Volume One, Chapter 18: The Young Boy

"Ah Jiu! Look!" Han Shu excitedly brought his monthly silver coins to Ah Jiu by the horse-washing area. "This is the first time I've gotten so many silver coins! Tonight, when we leave the mansion, I'll treat you to a feast!"

Seeing Ah Jiu remain silent, Han Shu didn’t mind. He kept rubbing the small silver pieces in his hand, utterly delighted.

"The other day, when Third Miss beat up that sycophantic scoundrel Zhao Liang in the storeroom, it was a pity I didn’t see it. Just thinking about it gets me excited. I always say, Third Miss is both beautiful and kind-hearted."

"Why is it that people are all so pragmatic? You see, before Third Miss took charge of the household, every servant in the Shen family was obedient to the matron. But now, since Third Miss changed the household rules, those people who received silver coins have forgotten how badly they once slandered her. Instead, they all sing her praises..."

Han Shu sighed. "Even I am like that..."

He lay back on a pile of grass. "That Wang Qiang who bullied you last time—if he acts up again, I’ll report his unauthorized horseback rides to the Rongyin Pavilion."

Suddenly recalling something, he added, "Third Miss used to be indifferent to affairs of the back house, but now she seems like a completely different person. Last time when the eldest young master troubled you, Third Miss gave you a lot of medicine and even told me not to tell you."

Looking at Ah Jiu’s rugged and resolute profile, which even plain linen clothes could not conceal, Han Shu clicked his tongue. "But... Third Miss likes handsome men. Even though she’s engaged to that refined Xie Xun, she still helps you at every turn. I’ve racked my brain and can only think of one possibility..."

Han Shu winked. "Third Miss has a crush on you!"

Ah Jiu’s eyes flickered slightly.

"Ah... I envy you so much. If one day you can’t make it on your own, you could recommend yourself to be Third Miss’s bed companion and rise to the pinnacle of life..."

Ah Jiu interrupted Han Shu’s rambling with a firm voice, "Han Shu."

"Hmm?" Han Shu tilted his head, chewing on a blade of grass, staring beyond the high courtyard walls.

"I’m going out tonight, but I need a horse."

He felt as if he had forgotten something very important...

Han Shu immediately sat up and whispered, "You want to take a horse from the stable?" Seeing Ah Jiu didn’t deny it, Han Shu turned pale. "Do you know how much a horse costs? At least eighty taels of silver! It’s not something we can just take! What if—"

"From now on, I’ll give you all my monthly silver."

Han Shu hesitated, struggling. "But your injury hasn’t healed, you can’t ride, and the doctor said you have a concussion..."

"If I ever have money later, I’ll share with you."

Han Shu looked Ah Jiu up and down, noting his upright posture and steady demeanor. It was clear this was no ordinary man.

Han Shu’s greatest wish was to turn his fortunes around, to become a master rather than a humble stable hand in the Shen household’s back courtyard.

"Then you must come back quickly. I’ll cover for you. You absolutely must return, or I’ll be finished." With nothing to lose, Han Shu leaned close. "I don’t help just anyone, but you seem like a true man. I trust you."

"Thanks."

"Don’t forget what you promised: your monthly silver to me. And when you make it big, remember to take me along."

"Hmm."

"You must bring the horse back tonight, even if you die."

"Alright."

——————

When Shen Rong stepped into Qian Bo’s courtyard, she was immediately overwhelmed by the strong medicinal smell that made her eyes water. The modestly sized courtyard had a young boy squatting on the ground, boiling medicine, looking even younger than before.

Upon seeing her, Qian Huaiyu glanced at her expressionlessly.

Shen Rong paid no mind. She observed the simply decorated but meticulously clean courtyard, guessing that the medicine being boiled was for Qian Huaiyu’s own foot injury.

If he was already taking medicine, why had he still ended up with a limp in the previous life? Could it be that the injury was too severe and left untreated?

Just then, a heart-wrenching cough echoed from the side room, as if someone was about to vomit their stomach out.

Before Shen Rong could react, the boy who was squatting swiftly carried the medicine into the room.

Leaning against the doorframe, Shen Rong watched as the boy, who had earlier been like a wary little wolf, now carefully helped the sickly Qian Bo sit up, patting his chest to help him breathe, and expertly fed him the medicine.

In Shen Rong’s memory, she had visited Qian Bo’s courtyard before. She clearly remembered that although his courtyard was not luxurious, it was certainly not as simple, almost shabby, as it was now.

There were barely any decorative items worth mentioning. After all, he was the steward of the Shen mansion—how could it have come to this?

After drinking half a bowl of medicine, Qian Bo seemed somewhat relieved and after a pause, he softly said to his son, "I am useless, and I have burdened you."

Qian Huaiyu just shook his head. When he tried to feed more medicine, Qian Bo stubbornly refused.

Qian Huaiyu’s expression darkened but insisted on feeding the remaining medicine to his father.

During their struggle, the medicine bowl tilted and almost fell. Qian Huaiyu was startled and reached out to catch it, but a fair hand steadied the bowl.

Seeing Shen Rong, Qian Bo was quite surprised but forced a smile. "So Third Miss has come. Forgive this old servant for being ill and unable to greet you properly. Such a simple place might make you uncomfortable."

Qian Huaiyu pursed his lips and withdrew his hand without a word.

Shen Rong took a seat by the bed, scooped a spoonful of medicine, and brought it to Qian Bo’s lips. The latter repeatedly waved his hand, refusing.

"You have seen me grow up and treated me kindly since childhood. Now that you are ill, I want to take care of you. How could I refuse?"

Qian Bo hesitated, looking at the supportive Qian Huaiyu and then at the medicine bowl.

"Whatever unspoken troubles you have, drink the medicine first."

Shen Rong’s tone brooked no refusal. Only then did Qian Bo open his mouth and drink the remaining half bowl.

"Ah Yu, you should leave first," Qian Bo said, patting Qian Huaiyu’s hand but not meeting his gaze.

Qian Huaiyu’s wolf-like eyes glanced at Shen Rong, and she clearly saw a trace of resentment within.

Once the side room door was closed, Qian Bo struggled to get out of bed. Shen Rong naturally stopped him, but he brushed her hand aside and shakily stood, then without a word, knelt down with a thud.

Shen Rong was startled and quickly moved aside, crouching down to help him up.

"Third Miss, could you please listen to this old servant first? Consider it an old man pleading with you."

Looking at Qian Bo’s pale and aged face, Shen Rong sat on the floor beside him. "Alright, I’ll listen."

"Third Miss…" Qian Bo’s eyes glimmered with emotion. "This old servant has served the Shen family for decades, trusted by the master and entrusted with great responsibility. But my body is failing me; recently, my mind has grown more and more confused..."

Previously, Shen Rong had paid little attention to household affairs, only knowing that Qian Bo was the steward in charge of the accounts.

The Shen family’s finances were divided into external and internal accounts. The external accounts were managed personally by her father, who had a dozen capable accountants arriving monthly to discuss matters in his study.

The internal accounts covered daily expenses and social dealings within the mansion, overseen primarily by Madam Meng and Shen Yu of the main branch. Qian Bo had always managed the accounts, while Zhao Liang and later Gu Ming were in charge of the storeroom.

But Man He had told her that now Qian Bo hardly managed the accounts anymore; Madam Meng handled them personally, and Shen Yu was gradually taking full control of the household.

"This old servant begs Third Miss to forgive Ah Yu. For my sake, he stole from the storeroom to pawn goods. Though he was punished and his leg broken, I feel uneasy and ashamed before the master and you. My illness is unlikely to improve. I only ask that after I pass, the master and you consider giving Ah Yu a position. He may be a bit solitary but is intelligent and loyal. If you can make use of him, please show him kindness and help heal his leg."

Tears rolled from Qian Bo’s wrinkled eyes.

Shen Rong grasped Qian Bo’s hand and with effort helped him lie back down, tucking the blanket around him carefully. After a long moment, she spoke with some emotion, "Qian Bo, why didn’t you come to father or me when you had difficulties?"

Qian Bo had been part of Shen Rong’s life since childhood, but at some point, he had slowly disappeared from it until half a year later he and Qian Huaiyu left the Shen household...

Qian Bo wiped his tears, feeling guilty for having just begged Shen Rong.

The master and Third Miss were often away from the mansion. Since the second madam’s passing, Third Miss had accompanied the master traveling far and wide. The affairs of the household had been entrusted to the main branch. After all, Qian Bo still dealt mostly with the main branch. Had it not been for desperation, he would never have put on such a bold face...

"The master and Third Miss are people of great affairs; how could they be distracted by these petty household matters…"

After dealing with Zhao Liang in the storeroom, Shen Rong learned from Man He and Xiang Mei that a month ago Zhao Liang had broken Qian Huaiyu’s leg, yet both Qian Huaiyu and Qian Bo had silently endured it.

It turned out that Qian Huaiyu had stolen from the storeroom to pay for Qian Bo’s medical treatment, which Zhao Liang discovered.

But as steward of the Shen family, even though Qian Bo was gradually being sidelined by Madam Meng, he should have had some savings. Why then could they not even afford medical care?

In the previous life, when Qian Bo left, although his health was weak, he was not seriously ill.

Thinking of this, someone must have helped him in that past life…