Chapter 204: Book and Leftover Wine
Just before entering the Marquis’s manor, servants came out to congratulate Lady Cui, saying the Weary Marquis had returned. Lady Cui smiled and rewarded them. Though she had sent Du Motian and Reckless to welcome him days ago, she was still thrilled at the news. After stepping down from her sedan chair, her steps were a bit unsteady.
She controlled herself well, not showing too much excitement in front of the servants. When she returned to the inner quarters, the Marquis wasn’t there. She learned he had gone straight to his study upon returning.
A maid ran to check the study and quickly returned, reporting that the Marquis was taking a nap and had asked to be woken when his wife returned.
Lady Cui didn’t have him woken. She had things to do, so she went to the rear hall and asked for his attendants to be summoned if they weren’t resting.
Reckless had returned to the Drunken Immortal Inn. The Dus and Meng E came to see the lady.
Lady Cui expressed gratitude to the Dus without giving rewards like she would to ordinary servants – this was too great a debt for the Marquis and his wife to repay currently.
She was puzzled by the guard “Chen Tong,” whom she’d never heard of before. She immediately recognized it was a woman dressed as a man, not from any obvious tells but pure intuition.
Meng E stopped using a male voice. “I am Meng E, formerly a palace guard.”
The Dus were shocked to learn Meng E was a guard, but Lady Cui was delighted. She took Meng E’s hand and chatted with her at length, calling her “Sister Meng” by the time they parted.