Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 100

Chapter 100

“My Lady, I am a coarse man. In truth, I am unworthy of you in every way. If you truly need my cooperation, I only hope that in the days to come… I will not let you down.”

Xiao Wangshu had suddenly pulled the connection between them so tight that Chen Chu’s pressure increased exponentially.

He was afraid-afraid of seeing disappointment in her eyes. If that day ever came, it wouldn’t just be her; he would surely despise himself as well.

Xiao Wangshu sat by the table, lifting the pot to refill two cups of tea. She asked casually, “Is the General willing to trust my judgment?”

“My Lady is brilliant and perceptive. Naturally, I trust you.”

“Then what are you so nervous about? You are the choice I made after careful deliberation. Since I chose you, it proves you are suitable.”

Xiao Wangshu smiled brightly, set down the teapot, and gestured to him. “Sit, General. The Tuoba Envoy has not yet left the capital, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to arrange my marriage too quickly, lest it cause him any grievances. We still have a long time to get to know each other slowly.”

She had originally intended to merely test Chen Chu’s attitude today, but she hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from him, or for him to speak so plainly. With things being settled so quickly, even she felt a bit overwhelmed.

Since the string was pulled too tight, it was time to loosen it and let things settle.

“Very well.” Chen Chu walked to the table, habitually preparing to sit opposite her.

But after a moment’s thought, his ears turned red. He changed direction and sat down right next to her with his head bowed.

He radiated a masculine heat. In the middle of this freezing winter, he was like a human charcoal heater, sitting right beside Xiao Wangshu and radiating warmth toward her.

“Since the General happens to be free today, why don’t you actually take a look at the horses here? You can also help me see if there’s anything else in Zhulu that can be improved.”

Xiao Wangshu picked up her teacup, the rising steam blurring the smile in her eyes.

Chen Chu nodded. “Understood.”

“Right, I still intend to gift you those clothes. Please stand up in a moment so I can take your measurements.”

As Xiao Wangshu spoke, she pulled a thin silk ribbon from her sash. “This ribbon is just right. I’ll have the tailors at Brocade Gate make soft rulers like this in the future; they’re convenient to carry around.”

After hearing her words, Chen Chu nodded again, his ears flushing once more. He finished his tea, set down the cup, and stood up with his arms spread wide.

Xiao Wangshu stood up and measured him from top to bottom, tying a knot in the silk ribbon for every measurement she took.

When she reached his waist, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around him to encircle his torso, tightening the ribbon slightly.

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door of the private room.

Knock, knock, knock-

“My Lady, we’ve returned,” Yichun’s voice called from outside.

Chen Chu’s spine stiffened. He looked at Xiao Wangshu nervously and whispered a reminder, “My Lady?”

Xiao Wangshu’s expression remained unchanged. She unhurriedly continued measuring his waist, tying a knot as she gave orders to those outside.

“Wait out there.”

“Yes,” Shuxia and Yichun replied from behind the door.

Chen Chu’s tense body gradually relaxed. His gaze followed Xiao Wangshu, and seeing her consistently composed demeanor, he unconsciously fell into a daze while watching her.

It wasn’t until Xiao Wangshu finished taking all his measurements, rolled up the silk ribbon, and tucked it into her sleeve that he finally snapped out of it.

“Why aren’t you two young ladies going in?” Tian Huaien’s voice asked from outside.

Yichun answered, “My Lady told us to wait out here.”

“Then what about the food? It’s the dead of winter; it won’t taste good if it gets cold.”

Just as Tian Huaien finished speaking, the door to the private room creaked open.

“Come in.” Chen Chu glanced at them and walked back to sit at the table.
Tian Huaien, Yichun, and Shuxia followed him inside, the three of them gathering around the table to set down the various containers and baskets they were carrying.

“Mistress, you actually let Qin Tai and the others watch on their own. I just passed by the private booth near the stairs, and it looked like they were practically leaning out the window to see better,” Yichun said as she arranged the pastries.

Xiao Wangshu asked her, “Didn’t you go over and give them a scare?”

Yichun gave a silly, honest grin. “I did! Mistress really knows me best. If I hadn’t given them a fright, those guys would’ve stayed huddled by that window forever. How would they get the work Mistress assigned them done then?”

Xiao Wangshu smiled at that. She gave a soft hum of acknowledgment but didn’t continue the conversation with Yichun. Instead, she ladled a bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup for Chen Chu.

“I can say with full confidence that Uncle Tian’s skills are not a bit inferior to the imperial chefs in the palace. My younger brother has a very picky palate, yet even he is full of praise for Uncle Tian’s cooking. You should try some, General.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” Chen Chu said, taking the bowl and spoon. He added, “Your hand is still injured, Mistress. It’s inconvenient. Please, let me handle these small tasks.”

As he spoke, Chen Chu moved the plate of sautéed wood ear mushrooms closer to Xiao Wangshu.

He had heard from the estate’s cooks that wood ear mushrooms strengthened the spleen and regulated qi; eating them in moderation helped with digestion and was good for the stomach.

Xiao Wangshu smiled and glanced at him before picking up her chopsticks to take a serving of the mushrooms.

In this atmosphere, Yichun and Shuxia stood to the side, exchanging glances. Eventually, they both lowered their heads and kept their mouths shut, not daring to say a word.

Tian Huaien was a bit oblivious and didn’t sense anything unusual. He stepped forward to report to Xiao Wangshu, “Mistress, the two foremen from the construction crew are waiting outside. Shall I call them in?”

Xiao Wangshu gave another soft hum. “Let them in.”

“Yes.”

Tian Huaien bowed and backed out of the booth, returning shortly with two middle-aged men.

Once they entered, the two men greeted Xiao Wangshu respectfully, “Boss.”

Xiao Wangshu set down her chopsticks and looked up at them. She turned to Tian Huaien and instructed, “You go ahead and handle your other business first.”

“Yes.” Tian Huaien bowed and withdrew, closing the door behind him.

The two middle-aged men stepped forward, declaring their stance to Xiao Wangshu. “We have already turned away everyone else. Please rest easy, Boss.”

Xiao Wangshu wore a faint smile, replying languidly, “There is no need for you two to be nervous. You are master craftsmen whom I personally selected, and we have a contract signed in black and white. Naturally, I am at ease.

“I didn’t call you here today to interrogate you. Rather, I truly want to help you both earn a bit of extra pocket money so you can improve your lives back home.

“Since you’re working for me, we share the benefits together. I can’t very well mistreat my own people.

“Though it’s only a hundred and eighty taels this time, it’s a token of my goodwill.”

A hundred and eighty taels? When such a massive windfall drops right into someone’s lap, who wouldn’t be dazed?

What little reason the two men had left was utterly shattered by the mention of that sum. They hurriedly asked Xiao Wangshu, “We don’t understand what you mean, Mistress. Could you please enlighten us?”

They didn’t even need to think to know that this money wouldn’t be above board-it was dirty. Now, it was just a matter of seeing how dirty it would be.

For commoners like them, if they didn’t go against their consciences and relied solely on hard labor, they likely wouldn’t be able to earn a clean hundred and eighty taels even if three generations of their family worked from dawn to dusk without eating or drinking.

When it came to money, a little dirt didn’t matter. Dirty money was still money.

They had come out to form a crew and take on jobs; for which job did they not try every trick in the book to earn a bit more? For which job was the money truly ‘clean’?

If they didn’t make a profit, were they supposed to pay out of their own pockets to work for others?

As long as the money wasn’t too filthy or black-hearted, and as long as it wasn’t stained with blood, they could accept a little bit of dirt.