CFB Chapter 144

Translator – Xiao He Lian

This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.

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Chapter 144 Zhou Shu’an x Shen Shu 7

 

An hour later, Zhou Shu’an ordered his men to take Madam Wen and He Wanru to the Dali Temple. The mansion gate had barely closed for a moment when another knock was heard.

The broker said to the steward, “Forty people in total. Steward, please check the list.”

Steward Yu said, “Come with me.”

Shortly after, a matron in a pomegranate-red dress brought twenty maidservants and twenty manservants to the main hall.

The matron’s surname was Liu. She spoke slowly and moved gracefully, observing proper etiquette.

She respectfully handed a stack of indenture contracts to Shen Shu. “I heard Lord Zhou’s residence is purchasing servants. These were carefully selected—please inspect them, Madam.”

Shen Shu took the documents and nodded.

Madam Liu was sharp-eyed and signaled a few women. She whispered, “You start—raise your heads one by one.”

They came in groups of four, each taking their turn to walk forward. Shen Shu held the contracts and asked standard questions:

Can you read? What positions have you held before? Do you have family in Chang’an?—and so on.

Turning slightly toward Zhou Shu’an, Shen Shu said, “These seem decent. What does my lord think?”

Zhou Shu’an put down his teacup and said, “It’s all up to you, Madam.”

Shen Shu directly kept eight indentures. Madam Liu looked pleased and signaled to continue.

However, the next group of four maidservants made Shen Shu’s gaze pause.

All four were young and attractive, with graceful figures. According to their contracts, none had yet married—ranging from fifteen to seventeen years old. Shen Shu, having once been a household’s primary wife, immediately understood what they were for.

These girls were meant to serve closely. Over time, if the master favored them, they could become concubines. Li Di had a few like this too, but because they were unruly and angered Shen Shu, he dismissed them.

These four didn’t seem seductive, just naturally lovely.

Shen Shu glanced at the man beside her and softly asked, “These four—what do you think, my lord?”

Zhou Shu’an lightly tapped the table with his fingertip. After a moment, he replied, “As Madam wishes.”

The words were identical to before, but his tone had clearly cooled.

Shen Shu looked down at the indenture contracts and slowly smiled.

She was already remarried—why make trouble for herself?

Taking a proper concubine through formal means would be one thing, but letting these girls parade in front of her daily would certainly be an annoyance. Thinking this, she handed back those four indentures to Madam Liu.

The four young maids glanced longingly at the man with the jade crown, then lowered their heads.

Because the Zhou household didn’t have many masters, Shen Shu only selected six maids and six servants. After confirming the contracts, Madam Liu gave the price with a smile, and Zhou Shu’an rose to pay. Qingli led the new hires away.

Once Madam Liu left, Zhou Shu’an turned to Shen Shu and said, “Would you take a walk with me in the garden, Madam?”

She nodded, and her hand was gently taken by his.

The Zhou estate had been bestowed by Emperor Chengyuan.

The outer court had pavilions, side rooms, and a main hall; the inner courtyard had ponds, gazebos, and rock gardens—a classic three-tiered compound, spacious and scenic.

However, most of the rooms remained unused.

As they walked past the pond, Shen Shu looked at the overgrown weeds and felt she may have hired too few people.

Zhou Shu’an led her into the bedchamber. Inside, a yellow pearwood shelf was filled with account books. Zhou Shu’an picked out a few and placed them before her. “These will be your responsibility from now on, Madam.”

Shen Shu assumed they were just household expense records. But upon opening them, she froze.

These were not ordinary ledgers—they were records of Zhou Shu’an’s personal dealings and favors, all meticulously detailed.

This was his backbone, his network.

She drew in a deep breath…

After a long silence, she pointed at one entry and smiled. “Lord Zhou’s salary is much lower than I imagined.”

Zhou Shu’an replied with a straight face, “That’s from the year before last. It’s gone up since.”

Shen Shu picked another ledger and flipped to the back. Her eyes crinkled with laughter. “An increase of twenty strings of cash counts as a raise?”

In response, his strong, heated arm wrapped around her—and the room was filled with affection.

——

At dusk, Zhou Shu’an was in his study reviewing a corruption case handed over from the Ministry of Justice for retrial. Because it was complex, Deputy Chief Xie couldn’t make a ruling and passed it on to him.

While he was deep in thought, Chu Yi knocked and entered.

Zhou Shu’an asked, “How did it go?”

Chu Yi replied, “The He family was found engaging in illicit activities and taken by the local authorities. Also, as per your instructions, I took Madam Wen and the He family’s daughter to see Li Di.”

Zhou Shu’an’s expression cooled. “Continue.”

Chu Yi said quietly, “Li Di coughed up blood upon hearing of your marriage. The physician said… he doesn’t have much time left.”

Zhou Shu’an calmly put down his writing brush and said heavily, “Continue to provide him a doctor, but keep the news quiet.”

“Yes, sir,” Chu Yi said. “What about the case Lord Yao submitted?”

“Bring the suspects in for interrogation. Rewrite the report and submit it to His Majesty,” Zhou Shu’an ordered.

——

At the hour of the boar (10–11 p.m.), the study’s lights were extinguished.

Zhou Shu’an had considered whether to tell her about Li Di.

After much thought, he decided against it.

As she’d said, even if their love had long since ended, four years of affection weren’t fake. With her nature, even if she heard Li Di was dying, she wouldn’t be pleased.

When a person dies, the past turns to dust.

There was no need for her to know.

When Zhou Shu’an pushed open the bedroom door, the lights were still on. He walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and said, “I was handling some official matters just now.”

Shen Shu said, “It’s fine. I’ve always been a night owl.”

Zhou Shu’an took off his outer robe and lay beside her, moving closer. His cold voice grew husky, and his hand wandered smoothly along her back, slowly downward.

Shen Shu bit her lip and let out a soft “mm.”

Zhou Shu’an instantly felt his restraint breaking. What little self-control he prided himself on crumbled in front of her.

“Shu’er, what should I do?” The man’s voice at night, filled with affection, was enough to melt hearts.

Shen Shu placed a finger on his chest to stop him. “There’s something I don’t understand—can you explain it, my lord?”

Zhou Shu’an shifted to lie above her, his gaze intense. “Ask me.”

With her arms around his shoulders, she whispered, “Why did you take me to that inn outside the city that day?”

Although she knew he had been setting a trap for her, she still found the timing too coincidental.

At that time… they might have already met.

Looking into his eyes, she asked, “That year, during the plague, when many were blocked from entering the capital—did we meet there?”

Zhou Shu’an’s heart tightened.

Shen Shu’s finger traced lightly along his neck. “Were you on your way to take the imperial exams?”

“I was,” Zhou Shu’an answered.

“And then?” Shen Shu’s hand teased him effortlessly, pressing the once top-ranked scholar.

Who knows how long it took, but Lord Zhou finally regained his composure, seized her slender hands, and pinned them above her head.

Then, he silenced her with a kiss.

“When I first saw you, I truly did have improper thoughts.”

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