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Chen Xi had no intention of going to the Talent Recruitment Platform at all. After leaving the Political Office, he was ready to skip work. As for the possibility of being caught by Mann Chong, who could return at any moment, for violating discipline, Chen Xi had already thought of an excuse—he, as the Prefectural Governor, must always understand the state of his jurisdiction. To avoid being deceived and misled, he planned to inspect the living conditions of the people. This reason was absolutely legitimate!
Skipping work to go home, Fan Jian was reading a book at home—a family heirloom worth a small fortune, the "Petition." Fan Jian had read quite a bit of it and, according to Chen Xi’s viewpoint, she was not looking for a thorough understanding, just a general idea was good enough.
"Jian’er, want to go out?" Chen Xi pushed the door open and entered, only to see Fan Jian hastily stuffing something under the blanket.
"Ouch!" Hiding something, Fan Jian might have accidentally touched something as she winced and let out a quiet cry.
"Embroidery?" Chen Xi curiously asked.
"Not showing you," Fan Jian said discontentedly, still displaying her childish temper.
"The embroidery isn’t good, is it? Hand it over," Chen Xi teased.
But Chen Xi quickly realized what had happened. Fan Jian had probably been pricked by the needle tip by accident.
He pulled Fan Jian’s left hand over to see small dots on her slender, fair fingers—presumably from past times she had been pricked by a needle while embroidering or doing some other work. Thinking about it, it seemed that Fan Jian’s hands were missing something.
"Let’s go. I’ll take you and Ran’er out to buy some rouge and face powder. Aren’t you bored of staying at home all day?" Chen Xi reached out and pulled Fan Jian up, while carelessly tossing the needles and threads into a bamboo basket nearby.
"Go out?" Fan Jian, who rarely went out, had long gotten used to everything at home and had little desire to leave. However, as her husband, Chen Xi’s invitation could not be dismissed—it would be inappropriate to refuse him. After considering for a moment, she nodded her head, "Allow me to change into another dress."
"Alright, hurry up. I’ll go tell Ran’er," Chen Xi glanced at Fan Jian and planned to leave.
Afterward, Chen Xi went to the back yard to inform Chen Lan. Ever since being expelled from the Chen Family, Chen Xi had released Chen Lan from her slave status. Now, she was a free person, but still lived in Chen Xi’s house. Chen Xi had said nothing about this, and Fan Jian didn’t mind one more or one less Chen Lan around.
Because of this, Chen Lan still did the same tasks for Chen Xi as before. Of course, it was not about dancing, singing, or playing the zither anymore, but rather just taking care of Chen Xi. 𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
As for serving tea, doing laundry, and cooking, these tasks were handed over to the newly bought servants by Old Butler Chen, and Chen Xi generally didn’t need any personal care, so Chen Lan was actually doing about the same things as Fan Jian. After all, there were too many refugees selling themselves into servitude at Mount Tai at that time. It was considered a good deed to give them a job and food in that helpless society…
Sure enough, when Chen Xi pushed the door open, Chen Lan was lazily lying on the couch reading a book.
"Ah!" Chen Lan, seeing Chen Xi come in, was clearly startled and then let out a startled cry as she sat up abruptly.
"What’s the big shock? Really now, get up, you lazy pig. I’m taking you and Jian’er out to buy some rouge and face powder. It hasn’t been long since we finished building Fenggao City, and I haven’t had a good look around yet. Today I’ll take you two with me. Speak up if there’s something you want to buy; I’ll bring enough money." Chen Xi, seeing Chen Lan in a flurry, dropping her books, spoke with an exasperated look.
If those who loved books saw this, they would probably want to beat Chen Lan, but it was clear that Chen Xi had no intention of bothering Chen Lan over such a trivial matter—his way of thinking had not been swayed thus far.
"Master…" Chen Lan knelt on the bed and said softly.
"What is it?" Chen Xi couldn’t care less about having Chen Lan change her way of addressing him; he rather liked the title "Master." Although Chen Lan was no longer his Singer, she would still occasionally dance for Chen Xi when needed. The dance of the fan, the twirling—under the dim light, it was quite interesting to watch. As for Fan Jian, Chen Xi had only glimpsed her dance once when she was drunk, and it was stunning, but Fan Jian adamantly forbade Chen Xi from mentioning that incident. Every time Chen Xi opened his mouth, her neck would turn as red as her face.
"If the lady is going, it’s not proper for me to go," Chen Lan said softly, looking down and fiddling with the corner of the blanket—clearly eager to join.
"Don’t worry. Jian’er is rather dull and not very self-aware. As long as you don’t bully her, she is easy to deal with," Chen Xi said nonchalantly, having figured out the girl’s personality after living with Fan Jian for four months.
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Fan Jian was very obedient; she did whatever Chen Xi asked of her, and at other times she just stayed in her own chambers and rarely came out. Chen Xi firmly believed in the idea that being homebound leads to a natural daze, and dazed long enough leads to natural cuteness. Now, it was clear that Fan Jian had spent too much time staying in her chambers, becoming somewhat dazed.
However, this was also good, as it meant that Chen Xi no longer had to worry about Fan Jian deliberately seeking out Chen Lan to trouble her. After all, compared to Fan Jian, Chen Lan was truly the girl who had shared weal and woe with Chen Xi. Isn’t it said that under such circumstances, one should offer themselves in return?
Upon reflection, Chen Lan nodded her agreement and then asked Chen Xi to leave her chambers so she could change her clothes.
"You’re too slow," Chen Xi sat in front of the stone table outside, irritated by the waste of time taken to change clothes. He remembered that he always just slipped clothes on without fuss. Come to think of it, who dealt with his laundry? The only thing Chen Xi could remember was that fresh clothes were laid out beside his bed every morning. Maybe he should wake up early tomorrow and see who was preparing his clothes.
While Chen Xi was getting a bit bored waiting, Fan Jian and Chen Lan stepped through the Moon Gate in succession.
Dressed in a simple white lady’s shirt and with her hair done up in a married woman’s hairstyle, she was adorned with a golden hairpin, her fair face tinged with a blush of shyness.
Chen Xi gazed at Fan Jian’s lips, musing that he didn’t remember any shops selling lipstick.
"My lord, why do you stare at your concubine? Are you perhaps tired of waiting?" Fan Jian asked curiously, looking at Chen Xi.
"Just curious. Let’s go, I’ll take you ladies out shopping. After all, your husband has finally built Fenggao, but hasn’t really taken a good turn around Fenggao City until now," Chen Xi shook his head and said. In front of others, he still had to maintain some decorum. He’d ask again when they were resting at night.
Fan Jian took Chen Xi’s arm and leaned into him, trailing half a step behind him, while Chen Lan followed behind Chen Xi, looking at Fan Jian with a touch of envy. She could make the same gesture, and she knew well that Chen Xi would not refuse her, and would even be secretly pleased. It’s just that with Chen Lan there, she felt a bit embarrassed to do so at the moment.
Walking on the street, Chen Xi could feel the soft body beside him which caused some agitation inside him. After all, Fan Jian was quite beautiful and his fiancée, plus Fan Liang’s hints. If only he didn’t feel that Fan Jian was too young, he would have turned wolfish long ago.
In the beginning, Chen Xi used to share a bed with Fan Jian, but it turned out to be a torment, as Fan Jian would unconsciously lean against Chen Xi, and Chen Xi couldn’t take it further, so they eventually had to sleep in separate beds. When he suggested sleeping separately, Chen Xi always felt Fan Jian’s gaze was somewhat strange at that moment.
Strutting down the street, Chen Xi couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride; the road paved with bluestone, shops lined up on either side of the street. It was completely different from the derelict situation just a few months prior. The filthy sewage street was also cleaned up thanks to Chen Xi’s mandatory legal regulations. At least now, nobody relieved themselves on the street, and if cattle and horses did make a mess, the owner had to clean it up.
Chen Xi was well aware that there were no good disease prevention methods in this era. Cleaner was safer, as an epidemic outbreak could collapse the now-reviving Mount Tai in an instant, turning the entire city into a dead zone if taken too far.
Chen Xi first walked a few steps in one direction, then turned back, looking at Fan Jian to ask, "Do you know where the stores that sell rouge and face powder are?" Clearly, Chen Xi felt a bit unnatural, belonging to the category of homebodies. Unlike others who stayed at home, he stayed in the Political Office.
"I don’t know. Wasn’t the city built by my lord’s command? Don’t you know, my lord?" Fan Jian shook her head, then asked with child-like curiosity, "Maybe Ran’er might know. Since I’ve come to Mount Tai, I’ve never left home."
The gazes of Chen Xi and Fan Jian made Chen Lan feel a bit overwhelmed, and she muttered softly, "I haven’t been out either!"
Well, there they were, three homebodies standing at their doorstep looking out at the street, sighing in unison, before Chen Xi laughed.
"Forget it, this also shows what the city lacks. I’ll arrange to have a signpost made later. It could also make some money on the side. Let’s ask for directions," Chen Xi said with resignation, not having expected that not one of them knew the way. All homebodies.
It’s understandable that Chen Xi spent his days cooped up in the Political Office, while Fan Jian had been sheltered since childhood, never venturing beyond her home’s threshold. As for Chen Lan, being a Singer who was raised at home, of course, she didn’t go out either. Once someone gets used to staying at home, the thought of going out fades.
As the head of the family, Chen Xi naturally couldn’t leave the task of asking for directions to the two delicate young women who didn’t interact with strangers. While asking for directions and making several turns, the visit, which was originally an excuse to look into the lives of the commoners and skip work, led Chen Xi to notice quite a few problems.
Chen Xi smiled as he put the bracelet on Fan Jian. To girls like Fan Jian and Chen Lan who lacked nothing, merely browsing for fun, whether or not they bought anything was not important. The important thing was the search—for that perfect item. But Chen Xi had all the time in the world to indulge in such matters if he wasn’t hungry. However, once his stomach protested, Chen Xi wouldn’t hesitate any longer.
With the increase in tax revenue, Liu Bei was no longer poor. After replenishing everyone’s stipend, he also handsomely rewarded them, so Chen Xi was certainly not short of money now. If Fan Jian or Chen Lan lingered over a piece of jewelry or makeup for more than five seconds, Chen Xi simply paid and bought it, leaving no time for further browsing. Just like that, they made their way along the street, arriving at the end rather quickly, with both sides feeling pleased and content.
