DLMSWSHH Chapter 10

TL: Hua

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Chapter 10: The Duke

Outside, the last trace of sunset fell below the horizon. Darkness enveloped the huge mansion.

The hall was very quiet. Tao’s voice was so clear that Zhong Ming couldn’t even pretend he hadn’t heard it.

No one raised an objection to the method of punishment Tao had chosen. Matthew’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked at Madam Mary’s serious, tense profile, but in the end, he said nothing.

“What? Pick quickly.” Tao brandished the ruler in his hand, striking it against his palm over and over. His mocking gaze fell on Zhong Ming. “Who else do you want to ask for help? Neither Matthew nor Madam will indulge a little thief with sticky fingers like you.”

Zhong Ming snapped his eyes up, his lips tightening. A flash of anger passed quickly over his otherwise plain expression.

Tao did not miss that bit of anger; he curled his lips triumphantly, the mole on his jaw moving with the gesture.

Zhong Ming’s anger was fleeting. He looked away, glancing at Albert standing by Madam Mary’s side. The boy’s head was lowered deeply, his right hand clenched into a fist at his side.

It seemed no one would speak for him.

Zhong Ming lowered his eyes, returning to his expressionless state, and slowly extended both hands forward.

Seeing him reach out, Tao’s eyes flickered slightly. Deep down, he had actually been somewhat looking forward to this new manservant rolling up his trouser legs to reveal fair, white calves.

However, hands would do. His gaze fell upon Zhong Ming’s upturned palms; the fingers were slender and long, and the palms were soft and delicate. They looked like the hands of someone who had never known hardship, making even the tiny prick from the rose thorn on his fingertip appear somewhat jarring.

They were like a piece of high-quality canvas.

Tao’s eyes crinkled slightly. In the next instant, the sound of slicing air rang out. With a “crack,” the ruler struck Zhong Ming’s palm.

The pain caused Zhong Ming to let out a muffled groan, and he couldn’t help but curl his palms inward.

“Keep them spread out properly for me,” Tao’s cold voice came. The smile had vanished from his face, and the eyes behind his lenses were exceptionally icy. “If you flinch again, I’ll add ten more strokes.” Zhong Ming took two small breaths and slowly opened his hands, only to be struck again immediately.

“Smack!”

The ruler was flat and wide. In truth, Tao’s strength wasn’t overly heavy, but Zhong Ming’s skin was too tender; the struck area immediately became red and swollen. Red welts crisscrossed against the fair skin, the intense contrast making the injuries look particularly cruel.

Matthew watched the wounds, his brow twitching as Tao swung the ruler again. He closed his eyes tightly and stiffly turned his head away.

Tao noticed his reaction, let out a silent sneer in his heart, and raised the ruler high once more.

However, at that moment, a cold female voice suddenly rang out.

“Wait a moment.”

Tao’s movements froze. He turned his head toward the sound and saw a young woman with blonde hair standing at the corner of the second floor, looking down at them.

Madam Mary also looked up. She froze for a moment upon seeing the woman and asked in confusion, “Miss Joan, may I ask what the matter is?”

The speaker was indeed the tutor, Joan. Her gaze drifted lightly across Zhong Ming’s face before indifferently moving away. She said to Madam Mary, “The Duke says he is a bit hungry.”

“He wishes to ask if Madam could send the refreshments up early.”

Hearing this, Madam Mary was stunned. Clearly, such a request rarely occurred in the mansion. She was only dazed for a moment before continuing: “Very well, I will send them up immediately.”

She then gave Tao a meaningful look and prepared to turn and leave.

However, at that point, Joan spoke again: “The Duke says he wishes to see the new manservant.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Mary’s movements stopped. Tao’s brow furrowed sharply. Matthew’s eyes widened, and he looked at Zhong Ming in surprise.

At the focal point of all this attention, Zhong Ming slowly raised his head, his expression more bewildered than anyone else’s. The Duke? Who was that?

Tao tightened his grip on the ruler in disbelief and suddenly spoke: “What? This is against the rules—”

“Shut up.” This time, however, Madam Mary interrupted him sternly. In this strictly hierarchical mansion, the Duke’s orders represented the highest authority; no one could disobey. She took a deep breath, adjusted her expression, and said calmly, “I understand.”

She turned her head and beckoned to Zhong Ming: “Come here.”

Zhong Ming paused, glanced at Tao, who was standing aside with gritted teeth, and after a slight hesitation, stepped past him to stand before Madam Mary.

The housekeeper’s grey-blue eyes were calm as her gaze fell on Zhong Ming’s face. She then gently took hold of his tightly clenched right hand. The two red, swollen welts on his palm entered her sight.

Standing behind Madam Mary, Matthew saw those two welts, and his brow twitched rapidly.

At the same time, Zhong Ming slowly raised his face, his eyes slightly reddened. He quickly looked past Madam Mary’s shoulder and cast a glance at Matthew.

Madam Mary did not notice the momentary stiffness of the person behind her. Seeing that Zhong Ming had already accepted punishment for the “mistake” he had committed, her expression softened again. Like a gentle mother, she reached out and lightly brushed the slight sweat from Zhong Ming’s forehead. “It seems you have learned your lesson,” Madam Mary said softly.

She held up a small metal cross with her right hand, closed her eyes, and took on a very devout expression: “Come, repeat after me—Almighty Lord, please forgive my sinful soul.”

Zhong Ming looked at her expression and felt this person was somewhat neurotic, but he still submissively bowed his head and followed Madam Mary: “Lord, please forgive my sinful soul.”

His tone was very sincere, and his half-lowered eyes looked especially humble. Madam Mary nodded with satisfaction, released his hand, and said as she turned, “Follow me.”

Zhong Ming nodded and followed, leaving behind the group of people with their various expressions.

Matthew’s eyes remained wide as he watched his retreating back. His feet moved slightly, but in the end, he did not take that step.

Zhong Ming followed silently behind Madam Mary all the way to the back kitchen. The housekeeper walked to the sideboard, picked up a tray, and shoved it into his hands. The tray was unexpectedly heavy; the wounds on Zhong Ming’s hands flared with pain, and the weight dragged his arms down, nearly causing him to drop the tray on the floor.

So heavy!

Zhong Ming winced for a moment, tightening his lips to endure the pain, and managed to steady the tray in his hands.

“You will follow me to deliver the refreshments later.”

Madam Mary didn’t notice his struggle. She was busy in the kitchen and, without looking back, poured a cup of black tea, placing it on the tray Zhong Ming was holding with a “thud.”

“I will introduce you to the Duke,” Madam Mary said while leaning over to open the oven. The sweet scent of baking pastries immediately rushed toward them. “Before I speak, do not say a single word.”

With a “clack,” a plate of chocolate cookies was placed on Zhong Ming’s tray. Madam Mary turned briskly and walked out of the kitchen. Zhong Ming balanced the tray and followed her, glancing down at the items in his hands. It was a porcelain tray with a white base; the glaze was smooth and delicate, decorated with rose branches painted in gold powder. It held a cup of black tea and a small saucer of cookies; both the cup and the saucer shared the same rose pattern.

The black tea in the cup swayed gently with his steps, and a rich aroma filled the air.

Zhong Ming followed Madam Mary up the stairs until they reached the fourth floor, stopping before the room at the very top of the staircase.

Zhong Ming looked up at the large wooden door before him. The space on the top floor was massive; the entire hallway was empty, save for this single room in front of them. The wood of the door was a deep, rich black-red. Looking closely, Zhong Ming saw it was carved with intricate, beautiful roses and intertwining, thorn-covered vines.

Just then, Madam Mary’s voice rang out: “Remember.” She looked straight ahead, tilting her chin up slightly. “No matter what, you must not look directly at the Duke’s face.”

Hearing this, Zhong Ming was stunned, and for some reason, a slight chill rose in his heart.

Madam Mary raised her hand and tapped lightly three times on the Phoebe zhennan wood[1] door. The sound of the knocking echoed through the hallway. Only after the last echo vanished into the air did a voice come from inside:

“Come in.”

Zhong Ming was instantly taken aback. As the voice lingered in his ears, his first reaction was that it felt very strange.

He thought for a good while before realizing where the strangeness lay. The voice sounded exceptionally ordinary, devoid of any personal characteristics. Normally, one could discern basic information from a person’s voice, such as gender, age, or sometimes even personality. But the voice from inside the room seemed as if all traces had been deliberately erased; it was so mundane that it was filled with a sense of incongruity.

While he was dazed, Madam Mary reached out, gripped the handle, and pushed the door open. Zhong Ming watched the heavy wooden door slowly swing open and unconsciously held his breath.

As the door opened, the scene inside the room was revealed to them.

The space inside was extremely spacious. On the wall opposite the door was a very large window, its white curtains on both sides fluttering slightly in the evening breeze. Outside was the lush, black forest behind the mansion.

Withered branches grew diagonally across the full moon; at night, they looked like ghostly hands, adding a touch of eeriness to the room.

Shelves were arranged on both sides of the window, their height nearly touching the ceiling. They were packed with books, all of which were thick, heavy tomes; at a glance, it looked almost like a library.

In the center of the bookshelves, a massive wooden desk sat quietly beneath the full moon outside the window.

A person sat at the desk with his back to them. From Zhong Ming’s angle, he could only see the broad back of a red velvet chair.

Madam Mary was the first to enter the room. Her heels stepped onto the reddish-brown velvet carpet without making a sound. Zhong Ming followed behind her, walking in step by step, feeling that the ceiling of this room was terrifyingly high, almost like another palace. They walked to a spot a few paces away from the desk, and Madam Mary stopped.

Zhong Ming stopped as well. As he got closer, he noticed that the red velvet chair back was also embroidered with dense rose patterns. A pale, broad hand extended from behind the chair, resting on the dark brown wooden armrest. A ring was worn at the base of the thumb, and the emerald gemstone on it shimmered with a ghostly light under the moon.

Zhong Ming’s gaze halted, freezing on that gemstone; he recognized it as the one from the portrait.

Just then, Madam Mary’s voice came: “Good evening, Your Grace.”

She lowered her head, which she usually held high, and bowed gracefully toward the chair, saying softly, “Have you had a good day today?”

“Very good.”

The voice came from behind the chair, devoid of any discernible tone:

“And you, Madam, have you had a good day?”

Zhong Ming looked up and noticed a hint of softness appearing on the housekeeper’s perpetually tense face. Her grey eyes flickered with a light that could almost be described as motherly:

“Very good.”

Madam Mary answered. Then, she straightened up and continued: “However, there is one matter I need to report to you.” She glanced at Zhong Ming, her tone turning a bit colder: “Due to my oversight, the new manservant mistakenly picked flowers from the rose garden for the young master.”

Having said that, she cast a glance at Zhong Ming. Receiving the look, Zhong Ming immediately bowed: “I am very sorry, Your Grace.”

“I have already punished him.” Madam Mary withdrew her gaze and continued. “I can promise you that such a mistake will not happen again.”

The woman’s voice vanished into the air.

Zhong Ming remained in his bowed position, feeling a bit nervous.

“It matters not.”

The voice came from behind the chair, saying gently, “If he wants flowers, let him pick them.”

Hearing this, Madam Mary immediately frowned and said deeply, “If I may be so bold, Your Grace, you will spoil the young master like this. Those are—”

Her tone was somewhat intense, clearly disagreeing with the Duke’s approach. However, in the next moment, Zhong Ming saw the fingers resting on the chair back curve, the knuckles tapping lightly on the armrest.

The movement wasn’t large, but Madam Mary instantly fell silent. She took a small step back, submissively lowered her head, and spoke no further.

Zhong Ming had never seen the housekeeper look so humble; his heart skipped a beat.

Madam Mary showed no sign of embarrassment on her face, switching the topic as naturally as if nothing had happened:

“The refreshments prepared for you tonight are Earl Grey tea and cranberry cookies.”

As she spoke, she cast another glance at Zhong Ming.

This was a signal for him to bring them forward.

Because of the injuries on his hands and the weight of the tray, Zhong Ming’s muscles had long been aching. He barely managed to suppress the trembling in both hands. He slowly straightened up, taking a slight breath because of the ache in his lower back, steadied himself, and walked toward the desk.

It was only a few steps; he just had to endure it.

Zhong Ming estimated the distance to the desk and took a small breath.

However, just as he was two steps away from the table, a bulge suddenly appeared in the carpet under Zhong Ming’s feet. He swayed and lost his balance in an instant!

“Thud!”

“Clatter!”

The porcelain cup rolled onto the floor, and the warm black tea spilled out, soaking into a water stain on the velvet carpet. The cookies broke in half, revealing the dried cranberries inside, scattered across the rug.

The room fell into a dead silence.

As the last bit of noise faded into the air, Zhong Ming knelt on the carpet. Looking at the mess on the rug not far away, his eyes widened slightly.

Then, he felt a touch of warmth on his cheek. Zhong Ming paused and slowly turned his head to look at the small section of high-quality suit fabric in front of him. His breath stopped instantly.

He had fallen right onto the Duke’s lap.

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[1] Phoebe zhennan, known as Zhennan or Golden Nanmu, is a rare, slow-growing evergreen tree endemic to China, prized for its exceptionally durable, fragrant, and golden-lustered wood.

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