried Mrs. Rong to the bed, he raised both hands, tossing her onto the bed. Mrs. Rong, feeling the pain, couldn't help but groan. The moment she made a sound, she noticed Jin Ye's eyes seemed to be burning, staring straight at her body.

Terrified by Jin Ye's gaze, Mrs. Rong kept hiding inside the bed. However, the bed was only so big—where could she hide?

Jin Ye wasn't interested in playing a cat-and-mouse game. He reached out, grabbing one of Mrs. Rong's feet and dragging her straight to the bedside, without a hint of pity for this delicate beauty.

Outside the door, the festive music continued, drums beating incessantly. However, it couldn't drown out the cries inside the room. Downstairs, the people had long become accustomed to such scenes, thinking it was just some generous guest enjoying himself. They shook their heads and smiled before moving on.

Thus, in Jin Ye's room upstairs, intermittent cries echoed from time to time. It continued until the person seemed to have run out of strength. But after a short while, another round of cries started, continuing sporadically until dawn, when the sound finally ceased.

Meanwhile, Yingran remained in Li Niang's room, flipping through books. She recognized all the books and had even read some of them before.

Those were the assignments given by the female teacher. The books contained the enduring philosophies of literary masters. After reading, the teacher instructed her to write her own insights. For this, Mrs. Rong secretly complained about the teacher being too strict.

Listening to Ying Ran's fluent reading, Li Niang realized she wasn't exaggerating earlier. She thought she should instruct someone to buy some medical books; it would be a waste to neglect Mr. Rong's innate talent.

At the same time, Li Niang was worried about Mrs. Rong, unsure if she could endure through it all. She hoped everything would be fine.

So, Ying Ran read books to Li Niang all night. Li Niang didn't sleep either, enduring until dawn. Finally, she let Ying Ran go back to rest. Li Niang rushed to the main building, straight to the room where Jin Ye and Mrs. Rong were.

As Li Niang approached the door, she coincidentally bumped into Jin Ye coming out.

"Li Niang, why are you in such a hurry?" Jin Ye asked in surprise.

Seeing this, Li Niang quickly put on an angry and sad look, complaining, "You said, Jin Ye, you didn't come out all night. It seems you've forgotten about Li Niang."

Jin Ye quickly coaxed, "How could that be? Li Niang, you are the one I love the most!"

Li Niang smiled on the surface but didn't believe it. Just by looking at Jin Ye's eyes occasionally glancing inside and his face showing a reminiscent expression, Li Niang understood. She knew there was probably no escaping from this in the future.