Aunt

Once Xu Qing's matter was settled, Shen Shixu called the waiter in to take their order. After ordering several dozen dishes, he looked at the trace of worry on the waiter's face and asked, "Has the Heavenly Fragrance House been getting fewer customers? I remember the main hall being packed the last two times I came, but today it's half empty."

This was the same waiter Shen Shixu kept running into. At his question, the waiter sighed and said, "You have a sharp eye, sir. We certainly have lost a lot of customers. A new restaurant opened over on West Peace Street, called Ten-Mile Home.

"All our customers have gone over there. People say their food is delicious and cheaper than ours, and the place has such an elegant atmosphere that it's attracted quite a few dashing young scholars.

"So our business has suffered. These days, the only people coming are the regulars we built up over the years. The owner is worried sick. If we keep losing customers like this, I'm afraid the Heavenly Fragrance House will have to close before long."

The waiter sighed again. If the Heavenly Fragrance House closed, he would have to find another livelihood, and these days, finding work that could support a family was far too difficult.

Seeing the worry on the waiter's face, Shen Shixu had no good solution either. He simply added a few dozen copper coins to his tip.

Once they had finished ordering, Shen Zexi arrived as well. He had spent most of the day looking over candidates for household guards and picked out a dozen or so he was satisfied with.

After he arrived, Shen Shixu told him about hiring Xu Qing as their cook.

Shen Zexi had no objections. "You can decide. But this young lady looks so young. Is her cooking really that good? Was it passed down through her family?"

"No, no one in my family does this. I worked it out myself."

Hearing Xu Qing's answer, Shen Zexi was quite impressed with the young woman. "Then you really are talented. Oh, right, I heard something interesting on my way here.

"There's been trouble at the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity's Residence. The whole family was duped into raising someone else's daughter for over a decade. And that's not even the worst of it. After finding their biological daughter, instead of making it up to her and treating her lovingly, they actually mistreated her.

"Meanwhile, they lavished affection on the adopted daughter who had occupied their own daughter's place for all those years. They didn't even punish the person responsible for switching the babies. How very kindhearted of them."

Shen Zexi's remark about their kindness dripped with sarcasm.

That was hardly kindness. They clearly had something wrong with their heads.

Xu Qing wondered how the story had gotten out. Not many people knew about it. Everyone in this private room except Shen Zexi knew.

Aside from their little group, only the people at the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity's Residence and Yan Weixuan's family knew, and neither family would ever leak it. So how exactly had the story come to light?

Shen Shixu had a good idea who was responsible. Setting down his teacup, he said calmly, "The person who exposed this was probably the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity's married sister."

Shen Zexi looked at him in shock. "Little brother, how did you know?"

Only after asking did Shen Zexi remember. With 011 around, what didn't his younger brother know?

"I guessed!"

Xu Qing thought for a moment and realized it too. Of course. Who else could it have been but her aunt?

"It was indeed his married sister. She went back to the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity's Residence today for a visit and to take her niece, who had suffered for so many years, home with her for a few days.

"Apparently, she wanted to take her niece to Princess Fuhui's flower-viewing banquet and find her a suitable husband.

"The earl's real daughter must be eighteen this year, but the family hasn't shown the slightest intention of planning for her future.

"So her aunt grew anxious. Afraid her niece would be left unmarried until she became an old maid and couldn't find a good match, she decided to swallow her pride and arrange things herself.

"Who knew that when she went back, she would walk in on the earl telling the Lady of the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity that their real daughter wanted to sever ties with the family?

"When she heard that, she was absolutely furious. She nearly had her husband beat her own brother to death.

"I heard the earl had two ribs broken. The people at his residence were rushing around trying to find a doctor!

"And the fake daughter didn't get off lightly either. His sister dealt with her personally. Apparently, she scratched that fake daughter's face to shreds. I reckon it'll leave scars."

After hearing Shen Zexi's news, Xu Qing found it incredible and was a little bewildered. She had always had a good impression of this aunt.

Although her aunt also lived in the Capital, she rarely visited the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity's Residence. Still, she sent Xu Qing gifts every so often.

They were all things girls liked: hairpins, jewelry, cosmetics, and fashionable clothes.

But Xu Qing only ever got to look at them briefly before Xu Zhen took them away under one pretext or another.

When she told the Lady of the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity, all she received was a scolding.

Of everyone connected to the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity's Residence, this married aunt was the only one who treated her well. After severing ties, Xu Qing had considered seeking refuge with her, though she did not know whether her aunt would take her in. In the end, she had decided against it.

Her aunt had a family of her own. Even if she was willing to take Xu Qing in, what about her uncle and her cousin? Would they be willing too?

After turning it over in her mind, Xu Qing had decided not to seek refuge with Xu Jingshi.

Yet although Xu Qing had not gone to Xu Jingshi for help, Xu Jingshi had done so much for her.

"I didn't want to cause my aunt any trouble. I never imagined she would do so much for me."

Xu Qing's words made Shen Zexi spray out a mouthful of tea. He had never expected this young woman to be one of the central figures in the tale of the real and fake daughters.

Jiang Bin was not particularly surprised to hear what Xu Jingshi had done. He told everyone about something that had happened years ago.

"Although Xu Jingshi and the Earl of Everlasting Prosperity are full siblings, they don't get along. To be honest, there's even a grudge between them.

"The earl inherited his title from his ancestors; he didn't earn it himself. He has no particular ability and likes taking shortcuts.

"My mother told me that twenty years ago, there were two celebrated beauties in the Capital, both as talented as they were beautiful. One of them was Xu Jingshi.

"To advance his career, the earl married Xu Jingshi off to the then General of the Cavalry, Sun Xiushan, who is now the Commander of the Imperial Guard.

"Sun Xiushan came from humble origins. Everything he had, he earned with his own blade and spear on the battlefield. In many people's eyes, he was already an impressive and admirable man.

"But others thought he was nothing more than a brute. So when news of the marriage spread, everyone cursed the earl, saying he had sold his own sister to further his career.

"I heard Xu Jingshi didn't want to marry Sun Xiushan at first either. She tried to hang herself on their wedding day, but they saved her and shoved her into the bridal sedan.

"Fortunately, Sun Xiushan turned out to be a good man. He let Xu Jingshi decide every matter in the household, great or small. He took no concubines, kept no bedchamber maids, and never visited brothels.

"Gradually, the two of them grew to love each other."